The objections which Diffenters make to this elevated piece of devotion, are, that in it we address angels and holy men, and even the inanimate parts of the creation; but these will appear to be of very little weight, when it is confidered, that in the infpired writings, particularly in the Pfalms, fuch apoftrophes frequently occur. And that even this very hymn of the three children, is little more than a paraphrafe of the 148th Pfalm, with which it agrees in fubftance, and moftly in terms. Hence it has been justly obferved, by an elucidator of our Liturgy, that, where the first leffon treats of the creation, or any extraordinary exercife of God's power or providence, Benedicite might be adopted in the place of Te Deum with propriety and advantage; though in the firft Common Prayer Book of King Edward VI. the Te Deum was appointed daily throughout the year, except in Lent, during which feafon, Benedicite, was to be ufed in its room. This Rubric was altered in the fecond Common Prayer Book, and by the words, Or this Canticle, the choice of either has been left to the difcretion of the minifter.

After the first leffon at Evening Prayer, two other hyrans, taken out of canonical fcripture, are appointed, viz. Magnificat, or the Song of the Bletfed Virgin, and the Jubilate Deo; The Magnificat is the firft hymn recorded in the New Teftament, and from its ancient ufe among the primitive Chriftians, has been continued in the offices of the Reformed Churches abroad, as well as in ours.

Still, when the first leffon treats of some great and temporal deliverance granted to the peculiar people of God, we ufe the Jubilate Deo or the 100th Pfalm, for variety. It was firft added to our Morning Prayer, in the fecond book of Edward VI. And as a spiritual Ifrael, though this Pfalm was firft composed on account of David's victories, we have a right to adopt, and apply it to the extirpation or fubjugation of thofe fins and vices, thofe "nations of Amalekites" with which every Chriftian is truly engaged in a warfare. After the second evening leffon, always taken from the epiftles, the Song of Simeon, called Nunc Dimittis, is moft commonly uled. This Simeon by the Jews, was called Simon the Juft, and it was compofed in confequence of his meeting Chrift in the Temple, at his prefentation, by which the promise of God to Simeon, that he should not die till he had seen the Lord Chrift, was fulfilled.

The use of this hiftory, to us, is evident; for though we cannot see our Saviour with our bodily eyes; yet, as in his word and facraments, he is prefented to the eye of our faith, therefore being concerned for heaven, and difengaged from the love of the world, like Simeon, we also may adopt there fentiments of gratitude and fatisfaction; and many of the antient martyrs we are told took up this Song of Simeon a little before their departure from this tranfitory life.

OF THE APOSTLES CREED.

This creed has been very properly defined, as a fummary of the articles of our faith; or a concife and comprehenfive expreffion of the doctrines held to be effentially neceflary to everlafting falvation. Its object in this form, was to render it easy to be understood and remembered by all Chriftians.

This fummary, from the first word in Latin, Credo, is commonly called the Creed, though in Latin, it is also called Symbolum; but as later writers fay, this term thould be changed for Symbola, from each of the apostles cafting in his Symbola, or thare towards the compofition of the whole.

Another

Another derivation of thefe primitive terms is drawn from military affairs, fuch being used to denote thofe figns or watch-words, by which the foldiers of an army diftinguished and knew each other. On this ground, the teftimony of St. Ambrofe is alledged, who exprefsly calls the creed "The Sacrament of our warfare," the oath, or engagement made by foldiers, to be true and faithful to their fovereign.

But, however this may have been; that the whole creed, as we now use it, was drawn up by the apoftles themselves, can hardly be proved: but that the greateft part was derived from the very days of the apoftles, is evident from the teftimonies of the most ancient writers, particularly Ignatius, in whofe epiftles most of its articles are to be found. The conclufion, therefore, which learned men have drawn from the various accounts of the origin of the formation of this creed, is, that though with respect to doctrine it is perfectly apoftolic, the compofition itself is not to be attributed to the apoftles, nor to any writer of their age. It is, therefore, from their doctrine, and not barely from the name of the apoftles, that the appellation of the creed is derived: befides, as the learned and candid writer of the History of Infant Baptifm obferves, wherever the apoftles had perfonally taught, or where any one of them had refided any long time, or died there, it was cuftomary to call fuch, Apoftolic Churches.

It is, nevertheless, a fact, that the primitive Chriftians, in confequence of concealing their myfteries in general, did not publicly recite the creed, excepting at times of baptifm, which, unless in cafes of neceffity, was only at Eafter and Whitfuntide; from whence, the conftant repeating of the creed in churches was not generally introduced till five hundred years after Chrift. But in refpect to its doctrinal effects in the place which it occupies in our church liturgy, immediately following the leffons, after we have heard the folemn annunciation of God's word, it is highly proper that we fhould fet our feals to it, by this repetition and profeffion of our faith. Faith, we are told, upon the authority of God's word, comes by hearing. Again, that part of our fervice which follows the creed, are the prayers which are grounded upon it; for we cannot call on him on whom we have not believed. And, therefore, fince we are to pray to God the Father, in the name of the Son, by the affistance of the Holy Ghoft, for the remiffion of fins, and a joyful refurrection; we first declare that we believe in God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft, acknowledging a remiflion here, and a refurrection to life hereafter, for all true members of the Catholic Church; and thus we may be faid to pray in faith.

Relative to the manner-Both minifter and people are enjoined to repeat this creed, because being the profeffion of every one prefent, it ought to be made by every one in his own perfon, the more exprefsly to declare their belief of it to each other; and, fecondly, to the whole Christian world, with whom they maintain communion.

And, further, it is repeated ftanding up, to fignify our refolution to defend it; and its being cuftomary to turn our faces towards the eaft, at the time of its repetition, was defigned to thew, that while we are making profeffion in the bleffed Trinity, we may look towards that quarter of the heavens where God is fuppofed to have his peculiar refidence of glory.

The general reverence alfo, which is made to the name of Jefus, in the repetition of the fecond article, is wifely grounded on that paffage in St. Paul," That at the name of Jefus every knee should bow." And hence our church exprefsly enjoins, in her eighteenth canon, that when, in time of

P 2

divine

divine fervice, the Lord Jefus fhall be mentioned, due and lowly reverence fhall be done by all perfons prefent, as it has been accustomed; teftifying by these outward ceremonies and geftures, their inward humility, Chriftian refolution, and due acknowledgment that the Lord Jefus Chrift, the true eternal Son of God, is the only Saviour of the world, in whom alone all the mercies, graces and promifes of God, for this life and the life to come are fully and wholly comprized.

OF THE ATHANASIAN CREED.

This creed, notwithstanding the name it bears, is more commonly attributed to Vigilius, the African, who lived about the end of the fifth cen tury, than to Athanafius: many of the learned, think it was first composed in Latin, for the use of fome part of the Western Church, and afterwards turned into Greek. It was certainly adopted by most of the Western Churches, and particularly by thofe of Gaul and Britain.

But, however obnoxious fome parts of this creed may be to fome captious Chriftians, the whole, being an excellent fummary of the doctrine of the Trinity, and the incarnation of our Lord, as taught by the Apostles, received by the earlier Chriftians, and established by the four first councils, it is, on certain festivals, appointed to be used in our church, at Morning Prayer, inftead of the Apoftles creed. As for the objections, that it is harsh and uncharitable, and the groundlefs and filly prejudice that most people run away with, viz. that they are bound to believe every verfe and particular in it, under pain of everlasting damnation, nothing can be more unjuft and erroneous. It is only the defigning, or very weak people, who indulge fuch prejudices, and, therefore, fear to repeat this creed, left they should condemn and anathemize themselves. For, in fact, thofe parts of it which have been stiled damnatory, do not even imply a cenfure. This creed was only intended to put a form of found words into the mouth of every Chriftian, and thus fecure their faith against the artifices and evafions of all Heretics. The fenfe of all our best divines who have commented upon this creed, runs, without deviation, in this one channel, viz. that, however plain or agreable to reafon every verfe might be, yet we are not required, by the words of the creed, to believe the whole on pain of damnation; the following claufe alone, being obligatory as a matter of faith, that before all things we hold the Catholic faith: and the Catholic faith is, that we worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity; neither confounding the perfons, nor dividing the fubftance. This only, is declared neceffary to be believed; but all that follows, from the fourth to the twenty-fixth verfe, is brought merely as a proof and illuftra tion of it; and, therefore, our affent to the fame, is no more required, than to a fermon, which is made to prove or illuftrate a text. The text, we know, is the word of God, and confequently neceffary to be believed; but no person is for that reafon bound to believe every particular of the fermon deduced from it, upon pain of damnation, though every tittle of it may be true. Moft certainly the fcripture makes the Catholic Faith neceffary to falvation; the fame is urged in the creed aforefaid, but even the creed itself does not require our belief of the illuftration there given, but concludes, or winds up in this manner, "So that in all things as aforesaid the Unity in Trinity, and the Trinity in Unity, is to be worshipped." But it should not be forgotten, that all the remaining verses relate to our Saviour's incarnation, which is another effential part of our faith: and, though the plea of fubfcribing our belief to what we cannot

