PRAYERS AND THANKSGIVINGS UPON SEVERAL THE ORDER OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE THE FORM OF SOLEMNIZATION OF MATRIMONY. ON LITURGIES. Jesus Christ used a Liturgy. He attended the Synagogue at Nazareth. The service consisted of prayers, and of the reading and exposition of the Scriptures. On one occasion he read the 61st chapter of the Book of the Prophet Isaiah and told the congregation, "This day is this Scripture fulfilled in your ears.' He also worshipped in the Temple at Jerusalem. In addition to the service of the Synagogue, the appointed sacrifices were offered in the Temple. There was also a full choral service. After the preparation of the altar, and the killing of the morning sacrifice, the President of the Temple called upon the congregation to offer their prayers. The service opened with this beautiful prayer: "Thou hast loved us, O Lord our God with an everlasting love with great and abundant compassion hast thou compassionated us, O our Father, our King, for our Fathers' sake who trusted in thee, and thou taughtest them statutes of life. So be gracious to us also, O our Father, -O most merciful Father,-O thou compassionate one, pity us and put into our hearts to know, understand, obey, learn, teach, observe, do, and perform all the words of the doctrine of thy law in love, and enlighten our eyes by thy law, and cause our hearts to cleave to thy commandments, and unite our hearts to love and to fear thy name." After this prayer the Ten Commandments were rehearsed, and the people read over their phylacteries. These consisted of four sections, or paragraphs of the law written on two parchments which they conLuke iv., 21. 66 66 tinally wore, including Exodus xiii., 3-10; xiii., 11-16. Deuteronomy vi., 4—9 and xi., 13—21. Then followed the burning of incense. Lots were drawn to determine who was to offer it but the person chosen could not begin, even if he were the High Priest himself, until the President said, "Sir, offer:" and as soon as the incenseofferer commenced, the congregation finished the remaining four prayers. The following benediction was prononnced in the last prayer, upon the COURSE entering upon their duties : He that caused his name to dwell in this House, cause to dwell among you love, and brotherhood, and peace, and friendship." And the form of final blessing was in these words: "The Lord bless thee and keep thee: the Lord make his face shine upon thee and be gracious unto thee the Lord lift up his countenance upon thee and give thee peace." To which the people responded, "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting." The daily Psalms sung during the week were the 26, 48, 82, 94, 81, and 93. And on the Sabbath the 92nd Psalm in addition: and also an additional sacrifice. In the Morning Service the Levites sang the Song of Moses in Deuteronomy, 22 ch., and in the Evening the Song of Moses in Exodus, 15 ch. At the Passover they sang the "Egyptian Hallel," in commemoration of their deliverance out of Egypt. It consisted of the Psalms 113 to 118 inclusive. The latter part, it is said, was sung by Jesus and his disciples after the institution of the "Lord's Supper."† * Numbers vi., 24, 26. The Temple Service: Lightfoot's Works, Vol. ix., 8vo. |