Mal ii. 7. 26. xvii. 17. shall be ordained to any holy function, | in thy Church ; Give thy grace, we Deut. xxxiii. 8. cency of life, that they may faithfully serve before thee, to the glory of thy LMIGHTY God, the giver of all great Name, and the benefit of thy Eph. iv.8.-11, 12. 1 good gifts, who of thy divine holy Church, through Jesus Christ o providence hast appointed divers orders our Lord. Amen. James i. 17. 6, 7. 2 Chron. xxxiv. 27. Salisbury Use. peccatis. [ A Prayer that may be said after any of the former. Exod. xxxiv. GOD, whose nature and pro perty is ever to have mercy and Rom. vii. 23, 24. to forgive, receive our humble peti tions; and though we be tied and 2 Pet. ii. 19. EUS, cui proprium est misereri Salisbury Use. semper et parcere, suscipe depre- Orationes pro cationem nostram : ut quos delictorum catena constringit, miseratio tuæ pietatis absolvat. Per Christum Dominum nostrum. Saturday before Ember Week, and at Mattins and Evensong | the Church are about to be empowered and authorized to underevery day afterwards until the Ordination Sunday. The Even- take their office. This is, in fact, one of the most valuable of kong previous to the latter should be included as being the eve of our Collects, wielding as it does the strong weapon of general the Sunday itself. prayer throughout the land on behalf of the Bishops, through The first of these Ember Collects is to be found in Bishop whom all ministerial authority and power is conveyed from our Cosin's Collection of Private Devotions, which was first published Lord, and of the priests and deacons, to whom, from time to in 1627. It is also found in the margin of the Durham Prayer time, their ministry is delegated. A faithful reliance upon the Book, in his handwriting, with a slight alteration made by him promises of our Blessed Lord respecting prayer will give us at the end after it was written in. No trace of it has hitherto an assurance that so general a supplication for a special object been discovered in any early collections of prayers or in the ancient could not be without effect; and no age ever required that such Services, and therefore it may be concluded that it is an original a supplication should be offered more than the present, when the composition of Bishop Cosin's, to whom we are thus indebted for Clergy are growing more and more faithful, but when the necesone of the most beautiful and striking prayers in the Prayer sities of some dioceses lead to a far too promiscuous admission of Book, and one which is not surpassed by any thing in the ancient persons who are “fit,” only by some stretch of language, “to Sacramentaries or the Eastern Liturgies. The second Collect is serve in the sacred ministry of God's Church.” taken from the Ordination Services, and is written into the It is worth noticing that “the Bishops and Pastors of Thy margin of the Durham Prayer Book under the other in the flock” does not refer to the Bishops and the Priests who with handwriting of Sancroft, having been already inserted at the end them lay their hands on the heads of those who are ordained of the Litany in the Prayer Book for the Church of Scotland, Priests. “Bishop and Pastor " is the expression used in all the printed in 1637. documents connected with the election and confirmation of a Under the old system of the Church there were special masses Bishop; and no doubt it is here also used in the same sense, with for the Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday, at all the four Ember reference to the Bishop as the earthly fountain of pastoral authoSeasons; but the use of a special prayer every day during the rity, ability [2 Cor. iii. 6], and responsibility. Ember Weeks is peculiar to the modern Church of England. It The times for using one or other of these Collects are as may be added that the very pointed character of the words used follows:is also modern, the older Ember-day Collects and Post-Com (1st Sunday ) 2nd Sunday ) munions making little direct reference to the ordainers or those From Saturday in Lent to be ordained. Evensong {Whitsunday Evensong day The Ember-day Collect is a continual witness before God and before Sept. 25th man of the interest which the whole body of the Church has in Dec. 17th (Dec. 24th the ordination of the Clergy who are to minister in it. The entreaty of St. Paul, “ Brethren, pray for us," is the entreaty § A Prayer that may be said, fc. that continually goes forth to the Church at large from its This ancient prayer, which is one of the “ Orationes pro ministry; but never with greater necessity, or with greater force, Peccatis” in the Sacramentary of St. Gregory, comes into our than when the solemn act of Ordination is about to be performed Prayer Book through the Litany of the Salisbury Use, and is by the Bishops, and a number of the future guides and leaders of found in all the Primers of the English Church. It occupied its ancient place in the Litany of 1544, but was omitted from later 1 An earlier edition was privately printed, but this the writer has not Litanies until 1559. In 1661 it was transferred to this place. in Lent to Saturday Trinity Sun. inclusive. Sept. 18th before seen. for the fast days in 1625, 1643, 1644, and 1648. all Sealed Books, TA Prayer for the High Court of Parliament, to be read during their Session. 