former, in fome, jufter than that. And it hath one general Ground of Preference; that not rendering the Words of the Hebrew so strictly, it gives the Sense of them more intelligibly : notwithstanding that a few Expreffions, and but very few, are become in the Space of 200 Years, which have paffed fince it was made, lefs clear or proper, than they were at first. Indeed this old Verfion hath here and there Additions to what we now find in the Original. But the only confiderable one is taken from, if not warranted by, the New Teftament: they are all harmless: they are most of them founded on Authorities not contemptible, particularly on that of the very ancient Latin Interpreter, departing from which, without Neceffity, would have given Occafion of Cavil to the Romanifts. And as this Tranflation in our Prayer-Books was made by Martyrs and Confeffors for the Proteftant Religion, fo it was with Reason highly esteemed by the People; and foon grew, by often repeating it, fo familiar to them, that changing it for another, though somewhat better on the whole, would have been disagreeable to them. Therefore the Senfe of both being fufficiently the fame, (as any one, by comparing them, will be convinced ;) the Words, to which the Congregation were accustomed, have been retained to this Day. It hath been objected farther, that, granting the Ufe of this Tranflation to be justifiable, yet the Manner, in which we use it, is not. For we read it on, juft as the Pfalms lie: and thus we blend together those of joyful and those of forrowful Import, without Distinction and without Method; yet we cannot be supposed to vary our Affections fo quick, as this requires. But it fhould be remembered, that on the principal stated Fafts and Festivals, and on all occafional ones, Pfalms proper to them are appointed, out of the common Courfe. On Days indeed, which have nothing fo particular in them, we follow the Order, in which they are fet down. For we could not vary it, without omitting fome of them, which none of them deferve; or difpofing them in a Way intirely new. Now what that fhould be, would be very hard to fettle and whatever was done, at least as many Faults would be found then, as now. The prefent Arrangement is certainly older than our Saviour's Days: the public Offices of the whole Chriftian Church have followed it from the very firft Account of them, that we have: and why should we make Alterations, 0 4 rations, only to raise Perplexities? The Pfalms are indeed mifcellaneous. But fo are many other Parts of Scripture. verbs is vastly more fo. against reading thofe, as The Book of ProYet no one objects they lie. In Truth, fcarce a Chapter of the Bible, or any Author whatever, can be read, but what calls for Variety of Difpofitions and Affections to be exercised, within a very small Compass. Even in a fhort Prayer is there not great Variety, if it be well confidered? In Poetry and Mufic, these Tranfitions are often extremely abrupt and fudden, from one Thing to its contrary in the highest Degree. Yet the Mind goes along with. them very eafily. Much more then may it do fo, when prepared, as in the present Cafe, by a previous Knowledge of what is to come next, and long Practice in the Change. And if repeating the Pfalms in Course be right; we have certainly fixed a right Period of this Course, that of a Month: whereas the Church of Rome goes through them in a Week, which is making one Part of the Service too long; and the Greek Church in Twenty Days, which is making it hard to find. On the whole then, let us but be careful, that our Behaviour be as good in this Branch of Worship, as the Regulation 3. con : concerning it is and notwithstanding the unhappy Disadvantage of barely faying, what ought to be enlivened by the Power of Harmony; we may still, through God's Grace, be warmed and filled with his Spirit, while we speak to one another and ourselves, as the Apostle directs, in Pfalms and Hymns and fpiritual Songs, finging and making Melody, if not with our Voices, yet in our Hearts, to the Lord'. After the Pfalms, it hath long been customary for the Organ, where one is used, to play for a fhort Time. And as Inftruments of Mufic in Divine Service are certainly lawful (elfe they had not been appointed in the Jewish, or permitted in the ancient Chriftian Church, or described in the Revelation as accompanying the Praises of the bleffed above;) fo a little Pause, for the Ufe of this Inftrument, will not only give some Refpite and Refreshment to the Congregation, and to the Minister; but may be advantageously employed, either to reflect on what is past of the Service, or prepare our Minds for what is to come. And therefore it f Eph. v. 19. Col. iii. 16. 8 Ψαλμος εσιν ή δια τ8 οργανε τε μεσικό μελωδία. Greg. Nyf. Tra&t. 2. in Pfalmos c. iii. §. 1. Ο ψαλμος λόγος εσι μεσικός, όταν ευρυθμως τες ἁρμονικές λόγους προς το οργανον κρεηται. Bafil in Pi. 29. Suic. in voc. κατα fhould should not be filled up either by the Performer with the lighter Airs of Mufic, instead of folemn Strains, and fuch as may excite proper Difpofitions, or by any of the Congregation with needless Difcourfe, or fuch private Thoughts and Imaginations, as blot out good Impreffions already made, and indispose us for receiving the like afterwards. In the next Place follows a Leffon, taken out of the Old Teftament: and with this begins the third Part of the Office. That they, who are bleffed with a Revelation from God, fhould read and hear it with Reverence, when they affemble to worship him, is a plain Dictate of Reafon and Religion. Accordingly the Jews read Mofes and the Prophets in their Synagogues of old Time, as the Book of Acts informs us*. And fo indeed do Writers of their own, in the fame Age with it: who boaft of the Practice, as a moft ufeful and honourable Diftinction, peculiar to their Nation, that the Laws of Life were thus publifhed to all the People. The primitive Chriftians, as one of the earliest Apologifts for them, Justin Martyr, tells us, read at their Meetings, both the Jewish Prophets, and the Writings of the Apostles, in i Jofeph. contr. Ap. 1. 2. § 18. proper Acts xiii. 27. XV. 21. |