of some one or two syllables in their usual church liturgy? It was thought in him an unpardonable offence to alter any thing; in us as intolerable, that we suffer any thing to remain unaltered.' 1

NOTE F. Page 55.

The recitation of psalms succeeds, in our service, confession and introductory prayer. Such also was the mode in S. Basil's time. Ab oratione surgentes, ad psalmodiam instituuntur: rising from prayers they (i. e. the assembly) fall to singing of psalms.

ON LECTURE IV.

NOTE G. Page 82.

The reading of lessons out of the Old, as also out of the New Testament, is in punctual

1 Eccles. Polity. Book v. chap. 42.

imitation of the ancient church: τὰ ἀπος μνημονεύματα τῶν ἀποστόλων ἢ τὰ συγγράμματα τῶν προφητῶν ἀναγινώσκεται μέχρις ἐγχωρεῖ, says Justin Martyr,1 the commentaries of the apostles, and writings of the prophets are read, as the time permits.

It was also the primitive custom often to appoint set lessons, and not to leave their selection to the minister.2

ON LECTURE V.

NOTE H. Page 102.

The creed, or confession of faith, was, in the first age of the Christian church, doubtless very short. There was probably no other than the confession of belief in the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. But, as errors arose, it became necessary to meet them by additional articles. Thus, it is said, that "Maker of heaven and earth," was inserted in opposition to Menander, who held that the world was 2 Vide L'Estrange.

1 Apol. I.

born of the Ebion and

created by angels: "his only Son, virgin Mary," in opposition to Cerinthus, who maintained that Christ was a mere man, begotten by Joseph: "crucified, dead, and buried," in opposition to Simon Magus, who denied Christ's incarnation, saying that all his conversation here on earth was in appearance only, not in verity. And thus the creed became rather a collection of facts, than a deduction of doctrines.

If this, their especial object, be borne in mind, many of the objections raised against our creeds will vanish. A clergyman has lately arraigned what he calls 'the poverty' of the three creeds. In referring to the first of these symbols, I utter a long-suppressed astonishment, that this indefinite, deficient, and ill-asssorted compend of the gospel, could ever have been palmed upon the universal church under the abused name of the apostles' creed. It maintains a deep and dead silence on the two grand fundamental doctrines of revelation-original sin, and the atonement.' 'With regard to the Athanasian symbol....it is a dry, abstract, unapplied, series of positions about the Trinity, a theory

without an explicit reference to practical utility.' 1

Mr. Riland, in these passages, has overlooked the particular object of creeds, above noticed. It may also be replied to his objections, that, if creeds are to be recited in a public service,-—and that it is well so to recite them, and not to let them slumber, as articles too often do, experience, I think, has proved -they must be short: if they are to be universally received, they must be general: were they lengthened, and discursive, they would minister materials of endless controversy.

It is further specially objected that the apostles' creed is most unfit to be used in the baptismal service, very principally because it has no reference, it is asserted, to original sin and the atonement. It might be replied that it was the practice of the early church so to use it. Ruffinus tells us it was the early Roman mode: qui gratiam baptismi suscepturi sunt, fidelium populo audiente symbolum reddunt, they who are about to receive the grace of baptism, rehearse the creed in the

1 Riland on Church Reform, pp. 158, 159, 165.
2 Vide Riland, p. 171.

hearing of all the faithful. But we may take higher ground. The argument of Mr. Riland will apply with greater force to the very simple confession which Philip the evangelist required of the Ethiopian eunuch.2 We are content to be condemned in such company.

ON LECTURE VII.

NOTE I. Page 144.

The following quotation is from L'Estrange.

As for the litany used in our church, a very near resemblance it hath with that devised by S. Gregory, if he were the author of the Sacramentary, as I am prone to believe he was. The first part of it, whose responsory terminations are "have mercy upon us," seems to be an exemplification of the most ancient forms; for in those liturgies extant under the names of misreputed authors, which nevertheless retain some relics of remote antiquity, kúpie xénσov is the great ingredient 1 In Symbolum.

2 Vide Acts viii. 37.