sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty."―There he is invested with all power and dominion, both in heaven and earth, reigning in his mediatorial character, as God incarnate, "till he hath put all his enemies under his feet." "From thence he shall come to judge the quick and dead." The next article in the Creed relates to the third person in the ever blessed Trinity: "I believe in the Holy Ghost." Christians are called the temple of God, because the spirit of God dwelleth in them; and Annanias was charged with lying unto God, when he lied to the Holy Ghost. The peculiar office of the Holy Spirit, in the work of our salvation, is to renew and cleanse us from our original pollution at our baptism, and to sanctify, support, and guide us in the performance of our duty, by his divine influences. Here ends the principal part of the Creed: And having thus expressed our faith in the Holy Trinity, in whose name we are baptized, we should inake a momentary pause before we proceed to the remaining articles. They embrace, indeed, some of the most important doctrines of our religion, and we are required firmly to believe them, because they are revealed to us in the word of God. Thus we believe there is a "holy Catholic Church;" a general society of Christian people dispersed throughout the world; not confined to any particular age or nation, but Catholic, or Universal.— This is that Body of which Christ is the head; the Bride, of which he is the Husband; the Branches, of him who is the true Vine. Thus, too, we believe in "the communion of saints :" That there is a fellowship subsisting between the several members of this Church; "who being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another;" All being servants of the same God, redeemed by the same atoning blood, sanctified by the same Spirit, governed by the same laws, partakers of the same sacraments, and heirs of the same promises. And having thus acknowledged the goodness of God in purchasing to himself an universal Church, by the blood of Christ, and uniting the members of it in one body under Him, we are ready to profess our faith in the great privileges conferred on us in the new Covenant; "the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting." "Examine yourselves whether ye be in the faith," was the injunction of an Apostle. It will not be our repetition of the Creed, nor of any other form of sound words, that will justify us in the divine presence, and save our souls, if our hearts remain unaffected, and our lives unreformed. "Faith without works is dead."-But have we not reason to fear that there are many who rehearse the Creed, and yet mean nothing by the words which they repeat? Let us beware of thoughtlessness, or mockery, in so solemn an act. It can only aggravate our condemnation, for we are not "liars unto men, but unto God." Let us carefully examine ourselves, therefore, whether we be in the faith. When we profess our faith in "God the Father," let us see that we realize his omnipresence and constant inspection, reverence his almighty power, and submit ourselves to his paternal authority. When we acknowledge "his only Son our Lord," let us gladly and cordially embrace the way of salvation by his blood. Let us renounce all idea of personal merits, on account of our confessions, our prayers, or our charities, and rely on him alone, as "the Lord our righteousness." And when we profess our faith in "the Holy Ghost," let us submit our souls to his heavenly influences. Let us be careful not to "resist" or "quench" them, and let us be earnest in our supplications to the throne of grace, that they may "guide us into all truth," and assist us in every "time of need." Nothing can be more salutary to us, than the frequent repetition of the Creed, if it be done with sincerity, and taken as the ground-work of our practice. It tends firmly to fix in our minds the great truths of the Gospel. It is a renewed pledge to Almighty God of our allegiance to him: And it is calculated to foster in us sentiments of brotherly love, and universal charity. Let us be grateful to the Supreme Being, for the revelation of himself to us, and for all the doctrines of his holy Gospel: Let us give our particular consideration, and positive assent to every article of faith which we repeat: And let us make our faith the ground-work of our prayers, and the great rule of our lives. The main design of the Gospel, and the chief end for which the Church has selected from it the great truths contained in the Creed, and commanded us to profess our faith in them, is that we should thereby learn to cultivate more pious affections, and greater holiness of living. Let us constantly devote ourselves to these great objects. Let us deep ly ponder how those should live who believe that God the Father is their Creator, God the Son their Redeemer, God the Holy Ghost their sanctifier; who believe that they are members of that Holy Catholic Church, in which there is a communion of saints, and remission of sins, and where there shall be a resurrection of the body, and a life ever| lasting. And let us be careful so to frame our hearts and lives, that we may find in God, a reconciled Father; in Jesus Christ, a friend and Saviour; and in the Holy Spirit, a guide and sanctifier; Then will our day of grace terminate in an eternity of Glory-Which may God of his infinite mercy grant, for Christ's sake! T. C. B The following is the Paraphrase of the Apostles' and after that by a kind disciple was "buried," Jolin Creed, by Dr. Nicholls. "I make this confession of my faith, relating to those truths, which upon the testimony of God himself are revealed unto me. 1st. I believe, that there is only one God, Deut. iv. 35; 1 Cor. viii. 6; that He is Father to all men by creation, Mal. ii. 10; by redemption, Deut. xxxii. 