Let the people praise thee, O God; yea, let all the people praise thee.

Then shall the earth bring forth her increase; and God, even our own God, shall give us his blessing.

God shall bless us; and all the ends of the world shall fear him.

cious illumination, "the way" of his providence and man's duty to him, "may be known upon earth, his saving health," the means by which he heals and saves men's souls, "to all nations :" who are invited to "rejoice and be glad," because "he shall judge the folk righteously," shall govern and reward the people of the world, (for so the word "folk" signifies, and was not a low expression formerly,) by the equitable and merciful rules of Christianity. For "then," on our doing this, "the earth shall bring forth her increase" more plentifully; "and God, even our own God, shall give us his blessing," temporal and spiritual: for "godliness hath promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come." Abp. Secker.

This Psalm is sometimes called "Deus misereatur," because inthe Latin version it begins with these words. And it is very properly used after the second Lesson, which is always taken out of the New Testament; because therein we may conveniently express our desires of the farther propagation of the Gospel. This Psalm is also a prayer to God, and therefore it must not be barely repeated, but addressed to our Maker in the most solemn manner. Dr. Bennet.

This Psalm, and the Cantate Domino, were first introduced in the second Liturgy of King Edward. Wheatley.

In this evangelical Psalm, the Israelitish Church is introduced, as partly praying for, and partly foretelling the advent of Christ, and the conversion of the nations, with the joy and gladness that should be consequent thereupon. The Christian Church now uses, and will continue to use the Psalm, with propriety, until th fulness of the Gentiles shall be come in, the conversion of the Jews effected, and Christ shall appear the second time, finally to accomplish the salvation of his chosen.

1. The Israelitish Church, by the mouth of the prophet, expresseth her ardent desire after Messiah's advent, and appearance in the flesh; she prayeth that God would be "merciful unto her," as he had promised; that, by so doing, he would "bless" her with the blessings of pardon and peace, of grace and glory; and in one word, that he would cause his face to shine upon her," by the rising of the sun of righteousness making her to behold the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ; reviving her with the glad tidings of the Gospel;

"

Or this.

Benedic, Anima mea. Ps. ciii. (16.) PRAISE the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me praise his holy name.

Praise the Lord, O my soul; and forget not all his benefits;

and enlightening her with the light of salvation.

2. Nor was she studious, as her degenerate children have been, to confine the favour of heaven within her own pale. If she had a good wish for herself, she had one likewise for others; and therefore prayed, that the "way" to life eternal might be "known," not in Jewry alone, but over all the "earth ;" and that the virtues of that salutary medicine, which was able to restore "health" and vigour to the diseased and languishing spirits of men, might be published "among all nations.”

3. As if she had said-Hitherto, indeed, blessed Lord, thou hast thought fit to make me the guardian and keeper of that great deposit, thy true religion, from which the nations revolted, and fell: but the time is coming, when, by the Gospel of thy dear Son, they shall again be called to the knowledge of thee. Thy glory, impatient, as it were, of any longer restraint, and demanding a larger sphere, shall diffuse itself like the light of heaven, to the ends of the world. Hasten, then, O Hasten the dawning of that happy day, when congregations of converted Gentiles shall every where lift up their voices, and, perhaps in the words of this very Psalm, sing to thy praise and glory!

4. And a very sufficient cause, surely, is here assigned, why the "nations" should “be glad, and sing for joy," upon the erection of Messiah's kingdom in the midst of them; namely, because he would "judge the people righteously;" breaking the yoke of the oppressor, and the iron rod of the prince of this world; becoming himself an advocate in the cause of his Church; introducing her into the glorious liberty of the children of God, whose service is perfect freedom; and, with a sceptre, around which justice and mercy are wreathed together, "governing the nations upon earth."

5. Chorus repeated as above, v. 3.

6. Then, when that long expected time shall arrive, "the earth shall yield her increase;" the nations of the world shall be converted to the faith, and become fruitful in every good word and work, through the benediction of heaven upon them.

7. The evangelical" blessings," predicted in this Psalm, have been long since poured out upon “the ends of the earth," by the bountiful hand of God in Christ. Let us beseech him to add yet this to all his other mercies, that in return for such un

Who forgiveth all thy sin, and healeth all thine infirmities;

Who saveth thy life from destruction, and crowneth thee with mercy and loving-kind

ness.

O praise the Lord, ye Angels of his, ye that excel in strength; ye that fulfil his commandment, and hearken unto the voice of his word.

O praise the Lord, all ye his hosts; ye servants of his that do his pleasure.

O speak good of the Lord, all ye works of his, in all places of his dominion. Praise thou the Lord, O my soul.

merited favours, the redeemed may have grace evermore to pay him the tribute of fear and obedience, of duty and love. BP. HORNE.

