of the majesty of God, and the fitness of a humble posture to shew the feeling of our minds. Thus we read in the prophet Isaiah," I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered hist face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. And one cried unto another and said, Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of Hosts, the whole earth is full of his glory, and the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke." In the book of Revelation also we find it mentioned, that "All the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God; saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever."

In conclusion we make the general remark, that it is the duty of the people as well as of the Clergy to attend, so far as they can, to the positive directions of the Church. It is an universal truth that. "the powers that be, are ordained of God;" and the same principle that leads us to the neglect of these injunctions, would justify, by parity of reasoning, disobedience to the commands of our temporal governors. It is not enough to say that in the one case there is a penalty attached, and in the other none.

For the Christian knows that he must "be subject not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake." And surely we have in this respect but little reason to complain. Unlike the Jewish dispensation, that imposed a yoke upon its disciples "which neither they nor their fathers were able to bear;" the Christian religion is spiritual in its own nature, its prime injunction being that we should worship God in spirit and in truth. But we have seen that in order to attain that end, it is necessary to clothe the spirit of religion with somewhat of external decency and form; and it has been the wisdom of our Church to preserve a happy mean between the two extremes, of indifference on the one hand and superstition on the other; 66 being content," as she herself declares, "with those ceremonies which do serve to a decent order and godly discipline, and such as be apt to stir up the dull mind of man to the remembrance of his duty to God by some notable and special signification, whereby he might be edified." Such moderation on her part should call for a double measure of submission on ours. We should thankfully acknowledge the privilege we enjoy of worshipping within her pale. And be assured, brethren, that the more we advance in spiritual religion, the more thankful shall we feel for this happiness, the more gladly shall we acquiesce in all the ordinances of her appointment. The value which we place upon her offices will furnish

no bad test of the character and state of our own minds; and if we really acquire their spirit, and make them the models of our lives, we shall doubtless find their consoling influence at that solemn hour, to which we are all approaching, when the shadow will be lost in the substance, and all differences of opinion upon minor points will be absorbed in the contemplation of eternity, upon the brink of which we have actually arrived.

NOTE.

"In the time of Divine Service, and of every part thereof, al due reverence is to be used: for it is according to the Apostle's rule-'Let all things be done decently and according to order;' answerably to which decency and order we judge these our directions following:-No man shall cover his head in the Church or Chapel in the time of Divine Service, except he have some infirmity; in which case let him wear a night-cap or coif. All manner of persons then present shall reverently kneel upon their knees, when the general Confession, Litany, and other prayers are read; and shall stand up at the saying of the Belief, according to the rules in that behalf prescribed in the Book of Common Prayer; and likewise when in the time of Divine Service the Lord Jesus shall be mentioned, due and lowly reverence shall be done by all persons present, as it hath been accustomed; testifying by these outward ceremonies and gestures their inward humility, Christian resolution, and due acknowledgment that the Lord Jesus Christ, the true eternal Son of God, is the only Saviour of the world, in whom alone all the mercies, graces, and promises of God to mankind for this life and the life to come, are fully and wholly comprised. None, either man, woman, or child, of what calling soever, shall be otherwise at such times busied in the Church, than in quiet attendance to hear, mark, and understand that which is read,

preached, or ministered; saying in their due places audibly with the minister the Confession, the Lord's Prayer, and the Creed, and making such other answers to the public prayers as are appointed in the Book of Common Prayer: neither shall they disturb the Service or Sermon, by walking or talking, or any other way; nor depart out of the Church during the time of Service or Sermon, without some urgent or reasonable cause."-Eighteenth Canon of the Church.