O Son of David, have mercy upon us. Both now and ever, vouchsafe to hear us, O Christ.

Graciously hear us, O Christ; graciously hear us, O Lord Christ.

Min. O Lord, let thy mercy be showed upon us.

Ans. As we do put our trust in thee.

duce and sanctify all that follows; which is only a larger paraphrase of the two last petitions of this divine form.

After the Lord's Prayer, two short petitions are added. They are taken from the words of the Psalmist, and are to be repeated alternately by the Minister and people. "O Lord, deal not with us according to our sins." "Neither reward us ac

cording to our iniquities.”

Before proceeding to the subsequent Collect, which is commonly called "a prayer against persecution," the Minister is instructed to say, "Let us pray." This admonition is sometimes used to denote the change from one kind of prayer to another; and the repetition of it here, towards the close of the service, is happily calculated to remind any who may be growing languid or inattentive, in what an important work they are engaged.

Though the prayer against persecution, was first introduced during a calamitous state of the Church, it will be too seasonable in every age, till one of truer piety shall come than any that has yet been known, or is likely soon to take place. In our present state, we are at all times liable to many "troubles and adversities," and exposed to many evils from the "craft and subtilty of the devil," as well as the machinations of wicked men; and from all these we should pray to our merciful Father to save and deliver us. In the introduction to our requests, we are taught to profess our reliance on the divine mercy, which is ever ready to extend itself to the truly contrite heart. Our first petition is, that God would "mercifully assist our prayers," by his Holy Spirit, which is designed to help our infirmities, and to make intercession for us. We then pray, that he would graciously prevent the evils which threaten us, and remove those we labour under; that "being hurt by no persecutions," we may evermore celebrate his goodness, and give thanks to our Almighty Deliverer, "in his holy Church, through Jesus Christ our Lord."-Here, instead of the usual "Amen," the people offer up a short prayer for help and deliverance, borrowed from the Psalms;-"O Lord, arise, help us, and deliver us, for thy name's sake." To this response, the MinIster replies with a sentence taken from the fortyfourth Psalm; pleading with God, and suggesting to us, "the noble works" done by him for his

Let us pray.]

WE humbly beseech thee, O Father, mercifully to look upon our infirmities; and, for the glory of thy name, turu from us all those evils that we most justly have deserved; and grant that, in all our troubles, we may put our whole trust and confidence in thy mercy; and evermore serve thee in holiness Church; which. if we have not seen with our eyes, have heard with our ears" from the holy scriptures; our fathers having declared them to us," partly as performed "in their days," and partly "in the old time before them."

we

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And since the arm of the Almighty is not shortened that it cannot save; nor his ear become heavy, that it cannot hear, the Congregation again resporů in the same words as before, only changing one of them for another still more significant; beseeching help and deliverance, for the "honour" of God:not for any merit of our own, but for his own glorious perfections, and the instruction of his creatures, that we and all men may learn to love, to praise, and serve him. And to this we are indispensably bound, even while the most painful view of our sorrows and wants is present to our minds; and, therefore, in the midst of these supplications, we are taught to ascribe that glory to the sacred Trinity, which ever has been, and now is, and ever will be, its due, whether infinite wisdom alors to u's prosperity or adversity.

The doxology is followed by a few other aiternate supplications, which we finally sum up in the words of the Psalmist; "O Lord, let thy mercy be shewed upon us ;""; as we do put our trust in thee."

After these short petitions and responses, we are furnished with an admirable prayer for grace to sanctify our troubles. In this we address ourselves to our heavenly Father, and beseech him to "look mercifully upon our infirmities," and to "turn irom us all those evils that we most justly have deserved." But if it does not seem good to infinite wisdom to preserve us from trouble, the next thing that we should desire is, that we may have faith and strength to bear it. We are therefore taught to pray, "that in all our troubles we may put our whole trust and confidence in God's mercy." There is indeed nothing more consoling in the day of affliction than a firm trust in the divine mercy; but if our faith be not well grounded, there is no state more dangerous We therefore add to our former petitions this last request, that evermore serve God in holiness and pureness of living, to his honour and glory, through our only Mediator and advocate, Jesus Christ our Lord." They only have just cause to trust in the

we may

and pureness of living, to thy honour and glory, through our only Mediator and Advocate, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

A General Thanksgiving. (8.) ALMIGHTY God, Father of all mercies, we, thine unworthy servants, do give thee most humble and hearty thanks for all thy goodness and loving kindness to us, and to all men.

