priest was not required to say the daily Service without a congregation. The present rubric must be considered as a rule providentially preserved, of great value, containing, as it does, a silent witness by which the Church does what she can to provide both for the personal holiness of her ministers, and also to preserve their intercessory character, keeping the rule in that quiet reserve peculiar to her. To these may be added the Prayer of St. Chrysostom, introduced out of the usual course, from the Greek and not from the Latin, holding forth the blessing, “where two or "three are gathered together," as if by an anticipation that it might come to this, that two or three only might be found, which is now often the case.

12. The Vow of Obedience at Baptism new.

But now all the circumstances as yet spoken of may be considered as in a manner but external and preliminary to two important changes, expressive of this principle, which have found their place in the inner sanctuary of our religious worship. Or rather the things alluded to may be looked upon as forming something of a new and peculiar system, raised imperceptibly, with no noise or sound heard in the temple, by an invisible Hand, and of which the change first to be mentioned, is, as it were, the key-stone. It is a new and distinct vow introduced into our Baptismal promise, which did not find a place there till the last Review in the year 1661: the third vow, as it now stands; that of obedience: "Wilt thou then obediently keep God's holy will "and commandments, and walk in the same all the days of thy "life?"

The promise was indeed alluded to in the Catechism, as it now is, from the time of King Edward's First Book; and even had it not been, it would of course be thoroughly implied; and the same may be said of all the other alterations spoken of, for of course obedience is, in every Church, the beginning and end of all Christianity. But what is maintained is, that it brings out in an express and declaratory manner, and lays a stress and emphasis on certain words as in an earnest admonition, by which a peculiar

tone and character is given to the command, so as to convey a new force. All, therefore, that has been said of the Services in general may in this light be considered as but indications of this new Baptismal engagement, which thus pervades the whole Prayer Book with its own appropriate and distinctive marks. And sometimes even in its own Baptismal words, as in the Collect for Easter Even, and in a trifling change in the translation of that for the 18th after Trinity, where "vitare diabolica "contagia" is rendered, " to withstand the temptations of the world, "the flesh, and the devil." Adopting in the translation words from the Baptismal service.

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13. Other peculiarities new in the Baptismal service.

Indeed the deep and humbling tone of mortification which the above Prayer for Easter Even expresses, is throughout the characteristic of our own Baptismal office. We find the Prayer after Baptism going off from the Latin form (given in the Origines Liturgica), into these words entirely its own, "We beseech "Thee to grant that he being dead unto sin, and living unto righteousness, and being buried with CHRIST in His death, may "crucify the old man, and utterly abolish the whole body of "sin; and that as he is made partaker of the death of Thy "SON, he may also be partaker of His resurrection." In the Latin there is none of this, but only that they may preserve "what they have received by integrity of life." Another ancient form in the same place is strongly contrasted in its tone with

ours.

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Compare also the circumstances and Prayers of Baptism in Edward's First Book, with those which we now have. The immersion in the former is followed by this prayer :

"Take this white vesture for a token of the innocence which, "by God's grace, in this holy Sacrament of Baptism, is given "unto thee; and for a sign whereby thou art admonished, so long "as thou livest, to give thyself to innocency of living." Instead of this we have the signing with the Cross, and the Prayer connected with it," of not being ashamed to confess the Faith of

“Christ crucified." A Prayer which formerly preceded Baptism, but is here made to us, in conjunction with that action, to convey the very sign of our Baptismal profession. This retaining of the sanctifying, and perhaps half sacramental, use of the Cross, is of itself very significative, particularly in this place; it is withdrawn indeed into the shade, as if in judgment for the profanation it had undergone; but it thus has its use sanctioned by our Church, and is made to be like an emblem, the corner-stone of our profession, a type and badge of our state, instead of the white vestment. The emblem of mortification we retain, but not that of innocence. There are several minor alterations in the Baptismal service of this character. The words "that he may not be "ashamed to confess the Faith of Christ crucified;" and to con"tinue Christ's faithful soldier and servant unto his life's end;" and that "he may be endued with heavenly virtues;" are not in the ancient forms given in the Origines Liturgicæ. And although there is a parallel form found to our promise, yet the words "walk in the same all the days of thy life," are new. Moreover the following high words of the Latin find no place in our present form, "Templum Dei ingredere." "Sit filius thalami Tui "nuptialis, et hæres regni tui inamissibilis et perennis."

