"And the Lord said,... Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty ration, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him. For I know him, that he will command his children, and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment." GEN. xviii. 18.

"So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham." GAL. iii. 9.

PREFACE

TO THE SECOND EDITION.

THE former edition of this work, though not published without much consideration, was put forth with a full consciousness that defects and omissions would be soon detected; but the Editor was scarcely prepared to find, as he did shortly after its publication, how much it needed alteration and amendment. This will be sufficiently apparent from the changes in the present edition. When he considers how imperfectly the task originally undertaken was executed, he cannot sufficiently acknowledge the kindness of his late Diocesan, the Bishop of Exeter, in receiving the first edition, and allowing it to be dedicated to himself; nor less gratefully the kindness of his present Bishop, who, having these faults before him, has consented to accept the second. In venturing upon a re-publication, he has had the advantage of knowing the well considered opinion of many, to whom his judgment most willingly yields. Yet even now

it will hardly be found free from all former or new imperfections, although the re-consideration will not, it is hoped, have been without advantage.

The general construction of the whole book remains as in the former edition; and it is gratifying to find the principle on which it rests sanctioned by the best devotional writers of the Church. The more the devout Christian looks into their thoughts, the more he enters into their feelings, the more will he be convinced that a similar view guided their selections and adaptations. Taking them for the guide of his thoughts and feelings, he will find himself insensibly led to a persuasion that God, who does nothing in vain-who has filled the earth with works symbolic of His spiritual gifts-who, by His Son, has consecrated the whole face of nature, through the frequent application of it, in figure, to Himself and who numbers even the very hairs of our head, has not sprinkled by accident over the surface of days, and hours, and months, the various acts of mercy by which our redemption has been wrought; but rather that they have been so allotted to the various times and seasons, that there is never wanting to the faithful member of His Church a fitting subject for Christian commemoration. If he would enquire how the

has been borne in mind in this selection of Prayers and Collects; each Daily Service is compiled upon the model of the Common Prayer Book, such responses and prayers as will afford the required variety only being added; these have been chosen not at random, but with a perpetual reference to the leading idea above referred to, and in harmony with the tone of primitive Services. There are many places in which the principle of selection will probably pass unobserved, but unless the prayers are misapplied it may be plainly seen, in the opening sentences and in those which follow the Lord's Prayer, and enters into many of the versicles and responses. The first Collect after the responses has also reference to the subject of the day, and so have some of the other Collects, for instance that for the Ministry on Monday evening; the Benedictory Prayer on Tuesday; and that for Holiness on the same evening. The Collects for Grace against Temptation, and for a Spirit of Mortification on Wednesday morning; and that for Pastors and People in the evening. The Morning Thanksgiving, and several of the Evening Collects on Thursday. The Thanksgivings and the Evening Prayer on the Passion on Friday; and almost the whole of the Saturday morning and evening services.

The services remain in part as they were in the first edition; but it is hoped that they are much improved by an increase of the commemorative parts. There have also been some other material alterations; of these the principal are as follows. The General Confession is omitted on Sunday, and has been inserted on every morning and evening except Wednesday and Friday, instead of other prayers of a confessional nature which stood in the former edition, but were either improperly taken from the Eucharistic service, or were not of the same full and general character. The prayer for Pardon contained in the words "Lord, have mercy upon us," &c. alternately asked in Divine Service by Minister and people, have been placed before the Lord's Prayer, excepting on Sunday, in every instance. It will be found so placed in the Book of Common Prayer, both before the longer and shorter form of it, in all cases except where the Lord's Prayer forms part of a sacramental service, and is preceded immediately by an actual absolution, or by the imposition of hands, as in the Confirmation Service. The shorter form without the doxology is reserved for the evening. The Nicene Creed has been removed from the daily services, and is suggested for use on those days on which an Epistle and Gospel is appointed, or, in other words, on which the Holy Communion ought to be administered and this Creed said, excepting those Athanasian Creed is directed to be used. Prayers for the Aid of the Holy Spirit are inserted in every Service. Those parts of the Communion Service which the Editor fears were so placed as to give pain to many, as he confesses they have to himself, have been altogether removed from their application to ordinary use, a position which he willingly admits they ought never to have occu

on which the

Christian year should be spent, he cannot do otherwise than find an answer in the appointed order of the seasons; during which, through the course of Advent, Christmas, and the Epiphany, he is joyfully introduced to the subjects of his Saviour's coming, and Incarnation, and manifestation; the succeeding interval of Septuagesima bids him prepare to participate in his Saviour's sufferings in the holy season of Lent, and to contemplate the anguish of the Cross and Passion in self-abasement and penitence, that he may be more fitted to commemorate with spiritual joy and hallelujahs the glories of his risen and ascended Saviour, as the festivals of Easter and Ascension bring them before his mind. Thus having passed the earlier months, he is taught to look, in the power of the promised Spirit, for strength and grace so to apply the truth of all these heavenly mysteries, that he may spend the longer season of Trinity in the faithful running of his Christian course, remembering the Holy Apostles and Martyrs, for whose victories during those months he is bid to give thanks, the lessons of gratitude taught in the earlier seasons, and having before him the awful remembrance of a coming judgment, in the near re-approach of Advent. By the same wonderful mercy the wants of the week are amply supplied. He who was content to shed His precious blood upon the cross and die for us, has witnessed the fulfilment of His own prediction by the weekly commemoration of His sufferings in the Friday fast; while His Church has also rejoiced with Him in His Resurrection in the celebration of Sunday, His own most holy day, the day also of the Descent of His Spirit. He has also sanctified the other days of the week, as Wednesday by His Temptation and Betrayal, Thursday by His Ascension and by the institution of the Holy Eucharist, Saturday by His repose in the grave, (with which our burial in baptism is mysteriously connected.) The remaining days, Monday and Tuesday, are not without sufficient reason occupied by the remaining subjects of His Coming, and His Manifestation. The hours of the day are no less sanctified to those who remember their Saviour's outpoured prayers, even long before the break of day; the early hour of His Resurrection, of which the rising sun is both a type and a memorial; the descent of the Eternal Spirit at the third hour; the Redeemer hanging on the cross at noon, and expiring at the ninth hour. Again, that precious Body which was thus given to death for us and laid in the grave during the evening hours, had been given to be the perpetual food and sustenance of the Church to the end of the world, in the institution of the Holy Eucharist on the previous evening; while He who had known the darkness of the grave appeared late at night amidst His chosen disciples, and spake those most blessed words, "Peace be unto you."

These are some of the elements of a symbolical system which the Church Catholic has ever been wont to apply, with holy reverence and affection, to her architecture, her services, and her interpretation of holy writ. So far as relates to the days of the week, that system