the priest to him. The priest has a breast-plate, as well as the monarch....the breast-plate of righteousness. He has a girdle also, "having his loins girt about with truth;" he has sandals far more sumptuous, having his "feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace;" and he has a sword, not of iron, the sword of the Spirit; and he has also a crown set upon his head. Here is a suit of mail more splendid, armour more august, a stronger confidence, force more abundant. Wherefore from the height of his official dignity, from the native greatness of his soul; above all, from his trust in God, (we may be assured that) he will address the monarch with great boldness, and with great wisdom.

Let us not then despair of safety, but let us pray, let us entreat, let us supplicate, let us go as ambassadors (ourselves) unto the supreme monarch with many tears; and we have now a coadjutor in this sacred embassy; the (quadragesimal) fast will contribute (to its energy and success). As when the winter is past, and summer begins to appear, the sailor launches his vessel in the deep, the soldier polishes his arms, and prepares his horse for the campaign, the husbandman whets his reaping-hook, the traveller ventures on his long peregrination, and the wrestler strips for his gymnastic exercise; so let us do now that our summer is arrived, this sacred season of abstinence that imparts a genial fervour to the soul: as soldiers let us polish our arms, as husbandmen whet the reaping-hook, as pilots let us range all our thoughts, to stem the currents of intemperate desire, and, as wrestlers strip ourselves for the athletic conflict; for, the believer is a husbandman, a pilot, a soldier, a wrestler and a traveller. Wherefore, the Apostle says (Eph. vi. 12), "We wrestle not with flesh and blood, but with principalities and powers:" "put on, put on, therefore, the whole armour of God." Have you not seen the

wrestler and the soldier? If you then are a wrestler, you must enter the stadium unclothed; if you are a soldier, you must stand in the ranks, armed. How is it possible to do both, to be both unclothed and clothed at the same time? I will tell you how; strip yourself of "the affairs of this life," and you become a . wrestler; clothe yourself with spiritual armour, and you become a soldier: divest yourself of earthly cares, for now is the time to wrestle [with your spiritual antagonists]; put on the celestial armour, for a fierce war is kindled between us and those fallen angels: for this reason you must be unencumbered, that the devil may find no handle to take advantage of, when he struggles with you; and for this reason must you be armed at all points, that you may no where receive a mortal thrust. Break Break up the fallow-ground of your heart and root out the thorns, sow the (sound) doctrine of piety, plant the goodly plants of divine philosophy, and cherish them with assiduous care, so you become a husbandman; and Paul will say to you, "the husbandman that laboureth must be first partaker of the fruits:" and he also himself practised this art of husbandry; for he said, in an Epistle to the Corinthians, "I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase" (now then) sharpen your sickle, that which you have blunted by satiety, sharpen by abstinence. Enter upon the journey which conducts to heaven, venture on the narrow pass, and advance therein: but by what means may you be enabled both to make the attempt and to proceed in the undertaking? By "keeping under your body and bringing it into subjection;" for where the road is much straitened and contracted, their corpulency, the result of a full and luxurious diet, is a great impediment. Check the tide of irregular desires, dispel the gathering storm of evil imaginations, save the vessel, shew your practical skill and expertness; then you are a pilot. Now,

the basis of all these things [namely, the exertions of the spiritual husbandman, pilot, soldier, wrestler, and traveller], and (one of our prime) instructors therein is fasting; not that of the many*; I speak of that which is accurate and perfect, an abstinence not only from meat, but also from sins; for it is not in the nature of fasting to be adequate to the deliverance of those who practise it, except it be performed agreeably to its appropriate rule; for, as (the Apostle) says, " if a "if man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully." Wherefore, lest, after sustaining the hardship of fasting, we should fail of its reward, let us learn in what manner we ought to set about this duty sincerely: even the Pharisee fasted, and yet, after all his abstinence, derived no benefit from it: the publican did not fast, and yet excelled him that did: hence, we may learn that fasting is of no use except it be followed by its proper effects. The Ninevites fasted and conciliated the favour of God: the Jews also fasted, yet did not gain their point; nay, went away condemned.

Since then, to those who are unskilful in this duty, it is even attended with danger, let us inquire what those rules are by which abstinence should be regulated, lest we be like such as "run uncertainly," or pugilists that only "beat the air" and fight with a shadow. Fasting is a medicine; and medicine, though useful in very many cases, is not unfrequently inefficacious, through want of skill in him that applies it; for the proper time of administering it must be known, and the quantity of the drug itself, and what kind of constitution it will have to act upon, and the nature of the climate, and the season of the year, and what diet will suit the case, and many other particulars, of

The δι πολλοι here mentioned are manifestly professed Christians; and it is equally manifest that Chrysostom is dissatisfied with them.

CHRIST. OBSERV. No. 289.

which, if one only be overlooked, it will have a prejudicial effect upon all the rest. And if such great nicety is requisite in applying a remedy to the body....when the soul is to be taken care of, and reason itself to be healed, how much more necessary will it be to consider and investigate all things with the greatest accuracy!

