said, If any man seem to be contentious, we have no such custom, nor the Church of God. 1 Cor. xi. 16.) It is to the advantage of religion, that discipline and the liturgy vary as little as possible; for in religion as in politics every variation is an occasion of difference and division; and as it would be vain in the superiors, to attempt to meet the opinions and desires of all, in order that peace and charity may endure, men must submit to authority, and guide their conduct by that rule. Let all things, says the apostle, be done according to order. (1 Cor. xiv. 40.) It may happen that a change, (where a change can lawfully take place) is desirable. But should it be otherwise effected, than by proper authority, such improvement (because a source of schism) is prejudicial to the cause of religion. For charity, writes the same apostle, is the end of the commandment, (1 Tim. i. 5.) that is, nothing can be pleasing to God, at the expence of union and brotherly love among his disciples.*

Book we read: And although the keeping or omitting of ceremony, in itself considered, is but a small thing; yet the wilful and contemptuous transgression and breaking of a common order and discipline, is no small offence before God. Let all things be done among you, saith St. Paul, in a seemly and due order: the appointment of which order pertaineth not to private men; therefore no man ought to take in hand, nor presume to appoint or alter any public or common order in Christ's Church, except he be lawfully called and authorized thereunto.

* The most learned and prudent Protestants have acknowledged the propriety, and utility of a Liturgy or settled form of prayer; and the schisms and divisions which incessantly arise among those sects of Christians, who prefer a different mode of public worship, should be regarded by all as strong and convincing evidence of the advantages which the other possesses. Mr. Reeves, who lately published an elegant Protestant edition of the Common Prayer-Book, writes thus in his introduction.

"Set forms of Prayer, precomposed, and daily repeated without

In the early ages of the Church, and during the period of Pagan persecution, the more sacred parts of the Christian Liturgy were not exposed in writing, lest they should be profaned by the

variation, have ever been in use, where there has been any constant practice of religious duties; and such established forms are necessary, not only to assist the meditations of those who cannot always command their thoughts, and direct them to the proper object; but also for the purpose of uniting persons in public devotion, which could never be carried on without some settled and known expression of sentiment and words, in which they all agreed, and to which they all were accustomed. The practice of the Jewish and the Christian Church has been the same, in conforming to the use of some precomposed prayers. We are told, that David appointed the Lepites to stand every morning to thank und praise the Lord, and likewise at even, (1 Chron. xxiii. 30.) which could not be performed by many persons together without some set form, in which they all could join. The whole book of Psalms may be considered as forms of prayer and praise, suggested by the Holy Ghost, for the joint use of the congregation; and this ap pears no less from the titles of several, than from other places of Scripture, which testify to their being so used. (1 Chron. xvi. 7; 2 Chron. xxix. 30.; Ezra iii. 10, 11.) Indeed there is so much evidence on this head, that one should no more doubt about the Jews having used set forms in their devotions, than of our using the Book of Common Prayer.

"As our Saviour always joined in communion with the Jewish Church, he gave his sanction to such set forms, by his compliance with them; and he finally gave the strongest approbation to continuing the practice, by delivering to his Disciples, at least one set form of Prayer, when they asked it of him. No doubt, the Apostles and Disciples joined in the Jewish worship till our Lord's ascension; and when they had formed Christian assemblies, it is plain they used in them precomposed forms, more especially in psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs, (Ephes. v. 10.) which, and the like descriptions of public devotions, so frequently mentioned in the New Tes tament, give an idea of some liturgical order observed among those who had conversed with Christ; and gave a degree of credit to the Liturgies, which have been, from the earliest ages, ascribed to St. Peter, St. Mark, and St. James; and which, though not composed by those persons, are certainly of an age very near to them.

"That the primitive Christians used set forms of Prayer, is also evident from the expressions to be found, in the earliest fathers, of

infidels. During that era, the lex arcani, or the law of secrecy prevailed, and it was not till the reign of Constantine, and the quiet establishment of religion throughout the Roman Empire, that the pastors ventured to commit to writing the prayers and ceremonies employed in the different mysteries. The several Liturgies however which were then composed by the Fathers of the Greek and Latin Church, under the title of St. Basil's, St. Chrysostom's, St. Gelasius's, St. Ambrose's, &c. prove that with the exception of a very trifling difference in the wording of the prayers and the order of the ceremonies, they were substantially the same; and that the whole had been derived, by tradition, from the Apostles. For example, in all, we see prescribed frequent signs of the cross,-bending the body,the use of blessed or holy water, candles, sacred vestments, commemoration of saints, prayers for the dead, &c. These Liturgies were again compared, revised, and amended by Councils and

