of a particular church began the usage, but that the piety of the Universal, thought fit to continue it, as well to deprecate the like calamities, as also to implore more instantly the spiritual presence of Christ with his Church, at the same time when we contemplate his bodily absence, by reason of his ascension. Suitable to this purpose, the Gospel selected for it treats of the nature and efficacy of prayer. Our Saviour being now about to leave his disciples, he recommends prayer to be to them as it were the equivalent of himself; to supply them with all the consolations of his own presence, and so to fill up their joy, that they should want none, though he were away. "Verily, verily, I say unto you, whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name; ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full;" i. e. Hitherto, when ye have requested any thing, it has been by your immediate addresses to God; or else, you have desired me to pray in your behalf: but you have not yet addressed yourselves to God through my mediation: from henceforward make use of this method in your prayers; beg every thing in the name of Jesus Christ your Lord, and God will always be ready to grant what you pray for, especially so far forth as relates to your eternal happiness:-"At that day ye shall ask the Father in my name."

Ascension Day.

The three Rogation days, i. e. days of supplication, which so judiciously precede this day, and Whit-Sunday, are to be observed, not only to prepare our minds for the celebration of them, but also to beseech Almighty God, that the fruits of the earth might be blessed, that now cover it. The reading of a Gospel, in the parish processions or perambulations, at several places, by the minister, is to admonish the people to give thanks for their increase. Thus in the nineteenth of Queen Elizabeth's injunctions: "Provided that the Curate, in their said common perambulations, used heretofore, in the days of rogations, at certain convenient places, shall admonish the people to give thanks to God, in the beholding of God's benefits, for the increase and abundance of his fruits upon the face of the earth." At which time also he shall inculcate these, or such like sentences, "Cursed is he which translateth the bounds and dolls of his neighbour." And with the saying of the ciii. Psalm, which is full of great devotion, and abounds with a variety of curious poetical images; or the next, which begins as the last began and ended, and is a noble description of God's majesty, power, wisdom, and goodness. Though all processions are now abolished, yet the circuits of parishes, which still retain the name of processioning, are usefully continued, and most of them observed upon this day, to prevent encroachments and to preserve the rights of the extent of them, by keeping up the marks of their bounds.

The Church has provided four Homilies to be used in this week. The homily for this day exhorts "That the view of the bounds of the several estates and parishes should put men in mind of their neighbour's properties, and give them an abhorrence against invading them. That they should not vindicate their right against every little

and unwilful encroachment, to the breach of christian charity. That they ought carefully to take notice of boundaries, that they may hinder vexatious suits, and vindicate the right of the owner. That they should take notice of, and hinder the mischiefs, which arise from bad ways. That when the fruits of the earth are gathered in, they should be kind to the poor, in handsome largesses, and suffer them to glean the scattered corn.

Whit-Sunday, or the Feast of Pentecost.

This

The solemnity of the Christian Pentecost is kept in honour of the Gospel, as the Jewish was out of regard to the Law. It was celebrated by them fifty days after the Passover, pursuant to God's command, Lev. xxiii. It is likewise called the day of first fruits: for on this day they offered them in the Temple. It is moreover termed the day of the harvest; for they began then to cut their corn. day, amongst us, is that of the descent of the Holy Ghost upon the Apostles. It was called Whit-Sunday, partly because of the diffusions of light that were then shed upon them; partly for the white garments that were put upon those that were not baptized before, but were now initiated into the church; and partly because our ancestors, upon this day, gave the milk, i. e. the white of their kine to the poor. Trinity Sunday is the octave of Whit-Sunday, celebrated by the Church for the mystery of the blessed Trinity, one God in three distinct persons, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, in opposition to the Arians and such like heretics, who blasphemed the same.

It is a sacred injunction of the founder of Corpus-Christi College upon his society, who always celebrate this day upon the Thursday in Trinity week, to make confession of the Holy and undivided Trinity, by repeating this Sunday Collect twice every day throughout the year. After the aforesaid Collects, as well at morning as evening prayer, in choirs or places where they sing,

(Here followeth the Anthem.)