com

comprehend, may be urged by fome, it is by no means a valid objection; because no creed in the world will remove fuch cavils, by enabling a finite capacity to comprehend an infinite object. However, at this time, when many of the ancient herefies, condemned in the Creed of Athanafius, no longer exift, it is faid, that our divines are agreed "that there is lefs occasion, in our public worship, for the recital of fo minute an explanation of points, which are confeffedly abftrufe."

On Sunday, the 21ft inftant, the Rev. Dr. Rennel, Mafter of the Temple, preached at Grosvenor Chapel, South Audley Street, for the benefit of the Benevolent Inftitution for delivering poor Married Women at their own Habitations. The Doctor delivered a moft pathetic and impreffive difcourfe on that appropriate patfage, Genetis ch. iii, v. 16. " Unto the woman he said I will greatly multiply thy forrow and thy conception; in forrow thou shalt bring forth children."

The collection for this truly Benevolent Inftitution amounted, we underftand, to fifty-four pounds.

LIST OF BOOKS ON DIVINITY.

ILLUSTRATIONS of the Truth of the Chriftian Religion. By Edward Maltby, B. D. Domestic Chaplain to the Lord Bishop of Lincoln. 8vo. 5s. 6d. boards. Rivingtons.

Thoughts on Happiness; a Poem: in Four Books. 12mo. 3s. boards. Rivingtons. Thoughts on the Refidence of the Clergy, and on the Provifions of the Statute of the twenty-first Year of Henry VIII. C. 13. By John Sturges, L.L.D. Chancellor of the Diocese of Winchefter. 8vo. 2s. Cadell and Davis.

A Defence of Public Education, addreffed to the Moft Rev. The Lord Bishop of Meath. By William Vincent, D. D. 8vo. 18. 6d. Cadell and Davis.

Seafonable Hints to the younger Part of the Clergy of the Church of England, occa fioned by the relative Increafe of Libertinifm and the Antinomian Herefy, the timely clofe of the Wanfey and Blagdon Controverfies, and the reported Suppreilion of Methodist Conventicles in the Diocefe of Salisbury, By John Duncan, D.D. Rector of South Warmborough, Hants. 8vo. 35. Cadell and Davis, London, and the Bookfellers in Bath and Briftol.

An Effay tending to fhow that the Prophecies now accomplishing, are an Evidence of the Truth of the Chriftian Religion: Published in purfuance of the Will of the late Rev. John Huife, of Elworth, Cheshire; as having gained the annual Prize, in 1801, inftituted by him in the University of Cambridge. By John Bird Sumner, Under-graduate Fellow of King's College. 8vo. 25. Rivingtons, London, and the Bookfellers in Cambridge,

Tho' long be my journey to feed my poor

flock,

Tho' wearied I will not repine, While I the fweet fountains of truth can unlock,

And deal forth the banquet divine.
No fleek prancing fteed was I wont to be-
ftride

No chariot of mine roll'd along;
A poor forry hack with content could I ride,
And mufe o'er a fermen or fong..
And oft, as I mus'd, he would halt, or
move flow,

And champ the brown heath, or green
brake;

Well, well, faid I, forrel, you're hungry
I know;

So am I-ftill a bit you may take.

