Prov. xv. 3. Col. iii. 23. Prov. xxi. 1. Ps. lxxxiv. 9. Acts viii. 15. Luke xi. 13. 2 Cor. ix. 8. 1 Kings iii. 9. James i. 17. Ps. xxxiii.13–15. who dost from thy throne behold all the dwellers upon earth; most heartily we beseech thee with thy favour to behold our most gracious Sovereign Lady Queen VICTORIA, and so re1 Chron. xxii. 12. plenish her with the grace of thy Holy Spirit, that she may alway incline to thy will, and walk in thy way: Endue her plenteously with heavenly gifts, grant her in health and wealth long to live, strengthen her that she may xviii. 37. 39. 48. vanquish and overcome all her enemies; and finally after this life, she may attain everlasting joy and felicity, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Ps. lxxii. 1, 2. 1 Chron. xxix. 12. 28. 2 Chron. i. 11, 12. Ps. xx. 1, 2. xxi. 1. 5, 6. 2 Tim. iv. 8. 1 Pet. v. 10. elsewhere, which makes it capable of meeting the varied requirements of social life. Perhaps the idea of an universal Daily Mattins and Evensong was dying out when the additions were made to the beginning and the end of the Services, or a more distinct Rubrical provision would have been made, limiting their general use to particular churches on week-days, and ordering it for all on Sundays. THE FIVE PRAYERS. These prayers were inserted in this place in 1661, apparently at the suggestion of Bishop Cosin made in his Amended Prayer Book. Some of them had been previously in use in the Litany or in Occasional Offices. To a certain extent they represent some private prayers used by the Clergy, after the public Office was over in the ancient system of the Church [Freeman, i. 371]; but this parallel is accidental, as an interval of more than a century had elapsed between the cessation of the old custom, and its revival in the present form. There are, however, several pages of "Memoria Communes" in the Salisbury Missals, and among these may be found the original idea, though not the ipsissima verba, of the four intercessory prayers here used, and also of several of those called "Occasional." The Memoria Communes were, in fact, "Prayers and Thanksgivings upon Several Occasions;" and the four intercessory prayers now used daily seem to have been originally considered as belonging to this class. It is noticeable that the ancient structural form of the Collect [see Introduction to Collects, &c.] has been carefully adopted in these prayers, as it was in the case of the daily Absolution. of princes, the very sonne of god, on whose ryghte hande syttyng, dooest from thy throne beholde all the dwellers upon earth: with mooste lowly hertes we beseche the, vouchesafe with fauourable regard to behold our most gracious soueraigne lorde Kyng Edwarde the syxte, and so replenysshe hym with the grace of thy holy spirite, that he alway incline to thy wil, and walke in thy way. Kepe hym farre of from ignoraunce, but through thy gifte, leat prudence and knowlage alwaie abound in his royall hert. So instructe hym (o Lord iesv), reygnyng upon us in erth, that his humaine majestee, alway obey thy divine majestee in feare and drede. Indue him plentifully with heauenly geftes. Grant him in health and welth long to liue. Heape glorie and honoure upon hym. Glad hym with the joye of thy countenance. So strengthe hym, that he maie vanquish and ouercome all his and our foes, and be dread and feared of al the ennemies of his realme. [And finally, after this life that he may attain everlasting joy and felicity. Prymer Version.] Amen'. Katherine, Queen of England, France, and Ireland. Anno dni 1547." It was also inserted in the Morning Prayer, printed in the Prymer of 1553, as the "Fourth Collect." In Queen Eliza. beth's reign (1559) it was placed with other prayers and in its present shape, before the Prayer of St. Chrysostom at the end of the Litany. Our present usage was first adopted in the Form of Prayer for March 24, 1604, commemorating the entry of James I. into England. It was inserted in the Scottish Prayer Book of 1637, and finally settled as we now have it in 1661. It is not known who was the author of this fine composition, the opening of which is equal in grandeur to any thing of the kind in the ancient Liturgies; breathing indeed the spirit of the Tersanctus and Trisagion. A prayer for the Sovereign is a very ancient part of Divine Service, the Apostolic use of it being evidenced beyond doubt by the words of St. Paul, in the opening of the second chapter of his First Epistle to Timothy, "I exhort therefore that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men: for kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty." The "giving of thanks" being simply an expression for the offering of the Holy Eucharist, this injunction ought to be taken as containing a reference to the use of such an intercession at the ordinary prayers of the Church, as well as at the Holy Communion. A Missa pro Rege is contained in the Sacramentary of St. Gregory, as has been shown, as early as the sixth century. In the ecclesiastical laws of King Ethelred, A.D. 1012, the third chapter contains express directions that a certain prayer should be said daily for the king and his people; and the practice of the Church of England before the Reformation has already been mentioned. It may be useful to place in connexion with our now familiar Prayer for the Sovereign, one from an Eastern Liturgy, and the Memorial of the Salisbury Breviary. From the Liturgy of St. Mark. "O Lord, Master and God, the Father of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ; we beseech Thee to preserve our king in peace, might, and righteousness. Subdue under him, O God, his foes and all that hate him. Lay hold upon the shield and buckler, and stand up to help him. Grant victories unto him, O God, and that he may be peaceably disposed both towards us and towards Thy holy Name; and that we also, in the peace of his days, may lead a quiet and peaceable life, in all godliness and honesty, through the grace, mercy, and loving-kindness of Thine only begotten Son; through Whom, and with Whom, be glory and power unto Thee, with Thine all-holy, good, and life-giving Spirit, now and for ever, and unto all eternity. Amen." MEMORIE PRO REGE ET REGINA. (From the Salisbury Missal.) "Deus in cujus manu sunt corda regum: qui es humilium Consolator, et fidelium Fortitudo, et Protector omnium in Te sperantium: da regi nostro . et reginæ nostræ . populoque Christiano triumphum virtutis tuæ scienter excolere: ut per Te semper reparentur ad veniam. Per Dominum. Secreta. "Suscipe, quæsumus, Domine, preces et hostias ecclesiæ tuæ, quas pro salute famuli Tui regis nostri et reginæ et protectione fidelium populorum Tuæ Majestati offerimus: supplicantes ut antiqua brachii tui Te operante miracula, superatis inimicis, secura tibi serviat Christianorum libertas. Per Dominum. Post-Communio. "Præsta, quæsumus, Omnipotens Deus: ut per hæc mysteria sancta quæ sumpsimus, rex noster et regina, populusque Christianus semper rationabilia meditantes: quæ tibi placita sunt, et dictis exequantur et factis. Per Dominum." § The Prayer for the Royal Family. This was placed among the prayers at the end of the Litany in 1604, by James I. The expression "the fountain of all goodness" was substituted, in 1625 (in the first Form of Occasional Prayers issued under Charles I.), for the strong expression used in the opening of it under James. The following letter, copied from Bishop Cosin's MSS., led to its final adoption in its present form, and serves to illustrate its introduction into the Daily Service :"Charles R. Our will and pleasure is that you forthwith cause this ensuing Collect for our Royall Consort to be used in all churches and chappels within your province, instead of that which is now used for the Royall Progeny. For which this shall be your warrant. Given at our Court at Whitehall this 8th day of November, 1661. [Then follows the Collect.] "To our right trusty and right well beloved, the Most Reverend Father in God Acceptus, Lord Archbishop of York. "By His Majestie's Command, In this and other prayers for the Sovereign and the Royal Family, the necessary changes are made by Royal Proclamation, under the following clause in the Act of Uniformity :-" Provided always, and be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, that in all those Prayers, Litanies, and Collects which do any way relate to the King, Queen, or Royal Progeny, the Names be altered and changed from time to time, and fitted to the present occasion, according to the direction of lawful authority." What the lawful authority is does not clearly appear; but against the clause in the Litany, and also against this Prayer, there is a marginal note in Cosin's book, "Such only are to be named as the King shall appoint." § The Prayer for the Clergy and People. This Collect is very ancient, being found in the Sacramentary of Gelasius. It is also in all the English Prymers, and a version of it, as it stood in the fourteenth century, is given in Evening These are taken from a Missal of 1514; another set, mention- Prayer. It was placed at the end of the first authorized English Tit. iii. 5, 6. Deut. xxxiii. 28. 1 John ii. 1. 