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faults), as we forgive them that trespass against us." fore can presume to kneel down for God's mercy, if any unforgiving disposition lurk in his mind towards another; for how can he hope for mercy, rendering none himself? The offences of our fellow-creatures against us are as nothing, compared with ours towards God. What rebellion, what ingratitude do we daily show towards him, who is goodness itself! We next pray that God will not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil." By this petition we are not to understand that God really leads us into temptation. "Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God; for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man; but every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust and enticed :" this is the explanation given by St. James. When, therefore, we say, "lead us not into temptation;" we mean, allow us not, O Lord, to be led by our own bad desires, under the temptation of the Devil, into trials too strong for our resolution; but, by the help of thy Holy Spirit, strengthen our minds with that heavenly grace which will deliver us from evil.

The prayer ends as it begins, with expressing our adoration of the majesty of the Almighty ;-we conclude it by declaring, that thine, O Lord, is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, for ever and

ever.

You will observe that the Church Service, with great propriety, unites the performance of the minister and the people. When the minister repeats alone, the congregation are required to listen in silence, and add their consent, when he has finished, by the word "Amen." At other times each reads a sentence by turns; and sometimes they join and repeat them together. Nothing can be more wisely contrived to keep up attention. The different parts of the service vary so naturally, sometimes confessing in the deepest contrition, at other times praying with fervent devotion, and then rising into praise and adoration, that it is scarce possible to read over the service attentively without being surprisingly struck with its great eloquence and beauty.

The minister now prays the Lord to open our lips; to which the people add," and our mouths shall show forth thy praise:" all praying together that he would presently help their devotions. As all worship is homage, (that is, an offering of reverence to God,) at certain intervals of the service we are requested to express this acknowledgment by saying, "Glory be to the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost;as it was from the beginning, so it shall continue to the end of time."

We proceed to the praise of God by reading a portion of the Psalms of David; the greater part of which are hymns of praise and glory to the Creator, declaring his power, his mercy and goodness towards his creatures. We shall examine these in the course of this review of the Prayer Book, when we come to that part of the volume. The 95th Psalm, which is a beautiful invitation to praise the Lord, is appointed to be read first. It concludes by cautioning us how we harden our hearts against the mercies of Providence, as the Israelites did of old

time, and were punished in a most exemplary manner for their rebellious ingratitude.

Next after the Psalms follow the Lessons for the day; which are so divided as that the whole of the Old Testament shall be read through once, and the New Testament three times, every year. If, therefore, a person took an opportunity of attending public worship every morning and evening (as was originally established), he would hear the whole Bible read to him by the Minister, and might thus gain a competent knowledge of it, even though he had not the means of studying it for himself. The practice of publicly reading the Scriptures was observed in the most ancient times. We learn from the authority of Moses that it was practised by himself, and Ezra mentions that the same custom was diligently observed on the return of the Jews from captivity. Any person who has been in a Jewish synagogue will inform you it is still performed to this day. They read for the First Lesson part of the five books of Moses, which they call the Book of the Law; and for the Second Lesson, a portion taken out of the writings of the Prophets. But we, as Christians, take our Second Lesson from the New Testament (which they reject), and our First Lesson from the Old Testament altogether. As few people in these days of religious relaxation can be persuaded to attend public worship on the week days, the most important parts of the Bible have been chosen out to be read on the Sundays throughout the year, lest otherwise the most valuable portion of the sacred volume should be wholly neglected.

