CHAP. III.

PUBLIC SERVICES.

The Lessons-Hymns preceding and following the Lessons--The Creeds-Interlocutory Sentences-Collects-StatePrayers-Prayer for the Clergy-Concluding Prayers and Thanksgivings—The Litany-Communion Service-Weekday Services.

"The Bible, and the Bible alone," it has been triumphantly asserted, "is the religion of Protestants." Though this apophthegm was first uttered long after the time of the earliest Reformers, its spirit certainly glowed in their breasts, and conspicuously appeared in all their proceedings. The Bible they regarded as the divinely appointed instrument for pulling down the strong holds of error, and for erecting the sacred fabric of genuine

genuine Christianity; and the success, which attended their labours fully vindicates the abundant use they made of this sacred weapon. Their various versions and extensive circulation of the Scriptures more effectually promoted the cause of religion, than all their other united labours. The public reading of large continuous portions of Holy Writ, enabled their congregations to distinguish for themselves between the essential doctrines of our common Christianity, and the fatal errors or useless appendages of popery.

THE LESSONS.

It may indeed, at first sight, be questioned whether, at the present day, when the doctrines of the Reformation are happily established, and the invention of printing, and the spread of education, have placed the Bible within the reach of every individual, it be still necessary to devote so large a portion of public worship to the reading of the Scriptures. But when the sceptical indifference of numbers, and the incessant worldly engagements of still more, are taken into consideration, it may fairly be presumed, that were it not for the public reading of the word of God, the great bulk of our congregations would possess little acquaintance with the sacred writings. As far as the devout reader of the Bible is concerned, there is no danger to be apprehended of his considering the large citations from its inspired pages as tedious or

unedifying.* "He who hath once tasted their excellencies, will desire to taste them yet again; and he who tastes them oftenest, will relish them best."+

But although all parts of the Bible are given by inspiration of God, and are profitable for various purposes; every part is not equally edifying, and still less equally suitable for public worship. Our Reformers evidently recognized this distinction. Hence, when they made such arrangements, that in the daily Services, the greater part of the Old Testament should be read once, and the New Testament thrice in the year; they purposely omitted several chapters, which contain little more than lists of genealogies, or subjects, which are repeated in other parts of the sacred volume, or matters of a nature so mystical and abstruse, as to require the aid of a learned commentator, or at least a careful and laborious collation with other portions of holy writ. Had they been aware, that the daily services would fall into disuse, they would

*The late venerable Mr. Hey of Leeds used frequently to refer to the benefit he derived in the early part of his religious course, from the Evening Prayers, and especially from the Lessons of the Established Church; "I often, he said, "look at the place where I was accustomed to sit, with great pleasure, and can never forget the happy moments I then enjoyed. The winter season was peculiarly pleasant to me, as the solemn gloom which seemed rather increased by the few candles then lighted, tended to sober the mind, and excited a peculiar feeling not unfriendly to devotion. 1 was sure of hearing two good sermons, one from a Prophet, and another from an Evangelist; conseqnently I never came empty away." + Bishop Horne.

probably have appointed appropriate second, as well as first lessons for the different Sundays in the year; and had they not, as in their application of the Psalms, been led to consider certain chapters of the Old Testament as peculiarly appropriate to the temporary circumstances of the Church, they would, no doubt, in several instances, have exchanged the appointed chapters for others, better accommodated to the capacity of a general audience and the edification of modern times.

It is therefore proposed, that in the appointment of the second Lessons for Sundays, such a selection and arrangement should be made from the New Testament, as would enable the minister to read the most interesting parts in a connected order during the course of the year. This could easily be accomplished, if the fullest statement of any subject, which was recorded in more than one Gospel, was appointed to be read to the exclusion of the rest; and if two, and occasionally three of the shortest chapters in the Epistles, were to be united into one Lesson.

With respect to the chapters now appointed for the first Lessons, it is evident, that some of them might be advantageously exchanged for others, which might be better calculated to promote the edification of a Christian audience. There are several (some for example in Genesis, the Book of Kings, and Ezekiel) which it is painful to read aloud. "The twenty seventh chapter of Genesis is calculated to convey false and dangerous impressions, when read without Ch. xxv. v. 22, 23.” * Anonymous correspondent.

There are others again, the mysterious and symbolical language of which, renders them altogether unintelligible to the great bulk of our hearers; and not a few, which when separated from the context, and unexplained by a short comment, are liable to perversion. It were weak, indeed, to suppose, that the affecting account of Abraham's being called upon to offer up his only son, could be attended with an erroneous application; but surely they are alike ignorant of human nature, and of the actual experience of past and present times, who would venture to assert, that the detailed accounts of the exterminating wars of the Jews, and of their putting to death unarmed prisoners of war, read as they are, unconnected with the context, and unexplained by the minister, are not liable to the most dangerous perversion.*

It is foreign to the design of this work to canvass the expediency of a new or revised version of the Bible; the writer however will venture to remark, that if

* Might it not be desirable that a brief observation should be prefixed to chapters of such a description, reminding the reader that while he might derive a profitable lesson from the consideration of God's righteous judgments against national wickedness, he should ever bear in mind, that nothing less than the most express commands of the Almighty could vindicate the conduct of the ancient Jews, or authorize modern nations to follow their example? Such a memento would be highly profitable during a private perusal of the Scriptures; and if previously read by the officiating minister, would remove one of the principal objections to these chapters being introduced into our public Service.

F