Although the time for singing is fixed here, yet in most places where they sing, is the Psalm sung at Evening Service, after the Second Lesson, for all there is a hymn appointed then.

Then these five prayers following are to be read here, except when the Litany is read: and then only the two last are to be read as they are there placed.

Here followeth the Litany, or general Supplication, to be said or sung after Morning Prayer, upon Sundays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and at other times, when it shall be commanded by the Ordinary.

If we take notice of these directions, and of one or two more upon some other occasions, we shall plainly perceive by them, and by the Lord's Prayer being so often ordered, with such provisions besides for the Royal Family, that the Litany and Communion Service were made two distinct ones: and that all the three services were designed to be performed at three different times.

At Winchester College, one of the Fellows reads the Communion Service by itself, upon all holidays, at eleven of the clock, before their

sermons.

Prayers and Thanksgiving upon several occasions, to be used before the two final Prayers of the Litany; or of Morning or Evening Prayer.

Collects to be said after the Offertory, when there is no Communion, every such day, one or more; and the same may be said also as often as occasion shall serve, after the Collects, either of Morning or Evening Prayer, Communion or Litany, by the discretion of the

Minister.

In the old books before the Commination.

After Morning Prayer, the people being called together by the ringing of a bell, and assembled in the Church, the English Litany shall be said after the accustomed manner.

It is said that at Worcester Cathedral the Litany is made a distinct service there still.

At Merton College their great bell rings out every Friday morning between ten and eleven of the clock, for half an hour; after which they have the Litany by itself, upon account of their founder's being drowned (as they say) about that time and upon that day of the week, in the river Medway, as he was going to Rochester, there being no bridge there. At Christ Church they have a little bell that rings upon Wednesdays and Fridays, as soon as the Te Deum is over, to give notice to those that had been at early prayers, to come and join them in the Litany. And so it was not long ago at Maudlin College; but now those who had been at early prayers come very properly at the very beginning of the Choir Service. It begins the service with the organ at St. Mary's every term. It is performed every Saturday morning there too, for the determining Bachelors during the whole of Lent. It is used every year in the same place too upon Scholastica the Virgin, sister to St. Benedict, and the first that selected the nuns into companies and prescribed them rules.

The quarrel that occasioned it to be used upon this day, (viz. February the 10th,) was between Walter Springhouse, Roger Chesterfield, and other scholars; John Beresford, Richard Forester, Robert Lardiner, John Croydon, Vintner, and other townsmen, about their measure. As soon as the Litany is over, the mayor, aldermen, bailiffs, and burgesses, to the number of the slain (viz. sixty-three) make each of them an offering of a silver penny to the two Proctors, at the high altar.

It likewise begins the service, at St. Bride's, on Wednesday in Easter week, before the Hospital Sermon.

The same words being applied in these prayers or supplications, for some space, to several important matters, causes it to be a more vehement, fervent, earnest form of supplication, than any other in the whole book. It being stopped by commas and semicolons; and all the supplications filled up and completed by the people; the minister keeps up his voice through the whole service. Since it has been judged most convenient for these several services to be now performed all at once, there seems to be the more occasion for the intervention of Psalmody, not only by way of a transitionary relief, but as it adds

too to the glory and worship of the Almighty, when the congregation so often unite in setting forth his praises in so delightsome and full

a manner.

In choir service, whilst the chaplains are going to the litany-desk, in most places they have a short voluntary; it has been therefore looked upon as somewhat singular, to see in one of our greatest churches of all, two persons going down there, as soon as the Creed is over, in order only to perform part of this; whereas if they had but this intervention of a voluntary, it would not only make it seem to be a more distinct service, and afford the congregation a little respite, but the officiating person might himself too most properly finish the service there.