1 Tim. ii 1, 2. M OST gracious God, we humbly M OST gracious God, we humbly Form of Prayer IT beseech thee, as for this King U beseech thee, as for this King- wouldest be pleased to direct and pros- wouldest be pleased to bless and direct vancement of thy glory, the good of tion of thy glory, the good of thy welfare of our Sovereign, and her fare of our Sovereign, and his King. " Kingdoms” in Dominions ; that all things may be doms. Look, O Lord, upon the hu so ordered and settled by their endea- mility and devotion with which they Majesty's and their counsels, the hap- fourteenth century, in Mr. Maskell's Prymer, which is as fol. , by the influence of which he and the king suffered. It does not lows: appear in a folio copy of “Prayers for the Parliament,” which is “God, to whom it is propre to be merciful and to spare euer bound up at the beginning of Bishop Cosin's Durham Prayer more, undirfonge” (undertake, “take,” in Hilsey's Prymer) Book, but it was inserted in a fast-day Service for the 12th of “oure preier is; and the mercifulnesse of thi pitee asoile hem, that June, 1661, and afterwards in its present place. The word the chayne of trespas bindith. Bi crist oure Lord. So be it." “ Dominions” was substituted for “ Kingdoms " by an Order in The proper times for the use of this prayer are seasons of peni- | Council of January 1st, 1801. As, however, the ancient style of tence. All days in Lent, Fridays, the Rogation Days, and the our kings was “ Rex Angliæ, Dominus Hiberniæ," this seems to days of Ember Weeks, are obviously occasions when it comes in have been a constitutional mistake, as well as a questionable with a marked appropriateness; its use “after any of the for. interference with the Prayer Book; but probably “ dominions" mer” clearly supposing that “the former" collects are accom. was supposed to be the more comprehensive word, and one more panied by fasting and humiliation. suitable than “kingdoms” to an empire so extended and of so . It may also be pointed out as a most suitable prayer for use by mixed a character as that of the English Sovereigns. Clergy and Laity alike after any confession of sins in private The phrase “High Court of Parliament” in this prayer prayer; or in praying with sick persons, in cases when an includes the House of Lords, the House of Commons, the Upper authoritative absolution is not to be used. and Lower Houses of Convocation; which, together, are the three estates of the realm (by representation) assembled under the $ The Prayer for the Parliament. Sovereign. The petition referring to“ the advancement of God's There is every reason to think that this prayer, so consonant glory, and the good of His Church,” has a special reference to with the constitutional principles of modern times, was composed Convocation, which was no doubt evident enough at the time by Archbishop Laud, when Bishop of St. David's. The earliest the prayer was composed, when Convocation was the primary form in which it is known is that above given, from a Fast-day assembly for the consideration of all religious questions having a Service printed in 1625 '. It also appears in at least two Forms national bearing. of Prayer which were issued by Laud after he became Archbishop This prayer may have been intended only for use before the of Canterbury, and during the rule of that “Long" Parliament several Houses of Parliament, when it was inserted here in 1661. Yet the remarks made on the Ember Collect apply to it in no small degree; and the general prayers of the Church may be 1 "A Forme of Commor Prayer * ** to be read every Wednesday during the present visitation. Set forth by His Majestie's Authority. Reprinted expected to bring down a blessing upon the deliberations of the at London by Bonham Norton and John Bill, Printers to the King's most Parliament, in a higher degree than the local prayers daily used excellent Majestie. Anno 1625." in each House. Acts xvii. 26. T A Collect or Prayer for all conditions of men, | be led into the way of truth, and hold to be used at such times when the Litany is the faith in unity of spirit, in the not appointed to be said. bond of peace, and in righteousness of GOD, the Creator and Preserver life. Finally, we commend to thy U of all mankind, we humbly be- fatherly goodness all those, who are Ps. XXV. 4. lxvii. seech thee for all sorts and conditions * This to be any ways afflicted, or distressed, in Luke ii. 30—32. of men; that thou wouldest be pleased mind, body, or estate; [* especially any desire the Prayers Ps. cxxii. 