We bless thee for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but, above all, for thine inestimable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ; for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory. And, we beseech thee, give us that due sense of all thy mercies, that our hearts may be unfeignedly thankful, that we may show forth thy praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives; by giving up ourselves to thy service, and by walking before thee in holiness and righteousness all our days, through mercy of God, who obey his laws and do his will. Let us then be careful that our holiness be equal to our faith, in the time of affiction. It is comparatively easy to serve God in the season of prosperity, but adversity is the furnace that tries our piety. The nypocrite and the self-deceiver fall off as their temporal comforts vanish. But he who desires and determines "evermore to serve God in holiness and pureness of living," evinces that he does this out of choice and from a sense of duty, and that ne deughts in such a course of life. Such a man Wil maintain his integrity under the heaviest chastisements. Considering his affictions as sent for

Jesus Christ our Lord; to whom, with thee and the Holy Ghost, be all honour and glory, world without end. Amen.

A Prayer of St. Chrysostom. ALMIGHTY God, who hast given us grace at this time, with one accord to make our common supplications unto thee; and dost promise that when two or three are gathered together in thy name, thou wilt grant their requests; fulfil now, O Lord, the desires and petitions of thy servants, as may be most expedient for them; granting us in this world knowledge of thy truth, and in the world to come life everlasting. Amen.

2 Cor. xiii. 14.

THE grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost, be with us all evermore. Amen.

HERE ENDETH THE LITANY.

his correction and amendment, they will but draw him nearer to his God; and appropriating the language which the Psalmist ascribes to his ancient people, he will say, "My heart is not turned back, nor my steps gone out of the way; no, not when thou hast smitten me into the place of Dragons, and covered me with the shadow of death."

T. C. B.

(8.) The General Thanksgiving, the Prayer of St. Chrysostom, and the Benediction, which stand at the close of the Litany, have already been noticed in our comments on the Morning Service.

T. C. B.

A Prayer for CONGRESS, to be used during their Session. (3.) MOST gracious God, we humbly be

(1.) It was not from accident, but from design, that these occasional Prayers and Thanksgivings, were directed to be used before the two final Prayers of the Morning and Evening Service. [viz. immediately before the Prayer of St. Chrysostom, and the benedictory Prayer.] What though they come after the General Thanksgiving? The two species of devotion are not kept so entirely separate in other places, as to make this a consideration. In many of our Churches, the practice is antirubrical in this particular.

BP. WHITE.

It is to be hoped, that we added some useful Prayers and Thanksgivings, to those contained in the English Book. They were selected from Bishop Taylor.-The Prayer "in time of War and Tumults," was thought improved by the omission of some rough passages.-The concluding Prayer of this department in the English Book, was omitted, as being too much a play upon words, from which the service is in general so free.

BP. WHITE.

(2.) Though the various miseries of mankind are exactly enumerated in the Litany, yet they are but barely mentioned there, and at some times some particular evils lie so heavy upon us, and some great mercies are so necessary for us, that it is requisite we should have solemn forms upon such occasions to annex to this office, that so it may fully suit all our necessities. Solomon supposes there will be special prayers made in the temple in times of war, drought, pestilence, and famine, (1 Kings viii. 33, 35, 37;) and Lactantius observes, that the very Gentiles, addressed themselves to the gods, in times of war, plague, and drought. Tertullian also notes that the Christians did make extraordinary prayers on such occasions. And both the Greek and Latin Church have their several offices for such times, out of which these prayers are taken, which are not designed for a complete office; because when any judgment continues long, and

seech thee, as for the People of these United States in general, so especially for their Senate and Representatives in Congress as

grows general, our governors draw up a peculiar office, and enjoin it to be observed with soleinn fasting: only these prayers are continually to be said with the Litany upon such occasions, that so, "In time of famine, plague, and war, the mercy of God may be immediately implored."

Dean Comber.

Only the two prayers, for rain, and for fair weather, were in the first book of Edw. VI. and there placed at the end of the Communion Service. But in the second book of Edw. VI. these two with the three following, namely, in time of dearth, war, and plague, were all five inserted in the place, where they now stand. But their respective thanksgivings were added by order of King James the First.

Note also, that the five foregoing prayers are deprecations; whereas the three following, namely, for ember-weeks, for the parliament, for all conditions of men, are intercessions; these were added at the last review, 1661. Dr. Bisse.

