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COMMON DIFFICULTIES IN THE CHURCH SERVICE.

THERE are some serious persons who, from their childhood, have either not understood at all, or have mistaken, the meaning of one or two expressions used in the Church Service, and, having neglected to ask those who could explain what they require, feel them as difficulties, and are prevented on this account from entering into and enjoying the worship of God's house so fully as they otherwise might. To such, the following brief remarks on some of those expressions, which are often misunderstood, may be found useful. may

1. In that hymn of praise called the "Te Deum," which is sung or said after the first lesson in the Morning Service, these words occur: "To Thee Cherubin and Seraphin continually do cry, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Sabaoth!" The word Sabaoth is sometimes confused with the word Sabbath; but this is a mistake. "Sabaoth" is a word of the Hebrew language, and means " hosts," or armies." It is to be found in two places of Scripture, namely, Rom. ix. 29, and James v. 4. God is called the" Lord of Sabaoth," or the " Lord of Hosts," because to Him all things in heaven and earth do bow and obey. All created things are his hosts, and should fulfil his pleasure.

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2. In the Belief we say, "I believe in Jesus Christ... He was crucified, dead, and buried; He descended into hell," &c. Many persons, supposing that the word "hell” here means, as it usually does, the place of torment, find great difficulty in understanding this. And if that was the meaning, we should be saying indeed a thing most strange and untrue when we use those words. But the word "hell" there means "the place of departed spirits." Our Lord's sufferings were finished upon the cross. John xix. 30. His person was so precious, He being the Son of God, God as well as man, that His agony upon the cross, and the death of His body, were sufficient to stand in the stead of the everlasting misery and death of our souls. It was unnecessary that He should go down to the place of torment, there to suffer any more pain. It was enough, indeed, that He died and suffered as He did. Referring also to Luke xxiii. 43, we find that on

the cross our Lord promised the dying thief that he should be with him that day in Paradise; and Paradise is a place of happiness. Hell, then, as spoken of in the Creed, is that place to which the souls of the dead immediately go; and there they wait to be joined again to the body at the day of judgment. There are, no doubt, in this hell two parts, the evil and the good; and between them there is a great gulf fixed. But it is plain that no one need be afraid to use the words in question, since their meaning simply is, that our Lord descended into that part of the abode of departed spirits where the souls of the blessed await in peace the completion of their glory.

3. A little further on in the Belief we say, "I believe in the holy Catholick Church." This, too, is often misunderstood. The word "Catholick " means "universal;" and here, by the "Catholick Church," is meant the one grand body of professing Christians all over the world; all those who profess to take Christ as their Saviour; who, though differing from each other in some points of less importance, agree in the main principles of the Gospel of Christ, and use and reverence his Sacraments. The Papists call theirs the Catholic or Universal Church, refusing to allow that those who differ from them are any part of Christ's Church; and it has become a common thing to call them "Catholics." But properly the word by no means applies to them. At best they would only be a part of Christ's Church; and they have so far forsaken the Gospel, and made it of no effect by human additions, that, although individuals amongst them have held and do hold the truth, they are not, as a body, even a part of the true Catholic Church. In the Belief, then, this word does not at all apply to the Papists, but is used in its true and general sense. The same is the case in the "Prayer for all sorts and conditions of men,' where the word again occurs.

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4. In the sentences following shortly after the Belief, we pray, "Give peace in our time, O Lord; because there is none other that fighteth for us, but only Thou, O God." At first sight this seems to imply that the help of God is not sufficient; it seems as if we asked peace merely because we have no other protector. But the real

meaning is very different. We desire peace; and we ask God to give us this peace, because He alone can give it. He alone can still the madness of the people. He alone can subdue our enemies, and so give peace. Psalm lv. 18. 5. In the second Collect in the Morning Service we use these words: "O God, who art the author of peace, and lover of concord, in knowledge of whom standeth our eternal life," &c. The meaning of this is not, as it is sometimes taken, that God beforehand knows whether or not we shall have eternal life. This would have been, of course, true; but it is not what is intended here. meaning is, that upon our knowing God aright, stands or depends our eternal life. Similar language is used in the Collect for St. Philip and St. James's day: "O Almighty God, whom truly to know is life eternal," &c. Both expressions are taken from John xvii. 3.

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6. In the Litany we say, "By thine agony and bloody sweat, by thy cross and passion, Good Lord, deliver us." In common conversation the word "passion" is used for anger, the violent outbreak of corrupt temper; but the proper meaning of the word is "suffering." And here by the "Passion" of Christ is meant his "suffering;" all that intolerable burden of grief and pain which He so patiently bore for our sakes. It will be remembered that there is in the Church's year a week called "Passion week," which accordingly is the week in which we are called more especially to reflect upon the sufferings and death of Christ.

