(s) Tois fif άλλοις ζώοις ἐκ ἐπίOvior in TOπονοι γίνον οι τό Tous figu

ναιξὶ συμβαίνεσιν δε τόνοι ἰσχυρότεροι Arift.hift.anim.1.7.

c.9.

wherefore the Scripture compares the highest and sharpest kinds of Sufferings to these Pains, Jer.iv.31. and it is the Philofophers Obfervation, that no other Creatures endure fuch Extremities in bringing forth as Women do (s). Wherefore we may fuppofe that all the Female Sex will(for their own fakes,and upon the account of their due apprehenfions of thefe pains) pray moft affectionately for all their fellow-fufferers: And for men they must not think they are unconcerned; because this being the way by which we all entred into the world, we owe fo much reverence to our own Original,and fo much Duty to our mothers, as to pray for all that are in the fame Condition. And although the Woman was first in the Tranf greffion, and fo hath the faddeft part of the Curfe,bcing punished in the fruit of her body, for not fparing Gods forbidden fruit (t): Yet man alfo was à Partner in the Sin, and is so much the more obliged to pray for Women fuffering in this kind, becaufe they fuffer partly for his Sin. The Gentiles had a peculiar Goddess to which they prayed on this occafion, called Lucina,and with many words and coftly Rites did feek for her affiftance (u), and though they miftook the Object,the Act was right, and ought to be imitated by us, who have a mighty God able to help all forts of perfons, be their dangers or diftreffés never fo great: To him therefore we have prayed for

(1) Τί της εντο aus negr un qonκαρπὲ φυσα cún TepÈ TÈS ÉXUTHE ανιάσῃ καρπός. Bafil. Selenc. Orat.

3.

(u) Audi me veneranda Dea,cui nomins

multa Pregnant un adjutrix,parientum dulce levamen, fola puellarum fervatrix. &c. Orphei hymn. Prothyr. Natal.Comes 1.4.c.1.

travailing

travailing Women, and when we have a while confidered their danger and extremity, as well as our Obligations and Duty, I doubt not but we shall re-inforce it with a hearty, We beseech,&c.

III. We pray for all fick perfons. The Eftate of Travellers concerns chiefly the mafculine Sex, the other is proper only to the Female, but there are Sick Perfons of both, who were always peculiarly remembred in the Prayers of the Antients.

Let us pray (faith Clement) for all our Brethren afflicted with Sickness, that the Lord would please to restoré them from all their Difeales and Maladies, and to bring them found to his holy Church.

For the aged, weak, infirm, and fick (faith that of St. James) and those who are vexed with evil Spirits, let us befeeech the Lord,that he would speedily send them health and fafety.

(m) 'raig--vo・ σέντων, καμνόντων, &c. Lit.Chryf. VOGYτasiz. our Lit.S.Bafil. Pro iis qui diverfis infirmitatibus detinentur precamur te, Do- .

mine mifer.re. Offic.

The other Liturgies mention them (as we do) more briefly (w), both in regard that it is impoffible to reckon up all forts of infirmities, and because there are more peculiar Supplications for them afterwards: At prefent it will fuffice, that we commemorate them in general, remembring they are not able to come to Gods house, and pray for themfelves, and yet they do extremely need the benefit and comfort of publick prayers. Let us think it may fhortly be our Cafe, and as we fhall detire to be remembred then, we must remember now thofe who are Sick. Let us contider how hard it is to endure Sickness and Pain, weary nights and retilefs days,

Ambrof.

Ut firmis fanitatem mentis & corporis donare digneris; te rogamus. Brev. Mitf. fec. uf.

omnibus in

Ebor.

the

the ftroke of death and the apprehenfions of approaching Judgment,and then we fhall pray heartily for them; and prayers proceeding from fuch pity and Charity, no doubt will prevail either for their speedy recovery, or their happy Change, and all we defire is only this, that God will please to prefer be them, either from temporal,or elfe however from eternal Death; to preferve them and keep them for his own living or dying, that they may be safe and happy, and either recover to live a holy life, or pafs fweetly by a gentle Death to a bleffed Immortality,but of this more in the II.Part.

