proper Portions. And when the Church of Rome had broken them into fmall Fragments, interrupted with other Things; and had con-tinued to read even thefe in Latin, after it was no longer understood: our Church rectified both Errors; and hath taken Care, that the Old Teftament should be gone through once a Year, and the New thrice. Only we omit fome Parts of the former; which are Repetitions of what is related in other Parts, or bare Lifts of Genealogies and Families, or too mystical and abftrufe to be edifying in public; on which last Account we omit alfo the Book of Revelation, excepting two or three Chapters: Matters of fuch Difficulty being wifely thought fitter for the private Meditation and Study of thofe, who are qualified to engage in them.

The Order, in which the Books of both Teftaments are read, is that, in which they stand. Only in the Old, the Prophet Ifaiah, containing the fullest Predictions of Christ's coming and Kingdom, is placed at the Approach of his Nativity and in the New, the Gofpels and Acts are the Leffons for the Morning, and the Epiftles for the Afternoon. In this Manner we make Provision for every Day in the Year : and hence one great Recommendation of daily Attendance

Attendance on public Prayers, (where there are Opportunities for it) is, that by Means of it we fhall proceed regularly through the facred Writings, and preferve the due Connexion of the feveral Discoveries, made in them to Man. Bat for the first Leffons on Sundays, thofe Chapters of the Old Teftament are selected, which appeared to be most useful. The fecond Leffons being from the New, there was no Neceffity, and little Room, for Choice. And to Holydays fuch Portions of both are adapted, as best agree. with the Occafion.

But here we are accused of fetting mere human Compofitions on a Level with the Word of God, by taking Part of our Leffons out of the Apocrypha: which also we are charged with frequently binding up in the fame Volume with. our Bibles. But fo we fometimes do our PrayerBooks likewife: yet we never dreamed of equalling either to Scripture. The Articles of our Church expressly distinguish the Apocrypha. from it the People of our Church know the Distinction. And that it may not fail to be known, they are marked at the Top of every Page with the Name, Apocrypha; which means, hidden; and, on whatever Account it was given to thefe Books, belongs to them on

this; that they are to be kept out of the Way, and not produced as Proof, when any Point of Doctrine or Duty is in Question; whereas the Canonical Books are the Canon or Rule of Faith and Manners. The former therefore we read in the Congregation, not as Divine, but venerable for their Antiquity, and the Spirit of Religion that breathes in them. Still fome Parts we pass over, as less useful: fome, for the Errors or Improprieties, which they contain: and fome others, we own, require candid Interpretations. But there feems to be Ground for one fuch Interpretation, which will remove a good many Objections at once: that fome Relations of Things, which perhaps are not literally and historically true, poffibly were never intended to be thought fo; but written, like many other justly admired Pieces, for admonitory Fables or Parables. That the Doctrine of them in the Main is excellent, and the Narrations inftructive, every one must own. They were quoted with Respect in the firft Ages of Christianity :. they were read in public from very early Ages: it would have given great and needlefs Offence at the Reformation to have left them out intirely and they are never appointed for the Lord's Day by which Means, it may be, there

are

are many Persons in every Parish, who scarce ever heard an Apocryphal Leffon in their Lives. At leaft the fecond Leffons are always Canoni cal Scripture: of which a great deal more is read, befides the Pfalms, (even in thofe Churches of ours, which have not Week-day Prayers,) than in any one Congregation of the Diffenters. And therefore they have no Right to reproach us on the prefent Head.

.. But fuppofing we should, any of us, äpprehend, that this, or any Thing else, in the Service, mentioned or to be mentioned, might have been better ordered: yet we should always think of the Judgement of others with proper Deference, and of our own with Modesty. And fo long as nothing is required of us, contrary to our Duty, we fhould remember, that our Concern is much more to improve by every Thing, than to object against any Thing: by which last, unless done very discreetly, we may hinder, more than a little, our own Edification, and that of others.

Let us therefore attend seriously to the Leffons read: but with diftinguished Reverence to thofe of Scripture. We are admonished in the Beginning of the Office, that one great End, for which we affemble and meet together, is to

bear

hear God's most holy Word. We pray in the Conclufion of it, that the Words, which we have beard with our outward Ears, may be inwardly grafted in our Hearts. Both thefe Places mean, not the Sermon principally, but the Leffons, the Pfalms, the Commandments, the Epiftles, the Gospels. The Difcourfes indeed, which we deliver to you from hence, we trust, are agreeable to God's Word: and we defire you to judge of them by it. But Heaven forbid, that you should equal or prefer them to it: as you certainly appear to do, if you hearken to our Sayings, and not to His. Think, I intreat you, then, whether you are not faulty in this Refpect whether you do not often let your Thoughts wander, without endeavouring to prevent it; whether you do not fometimes forget yourselves, and enter into Talk with one another; while God's most holy Word is reading to you. It is true, you can read it at Home. But whether you do or not, He and your own Confciences beft know. Or if you do: fo can Sermons too. And this would be an Excufe equally, for not attending, or not regarding, either of them. But ftill this is the Place, in which your Lord and Mafter hath commanded you to hear both and hath promised

you

to