late meeting of the Presbytery of Perth, when, on the attention of the Presbytery being called to the Act of the last General Assembly on the Public Reading of the Scriptures, by the Rev. Mr Cumming, and which Act received the support of the Presbytery, the Rev. Doctor says:-" He could not help observing that their prayers should not extend beyond ten minutes; the bodies and minds of the people were often worn out before they were concluded." Similar remarks might, in my opinion, be extended to the length of sermons in general, which are often so long as to defeat, by the weariness they induce, the object in view.

In a Service where all the parts are essential, it is surely of importance that they should be fairly balanced, and that each should have its due share of attention.

In making the above remarks, I need scarcely say that I have been actuated solely with the view of promoting the usefulness of our Church, by providing for the wants of her people. The volume proposed, by becoming a household book, would prevent the continual desertion of her children, by strengthening their affections towards her,—whilst it would carry comfort to the hearts, and relieve the longings of many of her sons in distant lands, far removed from her ministrations.

In presuming to make a suggestion as to what the Manual of Devotion should contain, I do so with the greatest deference to the reverend fathers and members of our Church, so much better fitted than I am to prepare this Manual; but I have considered what might have been my own wants, if placed in the position of those for whom the Manual is intended, and arranged its contents accordingly. I state my own views, however, more in hopes that they may call forth abler opinions from others, than with any expectation that mine will be to any considerable extent adopted.

I am,

REVEREND SIR,

Your most obedient Servant,

EDINBURGH, 20 CHARLOTTE SQUARE.

JOHN SMITH.

SYLLABUS

OF

A MANUAL OF DEVOTION

PREPARED FOR

THE USE OF MEMBERS OF THE CHURCH OF SCOTLAND.

I.-The Order of Public Worship.

II. Various Short, Simple, and Well-arranged Prayers for the Public Service.

III.-Prayers adapted to Times of Humiliation; as, during the late war; pestilence, and other times of trial and danger.

IV. Thanksgivings.

V. The Order of Baptism, with an explanation of the

Doctrine.

VI.-The Order and Administration of the Lord's Supper, with an Explanation of the Doctrine.

VII.-Prayers and Meditations adapted to the Season of Communion.

VIII.-The Visitation of the Sick, with Services for the various stages of sickness, containing Prayers, suitable Psalms, and other portions of Scripture, to be read to or by the sick.

IX.—Various forms of Prayer for relatives and friends, with portions of Scripture suitable to the time of death and burial.

X.-The Ordination of Ministers and Elders.

XI.-The Order of Marriage.

XII.-The Thirty-three Articles of the Confession of Faith.
XIII.-Shorter Catechism, Lord's Prayer, and Creed.

XIV.-Psalms, Paraphrases, and Hymns.

XV.-Short Morning and Evening Prayers, for a fortnight, made to suit Families or Individuals.

XVI.-Short Prayers for particular trials and occasions.
XVII.-One or two forms of Grace before and after meat.

XVIII.-Prayer before and after Public Worship.

XIX.-A Table of Select Portions of Scripture, for Daily Reading. XX.--Reasons for the faith that is in us.

XXI.-What Presbyterianism is; with a short account of the early history of our Church. This might be contained

in the Preface.

COLSTON AND SON, PRINTERS, 80 ROSE STREET, EDINBURGH.

PART II.

FEw words are required, previously to bringing before those of the public who are interested in this important topic, "The Directory for the Public Worship of God, agreed upon by the Assembly of Divines at Westminster, with the assistance of Commissioners from the Church of Scotland, as a part of the Covenanted Uniformity in Religion betwixt the Churches of Christ in the Kingdoms of Scotland, England, and Ireland."