It may be noted further here, that in one great Church or Chapel, laymen are seen to go down and perform this service. The indecency of which custom is very particularly taken notice of by the Rev. Dr. Bennet, in his Paraphrase, with Annotations, upon the Common Prayer, page 94, 1. 13; "I think myself obliged to take notice of a most scandalous practice, which prevails in many such congregations, as ought to be fit precedents for the whole kingdom to follow. It is this, that laymen, and very often young boys of eighteen or nineteen years of age, are not only permitted, but obliged, publicly to perform this office, which is one of the most solemn parts of our divine service, even though many priests and deacons are at the time present. Those persons upon whom it must be charged, and in whose power it is to rectify it, cannot but know that this practice is illegal, as well as abominable in itself, and a flat contradiction to all primitive orders. And one would think, when the nation swarms with such as ridicule, oppose, and deny the distinction of Clergy and Laity; those who possessed some of the largest and most honourable preferments in the Church, should be ashamed to betray her into the hands of her professed enemies, and to put arguments into their mouths, and declare by their actions, that they think any layman whatsoever as truly authorized to minister in holy things, as those who are regularly ordained. Besides, with what face can those persons blame the dissenting teachers for officiating without episcopal ordination, when they themselves do not only allow of, but require the same thing?"

Prayers and Thanksgiving upon several occasions, &c.

These occasional prayers and thanksgivings are only to be made use of when we are generally distressed upon emergencies; not, as some have desired, when they thought them requisite, but when there is a grievous necessity. It was not long ago, since some of the people, in a certain parish, desired the prayer for rain to fill their parish pond, when all their neighbours round about them wanted fair weather.

In the Ember Weeks, to be said every day, for those that are to be admitted into Holy Orders.

The prayers here have been appointed from our Saviour Christ's institution, Matt. ix. We there find him moved with compassion on

the multitude, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad as sheep having no shepherd. "Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous but the labourers are few. Pray ye, therefore, the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest." This was done just before he proceeded, in the beginning of the next chapter, to the ordination of the twelve. "And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power, and sent them forth, and commanded them, saying, &c."

The first prayer is thought to be most properly used, on the Monday and so on, as it is, for the ordainers and the ordained; to guide the minds of the Bishops and their assisting pastors, that they may with wisdom and fidelity, make choice of persons, well qualified by their learning and piety, to be admitted into the offices of the ministry. The other is used toward the latter end of the week, to beseech God to afford the grace of his Holy Spirit to all those who have been made choice of, and who are to be admitted to the office of a Priest, or the administration of a Deacon.

Ember days, i. e. set times, days returning every Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday after the first Sunday in Lent; the same after Whitsunday, the same after September 14, and the same after December 13, every season of the year, in a course of abstinence and fasting. Paul and Barnabas were separated to their high and difficult charge by prayer and fasting :- "As certain of the Church ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul, for the work whereunto I have called them. And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away." Acts xiii. 23.

A Prayer for the High Court of Parliament, to be read during their Session.

This prayer was composed at the last review; and it is said by Dr. Brabourne. If the Houses adjourn themselves for a fortnight or a longer time, it is still the same session; but if they are prorogued for a less time, it is not reckoned a part of it, they not being then empowered to do business, as upon adjournments they are.

A Collect or Prayer for all conditions of men, to be used at such times when the Litany is not appointed to be said.

This prayer was made at the last review too, and supposed to be drawn up by Bishop Gunning.

A Prayer that may be said after any of the former.

This prayer is placed wrong, and was so placed by the ignorance or carelessness of the printers, at the review just after the Restoration. It stands in the sealed books which, by the Act of Uniformity, are ordered to be kept in all Cathedral or Collegiate churches, in the respective courts of Westminster, and in the Tower of London, before the prayer for the Parliament; and notwithstanding the Commissioners made them print a new leaf, yet it has continued here ever since. And here it is likelier now to stand than ever, since these presses are under no manner of reserve, either for correctness or price.