6; adoption, 1 John iii. 1; but in a peculiar manner the Father of our blessed Lord by eternal generations, Heb. i. 1, 2; John vi. 57. I believe farther, that this one God is "Almighty," and is vested with an infinite power of doing all things, Is. xlv. 12; Rev. xix. 6; and governing all things at his pleasure, 1 Chron. xxix. 11; Jer. xvi. 21; that he was the Maker of heaven and earth," that is, the whole world and every thing contained therein, Exod. xx. 11; John i. 10; Col. 1. 16. II. I believe likewise "in Jesus Christ," being verily persuaded, that he is what his name, "Jesus" signifies, the Saviour of the world, Luke i. 31; Matt. i. 21; Acts xiii. 23. That he is "Christ" or the Messiah, which was so long before his coming promised under the Old Testament, Gen. xxi. 12, and xlix. 10; Mal. iii. 1. That he is the "only Son" of God, begotten from all eternity, partly as being said to come down from heaven, John vi. 38; partly, because he is recorded in Scripture to have made the worlds, Heb. i. 2; Col. i. 16; partly by reason he is frequently called God, John i. 1; Phil. ii. 6, 7; 1 Tim. iii. 16; Rom. ix. 5: but chiefly, because of the divine essence being communicated to him, John xvi. 15, and v. 26; 2 Cor. iv. 4; and that, in a manner different from all created beings, Heb. 1. 13. Who is likewise "our Lord" by being the true Jehovah or Lord, Hos. i. 7; Matt. iii. 3; by having all things put under his dominion, Ps. cx. 5; by redeeming us from the power of the devil, who before had got the mastery over us, Heb. ii. 14; Col. ii. 15; by purchasing us by his blood, Acts xx. 28; Eph. i. 7; by our voluntarily becoming his servants and scholars by baptism, Rom. vi. 6, 13. I believe further, that though Christ was true man, Heb. iv. 15, yet he was not produced after the ordinary manner of human conception, but by the overshadowing "of the Holy Ghost," Luke i. 35; was "born of Mary," a poor maid of the lineage of David, who continued a "virgin” notwithstanding that miraculous birth, Luke i. 27; that he suffered an ignominious death as was foretold, Is. liii. 9; Mark ix. 12: and this at the time when "Pontius Pilate" was governor under the Romans in Judea, Matt. xxvii. 2: was nailed to a cross, a terrible and scandalous punishment, by which the Romans used to put their wicked slaves to death: that under this grievous torture he became really "dead," Luke xxiii. 46; Mark xv. 37: xix. 38: and "descended into hell," or hades. the repository or place of separate souls, Is. v. 14; Ps. xvi. 10: on "the third day" after his crucifixion he rose again," ," Matt. xvi. 21; Mark ix. 31: as he had before foretold, Matt. xxvii. 63: after that in the sight of a great many credible witnesses, he in a most glorious manner ascended up into heaven," Luke xxiv. 50, 51; Acts i. 9, 10: as the prophets had long before predicted, Ps. lxviii. 18; Micah ii. 13: and was shortly after advanced to a most especial bonour, which was never vouchsafed to any person before, Heb. i. 13; to "sit on the right hand of God," Luke xxii. 69; 1 Pet. iii. 22: which is a place of the greatest dignity in heaven, 1 Kings ii. 19; Heb. viii. 1: where he has begun his spiritual kingdom, and treads upon the necks of the great enemies of his jurisdiction; sin, Rom. vi. 14; satan, Heb. ii. 14; and death, 1 Cor. xv. 26: who, at the end of the world, shall come in a triumphant and glorious procession attended with the angels, 2 Thess. i. 7; Matt. xxv. 31; and shall have all power committed to him, John v. 22, 27; Acts xvii. 31; to judge those who shall then be alive, 1 Thess. iv. 15; 1 Cor. xv. 51; and those who shall be raised up from their graves, Matt. XXV. 32. III. I believe "the Holy Ghost" to be very God, and the third Person of the blessed Trinity; that he is not a virtue or grace, as some fondly imagine, but a person, Eph. iv. 30; Rom. viii. 26; Acts x. 19: who is called frequently the Comforter," John xiv. 26; xv. 26; xvi. 7: and is expressly named God, Acts v. 3, 4. I further believe, that there is a number of men, sequestered from the rest of the world by faith in Christ, and governed by his laws; who have continued throughout all ages from the apostles' time, and shall do so to the coming of Christ, which I call the "Catholic Church," which is "holy," 2 Tim. ii. 19; by reason of the holy profession, which they are called to; though all the particular members are not so, Matt. xiii. 24, 47. It is likewise "Catholic" or universal, because of its diffusiveness throughout the world, Matt. xxviii. 