use, some of which are suitable for their secret devotions, while others are adapted to the great variety of occasions that are constantly occurring in the course of their professional life.

Nor, in this volume, are the wants of private Christians forgotten. The little child, baptized into Christ, and receiving instruction in Christian doctrine and duty; the candidate for confirmation; the student, whether academical or theological; the regular recipient of the Lord's supper; the aspirant for holy orders; parents, and heads of families; travellers, by land or by water; the sick; the afflicted; the bereaved, and the dying, can all here find, it is hoped, prayers and devotions suited to their peculiar case.

From this sketch of the author's design in this work, and from this outline of its contents, it will be perceived that the volume consists of two principal parts: THE CHRISTIAN YEAR and THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. There are some peculiarities in the arrangement of each, which require explanation.

In the Christian Year, the anthems and collects have, throughout, reference to the seasons; and to each anthem and collect, a title has been prefixed. Many of the anthems, especially their concluding portions, which are oftentimes scriptural doxologies, might be easily set to music, and be sung or chanted. Under the second Sunday in Advent, there appeared to be very obvious. propriety in making the holy scriptures the subject of the anthem, and in adding a prayer for the universal diffusion of the word of God. The future judgment is the subject for the other Advent Sundays. In the Ember Days in Advent, the first collect is inserted, that obedience may be rendered to the express command of our Almighty Lord: "Pray ye the Lord of the harvest, that

he would send forth laborers into his harvest." The trisagion is, with its accompanying prefaces, arranged for Christmas-Day, as a thanksgiving; and so, wherever it is appointed to be used. The Sunday after Christmas is appropriated to the case of the Jews; and for this reason, that the incarnate Saviour was first sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. For New Year's Day, there is an anthem, and also a suitable prayer. The Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany has an anthem and prayer for seamen. This Sunday was selected for these services, because, in the gospel for the day, is contained the account of our Saviour's stilling the raging of the sea. When, in any year, there are not so many as four Sundays in Epiphany, the gospel for the Fifth Sunday after Trinity, renders that day a very appropriate occasion for the services in behalf of mariners.

The spirit of love, which breathes in the collect for Quinquagesima Sunday, is a sufficient reason for making charity and union among Christians the subject of the season, and for adding prayers for schismatics, heretics, and for the church of Rome. In Lent, repentance and faith, and their kindred subjects, are presented in a gradation of services; beginning with impenitency, and passing onward, from conviction of sin, through the several steps of penitence and confession, to a cordial and obedient reception of the mercy of God in Christ Jesus. Persons engaged in teaching, may obtain assistance from the college prayers, arranged under the Ember Days in Lent, in conducting the daily devotions with their pupils. The subjects given to Easter-Even, are death, and rest in Paradise. In the anthem for Easter evening, the resurrection of Christ's people is the subject; his own resurrection having been commemorated in the morning selections from scripture. In the primitive church, it was the custom, on the Third Sunday after Easter, in

B

asmuch as Easter was the great baptismal occasion, to give, in the services and instructions, prominence to the duties of the baptized. In imitation of this practice, the day is, in this manual, devoted to baptism and baptized children. As Rogation is the season especially given to our country, prayers relating to public wants and evils are arranged under this department; where, also, are placed petitions for the universal prevalence of peace. The Te Deum, placed under the First and Second Sundays after Trinity, is divided, that its two principal subjects may be the more apparent. It can, however, still be used as a whole, as the parts are contiguous to each other. The arrangement of its paragraphs is that which seems best to accord with its original construction. The anthems and collects for the fourth of July, are taken from the Proposed Book.*

In the Christian Life, it was the wish of the author to prepare the prayers, so far as was practicable, from the language of the offices themselves; and he has been able to multiply devotional forms from this source, to a much greater extent than he at first supposed possible. In order to avoid repetition, he has, in the family prayers, omitted the collects in the Christian year, thus depriving himself of much rich material for the construction of domestic devotions. But, as the collects ought to be invariably introduced into the family prayers, the person who uses these latter forms, is not obliged to sustain the loss.

With these explanations of his general plan, and of the arrangement of the several parts, the author, with unfeigned diffidence, now submits the results of his labors to the candid consideration of his brethren in the ministry and in the Lord; not forgetting the encouragement he

* See the proceedings of the General Convention of 1785, in Bishop White's Memoirs of the Protestant Episcopal Church.

has received from many friends, and gratefully acknowledging the divine goodness, in allowing him, though from the first to the last page encompassed with many infirmities of health, to finish this work; and fervently entreating his heavenly Father to make it an instrument of his glory, in the edification of his people, and the enlargement of his kingdom, and to pour, both upon his servant who compiled and arranged the volume, and upon every one who may use it, the spirit of prayer and supplication, that they may so improve all the means of grace he is so richly conferring upon them, as at length to be partakers of everlasting glory; through his infinite mercies in his only Son, Christ Jesus, our Lord.

Rectory of St. Michael's,

Litchfield, Connecticut;

Feast of the Epiphany, MDCCCXLVI.