the sacrarium, since called the chancel, because it was divided from the body of the church by slight rails called cancelli. The nave was common to all the people, and was considered as representing the visible world: the chancel was peculiar to the priests and sacred persons. This end of the church was always to the East, in which they had a respect to Christ, who is styled the Day-spring from on high, Luke i. 7, 8; for as the East is the birth-place of the natural day, so Christ is the true Sun of Righteousness, who arose upon the world with the light of truth, when it sat in the darkness of error and ignorance. Since, therefore, we must turn our face to some quarter, it has been judged fittest that it should be towards the East, which for the above reasons, and from similar expressions in Scripture, has been deemed symbolically to be the peculiar residence of God. In the chancel always stood the altar or communion table, which none were allowed to approach but such as were in holy orders. The rubric "that the chancels shall remain as they have done in times past," is for the purpose of distinguishing them from the body of the church as heretofore it was inserted to obviate a disposition which prevailed on the part of the puritans in Queen Elizabeth's reign, and afterwards during the late rebellion, to destroy the distinction of a chancel, which they thought tended too much to magnify the priesthood. There are "ornaments of the church, and of the ministers thereof," alluded to in the same rubric, by the former of which are meant the lights on the communion table, the pulpit-cloth, cushions; by the latter, surplices, hoods of academic degrees, chimeres, rochettes, &c., &c.*

The surplice being the dress most commonly worn

* Respecting these ecclesiastical vestures, see PALMER'S Orig. Liturg.; Appendix.

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by the officiating minister, it may be here judicious to remark, that there is high example and long practice for its use. The priests under the law wore a linen ephod, Exod. xxviii. 4, 5; 1 Sam. ii. 18. The Levites also that were singers, wore white linen, 2 Chron. v. 12. The Ancient of Days, Dan. vii. 9, is represented as having garments white as snow; when our Saviour was transfigured his raiment was white as the light; whenever angels have appeared to men they have always been clothed in white linen, Matt. xxviii. 3, and other places. The armies that followed the Lamb were clothed in white linen, and to the Lamb's wife was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, white and clean, for the fine linen is (that is, represents) the righteousness of the saints, Rev. xix. 14, 8. So much may be said for the significancy of a dress, which might, however, be sufficiently defended, if regard be had only to its conveniency, gravity, and decency; and why we should lose all these favourable considerations, because it is also worn by the priests of a corrupt church, it is not easy to perceive *.

CHAPTER V.

MORNING PRAYER, TO THE LORD'S PRAYER.

THERE are many reasons for believing our morning service is not performed now exactly in the same manner as at the first, but that two services have been united; the morning prayer, strictly so called, being one, the litany and communion the other. Within the first century after the Reformation, the Church

* See CARWITHEN's History of the Church of England.

seems to have lapsed into the present practice, and to have combined both services into one *.

THE PASSAGES OF SCRIPTURE WITH WHICH THE MORNING PRAYER BEGINS are admonitions to repentance, suited to the various descriptions of character to be found in a mixed congregation, and designed to prepare and dispose the mind for the duty of prayer, upon which we are about to enter. Considered as single sentences, they may be thus classed:-To comfort those who have an excessive fear of God's wrath, by the example of David and Jeremiah, Psalms Li. 9; cxLiii. 2; Jer. x. 24. To strengthen the faith of the doubtful and despairing, by showing how fit they are to ask pardon, and how likely God is to grant it on true repentance, Daniel ix. 9. To instruct those who are insensible of their guilt and danger, either because they think they have no sin, or that a slight repentance will procure pardon for it, 1 John i. 8, 9; Ezekiel xviii. 27. To admonish the negligent, who are deferring their repentance, Psalm Li. 3; Matthew iii. 2. To caution the formal, who confess their sins with outward reverence without any sincere devotion, Joel ii. 13. Or they may be considered as a series of texts confirming, on the authority of God's word, and commending to our hearts in impressive language, the several propositions of the exhortation which follows. The word judgment is used in scripture in a very extensive signification. In the sentence, "Correct me but with judgment," it means, correct me favourably, moderately; in the sentence, "Enter not into judgment," it implies the severity of judgment, a strict judicial process against the guilty, and the consequence of such a trial before an infallible judge, namely, condemnation and the execution of judgment.

THE EXHORTATION is a comment or paraphrase on

* BLUNT'S History of the Reformation in England.

the sentences, designed to apply and set them home, and to direct us how we ought to perform the following confession. It comprehends these several heads :-A call to confession: the Scripture moveth us to acknowledge and confess our sins. A caution against concealing them that we should not dissemble nor cloke them before the eyes of our heavenly Father.

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manner and qualification of confession: an humble, lowly, penitent, and obedient heart. "Humble and lowly," that is, with sentiments of our own vileness by sin, and our unworthiness in the sight of God; "penitent," that is, sorry for sins committed, with a hearty resolution not to commit them again; and "obedient," that is, with a firm purpose to keep God's commandments in future. The end and design of confession that we may obtain forgiveness, not as the effect of confession as a meritorious cause, but by God's infinite goodness and mercy. The time and seasons of confession at all times, that is, in more frequent courses of private devotion, but especially in the solemn assembly of Christians in the Church. Lastly, the conclusion: beseeching us to accompany* the minister with a pure heart, 1 Timothy ii. 8; Psalm Lxvi. 18, and with a humble voice, Hebrews xii. 28.

The words " acknowledge" and "confess," "dissemble" and "cloke," "requisite" and "necessary," are not mere repetitions of words of the same meaning, -the compilers of our liturgy were not men likely to use words without considering their sense,-and the beauty and nicety with which they have chosen them show both their critical skill, and the careful devotion with which these prayers were drawn up. To" acknowledge" our sins here means-to allow that certain

* In this respect we possess a greater privilege than the Jews, for they were not allowed to enter the temple with the priest, but remained in the outer court.

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thoughts, words, and actions, are sins, and is opposed to the phrase to" dissemble" our sins, which means, to deny certain actions to be sins, when they really are sins. Therefore, when we are exhorted to acknowledge and not to dissemble our sins, it refers to the nature and character of our thoughts, words, and actions, that we are to feel and admit our sinfulness, and not attempt to conceal that we are deserving of punishment. On the other hand, to confess our sins, relates not so much to the sinful nature of our acts, as to the fact of our having committed those acts, and is opposed to the term cloke." We are to confess and not to cloke our sins; that is, we are to declare before God and the congregation that we are guilty of sinful acts, and must not try to cloke or hide them. The two former phrases relate to our inward consciousness, and that we should not deceive ourselves, or fancy we can deceive God, as to the sinfulness of our deeds, words, and thoughts; the two latter relate to the outward act of confessing ourselves guilty before the congregation. We acknowledge the nature, we confess the act of sin. The use of the word" acknowledge" by itself, immediately afterwards, shows the nice sense which the compilers had of this distinction, "we ought at all times to acknowledge:" that is to say, when alone, as well as in public; but we confess to another. Things requisite, mean things which we require for our comfort or pleasure, but without which we could exist. Things necessary, mean things without which we could not exist at all.

The purposes for which we assemble and meet together in public worship, are thus stated in the exhortation. To render thanks to God for his innumerable blessings bestowed on us: this we do in the thanksgivings, and several of the psalms. To set forth his most worthy praise: this we do in the psalms, hymns, anthems, and doxologies. To hear his most holy word: