Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

more continued species, by the Minister, warn the people to accompany him in their hearts, whilst he prays against persecution, and admonishes them to be ready with a response at the end of it, gathered from the Psalms. The Minister himself next utters a short sentence, declaratory of God's interpositions in behalf of the Church; which, in fact, is none other than the first verse of the forty-fourth Psalm;—and the people again call upon God to help and deliver them for his honour;-that, as he helped his Church in times past, so he would continue to help it, that his honour may remain unimpaired, that his Church may prosper for ever; and that the Heathen, the infidels and scoffers, may never say, "Where is now their God?" There succeeds a doxology, and sundry short, plaintive, and pithy supplications,-to which is subjoined

a beautiful Prayer for sanctifying our troubles, composed by one of the Fathers of the Church, more than one thousand one hundred years ago; in which we acknowledge our infirmities, and ask of God, for the glory of his name, only to turn from us all those evils which we most righteously have deserved; and that he would grant, that in the midst of all our troubles we may continue to rely upon, "to put our whole trust and confidence in his mercy, and to serve him evermore in holiness and pureness of living, to his honour and glory, through our only Mediator and Advocate, Jesus Christ our Lord."

Beloved, I was in hopes to have comprised in this Discourse, observations on the whole of the Litany, including the occasional Prayers. I find, however, that time will not permit me to proceed fur

ther; and here, therefore, for this time, I conclude, beseeching of God to hear all our prayers and to further all our doings with his gracious help and continual favour; that in this and all our works begun, continued, and ended in him, we may glorify his holy name; and, finally, by his mercy, obtain everlasting life, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

SERMON XXV.

COLOSS. iv. 2.

Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving.

THE subject for this morning's discourse is supplied by the "prayers and thanksgivings upon several occasions, to be used before the two final prayers of the Litany, or of Morning and Evening Prayer."-Although the standing course of the prayers may suffice for the general use of the Church in ordinary, yet, as there are at times particular providential visitations and chastisements, which, notwithstanding they are to be endured with the fortitude which an hope in the next life infuses into the bosom of

Christians, yet it is lawful to pray unto God for deliverance from them; and therefore our Service-Book supplies us with sundry excellent addresses to the Throne of Grace, to be used when necessity shall require. If you will read the eighth chapter of the First Book of Kings, which preserves to us Solomon's prayer at the dedication of the temple, you will see that the devout monarch supposes that peculiar supplication would be made to God in times of drought, famine, war, and pestilence; the which he intreats of God" to hear in heaven his dwelling-place." The first two of these prayers are for rain in the time of drought, and for fair weather in seasons of immoderate rain.

Respecting the efficacy of prayer in cases of wet or drought, nothing can be more decisive than the words of St. James, in the fifth or last chapter ::-"The effec

« AnteriorContinuar »