will obey them in the most rigorous manner, lest I make my brother to offend.

776. But while we thus avoid offending weak brethren, it is no part of our duty to perpetuate their weakness. On the contrary, it is our duty to avoid any share in proceedings which have this effect. Such a proceeding it would be, for instance, to exaggerate the authority of Observances, which we know to depend only upon our national usages, or upon the appointment of our National Church; speaking of them as if they were of Catholic and Apostolic, or even of Divine authority. And this consideration will lead us to abstain from censuring the Sunday customs of other countries, merely because they differ from our own; and the Sunday habits of our neighbours, merely because they are not directed by the maxims which we have adopted for ourselves. This appears to be one of the cases in which we may very properly apply the general Precept, To be very scrupulous in our own conduct, and very careful not to judge harshly of our neighbours.

CHAPTER XVII.

CONSECRATED PLACES.

777. UNDER the Jewish dispensation, after the establishment of the Jews in Palestine, the Temple at Jerusalem was, in an especial manner, a Holy Place. Jesus Christ himself recognized the sacredness of this Temple, by driving out the traffickers, and quoting the Scripture, My house shall be called the house of prayer. But we have in this case, as in the case of the Sabbath, especial authority for the

abolition of the peculiar privileges possessed under the old law. Christ says to the woman of Samaria (John iv., 21): The hour cometh when ye shall neither in this mountain nor yet at Samaria worship the Father . . . when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth; for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit; and they that worship him, must worship him in spirit and in truth : not in a belief of the essential importance of this or that place of worship. Yet a degree of sacredness was ascribed by the Christians to their places of meeting, even in the Apostles' time. St. Paul, expostulating with the Corinthians on certain unseemly practices which took place at their meetings, says (1 Cor. xi., 22), Have ye not houses to eat and to drink in? Or despise ye the Church of God? The Consecration of Christian Churches is historically known to have prevailed from the time of Constantine, and is supposed to have been practised earlier. Since this practice has existed, Churches, and other Consecrated Places, have been considered, in all Christian countries, as peculiarly fitted for worship and other religious offices.

778. Thus the Consecration of places rests, in some measure, upon the same grounds as the consecration of times; Natural Piety, the Example of the Jewish Revelation, Catholic and Apostolic Usage. Though the grounds are not so plain and strong, in this instance, as in the case of the Lord's Day, they are sufficient to impress a reverence for sacred places upon all Christians; especially, when these grounds are confirmed by the special views and rules of the particular Christian community in which we live. It is, therefore, a Duty, to give to consecrated places such reverence as Catholic and Apostolic usage assigns them; and to conform to any other observances indicative of such reverence, which the National Church enjoins. It is our duty also to cherish, in

ourselves and in others, that seriousness and devotion which the consecration of places to religious uses is fitted to foster. It is, moreover, a duty to abstain from doing anything which may unnecessarily offend our scrupulous neighbours, on the one hand and on the other, to abstain from urging, upon other men, any rules and any views with regard to such places, which have not Catholic and Apostolic authority. And finally, on such subjects, as was said in the former case, we ought to be careful, both to avoid all irreverence in ourselves, and to abstain from hastily ascribing irreverence to others; because their views and usages differ from

our own.

CHAPTER XVIII.

FORMS OF PRAYER.

779. PRAYERS to God, and other acts of devotion, proceeding from an assembly, have, in all ages and countries, been, in a considerable degree, expressed in stated Forms of words, determined by usage and authority. To a certain extent, indeed, this can hardly be otherwise. If any part of the devotional service be in verse, or accompanied by music, it must necessarily be previously arranged and prepared. And even when the devotional expressions are not so fettered in their rhythm, if they are not such as are known and expected by the congregation, they cannot generally carry with them that joint feeling and thought, which may prevail in religious assemblies when forms are used; and which may so operate as greatly to animate devo

tion.

780. In our worship, which ought to be reasonable as well as devout, we are led to use a fixed Form of prayers, thanksgivings, and praises, by such considerations as the following. Such a fixed Form prevents absurd, extravagant, and impious addresses. to God, which the folly or enthusiasm of ministers uttering extemporaneous expressions might produce. It also prevents the confusion and indecision generated in the mind of the hearer during extemporary prayer. Prayer in which all can join, must be such as is foreseen, so that the mind can accompany it; not such as the mind must wait for till it is uttered, before it can judge whether its sympathy is to be given.

781. We have abundant examples of set forms of devotion, in the Old Testament. Thus (Numb. vi., 22), we have a form of blessing the people, appointed by God himself. The Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto Aaron, and unto his sons, saying, On this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel, saying unto them; The Lord bless thee and keep thee: The Lord make his face to shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace. And Moses wrote a song (Deut. xxxi., 22), and taught it the children of Israel. This song is given in the thirtysecond chapter of Deuteronomy. It was used in the Jewish services, and is said to be found also in several of the old liturgies of the Arabic Christians.* The Psalms of David were constantly used in the devotional exercises of the Jews; and these, along with set forms of benedictions, thanksgivings, and supplications, were used in their synagogues.

782. It has been doubted by some, whether set forms of prayer are not unsuited to the worship in spirit and in truth which is demanded of Christians.

* Hooker, E. P. B. v., ch. 26. Note by Keble.

But the practice of the Church, from the time of Christ himself, assures us that there is no such unfitness. When Christ's disciples asked him (Luke xi., 1), Teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples: he gave them a brief form of prayer, which has ever since been in constant and universal use among Christians: it is also given in Matthew (vi., 9). When our Saviour had eaten the passover with his disciples, and delivered the cup to them (Matth. xxvi., 30), they sung a hymn; probably the hymn which was sung by the Jews on such occasions; namely, Psalm cxii., and what follows. And in that night in the garden of Gethsemane, he prayed three times, saying the same words (Matth. xxvi., 44). It is true, that Christ gives to his disciples a precept (Matth. vi., 7), which our translators have rendered, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do. But in the original word (μὴ βαττολογήσητε,) there is nothing which specially implies repetition. The whole passage enjoins inward heartfelt prayer, instead of ostentatious worship of outward acts and words. Nor can it be doubted, that this inward worship is a Christian duty, both in private and in public devotions. To the same purpose is the passage in St. John (iv., 24) God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. Public, as well as private prayer, is constantly referred to in the history of the Apostles. Thus (Acts xii., 5), Peter was kept in prison; but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him. And (Acts xvi., 16), As we went to prayer... a certain damsel met us. (So 1 Cor. vii., 5; 2 Cor. i., 11, and ix., 14; Eph. vi., 18; Phil. i., 19, and iv., 6; James v., 15; 1 Pet. iv., 7). In 1 Tim. ii., subjects of prayer are prescribed by the Apostle I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men: for kings, and for all that are