Bishop Jeremy Taylor:-"For its doctrine, it is certain it professes the belief of all that is written in the Old and New Testament—all that which is in the three Creeds, the Apostolical, the Nicene, and that of Athanasius, and whatsoever was decreed in the Four General Councils, or in any other truly such; and whatsoever was condemned in these, our Church hath legally declared to be heresy. And, upon these accounts, above four whole ages of the Church went to heaven; they baptised all their catechumens into the faith; their hopes of heaven were upon this and a good life; their saints and martyrs lived and died in this alone; they denied communion to none that professed their faith.

This is the Catholic faith,' so saith the Creed of Athanasius; and, unless a company of men have power to alter the faith of God, whosoever live and die in the faith are entirely Catholic and Christian. So that the Church of England hath the same faith, without dispute, that the Church had for four or five hundred years, and, therefore, there could be nothing wanting here to saving faith, if we live according to our belief.'

J Works of Bishop Jeremy Taylor, Vol xi, 185. edition of 1828.

Thirdly, we have retained the Sacraments instituted by our Lord when upon earth, and by the Apostles delivered to all the Churches. These are essential. Without baptism, no member can be admitted to the Christian Church, nor without eating the flesh and drinking the blood of Christ, can any continue in it-Speaking generally.' We have retained the mode and the very words, in which the Sacrament of Baptism was instituted, and also, in essentials, the ancient form of administering the Holy Eucharist. Some regret that there is not more distinct mention of its sacrificial nature, as there is in the Scotch liturgy. Still, in whatsoever sense, the Holy Eucharist is a sacrifice, it is equally so, if rightly administered, whether the fact is distinctly set forth or not.

Our

As regards the Sacraments, the Anglican Communion is advantageously contrasted, both with Protestant sectarians and Romanists. Sacraments are administered by those of whose authority to administer them there is no doubt. Our Lord commanded his Apostles to baptise all nations, and the same body were authorised to John vi, 53. See also the Church Catechism on Sacraments.

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bless or consecrate the elements; and, from them, the same commission has been handed down to the ministers of the Anglican Church. But those Protestant communities which have lost the Apostolical commission, labour under the fearful doubt as to the validity of their Sacraments-a doubt which, when we consider the vital importance, nay, absolute necessity, of the Sacraments in the Christian scheme, may well cause the most serious misgivings and apprehensions to those who cannot be sure of their validity. A similar difficulty exists with regard to the administration of the Lord's Supper by the Romish Church, in which the people generally are denied the privilege of participating in the blood of Christ. We may earnestly hope that the essence of the Sacrament may be contained in the administration of the bread alone; still there is no proof or certainty of it. Undoubtedly, it is contrary to the plain words of Scripture, and to the practice of the ancient Church; and it may be well questioned whether there exists in the Church any power competent to make so apparently essential a change as regards obedience to a positive command of Christ, received in one way by the universal Church.

Fourthly, with respect to the other ordinances, and especially the public services, the English Church retains the general form and outline of the liturgy which was used in the ancient Church, having rejected many things of modern introduction.

There will, of course, always be differences of opinion, as well as of taste, as to the mode of conducting public worship. Some will like more, and some less, of show and ceremony. To some the simplicity of the English ritual appears to contrast advantageously with the more varied and intricate services of the Romish Church. All that is necessary here to observe is, that the English Prayer Book contains all essential formularies for the due worship of God, and for the edification of its members.

There are some alleged omissions in our services; but as it is not contended that they are of importance enough to constitute an essential defect in the Anglican system, they need not now be discussed.

CHAPTER IV.

THE

PECULIARITIES OF THE ANGLICAN CHURCH: ITS ISOLATION: ANTIPATHY TO ROME.

THOUGH the Apostles preached everywhere one Gospel, and founded everywhere one Church, and though the English Church is identical by lineal continuity, with that of the Apostles, and has retained all the essentials of the Apostolic communion, yet, as we before observed, it was both probable and indeed unavoidable, that many variations should, by lapse of time and circumstances, be introduced into particular Churches and the English branch has shared this variation with the rest.

The first obvious cause of peculiarity in the English Church, even at an early time, was its insular position, and distance from the centre of civilization. Hence, to mention one or two early instances, the British Church had adopted