To make a suitable division between the two lessons, a holy hymn of praise is recited, which is called Te Deum, so named from the two first words of it in Latin, signifying Thee, O God; in which tongue it was composed in the most ancient times of the Church. It is repeated verse by verse by turns (as the Psalms), between the minister and people. This hymn gives us a noble conception of the glory of that heavenly adoration paid to the Father of the universe, saying, "To thee all angels cry aloud; to thee Cherubim and Seraphim" (two orders of the heavenly spirits)" unceasingly pay their offerings of praise, saying, 'Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Sabaoth ;"" that is, Lord God of Hosts, or armies-the mighty host of those beings who acknowledge him as their Eternal Ruler. Such is the meaning of the word sabaoth, which has no reference to the "Sabbath," the day of rest. This part of the hymn is taken from the 6th chapter of Isaiah, and nearly all the expressions which follow are chosen from different passages of Scripture. On this account, being a compilation, it requires to be read with attention, that the meaning may be properly understood; for being broken into verses, it is liable otherwise to misconception. After praise to God the Father, and to the three Persons of the Holy Trinity, it proceeds to give honour to Christ, our Redeemer; in particular praying his mediation for us, that he will intercede with his heavenly Father to bestow his mercy upon us, and prevent us from falling into disobedience in future.

Another very ancient canticle, or song of praise, stands next to this

hymn in our Prayer Book: the Minister may read which of them he chooses. It invokes all the works of God's creation to praise him, and is taken from the 148th Psalm.

When the Second Lesson has been read, which never fails to set before us the remembrance of God's mercies through Christ, another hymn of thanksgiving is appointed to be repeated, taken out of the first chapter of St. Luke. It is a prophetic song of praise, delivered by the holy Zacharias, the father of St. John the Baptist, declaring the greatness of the blessing bestowed upon mankind by the promised Messiah, whose coming was announced by his inspired son, whom God was pleased to send into the world as a messenger to prepare the way before him. It is uncommonly animated, and speaks comfort and joy to all who devoutly believe in Christ.

I know not why the 100th Psalm of David, which follows, is usually preferred to be read instead of this noble thanksgiving, unless from its being somewhat shorter. This also is a beautiful hymn of praise; but that of Zacharias more immediately interests us, as expressing the blessings of Christ's mission upon earth.

The Creed next follows. This is a declaration of our belief in the chief articles of the Christian faith. As I purpose to make this the subject of a separate Lecture, I shall proceed to examine what next follows.

The Creed being finished, the minister and people again return to the solemn business of prayer, humbly entreating the Lord's blessing upon each other. The words "Let us pray," which follow, occur, as you will observe, in several places in the service. They are the remains of a very ancient custom (as old as the time of the Apostles); namely, the "Bidding Prayer," as it was called, in which the deacons, (the inferior ministers of the Church), in a set form of words, recalled the attention of the congregation to the service of prayer.

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We begin by praying for mercy in the name of the Trinity, and then we repeat the Lord's Prayer a second time. Here I ought to observe that some object (without reason, as I think,) to the frequent use of this venerable prayer in our Sabbath devotions. As the service is now performed on a Sunday morning, it occurs five times. But this is owing to our joining together three services, to suit the indolence and negligence of the world, which the Church designed should be performed at different seasons. The Litany and the Communion services, as well as the Sermon, are distinct from Morning and Event ing Prayer, in which the Lord's Prayer occurs only twice; a mark of respect surely due to the superior excellence and authority of a form of words delivered by Christ himself.

The short sentences which follow are repeated by turns by the minister and people, and are so connected in their sense that they can hardly be pronounced in earnest without uniting our hearts in the same feelings of devotion. Next follow the three Collects, or Prayers, the first of which is that appointed for the day, taken from a collection which will be noticed hereafter. The second is for peace, and protec tion from our enemies. The third is for grace; that is, the favour of

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God, and the blessing of the Holy Spirit upon our actions during the day which we have begun. These prayers are excellent; they are very short, and suited to every understanding. Then follow what are called the State Prayers. In the first we pray for the King; in the second for the Royal Family; in the third for the clergy and people. Some persons have objected to these prayers, saying, that when we kneel before God we have enough to do to obtain his mercy and blessing upon ourselves, without presuming to pray for others; that our minds ought to be wholly employed upon our own transgressions and our own wants, without attempting to ask God's favour for them. And it is said too, that it is improper to show this respect to worldly dignities and distinctions, at a moment when we are all equal in the sight of God. In answer to all this, it is enough to observe, that such prayers are expressly commanded of us in Scripture. St. Paul says, "I exhort that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; for kings and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty, for this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour "*

