has uninterruptedly existed in parish churches for 260 years.

"The king has no power to order or enforce the adoption of any collection of metrical Psalms or Hymns; it being wholly at the discretion of congregations, to accept or reject them."—Gray's Inquiry, pp. 68, 69.

If these views be correct, the old "authorised" version runs no small risk of being considered illegal. The objection applies to all -metrical compositions, whether Psalms or Hymns, which have not received the allowance or permission of the king.

With regard, therefore, to the strict legality of the question, we do not perhaps differ very materially from the bishop of Peterborough: but we can by no means concur in his reasoning. It proves, we think, a great deal too much. By the same method of argumentation it might easily be demonstrated, if this be demonstration, that no clergyman ought ever to preach a sermon of his own composition, nor even of his own selection*. In the following extract we are answerable for the words inserted between brackets: the rest is verbatim from the bishop.

"Let us see, therefore, whether there are no legal restraints on the exercise of that power, which is now so frequently assumed in the introduction of [original sermons] Psalms and hymns for the use of our churches. Even the Acts of Uniformity, though the letter of them does not extend to metrical compositions, are at least by the spirit of them decidedly adverse to that liberty, in which too many of the clergy at present indulge. The Act for the Unifor. mity of Service,' which passed in the second year of Edward VI., the Act for the Uniformity of Common Prayer and

We are aware that sermons stand on a different ground from the Liturgy: but not as it respects this argument. "A licence to preach," says Mr. Nicoll, "is admitted; but in every other respect the clergy are restricted: and even this licence has been abused by contradictory explanations of the Thirty.

nine Articles."

Divine Service in the Church,' which passed in the first year of Elizabeth, and lastly the Act which passed in the fourteenth year of Charles II., and is commonly known as the Act of Uniformity, have no less for their object a uniformity of doctrine than a uniformity in external worship. Indeed the latter would be of no use without the former. And how is it possible to maintain a uniformity of doctrine in our churches, if every clergyman is at liberty to introduce into the service of his church whatever [sermons] psalms or hymns he thinks proper to adopt? Indeed our cles of Religion, must thus be rendered Acts of Uniformity, as well as our Artinugatory. It will be of no avail to preserve a consistency of doctrine throughout the prayers of the church, if different doctrines are inculcated by the aid of [sermons] psalms and hymns. Nor must we forget, that the impression, which is made by [sermons] the singing of hymns, is much more powerful, and much more durable, than the effect which is produced by the reading of prayers. The importance also which in many places attaches to the [sermon or] hymn-book, is equal, if not superior, to the importance ascribed to the Prayerbook. Hence, the former becomes the [guide or rule] manual for doctrine as well as devotion: and though the prayers of the Liturgy cannot be omitted, it is the [sermon or] hymn-book which too frequently supplies the most valued portion of Divine Service."-Bp. of Peterborough's Charge, pp. 32, 33.

We might proceed in the same way through the whole of his lordship's reasoning, as exhibited in the next, and part of the following pages, and with equal justice of applica tion. When we recollect, moreover, that Homilies were provided by the Reformers themselves; that, according to the Ordination Service, it is expressly said to appertain to a deacon to read holy Scriptures and Homilies in the church, and to instruct the youth in Catechism: that the false doctrine of a sermon preached, and not published, is less open to public detection than that of a printed selection of Psalms or hymns; and that some scores of additional Articles, or of propositions which have the force aud

with regard to the Church Bible, and that which relates to metrical Psalms." -Gray on Psalmody, pp. 10, 11.

Certainly, to make the cases analogous, it should have been proved that the Acts of Uniformity, &c. had enjoined the singing of metrical Psalms, as they have enjoined the reading of chapters from the Scriptures. Had this been the fact, a version might, and probably would, have been appointed, revised, and corrected by his Majesty's special command. The royal authority would have ordered what version of Psalms should be sung, as it has prescribed what version of the Scriptures shall be read: but as no order appears in the Acts of Uniformity for any use of metrical Psalms, there is at once an end to the analogy.

6. Having now disposed, as we think, of the strict abstract question of right and legality, we must offer a few remarks upon that of expediency; and we begin by expressing our opinion of the inexpediency of restricting congregations to mere versions of the Psalms.