(16.) 1. The Psalmist, about to utter a song of praise, first endeavours to awaken and stir up his "soul" to the joyful task. He calleth forth all his powers and faculties, "all that is within him," that every part of his frame may glorify its Saviour; that the understanding may know him, the will choose him, the affections delight in him, the heart believe in him, and the tongue confess him. "Praise the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me praise his holy name."

2. Thanksgiving cannot be sincere and hearty, unless a man bear impressed upon his mind, at the time, a quick sense of "benefits" received; and "benefits" we are most of us apt to forget;" those, especially, which are conferred upon us by God. Therefore David repeateth his self-awakening call, and summoneth all his powers of recollection, that none of the divine favours might continue unnoticed and unacknowledged. A catalogue of such particular mercies, temporal and spiritual, as each individual hath experienced through life, might be of service, to refresh the memory, upon this important head.

3. At the head of God's mercies must for ever stand "remission of sin," or that full and free pardon purchased for us by Jesus Christ, whereby, if We truly repent and believe in him, our transgressions, though ever so many, and ever so great, are done away, and become as if they had never been; from a state of guilt we pass into one of justification, from a state of enmity into one of reconciliation, from a state of servitude into one of liberty and sonship. Next to the pardon of sin, considered as a crime, we are to commemorate the cure of it, considered as a disease, or indeed as a complication of diseases—" Who healeth all thine infirmities." The body experienceth the melancholy consequen ces of Adam's offence, and is subject to many "infirmities;" but the soul is subject to as many. What is pride, but lunacy; what is anger, but a

Then shall be said the Apostles' Creed, by the Minister and the People, standing: And any Churches may omit the words, He descended into Hell, or may, instead of them, use the words, He went into the place of departed Spirits, which are considered as words of the same meaning in the Creed.

I BELIEVE in God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth :

And in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord; Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, Born of the Virgin Mary, Suffered

fever; what is avarice, but a dropsy; what is lust, but a leprosy; what is sloth, but a dead palsy ? Perhaps there are spiritual maladies similar to all corporeal ones. When Jesus Christ was upon earth, he proved himself the physician of men's souls, by the cures which he wrought upon their bodies. It is he alone who "forgiveth all our iniquities;" it is he alone who "healeth all our infirmities." And the person who findeth his sin cured," hath a well grounded assurance that it is forgiven."

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4. Man hath two "lives;" he is therefore subject to a double "destruction;" and, consequently, capable of a twofold redemption. He who is recovered from sickness, and thereby redeemed from that destruction which natural death bringeth upon the body, will undoubtedly sing this strain in transports of gratitude; and he ought so to do. But what will be the sensations of him who celebrates, in the same words, the spiritual redemption of his soul from death and destruction everlasting? How is he "crowned" with the "loving kindness" of Jehovah; how is he encircled by the arms of "mercy ?"

BP. HORNE.

5. Let the angels, therefore, who know his greatness, power, and gracious providence, better than I, bless and praise his holy name: let those mighty ones, whose strength surpasses all the powers on earth, and yet never dispute his sacred commands, give praise unto him with all their might, and with the same cheerfulness wherewith they obey his word.

6. Let the whole company of heaven, all the several hosts of those glorious creatures who have been employed by his majesty so many ways for our good, and understand how much we are beholden to his love, speak good of his name, and praise his mercy, both to themselves, and unto us.

7. Yea, let every creature, throughout the wide world, proclaim as well as it is able, the loving kindness of the Lord: let none of them be silent, but all with one consent bless his holy name: and thou, O my soul, be sure thou never forget to make

(18.) We make this profession of our belief, because some had spoken of the human and divine nature of our Saviour, which they called Jesus and Christ, as two Persons not united. The words "light of light" intimating that his divine nature is from the Father, as light is from the sun, or as one light without diminution of itself kindles another, were intended for some imperfect illustration, and doubtless a very imperfect one it is, and any other must be, of his mysterious generation.

Abp. Secker.

This Creed is somewhat more full and explicit than that of the apostles. That grand article of our faith, the divinity of our blessed Saviour, is here strongly asserted: that he is "God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God," really, truly, and properly God; "begotten, not made," or created; "being of the same substance," that is, of the same nature, or essence, "with the Father;" and that "by HIM," namely, by the Son, (see below,) "all things were made." After speaking of his incarnation, birth, suffering, resurrection, and coming to judgment "with glory," which are noticed in the other Creeds, these words follow, "of whose kingdom there shall be no end;" which are part of the angel's address to the Virgin Mary, Luke i. 33. For though his mediatorial kingdom shall cease,

The articles, in which this Creed particularly differs from the Apostles', were introduced into it, not because the Church believed more in the year 300 than in the year 50, but because the Arians believed less. Particular attention is due to this point, because the enlargement of the Creed seems to present an appearance, as if the Church had enlarged her faith and great stress has been laid upon this, without the least shadow of truth, in modern publications. The reverse was fact. The Arians explained away what before was not doubted, and the Church only asserted her former belief in plainer Dean Vincent.

terms.