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All these observations, respecting the Office itself, derive an additional force from another peculiarity in the Anglican Church, that of baptizing, as we are required to do, in the public Service of Morning or Evening Prayers; and the reason alleged for this injunction is, that "every man present may be put in remembrance "of his own profession;" that is to say, in the warning voice of the Revelations, "that they remember from whence they are fallen, "and repent, and do their first works." The effect of which custom, prescribed by our Church, may be seen in the fact, that as the practice of it is omitted, something else becomes substi tuted for Baptismal privileges, and Baptismal engagements are lost sight of. In short, the peculiarity of our condition is this: other Churches baptized at the great Festivals, and annually celebrated the same as a joyful solemnity with white robes. introduce the baptism of others as a warning; set it before men as an involuntary and an unwelcome witness.

We

In a manner no less striking does the same distinction follow us to Confirmation also: it is surely very remarkable that the commencement of our present Office containing the "renewal "of the solemn promise and vow" is not found in the Books of Edward; but only the latter part, of Sacramental grace given. In minor points also the same alterations and substitutions occur, introducing the lesson of obedience. A Prayer closely rendered from one given in the Origines Liturgica (excepting the allusion to the sign of the Cross as then made), proceeds in words of its 66 own, that they may be led in the knowledge and "obedience of God's word." The other, which is new, dwells on the 66 same, to direct, sanctify, and govern, both our hearts and "bodies in the ways of Thy laws, and in the words of Thy com"mandments." Contrast these words, thus recurring, with the sensitive dislike evinced to the same in some modern systems, and consider their singularly expressive but silent protest 1.

1 The addition to the Catechism at the last Review, respecting the Sacraments is too important to escape notice; the more important as furnishing the basis, in fact the text book, for ali catechetical teaching. Such a providential insertion respecting the Eucharist may be contrasted with the no less happy omission of an half ambiguous expression against the real and essential "Presence of CHRIST'S "natural Body and Blood" at the Communion, which found its way into Edward's Second Book. To this may be added not only the insertion of the Absolution at the Daily Service, but the alteration of the Rubric at the last Review. The Presbyterians showed a wish to have the word " Priest" always omitted, and supplied by the word "Minister: "this wish implying the different sense they thought the two words capable of, attracted attention, and in consequence the word "Minister" was changed to that of "Priest" in this Rubric. Were it not for this word, the Absolution would now be read often by Deacons, as our own experience well tells us; and the power of Absolution thereby confounded.

Of the same kind is the discontinuance of Baptism by Laymen, allowed in Edward's Books, which would have been very disastrous in its consequences; from the laxity since prevailing.

Our thankfulness for the mention of the Sacraments in the Catechism is sometimes blended with regret at the want of what Nelson wished to have been added respecting the appointed "Stewards of those Mysteries." If it were not irreverent to hazard a thought at the purpose of the Divine Mercy, might we suppose that thus a door was allowed to be left as an opening given to those unlawful

14. The Decalogue in the Communion.

The other subject to be mentioned, where a change has found its place in the inner sanctuary of our worship, is the anomalous introduction of the Commandments into the Communion Service'. The reading of Scripture Lessons in this part of our worship, which is mentioned as having authority, is not quite to the point. If they are to be moral precepts, why is it not from the Gospel? Why are they not the Beatitudes? Why, it may be said, are we to go back to the Law, and have the admonition of servants rather than sons?-Piercing indeed as a two-edged sword, with its deep-searching meanings, and trying the reins: but why only the terrors of Mount Sinai? Why is there to be the sword of the SPIRIT only, and not also the oil and the wine for the wounds it makes, as in the Sermon on the Mount?

Or again, to look at secondary causes, what is the reason, humanly speaking, of their having been introduced? Is not the general effect the opposite to that which was in the thoughts of some of those who were most instrumental in these changes? If foreigners were the cause of its insertion, as also of the Confession and Absolution, and the more frequent use of the Athanasian

Ministers who are now awakening the Church from her lethargy, and have, in some measure, supplied her functions during the sleep that has pervaded her : for who can venture to say that those are worse than that state of spiritual destitution in which this country has left a great portion of her poor, the " pauperes "CHRISTI" committed to her? And this, it may be observed, is the safer way of regarding these unlawful Ministries, viz. not as in any way justifiable, nor indeed to be looked upon, somewhat too theoretically, (which is the tendency of the late Mr. A. Knox's views of Wesleyan Methodism,) as actual Divine dispensations, but rather, we should suppose, as judicial visitations on the Church for her lukewarmness;—as modes of evil in men converted by the Author of all good into means of counteracting greater evil.

1 "I do not find," says Bishop Cousins, " in any Liturgy, old or new, before "this of the fifth of Edward the VI. here continued, that the Jews' Decalogue 66 was used in the service of the Christian Church."