supplications and thanksgivings are with the tenor of Scripture, and with the experience of the true worshipper, and how suitable these forms of prayer are to the purposes of public worship.

Learn, then, in conclusion;

THAT GOD IS THE THUE CHRISTIAN'S ONLY CONFIDENCE AND REFUGE AT ALL TIMES AND UNDER ALL CIRCUMSTANCES.

The true Churchman acts under this conviction. Does the world's horizon lower? Do storms of national or domestic troubles gather? Do we dread the assaults of Infidelity and Popery and Tractarianism and Formalism on the integrity of our Protestestant Constitution, and the purity of our reformed faith? God alone is our refuge. "The Lord sitteth above the water-floods," and He 'alone can order the unruly wills and affections of sinful men.' If He do but speak the word, great shall be the company of faithful preachers, who shall feed his people with knowledge and with judgment. Is it with spiritual trials that we are oppressed? Do we feel that we are tied and bound with the chain of our sins?' It is God's tender pity and great mercy alone which can loose us. "O Lord, I am oppressed; undertake for me." Or, are we in health and peace and prosperity? God alone can continue to us these blessings: the hearts of kings are in His rule and governance.'"The Lord maketh poor and maketh rich." And our country is bounty of our heavenly king. want or the fear, God is the

nourished by the Whatever be the believer's refuge.

To Him he looks; on Him he waits; "In

everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving he makes his request known unto God." O, that we could act more on this conviction, and in this spirit of confidential and grateful trust! O, that our hearts were more inflamed with the love of God in Christ Jesus, and more entirely renewed after the image of Him that created us in righteousness and true holiness! The love of Christ being our motive, and holiness and heaven the grand objects of desire and pursuit, the sincere prayer of our hearts for Christ's Church would then be that it may be so guided and governed by God's good Spirit, that all who profess and call themselves Christians, may be led into the way of truth, and hold the faith in unity of spirit, in the bond of peace, and in righteousness of life;' and for ourselves, we should beseech the Lord to give us that due sense of all His mercies, that our hearts may be unfeignedly thankful; and that we may show forth His praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives; by giving up ourselves to His service, and by walking before Him in holiness and righteousness all our days,' that, this life ended, we may dwell with Him in life and glory everlasting.

SERMON XII.

THE LITANY.

DANIEL IX. 19.

"O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, hearken and do; defer not, for thine own sake, O my God: for thy city and thy people are called by thy name."

SUCH was Daniel's litany,-humble, earnest, and devout. There was faith in the promises, and reliance on the power and grace of Him on whom he called. It was a day of trial and a time of need: because of the iniquities of their fathers, Jerusalem was become a reproach, and the sanctuary was desolate: but "Call upon me in the day of trouble," saith Zion's God, "I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me." But it was a day of expectation also. Daniel knew by the word of prophecy that the present desolations of Jerusalem should soon have an end: and his expectations of deliverance were all from God: He knew the value of a throne of grace, and delighted to be often there. The Holy Ghost had breathed into his soul the breath of prayer, and he "set his face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and suppli

cations, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes," the promised deliverance. His frame of mind was marked with the deepest humility and selfabasement: he had nothing to confess but sins and ingratitude on the part of himself and the people, "O Lord, righteousness belongeth unto Thee, but unto us confusion of face....because we have sinned against Thee," Daniel ix. 7, 8. He had no plea to urge but mercy, "to the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses, though we have rebelled against Him," verse 9. There was a holy earnestness in his supplications; the cries for mercy were heartfelt: they came from the lips of one who knew the danger and the misery of unpardoned sin. There was an urgency about them which would not admit of delay: at the same time there was an unshaken reliance on the sure promises of God that He would yet make Jerusalem a praise in the earth, and that He would not utterly cast off His people, because it had pleased the Lord to make them His people; "O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, hearken and do; defer not, for thine own sake, O my God: for thy city and thy people are called by thy

name.

The same lively faith, and deep humility, and fervency of spirit should mark our supplications also before the mercy-seat. This is the spirit which God requires of true worshippers; « Το this man will I look, saith the Lord, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word." This also is the frame of mind which He will own and bless. Whilst Daniel was yet speaking, God sent his angel to comfort and instruct him, and to assure him of the acceptance

of himself and of his supplications. It is in the same frame of soul also that we should enter into the devotional services of our spiritual Liturgy. We, all emptiness; Christ, all fulness: we, all weakness; Christ, all strength and sufficiency. This is strikingly evident in that affecting part of our public worship which we call the Litany, and which presents itself as the last subject for our consideration in this series of Liturgical discourses.

I. ITS HISTORY.

It is clear that Litanies were in use at a very early period of the Church. In the fifth century they were used in the processions which were made on occasion of the burial of holy martyrs. They were corrupted from their scriptural simplicity by the Papists, who added to them prayers for their so-called saints. Our own Litany was compiled by our Reformers from those which were then extant in the Church: as their custom was, they expunged whatever was false in doctrine or wrongly expressed-rejecting the chaff, and retaining the wheat. The estimation in which it was held by the godly at the period of the Reformation is evident from the grief they felt when it was forbidden to be used in the churches during the reign of Queen Mary. Heretofore,' says the pious Thomas Becon, upon the Sundays, and certain other days in the week, we had the Litany rehearsed among us in our English tongue, every one of us kneeling devoutly and heartily calling on Thee for mercy and grace. O heavenly Father, this was set forth in the time of thy servant King Henry the Eighth, and continued among us until the death of that most godly and virtuous prince