66 "O Lord, who by an effect of thy singular bounty towards the inhabitants of this place, " has given us St. N. as a special patron, vouchsafe "to accept the most humble thanks we can offer to "thee for so great an act of thy tender charity; and "in consideration of that favour which he enjoys "with thee, and his earnest intercessions for us, 66 preserve us from all misfortunes and accidents, "and especially from all sin. Grant that peace and charity may reign among those who may inhabit "this place, and that faith and piety may daily "increase among them. And thou, great Saint, "vouchsafe to make us every day experience the "powerful effects of thy protection, and after 66 66 procuring for us from our Lord, the grace of leading a truly christian life, obtain for us the special grace of dying a holy death through the "infinite merits of Jesus Christ, Amen." This prayer is also an act of direct idolatry-it is giving that honour unto a creature which is due to God only, and which the passages of Scripture already cited absolutely forbid being given to any but God and Christ. There is, in the Prayer Book, a similar thanksgiving in honour of our Guardian Angel, which I think it unnecessary to insert. I must here remark, that however grossly idolatrous the Litany of Loretto is, as exhibited in the Prayer Book edited by Mr. Gandolphy, there is reason to suspect that he has suppressed some of the ascriptions of praise given to the Virgin; for we are told by Dr. Middleton, in the Preface to his letter from Rome, that incense is actually burnt to her, under the title of Regina Calorum, Queen of Heaven.*-It must be acknowledged, that Mr. Gandolphy has given other titles equally offensive and blasphemous; yet as the title of "Queen of Heaven" would have established the virtual identity of the Romish idolatry with that of the Jews, he may have thought it more prudent not to expose it to the light in a Protestant country. It would appear indeed, that the editor of the Prayer Book has in other respects also given a very guarded and partial statement of the nature of saint-worship, as practised by the Romish Church. * When Jeremiah rebukes the people of Judah for burning incense to the Queen of Heaven, one can hardly help imagining that he is prophetically pointing out the worship now paid to the Virgin, to whom they actually burn incense at this day under that very title. Middleton's Letter from Rome, Preface, p. 31. In order to prove what is here advanced, I select some addresses to saints from those quoted by Dr. H. More, who states them to be among the prayers publicly read or sung in the churches. The first is a prayer to St. Francis. "Sancte Francisce properè veni; Pater accelera "ad populum qui premitur et teritur sub onere, "palea, luto, latere et sepultos Egyptio sub sabulo "nos libera, carnis extincto vitio." "O holy Francis come quickly, hasten Father "to the people which are pressed and bruised "under a burden, with refuse, mud, and rubbish. "Deliver us, who are buried under Egyptian "sand, having quenched the corruption of our "flesh." This, as Dr. More well observes, "is plainly "a prayer to this saint, that he would deliver us "from the bondage and drudgery of sin, which "is only in the power of our great Saviour and "Redeemer Christ for to do." I insert in the next place a prayer to a female saint, St. Catherine. Ave Virgo Dei digna Præsto sis in hora mortis, Et de morte solve sœva, "Hail Virgin worthy of God-seal me in Christ by thy prayer. Hear my prayers, perform my desire, make my heart immovable in that which is good. Bestow on me a contrite heart. Rule thou my sight and hearing-Rule my taste and smelling.-Holy Virgin rule my touch-that, thou directing me in all things, I may live unto God with a pure mind, Entreat Christ for meSave me from the troubles of death-Make me to overcome the world, lest I should be overwhelmed in the deep. Suffer me not to be shipwrecked by sin in this sea. Visit thou me who am weak, and strengthen me in all good things. O strong champion of God, stand by me at the hour of death. Cherish and lift me up when laid down (in sickness). Release me from cruel death, that I may rise again a new man, a citizen in the ce lestial habitation." In the Rosary of the Virgin Mary, she is ad dressed thus: Reparatrix et Salvatrix desperantis animæ, |