A Collect or Prayer for all Conditions of men, &c.] We are expressly commanded to pray for all men, 1 Tim. ii. 1. And though we do so in the Litany and Communion office, yet, that it might not be omitted any day, this Collect is added to supply the place of the Litany, and, when that is not used, this is: hence some call it "the lesser Litany," and it teaches us to express a hearty charity to all, especially to the afflicted, and to those that are sick, who are usually prayed for in this form. Dean Comber.

In this Collect we extend our intercession to all nations on earth, that God's " name may be hallowed" among the heathen, where it is not yet known; and his "kingdom" of grace may "come," where it is not yet preached. But more especially we pray for the holy Catholick Church, that in it by the guidance and government of God's Spirit, his "will may be done on earth as it is in heaven:" and thus is this Collect visibly built upon the plan of our Lord's prayer. And I must observe, that as in the Creeds we acknowledge one holy Catholick Church; so in our prayers we always count our own Church, as contained and embodied in it. Wherefore, neither in this intercession, nor in the Litany, nor in the prayer for the Church militant, is there any express mention of the Church of England, or of this Church as any ways distinct or separate from others: so great is her charity to all national churches: and so great her duty to the Catholick Church, "the mother of them all." See p. 35, note p.

In this intercession for all mankind, for all Christians in all wants, there is provided a clause whereby any person may be prayed for in particular, if visited with any kind of affliction, especially if with bodily sickness, which is chiefly intended in this place. Dr. Bisse.

Neither this form, nor the following one of general thanksgiving, is taken from any other Liturgy:

More 1 Tim. ii. 1.

Ps. Ix vii.

Ps. cxxii. 6.

humbly beseech thee for all sorts and conditions of men; that thou wouldest be pleased to make thy ways known unto them, thy saving health unto all nations. especially, we pray for the good 1, 2. estate of the Catholick Church; Gal. vi. 10. that it may be so guided and governed by thy good Spirit, that all John xiv. who profess and call themselves Christians may be led into the way of truth, and hold the faith in unity of spirit, in the bond of peace, and in righteousness of life. Finally, Eph. iv. 1. we commend to thy fatherly good-i. 19. ness all those, who are any ways

16. xvi. 13.

2, 3. 2 Tim.

both are excellent; and every one, who desires it, may, by signifying that desire, have a separate share in either. This provision is a very useful and comfortable one: and persons would do well, on all fit occasions, to take the advantage of it. Only they, who have received benefit by being prayed for, should not forget to return thanks: but conscientiously avoid our Saviour's reproof, "Were there not ten cleansed, but where are the nine?" Luke xvii. 17.

The general thanksgiving may perhaps to some appear superfluous, after we have thanked and praised God in the use of the psalms and hymns. But it was inserted at the Restoration, because others complained it was wanting. Abp. Secker.

Before the addition of this prayer, which was made at the last review, the Church had no general intercession "for all conditions of men," except on those days upon which the Litany was appointed. For which reason this Collect was then drawn up, to supply the want of that office upon ordinary days; and therefore it is ordered by the rubrick "to be used at such times, when the Litany is not appointed to be said:" consonant to which it is now, I believe, a universal practice, and a very reasonable one, I think, to read this prayer every evening, as well as on such mornings as the Litany is not said.

The form has been generally ascribed to Bishop Sanderson: but it is a tradition at St. John's college, in Cambridge, that Bishop Gunning, who was sometime master there, was the author. It is said to have been originally drawn up much longer than it is now, and that the throwing out of a great part of it, which consisted of petitions for the king, the royal family, clergy, &e, who are prayed for in other collects, was the occasion why the word "finally" comes in so soon in so short a prayer. It is not improbable, that the Bishop might have designed to comprehend all the intercessional collects in one: but that the others, who were commissioned for the same affair, might think it better to retain the old forms, and so only to take as much of Bishop Gunning's as was not comprehended in the rest. Wheatly.

