ur great occupations of Worship, without regard to
their order in the Service. We have already pointed out that
_Thanksgiving_ and _Prayer_ spring from the sense of man's wants and
his dependence on God; and that the _Reading of God's Word_ in these
Services is not for study but for _Praise_. We shall therefore find
the Thanksgiving after the Prayers, and the Lessons (or Lections) of
Holy Scripture amongst the Praises.

The Confession.

The capital letters indicate that this was to be, as it were, dictated
to the people, sentence by sentence: and the Rubric implies the same.
It will be remembered that books were scarce when this Rubric was
prepared. Literal obedience to it is often very impressive, and a real
addition to the solemnity of the act. On ordinary occasions in some
Churches, the Minister leads the Confession without the formal
separation of each clause from the next.

The expressions, used here to acknowledge the wickedness of sin and the
defects of human life, will seem to be excessive whenever we are making
light of {31} our faults. But in proportion as we realise the
perfection of God's holiness, we shall find them suitable to every
shade of defect and sin.

The comprehensive humility of this Confession is designed to include
both modified faults and grave offences--whether by commission,
omission or indolence. The full acknowledgment of the different forms
of sin is followed by prayer for mercy and recovery, relying upon the
promises declared in Jesus Christ.

The Absolution.

As God's answer to Confession, this is pronounced by God's own
messenger. The messenger must have full credentials; i.e. a Deacon
must not say the Absolution.

Both here and in the Confession, the _Titles and Attributes_ of God
should be noticed. His power and mercy were made the grounds of our
appeal to Him. His mercy and authority are now made the grounds of His
answer. The fulness of the declaration of them gives emphasis to the
declaration of pardon which follows.

We find four parts in the Confession and the same parts in the
Absolution, viz.

1. The Title and Attributes of God.

2. The substantial part, i.e. Confession or Absolution.

3. The prayer which is founded thereon.

4. The appeal through our Lord.

{32}

Rubrics.

Before the invention of printing (15th century), the directions in Law
Manuscripts had been written in red, in order to distinguish them from
the Statutes. This distinc