Drought, deluge, or excessive rain, famine, rebellion, war, tumult, plague, and pestilence, are among the most dreadful visitations of the Almighty. These judgments He sometimes sends upon the earth, that the inhabitants of the world may learn righteousness. But so much have we of these realms been indebted to the mercy of providence, that within the remembrance of more than the present generation, some of these forms have not been found necessary. The forms themselves, however, for the credit of the compilers of our Liturgy, are so plain and perspicuous, that no particular elucidation of them can be required. It may, therefore, be enough to observe, that similar prayers occur in ancient Liturgies, from which some of these appear to be chiefly taken: and that each is well suited to the emergency to which it is appropriated by our Church. SHEPHERD. (3.) This "Prayer for Congress," is taken from

semblea, that thou wouldest be pleased to direct id prosper all their consultatious, to the advancement of thy Glory, the good of thy Church, the safety, honour, and welfare of thy People; that all things may be so ordered and settled by their endeavours, upon the best and surest foundations, that peace and happiness, truth and justice, religio and piety, may be established among us for all generations. These, and all other necessaries for them, for us, and thy whole Church, we humbly beg in the name and mediation of Jesus Christ, our most blessed Lord and Saviour. Amen.

For Rain. (4.)

O GOD, heavenly Father, who by thy Son Jesus Christ, hast promised to all those who seek thy kingdom and the righteousness thereof, all things necessary to their

the "Prayer for the high Court of Parliament," in the English Book, with such slight alterations as circumstances rendered necessary; and the following remarks upon it are collected chiefly from Waldo, and Comber.

The Prayer for Congress is not only an admirable form of devotion for general use, but affords the most excellent instruction to the members of that assembly; who should learn from hence to make "the advancement of God's glory, the good of his Church, and the safety, honour, and welfare of his people," the constant and invariable object of their deliberations. To this end they should banish from their breasts all considerations of private interest, and local or party attachment, and should always remember that "peace and happiness," which we daily pray for, can never be obtained or preserved, without the establishment of " truth and justice, religion and piety;" for righteousness alone exalteth a nation, but sin is a reproach, and will in the end bring ruin and destruction to any people. (Prov. xiv. 34.) But whether our Governors and Legislators do their duty or not, we must be careful not to neglect ours; which is, to speak of them with respect, to submit to the laws they enact, and, to pray fervently to Almighty God, that he will direct their councils according to his will, and teach our Senators wisdom.

T. C. B.

(4) Want of Rain is one of the severest judgments of God; and as such it was often inflicted on the Israelites for their disobedience. Nothing can afford us a more striking manifestation of the divine displeasure, than to behold the heavens as iron over our heads, and the earth as brass under our feet;-to behold the parched ground gaping for thirst, the glory of the vegetable world withered by the scorching sun, and the labour of the husband

bodily sustenance; send us, we beseech thee, in this our necessity, such moderate rain and showers, that we may receive the fruits of the earth to our comfort, and to thy honour, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

For Fair Weather. (5.)

ALMIGHTY and most merciful Father, we humbly beseech thee, of thy great goodness, to restrain those immoderate rains, wherewith, for our sins, thou hast afflicted us: And we pray thee to send us such seasonable weather, that the earth may, in due time, yield her increase for our use and benefit. And give us grace, that we may learn, by thy punishments, to amend our lives, and for thy clemency to give thee thanks and praise, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

man destroyed. He alone who sends the judgment can afford the needed relief. "It is the Lord who covereth the Heavens with clouds, who prepareth rain for the earth, who maketh grass to grow upon the mountains." Accordingly all nations, Pagans, Jews, and Christians, have, by their various rites and supplications, resorted to Heaven under this calamity. We are especially encouraged by the holy scriptures to do so under all calamities. This prayer, therefore, teaches us to look beyond the elements, to our Father in Heaven, who commands the clouds and the rain at his pleasure. T. C. B. (5.) The want, and the excess of rain, are alike productive of dearth and famine, and are, therefore, equally to be deprecated. Some parts of the world, indeed, are more liable to the one than to the other. The equatorial regions of the East, are more commonly oppressed with drought; and this may be a reason why the Eastern Church has a prayer for Rain, while it has none for Fair weather. But in the more northern and westerly countries, it is otherwise; and accordingly the western Church has an office pro serenitate, which the Church of England has taken as the model of her "Prayer for Fair weather."

