first, the " alms," which St. Paul describes as a sacrifice well pleasing to God; secondly, the "oblations," namely, the creatures of bread and wine; thirdly, the "prayers" which, according to Saint John, are offered with incense on the heavenly altar, and of which the holy Fathers speak as a sacrifice and oblation to Goda.

It may be said in conclusion, that it is indifferent in what part of the liturgy or communion-service the verbal oblation occurs. In the liturgies of Antioch, Cæsarea, Constantinople, and Alexandria, it took place before the elements were fully consecrated; in the liturgies of Milan and Rome, it occurred both before and after the consecration. If the verbal oblation is not an oblation of the elements as Christ's body and blood, (a form of oblation which does not occur in any of the ancient liturgies,) it is indifferent in what part of the liturgy of the faithful it may be placed.

COMMEMORATIONS AND PRAYERS FOR THE LIVING.

This portion of the liturgy may be divided into five particulars: first, a prayer for the catholic church; secondly, for kings and rulers; thirdly, for bishops and clergy; fourthly, for the people and congregation; fifthly, for those that are in any ca

y Hebr. xiii. 16.

z Revelations viii. 3, &c.

66

a "Sacrificamus-quomodo præcepit Deus pura prece." Tertull. ad Scapulam, p. 69. ed. Rigalt. Sacrificium mundum, scilicet simplex oratio de conscientia pura.” lib. iv. adv. Marcion. Argumentum. Speaking of the figurative sacrifices

of the law, he says, Significabant hominem quondam peccatorem, verbo mox Dei emaculatum, offerre debere munus Deo apud templum, orationem scilicet et actionem gratiarum apud Ecclesiam, per Christum Jesum catholicum Patris sacerdotem." Adv. Marcionem, lib. iv. c. ix. p. 420. edit. Rigalt.

lamity or distress. The prayers for the living are accordingly divided into so many parts in the following pages; and to each part is annexed such portions of the ancient liturgies as confirm and illustrate our own. I must premise, however, that I do not cite these ancient liturgies, in the present instance, with any intention of exhibiting the exact originals of our prayers, but to evince their propriety and consistence with primitive customs. It would not indeed be a matter of much importance to prove that our forms were literally the same with some one of the primitive liturgies, for they all differ from each other in the mere expressions; whence it is evident, that the general sense is all that we need desire to know.

PRAYER FOR THE CATHOLIC CHURCH.

All the ancient liturgies contained prayers for the universal church, in conformity with the directions of St. Paul, to make "supplications for all saints," Eph. vi. 18; and that "supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men," 1 Tim. ii. 1. In none, however, is there a more comprehensive form than in our liturgy.

ENGLAND. Which we offer unto thy Divine Majesty; beseeching thee to inspire continually the universal Church with the Spirit of truth, unity, and concord.

SARUM, MILAN, ROME. Tibi offerimus pro Ecclesia tua sancta catholica, quam pacificare,

CASAREA. Ἐτι σου δεόμεθα, μνήσθητι κύριε τῆς ἁγίας σου και θολικῆς καὶ ἀποστολικῆς ἐκκλησίας, τῆς ἀπὸ περάτων ἕως περάτων τῆς οἰκουμένης, καὶ εἰρήνευσον αὐτὴν, ἣν περιεποιήσω τῷ τιμίῳ αἵματι τοῦ Χριστοῦ σου.

ALEXANDRIA. Memento Domine pacis unius unicæ sanctæ

b Liturgia Basilii, Goar, p. 171.

custodire, adunare, et regere digneris, toto orbe terrarum c.

JERUSALEM AND ANTIOCH. Προσφέρομεν σοι δέσποτα . . . καὶ ὑπὲρ τῆς, κατὰ πᾶσαν τὴν οἰκουμένην, ἁγίας σου καθολικῆς καὶ ἀποστολικῆς ἐκκλησίας, πλουσίας καὶ νῦν τὰς δωρεὰς τοῦ παναγίου σου πνεύματος, ἐπιχορήγησον αὐτῇ δέσποτα ἀ

ENGLAND. And grant, that all they that do confess thy holy Name may agree in the truth of thy holy Word, and live in unity and godly love.

Catholicæ et Apostolicæ Ecclesiæ, quæ est a finibus ad fines usque terræ, omni populo et terris benedic.e

CONSTANTINOPLE. Ετὶ προσφέρομεν σοι τὴν λογικὴν ταύτην λατρείαν ὑπὲρ τῆς οἰκουμένης, ὑπὲρ τῆς ἁγίας καθολικῆς καὶ ἀποστολικῆς ἐκκλησίας.

CASAREA. Παῦσον τὰ σχίσματα τῶν ἐκκλησίων . . . τὰς τῶν αἱρέσεων ἐπαναστάσεις ταχέως κατάλυσον, τῇ δυνάμει τοῦ ἁγίου σου πνεύματος Ε.

FOR KINGS AND RULERS.

According to the apostolical direction, all the ancient liturgies contained prayers "for kings, and for all that are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty," 1 Tim. ii. 2. The words of the apostle are used in several of the ancient liturgies.

μον καὶ ἡσύχιον βίον διάγωμεν πάσῃ ἐν εὐσεβείᾳ, καὶ σεμνότητι.

ALEXANDRIA. Domine miserere Regis terræ famuli tui. Conserva illum in pace et justitia et potentia, ut subjiciantur illi omnes barbari et gentes quæ bella volunt: da nobis bonorum affluentiam: loquere ad cor ejus pro pace unicæ tuæ Catholicæ et Apostolicæ Ecclesiæ fac ut cogitet ea quæ pacis sunt erga nos et erga nomen tuum sanctum, ut vitam tranquillam et placidam ducamus, atque in omni pietate et honestate confirmati inveniamur apud tem.

ANTIOCH. Not unlike Constantinople and Alexandria".

FOR BISHOPS AND CLERGY.

It has been always the custom of the Christian churches to pray for their own pastors, and for the bishops and clergy throughout the whole world. It was formerly customary to recite the name of the bishop of the church at this place; and if the church was within the limit of any patriarchate, the patriarch also was prayed for by name. This last

i Liturgia Æthiop. Renaud. tom. i. p. 514.

j Miss. Sarisb. fol. lxxviii. Miss. Ambros. ap. Pamel Liturg. tom. i. p. 301. Gregorii Sacram. Menard. p. 2.

k Liturg. Basil. Goar, p. 171. 1 Liturgia Chrysost. Goar, p. 78.

m Liturg. Cyrilli Renaudot.

tom. i. p. 41.

n Liturg. Jacobi, Syr. Renaudot. tom. ii. p. 36.

o See Goar, Rituale Græc. p. 144. Bona, Rer. Liturgic. lib. ii. c. 11. Liturgia Jacobi, Renaudot. tom. ii. p. 34. et observationes. Liturg. Basilii, tom. i. p. 10.

rule obviously does not apply to the church within the British empire, which from the beginning was independent of all the patriarchs. And though more than patriarchal authority was for a time usurped by the bishop of Rome, the ancient liberties and independence of the catholic church in these realms have long since been vindicated and restored.