Common Prayers (a), Constituted Prayers (b), and Solemn Pray. ers (c). But this matter is put out of all doubt, by the evidence of the Apostolical Constitutions, where the forms both of morning and evening prayer are given, with as much regularity as in the modera Liturgy. After the period of that work, which, though not Apostolical as it purports to be, is of very high and acknowledged antiquity, the forming of liturgies became an exercise for some of the most eminent among the fathers. St. Basil, St. Chrysostom, and St. Ambrose, composed each their orders and forms of Prayer, which we now pos◄ 2035. In this class of works may be reckoned, the Lectionary of St. Jerome, and the Sacramentary of St. Gregory; which last person seems to have brought the Offices of the Western Church to a more somplete form, than they had yet received, and by such eminent services to the church, he obtained the surname of THE GREAT."

(2) Κοιναὶ ἐυχαί.

(Β) Προσταχθείσαι ευχα.

(c) Preces solemnes.

Popes, till nearly the universal Liturgy of the Church was reduced to two forms;-the Roman, or Latin, and the Greek which have since continued to be the only two sanctioned and au thorized by the Church.

It is the duty of every one to seek and learn the signification of the ceremonies of religion, altho' it must be admitted that it is often difficult to discover it, obscured as they are in the mist of antiquity.-Composed for the edification of the faithful, they were mostly intended to bear a mystical signification, though convenience and propriety also, often dictated the adoption of some. Thus the praying with uplifted hands, in imitation of Moses, mystically expresses the elevation of our thoughts to God. St. Paul also gives a mystical reason for the custom of men praying uncovered in churches-and even to many of those ceremonies which propriety introduced, the Church has added a spiritual sense. Thus the altars, in our churches, are always raised above the level of the pavement, that the people may more easily observe the mysteries, as they are celebrated; yet in this the Church proposes to herself a meaning of the mystical kind; which is, that they are altars of mediation between heaven and earth.

In the same manner the sacred vestments, such as the Chasuble-Dalmatic (1)-Cope (2)-Stole (3)-Manuple (4)-Amice (5)-Alb (6)-Girdle,

(1) The Chasuble and Dalmatic were coloured dresses corresponding in shape to the frock worn by our labouring peasants: the former had no sleeves, and hung upon the arms, raised in the attitude of prayer: convenience has taught us to leave the seams unsewed at the sides. (2) The Cope is an exact pattern of our modern trooper's cloak.------(3) The Stole was a smaller cloak, more resembling a tippet or Spanish mautle, which the scissars have gradually narrowed to its present shape.----(4) The Manuple was originally a cloth hanging from the left arm to wipe the face.------(5) The Amice was a cloth tied over the head; used perhaps for warmth, and so

&c. (7) originally common garments, were in universal use when first introduced into the offices of the christian religion. But abandoned by fashion, the church soon affixed to them a mystical signification, and piously assimilated them to the divine virtues in which the christian soul is ever supposed to be arrayed. The Amice of Headcloth, for instance, was compared to the protecting helmet of spiritual grace and salvation; (Ephes. vi. 17.)-the long Alb, or white linen garment, was to indicate the robe of sacerdotal innocence and purity; (Heb. vii. 26.)-the Girdle to denote the gift of chastity; (Luke xii. 35.) -the Stole and Cope, to represent the splendid garment of future glory and immortality; (Apoc. vii. 9.)-the Manuple to be an emblem of persecutions and sufferings for Christ; (Matt. xvi. 24.) -and the Chasuble, Dalmatic, &c. to express the yoke and burthen of the gospel; (Matt. xi. 29.) &c.

To trace the ceremonies of religion to their origin has been the study and endeavour of seve ral of the most learned men, and at all times demands deep learning, combined with a thorough knowledge of ecclesiastical history: but without drawing any comparison between the Roman and Greek Liturgies, it may be proper briefly to observe, that the prayers, rites and ceremonies, comprised in both, have been approved and sanc

placed that it might be drawn back upon the neck and shoulders at pleasure.---(6) The Alb was the universal under garment of all ranks, full, and reaching down to the heels; and is still the common dress of the Asiatics (7) The Girdle was a cord necessary to confine it close to the body. ------The Surplice, in Latin Superpelliceum, was a short loose white dress, and so called because occasionally worn over a dress made of the fur and hair of animals, corresponding probably to our clerical Cassock.