"-for Jesus Christ his sake.] This is a mistake, either of the printers, or of the compilers. The English language, to express different connexions and relations of one thing to another, uses, for the most part, prepositions. The Greek and Latin among the ancients, and some too among the modern languages, as the German, vary the termination or ending of the substantive to answer the same purpose. These different endings are in those languages called cases. And the English, being derived from the same origin as the German, that is, from the Teutonick, is not wholly without them. For instance, the relation of possession, or belonging, is often expressed by a case, or a different ending of the substantive. This case answers to the genitive case in Latin, and may still be so called; though perhaps more properly the possessive case. Thus "God's grace:" which may also be expressed by the preposition; as, "the grace of God." It was formerly written "Godis grace." We now very improperly always shorten it with an apostrophe, even though we are obliged to pronounce it fully: as, "Thomas's book;" that is, "Thomasis book;" not ،، Thomas his book," as it is commonly supposed. So that "Christ his sake" is a mistake for "Christis sake," or, as now commonly written, "Christ's sake." Bp. Lorwth.

Thanksgivings.] Notwithstanding the Hallelujah, the Gloria Patri, and daily psalms, it was thought by some that our Liturgy wanted forms of praise, upon which account the particular thanksgivings were added in the time of King James I. and this general one at the time of King Charles the Second's restoration. Dean Comber.

This, which is admirably composed, is said to have been drawn up by Bishop Sanderson. Wheatly.

PA General Thanksgiving.] After the general intercession there follows likewise a general thanksgiving. For though in the psalms and hymns after the lessons, with the several doxologies interspersed, we have every where "set forth God's most worthy praise;" yet it

* This to be

said when any that have been

prayed for de

to all men; [* particularly to those who desire now to offer up their praises and thanksgivings for thy late mercies vouchsafed unto them.]

sire

praise.

to return

them.] We

seemed meet also in a distinct and appropriate form of thanksgiving, "to render thanks for the great benefits we have received at his hands;" which, according to the first exhortation, we therefore do, beginning with that original blessing, "our creation," then "preservation," attended with all these secondary benefits and "blessings of life," "but above all," because the greatest of all, "our redemption," attended with all "the means of grace and hope of glory," thus ascending gradually through the long scale of blessings received at God's hand, from temporal to spiritual, from the first to the last, from our coming forth to our returning to him again. Dr. Bisse.

Indeed this is a more methodical summary of the several mercies of God" to us and to all men," than we had before it furnishes an opportunity of thanking him more expressly for the late instances of his loving kindness to the members of our own congregation and besides, as we cannot be too thankful to God, the acknowledgments, which we offered up at the beginning of the service, are very properly repeated at the end. For surely we ought to ask nothing of God, without remembering, what we have received from him: which naturally excites both our faith and resignation; and proposes the way for that admirable Collect, with which we conclude. Abp. Secker.

After enumerating the blessings for which we return our humble and hearty thanks, the form from eucharistick becomes petitionary. We beseech God to make us truly sensible of his mercies, and really thankful for them; that we may shew our gratitude, and promote his glory, not only by celebrating his praises day by day in the publick assemblies of the Church, but by walking in the paths of holiness and righteousness all our lives. These petitions we enforce through the merits of Jesus Christ; and we conclude the whole with a doxology, in which we ascribe to the Son, with the Father, and the Holy Ghost, all honour and glory, world without end. Amen. Shepherd.

For Rain, &c.] More particular thanksgivings being sometimes proper, we are supplied with forms on the six following occasions: (1) for rain; (2) for fair weather; (3) for plenty; (4) for peace; and deliverance from our enemies; (5) for restoring public peace at home; and (6) with two thanksgivings, either of which may be used, for deliverance from the plague, or other contagious sickness.

