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will appear very conspicuously. It is our happy lot to be members of a Christian body, whose liturgy is perhaps the most scriptural and sublime composition in the world; and it has been acknowledged to be such by members of other communions. But its effect is exceedingly diminished by the negligence and indifference of many by whom it is performed, and it is a conviction of this lamentable fact that has induced me to undertake a short series of discourses upon the subject, in which, with the blessing of Almighty God, I shall endeavour to exhibit the principal doctrines which the liturgy comprehends, the feelings which it implies, and the manner and spirit with which it should be performed. It will be my object to awaken in the bosoms of churchmen a deep sense of their faith and duties, as members of a spiritual communion; I shall consider the perfect harmony and accordance of our public services with the doctrines and precepts of scripture; and I trust that

one result may be, that we shall all see cause for a deeper attachment to our church, not from mere prejudice, ignorance, or bigotry, but because we believe that she is built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone. And God Almighty grant that many, who only "profess and call themselves Christians," but who in heart and life practically deny their profession, " may be led into the way of truth," and hereafter " hold the faith in unity of spirit, in the bond of and in righteousness of life!"

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peace,

On the present occasion, I shall, I. OFFER SOME GENERAL OBSERVATIONS ON THE CHURCH SERVICE; and, II. CONTRAST THE MANNER AND SPIRIT IN WHICH IT SHOULD BE PERFORMED, WITH THE PREVAILING HABITS OF MODERN CONGREGATIONS.

I.* The origin and history of our

* For this sketch I am principally indebted to Shepherd's Introduction to his Book on the Common Prayer.

book of Common Prayer is interesting and striking, and should be familiar to us all.

Henry VIII. by the publication of a little tract, entitled "the King's Primer," had prepared the way for the complete reformation of the public services of the church, which was effected in the succeeding short but important reign. Soon after the accession of Edward VI.* commissioners were appointed from among the most pious of the prelates and of the clergy to draw up a public liturgy in English, which was to be ratified by the king and parliament, and to be adopted universally. These pious and learned men, of whom Cranmer and Ridley were the most conspicuous, untainted with a spirit of innovation and novelty, contented themselves with purging the liturgy from the errors of centuries, and preserving all that was excellent and apostolical, they

* May, 1548.

made such additions as the character of the times appeared to require. Their work was approved and adopted. Two years afterwards, the whole was again revised, by nearly the same persons, with the addition of the faithful Latimer, and the work which was then presented to the public was, in all material points, the same as that which we now possess. But its triumph was short: the bigoted and relentless Mary soon prohibited its circulation, and they who compiled it were called upon to seal their testimony with their blood. A new commission was appointed under Elizabeth for the revision of Edward's book of Common Prayer; but the alterations which were made were chiefly rubrical and immaterial. Before its ratification by parliament, it was submitted to the severe test of all the Roman Catholic bishops and clergy in a public discussion which took place in the presence of both houses of parliament assembled in Westminster Abbey. The cavils which were raised

against it by the Popish faction, aud the unfair and disgraceful course of conduct pursued by them, only served to make popery more odious to the people, and to heighten their esteem for our excellent liturgy and the frivolous objections of the Puritans, when in the succeeding reign, that of James I. it was tried in their crucible also, merely suggested a few verbal corrections.

After our moral and political horizon had been darkened for no less than fourteen years by the mists of prejudice and faction, Charles II. was restored, and the book of Common Prayer again came under their discussion: many of their suggestions were adopted, but if we except the alterations in the occasional services, we may safely assert that the liturgy was not materially changed. Since this period it has remained unaltered, and has been handed down to us by our ancestors as a sacred legacy, purified in the various strifes of faction, and sealed with the blood of martyrs,

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