OF

Devout Aspirations.

(From the Psalms.)

H that men would praise the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men.

What is man, that Thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him!

The secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him, and He will show them His covenant.

Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and He shall sustain thee: He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.

I have gone astray like a lost sheep seek Thy servant, for I do not forget Thy command

ments.

Great are Thy tender mercies, O Lord; quicken me according to Thy judgments.

Thy vows are upon me, O God; I will render praises unto Thee.

O God, Thou art my God; early will I seek Thee. My soul thirsteth for Thee, in a dry and thirsty land where no water is; to see Thy power and glory, so as I have seen Thee in the sanctuary.

I will keep Thy statutes; oh, forsake me not utterly.

Whom have I in heaven but Thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside Thee.

With my whole heart have I sought Thee: oh, let me not wander from Thy commandments. Lo, I come to do Thy will, O God.

NOTE. For special devotions at celebrations on Holy Days and Seasons, see pp. 15 to 23.

Petitions for Special Graces.

For Faith.

LORD, I believe, help Thou my unbelief.

Turn the doubts that sometimes afflict me into spurs towards entire trust in Thee. I acknowledge that faith is no easy acquirement. I humbly entreat Thee, Who dost at times show me its value by withholding it, to give it me as a most precious gift. Lord, I would fain believe with a childlike, unreluctant, unquestioning trust. O Lord, Thou hast stirred me, so that I cannot rest in a dead, ineffectual faith. now make it, I pray Thee, active, zealous, all-engrossing, victorious; so working by love, that it carries away triumphantly my whole being, to conform me to Thee in Whom I trust. Give me a living, loving, active faith, that delights to count all visible things as dross, and endures, as seeing Thee, Who art invisible. Amen.

For Hope.

And

THOU Who art the hope of all the ends of the earth, give me a firm grasp on a well-founded hope! Let me not be filled with vain presumption, nor suffer me to think that Thou wilt ever either be reconciled to my sins, or reject my repentance. And when I build on Thy promises, let me not forget Thy conditions. And then give me a comfortable security, as on an anchor of the soul both sure and steadfast, entering even within the veil, whither

our Captain is gone before, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

For Love.

GOD Who hast declared Thyself to be and invite me to return Thy Love, I deplore my miserable incapacity for giving Thee my heart. I know that I continually provoke Thee by turning away from Thee to love the things which steal me from Thee. I know that I ought to hate myself for this senseless unfaithfulness, which makes me so unworthy to love Thee.

I entreat Thee, O Lord, to give me that which I cannot attain for myself, to pour into my heart such a stream of godly desire and affection, that I may truly love Thee before all things, wholly abandoning myself to live for Thy Love. Amen.

PREPA

REPARE me, O Lord, for this inestimable gift, by revealing in me such knowledge of Thyself as I am able to bear, by opening my mind to a deep and abiding sense of Thy incomparable perfection in all that is lovable.

Help me to ponder and adore Thy might and Thy gentleness, Thy patience and compassion, Thy glorious purity. Enlighten me to admire Thy majestic calmness, Thy mysterious excellence in hiding Thyself, and making all things work together for good to them that love Thee. But chiefly, O Lord, kindle in me a reverent warmth of gratitude for Thy astonishing Love for me, unworthy as I am even of forbearance and forgiveness.

And thus, O Lord, most holy, draw me irresistibly to Thee. Make all other love contribute

to my love for Thee. Make me love Thee in those dear to me. Fulfil in me the conditions of loving Thee. Direct my heart to keep Thy Word, to walk after Thy commandments, to love the brethren, to hate evil. Cause my soul to thirst for Thee, that I may long for Thy visible Presence, that all fear may be cast out, that Thou mayest manifest Thyself unto me, and make Thy abode with me, and thus Thy love may be perfected in me, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

"I declared unto them Thy Name, and will declare it; that the love wherewith Thou lovest Me may be in them, and I in them."

For Reverence.

LORD God most high, Who humblest

heavens; Who art most awful in power, and majesty, and glory inconceivable; Who hast condescended to reveal Thyself and Thy goodness to us, as far as our weakness can bear; oh, fill me, I pray, with trembling love; fill me with most humble reverence for Thyself, and for all that belongs to Thy holy Name, so that I may never dare to show disrespect by gesture, or word, or thought, to Thy holy Word and Sacraments, to Thy House and ministers, to the forms of Thy Church's worship. Especially on the more solemn occasions of approaching Thy Holy Presence, above all in the hour of death, fill me, O Lord, with the spirit of Thy holy fear, that I may set it forth in my whole conduct; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

For Purity of Intention.

LORD, help me to cast out all unworthy

motives. I sadly fear that my crooked and selfish purposes may spoil my work, and mar it as an offering to Thee, and a contribution to the honour of Thy great Name. Grant me, O Lord, a pure intention in all that I do, and a steadfast regard and single eye to Thy glory. I beseech Thee, O Lord, possess my mind continually with Thy Presence, and so fill it with the love of Thee that my only object may be to gratify Thee by my faithful service. Be Thou, O Lord, Thyself the full satisfaction of my heart. Be all in all to me, Lord Jesus; for Thine own sake. Amen.

For Holy Fear.

LORD most high, who only hast almighty power, possess my soul with such holy awe of Thee that I may give Thee the honour due unto Thy great Name, and reverently regard all things which bear Thy mark, never profaning holy things, nor handling carelessly what Thou hast set apart for Thyself. Let the dread of Thy stern justice make me tremble to provoke Thee. Oh, suffer me not so to misplace my fear as to be afraid of man that shall die, and pass away like a shadow, but be bold against God, Who is a consuming fire. But steep my whole soul in that fear of Thee which is the beginning of wisdom, which is a bridle to all fleshly appetites, which may prepare me for that love which casteth out fear.