No historical account is here needed of the famous Assembly that met in Henry VII.'s Chapel within Westminster Abbey. The political atmosphere had been in a state of commotion; and the contest for emancipation from what was viewed as religious thraldom, was going on. The mind of England was stirred. Not merely, however, was political freedom demanded, not only must despotism be resisted, but what was accounted to be a purer and more Scriptural mode of worship be adopted. Then had the spectacle been presented of a nation joining in "solemn league and covenant" with the Lord of Hosts. Religious questions were, at that period, the most stirring questions. Not a few who espoused the Parliamentary cause, were not only lovers of freedom, but lovers also of God. They realised His presence and sought His favour; and when, after fulfiling their mission, the men of that time were no more found,-when the nation rushed afterwards from what was called "Puritanism" into excess of riot and vice; when, for Cromwell's sway, there was substituted the impure abandonment of the reign of Charles II. ; at

the time when Milton was well nigh proscribed, and Richard Baxter silenced, it might be truly said that the people had gone from one extreme to the other. We must not, however, judge of the Puritans and Commonwealth men by the caricatures of adversaries. They were beings noble of heart, if stern of purpose. They might quote from the Old Testament rather than from the New. But that the love of Christ was burning in many of their hearts, admits not of dispute. Saintly men there were, indeed, who sympathised not with them. We cannot but think of Sanderson, the wise and good; of Jeremy Taylor, the Chrysostom of English preachers; and of many others, without being reminded of the fact that the followers of Jesus have diversities of outward garb. But that the stronger pulse of inward piety beat in the hearts of those to whom even individuals, such as we have specified, were ranged upon the opposite side, will now be acknowledged even by secular historians. They took umbrage at the English Liturgy. There were in it particulars which wounded their souls and vexed their consciences. Some rags of Romish superstition they conceived still to be lingering under the vesture of the officiating minister. They disapproved of candles on the communion table, of bowing at the name of Jesus, and of other practices to which Laud and his adherents gave their countenance.

They disapproved of the Liturgy, but they did not therefore conceive that no guide was necessary for the conducting of the public devotions of the sanctuary. They complained of the Liturgy of the Church of England, that "Papists" boasted of the book as "a compliance with them, in a great part, of their service, and so were not a little confirmed in their superstition and idolatry,”—a charge to which, except in certain parts, the Common Prayer Book of the Church of England cannot be considered as obnoxious. They also assigned, in the preface to the Directory, a second reason, viz. that the Liturgy had been "a great means" of increasing an "idle and unedifying ministry," contenting itself with "set forms made to their hands by others, without putting forth themselves to

exercise the gift of prayer, with which our Lord Jesus Christ pleaseth to furnish all His servants whom He calls to that service;" as also, "a matter of endless strife and contention. in the Church, and a snare to many godly and faithful ministers who have been persecuted and silenced on that occasion," &c.

While thus, however, renouncing the Church of England Liturgy, the Westminster Assembly,-to whose labours we own the Catechisms, Longer and Shorter, the best text-book of theology we yet possess every clause and sentence of which was thoroughly debated and maturely considered,— thought it right to issue the documents which follow these remarks, in accordance with "an order received from both Houses of Parliament," desiring them to turn their attention to the important topics of discipline, and of a "Directory of Worship and Government." This resolution of the two Houses was communicated to the Assembly on 12th October 1643; and that it was meant to be an authoritative document,—and intended to be the model of public devotion, is evident from the terms used in reference to it: THE DIRECTORY OF WORSHIP, OR LITURGY, HEREAFTER TO BE USED IN THE CHURCH." We need only add that by an Act of the General Assembly, held in Edinburgh in 1645, this Directory was approved of. It was ratified, in the same year, by Act of Parliament.

46

66

Assembly at EDINBURGH, February 3, 1645. Sess. 10.

‘Act of the General Assembly of the Kirk of Scotland, for the establishing and putting in Execution of the Directory for the Publick Worship of God.

"WHEREAS an happy unity, and uniformity in religion amongst the kirks of Christ, in these three kingdoms, united under one Sovereign, having been long and earnestly wished for by the godly and well-affected amongst us, was propounded as a main article of the large treaty, without which band and bulwark, no safe, wellgrounded, and lasting peace could be expected; and afterward, with greater strength and maturity, revived in the Solemn League and Covenant of the three kingdoms; whereby they stand straightly obliged to endeavour the nearest uniformity in one form of Church-government, Directory of Worship, Coufession of Faith, and Form of Catechising; which hath also before, and since our entering into that Covenant, been the matter of many supplications and remonstrances, and sending Commis