Rom. xi. 36. Either with means, or without, Gen. i. 1. Without to labour, Psalm xxxiii. 9; cxlviii. 5. His power is infinite. "Thine is the glory," honour due unto his name by which we acknowledge him as glorious in his own nature, Exod. xxxiv. 6; 2 Chron. vii 1-3; Psalm viii. 1 ; lxxxvi. 8, 10; lxxxix. 6; xcvi. 7, 8; civ. 1-3; Isa. xl. 12, 15, 17, 21, 22; 1 Tim. v. 15, 16. Ascribe all glory to him, Rev. vii. 12. His glory should be our constant aim,

1 Cor. x. 31; Psalm cxv. 1; Rev. v. 13, 14.

To ever

"For ever and ever," eternity, Psalm lxxii. 18, 19; xc. 2; cii. 12, 24-27; 1 Tim. i. 17. From everlasting, Psalm xc. 2. lasting, Exod. iii. 14.

"Thine," because none but God has them essentially, Prov. viii. 15; Rom. xiii. 1. Infinitely, Psalm cxlvii. 5. Eternally, 1 Tim. i. 17. "Amen," so be it, so it is; affirming the truth of all that has been said, Matt. xvi. 28; Mark xi. 1; Luke ix. 27; Jer. xxviii. 6. Or our assent to all, 1 Cor. xiv. 16; Deut. xxvii. 26. Our earnest desire of the things we pray for, Deut. xxvii. 15; 1 Kings i. 36; 1 Chron. xvi. 37; Rev. xxii. 20; usual ending, 1 Chron. xiv. 26; Ps. cvi. 48; Jer. xxviii 6. "Amen" is sometimes doubled, Psalm lxxii. 19; lxxxix. 53. This clause is added to confirm our faith, and enlarge our hopes and expectations, seeing that he to whom we pray is a King, and possesses all; powerful, and can do all; and will have the glory of all, Jer. xiv. 7; to shew our dependence on GoD alone; to keep our hearts in holy fear and reverence; to teach us that God's glory should be the end of our prayers as well as of our actions.

The ground of our expectation is given us in the answer to the question, "What desirest thou of God in this prayer?", wherein you say, " And this I trust he will do of his mercy and goodness," &c. Matt. xxi. 22; Luke xi. 10; John xvi. 23; 2 Cor. i. 20; Eph. iii. 20; 1 John v. 14. Anecdote 1.

Alexander and the Philosopher.

Alexander the Great had a very famous, but very poor and needy, philosopher in his court. This learned man was once in particularly straitened circumstances. To whom should he apply, but to his patron and his friend, the conqueror of the world? He did apply to him in his necessities, and his request was no sooner made than granted. Alexander gave him a commission to receive of his treasurer whatever he wanted. He immediately went to the treasurer, and demanded, in his sovereign's name, ten thousand pounds. The treasurer, surprised at so large a demand, refused to comply, but waited upon the king, and represented the affair to him, adding how unreasonable he thought the petition, and how exorbitant the sum. Alexander heard him with patience; but, as soon as he had ended his remonstrance, replied, “Let the money be instantly paid; I am delighted with this philosopher's way of thinking; he has done me a singular honour, by the largeness of his request, he shews the high idea he has formed, both of my wealth and my royal munificence. Thus let us honour what the inspired

"

penman styles, "The marvellous loving-kindness of Jehovah.” "He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?" (Rom. viii. 32.)

Anecdote 2.

mon.

The prayer of faith.

A lady, who had just sat down to breakfast, had a strong impression upon her mind that she should instantly carry a loaf of bread to a poor man who lived about half a mile from her house, by the side of a comHer husband wished her either to postpone taking the loaf of bread till after breakfast, or to send it by her servant; but she chose to take it herself instantly. As she approached the hut, she heard the sound of a human voice. Wishing to hear what it was, she stepped softly, unperceived, to the door. She then distinctly heard the voice of prayer, and among other things that he said, was much struck with the following petitions:-"O Lord! help me; Lord, thou wilt help me; thy providence cannot fail; and although my wife, children, and self, have no bread to eat, and it is now a whole day since we had any, I know thou wilt supply me, though thou shouldest again rain down manna (Exod. xvi. 4.) from heaven." The lady could wait no longer, but opened the door, and said, "Yes; God has sent you relief. Take this loaf, and be encouraged to cast all your care upon him who careth for you, (1 Pet. v. 7); and when you ever want a loaf of bread, come to my house."

1

1

e our hearts for

Ask all in CHRIST's name, John xiv. 13, 14. Must seek the Holy Spirit's aid, Rom. viii. 26. He alone can prepare prayer, Prov. xvi. I; Psalm lxvi. 18; Matt. vi.