6-8, to make thy ways known unto them, those for whom our prayers are desired,] of the con thy saving health unto all nations. that it may please thee to comfort and .gregation. he in L U old genitive "Christes." THANKSGIVINGS. said when vants do give thee most humble and to offer up their praises and thanks- any that It may be mentioned that the expression “most great, learned, all who profess and call themselves Christians, may be led into and religious king," is contained in James the First's Act for a the way of truth,” was evidently framed with reference to the Thanksgiving on the Fifth of November. Puritan Nonconformists, who had sprung up in such large numbers during the great Rebellion ; but it is equally applicable § Prayer for all Conditions of Men. as a prayer of charity for Dissenters at all times; and no words This prayer was composed by Dr. Peter Gunning, afterwards could be more gentle or loving than these, when connected with Bishop, successively, of Chichester and Ely, and one of the chief | the petitions for unity, peace, and righteousness which follow. instruments, under God, in the restoration of the Prayer Book to The concluding petitions have an analogy with the Memoriæ national use in 1662. It has usually been supposed to be a con Communes of the Salisbury Use, “ Pro quacunque tribulatione," densed form of a longer prayer, in which he had endeavoured to and “ Pro infirmo." In another Memoria, that “Pro amieo" satisfy the objections of the Puritans against the collect form of which comes between these two, the name of the person prayed the Five Prayers, by amalgamating the substance of them into for was mentioned, which may have suggested the parenthetical one. The first idea of it seems, however, to be taken from reference to individuals in this prayer. the nine ancient collects for Good Friday, of which we only There was, beside these Common Memorials, a Daily Prayer retain three. Dr. Bisse states that when Gunning was Master of for the Sick in the Service at Prime, as follows: St. John's College, Cambridge, he would not allow this prayer to Omnipotens sempiterne Deus: Almighty and everlasting be used at Evensong, declaring that he had composed it only salus æterna credentium, exaudi God, the eternal salvation of for Morning use, as a substitute for the Litany. And certainly, nos pro famulis tuis pro quibus them that believe, hear us on if it had been intended for constant use, it is strange that it was misericordiæ tuæ imploramus behalf of those thy servants for not placed before the Prayer of St. Chrysostom in Morning and auxilium ; ut reddita sibi sani. whom we beseech the help of Evening Prayer, but among the “Prayers for Several Occasions." tate, gratiarum tibi in ecclesia thy mercy; that health being The original intention must certainly have been to confine this tua referant actiones. Per restored unto them, they may general supplication to occasional use; and the meaning of “to Christum. Amen. [Gelas.] render thanks to thee in thy be used” is probably identical with “ that may be used." There Church ; through Jesus Christ are circumstances under which it may be desirable to shorten the our Lord. Amen. Service, and if the omission of this prayer can thus be considered It is a very excellent practice, when any are known to be as permissible, it will offer one means of doing so. dying, to commend them to the prayers of the Church (by name, The prayer is cast in the mould of that for the Church in the or otherwise) before the Prayer for all Conditions of Men is suid. Communion Service. Bishop Cosin altered the preface of that It is equally applicable to cases of mental or bodily distress, as prayer to, “Let us pray for the good estate of Christ's Catholick well as to its more familiar use in the case of sick persons; and Church," and the title of the prayer in the Rubric at the end of the afflictions or distresses of “mind, body, or estate,” which are the Communion Service was altered by him in the same way. so tersely but comprehensively named, show clearly that the The title was often so printed in the last century, and had ap special clause of intercession was not by any means intended to peared in the same form in a book of Hours printed in 1531. be limited to sickness. [See notes in Communion Service.] The tone and the language of the prayer very successfully THE OCCASIONAL THANKSGIVINGS. imitate those of the ancient collects, and the condensation of its These were all placed as they now stand in 1661 ; but they petitions shows how thoroughly and spiritually the author of it were, with two exceptions, printed at the end of the Litany (by entered into the worth of that ancient mode of prayer, as distinguished from the verbose meditations which were substituted for 1 Bishop Cosin provided a short service to be used in this place for any persons desiring the prayers of the Church. See the note at the end of the it in the Occasional Services of James I. The petition, “That | Visitation Office. Ps. cvii. 21, 22. 2-5. John iii. 16. Rev. i. 5, 6. Ps. xi. 5. ix. 1. v. 16. have been givings for thy late mercies vouchsafed | glorify thy holy Name for this thy For Plenty. all thy mercies, that our hearts may turned our dearth and scarcity into Psixxi. ,6. T For peace and deliverance from our enemies. ALMIGHTY God, who art a Ps. Ixi. 2, 3., [ For Rain. strong tower of defence unto thy .xcviii. 1. Ps.lxv, 1, 9–13. O GOD our heavenly Father, who servants against the face of their 30. by thy gracious providence dost enemies; We yield thee praise and —50. cxxiv.. Joel ii. 23, 24. 26. Caus cause the former and the latter rain to thanksgiving for our deliverance from Lam. iii. 22, 23. We give thee humble thanks that it acknowledge it thy goodness that we I For restoring publick peace at home. N ETERNAL God, our heavenly * Pe. Ixviii. 6. T For fair weather.. Father, who alone makest men 2 Sam. xxii. 44. LORD God, who hast justly to be of one mind in a house, and Ps. cxliv. 1, 2. humbled us by thy late plague stillest the outrage of a violent and Ps.cxix. 27. 32. . ? of immoderate rain and waters, and in unruly people; We bless thy holy 1 Tim. ii. 1, 2. . 29. xxix. 13. thy mercy hast relieved and comforted Name, that it hath pleased thee to 1 Pet. ii. 13-17. our souls by this seasonable and blessed appease the seditious tumults which Heb. xii. 15. change of weather; We praise and have been lately raised up amongst 1 Kings viii. 59, Royal authority only), after the Hampton Court Conference in “Liturgies of Queen Elizabeth" of the Parker Society, p. 667, 1606. The particular circumstances under which this liberty “I render unto Thee, O Merciful and Heavenly Father, most was taken with the Prayer Book by James I. are mentioned in humble and hearty thanks for Thy manifold mercies so abunthe Historical Introduction. It is unnecessary to add any thing dantly bestowed upon me, as well for my creation, preservation, further here than that the Occasional Thanksgivings are now | regeneration, and all other Thy benefits and great mercies as entirely a part of the Prayer Book sanctioned by the Church exhibited in Christ Jesus ..." But it is possible that there is as any other prayers. some older prayer, as yet unnoticed, which was the original of both Queen Elizabeth's and Bishop Reynolds'. § The General Thanksgiving. The remarks which have been made respecting the special clause in the “Prayer for all Conditions of Men," apply also to This was composed or compiled by Reynolds, Bishop of the special clause in the General Thanksgiving. Norwich, for the revision of 1661. The first portion of it appears to be borrowed from the following opening of a Thanks $ For restoring publick peace at home. giving composed by Queen Elizabeth after one of her progresses, and which is printed (from a copy in the State Paper Office) in the This is to be found in the margin of Cosin’s Durham Prayer Book, 2 Chron. vii. 13, 14. us; most humbly beseeching thee to | thy mercies in the midst of thy qOr this. W E humbly acknowledge before Deut. xxviii. 15 honesty, may continually offer unto thee, O most merciful Father, Prov. xxviii. 14. thee our sacrifice of praise and thanks | that all the punishments which are Ps. cxlv. 9. giving for these thy mercies towards threatened in thy law might justly . Kings xxi. 29. us; through Jesus Christ our Lord. have fallen upon us, by reason of our Ps. xxx.2.11, 12. Amen. manifold transgressions and hardness Neh. ix. 5. For deliverance from the Plague, or other of heart; Yet seeing it hath pleased Ps. lxix. 30., common sickness. thee of thy tender mercy, upon our us for our sins, and consumed us assuage the contagious sickness where- bering mercy, hast redeemed our souls unto thy Divine Majesty the sacrifice doudou moun nan an 7, 8. 12. Rom. xii. I. Heb. xiii. 15. Heb. ii. 12. in his handwriting; and is, no doubt, of his composition. There had suffered so much from the "outrage of a violent and unruly are two changes made in the course of writing it, with the people," as Cosin and his coadjutors had suffered for many years. evident object of moulding it in as charitable a form as possible. “Madness of a raging and unreasonable people” was one of the Except the General Thanksgiving, none of these Occasional original phrases; and, “grant that we may henceforth live in Thanksgivings are well adapted to the necessities of present peace and unity," was another; and both are altered in Cosin's times; and the introduction of several new “Memoriæ Comown writing. This Thanksgiving offers another illustration of munes” would be a good work of revision, provided they were the restrained and temperate spirit in which the restoration of worded in language whose suitableness and dignity made them the Prayer Book and its revision were undertaken by men who / fit to be placed beside more ancient parts of the Prayer Book. |