ii. 13, 14; Tit. iii. 4–6; 1 Pet. i. 2). And so, having acknowledged that, if we are His true children, God has given us this grace, we go a step further and ask that we may be kept steadfast in this truth, and may be evermore defended In the Latin the words run: “That through our steadfastness in the faith we may be defended,” etc., and this is probably the idea of the Collect.

against all adversity.

For this

great truth is a defence for us in adversity (Prov. xviii. 10). Do troubles and bereavements come upon us? We know they are sent by God the Father and our Father. Are we grieved for sin? We have God the Son as our Saviour (1 John i. 7; ii. 1). Are we in need of help and comfort? God the Holy Ghost has been sent for this very purpose. So that as weak and needy Christians we cannot and would not do otherwise than worship the Trinity in Unity.

O God of Life, Whose power benign
Doth o'er the world in mercy shine,
Accept our praise, for we are Thine.

O Father, uncreated Lord,

Be Thou in every land adored ;
On every soul Thy love be poured.

O Son of God, for sinners slain,

We bless Thee, Lord, Whose dying pain
For us did endless life regain.

O Holy Ghost, Whose guardian care
Doth us for heavenly joys prepare,
May we in Thy communion share.

Father, protect us here below;
Jesu, Thy mercy may we know ;
O Holy Ghost, Thy power bestow.

O Holy Blessed Trinity,

With faith we sinners bow to Thee;
In us, O God, exalted be.

First Sunday after Trinity.

FOR GRACE TO PLEASE GOD.

O God, the strength of all them that put their trust in Thee, mercifully accept our prayers; and because through the weakness of our mortal nature we can do no good thing without Thee, grant us the help of Thy grace, that in keeping of Thy commandments we may please Thee, both in will and deed; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

TH

HE ideas contained in this Collect are connected one with another in a very beautiful manner.

We acknowledge (i.) that we can do no good thing without God's help and strength (John xv. 5; 2 Cor. iii. 5; see Article XIII.).

(ii) That those who put their trust in God have strength from Him (Ps. xxix. 11; xxxiv. 8, 22; Isa. xxv. 4; Phil. iv. 13).

Recognising these two facts, we go on

(iii.) To put our trust in God by prayer-" prayer is the voice of trust”—and in our prayer

(iv.) We ask for grace to do these good things; or, in other words, to keep God's commandments.

(v.) By keeping His commandments we please Him. It is true that we read, "Without faith it is impossible to please Him" (Heb. xi. 6). But this does not alter the fact that by keeping His commandments we please Him, because (1) faith is one of His commandments (1 John iii. 23); (2) faith without works is useless (Jas. ii. 17), it must exhibit itself by doing what God wishes (1 Thess. iv. 1, 2), and by this God is well pleased (Heb. xiii. 20, 21). It is not to be supposed, however, that a mere outward consistency of life will please Him. We must

(vi.) Keep His commandments in WILL as well as in deed.

And as all this flows from grace given from above, we have to say, in all we do for Him, "Of Thine own have we given Thee" (1 Chron. xxix. 14).

I will go in the strength of the Lord,

In the path He has marked for my feet;
I will follow the light of His Word,
Nor shrink from the dangers I meet.
His presence my steps shall attend;

His fulness my wants shall supply;
On Him, till my journey shall end,
My hope shall securely rely.

I will go in the strength of the Lord,
To the work He appoints me to do;
In the joy which His smile shall afford,
My soul shall her vigour renew.
His wisdom will guard me from harm,
His power sufficient shall prove ;

I trust His Omnipotent arm,

I rest in His covenant love.

Church Missionary Gleaner, 1861.

Second Sunday after Trinity.

FOR CONSTANT FEAR AND LOVE OF GOD.

O Lord, Who never failest to help and govern them whom Thou dost bring up in Thy steadfast fear and love; keep us, we beseech Thee, under the protection of Thy good providence, and make us to have a perpetual fear and love of Thy holy Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

N beginning this prayer we dwell upon two things that
God, as our Father, does for His people.

IN this prayer we

He brings them up in His steadfast fear and love, and then He never fails to help and govern them (Ps. cxlv. 19, 20). How true a description of His Father's care. Take

the cases of Joseph, David, Daniel (see also 2 Chron. xvi. 9; Ps. xxxiv. 15, 17, 19, 22; Prov. iii. 6, 23, 26; 1 Pet. iii. 12, 13).

Believing this, we desire that we may have these blessings for ourselves. We ask―

(i) That we may have a perpetual fear and love of His holy Name. Our first duty to God is to love Him (Deut. vi. 5; Mark xii. 30) and fear Him (Deut. vi. 2). Fear does not mean slavish dread such as was felt by Adam (Gen. iii. 10), Felix (Acts xxiv. 25), the devils (Jas. ii. 19). Love casts out this fear (1 John iv. 18), but it is filial reverence called (Heb. xii. 28) godly fear. And if by His grace we have received this, we may go on in confidence and ask—

(ii.) That we may be kept under the protection of God's good providence. In passing through the waves of this troublesome world, we feel the need of a protecting hand. What a comfort in family, business, or political as well as spiritual troubles, to hear that God never fails to help and govern those who trust Him (Rom. viii. 28).

Eternal God, we look to Thee,

To Thee for help we fly ;

Thine eye alone our wants can see,
Thy hand alone supply.

Lord, let Thy fear within us dwell,
Thy love our footsteps guide;
That love will all vain love expel;
That fear, all fear beside.

Not what we wish, but what we want,

O let Thy grace supply;

The good, unasked, in mercy grant ;

The ill, though asked, deny.

Merrick.

Third Sunday after Trinity.

FOR THE COMFORT OF GOD'S AID.

O Lord, we beseech Thee mercifully to hear us; and grant that we, to whom Thou hast given an hearty desire to pray, may by Thy mighty aid be defended and comforted in all dangers and adversities; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.·

REAT similarity is to be found between this Collect and two others (Third after Epiphany, p. 26, and Third in Lent, p. 42), but there is a great truth alluded to here which is not in them.

We ask God mercifully to hear us, and we can look up to Him and say that this our prayer is not a mere form. We come with hearty desires-our words express the real longings of our hearts. But whence do we get these desires? Not of ourselves (Rom. viii. 26). We say that God has given them to us. Now, here comes in the great truth,— that, when God is about to give us anything, He suggests to us the praying for it. He shows us some special need of our spiritual life, or He opens to us some prospect of happiness which we could not have realized ourselves, and then we are led to ask for it; and when we ask He gives (Luke xi. 9; John xvi. 24). So that He gives us grace to ask, and then grace for the asking (John i. 16).

Here the desire that He has put into our hearts is that we may, by His mighty aid, be defended and comforted in all dangers.

We ask not only to be defended by His aid, but also comforted by it. God's aid defends us, but it is knowing that we have His aid that comforts us. When the young man in Dothan was in danger, he was all the time being