2 Thess. chap. ii. ver. 15.

ONE of the first objects of Cranmer and his fellow labourers, (see the names in Sparrow) was to enable the people of this land to join in the public worship of the Church, both with the spirit and the understanding, by having that worship celebrated in their own language. They justly argued, that "it was a thing plainly repug nant to the Word of God, and the custom of the Primitive Church, to have public Prayer in the Church, or to minister the Sacraments, in a tongue not understanded of the people." In the second year of King Edward the Sixth, he appointed the Archbishop of Canterbury, with other learned and devout Bishops and Divines, to draw an order for divine worship, having respect to the pure religion of Christ taught in the Scripture, and to the practice of the Primitive Church. In entering upon this important undertaking, Cranmer and his associates proceeded with that wisdom and prudence which characterized all their proceedings. Their object was not to innovate, but rather to prune away and remove innovations. It was their wish, according to their commission, to retain whatever was sanctioned by Scripture, and by primitive usage, and to reject nothing but what savoured of superstition, or tended to encourage erroneous views, either of doctrine or of religious worship. Nothing was farther from their thoughts than the presumptuous notion of composing an entirely new form for public devotion. They adopted in great measure the formularies, which had long been established in the country, and sanctioned by general use, merely freeing them from the blemishes which had adhered to them during the period of ignorance and superstition, and making such scriptural additions as they appeared to require.

History of the Prayer Book, by Rev. E. Berens.

"The English Liturgy comes so near to the primitive pattern, that none of the Reformed Churches can compare with it."-Hugh Grotius.

A COMPANION

FOR

MEMBERS OF THE CHURCH.

HEAR THE CHURCH.

And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to HEAR THE CHURCH, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.-ST. MATT. ch. xviii. ver. 17.

He that heareth you, heareth me; and he that despiseth you despiseth me; and he that despiseth me, despiseth him that sent me.-ST. LUKE, ch. x. ver. 16.

Thus saith the Lord of Hosts, consider your ways.-HAG. ch. i. ver. 5. Because thou hast forgotten the God of thy salvation, and hast not been mindful of the rock of thy strength, therefore shalt thou plant pleasant plants, and shalt set it with strange slips :

In the day shalt thou make thy plant to grow, and in the morning shalt thou make thy seed to flourish: but the harvest shalt be a heap in the day of grief and of desperate sorrow. ISAIAH ch. xvii. ver. 10—1).

XVIIIth CANON.

In the time of Divine Service, and of every part thereof, all due reverence is to be used; for it is according to the Apostle's rule, Let all things be done decently and according to order; answerably to which decency and order, we judge these our directions following: No man shall cover his head in the Church or Chapel in the time of Divine Service, except he have some infirmity; in which case let him wear a night-cap or coif. All manner of persons then present shall reverently kneel upon their knees, when the general Confession, Litany, and other prayers are read; and shall stand up at the saying of the Belief, according to the rules in that behalf prescribed in the Book of Common Prayer: and likewise when in time of Divine Service the Lord Jesus shall be mentioned, due and lowly reverence shall be done by all persons present, as it hath been accustomed; testifying by these outward ceremonies and gestures, their inward humility, Christian resolution, and due acknowledgment that the Lord Jesus Christ the true eternal Son of God, is the only Saviour of the world, in whom alone all the mercies, graces, and promises of God to mankind, for this life, and the life to come, are fully and wholly comprised. None, either man, woman, or child, of what calling soever, shall be otherwise at such times busied in the Church, than in quiet attendance to hear, mark, and understand that which is read, preached, or ministered; saying in their due places audibly with the Minister, the Confession, the Lord's Prayer, and the Creed; and making such other answers to, the public prayers, as are appointed in the Book of Common Prayer; neither shall they disturb the Service or Sermon, by walking or talking; nor depart out of the Church during the time of Service or Sermon, without some urgent or reasonable

cause.

[No. 14.]

GALATIANS, chap. iii. verse 27.

THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND. Manfully contend for her, because she is the Church, a true Church, a pure Church, a holy Church."-Dr. Hook. The ancient Church of England! How gloriously she stands 'Midst persecution's fierce assaults, And error's leaguered bands! A calm undaunted front she wears, Of confidence and strength, Unmoved, though trouble's darkest hour Hath come on her at length. The brave old Church of England! Strong champion of the Lord, For ages, wielding valiantly The Spirit's two-edged sword! Ever the foremost in the fight, And latest in the field, Contending nobly for the faith She would not lose nor yield. The free old Church of England! That scorned the Papal sway, And cast off Rome's supremacy In Rome's most haughty day; That firmly stood when error rolled Its myriad waves around, Where Christ had founded her at first, On truth's unchanging ground. The good old Church of England! Within whose cloistered halls So many gifted men have wrought In learning's sacred toilsO, how shall Christendom repay The debt it owes, through them, Who kept the faith, and guarded well Truth's heavenly, priceless gem ? God bless the Church of England! God help her, and defend! And yet, from all her altars pure May joyous songs ascend! High anthems of deliverance, Thanksgivings of meek praise, For safety from the wicked ones, And strength 'midst evil days.

