2. Is not the form of prayer of the Protestant Episcopal Church an excellent form?

A. Yes; many of the prayers in the liturgy of the Protestant Episcopal Church are to be found in the liturgies of the primitive ages. This liturgy was drawn up by the venerable Reformers of the English Church, and afterward improved by the revisions of some of the most eminent and pious of her divines. It is now brought to a state of perfection that renders it the most complete and excellent form of devotion of which the Christian world can boast. "The style throughout is excellent, calm without coldness, and through every where sedate, often times affecting. The pauses in the service are disposed at proper intervals. The transitions from one office of devotion to another, from confession to prayer, from prayer to thanksgiving, from thanksgiving to hearing of the word, are contrived to supply the mind with a succession of diversified engagements. The prayer at one time is continued, at another is broken by responses, or cast into short alternate ejaculations.-A Christian petitioner can have few things to ask of God, or to deprecate, which he will not find expressed in the litany for the most part, with inimitable tenderness and simplicity."*

2. Is not a departure from the rubrics in the performance of public worship contrary to the solemn vows of ordination?

A. Yes; for every minister, at his ordination, solemnly promises to conform to the worship of the church. And the worship of the church is regulated by the rubrics in the Book of Common Prayer. Departure from the rubrics would destroy the uniformity of public worship, would bring the litany into disrepute, and tend finally to subvert it.

2. Is not the introduction of extempore prayers into the public worship of our church also unnecessary and presumptuous?

Archdeacon Paley.

A. Yes; because the church has fully provided for every part of public worship; and it would be presumptive in any individual minister to suppose, that by any alterations or prayers of his own, he would improve the liturgy.*

Q. Can it be justly said that the service of the church is too long and tedious?

• The following extracts from a charge delivered by Bishop White to his clergy, exhibit, in a strong point of view, the solemn obligation of the clergy strictly to conform to the discipline and worship of the church.

"In regard to what I have now laid before you on the subject of the episcopacy, and indeed to all other particulars of this discourse, comprehended in the institutions of our church, I ought not to fail to remind you of two very solemn engagements by which she binds her ministry to a submission to them. One of these engagements is the promise privately signed in the presence of the Bishop previously to ordination; the other is the answer to a question, which he proposes publicly in the service. The former stipulates for a conformity to the doctrines and worship of our church; and the latter is a vow of canonical obedience to the Bishop. Neither of these pledges can be misunderstood."t

"For any one to insinuate himself into a church with sentiments hostile to its order, and under vows which he has no intention of observing, is a profanation, that may be classed with those perjuries in certain departments of civil life, which are said to mock the administration of our laws. Let us not be content with avoiding any thing like this, but also discountenance it in others. Our church has prescribed a form of prayer; she thinks it warranted by the practice of the church in the earliest ages as far back as any remains of that practice are to be traced; and not by that only, but by the attendance of our Lord on the prescribed devotions of the temple and of the synagogue; the evidences that there were established forms being equally authentic with those of the four books containing the history of his blessed life. The plea for departing from this order is the greater increase of piety. But may not men be under the government of a piety, mixed with much error? They may; and in this instance of the violation of order they surely are. I mean where piety of any sort is the motive: for, in the greater number of the instances falling under my observation, I have been compelled to ascribe it to mere vanity and the exaltation of self."

Bishop White's Charge, p. 46.

† P. 28, 29.

A. No; because there is great variety in the service; exhortation, confession, supplication, reading the word of God, and praising his holy name being mingled together. The responses also tend to increase this variety, and to keep up their attention. The liturgy is altogether so excellent, that it would be difficult to tell what parts could with propriety be omitted. They who remember that the wor ship of God is the principal object of Christians in their public assembles, will not object to the length of the service.

When and by whom were extempore prayers first made use of in public worship?

A. Praying extempore was first set up in opposition to the English liturgy in the year 1570, by one friar Comin, who, to divide Protestants, and serve the ends of popery, began to pray extempore with such fervor, that he deluded many, and was amply rewarded for it by the Pope; and after him Thomas Heath did the same. See Foxes and Firebrands.

2. What is Mr. Calvin's opinion of forms of prayer?

A. He delivers his judgment in his well known epistles to the duke of Somerset in this manner; As for a form of prayers and ecclesiastical rites, I do highly approve that there should be a certain one, from which it should not be lawful for the tor in his office to depart,"

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CHAPTER II.

Of the Order for Daily Morning and Evening Prayer.

1 CORINTHIANS xiv. 15.

I will pray with the Spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also.

I. Of Prayer in general.

WHAT is prayer?

A. It is the offering up of our desires to God; in which the soul has the honour, and advantage also, of breathing forth its wishes to our Maker, lodging them in the bosom and heart of its Intercessor, and, through him, petitioning relief in all its necessities. and wants.

2. What are the grounds of this duty?

A. The insufficiency of man to help himself, and the sufficiency of God for his relief and support : for, says the Apostle, " In him we live, and move, and have our being." Acts xvii, 28.

2. What encouragement have we to comply with this duty?

A. The promise of Christ, saying, "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you." Mat. vii. 7. 2. But is all prayer effectual to this end?

No; "Ye ask and receive not, because ye ask amiss." James iv. 3.

2. How then must our prayers be qualified, that they may be effectual?

A. They must be constant and regular, and not by fits and starts; and so we are required " to pray without ceasing" and they must be earnest and diligent; for, says St. James," the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." James

2. What does St. Gregory Nyssen say of prayer? A. "That it " is a work of the same dignity and honour, wherein the angels and saints of heaven themselves are employed. It is an advocate for the guilty, a redemption for the captive, a rest for the wearied, and a comfort for the sorrowful. It is our watch-tower whilst we sleep, and our safeguard whilst we are awake." St. Greg. Nyssen. Nom. de Orat.

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2. What does St. Chrysostom say of such as neglect prayer?

"When I see a man," says he, "that loveth not his prayers, and is not frequent at his devotions, I presently conclude him to be a miserable creature, and to have nothing in him at all that is worthy of commendation. St. Chrysost. de orundo Deum.

2. And what does he say of the efficacy of prayer? A. That, (C as the light of the sun is to the eye of the body, so is prayer to the soul." Idem, ibid. And further adds, that "he cannot but admire and wonder at the great love of God towards man, for vouchsafing him so high an honour, as familiarly to speak unto him by prayer." Idem, ibid.

2. Is it sufficient to worship God in private only? A. No: For since God requires what is both public and private, the performance of the one will not justify us in the omission of the other. Divine worship is that by which we do, in a more immediate manner, honour God, by acknowledging the perfections of his nature; and the more publicly and solemnly this is done, the more is God honoured: and therefore, how devout and pious soever we may be in private, we must not forsake the assembling ourselves together for the worship of God, as the Apostle enjoins. Heb. x. 25.

2. But may we not neglect the public worship of God, provided we live virtuous and sober lives?

A. No; for God requires " we should live, not only soberly and righteously, but also godly in this present world." Tit. i 12. The very Heathens