hence appear that the Confession was made by one only in the name of all? At the Savoy conference, the Presbyterians requested, that it might be made by the Minister only, but at the Revisal that followed, the Rubric was changed into its present form. It now requires that every person present join in the Confession; that, in the words of BASIL, "every one make confession of his own sins with his own lips."

During the whole time of the Priest's officiating at the Communion he is directed to kneel only thrice, at this Confession, at the Collect before the prayer for Consecration, and at the act of receiving. In every other part of the Office he is to stand. This was the practice of the ancient Church; and the attitude was probably borrowed from the service of the Temple, where the legal sacrifices were offered by the Priest standing. Between the legal and evangelical sacrifice, there is the same correspondence that exists between the shadow and the substance. The Christian Priest offers up the incense of prayers, praises, and alms; the oblation of ourselves, our souls, and bodies; and the memorial of the sacrifice of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. At the Confession, and the Collect before the prayer of Consecration, which form no part of these oblations, he kneels. In the former he confesses his own sins, as well as the sins of the people; and in the latter he acknowledges his and their unworthiness to approach the Lord's table. He receives the Communion kneeling, because that is the posture prescribed

5

scribed by the Church of England to all that communicate*. At every part of the Service, even when the Collect before the Epistle is read, it was, as I conceive, the intention of the Church of England that the Priest should stand,

OF THE CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION.

Of Confession, and more especially of Absolution, I have already in the former volume given an account sufficiently minute, to which I therefore beg leave to refer. I have at present only to observe, that these two forms, considered as compositions, are equally excellent with those appointed for Morning and Evening Prayer+; and that at the celebration of the Eucharist in the primitive Church, con

See Introduction, page 60, on standing and kneeling.

fession

The Confession used in the Communion was composed by the Reformers. In the Missal of Sarum it was, "Confitemini "Domino, quoniam bonus: Confiteor Deo, Beatæ Mariæ,

omnibus sanctis, et vobis; quia peccavi nimis cogitatione, "locutione, et opere; meâ culpâ; Precor Sanctam Mariam,

omnes Sanctos, et vos, orare pro me." The Absolution, which is a benedictory prayer, immediately followed in these words," Misereatur tui Omnipotens Deus, dimittat tibi peccata tua, liberet te ab omni malo, conseryet et confirmet in omni

opere bono, et perducat te ad vitam æternam." This benediction occurs in the Penitentiary of EGBERT, Archbishop of York, about A. D. 730, and is said to have been composed by either Pope PONTIAN, or DAMASUS. Though it is the form generally found in the more ancient Missals of the Roman and other Churches, yet I do not know that it has been so scrupu Jously retained in any modern Liturgy as in that of the Church

of

fession of sins, with prayer for mercy and forgiveness, always preceded the consecration of the elements.

OF THE FOUR SENTENCES FROM SCRIPTURE.

Repentance and contrition for former offences, with stedfast purposes of amendment of life, are not alone sufficient to make us worthy partakers of the Holy Communion. To approach the Lord's table with comfort, and to receive all the benefits of this Sacrament, it is requisite that we should have a lively faith in God's mercy, and a mind undisturbed by either doubt or fear.

The Church has therefore subjoined these Sentences, and appointed them to be read immediately after the Absolution is pronounced. The general promises of "mercy and forgiveness" made in the Absolution" to all them that with hearty repentance and "true faith, turn unto Almighty God," are here confirmed by the express declarations of our Lord himself, and of two of his Apostles and if we do

of England. With the old precatory form, which is literally translated, we have incorporated an introductory sentence, declaratory of the evangelical promise of pardon and forgiveness.

The form that is now generally used among the Romanists will be found quoted when I come to treat more particularly on the subject of Abolition, as I propose doing in the latter pages of this volume. To this their Missals add, " Indulgentiam, abso"lutionem, et remissionem peccatorum nostrorum, tribuat nobis "omnipotens et misericors Dominus." In the Missal of Sarum, "Absolutionem et remissionem omnium peccatorum vestrorum, "ac spatium veræ et fructuosæ pœnitentiæ, gratiam et consola"tionem Sancti Spiritus tribuat vobis, &c."

not

not doubt the divine word, we must confide in these promises of mercy. The Missals of Sarum and of York had likewise Sentences; but they were commonly taken from passages of the Old Testament, and had little relation to the Redeemer, through whose merits alone pardon of sin is obtained.

OF THE PREFACE, OR LAUDS.

This part of the Office liturgical Writers have styled the Preface, from its being employed in ancient Liturgies, and more modern Missals as an introduction to the Canon of the Mass: and I retain the term, because in our Liturgy likewise, this part of the Office is immediately preparatory to the act of cele brating the Holy Communion.

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This Sacrament is a feast of joy and thanksgiving. The Apostles partook of it " with gladness of heart, praising God." It was accompanied with Psalms, Hymns, and spiritual Songs, the praises of God, as AMBROSE has observed, constituting a great part of this Office. On days of fasting and humiliation, the primitive Christians did not communicate, and for this reason they thought grief and tears unsuitable to the joy and gladness, which became those that partook of this heavenly banquet. Indeed praise and thanksgiving have always been considered as such an essential part of this Office, that the Office itself has been very generally denominated the Eucharist, that is, the sacrifice of thanksgiving and praise.

That we may celebrate this mystery with greater

joy, and offer up our thanks with more ardent devotion, let us recollect that the part of the Office chosen by our Church for the performance of these acts of praise and gratitude, is more proper than any other that could have been selected. We have confessed our sins, are loosed from their bonds, and have turned again unto the Lord. By the assurances of pardon just read to us from the Gospel, our faith is invigorated, and our hopes elevated; and we are approaching to the banquet of the most blessed body and blood of Christ. Now therefore, the Priest in the Responses, admonishes us to raise our hearts to heaven, and to praise God: In the proper Prefaces he assigns reasons for this duty; and in the trisagion joins with us in the performance of it.

The versicles and the trisagion were so anciently, and so universally, and with such little variation admitted into the Liturgies of both the Eastern, and Western Churches, that some have concluded them to be forms received from the Apostles themselves. However this may be, those parts of the Service are entitled to our admiration, by their own intrinsic excellence, by that genuine spirit of Christian piety which they breathe, not less than by their high antiquity, and general reception.

By the Greek and Latin Fathers, these four Versicles are called lift up your hearts, from the introductory words. CYRIL, CYPRIAN, CHRYSOSTOM, and AUSTIN, expound this first Versicle, as a seasonable admonition to dismiss all worldly thoughts, and to fix our minds upon the divine mercies, and the mys