When, therefore, we pray for the prosperity of those in authority Dover us, we are truly praying for ourselves; for as order and good government secure the happiness of the people at large, we cannot more effectually obtain these great national blessings, than by using our best endeavours to bring down by our prayers the favour of the Almighty upon those who are put in authority over us. Such prayers teach us our mutual dependence on each other; they bring to mind the duty of obedience to our superiors, as commanded by God; and warm our hearts with that common kindness and brotherly love, one towards another, which is the bond of peace and of public safety.

In reading these prayers you will observe, that heavenly gifts are the chief blessings we ask from God. We pray that he will fill the heart of our King with the Holy Spirit, so that he may be always inclined to God's will and walk in his ways; and considering the many millions whose individual happiness much depends on the good or bad disposition of one who has so much in his power, how very important it is to us that by any means the actions of that person, who is the source of so much benefit to those he governs, should be guided by the principles of Christ's religion.

In the same manner, when we pray for the Royal Family, we entreat that the Almighty will enrich them with his heavenly grace, and bring them to his everlasting kingdom. How important is the success >of this prayer even to ourselves. The manner in which the children Lare brought up may greatly influence their public conduct, which will affect the happiness of those beneath them ;-how necessary is it therefore that the royal Parent should educate her offspring in the prin-ciples of our faith, and lead them to the practice of its duties. That reverence for all sacred things; that exemplary discharge of the duties

* 1 Tim. ii. 2.

of his private as well as his public station, which our late venerable Sovereign constantly showed in his conduct through life, arose in great measure from the excellent instructions he received in his youth; and see what a blessing it has proved upon the people he was born to govern: his name is still pronounced with reverence and love throughout his kingdom; and when at length he was gathered to his fathers, it might be truly said of him, as of the good King of Judah, "that all the people mourned for Josiah."

The prayer for God's blessing upon the bishops and ministers of the Church is coupled with a prayer for the congregations committed to their charge; and therefore in direct terms we pray for ourselves in this petition. It is a most beautiful and touching prayer. We beg that the Almighty will send down upon them and us the grace of the Holy Spirit; shedding, as it were, the dew of heaven in a constant blessing on our heads. If the sacred guardians of our religion are not assisted with such divine help, how can they hope to bring us to repentance? and if we listen to their instructions without a due reve rence for their sacred office, and without an earnest desire of improvement, excited by the Spirit of God, how can we hope to benefit by their ministry, or to obtain a blessing upon those services of religion which we outwardly offer to God, if our hearts are far from him? You see, then, the great purpose of joining together heartily in these petitions.

The Prayer of St. Chrysostom, which follows, has been introduced into our service from its excellence. It is of great antiquity, and is still in daily use in the Greek Church-that sect of Christians who worship according to the forms of the Eastern Church, from which this prayer is borrowed. Chrysostom was patriarch, or head of the Christian Church of Constantinople, within 400 years after our Saviour's time he was one of the most pious and eminent fathers of the Church.

This prayer begs the blessing of the Almighty on all the petitions which we had previously offered up, humbly claiming the gracious promise of Christ which he made to his disciples, saying, "Wheresoever two or three of you are gathered together, there am I (in spirit) in the midst of you." That is, on such occasions, when you meet together with sincere devotion, be assured of my mediation and assistance. We entreat that our requests may be fulfilled, as God thinks best for us, thereby praying that he will excuse all the imperfections of our petitions, and pardon any improper desires we may have expressed for those fancied blessings which his superior wisdom knows might prove hurtful to us. In this prayer we sum up all in one petition, for knowledge of the true faith of Christ in this world, and for everlasting salvation in the life to come.

The Service concludes with great solemnity in the last words of St. Paul, in his Second Address to the Corinthians, beseeching the bless

*Matthew xviii. 20.

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