THE

ORDER FOR MORNING PRAYER.

THE SENTENCES *.

1. When the wìcked mán' turneth away from

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his wickedness-that-he-hath-committed, and

* Dr. Bennett justly observes that "the Sentences, the Exhortation, the Absolution, and those other parts of the Liturgy which are addressed to the people only, ought to be uttered in a quite different manner from that which suits the Confession, the Lord's Prayer, and those other parts of the public ritual which are addressed to God. The voice must be so managed, as plainly to signify so marked a distinction, that even the most heedless people may understand,en the minister speaks to them, and when to their Maker."-Dr. Bennett's Paraphrase.

The advantage to be derived from delivering the service from memory (see preface,) will be particularly felt in pronouncing the Exhortation, and those parts of the Liturgy which are directed to the congregation.

The reader is recommended to begin the service, as if he were addressing only those of the people that are nearest, and to speak rather under the common level of his voice, than above it. The voice will naturally and easily slide into a higher key, when he wishes to speak louder; but it is ex

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doeth that which is lawful and right,, he shall sáve his soul alive.

tremely difficult to bring it down, if it be pitched too high at

first.

The first sentence of the service is generally rendered inaudible by the noise which the rising of the congregation produces. This ill effect may be, in some measure, obviated by the minister's prolonging the first allowable pause beyond what would be otherwise necessary. The inconvenience in question is entirely prevented in those Churches where the singing of a psalm or hymn causes the congregation to rise, and thus places them in the fit posture for proceeding with the service.]

When the wicked m'an] It is often necessary to mark the inflections of words which do not appear important, in order to prevent some other mode of reading which would suggest an erroneous inference. For example: in the first sentence, the words 'wicked' and 'man' do not require any particular stress, and might very well pass without any marks. But it is not unusual to hear considerable emphasis given to the word 'wicked,' (When the wicked-man), as if some contradistinction were intended between the wicked man and the righteous man. This indeed is really the case in the chapter from which the verse is taken; but not so in the detached application of it in the Liturgy. Therefore, to prevent a method of delivery which would suggest an incorrect inference, it is necessary to mark the inflections. Each of the words' wicked' and 'man,' would receive its separate inflection, but in a gentle and equable manner. For the correct pronunciation of the word wicked, as well as for the intermediate sound of the unaccented o in committed, forgive, confess, commandment, &c. consult the Appendix.]

-that he hath committed] This phrase is a Hebrew

2. I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin' is ever before-me.

3. Hide-thy-face' from my sins, and blòt-out

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all mine iniquities. Ps. li. 9.

за

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4. The sǎcrifices of God' are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite-heart,, Ō Gōd, thou wilt-not despise.

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5. Rend your heart and not your garment,

4a

and túrn' unto the Lord your God; for He is

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gracious and mèrciful, slów to ànger and of

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great kindness, and repénteth him of the evil.

pleonasm. As it adds nothing to the sense, it should pass under the inflection which commences on the word 'wickedness.' In Mr. Smart's mode of reading this sentence, (see Theory of Elocution, p. 115) he appears to overlook the intended contradistinction between 'turning away from wickedness,' and 'doing that which is lawful and right.' The reader must be careful to adopt the suspensive slide, or highest rising inflection, on the word 'right,', at the end of the following clause, to shew that the meaning is incomplete. I acknowledge] For the pronunciation of this word, and of sacrifices,' see Appendix.

—all mine iníquities] It will perhaps be most agreeable to the system of parallelisms, so frequently adopted in the Psalms, to suppose that some distinction is intended between 'sins' and 'iniquities.' If, however, they should be considered as synonymous, the latter clause might be read thus : -blot out all-mine-iniquities.]

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6. To the Lord our Gód' belong mercies and forgivenesses, though we have rebelled-againsthim: neither have-we obey'd the voice-of-theLord-our-God, to walk in his laws' which he sét before us.

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7. Ō Lord, correct-me, but with jùdgment; -not in thine ánger, lest thou bring me to

NOTHING.

8. Repènt-ye;-for the kingdom of Heaven' is at hand.

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9. I will arise, and go to my father; and will sáy-unto-him-Father, I have sinned against

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(0)

heaven' and before thée, and am nò-more worthy' to be called thy son.

-rebelled] For the pronunciation of the final ed, and likewise of eth, see Appendix.

Repènt ye] The falling inflection is here adopted, as best shewing that the words express a command, not a request.]

E'nter-not] This sentence, notwithstanding Mr. Sheridan's remarks, is still frequently read thus: "Enter not into judgment with thy sérvant-O-Lord"-the conclusion, naturally to be expected, would be-" but enter into judgment with those that are not-thy-servants."-Sheridan's subsequent comment is excellent: "Enter not into judgment, i. e. the severity of judgment with thy servant; for in thy'-sight, which is allpiercing, and can spy the smallest blemishes, shall no man living be justified :—no man on earth; no, not the best, shall be found perfect, or sufficiently pure to stand the examination of the eye of purity itself."

10. En'ter-not' into judgment-with-thy-ser

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-12

21,

vant' O Lord; for in THY'-sight' shall nó mán

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living be justified.

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11. If we say' that we have no"-sin,, we de

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céive-ourselves, and the truth-is-not-ìn-us: bút

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if we confèss-our-sins, He is faithful and jùst' to forgive-us-our-sins, and to cléanse-us' from áll unrighteousness.

THE EXHORTATION.

Déarly-beloved Brethren!-the Scripture

-He' is faithful and just] The practice adopted by some readers of substituting the word 'God' for 'He,' appears to be a violation, if not of the letter, at least of the spirit of the fourteenth canon. As there is no antecedent to 'He,' the sentence may be used with most propriety after one of the preceding sentences in which the word 'God, Lord, or Father' occurs. It may best be coupled with the fourth, fifth, sixth, or ninth sentence. When it is thus associated, the commencement of it may be read in the following manner, which differs from that which would be used if the sentence were introduced alone :

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"If we say that wè have n'o-sin," &c.]

Dearly-beloved brethren!] If the rising inflection be adopted in pronouncing the word 'brethren,' the address is