(19.) That is, true God of true God. All these expressions were introduced into the Creed, to express, if possible, what is meant by styling Christ, God. That is, we declare that he is God the Son from God the Father, truly and verily God, as we conceive the Father to be; and the addition of light derived from light was intended to exemplify a communication of the divine attributes, without detracting any thing from the prerogative of the Father. These are not articles of faith, but an endeavor to express our meaning. We are accused of turning a similitude or comparison into an article of faith. God forbid! But it was the language of Scripture and of the fathers, to express the communication of the Godhead to the Son, by the comparison of light from light; because light communicated detracts nothing from the original light; fire communicated diminishes not the fire from which it is derived. This is the explanation meant to be delivered. It marks the sameness of the substance in the two Persons. In a word, we profess nothing more in this part of the Nicene Creed, than we professed in the Apostles', that we "believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord."

As all the explanations of this Creed arise from the circumstance of Christ being called God in Scripture, and described with the attributes of God, let us first establish the proof of this, and then leave the consequence to the authority of Scripture.

He is styled God by St. John, who says in direct

ten, not made, Being of one substance with the Father; By whom all things were made; (20) Who for us m ́n, and for our salvation, cave down from heaven, And was inearnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary, And was made man, And was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate. He suffered anu was buried; And the third day he rose terms. "The Word was with God, and the Word was God," John i. 1. It is in consequence of this passage, that the Catholic Church maintained the distinction of persons and the unity of substance: if the Word was with God, the Word and God were two: if the Word was God, they were as manifestly one.

St. Matthew says, "They shall call his name, Emmanuel; which, being interpreted, is, God with us," Matt. i. 23. St. Luke declares, that John the Baptist should "turn many to the Lord their God, and he shall go before Him," Luke i. 16, 17. St. Paul asserts, that "Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever," Rom. ix. 5. And lastly the Epistle to the Hebrews applies the words of David to Christ, "unto the Son he saith, Thy Throne, O God, is for ever and ever." Heb. i. 8.

Now if all these Scriptures declare Christ to be God, what accusation can lie against the Church, for professing to believe that he is God? The Jew, the heathen, or the deist, may use these passages as a reason, why he rejects the Gospel: but the Arian, who allows the Gospel, can have no ground to stand on, but by explaining away the meaning of the word "God" by pretending that it has two meanings; and in short by calling the Father and the Son two Gods, whom the Gospel and the Church never call two Gods, but two Persons.

We say also, that, as Scripture gives Christ the title of God, so likewise does it give him the divine attributes of eternity, omniscience, and omnipresence. The language of Scripture is, "In the beginning was the Word. He is before all things. Thy throne, O God, is for ever. Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth. Thou, Lord, knowest the hearts of men." And, finally, our Saviour himself says, " Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them."

Again, the work of creation is attributed to both the Father and the Son. For, as the Old Testa⚫ment declares, "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth," so the Gospel asserts, "all things were made by the Word, (the Son) and without him, was not any thing made that was made," John i. 3. And St. Paul adds, "By him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, all things were

cended into heaven, And sitteth on the right hand of the Father; And he shall come again, with glory, to judge both the quick and the dead; Whose kingdom shall have no end. (21.)

And I believe in the Holy Ghost, (22.) The Lord and giver of life; Who proceedeth from the Father and the Son; Who

created by him and for him, and by him all things consist," Col. i. 16, 17.

Other prerogatives ascribed to the Son, are, that "he is the image of the invisible God, Col. i. 15; the brightness of the glory of the Father, the express image of his Person, Heb. i. 3; that in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily," Col. ii. 9.

And, finally, the Scripture declares, that he is equal with the Father, and that worship is due to him as God. St. Paul, in the Epistle to the Philippians, says, "being in the form of God he thought it not robbery to be equal with God," Phil. ii. 6. And Christ himself declares, that "all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father: he, that honoureth not the Son, honoureth not the Father that sent him," John v. 23. Lastly, the Epistle to the Hebrews proclaims, "Let all the angels of God worship him," Heb. i. 6. This worship his disciples actually did pay to him after his resurrection: and from the Revelation we learn, that "the saints in heaven shall worship him for ever and ever."

