THE PRAISES Contained in the two proper psalms; 3rd, THE PRAYERS fitted to the present case, contained in the LESSER LITANY, LORD'S PRAYER, SUFFRAGES, AND COLLECT OF THANKSGIVING. It cannot be considered other wise than as a most touching service, affectingly uniting domestic feelings with public worship. How deeply must the remembrance of our fallen state affect the mother as the late deliverance is recalled! yea, when it is impressed upon her heart, before the altar, how the sorrows of death came upon her, and the pains of hell (meaning thereby not eternal sufferings, but simply severe and great pains) gat hold of her; how she called upon her God in her trouble, and was heard. Now may her soul return again to its rest; now should the resolution be formed, as though it had never been made before, I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living. But not in her own strength is the vow undertaken; the humble hope sustains her, that help will be afforded from above, so that she may faithfully walk according to God's holy will in this life; that she may be finally saved, having put her trust in the Lord, and that God will be a tower of strength from all her spiritual enemies.

This psalm is most suitable when we consider the pain and danger which the mother has undergone. There is another psalm which may be used when an heir is born, or a child bestowed on those who wished for one. Nor may it less aptly be used when those of humbler condition are churched; for, by enlarging on the blessings of a numerous family, it obviates the murmurings of those discontented persons who may think themselves oppressed by such an increase.

The rubric directs "the woman that cometh to give her thanks to offer the accustomed offerings," by which is to be understood some offering to the officiating minister, not as a fee, but as a tribute or acknow

ledgment due to God, who has declared himself honoured or robbed according as such offerings are paid or withheld. But besides the accustomed offering to the minister, the woman is to make a still better and greater offering, namely, an offering of herself to be a reasonable, holy, and lively sacrifice to God. The rubric directs, that "if there be a communion, it is convenient that she receive the holy communion," that being the most solemn way of praising God, as well for the present as for all other his mercies towards her, and the most likely means to bind herself more strictly to spend those days in his service which, by this late deliverance, he hath added to her life. And it need not be doubted but that the omission of it occasions the forgetfulness of this mercy, and the falloff from piety which we too frequently observe. A COMMINATION, OR DENOUNCING OF GOD'S ANGER AND JUDGMENT AGAINST SINNERS; with certain Prayers to be used on the first day of Lent, and at other times, as the Ordinary shall appoint.

The solemn public penitence alluded to in THE MINISTER'S OPENING ADDRESS is that which during the primitive ages occupied so conspicuous a place in the discipline of the Christian Church, whereby those who were guilty of grievous sins were solemnly reduced to the order of penitents; they came fasting, and clad in sackcloth and ashes on the occasion; and after the bishop had repeated the penitential psalms, and threw ashes upon them, they were dismissed from the Church, and not again received into full communion until after a course of long trial and exemplary conduct. Though this was severe, yet it was attended by many good consequences, so that it was anciently exercised in our own as well as in foreign churches. But during the corruption of the Church of Rome,

this godly discipline degenerated into a formal confession used by all the people, whether penitents or not, from whom no other testimony of their repentance was required than their submitting to have ashes sprinkled on their heads. But this our Reformers prudently laid aside, as a mere shadow and show; and not without hearty concern that the long continuance of the corruptions of the Romish Church, in their formal confessions and pretended absolutions, in their sale of indulgences and their sordid commutations of penance for money, had let the people loose from those primitive bands of discipline which tended really to their amendment, but to which, through the rigour and severity it enjoins, they found it impracticable to reduce them again. However, since they could not do what they desired, they desired to do as much as they could; and therefore, till the said discipline may be restored again*, which is rather to be wished for than expected in these times-times so contemptuous of proper restraint-they have endeavoured to supply it as well as they are able by appointing this office, which is a declaration of the wrath of God against all impenitent sinners, especially against those who are guilty of the sins herein enumerated, accompanied with a profession of belief that his laws are righteous, and the sentence by which they are sanctioned equitable and just.

It was originally instituted by God, Deut. xi. and xxvii., religiously observed by Joshua, and was so transmitted to succeeding generations of the Jewish nation, as we are informed by their historian Josephus. As its tendency is to set forth the glory of God, by magnifying his essential attributes, and to set forward the conversion of all men, by impressing them with the

* Bishop Wilson, in the diocese of Man, revived this discipline with much good effect.

proper character and terrible effects of sin, it is therefore suitable likewise to the devotions of the Christian Church. And, although, blessed be God! it is true, as the Apostle says, that "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us; yet it is true only with respect to those who sincerely and effectually repent. Upon those who continue in unrepented sin the curse still remains in force; from those who have repented and brought forth fruits meet for repentance, it is removed for the sake of their Redeemer. It is fit, therefore, that all, whether penitent or impenitent, should avow their belief in the truth and equity of these curses; the penitent, as an acknowledgment of the punishment which his sins in their own nature deserve; as an act of gratitude to the Lord, for whose merits they are pardoned; and withal, as a salutary admonition to him, that he again incur not the penalty, by becoming again the slave of sin: the impenitent, as a method of awakening him from his dangerous security, and bringing him to repentance and amendment before it be too late.

If there be any quality by which our Church is distinguished in her services, it is her true Christian charity, testified, as by other unequivocal marks, so likewise by the anxiety wherewith she endeavours to convince of their sin and danger, those persons who have "erred from the truth," to convert them from the error of their way," and thereby to "save their souls from death." And if there be any particular part of her services in which this Christian charity is most signally manifested, it is this most solemn, impressive, and affecting office; but by the most strange perversion of her purpose, and misrepresentation of her character, founded upon palpable ignorance and inattention, in some cases upon prejudice and ill-will

towards her, she is on that very account accused of impiety and uncharitableness, as if she thereby taught her members to call down curses on themselves or their neighbours, and so be guilty of an extreme degree of wickedness and folly.

"

Now, in the first place, with respect to the intent and motive of the Church, nothing can be more unexceptionable, nothing more consistent with the soundest reason, nothing more agreeable with the spirit of the tenderest affection and the most pure piety. For what is her intent? It is that all her members, "being admonished of the great indignation of God against sinners, may the rather be moved to earnest and true repentance; and may walk more warily in these dangerous days; fleeing from such vices for which they affirm with their own mouths the curse of God to be due." In other words, that knowing and acknowledging the terror of the Lord, denounced by God Himself against impenitent sinners, they may be persuaded truly to repent of, and effectually to forsake, their former sins; to watch over their conduct with that caution, which becomes creatures, encompassed with such infirmities as are incident to human nature, and liable to still further corruption from the evil influence of those with whom they communicate; and so to "deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, and to live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world, looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God, and of our Saviour Jesus Christ." More need not be said to show how entirely the intent of the Church is conceived in the spirit of that heavenly principle, which St. Paul describes as "rejoicing not in iniquity, but rejoicing in the truth;" and which St. James represents by one of its most appropriate actions, as engaged in converting the sinner from