19; Luke xxiv. 47. I believe that there is a 66 communion of saints" and elect people of God, 1 Cor. vi. 11; Eph. i. 13; with God the Father, 1 John i. 3; with God the Son, John xvii. 21; 1 Cor. i. 9; with the Holy Ghost, Phil. ii. 1; Rom. viii. 9; and with all the saints in all the Churches now upon earth, 1 John i. 7; as also with all the saints departed, Heb. xii. 22, 23. I believe further, that whereas by our sins we are become debtors to God's justice, 1 John iii. 4; Matt. v. 22; so through the blood of Christ, who has made satisfaction for them, Matt. xx. 28; 2 Cor. v. 18; Rom. v. 10; Col. i. 20; we may obtain Or this. (29.) I BELIEVE in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, And of all things visible and invisible: And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, Begotten of his Father before all worlds; God of God, Light of Light, Very God of very God, Begotten, not made, Being of one substance with the Father; By whom all things were made; Who, for us men, and for our salvation, came down from heaven, And was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary, And was made man, And was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate. He suffered and was buried; And the third forgiveness," of them, not only in baptism, Acts i. 38; Acts xxii. 16; Eph. v. 26; but afterwards, if we truly repent of them, 1 John iv. 10; 1 John ii. 1. I believe likewise "the resurrection of the body," not only as a thing possible to be done by an almighty agent, Luke i. 37; Acts xxvi. 8; Matt. x. 28; but as a thing generally expected by the Jews, Job xix. 25; Dan. xii. 2: that this is clearly promised under the Gospel, Rom. xiv. 9; viii. 11; 1 Cor. xv. 21: and moreover that the self-same body shall rise again, 1 Cor. xv. 23; Rom. viii. 11; 2 Cor. v. 10: and lastly, that the resurrection shall extend to bad as well as good men, 1 Cor. xv. 22; John v. 28. Finally, I believe the "everlasting" duration of all bad men in misery, Matt. xxv. 41, 46; x. 28; Luke iii. 17; Rev. xx. 10; and of all good men in a state of glory, which doth arise from a vacancy from all sorrow, Rev. xxi. iv; from the vision of God, 1 Cor. xiii. 12; 1 John iii. 2; as also from the unspeakable pleasures, which they shall then partake of, 1 Cor. ii. 9. Amen." Dr. Nicholls. In closing this Commentary and Paraphrase of the Creed, it may be proper to notice, that on the revision of the Liturgy subsequent to the Revolution, considerable discussion took place concerning the propriety of retaining the phrase "He descended into Hell." For an account of this matter, and also some very judicious remarks upon it, see Bishop White's Memoirs of the Church, p. 189. The difference of sentiment was happily compromised by leaving it discretionary with the Minister to omit, or retain it, or to use a different form of words with a similar import, according to the provision of the Rubrick. T. C. B. (29.) In the English Book, the Nicene Creed is used only in the Communion Service. There seems no good reason why it should not be used in the daily Service, as well as that termed the Apostles' Creed; and the revisers of the Liturgy have accordingly left it optional with the minister to day he rose again, according to the Scriptures; And ascended into heaven, And sitteth on the right hand of the Father; And he shall come again with glory, to judge both the quick and the dead; Whose kingdom shall have no end. And I believe in the Holy Ghost, The Lord and giver of life; Who proceedeth from the Father and the Son; Who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified; Who spake by the prophets. And I believe one Catholic and Apostolic Church. I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins; And I look for the resurrection of the dead, And the life of the world to come. Amen. use either the one or the other.-The Athanasian Creed, which by the English Rubrick is directed to be used on certain days instead of the Apostles' Creed, is excluded from our Liturgy altogether. It appears that one of the Bishops, and a few of the Clergy, were desirous of retaining it as a safeguard from the errors against which it was framed; but these seem to be sufficiently guarded against by the Apostles' and Nicene Creeds, and other parts of the Liturgy, and it perhaps contains sufficient reasons in itself to warrant its rejection.-For a particular Commentary on the Nicene Creed, see the Evening Service. The following paraphrase by Dr. Nicholls, is subjoined in this place. T. C. B. I sincerely believe, that there is one and but one God, though differenced by three Persons, the first whereof is the Almighty Father, the Creator of the whole World, not only of those gross Bodies, which are the Object of our Sight, but of invisible Angels and Spirits. I also steadfastly believe in the second Person of the Trinity, who is not the adopted, but the true natural and only begotten Son of God, who was begotten by his eternal Father before all time, God the Son of God, in as true a Manner as one Mar is the Son of another, though after a spiritual Manner, and purely propagated as one Light is generated of another, without Diminution of Substance, generated from the eternal Essence, and not made as Creatures are; being of the same Essence with the eternal Father, who made the World; who for the Deliverance of the Souls of us Men, which were forfeited, and made forever subject to the eternal Wrath, left his Throne of Glory in Heaven, and came to take upon him our Nature here upon Earth, and, by the overshadowing of the Holy Ghost, was born of the Body of Mary, a pure Virgin, and became a true Man, and suffered the Death of the Cross, under the Presidentship, and by the unjust Sentence of Pontius Pilate, then And after that, these Prayers following, The Lord be with you; Min. Let us pray. Governor of Judea. He lay buried Part of three Days in the Grave, and on the third Day arose from the Dead, as the Scriptures had foretold, and after that in the Presence of many credible Witnesses, ascended up into Heaven, where he now sits in the most exalted Station of that glorious Place, making Intercession for us; who shall come again with Millions of Saints and Angels, to judge the then Living, and those which are already Dead. I firmly believe likewise in the third Person of the Trinity, God the Holy Ghost, the Spring and Conveyer of Grace and Spiritual Life to us, who is not generated, in like Manner as the Son, of the Father; but, in the Scriptural Phrase, proceedeth both from Father and Son, whom in our Praises and Prayers, and all our devout Addresses, we jointly honour with the Father and the Son; by whose Inspirations the holy Scriptures were indited. I believe there is one, and but one, Catholic or Universal Church, which is built upon the Foundation of the Apostles, and maintain the Doctrine which they taught. I acknowledge a Baptism, instituted by Christ for the Remission of Sin, to be administered in one Form of Words, and not to be repeated. I expect that all the Dead shall arise; and that good Men shall then inherit an everlasting State of Glory. Amen. DR. NICHOLLS. ejaculations. The minister begins with the salutation, "The Lord be with you." To which the people respond, "And with thy spirit." These versicles are probably derived from the simple salutation between Boaz and the Reapers ;-" The Lord be with you," and "The Lord bless you," (Ruth ii. 4.) Or from the salutations of St. Paul to the Thessalonians, "The Lord be with you all," (2. Thess. iii. 16.) And again in the second Epistle to Timothy, "The Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit," (iv. 22.) This solemn and pious salutation between the Minister and People was in frequent use, in the ancient Churches, both Jewish and Christian. The versicles here recited, are said to have been used by the Apostles themselves, in their public worship. They are found in the western Liturgy, ascribed to St. Peter, and in all the ancient Liturgies of the East. Having manifested our harmony and consent in the same faith, by the recital of the Creed, and being about to draw near to God by prayer, the Minister, by this salutation, expresses his charity to the people, and at the same time reminds them, that without God's assistance their services cannot be profitably performed. In effect, he prays that the Lord would graciously assist them in their supplications and prayers; that he would mercifully accept of their devotions, and give them an answer of peace. To this salutation of the Minister-" The Lord be with you," the people are directed to answer, "And with thy spirit." This is to be considered as a token of mutual kindness and affection;-bless (30.) The Church, in the order and variety of her worship, exhibits an admirable picture of the "beauty of holiness." She begins by exhorting us to acknowledge our sins before God, in the general Confession. After which she teaches us to "set forth his most worthy praise," in the Psalms: Then to "hear his most holy word," in the Lessons; and with one heart and one mouth, to professing and wishing well to each other, that they may our faith in the great doctrines of the Gospel, by the recital of the Creed. After this, when our consciences are absolved from sin, our affections warmed by our praises and thanksgivings, our understandings enlightened by the word of truth, and our faith strengthened by the public profession of it, she deems us fitted to enter upon the solemn duty of prayer to God, and teaches us to "ask those things that are requisite and necessary, as well for the body, as the soul.” The duty of prayer results from the dependant and probationary state in which we are placed. It is commanded by the Almighty, and we are encouraged to the performance of the duty, by the most precious promises. This part of our public services commences with a few short and pious unite more cordially in their petitions to the throne of grace. The people consider that the minister is about to present his supplications, and to offer up spiritual sacrifices on their behalf; and pray in their response, that the Lord may be with his spirit at all times, and especially in the performance of the duties on which they are entering; that he may be enabled to perform them aright-with singleness of heart to the glory of God, and the edification of his Church. And where the Minister and people, with sincerity of heart, thus acknowledge their own insufficiency, declare their mutual love and charity, and reciprocally pray for each other, they may look with confidence, for the blessing of God on their devotions. After these mutual salutations, the Minister is ¶ Then shall follow the Collect (31.) for the day, except when the Communion Ser instructed to say, "Let us pray."-This exhortation, which is frequently repeated in ancient Liturgies, may be considered as an invitation to prayer, in general, or to ardent and intense prayer, and it frequently, as in the Litany, denotes a transition from one kind of prayer to another. It is an exhortation to the faithful performance of the most solemn and interesting duty in which a human being can engage: It is an invitation to draw near to God-to cast ourselves at his footstool-to lift up our voices at the throne of his grace;-to deprecate those judgments which our sins have deserved, and to supplicate that mercy without which we must perish. It is a call to summon our attention, and to fix our minds on the duties in which we are engaged, and is designed to put us on our guard, that our devotions be not interrupted by the wandering of our thoughts or any improper desires. vice is read; and then the Collect for the day shall be omitted here (32.) they respond, “And grant us thy salvation.”— These words contain a summary of all the prayers that are to follow. And that our prayers may be presented in an acceptable manner, the minister continues, "O God, make clean our hearts within us;" To which the people add, “And take not thy Holy Spirit from us." Every one who is duly sensible of his own natural depravity, his weakness, and his inability to serve and please God, will estimate the propriety of these petitions, and will fervently join in these supplications for divine grace; without which, our best efforts would be but vain and ineffectual. In the English Book, there are several other interlocutory petitions, in the course of which the Lord's Prayer is repeated. The Compilers of our Liturgy seem to have been judicious in their abridgment, as nearly all that has been omitted occurs in the Litany. After the alternate Versicles, the Minister proceeds with the Collects for Morning Prayer; which he addresses to the throne of grace, as the commissioned organ of the whole Congregation. T. C. B. (31.) A Collect, is any short comprehensive prayer. The term Collect, is of great antiquity and is found in writers of the third Century. Concerning its origin, Ritualists have given various, and sometimes contradictory accounts. According to some, the "Collects" are so called, because they are collected out of the Scriptures: According to others, because they contain a brief collection of all things necessary to be prayed for: And according to the opinion of some very ancient writers, because they were repeated when the people were collected, or assembled together. At this part of divine service, the Rubrick requires that the Minister and people should put themselves in the humble attitude of kneeling. When we confess our faith, we stand, to denote our constancy and firmness of purpose; but when we acknowledge our sins, or implore the mercy and blessings of God, we should throw ourselves on our knees, as guilty and unworthy supplicants at the throne of grace.-This practice was so universally adopted in the first ages of the Christian Church, that the zealous and holy Fathers did not hesitate to reprove those who presumed to stand on their feet, during prayer. But if standing was considered an improper posture, how much more inappropriate is the practice of sitting, which has become so common in many congregations? It is to be regretted that many of our Churches are constructed in such a way as to render the posture of kneeling either extremely inconvenient, or altogether impracticable. But where this is not the case, and where neither age nor infirmities can be plead as an excuse, it is the duty of all to comply with the injunction of the Rubrick. It is true, in deed, that religion does not consist in the observance of mere external forms; yet those forms which the scriptures themselves prescribe for gen-Son, and occasionally, in the conclusion, we comeral use, ought to be generally adopted: and kneeling in prayer is one of these. Before the Minister begins to pray alone for the people they are instructed to join with him, according to the primitive way of praying, in some short versicles and responses, which are taken from the Psalms of David. (Ps. lxxxv. 7, and li. 10, 11.) And since mercy and salvation are the great objects of our petitions to the throne of grace, the Minister begins with the supplication, "O Lord, show thy inercy upon us:" which the people adopt, while The Collects, or Prayers are for the most part addressed directly to the Father, agreeable to the precept of the Saviour, "when ye pray, say, Our Father, who art in heaven," &c. And they are concluded in the name of Christ, in pursuance of his gracious promise, "Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you." Sometimes, however, Collects are addressed to the memorate each person in the blessed Trinity. There are sufficient reasons for dividing our supplications into short and separate Collects, in preference to a continual prayer. The practice accords with that of the Jews, whose prescribed devotions consist of a certain number of brief prayers. And such short forms are conformable to the example of our Lord, who had a perfect knowledge concerning the kind of prayers which were fitted for our use. Indeed, our own experience must convince us how difficult it is to keep our |