Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB

lations," as they are too insignificant to be the subjects of Prayer, and the words, "especially to this congregation here present," since the same petition is offered up in a multitude of congregations nearly at the same time, and the former part of the sentence, in which the words are included, is more consistent with Christian Benevolence. In the exhortation at the time of the celebration of the Communion, we might read these words, " And above all things ye must give most humble and hearty thanks to God our Heavenly Father, for the gift of the Holy Ghost, and for the Redemption, &c." and near the end make this improvement, "For these great mercies therefore, let us give (as we are most bounden) to our Heavenly Father continual thanks, submitting," &c. An alteration is requisite in the Preface upon the Feast of Trinity alone, "who art the only true God, who hast displayed thy mercies in sending thy Son into the world for our redemption, and pouring upon mankind thy Gift of the Holy Ghost. Thou, O God, art our Saviour and redeemer: thou art God alone." The word Trinity

should be removed, and this Sunday and the rest might be named Unity Sunday or Salvation Sunday, and the Sundays after Unity or Salvation. At the conclusion of the Devotions which follow the Lord's Prayer, this correction may appear preferable to the present words, "through thy Son Jesus Christ, whom thou hast set at thy right hand, far above all principality and power for ever and ever. Amen." The next part of our Address to God, which is partly a Thanksgiving, and partly a Prayer, would be greatly improved by being uniform throughout; an alteration of the second part is thus recommended, "glory be to thee, O Lord Jesus, who hast saved and delivered us from Iniquity; glory be

unto thee, who hast redeemed us from Death, and ransomed us from the Power of the Grave: for thou, O Lord, art Holy, thou, O our Saviour, art the Lord; thou, O Lord, art King of Kings and Lord of Lords, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. Great and marvellous are thy Works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, O King of Saints. Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy Name? for thou only art holy for all Nations shall come and worship before thee: for thy Judgements are made manifest." The conclusion of the Blessing may be thus corrected," and the Blessing of God Almighty, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, be amongst you, and remain with you always. Amen." In the Public Baptism of Infants, and the other Forms of Baptism, the words "only begotten Son" are found among the Articles of the Creed. In these and all other Places, where they are used, it is of consequence to alter them, and insert "only Son," lest the opinion of Eternal Generation should again corrupt the Faith; the conception by the Virgin Mary follows immediately after, therefore the word begotten is by no means wanted. ately before the act of Baptizing, we may read "receive of the fulness of thy Grace," and make this alteration in the three Forms of Baptism. After the Creed in the Catechism, the Answers may be thus improved: secondly, "that he hath sent his Son to redeem me, and all mankind: thirdly, "that he hath sent his Holy Spirit to sanc me, and all the people of God." We may also correct the Answers near the conclusion concerning the Lord's Supper, "The Body and Blood of Christ, which are spiritually taken by the faithful in the Lord's Sup

C

In the Prayer immedi

per." "The strengthening and refreshing of our Souls by the Spirit of Christ, as our Bodies are by the Bread and Wine." At the end of the Confirmation, "the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the Love of God, and the Fellowship of the Holy Ghost be with you all evermore," is a sentence superior to the present Blessing. In the solemnization of Matrimony, it may be proper to correct the words of the Man when he places the Ring,

with this Ring I thee wed, and over my Body I give thee Power, and with all my worldly Goods I thee endow:" the term "worship" had better be omitted. The next Prayer should begin thus, “Almighty God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the giver of his Holy Spirit, bless, preserve, &c." In the second sentence of the Visitation of the Sick, we should read these words, "redeemed with thy Son's most precious Blood." After the 71st Psalm in this service, this may be inserted, "O God, the Saviour of the World, who by the Cross and precious Blood of thy beloved Son hast redeemed us; save us, and help us, we humbly beseech thee, in the name of thy Son Jesus Christ. Amen." In the Forms of Prayer to be used at Sea, the short Prayers in respect of a Storm may be thus improved, "Thou, O Lord, that stillest the Raging of the Sea, hear, hear us, and save us, that we perish not. O God our Saviour, who alone canst preserve us from the Perils of the Sea, hear us, and save us, we beseech thee. Thou, O Lord, at thy word canst make the Storm to cease, so that the Waves thereof may be still. Deliver us, O God our Father; spare us, O God of our Salvation." The last Prayer may thus conclude," through Jesus Christ our Lord, in whose Name as for all thy Mercies, so in particular for this Victory and Deliverance, we ascribe unto

thee all Honour and Glory, world without end." In the Form of Prayer for the ordering of Deacons, the Bishop's Examination may be thus altered, "have you so resolved to devote your Life to God and his Gospel, that you can trust the Holy Spirit will guide you in this Office and Ministration, and enable you to serve God, &c." "Do you declare that you have piously and conscientiously prepared yourself, to the best of your power, according to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the due order of this Realm, for the Ministry of the Church." Answer: "I do declare it." In the Bishop's Exhortation, which follows, we read, and to read Holy Scriptures and Homilies:" the Homilies may well be omitted, since the reading of them in Churches is, I believe, completely laid aside, and in the present age unnecessary. Instead of the Hymns, in the Forms of Prayer for the ordering of Priests and consecration of Bishops, which are little suited to the dignity and solemnity of the occasion, either the following Prayer, or some other, which the rulers of the Church may compose and approve of, might be introduced, "O God, who hast promised to give thy Holy Spirit to them that ask in thy Son's Name, pour down we beseech thee the Holy Ghost on these thy Servants, who implore thý Blessing. Inspire them with thy true and heavenly Wisdom: lead them into all Truth: comfort them in all their Tribulations and succour them in all difficulties and Temptations, which they may endure for thy Gospel. And grant that with a pure Heart and good Conscience they may labour to declare thy Glory, and publish thy good tidings of Salvation and let thy Truth prosper by their ministration, Accept, O Lord, these our Supplications, and grant these

tr

our Requests, which we now offer up to thee in the name and through the mediation of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen."

I now proceed to offer some Remarks on the Articles of the Church of England. The Title of the first Article should be altered, and the terms selected chiefly from the Bible.

Of Faith in one God.

There is but one living and true God, Everlasting, Spiritual, of infinite Power, Wisdom, and Goodness; the maker and preserver of all things, both visible and invisible. He, our Heavenly Father, sent his Son Jesus Christ for the Redemption of Mankind, and giveth his Holy Spirit, the Holy Ghost the Comforter, to those who believe in the Gospel, and by his Son hath commanded all Nations to be baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.

2. Of the Word of God, who was made very Man.

The Word, who in the Beginning was with God, and was God, was made Flesh, and came down from Heaven, and took upon him the form of a Servant, and was made in the likeness of Men, being conceived in the Virgin Mary by the Holy Ghost. He, the only Son of God, the Mediator between God and Men, the Man Christ Jesus, truly suffered, was crucified, dead, and buried, to reconcile us to God, and to be a sacrifice, not only for original guilt, but also for the actual Sins of Men.

3. Of the going down of Christ into Hell.

As Christ died for us, and was buried, so also it is to

« ZurückWeiter »