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 not he  who  so  abundantly satisfies their  desire  with good things,  reserve  one blessing also  for  us,  who  are his children? We have  indeed no  confidence  in  our own merits  and  justice; but because the  plentiful  redemption of  thy  Son  leaves  us  not destitute of  merits,  we  offer them first  to  thee,  O merciful Father. Father, look upon the  face  of  thy  Christ, in whom  thou  art  well pleased.

Behold also  thy  elect,  our brethren (for  we  have  one and  the  same  Father  in  heaven), come  supplicating  thee for us  to  the  throne  of  thy glory, secure  of  their  own  salvation, but  anxious  for  ours. For they  desire  to  have  us co-heirs  with  them,  and  endeavour to  forward  us  by their  prayers  and  merits  to the  haven  of  salvation.

Hear us,  O merciful  Father, in  their  regard,  who,  for the sake  of  Abraham,  Isaac, Jacob, David,  and  the  rest  of thy  beloved,  hast  more  than once promised  to  be  favourable and  gracious  to  others. Therefore, our  first  petition is,

We adore  thee,  most  holy God, because  all  honour  and glory is  due  to  thee  alone; and therefore  we  pray  that the honour  and  love  of  thy holy name  may  be  always  and everywhere spread  and  advanced by  us. We wish  and desire that  all  that  we  say, do, and  think,  may  be  directed only  to  the  glory  of thy  name. To this,  as  we are  urged  by  the  example,  so we  desire  to  be  assisted  by the  aid  of  the  most  holy  Virgin Mary,  who,  when  chosen to be  the  mother  of  the  Son of God,  magnified  not  herself, but the  Lord,  because  he  had regarded the  humility  of  his handmaid, and  had  done  for her great  things,  who  is mighty,  and  his  name  holy.

We learn  as  much  from the holy  angels,  whose  only office and  employment  is  to hallow  and  praise  the  name of the  Lord. And therefore they sing  to  thee  incessantly. Holy, holy, holy. No sooner was the  Saviour  born,  than they united  in  singing,  Glory to God  in  the  highest. Nor do they  now  cease  to  praise God, but  excite  us  by  their warnings and  inspirations  to hallow  God  also  by  holy works. So let  our  light  shine, therefore, and  our  works  appear before  men,  that  they who see  them  may  thence  be led  to  glorify  God.

We adore  thee,  O Lord, because thou  art  the  king  of highest  majesty  and  power, and hast  made  us  heirs  of  thy kingdom by  thy  Son. We beseech thee,  therefore,  by