1 Tim. ii. 5. Isa. ix. 6. Ps. x. 17. Acts i. 14. iv. 24. Acts xii. 12. and Curates, and all Congregations | et super cunctas congregationes illis committed to their charge, the health- A commissas Spiritum gratiæ salutaris; Chrysostom and A Prayer of Saint Chrysostom. Ο τὰς κοινὰς ταύτας καὶ συμφώνους Liturgies of St. Exod. xx. 24. Ps. xx. 1. 4, 5. Matt. vi. 33. 1 Tim. ii. 3, 4. 1 John v. 14, 15. the desires and petitions of thy servants, as may be most expedient for them; granting us in this world knowJer. xi. 5, margin. ledge of thy truth, and in the world to come life everlasting. Amen. John x. 27, 28. THE 2 Cor. xiii. of our Lord Jesus Amen. GR Capitulum: ii. Cor. ultimo. RATIA Domini nostri Jesu Salisbury Use. Christi, et charitas Dei, et communicatio Sancti Spiritus sit semper cum omnibus nobis. Here endeth the Order of Morning Prayer throughout the Year. The introduction of this beautiful collect into the Prayer Book by the Reformers, shows that they were not unacquainted with the Greek Liturgies, if they had thought it expedient to draw upon them more freely than they did. It never had a place in any European Ritual until 1544, when it was placed at the end of the English Litany which had been revised and set forth by Archbishop Cranmer and his coadjutors as a first-fruits of their work. The prayer is found in the Liturgies of St. Basil and St. Chrysostom, but its present position at the end of a Service is a happy novelty. It was ordered to be so used in the Scotch Prayer Book of 1637, and inserted in the English Revisal of 1661. 1 Grand Debate between the Bishops and the Presbyterian Divines, 1661, p. 79. Cardwell's Conf. p. 342. § The Benediction. This benediction of priest and people by the former is translated from the Capitulum which was used at Tierce (the nine o'clock Morning Service) in the ancient Church of England, and was first inserted after the Litany in 1559. It also begins the Anaphora of the three great Oriental Liturgies of St. Chrysostom, St. Basil, and St. James, being followed by the versicle, “And with thy Spirit," and the Sursum Corda. In the two former, the benedictory form appears as it is in 2 Cor. xiii. 14, "be with you all," but in that of St. James it is in the form "be with us all," as in our own and in the ancient Tierce Service. As the Vulgate also has "sit cum omnibus vobis," it is improbable that the ancient Capitulum was taken from it, especially since the word "semper" is no more represented there than it is in the Greek of the New Testament; the two being as follows: There is some probability, from these peculiarities, that this benediction gives us a lingering trace of prayers more anciently used in England than the time of St. Osmund. In St. James's Liturgy, the benediction is, "The love of the Lord and Father, the grace of the Lord and Son, the communion and gift of the Holy Ghost, be with us all;" and although this is still more different from our form than the Bible version, the "us" instead of "you" is (under the circumstances) so very distinctive, as to lead to the impression that it represents a Liturgy not now extant, which was analogous to that of St. James. It has also been suggested that this was originally a Liturgical benediction, and was adopted, as many other Liturgical expressions were, by St. Paul. No doubt its use as a Blessing in Divine Service is of primitive antiquity. THE ORDER FOR EVENING PRAYER, DAILY THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. Ezek. xviii. 27. Ps. li. 3. Ps. li. 9. Ps. li. 17. Joel ii. 13. Dan. ix. 9, 10. Jer. x. 24. Matt. iii. 2. Luke xv. 18,19. At the beginning of Evening Prayer the sinned against Heaven, and before Minister shall read with a loud voice some W HEN the wicked man turneth I acknowledge my transgressions, The Sacrifices of God are a broken Rend your hearts, and not your garments, and turn unto the Lord your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil. thee, and am no more worthy to be Enter not into judgement with thy Ps. cxliii 2. If we say that we have no sin, we 1 John i. 8, 9. deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. But, if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. EARLY beloved brethren, the places to acknowledge and confess our manifold sins and wickedness, and that we should not dissemble nor cloak them before the face of Almighty God our heavenly Father, but confess them with an humble, lowly, penitent, and obedient heart, to the end that we may obtain forgiveness of the same, by his infinite goodness and mercy. And although we ought at all times humbly to acknowledge our sins before God, yet ought we most chiefly so to do, when we assemble and meet together, to