the Directory in its place. And thus the law continued, until the restoration of Charles II., when the Liturgy was again restored.

The Directory, however, was not immediately observed throughout the kingdom. Changes in the accustomed forms of public worship are always made with difficulty. Habit, with most people, is stronger than reason, or even law. Copies of the Directory could not at once be obtained, which was the reasonable apology of some; but others despised it, and continued the use of the Common Prayer, in defiance of the ordinance of Parliament, while others refused to be restricted by any form, or insisted upon making use of their own forms. The Parliament, to give encouragement and currency to the use of the Directory, called in all copies of the Common Prayer, and imposed a fine upon all who used it. By this ordinance, the Directory was ordered to be publicly read in every church in England and Wales, the first Sunday after it was received. The fine for using the Common Prayer was five pounds for the first offence; ten for the second; and for the third, a year's imprisonment. And for neglecting to read the Directory, as prescribed, every minister incurred a penalty of forty shillings; and any one who should write against it, or otherwise endeavour to bring it into contempt, should forfeit a sum not less than five, nor more than fifty pounds, to be given to the poor.

This attempt, by fines, and forfeitures, and imprisonment, to produce presbyterial uniformity in worship, is no more to be approved than those acts of Parliament by which Episcopal uniformity was established and enforced. Even wise and good men were long in learning that religious uniformity never can be effectually produced by compulsion; and if it could, it would be no more than a hypocritical compliance with rites and institutions, which the worshippers in their conscience disapproved.

The king, although his affairs were now in a serious condition, issued, on the 13th of November, 1645, a proclamation from Oxford, forbidding the use of the

new Directory, and enjoining the use of the Common Prayer. In this public paper, his majesty not only exercises his royal authority, but condescends to reason the case, offering objections to the Directory, and arguments in favour of the Liturgy.

CHAPTER XII.

Psalmody, or singing the praises of God.

MR. FRANCIS ROUSE, a highly esteemed member of Parliament, and one of the lay-members appointed to sit in the Assembly of Divines, having composed a metrical version of the book of Psalms, and this version having been communicated by the author to Parliament, was by their order sent down to the Assembly of Divines to be examined; and to judge whether it might be permitted to be used in the public worship of God in the churches. The whole matter was referred to a select committee, who after revising the work, and striking out such things as they disliked, reported in favour of the version, for the purpose in view. The principle was then adopted and acted upon, that in using the book of Psalms, in the praises of God, we should not only keep to the sense but to the words of the sacred text. After being two years under consideration, and much pains taken in its correction, it was adopted by the Assembly. "Baillie's Letters," we learn, that, during this period, the version had been sent down to Scotland, by the Scottish Commissioners, and that it had there undergone a revision, and that the alterations suggested there, had been generally adopted. Baillie was much in favour of the new version composed by Mr. Rouse, and strongly recommended it to his countrymen, until in the contest of parties in the House of Commons, his friend Rouse seems to have taken part with those who were in favour of a free toleration of all religions. This seems to have staggered the amiable but rigid

From

Baillie not a little; and he on this occasion mentions another version, which he earnestly wishes that he had with him in London, as he thought it the best he had seen. It received the approbation of the Westminster Assembly, on the 14th day of November, 1645. It was then returned to the Parliament, with the Assembly's recommendation, and was by them approved, and authorized to be used in all the churches. The form of recommendation, as given by Neal, is in the following words, "Whereas the honourable House of Commons, by an order, bearing date, Nov. 20, 1643, did recommend the Psalms, published by Mr. Rouse, to the consideration of the Assembly of Divines; the Assembly has caused them to be carefully perused, and as they are now altered and amended, do now approve them, and humbly conceive they may be profitable to the church, if they may be permitted to be publicly sung." Accordingly, they were authorized to be used in the worship of God by both Houses of Parliament, as was before mentioned.

