s>S4 
L E S 
Joining thus the reading of Scripture with the public 
devotions of the chinch, is a very ancient ulage, not only 
among Chriftians, hut Jews. We are told, A> 5 ls xv. 21. 
that Mofes was read in the fynagogucs every Jahbath-day ; and 
again, that the Prophets were read at Jerufalem every fabbath- 
day. We learn from jtiftin Martyr, that in his time it 
was the cuitom to read Lefi'ons out of the Prophets and 
Apoflles in the aflembly of the faithful. 1 Apol. ch. lxxxvii. 
The church has more than one method of chcofing 
thefe leffons, and prefcribing their order. For the leffons 
on ordinary week-days, the method is, to begin with the 
firft chapter of Genefis on the firfl dav of January, and fo 
continue till all the books of the Old Teifament are read 
through, with the exception of certain omifiions. Thus, 
the iBooks of Chronicles are omitted, becaufethey are for 
the moll part the fame with the Books of Samuel and 
Kings. The Song of Solomon is wholly omitted, becaufe 
it fliould be read with a difpolition to underftand it fpiri- 
tually, and therefore it is not thought a proper piece of 
writing for a mixed congregation : the Jews, for this 
reafon, are forbidden by their doctors to read it till they 
are thirty years of age ; and ther^ leems the like reafon 
fora fimilar forbearance amongft us. Ifaiah is not read in 
order, but poftponed to be read at the time of Advent; 
this evangelical prophet being the bell admonitor to pre¬ 
pare us for a true faith in the mvftery of Chrill’s incar¬ 
nation and birth. Several chapters in Ezekiel are omitted 
on account of the myftical vilions which they contain. 
There are omiffions of particular chapters, for reafons that 
do not always appear, but no doubt were good ones in 
the minds of our reformers. After all the canonical books 
of the Old Tellament are in this manner read through, 
the remaining part of the year is lupplied from feveral 
books of the Apocrypha, which, though not canonical, 
have yet been allowed by the judgment of the church, for 
many ages pall, to be ecclefiaflical and good. For this 
reafon, the books of Wifdom, Ecclefiafticus, Tobit, Ju¬ 
dith, and the Maccabees, were recommended by the coun¬ 
cil of Carthage to be publicly read in the church. They 
are read by ourchurch, according to the expreflion of our 
< 5 tb Article, for example of life, and injlruftion of manners, but 
■not to efiablifk any dodrine. Conformably with this diftinc- 
tion, there is no Sunday in the year that has any leifon 
from the Apocrypha. 
The method of choofing leffons for Sundays is different 
from that of the ordinary week-days. From Advent to 
Septuagefima Sunday, fome particular chapters out of 
Ifaiah are appointed, for the reafons before mentioned. 
But on Septuagefima Sunday, Genefis is begun, becaufe 
then begins the time of penance and mortification, to 
which the beginning of Genefis is deemed to fuit bell, as 
it relates the original of our rnifery by the fail of Adam, 
and God’s fevere judgment on the world for fin. We 
find, that, for the fame reafon, this book was, in the pri¬ 
mitive ages, appointed for reading in Lent. After Gene¬ 
fis, follow the other books as they lie in order; but fuch 
chapters only are feleffed as were judged molt edifying 
to a large congregation, like that which attends public 
worfliip on Sundays. 
Upon Saints’ days another method is obferved. On 
them the church appoints lelfons out of the moral books, 
fuch as Proverbs, Ecclefiaftes, Ecclefiafticus, and Wifdom ; 
which, being full of excellent inftruririon, are fit to be read 
on the days of faints, whole exemplary lives and deaths 
are the caufes of the church commemorating them, and 
commending them to our imitation. 
Other holy-days, fuch as Chrillmas Day, Circumcifion, 
Epiphany, See. have proper lelfons of their own, fuited to 
the occafion. It may here be obferved, that there have 
been proper lelfons on all holy-days appointed, even fo 
early as the time of St. Auguftine; in which appoint¬ 
ments, however, changes were made in fubfequent times. 