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7. The last expression which I shall mention as often misunderstood, is met with towards the close of the Litany. There are two sentences in which we pray, Lord, deal not with us after our sins, neither reward us after our iniquities." Some are afraid to use these words, because they sound like a prayer against ourselves. We know that we have committed many sins and iniquities; and to pray that the Lord will not deal with us after them, nor reward us after them, seems like praying that they may not be forgiven. But if we turn to Psalm ciii. 10, we shall understand it at once. By the word "after" is here meant "according to." Thus we often say, "I will make a thing after such and such a pattern;" we mean we will

make it according to the pattern. This is all that is intended here, so that these sentences contain a sweet and simple prayer to God, beseeching Him not to deal with us in anger, as our sins might provoke Him to do, nor to punish us according as our iniquities deserve; but, for Jesus Christ's sake, to deal with us in mercy, and to give to us everlasting glory. E. D.

NEGATIVE RELIGION.

IN these days of ease from persecution, a profession of religion may be made, and a decent outside may be preserved without much cost. There is one class of professors, and that by no means a small one, made up of those who have received a religious education, have been trained up to an outward conformity to the precepts of the Gospel, who abstain from the open follies and corruptions of the world, but remain quite satisfied with a

NEGATIVE RELIGION.

They do not profane the Sabbath;

They do not neglect the ordinances of God's house;
They do not live without a form of prayer;

They do not take the holy name of God in vain;

They are not drunkards;

They are not swearers;

They do not neglect the poor and needy;

They do not run a round of gaiety and folly;

They do not bring up their children without some regard to religion;
They do not cast off the fear of God:-

They do not love Him;

BUT

They have not His love shed abroad in the heart;

They do not enjoy vital, heartfelt religion;

They do not give God their hearts;

They do not delight themselves in Him;

They do not esteem His word more than their necessary food;

They do not love the habitation of His house, and the place where His

honour dwelleth, though they attend it;

They do not enjoy the peace of God, which passeth all understanding;

They are not temples of the Holy Ghost;

They have not passed from death unto life;
They are not new creatures in Christ Jesus;

They have not been translated from the kingdom of darkness; consequently cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

Oh! that such

would now stop and examine their hearts and their hopes; and let them seek the Lord while He may be found; and call upon Him while He is near.

THE CHOLERA.

THE following are the precautions recommended for observance against cholera :—

To beware of catching cold, and particularly to protect the stomach from cold, for which purpose to wear a broad belt of cloth or stout flannel upon the skin around the waist; not to lie upon the bare ground, nor to sleep at night in the open air. After sleep or hard labour, when in perspiration, to drink no water or other beverage cold; to drink no acid beverage, and never much at a draught; to beware of all things of intoxication; to use light food and moderately; to eat no bread insufficiently baked, no crude vegetables, no unripe fruits, nor meat or fish not perfectly fresh, and to abstain from salted meats and pickled fish that provoke thirst; to keep the person and the dwelling clean, and to allow of no sinks close to the house, to admit no poultry or animals within the house, and to keep it airy by ventilation. Where there are sick, let not the place be crowded.

EXTRACTS FROM PUBLIC NEWSPAPERS.

The New Act for the Sale of Beer.-The new Act, intituled, "An Act for regulating the Sale of Beer and other Liquors on the Lord's Day," has lately come into effect throughout the United Kingdom. There are seven short clauses in the measure. The preamble declares that the provisions in force within the Metropolitan district, and in some other places in England, against the sale of fermented and distilled liquors in the morning of the Lord's Day, have been attended with great benefit. By the law, as it now stands, no licensed victualler or beerseller can open his house before half-past 12 o'clock, or before the termination of the Morning Service, on Sundays, Christmas Day, Good Friday, or on a fast or thanksgiving day, except in all the cases as refreshment for travellers, but no house in the Metropolitan district to be opened earlier than now allowed. Power is given by the fifth section to any constable, "at any time to enter into any house or place of public resort for the sale of wine, spirits, or other fermented or distilled liquors, and every person who shall refuse to admit, or shall not admit, such constable into such house or place, shall be deemed guilty of an offence against this Act." Every person offending against the Act, on a summary conviction, to be liable to a penalty not exceeding 51. for every offence," and every separate sale shall be deemed a separate offence."

NOTICES TO CORRESPONDENTS.

We have received the communications of M. B. ; S. B. ; E. D. ; I. I. I. S.; a Layman; F. A.; an Old Reader; V. P.; Dr. Littlehales; and a Layman.

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