· 1. M. (k) Dignus ampliffimo facerdotio, qui colere Deos, ne iratos quidem, deftitit, Sen.ad Marc.cap.13. Part.I. 'ty without fhew of Paffion; and Rome prefents us with an High-Prieft, who heard the like news as he was officiating in the Capitol, and yet did not interrupt his Prayer with one Sigh, and was worthy (faith the Relator (k)) of the nobleft Priesthood, who did not give over ferving the angry Gods. And will it not be a fhame to us, who have more knowledg and better Promises, greater affiftance, and more excellent rewards, to fly from our Father's Service, because our Vanity makes him give us a little chastisement: Methinks we fhould rather serve him more in time of Trouble, than at any other time; fer fo we fhall have more comfort, and he will be fooner obliged to deliver us; for, as it is here noted, if God's Servants do thus live holily and purely in their Afflictions, it is very much for the ho. nour and glory of their bleffed Mafter, because it declares to all the World, that they who truly know the fweetness of his fervice, and the felicity of doing his Will, cannot by the sharpeft afflictions be driven from their Duty, but cleave closer to him the more he doth correct them: They know that he is but only curing their Diseases, and cutting of their Superfluities, and that these afflictions can do them no harm, fo long as they do not rob them of their Innocence and their Vertue: And therefore they pray, whether their Calamities stay or be removed, howfoever, that they may ever ferve God in Dolinels and purenels of Living to his Honour and Glozy. Finally, confidering that these requests do contain fo excellent matter, even that God may pity us, and we may please him by a lively Faith and a holy Life in our greateft Sufferings, it is neceffary, that we make them in a right manner, left we offend our Father of whom we ask, and lofe the things we pray pray for by a foolish and unwarrantable manner of addrefs: Wherefore we do not ask these for the fake of the bleffed Virgin, or of any Saints or Angels, but through our only Mediatoz and Advocate Jefus Chrift: He only is the Mediator, whom God hath appointed, 1 Tim. ii.5. None fo ready to hear us, fo able to help us, or fo inclinable to intercede for us as he, and none fo prevalent with God as he, who is his well-beloved Son; in his Name alone therefore do we pray, and if our Devotion do but answer the Excellency of our Petitions, or the Power of him, whom we have chofen to prefent them, it is certain they shall be granted, S. 7. Of the Prayer of St. Chryfoftom 1. THE of th Prayer, and when the HE Conclufion of the Litany is the fame with that of the Morning Prayer Litany is used, these are not used there, but transferred to the Close of this Office; and they that are acquainted with the Greek Liturgies know, That S.Chryfoftom, the Author of this Form, hath placed it after thofe Litanick Supplications, which are there called the Pacificks, for whereas they are three times repeated, this Prayer is used after the laft Repetition, as the folemn Conclufion of that Litany, fo that we use it agreeably to its first Inftitution, when we place it here: To the matter of it we have spoken before, as well as to the Benediction in the Clofe of the firft Part, fo that we will only obferve, that by the use of this Prayer of St.Chryfoftom's, as well as by the Harmony all along between our Prayers and thofe of the Eastern Church,it will appear, that the learned Compofers of our Common-Prayers did read and confider the Greek,as well as the Roman Offi R 3 ces, and choose out of both, what was primitive and pure, but they tyed themselves to neither; they followed them where it was fit, but not where there was novel additions of Superftition or Impertinence; fo that I hope the Reader will be convinced, that the Quotations out of thofe ancient Forms were not my Conjectures; but the defign and intention of our reverend Compilers, and learn thereby to have a greater efteem for these Offices, which are, an Abftract of the best parts of the primitive Forms of Worship, and whofoever believes this, and ufeth thefe Offices with a Spirit futeable to fo rare Composure, fhall not only go home with the bleffing of the Prieft, but with the bleffing of God alfo, who to all fuch Petitioners will not fail to fay, Amen. THE THE PARAPHRASE OF THE Whole LITANY. S.D God the Father] first Person of the glorious I. Trinity, Maker [of heaven] and earth, and Governour of all things, We befeech thee to [babe mercy upon us,] for we are [miferable] by the Punishment of Sin,and to pardon us,though we have been [inners], against thy Laws and thy Providence. O God the Father,&c. S.II. God the Son] fecond Perfon of the glori ous Trinity, and [Redeemer of] us, and all [the auto210,]we alfo befeech thee to have mercy upon us,] for we are [miferable] by the guilt of Sin, and to pardon us,though we have been [Sinners]against thee,and thy Holy Gospel. O God the Son,&c. S.III. God the Holy Ghost] third Perfon of the glorious Trinity, yet of equal Divinity, as [proceeding from the Father and the Son,] we beseech thee alfo to [habe mercy upon us,] for we are [miferable] by the Power of Sin, And to pardon us, though we have been [inners] against thy Holy Motions and Directions. O God the Holy Ghost,&c. R 4 S.IV. Part. I. S.IV.D Holy, bieffed, and glozious Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft, being [thee Perlons,and] yet but Lone God,] we befeech each Perfon apart, and all together to have mercy upon us,] for we are upon all accounts very [miferable] and grievous [Sinners.] O baly, bleffed and glorious,&c. S.V. Remember not] we beseech thee, O [Lo20,our Dffences] with Indignation, let not the Sins, which we our felves have done, Enes the Dffences] committed in the days [of our foze-fathers] be required of this Generation, [neither take thou Hengeance of us, for their or [cur] own [ins]: For we cry, as thou haft taught us,[[pare us, Good Lozo, O do thou forbear, and [fpare the People,] sweeteft Jefus, [whom thou haft redeemed] from Wrath and Damnation with the precious blood, let thy Sufferings either wholly avert, or mightily abate ours, [and be not angry with us] fo long in this world,neither punish us [fo, eber] in the World to come, Behold, we all cry Lípare us] both here and hereafter, [Good Lezo,] for thy mercy fake. S.VI. And do thou not only spare us, but deliver us fully from a'l Evil, which may hurt our Souls [and] from all [mischief,] which may harm our bodies: In the first place deliver us [from in,] the greatest Evil, and all that may induce us to it, or punish us for it, as well [from the Crafts,] that draw us, as the furprises [and affaults of the Devil,] that drive us into Wickednefs: And alfo [from the W2ath,] which certainly follows after it at prefent,(and from everiaßing Damnation, the fad Reward of it hereafter. From all and every one of thefe (Good Lozd] we humbly beseech thee to [Deliver us.] S.VII.More particularly be pleased to deliver us from all fecret Sins in our minds, againft thy Majefty, even [From |