never ending varieties. But upon this question, it is abundantly manifest, that there exists a perfect agreement even in these latitudinarian days, among all those who are not ashamed to glory in the name of an orthodox Churchman. The following passage, which comes from the pen of him, who fills the proudest place in the Puritans had such an aversion to the sign of the cross in baptism, the wearing of surplices, and kneeling at the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, as to call these the three nocent ceremonies, (see Neal on the Hampton Court Conference, and likewise Brand's Observations on Popular Antiquities. vol. 1, Preface, p. xii. xiii. note h, and p. 132, for some ludicrous instances of the Puritan detestation of the cross form,) no wonder that the application of music and painting, pomp, and ceremony, to religious worship, worked those fierce sectaries up to the highest pitch of vengeance against Laud, and produced a combination against him, when they were the governors of the Parliament, which ended in his ruin.-In that Prelate's private character, which has been exposed to the same undeserved obloquy as his public one, the greatest blemish of it seems to have been his inveterate hostility to Archbishop Williams. See Bishop Hacket's Life of Williams, p. 65, Part ii. Wharton labours hard to vindicate the Primate in this particular, but I think with very little success. annals of our Reformation, and in the remembrance and affection of all true Protestants, is as fully recognized as an article of our creed, as it was in the days of his immediate followers. "The first catholic christian faith," says Cranmer, " is most plain, clear, and comfortable, without any difficulty, scruple, or doubt. That is to say, that our Saviour, Christ, although he be sitting in heaven in equality with his Father, is our life, strength, food, and sustenance; who, by his death, delivered us from death, and daily nourishes and increases us to eternal life. And in token thereof, he hath prepared bread to be eaten, and wine to be drunk of us in his Holy Supper, to put us in remembrance of his said death, and of the celestial feeding, nourishing, encouraging, and of all the benefits which we have thereby. Which benefits, through faith and the Holy Ghost, are exhibited and given unto all that worthily receive the said Holy * Answer to Bishop Gardiner, Lond. 1550, p. 396. Supper. This the husbandman at his plough, the weaver at his loom, and the wife at her rock, can remember, and give thanks unto God for the same: this is the very doctrine of the Gospel, with the consent wholly of all the old ecclesiastical doctors." * Some of Cranmer's expressions on this subject were interpreted by his enemies into a belief of the bodily presence. But if any thing is to be found objectionable in them on that score, it is completely disavowed and done away by the following very explicit declaration. "And in a Catechism by me translated and set forth, I used like manner of speech, saying, that with our bodily mouths we receive the body and blood of Christ. Which my saying, divers ignorant persons, not used to read old ancient authors, nor acquainted with their phrase and manner of speech, did carp and reprehend for the lack of good understanding. For this speech, and others before rehearsed, of Chrysostom and all others like, be not understood of the very flesh and blood of our Saviour Christ (which in very deed we neither feel nor see) but that which we do to the bread and wine, by a figurative speech, is spoken to be done to the flesh and blood, because they be the very signs, figures, and tokens, instituted of Christ, to represent unto us his very flesh and blood. And yet as with our corporeal hands and mouths, we do corporeally see, feel, taste, and eat the bread, and drink the wine (being the sign and sacraments of Christ's body), even so with spiritual eyes, hands, and mouths, we do spiritually see, feel, taste, and eat his very flesh, and drink his very blood." CHAPTER FOURTH. Considerations respecting the Holy Sacrament being a Feast on a Sacrifice. FROM the foregoing exposition of the sentiments of the Greek and Latin Fathers, and of the foreign and English Reformers, it should appear that there is nothing which can be brought from them to sanction, establish, or illustrate the opinion of a bare memorial. There is much artfulness, therefore, under the colour of great simplicity and candour, in Bishop Hoadly's saying, " that it is of small importance to Christians to know what the many writers upon this subject since the time of the Evangelists and Apostles have affirmed. And much less can it be the duty of Christians to be guided by what any persons by their own authority, or from their own imaginations, may teach concerning this duty*." Now, when it * Plain Account, p. 4, 5. |