With refpeft to the Second Lelfons, there is no differ¬ 
ence made between Sundays and week-days : the method 
is to read the Gofpels and Afls of the Apollles in the 
morning, and the Epifties in the evenings bo tit ia tUe or- 
L E S 
der in which they ftand in the New Te/lament, with the 
exception of Proper Lelfons, that are read on Saints’ Days 
and Holy-days. The Revelations are wholly omitted, 
with the exception of the firlland lad chapters, which are 
read on the day of their author, St. John the Evangelitt; 
and part of the 19th chapter, which is very properly ap¬ 
pointed for All-Saints’ day. r 
By this method, the Old Tellament, with few excep¬ 
tions, is read through once, and the New Tedament thrice, 
in the year, which is conformable" with the practice laid 
down by the ancient fathers, for the exercife of Chrillians 
in a knowledge of Scripture. 
The Scriptures being the word of God, the reading of 
them is an aft of authority ; and therefore the minifter is' 
to read them ftanding. In former times the people Itood ; 
And Ezra opened the book in the fght of all the people-, and 
when he opened it all the people flood up. Neh. v ii i. 5. A mon o- 
the primitive Chriftians, thofe only who were infirm were 
permitted to fit during the reading of the Scriptures. In 
our Rubric there is no poiture preferibed. for the Con°re- 
gation ; and therefore they fit. ‘ Cookfon's Notes and Reeves's 
Introd. to the Comm. Prayer. 
To LESS'ON, v. a. To teach ; to inftrufl.—Children 
fhould be feaioned betimes, and leffoned into a contempt 
and deteflation of this vice. L'EJlrange's Fables. 
Even in kind love, I do conjure thee 
To leffon me. Shakejp. Two Gentlemen of Verona. 
LESS'ONITZ, a town of Bohemia, in the circle of 
Kaurzim : eight miles fouth-eaft of Prague. 
LES'SORjy. One who lets any thing to farm, or other- 
wile, by leafe.—If he demifes the glebe to a layman, the 
tenant mull pay the irnall tithes to the vicar, and the great 
tithes to the lefjor. Alyffe's Parergon. 
Lords of the world have but for life their leafe; 
And that too, if the leffor pleafe, mull ceafe. Denham. 
LEST, conj. [from the adjeflive leaf.'] This particle 
may be fometimes refolved into that net , meaning preven¬ 
tion or care left a thing fliould happen.—Forty itripes he 
may give him, and not exceed, Icjl, if he fliould exceed, 
then thy brother fliould feem vile. Deut. xxv. 
My labour will fuftain me ; and, left cold 
Or heat fliould injure us, his timely care 
Hath unbefought provided. Milton. 
It fometimes means only that, with a kind of emphafis 1 
One doubt 
Purfues me Hill, left all I cannot die ; 
Left that pure breath of life, the fpirit of man, 
Which God infpir’d, cannot tog«ther perifli 
With this corporeal clod. Milton:. 
To LEST, v. n. [ufed by Spenfer for] To liften : 
Though looking up unto the cry to left, 
They faw that carle from farre with hand unbleft 
Hayling that mayden by the yellow heare. Fairy Queen, 
LES'TERCOCK, f .—They have a device of two fticks 
filled with corks, and croffed flationg, out of wliofe rnidfl 
there rifeth a thread, and at the fame hangeth a fail; to- 
this engine, termed a lejlercock, they tie one end of their 
boulter, fo as the wind coming from the fliore filleth the 
fail, and the fail carrieth the boulter into the fea, which, 
after the refpite of fome hours, is drawn in again by n 
cord fattened at the nearer end. Carew. 
LES'TALL. See Laystall. 
LES'TERP,, a town of France, in the department of 
the Charente: five miles eaft of Confident, and eight 
north-north-well of St, Junien. 
LESTA'NO, a town of Italy, in the Friuli: fifteen 
miles weft of Udina. 
LES'TI, a town of Sweden, in the government of Wafas 
fifty-four miles eaft of Jacoblladt. 
LESTIBUDE'SIA, ft. [named in honour of M. Leftiboit- 
dois, a French naturalift.J In botany, a genus is feparated 
from Cslalia (by Aub. du Petit Thomas, Plant. Afric.} 