This version, however, although composed by an Englishman, and authorized to be used by all the churches in that kingdom, yet never went into general use, in that country; but having been transmitted to the General Assembly of the church of Scotland, was taken up for consideration in 1646; and the General Assembly, at their annual meeting, in 1647, appointed a committee to revise said version. The work of revisal was divided among the members of this committee. The first forty were committed to Mr. John Adamson, the second forty to Mr. Thomas Crawford, the third forty to Mr. John Raw, and the remaining thirty to Mr. John Nevey. These persons were directed to compare this version with that which had been in use in the Scottish church, and make such alterations as, in their judgment, would render the version more perfect. Copies were also sent down to the presbyteries, not only for their approbabation, but for their suggestions and remarks, which they were directed to transmit as soon as possible to the Commission of the Assembly; and the Commis

sion, after revising these remarks, were directed to forward them to the provincial synods; and when in these bodies they had passed another revisal, they were to be transmitted to the presbyteries again, that by further consideration the whole matter might be prepared for the General Assembly at its next meeting. And as in the version, as received from England, there were some Psalms in a metre not suited to the tunes used in Scotland, it was also ordered, that these should be turned into common metre; leaving the original unaltered. (See Acts of the General Assembly for this period.) The Assembly having considered all the alterations and amendments proposed by the committee, and the inferior judicatories, adopted the following act, August 10, 1648.

"The General Assembly having taken some view of the new paraphrase of the Psalms, in metre, with the corrections and animadversions thereupon, sent from several persons and presbyteries, and finding that they cannot take the review and examination of the whole, this Assembly do appoint Messrs. James Hamilton, John Smith, Hugh Makail, Robert Trail, George Hutchison, and Robert Laurie, after the dissolving of this Assembly, to go on in that work carefully, and to report their travails (labours) to the Commission of the General Assembly for public affairs, at their meeting in November; and the said committee, after perusal and examination thereof, is hereby authorized, with full power, to conclude and establish the paraphrase, and to publish and emit the same for public use. (Acts, Sept. till Aug. 1649.) "The Commission of the General Assembly have, with great diligence, considered the paraphrase of the Psalms in metre, sent from the Assembly of Divines in England, by our Commissioners, while they were there, as it is corrected by former General Assemblies' committees from them; and now, at last, by the brethren deputed by the late Assembly for that purpose; and having exactly examined the same, do approve the said paraphrase, as it is now compiled (completed?). And, therefore, according to the power

given to them by the said Assembly, do appoint it to be printed and published for public use, hereby authorizing the same to be the only paraphrase of the Psalms of David to be sung in the kirk of Scotland; and discharging the old paraphrase, and any other than this new paraphrase, to be made use of in any congregation or family, after the first day of May, 1650. And for uniformity in this part of the worship of God, do seriously recommend to presbyteries to cause make publication of this act, and take special care that the same be put timeously in execution, and duly observed."

This version, thus corrected and approved by the General Assembly, shortly after received the sanction of the Parliament of Scotland, in the following act. "Jan. 8. 1650.

"THE COMMITTEE OF ESTATES having considered the English paraphrase of the Psalms of David in metre, presented to them this day by the Commission of the General Assembly, together with their act, and the act of the late Assembly, approving the said paraphrase, and appointing the same to be sung throughout the kirk, doth approve the said paraphrase, and interpose their authority for the publishing and practising thereof; hereby ordaining the same and no other, to be made use of throughout this kingdom, according to the said act of the General Assembly, and their Commissioners."

This version of the book of Psalms, originally composed by Francis Rouse, Esq., is to this day used exclusively in the churches of Scotland, belonging to the establishment, in all the Secession churches; in the Presbyterian churches of every denomination in Ireland, and in all Scottish Presbyterian churches in the United States, not in connection with the General Assembly. From most of the churches, in the last mentioned body, now divided into two parts, this version has been excluded, gradually, not by any act of the General Assembly for it is still authorized, and still used in a few congregations in this connection-but by the unbiassed judgment and free choice