From the Churchman, published in New York.]

2 TIMOTHY, chap. iii. verse 16.

No one can be sufficiently acquainted with the Scriptures, without making them familiar by frequent reading. Regular and frequent reading gives us an opportunity of meditating on them more; whereas those who read but seldom, will never furnish their minds, much less fill their hearts, with what is contained in those sacred books. Besides, a careful and constant reading will give us a greater relish for God's word; which, the more we read, and meditate on, the more beauties we discover in it: the more it enlightens the understanding, and sanctifies and rejoices the heart. A Christian, therefore, should make this divine word his regular study; should meditate therein day and night; and as he every day takes food for the nourishment of his body, so should he every day give his soul that heavenly food which will nourish him to eternal life.

As the reading of the Scriptures requires a pious heart, so does it likewise demand a heart truly devout. Devotion, which by the confession of all who make any pretences to religion, is a necessary qualification in prayer, is not less requisite in reading. When God speaks to us in his word, we ought not to be less affected with those sentiments of reverence, zeal, joy, and love, which devotion inspires, than we ought to be when we speak to him in our prayers: nay, prayer itself should always accompany our reading. There is no better way to prepare to hear the voice of God, than to call upon Him, and lift up your hearts unto Him. It is by humbly imploring the assistance of the Holy Spirit, that we obtain that grace which prepares the heart, and disposes it to love God and keep His commandments. By this alone, the reading of the Holy Scriptures will become profitable to our salvation, and bring us to that happy end for which God was pleased to commit them to writing. The Scriptures, therefore, are the most valuable blessing God ever bestowed upon us, except the sending His Son into the world; they are a treasure containing every thing that can make us truly happy. We must, therefore, have very little regard for God and His gifts, if we neglect to make a right use of this: and it would argue the greatest degree of presumption, to imagine we can do without that assistance, which God himself has judged so needful and expedient for us.-Rev. Mr. Ostervald, Neufchatel.

2 THESS. chap. ii. verse 15.

HOLY MATRIMONY.

(Read the Form of Solemnization of Matrimony in the Book of Common Prayer.)

Mankind is naturally inclined to society; and the bond, as well as the foundation, of all societies is marriage; which ought to be made sacred, and adopted into religion, because it is the interest of mankind it should be inviolable. Wherefore our Church appoints, first, that none but a lawful minister shall tie these bonds, for God himself married the first man and woman, and the covenant is made to him, and the minister is God's representative, to take the securities and bless the parties in God's name, for which cause the primitive Christians did not account it a lawful marriage unless it were celebrated by a lawful minister; and the laws of this and all other Christian nations affirm the same thing-secondly, our Church allows no clandestine marriages, for it orders that the bans (that is the decree) of matrimony shall be published three several days in the Church before the marriage is celebrated-thirdly, for better security against clandestine marriage, the Church orders that all marriages shall be made in the day-time; for those who intend honourably and honestly, need not fly the light; and since the parties are most serious in the morning, it is appointed that it shall be celebrated between the hours of eight and twelve -fourthly, and that the holy rite may be still more solemn, it is expressly required that the marriage be celebrated in the Church, the place of God's special presence, before whom they make this religious covenant; and the sacredness of the place should make them more reverent in entering into it, and more careful in keeping it. For the better assurance whereof, lastly, it is enjoined to be done in the presence of their friends and neighbours, who ought to be there, to testify their consent unto it, to be continual witnesses of it, and to join with the holy man in prayers for a blessing on it; for which end our Church hath provided a most proper, pious, and judicious form, consisting of, first, the preparation, by instructing the whole congregation, and charging the parties to declare all known impediments: secondly, the solemnization, by asking their mutual consent, joining their hands, plighting their troth to each other, and confirming it by the pledge of a ring: as also the priest's ratifying this covenant, by praying for a blessing on it, publishing the validity of it, and pronouncing his benediction over the parties: thirdly, the conusion of the office, by praises in the Psalms, by prayers in he Collects, and finally, by instructing them in their duty out of God's word.-Dean Comber.