Philippa Baumgartner. 1826. PRACTICAL ESSAYS ON THE Morning and Evening Services OF The Church of England. BY THE REV. THOMAS T. BIDDULPH, M. A. Minister of St. James's, Bristol; Chaplain to the Right Hon. the VOL. I. THE FOURTH EDITION OF Essay I. to XII. SECOND EDITION OF Remainder of the Three Volumes. Hold fast the form of sound words. 2 TIM. i. 13. London: SOLD BY LONGMAN, HURST, REES, AND ORME; RIVINGTONS, MOZLEY, GAINSBOROUGH; BINNS, BATH; ALSO LANSDOWN, BRISTOL, AND ALL OTHER BOOKSELLERS. Printed by J. Evans, Bristol Mercury Office. 45-397877 T PREFACE. THE following Essays are submitted to the public eye, without any idea that the sentiments which they contain deserve attention on account either of elegance or novelty, or that they have any superiority in style or arrangement to other numerous publications on the same subject, as a recommendation to general acceptance. But since the truths which these pages exhibit are of unspeakable importance to all persons in every age; since the writings of a cotemporary are, in general, more likely to be perused than books (however excellent) which have long been sleeping on the shelves of our libraries; and since every writer hath his circle of friends and acquaintance who, either from curiosity or partiality, will be induced to look into his productions; the author has been persuaded to put his thoughts into print, praying that the blessing of the great Head of the Church may attend this small labour of love. He is conscious how inadequate his abilities are to the undertaking, but is convinced, at the same time, that "the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the "strong;" and therefore presumes humbly to hope, that He, who often chuses for the manifestation of His glory to employ means apparently the most unlikely to produce the intended effect, will be pleased to smile on this humble attempt to promote the interests of His holy religion and the benefit of His church and people. |