IV. We pray for young Childzen, which are also exprefly named in one of the Grecian Liturgies (x), and ought to be (*) Τα νήπια remembred in our Devotions upon Expenfor, TL VEómany accounts. As they are by TATα TadagaɣnBaptifm made Members of Chriftov Lit.S.Bafil. and of his Church, and fo become

our Brethren, we ought to pray for them,efpecially fince alafs they cannot pray for themselves: They are in the midst of a thousand dangers, yet through want of the ufe of Reafon do not apprehend it, but spend their time in vanity: Their bodies are lyable to many Cafualties, and their Lives very frequently expofed to the greatest dangers, by burning or drowning,by falls and evil accidents, fome we see are crooked and deformed, others deprived of their Limbs,or fome of their Senfes, yea and of their Understanding it felf, and are miferable all their Days. And yet befides these perils to the body, their Souls run greater hazards, for they are as the Poet calls them foft clay, capable to be moulded into any fhape, and apt to take any Impreffion, which those they converse with please; they cannot act by reafon and judgment, but only by imitation, and therefore they eafily fuck in Principles of Atheism or Superftition, Here

fy or Schifm, Rebellion or Faction, and foon learn to imitate practices of Debauchery, Swearing and Lying, Drunkenness and Luft, Stealing and Deceit, if they live with thofe, who believe or do fuch things, unless it please God to interpofe, and wonderfully to preferve them; and yet these young Children are the only hopes of the next Generatión, fo that we had need pray to God to keep them both in Soul and Body. We were once fuch our felves, and therefore fhould look back with pity on those poor Creatures, who do not heed their danger:We fee it and they do not, therefore we are more bound to pray for them, than they are for themfelves; and we have a very great Encouragement to this Duty, fince we call upon that God, who preferved us in the like Eftate, and pray unto Jefus for them,who was once in the fame Condition, and always loved little Children, whom he made preachers of humility, examples for the heirs of his Kingdom; he took them in his Arms, embraced and bleffed them:To him therefore we apply our felves for all poor helpless Infants,faying here alfo, We beseech thee,&c.

Lastly, We pray for all Pailoners and Captives,and that in Obedience to a divine Commandement, remember them which are in Bonds as bound with them, Heb.xiii. 3. In the Primitive times there was a very fad occafion to put this Precept in Execution, for the most barbarous cruelty of the Heathen Emperors was fuch, that they did condemn the poor Chriftians, to banishment or to bondage, to the Mines or to the Gallies, to Prifons and Dungeons, and during these fevere Perfecutions, the reft of the Chriftians, who as yet enjoyed their Liberty,were wont to pray for their fuffering Brethren with infinite Devotion, and a moft compaffionate Charity, faying, Let us pray for thofe,that are condemned to the Mines, or to banishment, to prifon or bondage for the name of the Lord. Clem.Conft.1.8.c.10.

For

(γ) ὑπὲρ aixμaxTwv ỳ THE σωτηρίας αυτῶν--nsw Lit. S.

Chryf. Αιχμαλώτες ῥῦσαι Lit.S.Bafil. Proin carceribus, lis, in exiliis conftitu tis,precamurte. Off. Ambrof.

in vinculis, in metal

Ut miferias paupeCaptivorum digneris,Brev.Sarish. intueri de relevare

For our Brethren that are in Captivity, banishment, prifon or bard bondage; let us befeech the Lord, that they may return in peace. Lit.S.Jacob. The like more briefly we have in all the reft (y),by which we may see how it came firft into the Offices of the Church: But it was not to be left offas foon as Perfecutions ceafed in the Roman Empire, for fo long as there are either Pagans or Turks in the World, there will be it is like too many poor Captives among them, kept in grievous and cruel bondage, tempted to forfake their Religion by Promises and threatnings, by flattery and the infliction of the feverest extremities, fo that we who enjoy our Country,and our friends, our Eftates and Liberties, our ease and our Religion,must not because we are far off forget to pity and pray for thefe miferable Creatures, but mult befeech the Lord to pity their Distress, and find out fome way for their deliverance, and if ever there be an opportunity,we muft liberally give Alms towards their Redemption, who fuffer for the Caufe of Jefus Chrift. Besides there are among Chriftians themfelves many poor Captives taken in War, and many Prifoners who are confined in times of Peace, for debt and furetyfhip,and for evil Deeds, who need Gods mercy and our Charity very much, and endure many hardships, fo that we ought to pray for them, and to be feech the Lord to have compaflion on them, either to fanctifie their affliction, or to deliver them from it. Those who deferve it suffer juftly, and yet we must not ceafe to pray for them, that it may be a means to bring them to Repen

M 2

tance