129 AN UNIVERSAL PRAYER, For all Things necessary to Salvation, O My God, I believe in thee, do thou strengthen my faith. AN my hopes are in thee, do thou secure them, I love thee with my whole heart, teach me to love thee daily more and more. I am sorry that I have offended thee, do thou increase my sorrow. I adore thee as my first beginning. I aspire after thee as my last end. I give thee thanks, as my constant benefactor. I call to thee as my so ereign protector. Vouchsafe, my God, to conduct me by thy wisdom, to restrain me by thy justice, to comfort me by thy mercy, to defend me by thy power. To thee I desire to consecrate all my thoughts, words, actions, and sufferings that henceforward I may think of thee, speak of thee, and willingly refer all my actions to thy greater glory; and suffer willingly whatever thou shalt appoint. Lord, I desire, that in all things thy will may be done, because it is thy will, and in the manner that thou willest. I beg of thee to enlighten my understanding, to inflame my will, to purify my body, and to sanctify my soul. Give me strength, O my God, to expiate my offences, to overcome my temptations, to subdue my passions and to acquire the virtues proper for my state. Fill my heart with tender affections for thy goodness, a hatred for my faults, a love for my neighbour, and a contempt of the world. Let me always remember to be submissive to my superiors, condescending to iny inferiors, faithful to my friends, and charitable to my enemies. Assist me to overcome sensuality, by mortification; avarice, by alms deeds; anger by meekness; and tepidity, by devotion. O my God, make me prudent in my undertakings, courageous in dangers, patient in afflictions, and humble in prosperity. Grant, that I may be ever attentive at my prayers, temperate at my meals, diligent in my employments, and constant in my resolutions. Let my conscience be ever upright and pure, my exterior modest, my cor versation edifying, and my comportment regular. Assist me, that I may continually la bour to overcome nature, to correspond with thy grace, to keep thy commandments, and to work out my salvation, Discover to me, O my God, the nothingness of this world, the greatness of heaven, the shortness of time, the length of eternity. and Grant that I may prepare for death that I may fear thy judgments, that I may escape hell, and in the end obtain heaven, thro' the merits of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. Invocations of the Holy Ghost, proper before reading or any other spiritual undertaking. C The Hymn, Veni Creator. Ome Holy Ghost, Creator come, Came Come take possession of our souls, The living Spring, the living Fire, Oh! guide our minds with thy best light, With love our hearts inflame; And with thy strength, which ne'er decays, Confirm our mortal frame. Far from us drive our hellish foes Thro' thee may we the Father know, Thrice blessed three in one. All glory to the Father be ว With his co-equal Son, The like to thee, great Paraclete, The The Hymn, Veni Sancte Spiritus. Come Holy Ghost, send down those beams, Which sweetly flow in silent streams From thy bright throne above. come, thou Father of the poor, come, thou Source of all our store; Come, fill our hearts with love. thou, of comforters the best, thou, the soul's delightful guest, The pilgrim's sweet relief. Thou art true rest in toil and sweat, Refreshment in th' excess of heat, And solace in our grief. 9 Thrice blessed light, shoot home thy darts, And pierce the center of those hearts Whose faith aspires to thee. Without thy Godhead nothing can Have any price or worth in man; Nothing can harmless be. Lord, wash our sinful stains away; Water from heaven our barren clay; f Our wounds and bruises heal. То o thy sweet yoke our stiff necks bow; Warm with thy fire our hearts of snow; Our wand'ring feet repeal. Grant to thy faithful, dearest Lord, Whose |