Now my staff in my hand, fhall my footfteps fupport,

As I journey along the dark heath;
For fhelter from rain, to the thorn I'll re-
fort,

Or lurk the green holly beneath.
A foul independent ftill let me retain,

Let ray of bright fancy be mine! With my ftaff let me trudge, tho' unhors'd, without ftain,

With meeknefs and temper benign. Let my tongue be but touch'd with celestial fire,

And feraphic love lodge in my breast, For my friends and my foes fhall my fervours afpire,

And my forrows and cares fink to rest. Woodbridge, Jan. 24, 1802.

MONTHLY OBITUARY.

fan. 30.] ON Wednesday fe'nnight died, at his houfe in Southampton-row, London, the Rev. Samuel Berdmore, D. D. who for 22 years was mafter of the Charter-houfe fchool. He was formerly of Jefus College, Cambridge.

A few days ago died, the Rev. John Cook, L. L. B. vicar of Fenftanton cum Hilton, in Huntingdon fire, and formerly of Trinity hall. The vicarage is in the patronage of the Mafter and Fellows of Trinity hall, Cambridge.

Jan. 30.] On Tuesday the 19th inft. died, at Exeter, the Rev. Henry Harrifon, of Wearde, in the county of Cornwall, formerly Gentleman Commoner of Trinity Coll.

Oxford.

Lately died, at Churchill, in this county, in the 89th year of his age, Mr. William Brooks, defervedly cfteemed as a man of integrity, and a Chriftian.

On Wednesday laft died, the Rev. Arnold Jenkins, B. D. rector of Tredington, Worcestershire, à living in the gift of the Principal and Fellows of Jefus College, Cambridge.

On Sunday died, in the 84th year of his age, Chriftopher Robinfon, D. D. rector of Albury, in Cambridgefhire, and of Witham, Berks, and formerly Fellow of Magdalen College, Oxford.

Feb. 5.] On Wednesday fe'nnight died, in the 74th year of his age, the Rev. Thomas Hurft, rector of All Saints, Stamford, and vicar of Whiffendine, in Rutland. The former valuable living is in the gift of the Marquis of Exeter; and the latter in the prefentation of the Earl of Harborough.

Monday fe'nnight died at Southwold, the Rev. George Paddon, rector of Pakefield, and curate of the perpetual curacy of Stoven.

On the 30th ult. died, in the 81ft year of his age, the Rev. Samuel Cooper, B. A. formerly of Sidney college, Cambridge, rector of Weft Raifen in Lincolnshire, and curate of the donatives of Upwood and Ramfay in Huntingdonshire.

On Monday fe'nnight died, at Afhwell, in Rutland, in the 68th year of his age, the Rev. Robie Sherwin, 45 years rector of that parifh and formerly of Queen's College, Cambridge; B. A. 1756, M. A. 1759.

Lately died, at Greenwich, much regretted, Dr. D. P. Layard, in the 82d year of his age. He was father to the Dean of Briftol, and brother to the Duchefs of Ancaster. He had the honour of being phyfician to her Royal Highnefs the late Princels Dowager of Wales, was Vice-prefident of the British lying-in Hofpital,of which he was the Founder, Member of the Royal Society, and a Doctor of Laws in the Univerfity of Oxford. On Thursday laft died, the Rev. Henry Gabel, rector of Standlake, and formerly Fellow of Magdalen College, Cambridge. He was for many years a very active justice of the peace.

Feb. 6. Wednesday laft died, at Bath, the Rev. Richard Hele, B. D. rector of Rotherfield Gray's, in this county, formerly Fellow of Trinity College, Oxford. The patronage of the Living is in that Society.

Feb. 19. On Sunday morning, at two o'clock, died, in the 88th year of his age, at the Deanery Houfe, in the city of York, the Rev. John Fountayne, D.D. and Dean of York, formerly of Catherine hall, Cambridge; where he proceeded B. A. 1735; M. A. 1739; and D. D. 1751. He was appointed Dean in the year 1745-6. It is believed that the Rev. G. Markham, Archdeacon of Cleveland, Rector of Stokesley, one of the refidentiaries of York Cathedral, and of Southwell, Nottingham, and fon of the Archbishop, will be appointed in his room. CHURCH