Page images
PDF
EPUB

Prayer used in the University Pulpits.

Let us pray,

For Christ's holy catholic church, particularly that pure and reformed part of it established in this kingdom:

For all Christian sovereigns, princes, and governors, especially her most excellent majesty our sovereign lady, VICTORIA, by the grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, queen, defender of the faith, over all persons and in all causes, within her dominions supreme:

For Adelaide, the queen dowager, the prince Albert, and all the royal family:

For the lords, and others of her majesty's most honourable privy council :

For the great council of the nation, now assembled in Parliament, (as the case may be); for all the nobility, magistrates, and gentry of the realm:

For the ministers and dispensers of God's holy word and sacraments, whether they be the archbishops, particularly William lord archbishop of this province; or bishops, particularly Joseph lord bishop of this diocese; or the inferior clergy, the priests and deacons; that all these in their several stations, may serve truly and faithfully to the honour of God and the welfare of his people, always remembering that strict and solemn account which they must themselves one day give, before the judgment-seat of Christ.

And that there never may be wanting a supply of persons duly qualified to serve God both in church and state, let us pray for a blessing on all seminaries of sound learning and religious education, especially the universities of this land; and herein for his grace Hugh, duke of Northumberland, our chancellor; for the right worshipful the vice-chancellor; for the reverend and learned the professors, proctors, taxors, and all that bear office in this our body; for all particular colleges; and, as in private duty bound, I desire your prayers for the royal and religious foundation of Queen's college; for the reverend and learned the (president) master, the fellows, scholars, and all the students in the same.

Pray we likewise for the civil incorporation of this town; for the worshipful the mayor, the aldermen, and all that bear office in that body.

Lastly, let us pray for all the commons of the realm; that they may live in the true faith and fear of God, in dutiful allegiance to the queen, in sincere and conscientious communion with the established church, and in brotherly love and Christian charity one towards another. And as we pray unto God for future mercies, so let us praise his most holy name for those we have already received; for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but, above all, for our redemption through Jesus Christ; for the means of grace afforded us here, and for the hope of glory hereafter.

These prayers and praises let us humbly offer up to the throne of heaven in the words which Christ himself hath taught us :"Our Father," &c.

Prayer to be used before Sermon, or at the commencement of the Anniversary Meetings of Missionary Associations.

Almighty and most merciful Father, we give thee humble thanks for the light of thy gospel. Make us more grateful for this thy mercy, and more zealous for the salvation of all mankind.

Visit, in mercy, the church of Christ; enrich it more abundantly with the grace of thy Holy Ghost; and bless its endeavours to make known thy truth. Unite, as one man, all who are truly labouring for thee. Disappoint the designs of Satan. Let all Christian societies live in harmony and love; give them wisdom in all their plans; perfect thy strength in their weakness; and direct their labours to thy glory.

The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few; O thou Lord of the harvest, send forth labourers into thy harvest! Fill with thy Spirit those whom thou hast sent forth; and enable them faithfully and boldly to preach, among Jews and Gentiles, the unsearchable riches of Christ. Keep them from the snares of the world, the flesh, and the devil; deliver them from all evil; and make them wise to win souls.

Take away blindness from the Jews. Let them receive thee, O Jesus, as their Messiah, and proclaim thy saving name among the Gentiles.

Deliver all Mahommedans from the delusions of the false prophet! O thou true Prophet of thy church, enlighten them by thy Holy Spirit, and bow them down at the foot of thy cross!

Pity blind idolaters, who are kept in cruel bondage by the god of this world. Turn them from idols, that they may serve the living and true God!

O thou Almighty Saviour, who, by the right-hand of God, art exalted, and hast received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, shed forth his light and grace on this dark world!

Cause all Christians, we beseech thee, to sow bountifully, that they may reap also bountifully. O thou that lovest a cheerful giver, let all grace abound toward them, that they may minister liberally of their substance to the making known of thy name!

With these our humble prayers, we join our praises and thanksgivings for what thou hast done, in making known thy salvation: perfect thy work, O Lord; shortly accomplish the number of thine elect; and hasten the coming of thy kingdom.

Be present with us, O Lord, at this time. Give us all a single eye to thy glory. May thy blessing rest upon our meeting; and may all our hearts be this day quickened and encouraged to fresh and persevering efforts in thy service.

We ask these mercies for the glory of thy name, through the merits and mediation of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ: and would ascribe to Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, Three persons in One God, everlasting praise. Amen!

Our Father, &c.

Form of Prayer on Ordinary Occasions.

Oh Almighty and eternal God, of thine own gift it cometh that we are enabled to offer unto thee true and acceptable service of thy great grace it is that we have the word of life and salvation before us-and of thy still greater grace, that we have the promise of the Spirit of life, who gave that word, to bless it, and to make it profitable to our souls. We are waiting for this loving-kindness of thine, oh Lord,—we look for it in this ordinance of thine own appointment-we ask it in the name of Jesus—O send us not empty away. Stir up thy strength and come amongst us-bear some fresh testimony to the word of thy grace this day. Carry it, in the demonstration of thy Spirit and power, to the hearts and consciences of all who are here present. Hear us, gracious Lord, answer, and accept us, in the name, and for the sake, of our blessed Redeemer, Jesus Christ, thy Son.

Our Father, &c.

COMMUNION SERVICE. The responses after the commandments should never be chaunted, it is both irregular and indecorous. Sinners who are aware of their condemnation by the holy law of God (Gal. iii. 10; James ii. 10) will not be disposed to sing.

