and in several western rituals mentioned by Martene. After this sermon or commination, the fiftyfirst psalm, anciently noted in the church as one of the penitential psalms, and especially called the psalm of confession, is appointed to be sung by the priest and clergy.

Then shall they all kneel upon their knees, and the priest and clerks kneeling (in the place where they are accustomed to say the litany) shall say this psalm.

Miserere mei, Deus. Ps. li. Have mercy upon me, O God, after thy great goodness; according to the multitude of thy mercies do away mine offences, &c.

Deinde prosternant se clerici in choro et dicant VII psalmos pænitentiales cum "Gloria Patri," et "Sicut erat," et antiphona "Ne reminiscaris f.”

Miserere mei, Deus: secundum magnam misericordiam tuam. Et secundum multitudinem miserationum tuarum dele iniquitatem meam, &c.

The ancient sacramentary of the English church, written in the ninth or tenth century, alluded to above, directs the same psalm to be sung on the present occasion". It also concurs with the missals of York and Salisbury, and other western formularies, in prescribing the following parts of the office.

Answ. That put their trust in thee.

Min. Send unto them help from above.

Answ. And evermore mightily defend them.

Min. Help us, O God our Saviour.

Deus meus, sperantes in te.

Mitte eis, Domine, auxilium de sancto.

Et de Syon tuere nos.

Adjuva nos Deus salutaris

noster.

Et propter gloriam nominis tui, Domine, libera nos et pro

Answ. And for the glory of thy name deliver us; be merciful to us sinners, for thy pitius esto peccatis nostris

name's sake.

Min. prayer.

O Lord, hear our

Answ. And let our cry come

unto thee.

propter nomen tuum.

Domine, exaudi orationem

meam.

Et clamor meus ad te ve

niati.

The following prayers are derived from formularies of great antiquity, being very like prayers not only used on this occasion in the missals of Salisbury and York, but found in the sacramentary above alluded to, and in the sacramentary of Gelasius, a. D. 494.

passion upon
all men, and hat-
est nothing that thou hast
made who wouldest not the
death of a sinner, but that he
should rather turn from his
sin, and be saved; mercifully
forgive us our trespasses; re-
ceive and comfort us, who are
grieved and wearied with the
burden of our sins. Thy pro-
perty is always to have mercy;
to thee only it appertaineth to
forgive sins. Spare us there-
fore, good Lord, spare thy
people, whom thou hast re-
deemed; enter not into judg-
ment with thy servants, who
are vile earth, and miserable
sinners; but so turn thine
anger from us, who meekly
acknowledge our vileness, and
truly repent us of our faults,
and so make haste to help us
in this world, that we may
ever live with thee in the
world to come; through Jesus
Christ our Lord. Amen.

nihil odisti eorum quæ fecisti, .... Domine Deus noster, qui offensione nostra non vinceris sed satisfactione placaris, respice quæsumus super famulos tuos ; qui se tibi graviter peccasse confitentur : tuum est enim absolutionem criminum dare, et veniam præstare pœnitentibus, qui dixisti pœnitentiam te malle peccatorum quam mortem. Concede ergo, Domine, his famulis tuis ut tibi pœnitentiæ excubias celebrent, ut correctis actibus suis, conferri sibi a te sempiterna gaudia gratulentur. Per &c.'

These prayers are followed by a supplication, which is said by the clergy and people, and a benediction. The former of these was originally entitled an anthem, and was to be sung. It seems to have been in part derived from the anthems which formerly concluded the office in the Salisbury missal. It is now appointed to be said by all, in imitation of the direction given in the second chapter of the prophet Joel.

k Miss. Sar. fol. 30.

1 Ibid. Miss. Ebor. Sacr.

Gelasii, Murat. tom. i. p. 504.
MS. Leofr. fol. 80.

CHAPTER XII.

ORDINATIONS.

SECTION I.

MISSION OF THE ORTHODOX CLERGY IN THIS EMPIRE

VINDICATED.

THE right of the clergy to perform ministerial duties is so intimately connected with the sacraments and other offices of the church, that some remarks on the point would have naturally occurred in this place, even if the course of our ritual had not regularly brought the ordinations before us. It is doubtless important that the clergy should be able to prove this right, as well for their own satisfaction as for that of their people; but it is more particularly expedient to consider this matter, when our orders and mission are denied, when we are accused of a schismatical intrusion on the offices of others, and all our ecclesiastical and ministerial acts are characterised as null, and devoid of all spiritual efficacy.

I do not think it necessary to enter on any of the general and abstract questions connected with this subject, because they would take too large a compass, and perhaps might seem misplaced in a work relating more peculiarly to ritual matters";

a It is scarcely necessary to refer the reader, for information on these subjects, to the

latter part of the fifth and the seventh book of Hooker's Ecclesiastical Polity. The works