LECTURES ON THE CHURCH SERVICE. No. XI. PSALM LXV. 4. "We shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house." The next part of our service to which I would direct your thoughts is the use of the book of Psalms in the order in which they are appointed. The book of Psalms, from the hour in which they were first composed, chiefly by David, (but several by Moses and others) have been in use by the Church of God, Jewish and Christian, as the inspired language in which their prayers, and praises, and supplications, and thanksgivings have been publicly offered up in every age. Here we find every thing adapted to the worshipping of God in spirit and in truth-all the variety of Christian experience set forth, from that of David, the history of the Church of Israel of old; their journeyings through the wilderness, their mercies, their rebellions-warnings to us and typical of God's dealings with his Church in all ages. David, the type of Christ, the advancement of Christ's kingdom on earth set forth by that of Solomon, prophesies the most glorious to confirm our faith as we behold them accomplished and accomplishing, precepts the most plain and spiritual, make the Psalms of David most strikingly adapted to the worship of the Christian congregation. The manner of repeating them alternately, i. e. the Minister one verse and the people another, seems very ancient. Basil says, The people rising before light went to the ཊྛཱནཾ house of prayer, and in great agony of mind, amidst incessant tears, confessed their sins; then arising they divided into two parties, and sung the Psalms by turns; so frequently was this done that the meanest could repeat them at their ordinary work. St. Ambrose, when comparing the Church to the sea, says, From the responsories of the Psalms, and singing of men, women, virgins, and children there results an harmonious noise like the waves of the ocean.' According to the example of the purest times they are thus retained in our service, divided into portions for every day, so that the whole book is read through every month. We repeat the gloria patri after ecah Psalm, proclaiming our belief that the same God is worshipped by Christians as by Jews, having been from the beginning, and being everlastingly, Father, Son and Holy Ghost! We may just remark, to account for some little difference in the reading of the Psalms from the Bible and in the Common Prayer Book, that the translation of the Psalms is the earliest translation of the Bible; and when the new translation was made of the whole Bible, that was still retained as the people were well acquainted with it; and it is in general a correct and good translation. The next point in our Service is that all-important one of the reading of God's most holy word. See Rubric. Justin Martyr says it was the custom to read lessons out of the Prophets and Apostles in the assemblies of the faithful, and the council of Laodicea ordered these lessons to be mingled with the Psalms. It is not only an ancient but an admirable arrangement by which our Church reads most of the Old Testament once, and the New Testament thrice a or year, by presenting each day one chapter of the prophetic record and another of the history of its fulfilment. Thus has she taken maternal care that her children who duly regard her ritual should be well acquainted with the Scriptures, whether they can read or not. She can only address the ear, each member if he would receive the benefit she desires to impart must apply his faculties to her services, and his heart to him who only can give it understanding. By this bountiful provisiou of the word of God, without note or comment she is an authoritative perpetual witness, as a national Church, to the infinite importance of all the truths of that which she receives not as the word of man but as the word of God. Whatever therefore be the character opinions of the officiating Minister, of his particular xpositions, (which must be those of a fallible man,) here to day and gone to-morrow; yet where her Liturgy is observed the truth as it is in Jesus cannot be altered, disguised, concealed, withheld, but in her services at the peril of losing his office be constantly proclaimed. Can any Church do more than this? and is it not an incalculable good that this is done, and done in a language understood by all present. Thus she concurs with that spirit of prophesy which is the testimony of Jesus, to exhibit to successive generations the connected scheme of Providence respecting him who is the first and the last, the Alpha and Omega. FATHER of merces! who didst save From drowning in the mighty waters. And through the sea, and in the cloud, And when, to wash our sins away, Deign on this child a look benign; And while the world without the Ark Is perishing by wrath divine. Safe in thy holy Church embark. Let faith, and hope, and love, instruct And as in Jordan's drops were shed So on this sprinkled Infant's head Shower forth those blessings unconfined. C. N. REV. H. A. SIMCOE, (PENHEALE-PRESS) CORNWALL. Master. Hast thou any certain and appointed manner of praying? Scholar. Yea, forsooth: even the very same that our Lord taught his disciples, and in them all other Christians. Who being on a time required to teach them some sort of prayer, taught them this, "When ye pray," quoth he, "say, Our Father which art in Thy kingdom come. heaven, hallowed be thy name. 7 |