he word Liturgy (Arougyia) from Arn prayer, and work, signifies literally the work or labour of er and supplication; and he who labours not in his ers, prays not at all. And from Ara prayers, es litany, Arava, supplication, a collection of prayin the liturgy, or public service of the Church. Pre3 to the reign of Henry VIII. the liturgy was all or sung in Latin, except the Creed, the Lord's er, and the ten commandments, which in 1536, translated into English by the king, for the use of common people. In 1545, says Fuller, the liturgy permitted in English, and this was the farthest pace eformation stept in the reign of Henry VIII. the first year of King Edward VI. 1547, it was remended to certain grave and learned Bishops and rs, then assembled by order of the king, at Windsor le, to draw up a communion service, and to revise he other offices. This service was accordingly prod and published, and strongly recommended by ial letter from Lord Seymour, Lord Protector, and other Lords of the council. The persons who comd this work were the following. 7 Thomas Thirlby, Bishop of Westminster. 8 Dr. May, Dean of St. Paul's. 9 John Taylor, then Dean, afterwards Bishop of Line coln. 10 Dr. Haines, Dean of Exeter. 11 Dr. Robinson, afterwards Dean of Durham. 12 Dr. John Redman, Master of Trinity College, Cambridge. 13 Dr. Richard Cox, then almoner to the King, and afterwards Bishop of Ely. It is worthy of remark, that as the first translators of the scriptures into the English language, were, several of them, persecuted unto death, so some of the chief of those who translated the book of common prayer (Archbishop Cranmer and Bishop Ridley) were burnt alive. It This was the first edition of the common prayer. was afterwards ordered by a statute in parliament (5 and 6 of Edward VI.) "that it should be faithfully and godly perused, explained, and made fully perfect." The chief alterations made in consequence of this order were these: the general confession and absolution were added, and the communion service was made to begin with the ten commandments; the use of oil in confirmation, and extreme unction were left out; also prayers for the dead, and certain expressions that had a tendency to countenance the doctrine of transubstantiation. The same persons to whom the compiling of the communion service, as above stated, was entrusted, were employed in this revision, which was completed and published in 1548. On the accession of Queen Mary, this liturgy was abolished, and the prayer book, as it stood in the last of Henry VIII. commanded to be used in its place. In the first year of the reign of Queen Elizabeth, 1559, the former liturgy was restored, and subjected to a further revision, by which some few pas sages were altered, and the petitions of the litany adjusted, in order that the conscientious Roman Catholics might not be prevented from joining in the common service. This being done, it was presented to parlia ment, and by them received and established, and the act of uniformity, which is usually printed with the liturgy, published by the Queen's authority, and sent throughout the nation. The persons employed in the revision were the following: 1 Mr. Whitehead, once Chaplain to Anna Bullein. 2 Matthew Parker, afterwards Archbishop of Canterbury. 3 Edmund Grindall, afterwards Bishop of London. 4 Richard Cox, afterwards Bishop of Ely. 5 James Pilkinton, afterwards Bishop of Durham. 6 Dr. May, Dean of St. Paul's and Master of Trinity College, Cambridge. 7 Sir Thomas Smith, Principle Secretary of State. In the first year of King James, 1603, another revision took place, and a few alterations were made, which consisted principally in the addition of some prayers and thanksgivings, some alterations in the rubrics relative to the office of private baptism, and the addition of that part of the catechism which contains the doctrine of the sacraments. In this state the Book of Common Prayer continued till the reign of Charles II. who on the 25th October 1660, granted his commission under the great seal of England, to several Bishops and divines, to review the Book of Common Prayer, and to prepare such additions and alterations as they thought fit to offer." In the following year, the king assembled the convocations of both the provinces of Canterbury and York, and authorized the Presidents of those convocations and other, the Bishops and clergy of the same, to review the said Book of Common Prayer, &c. requiring them, "after mature consideration, to make such alterations and additions as to them should seem most convenient." This was accordingly done, several prayers being added, and the whole published with the act of uniformity in the 14th of Charles II. 1661;* since which time it has undergone no further revision, (though an abortive commission for that purpose was issued in the year 1689) until, in the United States, since their separation from Great Britain, it was altered, principally with a view to suit the local changes which our new political relation made necessary. This is a short history of a work, of which, Dr. Clarke, who is a man of considerable erudition, and who, being a Methodist preacher, may be considered as an impartial witness, speaks, as being "almost universally esteemed by the devout and pious of every denomination, and the greatest effort of the reformation, next to the translation of the scriptures into the English language," "a work which all who are acquainted with it, deem superior to every thing of the kind produced either by ancient or modern times. "It would be disingenuous," continues he, "not to acknowledge, that the chief of those prayers were in use in the Roman Catholic Church, from which the Church of England is reformed; and it would betray a want of acquaintance with ecclesiastical antiquity, to suppose that those pray. ers and services originated in that church; as several of them were in use from the first ages of antiquity, and many of the best of them before the name of popery was known in the earth.”† pope ог To this may be added the following just commendation of the liturgy by Dr. Comber in the preface to his Companion to the Temple. "Though all churches in the world have, and ever had, forms of prayer, yet none was ever blessed with so comprehensive, so exact, and so inoffensive a composure as ours, which is so judiciously contrived, that the wisest may exercise at once their knowledge and devotion, and yet so plain, that the most ignorant may pray with understanding; so full that nothing is omitted which is fit to be asked in public, and *See Burnet, Prettyman's Elements of Theology, &c. +Preface to Clarke's commentary on the Bible, page xxii, from which some of the foregoing history is taken. so particular, that it compriseth most things which we would ask in private, and yet so short as not to tire any that hath true devotion. Its doctrine is pure and primitive; its ceremonies so few and innocent, that, most of the Christian world agree in them; its method is exact and natural; its language significant and perspicuous; most of the words and phrases being taken out of the Holy Scriptures, and the rest are the expressions of the first and purest ages; and it is the opinion of the most impartial and most excellent Grotius, (who was no member of, nor had any obligation to, this church) that the English liturgy comes so near to the primitive pattern, that none of the reformed churches can compare with it. Whoever desires to worship God with zeal and knowledge, spirit and truth, purity and sincerity, may do it by these devout forms. And to this end may the God of peace give us all meek hearts, quiet spirits, and devout affections; and free us from all sloth and prejudice, that we may have full churches, frequent prayers, and fervent charity; that, uniting in our prayers here, we may all join in his praises hereafter, for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen." It does not comport with the design of this work to enter minutely into the detail on the articles of belief, but merely to explain cursorily the prominent parts, and, particularly, such as are liable to objection; leaving the rest to be explained by those who have undertaken to treat them fully.* It may not be amiss, however to take some notice of a difficulty that exists with regard to that part of the creed which speaks of Christ's descending into Hell. This appears to have been introduced very early into the creed of the Church, and is grounded upon several passages in scripture. "Now that he ascended, what is it but that he first descended into the lower parts of the earth?" Ephe. iv. 9. "Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad: moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope. Because thou wilt not leave my soul in *Burnet, Pearson, Nicols, Wheatly, Shepherd, Simon, &c. |