of "Resurrection," and translation to "life everlasting."

Thus, my brethren, you will perceive that the Creed may be rendered at once a profession of our Faith, a manual of devotion, and a directory of our practice. "Hold fast then this form of sound words," and let it evermore remind you of every Article of the Faith-let it preserve you stedfast and sincere in that Faith, which was first dimly shadowed out by the Jewish Prophets, then clearly and fully revealed by our Lord Jesus to the "glorious company of the Apostles," then publicly professed by the "noble army of Martyrs," by the "goodly fellowship" of Saints and Confessors, and acknowledged by the

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Holy Church throughout all the world." With this high and holy company of the people of God be it evermore your lot, my brethren, to hold Christian communion, and both with your lips and in your lives, with your hearts and hands, in your profession and in your practice, to ascribe "GLORY TO THE FATHER, AND TO THE SON, AND TO THE HOLY GHOST AS IT WAS IN THE BE

GINNING, IS NOW, AND EVER SHALL BE, WORLD WITHOUT END. AMEN."

LECTURE VIII.

THE COLLECTS AND FIVE PRAYERS.

1 Timothy, ii. 1, 2.

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.

IF you will call to mind, my brethren, the Exhortation with which the Daily Service commences, you will see that it informs us that the chief purposes for which we assemble in the Sanctuary are 1st. "To render thanks for the great benefits which we have received at God's hands." 2ndly. "To set forth His most worthy praise." 3rdly. "To hear His Holy Word." And 4thly "To ask those things which are requisite and necessary, as well for the body as the soul.”

We have already seen the Church rendering thanks to God for His great benefits, and setting

forth His most worthy praise in the language of inspired Psalms, and of several most ancient and most holy Hymns-we have seen it listening to His Holy Word in the Lessons appointed to be read out of the Old and New Testaments-and, after having made a public profession of our Faith in the words of a most ancient and primitive Creed, we proceed, lastly, to "ask God for those things which are requisite and necessary, as well for the body as the soul." Three Collects, and five Prayers, both in the Morning and Evening Service, are appointed for this especial purpose, which I intend to make the subject of my present dis

course.

The Rubric after the Apostles' Creed has the following direction :-" And after that these Prayers following, all devoutly kneeling-the Minister first pronouncing with a loud voice" the holy and affectionate salutation from one of the Psalms, "THE LORD BE WITH YOU." My brethren, if this salutation be properly felt and estimated by the congretion, it is most impressive and affecting. The Minister has been joining with the People in confessing their common sins; he has joined with them in praising God; he has been reading God's Word to them; he has heard them repeat aloud their common Confession of Christian Faith, and testifying with their lips that they belong to the

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"Communion of Saints"-he therefore salutes them as his beloved brethren in Christ, and he ought from his heart to feel what he says" THE LORD BE WITH YOU." They are directed as affectionately-in the same Christian spirit of love and good will-to answer to him, AND WITH THY SPIRIT." Suffer me, my brethren, to call your attention to the extreme beauty, and the truly Christian exhibition of holy affection, displayed in this Salutation.

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However, I must at the same time notice that in too many congregations these words are repeated without the heart going along with them. How many do we see hurrying from the Creed to falling instantly on their knees; whereas they should always wait until this mutual salutation of the Minister and People has been exchanged, and the following exhortation to Prayer, viz. the words "LET US PRAY" have been pronounced by the Minister. Then, and not till then, should the People proceed to kneel.

I will now suppose the whole congregation upon their knees, and about to enter upon the last part of the Daily Service, viz. asking God" for those things which are requisite and necessary, as well for the body as the soul."

An ancient Christian once said, " nothing is more difficult than to pray." It is so hard a

thing to reduce the soul to that state of fixedness and attention necessary to "pray with the spirit and the understanding," as well as with the lipsto withdraw our thoughts from the things of this world, and to fix them wholly and entirely for a time on Almighty God. We therefore begin our Prayers with a threefold supplication to each person of the Holy Trinity to "have mercy upon us," and to pardon our deficiencies-for such is the real intention of the three petitions, "Lord, have mercy upon us"-"Christ, have mercy upon us"— "Lord, have mercy upon us." This is a suppli

ever blessed and

cation to each person of the glorious Trinity-the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost-to "have mercy upon us," to accept our prayers with all their deficiencies, and indeed to assist and enable us to pray as we ought to do.

All the congregation are then directed by the Rubric to say the Lord's Prayer "with a loud voice." I have already told you why this Prayer is repeated during divine service; perhaps it may be serviceable for me briefly to repeat some of these reasons.

1. It was taught us by our Lord Jesus Christ, therefore we ought to have great reverence for this Prayer. 2. It ought to be "the beginning and the ending of all our petitions." 3. It has