render thanks for the great benefits that we have received at his hands, to set forth his most worthy praise, to Repent ye; for the Kingdom of hear his most holy word, and to ask Heaven is at hand. To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses, though we have rebelled against him: neither have we obeyed the voice of the Lord our God, to walk in his laws, which he set before us. O Lord, correct me, but with judgement; not in thine anger, lest thou bring me to nothing. I will arise and go to my Father, and will say unto him; Father, I have The Order for Evening Prayer] The Evening Service of the Book of Common Prayer was formed out of the two Evening Services, Vespers and Compline, of the ancient Order; a fixed form being, however, substituted for variable ones, and the hymns being left to the discretion of the Clergy. those things which are requisite and Nothing further need be said here respecting those parts of the daily Offices which have been already commented upon under Morning Prayer, but some additional illustrations are given in the shape of ancient English versions of various parts of the services. These are inserted within brackets when they are placed "And," see Morning Prayer. you, as many as are here present, to | live a godly, righteous, and sober life, A general Confession to be said of the whole A LMIGHTY and most merciful Father; We have erred and strayed from thy ways like lost sheep. We have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts. We have offended against thy holy laws. We have left undone those things which we ought to have done; And we have done those things which we ought not to have done; And there is no health in us. But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us, miserable offenders. Spare thou them, O God, which confess their faults. Restore thou them that are penitent; According to thy promises declared unto mankind in Christ Jesu our Lord. And grant, O most merciful Father, for his sake; That we may hereafter Then the Minister shall kneel, and say the 0' The Absolution or Remission of sins to be A LMIGHTY God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who desireth not the death of a sinner, but rather that he may turn from his wickedness, and live; and hath given power and commandment to his Ministers, to declare and pronounce to his people, being penitent, the absolution and remission of their sins: He pardoneth and absolveth all them that truly repent, and unfeignedly believe his holy Gospel. Wherefore beseech we him to grant us true repentance, and his holy Spirit, that those things may please him, which we do at this present; and that the rest of our life. hereafter may be pure and holy, so that at the last we may come to his eternal joy, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Prymer Version of XIVth cen [Here begynneth the pater noster. UR Father, which art in heaven, halewid be thi name: thy rewme ever. come to thee: be thi wille do as in beside the text of the Prayer Book: and it must be understood that they are verbal illustrations only, not always coming from an office similar to that in which they are now printed. The opening versicles of the Service, for example, are taken from the Mattins of the Ancient Prymer: at the later services of the day the two first do not appear; and at Compline they are replaced by "Turn us O God of our salvation. And let Thine anger cease from us." These in the Prymer are "God our salvacion converte us to Thee. And turne fro us Thy wrathe." Evening Prayer began with the Lord's Prayer and ended with the third Collect, from its first translation in 1549 until 1661. In the Rubric, before the sentences at Morning Prayer, the Minister was directed (from 1552 onwards) to say them and that which follows "at the beginning both of Morning and Evening Prayer:" but the Puritan criticisms of the Prayer Book and the Clergy show that this was rarely, if ever, the practice until the last Revi sion, when the two Services were made alike in this respect. THE LORD'S PRAYER. The above is a version of the Lord's Prayer as it was used by the people in their daily services, when the prayers of the Church were still said in Latin, about the end of the fourteenth century. Some earlier versions are here given, which may be taken as representatives of those translations into the vulgar tongue which were so frequently directed in provincial and diocesan constitutions. There cannot be a doubt that the Lord's Prayer was as familiar to the people of England in ancient days as it is at present. The first among the following ancient forms of it is taken from |