1 Tim. ii. 8.

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We must praise as well as pray, 1 Chron. xxix.

Anecdote 3.

14, 15; James i. 6;

Soon Prayer shall give place to Praise the bor
arul doqy sband

Mr. John Janeway, when on his death bed, was employed chiefly in praise." Oh!" said he to his friends, "help me to praise God: I have now nothing else to do. I have done with prayer, and all other ordinances. >>Before a few hours are over, I shall be in eternity, singing the song of Moses and the Lamb. I shall presently stand upon Mount Zion, with an innumerable company of angels, and the spirits of just men made perfect, and with Jesus the Mediator of the new Covenant. I shall hear the voice of much people, and, with them, shall cry, Hallelujah, glory, salvation, power, and praise unto the Lord our God. And again we shall say, Hallelujah!"

Hymn and prayer.

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T

PREPARATION for CONFIRMATION is one of the most important parts of the ministerial office; and, if conducted in a spirit of seriousness, faith, and prayer, never fails of producing beneficial effects, "The course of instruction, upon the subject of CONFIRMATION, Would naturally include a clear exposition of the nature and obligation of the baptismal vow. Every professing Christian is as strictly bound by the constraint of this vow, as if he had made it in his own person. It was made on his account; from a regard to his best interests; and upon the consideration, that he could not be brought too early y into covenant with God, and into fellowship with Christ. As therefore his baptismal obligation bound him only for his good, in the way of privilege; and to nothing in the way of duty, to which his relation to God had not previously bound him, from the first moment of accountableness; he has every reason, when come to competent understanding, to set his own hand to it. He comes, therefore, now in CONFIRMATION, to affix his seal to his infant baptism by his own act and deed; and to dedicate himself to God in that engagement, in which he had been dedicated to him in infancy. He now makes the declaration, not of what he wishes to do, but of but of what he does; not of what he would be, but of what he is. The grace that is prayed for at this ordinance, is, not that he may be able to devote himself to God; but, that, having devoted himself, and now making the profession of it, he may be enabled to maintain his course to the end. He now comes to confess before the church his humble and sincere readiness, according to the terms of the baptismal covenant, to renounce the service of his spiritual enemies, to accept the gospel as his hope of salvation; and to determine, by God's help, sought and obtained in earnest prayer, to continue in the way of God to his life's end. Upon the ground of this credible profession, the bishop, as the minister of God, lays his hands upon him, with prayer, as the sign of the Holy Spirit already vouchsafed, and as an encouraging assurance, on God's behalf, of its CONFIRMATION and increase." * The first thing to be aimed at, in a preparation of candidates for confirmation, is to give them a clear, and Scriptural view of the nature of this ordinance to show them what they are about to profess. For this purpose it will be well to require their attendance for five or six weeks, at a course of examination and lecture; when the name of each should be called over, and an intimation given that none would be accepted who did not attend these regularly, except in cases of unavoidable absence. If ministers themselves treat this ordinance lightly, we cannot wonder if their young people do so too. It is no trifling matter and should be treated throughout as an affair involving the most important interests for time and for eternity.

*

Bridges' Christian Ministry, p. 559, 560.

Prov. xv. for the morning, and Prov. xvi. for the evening service; the collect, epistle, and gospel, being taken from the sixth Sunday after the Epiphany; the proper lessons for the twenty-sixth Sunday after Trinity are Prov. xvii. for the morning, and Prov. xix. for the evening service; the collect, epistle, and gospel, for the twenty-fifth Sunday after Trinity being used. When there are twenty-seven Sundays after Trinity, on the twenty-fifth, Prov. xv. and xvi. respectively should be read, for the proper lessons of the day; and the collect, epistle, and gospel, for the fifth Sunday after Epiphany; on the twenty-sixth Sunday after Trinity, Prov. xvii. and xix. respectively, for the proper lessons; and the collect, epistle, and gospel, for the sixth Sunday after Epiphany; and on the twenty-seventh Sunday after Trinity, for the proper lessons, the chapters appointed for the day of the month;* and the collect, epistle, and gospel, for the twenty-fifth Sunday after Trinity.

While speaking of alterations, we may remark that the word "may" should not be inserted in the "General Thanksgiving," in the sentence, "And that we shew forth thy praise." A similar form of speech is used in "the third collect, for grace,” grant that this day we fall (not we may fall) into no sin."

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As to PUBLICATION of matters in church, by 1 Vict. c. 45, s. 1, it is enacted that no proclamation, or other public notice, of avestry meeting, or any other matter, shall be made or given in a church or chapel, during or after divine service, or at the door of any church or chapel, at the conclusion of divine service. And by s. 4, no decree relating to any faculty, nor any other decree, citation, or proceeding whatsoever, in any ecclesiastical court, shall be read or published in any church or chapel, during or immediately after divine service.