In reading these responses a variation in the emphasis should be made. After the first commandment read, "Lord, have mercy upon us, and incline our hearts to keep this law." Subsequently, "to keep this law."

[ocr errors]

Many readers lay the stress upon shalt," it should be laid upon "not." "Thou shalt not commit adultery," &c.

NOTICE of the communion should be given after the Nicene creed, in the morning service.

By OBLATIONS are meant not "the alms for the poor;" but "the other devotions of the people," towards the support of the minister, and to which the sentences in "the offertory" refer, as 1 Cor. ix.; Gal. vi. It is best not to read the verses from the Apocrypha, because they are calculated to convey a wrong impression to the minds of the inconsiderate, an impression inconsistent with the homilies. Where the number of the communicants is great, it is better to follow the example of our bishops, in administering the rite of confirmation, and repeat the words, "the body," &c., and "the blood," &c., to a whole railful at a

time.

Should the priest, who consecrates the elements, through age or infirmity, be incapable of delivering the bread to any one, there does not appear to be any reason why a deacon may not deliver it. In this respect there is no difference between the bread and wine-neither is a sacrament without the other. And the reason assigned why the minister having first received the communion in both kinds himself, should proceed to deliver the same to the bishops, priests, and deacons, (if any be present), is "that they may help the chief minister.” *

[blocks in formation]

66

The ALMS, or money given at the offertory" should never be disposed of at the table. It has a very bad effect, and serves to bring a class of persons to communicate, merely that they may get money by so doing. The clerk is not entitled to any of the money collected at the offertory. Many of the poor being prevented from attending this ordinance in consequence of the payment of any sum of money, however trifling, out of their small pittance, it has been found better, in many cases, not to collect from them at all.

ABJURATION OF POPERY.

Form of public recantation of the errors of the Church of Rome.

After morning prayer, the bishop* being at the communion table, and the persons to be reconciled standing without the rails; the bishop spoke to the congregation as followeth :

Dearly beloved,-We are here met together for the reconciling of three penitents, lately of the church of Rome, to the established church of England, as to a true and sound part of Christ's holy Catholic church. Now, that this weighty affair may have its due effect, let us, in the first place, humbly and devoutly pray to Almighty God for his blessing upon us, in that pious and charitable office we are going about.

Prevent us, O Lord, in all our doings, with thy most gracious favour, and further us with thy continual help; that in this, and all other, our works begun, continued, and ended in thee, we may glorify thy holy name, and finally, by thy mercy, obtain everlasting life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Almighty God, who showest to them that be in error the light of thy truth, to the intent that they may return into the way of righteousness ; grant unto all them that are, or shall be admitted into the fellowship of Christ's religion, that they may eschew those things that are contrary to their profession, and follow all such things as are agreeable to the same, through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Psalm cxix. 169-176 :-"Let my complaint," &c.

The Lesson.

Luke xv. to verse 8.

The Hymn to be used when the Penitent comes from the Church of Rome.

Psalm xv. to verse 10:-"Not unto us, O Lord," &c.

Then the bishop, sitting in his chair, spoke to the penitents, who were kneeling, as follows::

Dear brethren, I have good hope, that you have well weighed and considered with yourselves the great work you are come about before this time; but inasmuch, as with the heart man believeth unto righte

* Or minister.

To be altered according to circumstances.

ousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation, that you may give the more honour to God, and that this present congregation of Christ here assembled may also understand your mind and will in these things, and that this your declaration may the more confirm you in your good resolutions, you shall answer plainly to these questions, which we, in the name of God, and of his church, shall propose to you touching the same.

Are you thoroughly persuaded that those books of the Old and New Testament, which are received as canonical Scriptures by this church, contain sufficiently all doctrine requisite and necessary to eternal salvation, through faith in Jesus Christ?

Then each of them made answer-I am so persuaded.

Do you believe in God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ his only begotten Son our Lord, and that he was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, that he suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried, that he went down into hell, and also did rise again the third day, that he ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty, and from thence shall come again at the end of the world to judge the quick and the dead?

And do you believe in the Holy Ghost, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the remission of sins, the resurrection of the flesh, and everlasting life after death?

Answer-All this I stedfastly believe.

Are you truly sorrowful that you have not followed the way prescribed in these Scriptures, for the directing of the faith and practice of a true disciple of Christ Jesus?

Answer-I am heartily sorry, and I hope for mercy through Jesus Christ.

Do you embrace the truth of the Gospel in the love of it, and stedfastly resolve to live godly, righteously, and soberly, in this present world, all the days of your life?

Answer-I do embrace it, and do so resolve, God being my helper. Do you earnestly desire to be received into the communion of this church, as into a true and sound part of Christ's Holy Catholic Church? Answer-This I earnestly desire.

Do you renounce all the errors and superstitions of the present church of Rome, so far as they are come to your knowledge?

Answer-I do from my heart renounce them all.

Do you in particular renounce the last twelve articles added in the confession commonly called the Creed of Pope Pius the Fourth, after having read them and duly considered them?

Answer—I do, upon mature deliberation, reject them all, as grounded upon no warrant of Scripture, but rather repugnant to the word of God. Will you conform yourself to the Liturgy of the church of England? Answer-I will.

Then the bishop, standing up, said,

Almighty God, who hath given you a sense of your errors and a will to do all these things, grant also unto you strength and power to perform the same, that he may accomplish his work which he hath begun in you, through Jesus Christ. Amen.

« PreviousContinue »