habits, according to which some are so much occupied, and others fancy themselves so much occupied, that they have no time for a frequent performance of their religious homage to God, while a much greater number abstain from the practice merely from the habit of following the general example, and of doing or not doing what they see their neighbours do or neglect to do. The main cause, however, is the decay of piety, that general relaxation of devotional feeling which makes us, with the name of religion perpetually in our mouths, with a sort of eager and restless spirit respecting the things pertaining to God, really less sensible than our simple and unpretending forefathers of the value and efficacy of prayer, confession, praise, thanksgiving, and intercession, taken by themselves, offered without any other accompaniment, by grateful hearts, before the throne of Almighty God. For it is well worthy of observation, that this subtraction of the honour due to our Maker, Redeemer, and Sanctifier in heaven-this robbery of God for the sake of man, is a characteristic feature of our (according to our own estimate) enlightened times. : Blessed be God who hath put it into the hearts of the Reformers to prepare an Order of Prayer. Order in all things is both useful and pleasant and strange indeed would it be that the Church should have no order in a matter so grave and important as public prayer. Order is as necessary to man as it is pleasing to God. The neglect of it leads to confusion, imperfection, and evil. There was order in the creation; every thing had its appointed time and place; there is order in the seasons, in days, and nights, and years; there is order in civil societies, and even among the angels and powers of God's kingdom; there was order in the services of the temple, and in His religious dispensations from the beginning to Christ; and order will be to the end of time and for ever. The Church directs order in her worship, and has been taught to do so by the example of St. Paul, setting things in order himself, and instructing the churches of his day, "to let all things be done decently and in order." Who will not at once admit the necessity of order in all things? But we should not rest there; we should not only praise order but observe it. Let each one then be in his place, and attending to every one of his duties, according to the directions of the Church in the ORDER OF MORNING AND EVENING PRAYER, from first to last-leave out no link of the chain. Be in time,-follow the minister in order and in every appointed duty,-listen to the sentences and exhortation, obey the order to kneel, or to rise up,-join in confession, prayer, praise, and thanksgiving,-let your lips and your hearts, your thoughts, your affectionslet all within you and without you-harmonize with the order of the Church*. * The following address has been recommended in the diocese of Down and Connor, to be inserted in the Books of Common Prayer "To every Member of this Congregation. "THE very defective practice of many persons, even of those who regularly attend divine worship, in neglecting to come before the commencement of the service, and to join in the service of the Church at the proper times, may lead to a supposition that they are not duly sensible of what is the chief object for which they assemble and meet together in holy places. This object is, together with the hearing of God's holy word, to unite in prayers, praises, and thanksgivings, after the custom of the Church of God in all ages. It is a privilege enjoyed by the members of the Church in this country, that they are able to join with their minister in a language which they can all understand, and in a form of words with which they may make themselves acquainted -being, at the same time, perfectly agreeable to Scripture, both in its meaning and expressions. "In order to promote this object, so far as lies in your power, you are requested to observe the following rules : "I.-Take care to come to Church before the service begins; thus you will not, by coming late, interrupt the minister and con It is a custom which the common feeling of Christians has rendered sacred, not to enter or depart from the house of God, nor to assemble for the purpose of hearing his word, without first in a whispered prayer, entreating his good blessing that we may not pray or hear in vain. I will not ask how many there are with whom this custom has passed into an idle form, how many cover their faces and say nothing; but this I will say, that more and worthier honour gregation, disturb the worship of God, or abridge your own spiritual benefit. in the [NOTE. Divine service commences in this Church at halfpast Eleven o'clock in the morning; and at evening.] "II. Observe the postures directed in the Prayer Book: namely, kneeling during the Prayers, and standing during the Psalms, (whether read or sung,) the Creeds, and the Gospel. "III.-Join audibly with your voice in those parts of the service which are appointed for the People,' namely, the general confessions, the Lord's Prayer whenever used, the alternate verses of the Psalms and of the Hymns used after the Lessons, the Creeds, the Responses, and the "Amen," at the end of every Prayer. “ IV.—Take part, if you are able, in singing; and, at all events, stand up when the congregation is called on to sing 'To the praise and glory of God.' "V.-Do not leave the Church, except in case of illness, until the congregation is dismissed by the blessing of the minister. "An observance of these rules by you and every member of the congregation, would tend to promote the object of the Church in the appointment of a Common Prayer, and thus unite her members in glorifying God with one mind and one mouth, through Jesus Christ our Lord." ་ Sundays observe. Think when the bells do chime When once thy foot enters the church, be bare; GEORGE HERBERT, 1633. would be paid to God's house, and more souls by far than now escape, would be snatched from sin and everlasting misery, if, when you thus give outward tokens of your reverence, you would beg the help of your Almighty Father, in some words like these:"O God, without thee I am not able to please thee: but may thy Spirit this day both teach me the things that belong to my peace, and preserve them in my faith and recollection, so that the seed which thou sowest may prosper in my heart, till that day when thy blessed Son shall return to reap his harvest*." Other prayers, such as the following, have been also recommended for use privately, before the service of the Church, and also after it is ended. Before the Service. O Lord, I am now in thy house; assist, I pray thee, and accept my services; enable me, and all those that shall this day meet in thy name, to worship thee in spirit and in truth. Let thy Holy Spirit help our infirmities, and dispose our hearts to seriousness, attention, and devotion, and grant that we may improve this opportunity, to the honour of thy holy name, and the benefit of souls, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. After the Service. Blessed be thy name, O Lord, for this opportunity of attending thee in thy house and service. Pardon, I beseech thee, my wanderings and imperfections; mercifully accept my services, and grant that I and all Christians may be doers of thy word, and not hearers only, through our only Mediator, Jesus Christ. Amen+. * Bishop HEBER's Sermons. These prayers are taken from a tract on the Catalogue of the Christian Knowledge Society, entitled "Directions for a devout and decent behaviour in the Publick Worship of God.” The admirable collect for purity at the commencement of the order of the holy communion might be used with great propriety, privately, by every person at his entrance into church, as will more fully appear, if we consider the matter it contains, and the design of its being placed at the beginning of this solemn service. The heart of man in his fallen estate, is represented to us in Scripture as a corrupt and polluted fountain, which if left to itself, will send forth streams of all manner of impurity. Hence continually flow evil thoughts, vain imaginations, and wicked desires, which render us wholly unfit for the service and worship of Him, who is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity. Now, since we are told, that the preparation of the heart in man is from the Lord, Prov. xvi. 1, we should most earnestly apply to Him for his sanctifying grace, to cleanse and purify our hearts, and qualify them for his service. For this purpose nothing could be better than the collect before us, which whoever uses with fervent piety, (joining his own sincere endeavours to keep his mind intent on the solemn business he is engaged in,) will find the happy effect of it, and perceive those vain and wicked thoughts that are apt to disturb his devotion gradually vanish, and his attention become fixed in its proper object. When Christianity became the established religion of the Eastern and Western Empires, and churches were built for the celebration of divine service, they gave to them an oblong form, which was chosen, it is said, as resembling a ship, a common metaphor, by which the Church used to be represented, to remind us that we are tossed up and down in this world, and that out of the Church there is no safe passage to heaven, the country at which we all hope to arrive. It was always divided into two parts; the nave (probably from navis, a ship,) or body of the church; and |