(b) Nuscia Tus TE- Cur Stationibus quar- 23. (e) Apud Albafpine. lib.1. obf.16. Church (b), who thought not fit to fhew lefs Devotion than the Pharifees, who fafted twice in the Week (c),viz.on Mundays and Thursdays (d), for which cause some think the Chriftians chose the Fourth and Sixth, or rather, as Petrus Alexandrinus faith (e), because the Death of Chrift was defigned on the Fourth, and accomplished on the Sixth day: The Litany is alfo to be faid on Sunday, not fo much because Agapetus did fo order it, an. 534.as because there is then the greatest Affembly to joyn in this vigorous Supplication, and that no day might feem to have a folemner Service then the Lords day, whofe first defign was by God, and its Confirmation by Apoftolick Practice; three times a week therefore the Litany is read ordinarily, and if we confider, that affliction is the Portion of the Church Militant, and that there is no time, when fome part of it or other, is not diftreffed by Perfecution or the Sword, by Famine or Peltilence, Schifm or Herefy, we fhall eafily believe it can never be faid unfeasonably, with refpect to the Common Calamities of all Mankind; but when any of thefe Judgments lye upon us, it is left to the Discretion of our fpiritual Fathers to injoyn it more frequently, if they fee occafion Finally, as to the Composure it felf, the Method is clear and comprehenfive, the Form primitive and proper for afflicted Supplyants, the phrafe is carneft and affectionate, fo that he must be extreme obdurate, who is not moved by it to an extraordinary forvency of Devotion: The firft Chriftians used to make thofe thofe Supplications with Fafting and many Tears, and all that could fignifie an humble importunity: And fo must we do also, if we hope, either to procure comfort in,or deliverance from, our afflictions, by the use of this Litany, for a flight entreaty doth but incenfe the Almighty, when he is Correcting, and we finart under his hands, or are like to do fo fhortly; wherefore that this excellent Form may work the more vigorously upon our affections, we will make a fuller difcovery of its glories,a glance of which we shall first prefent in the fol lowing Table of the Method. PARTITION PARTITION I. Of the LITANY. SECTION I. Of the Invocation. (a) Kúpte èλeńσov. Liargs.Chryfoft. S. Bafil.&c. & inter Gentes hæc verba reperi untur. Arrian.in Ep. 1.2. cap 7. Rurie E. leifon, Miffal. Sarisb. 5.1. Hough we must call upon God at all times, yet we must do it more efpecially in the time of Trouble, for then we are moft fit to pray,and he is moft to hear us, who hath faid, Is any afflicted,let him pray, James v.13. when we are in Mifery, what should we feek but Mercy, that is the fum of all our Litanies,or the Prayers we make in Trouble, for which Caufe David begins his great Penitential with Have mercy on me, &c, Pfal.li.1.and all the Litanies in the World do begin with this folemn Word, Lozo habeerty(a); and fo doth ours alfo, only we repeat that Great Requeft with a particular addrefs to each perfon of the bleffed Trinity, the object of a Chriftians Worship, and this we call the Invocation, being both a Confeffion of our Faith, and a preparation to all the following petitions: And for that reafon, the people are appointed to say every one of these Addreffes wholly after the Minifter, because it gives every one an Intereft in all the rest of the Office, being the Preface to it,and the Compendium thereof: Every One must crave audience in his own Words, which, when they have obtained, they may leave it to the Priest to set forth all their needs to Almighty God, provided they do fhew their agreement to every Petition by Anfwering in the end thereof: After the rest of the Litany a hearty Refponfe will fuffice, but as we all defire the benefit of this excellent Form, we muft fay the Invocation our felves,and that we may be more affected with it, we will now confider it more ftrictly. &c. The |