When the petitions which we may have offered up in any of the preceding occasional prayers, have been granted, and our desires fulfilled; when either a calamity has been removed, or a blessing vouchsafed; it is evidently the intention of the Church, that praise should be given to God, in the words of the appropriate thanksgiving here prescribed; that is, in all cases where the

ordinary form is not superseded by one that is special, and enjoined by authority. These occasional thanksgivings we may pass over, after making one or two general observations. Some of them are partly taken from ancient offices; and the whole are judiciously composed; being not only well adapted to the occasions for which they are appointed, but, like the preceding prayers, with which they correspond, as plain and perspicuous, as they are rational and devout. The occasional thanksgivings were composed in the rei n of James, and annexed to the Litany; in 1662, they were detached from it, and printed as they now appear, after having been sanctioned by a convocation, and authorized by the Act of Uniformity. Shepherd.

For Deliverance from the Plague, or other common Sickness.

Lord God, who hast wounded

21.

43-45.

us for our sins, and consumed Ps. Ixviii. us for our transgressions, by thy Is. Ixiv. 7. late heavy and dreadful visitation ; Jer. viii. 12. and now, in the midst of judgement remembering mercy, hast redeemed our souls from the jaws of death; Ps. evi. We offer unto thy fatherly good- cxvi. 8. ness ourselves, our souls and bodies which thou hast delivered, to be a living sacrifice unto thee, always praising and magnifying thy mercies in the midst of thy Church; Paci through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

WE

Or this.

1-4, 13.

Rom. xii. 1.

Heb. xiii. 15. Eph. iii. 21.

xxviii. 15,

12. 1 Sam.

E humbly acknowledge before thee, O most merciful Father, that all the punishments which are threatened in thy law might justly have fallen upon us, by reason of our manifold transgres- Deut. sions and hardness of heart: Yet 16. Is. lix. seeing it hath pleased thee of thy vi. 6. tender mercy, upon our weak and unworthy humiliation, to asswage the contagious sickness wherewith we lately have been sore afflicted, and to restore the voice of joy and 2 Chron. health into our dwellings; We of- Jer. xxxi. fer unto thy Divine Majesty the sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving, lauding and magnifying thy glorious Name for such thy preservation 15. Jude and providence over us; through ix. 5. Ps. Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

vii. 14.

13. Ps. 2, 11.

Heb. xiii.

25. Nehem.

cxlv. 5. xci. 9-11,

As the service, which has been now examined, is almost every where separated, and very properly, from the following one, namely, the Communion service, by the singing of a psalm, this appears a convenient place for saying a little concerning that branch of publick worship, which in many places is too much disregarded.

As singing is capable of expressing strongly every state, in which the mind can be, towards every object; so there never was perhaps any one nation upon earth, civilized or barbarous, that did not make this a part of the honour paid by them to the God, whom they adored. We find in the Old Testament, it was practised by the Jews, before their law was given, as well as after. The book of psalms consists wholly of religious songs: and directs the "saints of the Lord, to sing unto him, and give thanks for a remembrance of his holiness: to sing unto the honour of his name, and make his praise glorious; to sing praises unto our God, while we have our being." Ps. xxx. 4; lxvi. 2; cxlvi. 2. The prophets foretell, that, in the Gospel times, men shall sing for the majesty "of the Lord:" and, which brings the predictions home to us," they shall cry aloud, and glorify God, in the isles of the sea." Isa. xxiv. 14, 15. Accordingly St. Paul, not only himself with Silas, even in prison, "sang praises unto God;" Acts xvi. 25; but appoints, that all Christians should "speak to themselves, and admonish one.another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, making melody with grace in their hearts to the Lord," Eph. v. 19; Col. iii. 16. And St. James prescribes, "Is any one merry ?" in a joyful frame of mind, on account of blessings received, (for the word, mirth, comprehended anciently the most serious kind of gladness,) "let him sing psalms." James v. 13.