(To be concluded.)

Tothe Editorofthe Christian Observer. IT would gratify a constant reader of your publication, if you would afford an opportunity to any of your correspondents, versed in rubrical information, to reply to the following query:

Is it rubrical for the congregation to repeat aloud, with the minister, the Lord's Prayer, at the commenceinent of the communion service?

I think it is, for the following

reasons:

One of the rubrics in the morning prayer, says, "Then the minister shall kneel, and say the Lord's prayer, with an audible voice; the people also kneeling, and repeating it with him, both here and whereever else it is used in divine service."

"With an audible voice." Dr. Bisse, L'Estrange, Wheatley, Nicholls, Waldo, Pruen, and Bishop Mant, consider that the Lord's Prayer is ordered to be said by the minister with an "audible" or "loud voice," as a corrective of the practice of the Church of Rome, by which it is appointed to be said secrete, mentally, or in a low voice by the priest alone ;-that ignorant people may the sooner learn it, and that "all the congregation may the better hear, and join with the minister."

"And repeating it with him.” Most justly, says Dr. Bennett, "does (the church) enjoin the people, at all times, to repeat it, together with the minister: for by so doing they imitate the ancient practice, when the whole congregation did orally pronounce it

D

ALL

together." Bishop Sparrow says, "The present rubric directs the people to repeat the Lord's Prayer after the minister, both here and wherever else it occurs in divine service."

"Here and wherever else it is used in divine service." That by divine service is meant the Book of Common Prayer, appears from the "preface concerning the service of the church." Shepherd remarks, "It has been thought by some, that the people are not to repeat the Lord's Prayer with the minister, in the COMMUNION OFFICE. But the words here and wherever else it is used in divine service, added to the rubric at the last review," as if on purpose to remove all doubt, "contain a plain, general direction, which a thousand repetitions could not have made more express."

"Amen." Wheatley remarks, "In our present Common-Prayer Books it is observable, that the Amen is sometimes printed in one character, and sometimes in another; the reason of which I take to be this: At the end of all collects and prayers, which the priest is to repeat or say ALONE, it is printed in Italic, a different character from the prayers themselves, to denote, I suppose, that the minister is to stop at the end of the prayer, and to leave the Amen for the people to respond; but at the end of the Lord's Prayer, confessions, creeds, &c. and WHERESOEVER the people are to JOIN ALOUD with the minister, as if taught and instructed by him what to say, there it is printed in Roman; that is, in the same character with the confessions and creeds themselves; as a hint to the minister that he is still to go on by pronouncing the Amen himself, to direct the people to do the same; and so to set their seal at last to what they had been before pronouncing." In Bishop Mant's Oxford 4to Prayer book, 1820, these Italic and Roman characters are correctly given; and as they form a complete guide to the officiating minister, it is to be regretted,

that, for the sake of the younger clergy, they are not accurately printed in many of our church folios. I only add, that the Amen to the Lord's Prayer in the communion office is in the ROMAN character.

"Shall say the Lord's Prayer." (Communion Rubric.) "When this divine form of prayer is said," remarks Archdeacon Yardley, "the people being humbly on their knees, are to accompany the minister not only in their hearts, but with their lips. For, though it be not particularly ordered in this place, yet it is in the rubric after the confession in the order for morning prayer, where the minister is to use the Lord's Prayer, the people also kneeling, and repeating it with him, both here and wherever else it is used in divine service. We are not particularly ordered to repeat the Nicene Creed; but the rubrics before the Apostles' Creed and St. Athanasius's were ever accounted a justification of the practice. Why a similar silence respecting the Lord's Prayer is not to be followed by a corresponding practice, I am at a loss to determine. Dr. Bisse, in his remarks on this office, says, "The reason of the church's appointment, that the Lord's Prayer should be said by the whole congregation, is chiefly in obedience to His injunction, who commanded it to be said by his disciples, whenever they prayed, which, lest any one should omit through ignorance or neglect, the church hath enjoined to be rehearsed by the people, WHENEVER it is used in the divine service."

I think with Archdeacon Sharp, that, without considering the rubric as a statute, upon a level at least with other acts of parliament, respecting our occasional ministrations, "we [speaking of the clergy] are under this peculiar circumstance of obligation to observe it, that, we have by our subscriptions at both ordinations, by one of our vows at the altar for the order of priesthood, by our subscriptions and declarations of conformity before our ordinary, and repetitions of them

in the church, before our congregations, and, likewise by our declarations of assent and consent, as prescribed in the Act of Uniformity; I say we have in all these several ways tied ourselves down to a regular, constant, conscientious performance of all and every thing prescribed by the Book of Common Prayer;"-that where a 66 necessity for breaking through the rubric cannot be pleaded by us, there will be no excuse for us;"-that" no prescription of non-observance, or customary neglect can avail to the setting it aside;"-that "in all points, where the rubrics are plain and express," as in this, even "the ordinary has no authority to release us from obedience;"-that "there is no instance in the whole CommonPrayer Book, where custom must be allowed to be a good interpretation of rubric, excepting in those cases

where the ordinary hath a dispensing power;"-and that "the only way to justify our conduct in ALL points, that are plain and cxpress is to observe them PUNCTUALLY AND LITERALLY.”