EXCEPTIONS. Publication of banns of matrimony; notices of celebration of divine service, or sermons; declaration of holy days and fasting days in the week following, by the curate in pursuance of the rules in the book of Common Prayer. Proclamation or publication of what is prescribed by the rules of Common Prayer, or enjoined by the queen or ordinary, are specially excepted out of the operation of the Act, by s. 5.

"All PROCLAMATIONS and NOTICES, which, by law or custom, have heretofore been made or given in churches, during, or after divine service, shall be reduced into writing, and copies thereof, either in writing or in print, or partly in writing and partly in print, shall, previously to the commencement of divine service, on the several days on which such proclamation, or notices have heretofore been made or given in the church, &c., or at the door of any church, be affixed on or near to the doors of all the churches or chapels within such parish or place; and such notices, when so affixed, shall be in lieu of, and as a substitute for, all the several proclamations and notices to all intents,' &c. by s. 2.

DISTURBING public worship. By 1 Will. III. c. 18, If any person shall willingly, and of purpose, maliciously or contemptuously, come into any cathedral or parish church, chapel, or other congregation permitted by this Act, and disquiet or disturb the same, or misuse any

* Some writers recommend reading Isa. Ixv. and lxvi. as the proper lessons for this day. But it is surely more correct, where no particular chapters are given, to read such as are appointed for the day of the month on which that Sunday falls. This remark will also apply to the lessons for Ash Wednesday.

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the form, being enlivened by the spirit of prayer and heavenly unction, ceases to be a mere form; and our congregations will be better enabled not only to attend to the service, but also to unite in it.” *

Edward VIth's rubric is not law since the statute THE RUBRICS. of uniformity, 13 & 14 Car, ii. (Lloyd and Owen v. Williams. Lee's Rep. i. p. 437.) The directions contained in the rubric are clearly of binding obligation and authority. The rubric, or directions of the book. of Common Prayer, form a part of the statute law of the land, 13 & 14 Wickes. Phill. R. iii. p. 268-9.) Cur. ii. (Kemp v. J

The rubric directs the manner of church service, yet many matters are left to the discretion of the minister, subject to the ordinary. In Hutchins v. Denziloe, and another, 1 Hag. Con. 170, it was decided, that although by general usage chaunting parts of the service is limited to cathedrals, and singing in the ordinary parochial service does not generally extend beyond a plain congregational melody, yet, in point of law, there was nothing to prevent the singing or chaunting a part of the service in a parochial church; a clergyman, therefore, who had directed it to be done, had not been guilty of irregularity, though the discretion of such an order might, perhaps, be questionable, yet an interference and countermand by the churchwardens was illegal and punishable.

ALTERATIONS..A clergyman, in the performance of divine worship, is not at liberty to alter or omit any part of the service. (Newbery v. Goodwin, Phill. R. i. p. 282.)

upon

Yet with regard, to an alteration of the LESSON, "Where it may so chance some one or other chapter of the Old Testament to fall in order to be read the Sunday and holy days, which were better to be changed with some other of the New Testament of more edification, it shall be well done to spend your time to consider well of such chapter; whereby your prudence and diligence in your office may appear; so that your people may have cause to glorify God for you, and be the readier to embrace your labours, to your better commendation, to the discharge of your conscience and their own." (Admonition to all ministers ecclesiastical, prefixed to the second Book of Homilies.)

4

With respect to the APOCRYPHA, it will be better never to read it, but always to substitute a chapter from the Old Testament. And strange as it may at first sight appear, this will be found to be the more correct practice, for the rubric, respecting the lessons, directs, "then shall be read distinctly, with an audible voice, the first lesson, TAKEN OUT OF THE OLD TESTAMENT," of which the Apocrypha forms no part. An irregularity must take place, for if "the lesson as appointed in the calendar” be read, "the first lesson is not taken out of the Old Testament;" and if the lesson be taken out of the Old Testament then is it not "the lesson as is appointed in the calendar." Surely then it is better to read GOD'S WORD and not man's.

proper It may be well here to correct a mistake, with reference to the lessons for the day, into which many clergymen fall, when there are more than twenty-five Sundays after Trinity. When there are twentysix Sundays after Trinity, the proper lessons for the twenty-fifth are roz borgwill wo ødt i mod:

མ་་

.

TDC Bridges, p. 591. Some admirable remarks, from bishops Spratt and Bull, on this subject, may be found in "The Clergyman's Instructor," pp.246, 309.,