death and sufferings. Restore me to Thy favour, reconcile me, sanctify me wholly. Fill me now with Thy Holy Spirit, with the joy of Thy salvation.

O Lord, I humbly desire that the lifting up of my hands this day may be set forth before Thee as the evening sacrifice. In union with the oblation of Thyself to do the will of the Father, in union with the offering of the whole Church this day for the sweet savour of Thyself unto God, I desire most humbly to offer my feeble contribution of service. Thou knowest how much I have fallen short of what I ought to have done for Thee, how I have failed in trying to do good to others, in trying to amend myself. Do Thou, O Lord, correct, refine, perfect it. Fuse it into the united service of Thy Church. Perfume it with Thy holy intercession. O Thou Who art touched with the feeling of our infirmities, Who will not be extreme to mark what is done amiss, mercifully overlook the sad mixture of my motives, separate for Thyself the little that was done for Thee. Accept it, O Lord, present it for me, and make me love Thee more, and serve Thee better!

I most humbly commit to Thee, O God, this night, all my cares and anxieties, all my designs and desires. Protect me from fire, from pain and sickness, from evil men and evil spirits. To my weariness vouchsafe rest, both of body and mind. Renew my strength by wholesome sleep. Thy holy will be done in me this night, only keep me from sin, from fear, from idle thoughts, from discomposure of spirit. Let me not in my dreams, or in my waking thoughts, imagine what may anger Thee. And raise me up, if it please Thee, refreshed and purified for to-morrow. I desire, O Lord, to consecrate my

bed to holy thoughts, to shut out the world, to leave all my cares without. Prepare me for my long rest in the grave; accustom me even now to be at peace when alone with Thee. And with myself, I commend unto Thee all for whom I should pray, especially those I love best . Grant to them all that I have asked for myself, and whatsoever else Thou knowest to be good for them.

OUR FATHER, etc.

I will lay me down in peace and take my rest, for it is Thou, Lord, only that makest me dwell in safety. Amen.

I

No. 2.

GIVE thanks to Thee, O Lord, that I have passed over this day. The night cometh on; death also cometh on.

I lift up my hands by night in the sanctuary, and bless the Lord.

Give rest, O Lord, to me that am drooping; renew my strength, for I am weary. Lighten my eyes, that I sleep not in death. Grant me restful sleep, and to pass this night without trouble.

O thou Keeper of Israel, Who dost never slumber, preserve me this night from all evil; O Lord, keep my soul. Visit me with the salvation of Thy children. Open my understanding in the visions of the night. But if not so (for I am not worthy! I am not worthy!), yet, O Lord, let my sleep be a rest, as from labour, so from sin. Even so, O Lord! And let me not dream of anything that may offend Thee or defile myself. Lay asleep in me all earthly and wicked imaginations. Of mine unseen enemies Thou knowest, Lord, the wakefulness;

of my miserable flesh Thou knowest the weakness. Oh, hide me under the shadow of Thy wings. Raise me up in a time accepted, in the hour of prayer; and grant that I may seek Thee early, to glorify and serve Thee. Lord, into Thy hands I commend myself, spirit, soul, and body. Thou hast created and redeemed them, O Lord, thou God of Truth. And, together with myself, I commend unto Thee all that belong unto me. Thou, O Lord, hast graciously given them unto Thy servant. Preserve my lying down and my rising up, from this time forth for evermore. Grant that I may remember Thee upon my bed, and search out my spirit, so that when I wake up, I may be present with Thee. Amen.

"I sleep, but my heart waketh."

Certain Hours of the Bay.

The Third Hour (9 o'clock).

ALMIGHTY God, We heard thy faithful

hour, replenish the hearts of Thy faithful servants by sending Thy Holy Spirit upon them; grant me by the same Spirit to have a right judgment in all things, that I may both perceive what I ought to do, and also have power to do it effectually; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

O Lord Jesus Christ, Who didst, as at this hour, receive the bitter sentence of death for us, when no cause of death could be found against Thee; enable us, after Thy example, to bear injustice in the cause of righteousness, and meekly to submit to men's condemnation, which (unlike Thee) we have justly deserved. Amen.

"AT

The Sixth Hour (12 o'clock).

T noonday will I pray, and that instantly, and He shall hear my voice." O Lord Jesus Christ, my Lord and my God, Who didst, as at this hour, while hanging on the Cross for my sake, enter into the darkness of God's wrath, and didst endure the awful forsaking of God; grant unto me to have this Thy blessed Passion in devout remembrance every day of my life, and at the hour of death. And by it I beseech Thee to save me, O Lord, from the wrath and the forsaking of God, so that even in the valley of the shadow of death I may fear no evil. Amen.

The Ninth Hour (3 o'clock).

LORD, my Redeemer and King, Who, as

at this hour, didst finish Thy work of redemption, didst commend Thy Spirit unto the Father, and didst fall into that deep sleep wherein the Church was taken from Thy flesh; I glorify Thee that Thou hast grafted me into Thy Body, and made me a partaker of Thy redemption. Into Thy hands I commend my spirit, for Thou hast redeemed me, O Lord God of Truth! Amen.

O

End of Day (6 o'clock).

LORD, Whose crucified Body was, as at this hour, laid in the sepulchre; grant that I, who have been buried with Thee in my baptism, may remain dead unto sin, and continually mortify all evil and corrupt affections, until my life, now hidden with Thee, is revealed in glory at Thy coming, to which vouchsafe to preserve me blameless, through Thy merits. Amen.