O God the Holy Ghost, proceeding from the Father and the Son: have mercy upon us miserable sinners. O God the Holy Ghost, proceeding from the Father and the Son: have mercy upon us miserable sinners. O holy, blessed, and glorious Trinity, three Persons and one God: have mercy upon us miserable sinners. O holy, blessed, and glorious Trinity, three Persons and one God: have mercy upon us miserable sinners. Remember not, Lord, our offences, nor the offences of our forefathers; neither take thou vengeance of our sins: spare us, good Lord, spare thy people, whom thou hast redeemed with thy most precious blood, and be not angry with us for ever. Spare us, good Lord. From all evil and mischief; from sin, from the crafts and assaults of the devil; from thy wrath, and from everlasting damnation, Good Lord, deliver us. From all blindness of heart; from pride, vain-glory, answers to the word supplication, and the approach of any great calamity was regarded by the Church as a warning to summon the people to more earnest and open prayer. Litanies thence became peculiarly devoted to seasons of affliction; and, as stated portions of set Liturgies, may be considered as that division of the service in which all who would deprecate Divine anger, or the dreaded punishment of sin, ought to take an earnest and devout interest. The Litanies of the early Churches were usually repeated in solemn processions. Thus Gregory the Great instituted what was termed the seven-fold Litany, so called from the various classes of the clergy, and other religious persons engaged in the solemnity. It is from this Litany that our own is chiefly taken, but with such alterations as suit it to the simpler character of our belief and worship. The use of the Litany is confined to the three days of the week which are particularly consecrated to the remembrance of Christ's sufferings and triumph. Originally, and till the review in 1661, it constituted a separate service, succeeding to the Morning Prayer, and forming a fit introduction to the Communion. Though at present employed in immediate connexion with the other parts of the Morning Service, an attentive worshipper will feel that it is so far distinct, as to supply him with calls to, and means and topics of, devotion, which could not be spared, however excellent the rest of the Liturgy. In this, as in other cases, serious attention should be paid to the order and divisions of the service, which very strikingly illustrate the calm and harmonious spirit of true devotion. Thus the Litany opens with a solemn address to the three persons of the adorable Trinity, and the cry for mercy mingles with a most humble confession of guiltiness. Having prayed that we may be spared, that the anger of God may not rest upon us for ever, we next entreat deliverance from the various evils to which sin has rendered us subject, and this deliverance is sought through the merits of him "who died for our sins, and rose again for our justification.” Our fears allayed, and hope revived by this exercise of faith in the sovereign mercy of the Lord, we now" beseech him to hear us," while we ask for the helps and blessings necessary to our peace in this world, and our attainment of glory in the next. But according to the proper character of the Litany, all these entreaties for mercy, and these prayers for blessings, are closed by a pathetic supplication for true repentance, forgiveness, and renewing grace. and hypocrisy; from envy, hatred, and malice, and all uncharitableness, Good Lord, deliver us. From fornication, and all other deadly sin; and from all the deceits of the world, the flesh, and the devil, Good Lord, deliver us. From lightning and tempest; from plague, pestilence, and famine; from battle and murder, and from sudden death, Good Lord, deliver us. From all sedition, privy conspiracy, and rebellion; from all false doctrine, heresy, and schism; from hardness of heart, and contempt of thy Word and Commandment, Good Lord, deliver us. By the mystery of thy holy Incarnation; by thy holy Nativity and Circumcision; by thy Baptism, Fasting, and Temptation, Good Lord, deliver us. By thine Agony and bloody Sweat; by thy Cross and Passion; by thy precious Death and Burial; by thy glorious Resurrection and Ascension; and by the coming of the Holy Ghost, Good Lord, deliver us. In all time of our tribulation; in all time of our wealth; in the hour of death, and in the day of judg ment, Good Lord, deliver us. We sinners do beseech thee to hear us, O Lord God; and that it may please thee to rule and govern thy holy Church universal in the right way; We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord. That it may please thee to keep and strengthen in the true worshipping of thee, in righteousness and holiness of life, thy Servant VICTORIA, our most gracious Queen and Governour; We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord. That it may please thee to rule her heart in thy faith, fear, and love, and that she may evermore have affiance in thee, and ever seek thy honour and glory; We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord. That it may please thee to be her defender and keeper, giving her the victory over all her enemies; We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord. That it may please thee to bless and preserve Adelaide, the Queen Dowager, and all the Royal Family; We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord. That it may please thee to illuminate all Bishops, Priests, and Deacons, with true knowledge and understanding of thy Word; and that both by their preaching and living they may set it forth, and shew it accordingly; We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord. That it may please thee to endue the Lords of the Council, and all the Nobility, with grace, wisdom, and understanding; We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord. That it may please thee to bless and keep the Magistrates, giving them grace to execute justice, and to maintain truth; We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord. That it may please thee to bless and keep all thy people; We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord. That it may please thee to give to all nations unity, peace, and concord; We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord. That it may please thee to give us an heart to love and dread thee, and diligently to live after thy commandments; We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord. That it may please thee to give to all thy people increase of grace to hear meekly thy Word, and to receive it with pure affection, and to bring forth the fruits of the Spirit; We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord. That it may please thee to bring into the way of truth all such as have erred, and are deceived; We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord. That it may please thee to strengthen such as do stand; and to comfort and help the weak-hearted; and to raise up them that fall; and finally to beat down Satan under our feet; We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord. That it may please thee to succour, help, and comfort, all that are in danger, necessity, and tribulation; We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord. That it may please thee to preserve all that travel by land or by water, all women labouring of child, all sick persons, and young children; and to shew thy pity upon all prisoners and captives; We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord. That it may please thee to defend and provide for, the fatherless children and widows, and all that are desolate and oppressed; We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord. That it may please thee to have mercy upon all men ; We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord. That it may please thee to forgive our enemies, persecutors, and slanderers, and to turn their hearts; We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord. That it may please thee to give and preserve to our use the kindly fruits of the earth, so as in due time we may enjoy them; We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord. That it may please thee to give us true repentance; to forgive us all our sins, negligences, and ignorances; and to endue us with the grace of thy Holy Spirit to amend our lives according to thy holy Word; We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord. * Son of God, we,” & -In these short sentences, upon which the spirit of the worshipper rests, assuring itself of the success of its petitions by a recollection of the Saviour, our Lord is addressed in a three-fold, character. First in his divinity, the Son of God; next in his supremely pure and meritorious humanity, the Lamb of God; and thirdly, as the Lord, Lord of the Kingdom of Heaven, the triumphant conqueror of sin and death. |