Metrical Psalmody is in these days a very important part of public worship, and it ought to be adapted to the views and feelings of Christian worshippers. But however excellent may be the versions of the Psalms, yet if they are in any measure literal, something is still wanting to a Christian congregation" something," as the editors of the Buckden selection judiciously observe,

«‹ that, in addition to the holy effusions of the Old Testament, may convey that clearer view of God's dispensations, those astonishing hopes and consoling promises, which are supplied by the inspired penmen of the New. For al though in sublime descriptions of the attributes and perfections of the Almighty, in earnestness of supplication, and in warmth of adoration, the royal Psalmist must ever stand unrivalled, yet his knowledge of Divine things was necessarily incomplete, because the 'Day-spring had not yet dawned from

on high. Even under the influence of prophetic inspiration, David saw but as 'through a glass darkly,' the saving truths of redemption and sanctification. These truths, therefore, taught as they were by our Lord and his Apostles, and illustrated by the great transactions of his life and death, may surely form, in for devotional melodies, as the events a Christian congregation, as fit subjects of Jewish history, and precepts of the Mosaic Law, suggested to the holy Psalmist."-Gray on Psalmody, pp. 63, 64.

Mr. Kennedy has several observations, which, although introduced for a different purpose, appear to us so just and appropriate in refer ence to this particular subject, that we cannot deny ourselves the satisfaction of adducing a few of them,

in

confirmation of our views.

The words selected for singing, he tells us, should have some immediate connexion with the people: they should be such as the congre gation feel, and in which they ought cordially to join. If it be the pure and legitimate end of Psalmody to express and increase our own de votion, and to edify one another; if the passages which are sung should be not only such as represent how other men served God in particular situations, but such as we can use in serving him ourselves, and such as we can jointly sing to tions are here to be called into his praise and glory: if our affecexercise, and the words, therefore, which we adopt are not only to be that not to a particular individual intelligible but interesting; and under particular circumstances, but to all who are present: if, for this end, they should convey some truth, which all habitually acknowledge: some doctrine, which all unfeignedly and reverentially believe; praise to God for instances of mercy and goodness, of which all are or may be partakers; confessions of sin, which all have more or less committed; prayers for pardon and sanctification, of which all stand in need; petitions to be delivered from dangers, temporal and

spiritual, by which all have been more or less assailed, or to which they are constantly exposed: if Mr. Kennedy be correct in furnishing us with these representations of the matter, then we think a strong case is made out against any version of the Psalms exclusively. For, granting that the Psalms may be considered as the "sacred storehouse from which Divine songs may chiefly be taken," it is certain that very few passages of moderate length can be selected from them of a nature suited to a Christian congregation, without dislocating the thoughts of the writer, and bringing together sentiments which he had detached.

"Many parts of the Psalter," observes Mr. Kennedy," abound too much in historical allusion to be sung in churches; and others contain expressions which derive their chief force and propriety from the circumstances which gave rise to them, or from the persons and characters by whom they were uttered. It is, hence, evident, that in order to supply singing Psalms conducive to devotion and edification, selections must be made from the metrical versions, according to the advice given by Bishops Gib

son and Porteus; and it is equally evident that great care and judgment must be exercised in making such selections as are fit for the purpose. Whole Psalms, or connected portions of them, may be sometimes adopted. But, in order to obtain suitable matter, it is frequently necessary, (as I find it observed in a

sensible preface to a small selection of Psalms from the new version) not to regard the order in which the verses stand in the original, and only to put together such passages of a Psalm as form an extract, which may be a proper whole in itself, conveying some acknowledgment of Christian faith or duty, some sentiment of penitence, of praise, of thanksgiving.””-Kennedy on Psalmody, pp. 45, 46.

Unquestionably, if versions of the Psalms alone are to be used, we must have recourse to selections. But independently of the objection which may be reasonably made to the use of these mutilated and scattered fragments, for which, how

ever excellent in themselves, the Psalmist can scarcely be responsible in their unconnected state, it is admitted by Mr. Kennedy himself, that the course or number of singing Psalms must be very limited. He complains, and, so far as our observation goes, not without great reason, of all the selections of this sort which have fallen in his way: and more than once alludes to the difficulty, which he has doubtless experienced, of making each of his singing Psalms intelligible to the several members of his congregation. Short they must necessarily be; and, in many cases, he would find it requisite, as he justly states, to alter and correct his stanzas. "Thus far a selection from the

authorised versions may with propriety go, and sometimes must go, if he wishes to make his extracts connected or instructive." (p. 87.) And when he has done all this, he leaves himself still open to the remarks of the editors at Buckden, and even, we think, to his own animadversions.

The narrow limits within which Christian Psalmody must be confined, if we adopt only a close version of the Psalms, have induced some writers to give them what is considered a more spiritual turn: and so long as they do not transgress the bounds which the just interpretation of the Psalms on Christian principles would prescribe, they doubtless adapt them much more to the state of a Christian congregation. The selection may be made still larger, if a greater latitude in this respect be allowed: but, independently of other considerations, it may be objected to such a version, that it partakes rather of the nature of a Hymnbook than a Psalm-book: au objection which will not be vehemently urged by those who approve of the introduction of hymns, provided that the work is otherwise unobjectionable: but certainly it ceases to have the characteristic marks of a version of the Psalms.