An Examination of Conscience for Every Night

First, pi CE yourself in the presence of God; humbly adore. him, and give him thanks for all his blessings, especially those bestow'd on you this day.

ALMIGHTY and eternal God, whose majesty filleth heaven and earth, I firmly believe that thou art here; that thy adorable eye is upon me; that thou seest and knowest all things; and that thou art most intimately present in the very center of my soul. I desire to bow down all the powers of my soul to adore thee; I desire to join my voice with all the angels and saints, to praise thee, and glorify thee now and for ever. I give thee thanks, from the bottom of my heart, for all thy mercies and blessings bestowed upon me, and upon thy whole church; and particularly for those I have receiv’d from thee this day, in thy watching over me, and preserving me from so many evils, and favouring me with so many graces and inspirations, &c. O let me never more be ungrateful to so constant and so liberal a benefactor! And now, dear Lord, add this one blessing to the rest; that I may clearly discover the sins that I have committed this day, by thought, word, or deed; or by any omission of any branch of my duty, to thee, to my neighbour, or to myself: that no part of my guilt may be hidden from my own eyes; but that I may see my sins in their true colours, and may detest them as they ought to be detested.

Then examine yourself, how you have pass’d the day; how you have perform’d your prayers, and other spiritual exercises; in what manner you have acquitted yourself of the duties of your calling; what care Shay make a a firm pune of nena for Conclude this exercise, by endeavouring te you have taken to perform well your -ordinary actions of the day; what co pany you have been in, and what your _ conversation has been: and in particul 4 how you have behaved yourself with regard to your customary a, your predominant paoe science, and Tei the: aS you have been guilty of, endeavour to heartily sorry, and humbly. beg pa of the divine majesty for them, sa for this purpose the Psalm Miserere, He -~ mercy on me, O God, &c., as above, p. to ees Seine you are most ae te put yourself, as much as possible; in condition you would be glad to be fi in at the hour of your death: in ore to this, make the best acts you are in Gai; a of - a ecient ka his holy will: embrace with all th affections of your soul Christ crucified and papire, toan ien kje Son, and Holy Ghost, I believe in thee. O sweet Jesus, Son of God, true God and true man, the redeemer of my soul, I believe in thee; I believe all that thou hast taught me by thy holy Catholick Church; in this faith I desire to live and die. I am of myself a poor wretched nothing, and have been always hitherto a most miserable sinner: I humbly confess, and heartily detest my sins; I crave thy mercy, and hope to obtain thy mercy, thro’ the death and Passion of my Saviour, in which is all my confidence. I beg that thy holy will may ever be done in me, whether it be for pain or ease, sickness or health, life or death. I desire to have no exceptions against thy holy will; I accept of the sentence of death, as justly due to my sins; I submit to all the uneasinesses and pains, that are to be the forerunners of it, and I offer them all up to thee, for my sins. But O! dear Lord, whenever I am to die, let me be so happy, as to expire in the arms of my dying Jesus, and in the embraces of his cross! O! hide me, dear Jesus, in thy wounds; bathe my soul in thy precious blood: ah, let nothing separate me from thee. O! when shall I be so happy as to see thee, love thee, and enjoy thee in the land of the living! When shall I be eternally united to thee! O who will give me the wings of the dove, that I may fly away from this land of sin and misery, and be for ever at rest in thee!

N.B. This, or the like exercise of examination of conscience, ought never to be omitted by such as desire to serve God in good earnest, and to secure their soul’s eternal welfare.

Other Evening Prayers

Our Father. Hail, Mary. I believe in God, fc. „I confess to Almighty God, &c, as above, in the Morning Exercise.

THE HYMN Te lucis ante terminum

poon the closing of the day, Creator, we thee humbly pray, That for thy accustom’d mercy’s sake,

Vain dreams and phantoms of the night:

To Jesus, from a Virgin sprung, Be glory giv’n, and praises sung; The like to God the Father be, And Holy Ghost, eternally. Amen.

Save us, O Lord, waking, and keep us sleeping, that we may watch with Christ and rest in peace. Amen.

Preserve us as the apple of thine eye; and protect us under the shadow of thy wings. Vouchsafe, O Lord, to keep us this night without sin.

Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us.

Thy mercy be upon us, O Lord; as we have put our trust in thee.

O Lord, hear my prayer: and let my cry come unto thee.

Let us pray aes we beseech thee, O Lord, this habitation, and drive far from it all snares of the enemy: let thy holy angels dwell therein, to preserve us in peace; and thy blessing be upon us for ever, thro’ Christ our Lord. ‘Amen. Look down, we beseech thee, O Lord, upon this thy family, for which our Lord Jesus Christ did not stick to be delivered into the hands of sinners, and to undergo the torment of the cross; who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen.

Salve Regina HAZ to the queen who reigns above, Mother of clemency and love Hail thou our hope, life, sweetness; we, Eve's banish’d children, cry to thee. M We from this wretched vale of tears, Send sighs and groans unto thine ears; Oh! then, sweet advocate, bestow A pitying look on us below.

After this exile, let us see Our blessed Jesus, born of thee: O merciful, O pious maid, O gracious Mary, lend thine aid. ý. Pray for us, O holy mother of God. ky. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray didst prepare the body and soul of the glorious Mary, mother and virgin, that by the co-operation of the Holy Ghost, she might become a worthy dwelling for thy Son: grant, that as we rejoice in her commemoration, so, by her pious intercession, we may be delivered, both from present evils and everlasting death, thro’ the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Defend, we beseech thee, O Lord, by the intercession of blessed Mary, ever virgin, this thy family from all adversity;; and as with our whole heart we lie prostrate before thee, mercifully protect us from the snares of our enemies, thro’ Christ our Lord. Amen. O angel of God, who art my guardian, watch over me this night, whom the divine goodness has committed to thy charge; direct me, keep me, and defend me from evil spirits, and ` all misfortunes.

Into thy hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit: Lord Jesus receive my soul.

In thee, O Lord, is my hope; O let me never be confounded.

May the blessing of almighty God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, descend upon us, and remain always with us. Amen, Before you go to bed, read a chapter in some piritual book; forecast with yourself the subject of the next morning’s meditation, and think upon it whilst you are undressing your-elf; when you compose yourself in your bed, ‘think on your grave, and how quickly death (of which sleep is an image) will be with you; and what your sentiments will then be of all worldly vanities, Offer up to God your sleep, submitting to it with a pure intention of his holy will; and that by this repose of nature you may recover new vigour to serve him. Wish that every breath you are to take this night, might be an act of praise and love of the divine majesty, like the happy breathings of the angels and saints who never sleep: and so compose yourself to rest in the arms of your Saviour.

If you wake in the night, renew the offering of yourself to God, and aspire to him; My soul has desired thee in the night, Isai. xxvi. 9: