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interesting relation in which he is about to stand between God and you, he may be accepted and blessed, reciprocate his affectionate solicitude-" And with thy spirit."

Thus mutually encouraged, you are ready to unite in supplications to the throne of grace. And when the minister has pronounced the pious invitation, "Let us pray," fall low upon your knees, and devoutly respond to him in those scriptural ejaculations wherein you mutually seek that grace which alone can enable you to pray acceptably..

Then in silent, but heartfelt devotion, follow the minister in the collects and prayers; keeping your mind intent upon the subject of each; and making them your own by mentally participating in the offering of them, and by closing each with a devout and audible "Amen."

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With the Morning Service on Sundays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, is used that affecting and comprehensive form of prayer, "The Litany, or General Supplication." It opens with the most humble and earnest petitions for mercy, by the minister and the people, to the Holy Trinity. Then succeed supplications, in the first paragraph, för sparing mercy, the foundations of all our hopes; in the three following for deliverance from the causes, the commission, and the dreadful consequences, of sin; in the next, from natural and violent evils; and in the following, from the awful curse of civil and ecclesiastical insubordination, and from those dreadful, and almost irremediable extremes of guilt, "hardness of heart, and contempt of" God's "word and commandment." We then earnestly plead, for the granting of these requests, what the Saviour has done and suffered for and lastly, commit ourselves to his care, in every event of life, in death, and in judgment. The Litany next embraces prayers for the universal Church; for civil rulers; for Bishops, and other ministers of the Gospel ; for all the people of God; for peace on earth; for grace to know and do God's will; for the relief, first of the spiritual, then of the temporal wants of men, with a particular notice of those the most distressing; for the forgiveness of our enemies; for the continuance of the blessing of the fruits of the earth; and lastly, (as that of which we should never lose sight, and which a view of the imperfections of our best services should dictate,) for repentance, forgiveness, and grace to amend. In all these supplications, there is a beautiful and most affecting reciprocity between the minister and people. He humbly lays before the throne the varied particulars in which they would seek

the mercy of Heaven. They, with one heart and voice, raise the fervent prayer, that that mercy may be vouchsafed.

There is now a slight variation in the form; one of those many judicious and edifying variations, by which this incomparable Liturgy would keep the minds of the worshippers from langour, and preserve the attention fixed and interested. After a few humble and fervent responsive supplications, the minister and people unite in a devout strain of ejaculatory cries for mercy, closing with that prayer of our Lord, which it is the evangelical principle of our Church to incorporate into all her services. Then, after reciprocal ejaculations for mercy, on the sole ground of the unmerited love of God, and the brief exhortation of the minister, "Let us pray," (designed here, as where it next occurs, for a remembrancer of the great duty in which we are engaged, and as a call to continue our fervour and devotion,) he audibly, and the people with silent homage, offer an humble prayer for divine support under, and deliverance out of, all troubles. The people, then, meekly acknowledging their utter unworthiness, pray God, for his own sake, to be entreated. The minister pleads, in the language of the Psalmist," the goodness which, in all ages, Jehovah has manifested, as our encouragement to hope for mercy. The people, thus encouraged, repeat their cry, that for his own honour, in the manifestation of his goodness, God would be pleased to hear them. Filled with thanksgiving for the mercy which imparts this encouragement, the minister and people bear their respective parts in a grateful doxology; and with the hope and trust thus inspired, in unrivalled ejaculations of humility and fervour, pour out their prayers for mercy before this God, so great and good. The pastoral call, “Let us pray,” again repeated, the minister (after a short prayer, denoting humble submission, if, after all, God sees fit to visit us with the rod, and praying that we may, notwithstanding, preserve confidence in him, and that all events may be sanctified to us) concludes with those parts of the morning service which have been omitted, and the substance of which has not been incorporated into the Litany."

a The Litany is a service distinct from the Morning and Evening Prayer, and the Communion. It is presumed that the excellence of this divine prayer, the beauty and sufficiency it imparts to every service with which it is connected, and the satisfaction and comfort it must afford the pious mind often to recur to that form of supplication which our Lord himself prescribed, sufficiently evince the wisdom and excellence of the above mentioned provision of our Church.

b Psalm xliv. 1.

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c The minister is allowed, should he think circumstances require it, to omit a part of the Litany.

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After the Morning or Evening Prayer, or the Litany, do not rise hastily from your knees, as if gratified to have the service over, but continue on them long enough to use this or a similar ejaculation: Pardon, O Lord, the imperfections of thy servant; and not on my own, but on my Redeemer's merits, let the acceptance of my services depend.

When the metre psalms or hymns are sung, observe the same rules as in the use of those in prose; and be especially careful to avoid any attitude or deportment which makes you appear rather as a listener or spectator, than as a worshipper.

When there is the administration of the communion, and always on Sundays and Holy-Days, the Church prescribes the use of what is sometimes termed the ante-communion service, that is, the ten commandments, and the collect, epistle, and gospel for the day. And this is both a wise and an edifying order; for Christians should, at least thus often, hear the solemn and authoritative announcing of those commandments which are the foundation of all religious and moral law. And the epistles and gospels, being among the most ancient provisions for Divine Service, must be peculiarly interesting to those who cherish a pious regard for the appointments of Christian antiquity.

Devoutly joining in the Lord's Prayer and the collect, which precede the commandments, will prepare you to listen to them in a proper frame of mind.

When the minister announces these divine laws, remember that he does it in the name of God, and that they should command as great reverence, as if God himself were again declaring them amid the thunders and lightnings of Sinai.

After each, ask, in the appointed prayer, mercy for your past transgressions, and grace for future obedience; and after the last, pray that you may ever preserve them all in remembrance, and follow them in heart and life.

Our Saviour's abridgment of these ten commandments, in the two fundamental maxims of his religion, the Church allows to be added by the minister. It will be found both interesting and edifying, if heard with proper attention, and followed with the devout offering of the succeeding prayer.

Then is used the collect for the day, after which rise from your knees, and in the same posture, and with the same dispositions, in which you listened to the lessons, hear the epistle. Then, when the gospel is announced, stand up and give glory to God, that your ears may hear the glad tidings which it brings.

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When there is a sermon, listen to it with attention, humility, and a desire to be instructed-as delivered by God's ambassador, in his name and for your good.

When you receive the blessing of the Bishop or Priest, receive it on your knees: not merely as his, but as HIS who sent him. Be thankful for it, and pray God to seal its full benefits to your. soul. Let this be the meaning of an hearty " Amen" at its close.

Then offer this or other like prayer:-Blessed Lord, I thank thee for the opportunity and inclination I have had of coming into thy presence, and attending on the services of thy house. Be merciful unto me. Pardon what thou hast seen amiss, and remedy what thou hast seen deficient in me while here. Accept, and sanctify to me, the unworthy offering of my prayers and praises. Bless to me the instructions I have received. Grant me grace to be faithful to thee while I live, and acceptable to thee when I die; for the sake of those merits, wherein alone are placed my hope and trust-the merits of thy Son, my Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Then, without losing your serious and reverent deportment, leave God's house, thankful that you have had the privilege of attending it, and resolving, through his grace, to proceed in that walk of Christian faith, which leads to the temple not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

Christian Reader-The services in which this tract has been designed to instruct you, have had the approbation and sanction of the wisdom of the wisest and the piety of the best Christians who have ever lived. They, therefore, afford an effectual and invaluable remedy of the evil of having the devotions of an assembly dependent on the principles, talents. will, disposition, and manner, of an individual. All, too, may take an active part in these services. The propriety and necessity of this feature in social worship, seem now generally conceded, by the usages of what are termed prayer-meetings. But mark here the superiority of the Liturgy on which you have reflected. It gives no room for the erroneous and dangerous (but it is feared, too prevalent) idea, that making a prayer is praying; and that skill in mak- ing a prayer, is a test of piety. It precludes those feelings, so congenial with human depravity, of self-complacency for having excited admiration, or outdone a brother, in our prayers; as well as those of anxiety, lest our efforts should suffer by comparison. It affords the worshipper the best of prayers; the most humbling

to the sinner, the most exalting of God and the Saviour, and the most fervent and devout; and bids him see, as an affair between God and his soul alone, that he offers them with humility, penitence, faith, and devotion. Accustom yourself to this mode of worship, sanctioned by Scripture, antiquity, and the practice of the best men for ages; and seriously ask, if any thing is wanting but our own consistency and fidelity, to render it sufficient for every end of public worship. In determining this, be not swayed by the imposing influence of present appearances. Mere change and novelty (especially if in accordance with popular feelings and views) will, at any time, win disciples; and may even draw from the truth some of its less informed and less judicious advocates. Sudden and superficial views of religion, embrace only immediate appearances of its influence, without comprehending that general and permanent order, by which, for his greatest glory, and our greatest good, God is pleased to govern the dispensations of his grace; or those remote, though sure, consequences (essentially changing, in the event, the real character of procedures) which evince the wisdom of that order. Hence the fact, that various novelties in religion have, in their turns, gained much credit and popularity; and wearing the appearance of great good, have even effected the temporary disparagement of the wisdom and piety of ages. But they have, eventually, been found wanting; while that Liturgy, which is our boast, has held her steady course; offering to all who will be led by her, guidance in that good old path in which martyrs, confessors, and holy men in all ages, have walked to the heavenly Jerusalem; and which, like him who commands "walk therein," is "the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever."

The opportunity afforded in most of our cities, and in some towns and villages, of enjoying the benefits and comforts of this Liturgy, on other days than Sundays, ought to be thankfully embraced. There are few who, by proper management of their time, may not make it convenient occasionally, while there are others whose leisure will permit them regularly, to attend on these occasions. In no services can the feelings of devotion, characterized by Gospel faith, humility, and order, be better gratified, or improved to greater edification.

a Jeremiah vi. 16.

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