ate. By the confession of sin, and the hope of remission consequent thereon, the heart of the worshipper is prepared and encouraged to offer up its comprehensive petitions for the supply of every spiritual and temporal want, for the gift of all good things, and deliverance from all evil things, and for a due sense of God's gracious mercy in visiting us with His Fatherly protection. It is followed by the VE ERSICLES, including the GLORIA PATRI, which at once conclude the first, and form a fit introduction to the second, of the three portions, into which the office of MATINS or MORNING PRAYER may be conveniently

divided.

18. PARTS of the ANCIENT SERVICES to which our present Offices for MORNING and EVENING PRAYER respectively correspond. Our MORNING PRAYER answers for the most part to the Three Services of MATINS, LAUDS, and PRIME, of which combined our single service is a judicious abridgment. In like manner, the Office of EVEN-SONG or EVENING PRAYER is an abridgment of the Ancient Services for VESPERS and COм

PLINE.

19. TERMS in which the opening EXHORTATION adverts to the different subjects, by which the attention is occupied in the second division of each SERVICE. The Second portion of the Service includes the reading of the PSALMS and LESSONS, to the end of the APOSTLES' CREED; and to this portion corresponds the exhortation " to thank GOD for his manifold mercies, to set forth his most worthy praise, and to hear his most holy word."

20. INTRODUCTORY PSALM in the office for MORNING PRAYER-Its early Ecclesiastical name, and the origin of that name. - The PSALMS for MORNING SERVICE are fitly introduced by the Anthem founded on the Ninety-fifth Psalm, of which the early ecclesiastical name is the INVITATORIUM. This name seems to have arisen from the fact that, in early times, it was read while the Congregation were assembling.

21. MODE of portioning out the PSALMS in the BREVIARIES of the ancient ENGLISH CHURCH; the origin of the name applied to each portion; and the reason why they are still read over more frequently than any of

the other Books of SCRIPTURE. — In the BREVIARIES of the ancient English Churches the PSALMS were portioned out into Seven NOCTURNS, as they were called with reference to the nightly Worship of early times; but this burdensome Service was discontinued at the REFORMATION, and the reading of them so regulated, that the whole Book might be repeated every month. Even thus they are oftener read than any other part of the SCRIPTURES, as from their high devotional character, they are peculiarly adapted to excite the religious energies of the soul, under whatever circumstances of joy or sorrow, or in whatever condition of spiritual necessity, the worshipper may be placed.

22. THE PRAYER-BOOK VERSION of the PSALMS, by whom executed The reason of its retention in preference to the AUTHORIZED VERSION of the BIBLE. When the present AUTHORIZED VERSION of the SCRIPTURES was ordered to be used (in 1611), the old TRANSLATION of the PSALMS, which is that of MILES COVERDALE (born 1499, died 1580) was still retained in the PRAYER-BOOK;

partly because the people were already familiar with it, and partly because, in this instance, the old version, as being rendered with greater freedom, is better adapted to the popular understanding.

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23. RUBRICAL DIRECTION respecting the manner in which the PSALMS are to be repeated Authority for this permission of choice. As the CHURCH directs the PSALMS either to be said or sung, the former practice has generally been adopted, where there was no Choir, and the latter in Cathedrals. Both practices have the apparent sanction of HOLY SCRIPTURE, as may be seen by reference to the following passages amongst others. 1 Samuel ii. 1; 2 Chron. xxix. 30; Psalm cxviii. 2; Luke i. 46, 67, ii. 28; Ephesians v. 19. Rev. vii. 12.

24. ORIGIN of the practice of reading the Psalms responsively. Although there is no express RUBRIC directing the Psalms to be repeated, verse by verse, alternately by the minister and people, the custom is fully sanctioned by the practice that prevailed in the JEWISH TEMPLE, and by the composition of many of the PSALMS with a manifest and

avowed view to responsive singing.

It is said that this responsive method was introduced into the CHRISTIAN CHURCH by IGNATIUS (Bishop of Antioch in Syria at the end of the first century) among the Greeks, and by St. Ambrose (Bishop of Milan from 374 to 397 A. D.) among the Latins; but it was far more probably adopted from the first. It is plainly alluded to by the great Latin Father TERTULLIAN, who lived between 160 and 220 A.D.

25. THE VALID AND REASONABLE MOTIVE for concluding the PSALMS with the GLORIA PATRI. Since the PSALMS were originally composed for the JEWISH TEMPLE SERVICE, they are fitted for the use of the CHRISTIAN SANCTUARY by repeating the GLORIA PATRI at the end of each, or of the portion for the day, in order to signify our belief in the mysterious nature of the TRIUNE GODHEAD, as revealed under the GOSPEL.

26. ORIGIN of the GLORIA PATRI in its several parts. The GLORIA PATRI is one of the earliest primitive doxologies, and is sometimes called the Lesser Doxology, as distin

guished from the GLORIA IN EXCELSIS. St.