Rejecting, then, the right of custom to decide in such a case as this, I maintain with Bishop Sparrow, Bishop Mant, Archdeacon Yardley, Archdeacon Sharp, Chancellor Bisse, Dr. Bennett, Dr. Nicholls, Mr. L'Estrange, Mr. Wheatley, Mr. Waldo, Mr. Shepherd, and Mr. Pruen, that the Lord's Prayer is to be repeated by the people with the minister, WHEREVER it is used in divine service. And with regard to custom itself, in our retired country churches, where innovation is usually less rapid in its incursions, the clerk very generally, I believe, repeats the Lord's Prayer at the communion, as well as in the other parts of the service. Ομιχρον.

Tothe Editorofthe Christian Observer. I AM, as well as your correspondent "A Reader," a layman of the Church of England, and can also say that "I have been accustomed to great disappointment in the character of the music used in many of our churches, as well as in the selection of the words appropriated to the tunes." I however cannot but think that the evil lies too deep to be eradicated by the mear he proposes, or indeed by any other means than by subjecting the musical part of the church service to the same rules and restrictions with the rest of the service. For want of this it frequently happens, in parish churches, that the words to be sung are selected by the clerk, or both words and music by a set of self-appointed singers, who are generally persons quite illiterate.

This is one abuse. Another is,

that the organist of a parish church is usually appointed by a majority of the votes of the parishioners, with little regard, perhaps, either to abilities or character, and, when chosen, is under no kind of restriction, but is left to his own guidance, and, having a powerful instrument at his sole command, may either greatly enforce or as greatly mar the effect of the psalmody, as his discretion, or the want of it, may incline him.

In cathedrals these matters scem to be ordered aright; but how are they executed? A precentor is indeed appointed to regulate every choir, in whom the ultimate power of superintendance is vested; but how often does it happen that these officers, as well as the organist, are appointed through mere influence, and without the least regard to musical knowledge, of which, whatever may be their literary and other

acquirements, they are sometimes as ignorant as the parochial singers above mentioned! The duties of this office are consequently frequently ill managed, or are left to the direction of the organist, who has no power, if he have the inclination, to enforce them.

What therefore seems to be wanting to rectify all these abuses is, for the precentors of cathedrals, and the ministers of parish churches, to qualify themselves for taking these matters into their own hands.

It may indeed be too late in life for most of them to do so; but, how happens it that they are not already qualified? and for what essential purpose is a professor of music attached to each university, if the study of sacred music is to form no part of a clergyman's education? Surely, as music forms a part of both our cathedral and parochial services (an essential one indeed of the former); it should seem to be incumbent on the clergy in general, to acquire what knowledge they can of every part of the service over which they may have to preside. Nor is the want of this to be excused, even from their not being gifted with a musical ear, or a particular taste for the science; as although without this, and some degree of musical inspiration, it may not be possible for a person to acquire a knowledge of composition, yet, any one that chooses may learn the musical scale, and enough of the rules of the art to enable him to form some judgment of what ought to be the style of the services, anthems and psalmody,performed in his cathedral or choir, and also of the voluntaries on the organ there played.

The musical knowledge thus acquired may also be turned to some other account; for, what can be a more innocent or laudable recreation for a clergyman, than the quiet and domestic use of a musical instrument, which he will find to be the easiest method of acquiring the knowledge which I have recommended?

Though but little attention seems at present paid to this science by the superior members of our cathedrals, matters must formerly have been far otherwise. If not, for what purpose do the statutes of Canterbury cathedral (the most ancient choral establishment in the kingdom) require, that on the three grand festivals, Christmas-day, Easter-day, and Whitsunday, in every year, the whole service shall be performed (and of course should be chanted) by the dean and prebendaries themselves? and, as if to prevent this from being evaded by reading instead of chanting the service, it is also directed that, upon these occasions, the responses shall be accompanied with the organ, so that these must be sung, whatever may be the case with the priest's part of the service; yet, I believe, this is the way it continues to be performed on these days, the dean and prebendaries simply reading their parts, whilst the responses are sung by the choir. Opinions I know differ, and it is not the object of this paper to reconcile them, respecting the cathedral mode of conducting Divine service; but this discrepancy does not interfere with my present argument, which only goes to the point of the duty of a clergyman to endeavour to qualify himself to direct properly whatever religious service he undertakes to superintend.

SEPTUAGENARIUS.

Tothe Editorofthe Christian Observer. THE title and character of the Christian Observer induce a humble reader to suggest a few remarks on a subject that has sometimes filled his heart with deep regret and apprehension.

I have viewed, with gratitude to the Great and Universal Benefactor, the unexampled state of prosperity, which He has been pleased to dispense to this empire; but when I have seen public avowals