An excess of rain, was the means which God once took to express the highest displeasure that he ever manifested against the sons of men; for by this he destroyed the old world. And though he has promised no more to inundate the earth with a deluge, yet the labours of seed-time are often frustrated, and the abundance of harvest often destroyed by excess of rain.—It is only the Creator of the elements, that can rule them. God alone can make the rain to cease, as he causes it to begin. It were as vain for us to call upon the clouds to drop no more, as to command the waves to stay their

In Time of Dearth and Famine. (6) O GOD, heavenly Father, whose gift it is that the rain doth fall, and the earth bring forth her increase; behold, we beseech thee, the afflictions of thy people; increase the fruits of the earth by thy heavenly benediction; and grant that the scarcity and dearth, which we now most justly suffer for our sins, may, through thy goodness, be mercifully turned into plenty, for the love of Jesus Christ our Lord; to whom, with thee and the Holy Ghost, be all honour and glory, now and for ever. Amen.

¶ In Time of War and Tumults. (7.) O ALMIGHTY God, the supreme Governor of all things, whose power no creature is able to resist, to whom it belongeth justly to punish sinners, and to be merciful to those who truly repent; save and deliver us, we humbly beseech thee, from the hands of our enemies; that we, being armed with. course. Both are alike deaf to us; but they both equally know their Maker's and their Master's voice. It is to the Almighty Father, then, who made the Red Sea to divide itself, and caused Jordan to roll back to its fountain;-to the Son of God, who walked upon the waters, and made the winds and the sea obey him;-to the Spirit of God, that first moved upon the face of the waters, and afterwards brought the waters of the Deluge into their own place again, that we are to look in the calamity of excessive rain; and the wisdom of the Church has provided us an admirable prayer for the purpose.

T. C. B.

(6.) This prayer is very properly placed next after those concerning the want and the excess of rain, because famine generally follows one of these two; and the fear of this, is what makes those to be so dismal. It may also proceed from other causes, but it is most certain that God is the appointer of it, whatsoever be the means to bring it. For he makes bread to grow out of the earth, and he can hinder it when he pleaseth. He it is therefore who threatens it to obstinate sinners, and he is said to call for a dearth upon the land," to intimate that Famine is one of his servants, which cometh when he calleth for it; but this is so evident that it needs no farther proof. Therefore let us fear, and fly to him with early and earnest importunities; for noue but God can relieve us, and prayer is the only means to obtain his help.

DEAN COMBER. (7.) The rules of Christianity are inconsistent with all kinds of War, but such as is undertaken for our just and necessary defence. The Church daily prays against it in her Collects and Litanies,

thy defence, may be preserved evermore from all perils, to glorify thee, who art the only giver of all victory, through the merits of thy Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

For those who are to be admitted into Holy Orders, to be used in the Weeks preceding the stated Times of Ordination. (8.)

ALMIGHTY God, our heavenly Father who hast purchased to thyself an universal Church, by the precious blood of thy dear Son; mercifully look upon the same, and at this time so guide and govern the minds of thy servants, the Bishops and Pastors of thy flock, that they may lay hands suddenly on no man, but faithfully and wisely make choice of fit persons, to serve in the sacred ministry of thy Church. And, to those who shall be ordained to any holy function, give thy grace and heavenly benediction; that both by their life and doctrine they may

and all good men do heartily wish there was no such thing in the World. But, alas! offences will come, and our sins do many times cry louder than our prayers; and then the Sword is made the instrument of God's vengeance, though managed by the hands of men.

Now when we are thus punished, the next remedy is to try if we can by humiliation and prayer remove that which we could not prevent. If it be a foreign enemy, it is called War, if the opposers be domestic rebels, it is styled a Tumult; but in both it is our duty to assist our country with our prayers, as well as our endeavours for its peace and quietDEAN COMBER.

ness.

(8.) The stated times of Ordination are the Sundays following the Ember weeks. T. C. B.

"Ember" is a word of uncertain derivation. Some suppose it signifies ashes, and some abstinence. Abstinence or fasting, it is commonly known, was anciently accompanied with the act of sitting upon ashes, or of sprinkling ashes upon the head. In the Western Church, the ember weeks were styled, "the fasts of the four seasons." This title, as well as the usage mentioned above, appears to favour the derivation already given. But others derive ember from a Saxon word, signifying course, or circumvolution, for the ember weeks return at fixed and certain periods, and are fasts in

course.

The ember days are the Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday, after the first Sunday in Lent, the feast of Pentecost, September 14, and December 13. The weeks in which these days fall are called ember weeks; and the Sundays immediately following are, according to ancient institution, appointed