Having all these texts before us, what must we think of the Arian teachers, who are forced to explain away the clear and obvious sense of every passage, and apply a meaning of their own, which they can only deduce by figurative, metaphorical, or metaphysical interpretation. The Church abides by the written word: and, without seeking to be wise above that which is written, adores in pious reverence a mystery, which she pretends not to comprehend, but which she receives from the word of God, and acknowledges as an article of faith. Dean Vincent.

(20.) These words from their position in the Creed, may seem to refer to the Father; and the improper manner of reading them, sometimes may countenance this mistake. But it is very plain, that they are here applied to the Son; the Father being spoken of in the first part, as "the Maker of heaven and earth," &c. Waldo,

(21.) Lest we should imagine, that Christ should ever cease to be King; the ancient fathers at Constantinople, in the year 381, added these words to the Nicene Creed, against the heresy which then newly arose, denying the eternity of the kingdom of Christ. Bp. Pearson. (22.) The next article of the Creed, relating to

with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified; Who spake by the prophets. And I believe one Catholic and Apostolic Church. (23.) I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins; And I look for the resurrection of the dead, And the life of the world to come. Amen.

And after that, these Prayers following, all devoutly kneeling; the Minister first pronouncing,

The Lord be with you;
Ans. And with thy spirit.

the Holy Ghost, describes him, in the language of Scripture, as "the Lord and Giver of life." He is expressly called "the Lord," 2 Cor. ii. 17, 18. "The Lord is that Spirit ;" and, at the end of the last verse, even as by the Spirit of the Lord,” which should be rather translated, as it is in the margin, "by the Lord, the Spirit." In the same chapter, verse 6, it is said "The Spirit giveth life." And still more strongly, Rom. viii. 2. he is called "the Spirit of life;" the Fountain, the Author, the Giver of spiritual life; without whose divine influence and assistance we are 'dead in trespasses and sins." He is farther spoken of, as "proceeding from the Father and the Son," with respect to his mode of existence, which the compilers of the Creed most probably had in view in this article ; or in the sense of being sent by them, with respect to the economy of grace, and the office he sustains in the work of man's redemption; which, his official procession, is more frequently taken notice of in Scripture, and therefore more material for us to be instructed in. Waldo.

These words, "Lord and Giver of life," ascribed to the Spirit are not to be joined, as one single attribute; but are taken from two different texts of Scripture; in one of which he is called, according to the marginal reading, "the Lord, the Spirit," 2 Cor. iii. 18; and said in the other "to give life,” verse 6; that is, the spiritual life of grace. The phrase "who proceedeth from the Father and the Son," may signify either his deriving from the latter, as well as the former, his eternal subsistence; or, since that has been disputed between the Latin and Greek Church, his being sent by both into the breasts of men, as the Scriptures plainly affirm he is. John xiv. 26; xv. 26 ; xvi. 7. Abp. Secker.

This one expression was added to the Creed after the alterations made in it at the Council of Constantinople in 381; the Constantinopoltian Creed having only "who proceedeth from the Father." Different accounts are given of the insertion of the clause "and the Son." It probably came in first by a private hand in the middle of the 5th century after the procession from the Son was denied

Then shall be said the Collect for the day, (24.) and after that the Collects and Prayers following.

A Collect for Peace. (25.)

O GOD, from whom all holy desires, all

by some of the Greek writers--However, this was the occasion of a schism between the Greek and Latin Churches. Dr. Nicholls. (23.) The Church is called Apostolic, because it was planted by the Apostles, in subordination to our blessed Saviour. Dr. Bennet. This article implies, that there is an unity in the Church, or perhaps only that there is but one irue profession of the faith; and one baptism implies that this Sacrament is not to be repeated. Dean Vincent.

This article, concerning baptism, is very properly inserted, to remind us of the efficacy and necessity of that divine ordinance; whereby we are admitted into the new covenant, and are entitled to all the benefits of it, which are here comprised under that most important one, "the remission of sins," provided we do not forfeit our title to them by our infidelity or disobedience.

Waldo.

(25.) This Collect hath the same title, and seems to have the same subject with that in the Morning Office. And indeed peace is so desirable a blessing, that we cannot pray for it too often; especially for different kinds of peace, as it is in the present case, if we well observe it. In the morning we pray for external, in the evening for internal peace. In the beginning of the day, being to dispatch various affairs, and converse with the world, we desire to be preserved from the injurious affronts and designs of evil men; In the close thereof we request that tranquillity of mind that springs from the testimony of a good conscience, that when our hearts lie as easy as our heads, our sleep may be sweet and quiet. The first kind of peace sometimes the best of men cannot obtain, for the wicked will do wickedly but then this inward peace will support them, and make a calm within when the waves beat most furiously from without. So that this is the most necessary and advantageous. Wherefore we are taught to ask this, (which is cailed the peace of God) from the God of peace, who is here described to us as the author and finisher of all