In pursuance of these rules, the first Christians made singing a constant part of their worship: as, besides the ecclesiastical writers, even a heathen, Pliny, informs us; and the whole congregation joined in it. Afterwards indeed the singers by profession, who had been prudently appointed to lead and direct them, by degrees usurped the whole performance. But at the Reformation the people were restored to their rights: and it made a much quicker progress for the pleasure and comfort, which they found in this practice: a circumstance, that ought to endear it to considerate persons not a little. And as the only way of singing, known in common parochial churches, is by the metre psalms; unless we join in that, we entirely omit this branch of our duty.

It is true the verse translation of the psalms, generally used, is void of ornament; and hath expressions, often low and flat, sometimes obsolete. And I wish a better were substituted in its place. But still, in many other cases, ancient solemn forms of words are thought venerable, when they are far from elegant: not to say that the language of our forefathers, even where it may seem very uncouth at present, had in its time frequently full as much beauty and propriety, as ours. And several words of it have been, for that reason, revived by some of our best modern authors. But at least the matter, comprised in the words, of which I am speaking, is so highly respectable, that the mind, which is affected only by the phrase, and not by the sense, must be a light one indeed.

Again, it is true also, that the tunes, to which the psalms are sung, are most of them plain and slow, and the voices of many in the assembly unharmonious, and

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apt to be ill-managed. But tunes, designed for the multitude to join in, who have never been regularly instructed, must be plain and slow, and such as they have been accustomed to: for which purpose the number should be moderate. Ours are many of them recommended, and as it were consecrated by long usage. Confessors for the protestant cause have composed them. Martyrs for it have yielded up their dying breath in them. And several of them are thought, by competent judges, no way deficient in real melody. Amongst a variety of people part of them with bad ears, and most of them with untaught voices, there will be some who had better totally abstain; only attending to the sense, as well as the sound, of what is uttered by the rest: and others, that should moderate themselves to a prudent degree of lowness, till they have learnt, how to exert themselves more properly. But all who are, or can be, qualified, (and there are few who cannot,) should bear such a part as they are able. It may be done, without in the least disordering the more skilful singers, who perform the very useful office of raising and supporting the tune. This in many congregations is done by an organ, the charity children, or both. But then the organ should express the tunes plainly and distinctly, and make very moderate intervals between the lines: the children should be taught to sing in exact time and concert with it; and the whole congregation should accompany them fervently, yet with prudence. Taking this care though there should still happen to be some little discords, they would be entirely lost in the general chorus: the effect of which would be noble and elevating, if we took rightly into our thoughts the whole of the matter instead of cavilling at minute particulars.

Consider the nature of a wild multitude, in its original state, met together at the call of some vehement ungoverned passion: how alarming the concourse, how frightful and horrid the confused and hideous cries of it must be. Then consider the same multitude, softened and cultivated by the gentle influences of religion, and unanimously assembling at stated seasons, to sing forth the praises of the wise and good Parent of all, and echo to each other the precepts of a rational, and mild, and beneficent life here, as the means of obtaining eternal felicity hereafter. Can there be a happier change of scene, a sweeter and more pleasing view? and, suppose the harmony made by them were ever so little better, than "shouting unto God with the voice of triumph," as the Scripture expresses it, and "making a joyful noise unto the Rock of their salvation," Ps. xlvii. 1, xcv. 1, yet what worthy and humane and pious heart is there, that would not be charmed with the sound, and zealously join in it? we are disposed thus on all occasions.

Amongst our ancestors, who judged of propriety as discreetly as ourselves, to say no more, the very highest joined humbly and cheerfully with the lowest of their fellow Christians in the duty of psalmody, however artlessly performed. And it is worth our while to reflect what it is, either to disdain, or be ashamed, or be too indolent to lift up our voices to the honour of our Maker, when we come into his house professedly to worship him, and he hath commanded that one part of his worship shall be this.

But if we will not employ our may still fix our minds upon it: hinder others from doing either.

lips in the service, we at least we should not And particularly we