letting of seats desirable, and the actual transaction need never take place in the Church. As long as the letting of seats is not exclusive of the poor, and does not keep sittings empty when there are people to fill them, it has its advantages with regard to decency and decorum, especially in avoiding unseemly disputes at the Church doors, and is not to be scornfully dismissed without the substitution of something that better serves the ends of worship.*

And now, in conclusion, it will be seen that the principle of decency and order has in the Sanctuary both a permissive and an repressive tendency.

1.-It clearly permits the introduction of the rules of ordinary social decorum into the Sanctuary. That which is corrupt before the world, cannot be Christianity, though it be

honourable in a Church.

perfect freedom, stands not on the violation of social laws. Just as in an analogous case, though it gives all men liberty in Christ, it does not undo the laws which affect the relations of master and servant.

2.-But it represses still more than it permits, as the Apostle's use of it may teach us. It represses the

* The bad taste of some who, with regard to taking or giving up sittings, insist upon regarding Clergymen as the creatures of a mere commercial idea, is an annoyance not necessary to the system, and not difficult to bear or correct. All systems are liable to similar or perhaps worse defects.

pride that would exclude from the Sanctuary the very people to whom the Gospel is preached. In harmony with its subordinate character, it unites rich and poor, high and low, in one body of reverent worshippers.

It represses worldly pomp and extravagance in the Sanctuary. Such things are not creditable anywhere, and least of all in the place, where if anywhere the rule applies, "let your moderation be known unto all men."

It represses the expression of private opinion in the Sanctuary. Private opinion must needs exist, especially upon matters of form, which like the usages of language, are alterable. But there are places and opportunities for its expression, which expression is quite out of place in Public Worship.

It might seem as if the possession of a cultivated taste ought to give one liberty to improve or to innovate to any degree. But, separately from the circumstance that matters of taste are peculiarly difficult to decide, the Apostle has taught us that no degree of even spiritual gifts knowledge or eminence, can justify any one in the introduction of practices which are not comprehended by the people, and whose tendency is to divide the Church of God.

No instance from the Bible itself, no seeming practice of angels can outweigh the force of Gospel principles.

Some are fond of quoting what they imagine the angels do. If the angels are indeed spectators of our worship— and some have thought so, from a passage in the earlier part of the Apostle's argument, then from the same 1 Cor. xi. 10, passage we learn that their presence should enforce the most retiring modesty, the most self-restraining humility. We

e happen to know with perfect certainty what gives the angels joy. We know that if they look gladly at anything in our poor services, it is not at our base imitations of their unwoven robes, not at our poor parodies of their songs of praise, still less at the splendour which sometimes savours rather of the earthly Babylon than of the

&c.

heavenly Jerusalem, but at the "one sinner that repent- Luke xv. 10. eth," if it please God that such a one be found amongst

us. Those angelic beings who declared "on earth peace, Luke ii. 14. good will toward men" will, we trust, in spite of our many infirmities, join with us when these two things are secured in our worship, when peace and good will, in Christ, are the chief decorations, the best things that we have to offer. We are apt to be too ambitious in our Services, as elsewhere. There can of course be no objection to our expressing the feelings of men in the way of men, however imperfect; but when we propose to imitate the angels, it is just as well that we should confine our efforts to those qualities of peace and good

will in regard to which the angels-praised be God

through Jesus Christ our Lord,-are really imitable.

Matt. vi. 33. If we seek these things, no doubt all other things will in time "be added unto us."

95

LECTURE VI.

The Foliage.-APPLICATION OF THE PRINCIPLES OF PUBLIC WORSHIP TO THE BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER.

"Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus."2 Timothy i. 13.

My purpose, now, brethren, is to examine whether the actual practices of our Public Worship in the Church of England harmonize with the principles already laid down. Those principles are, first, Conformity to the Word of God; secondly, Agreement in what we ask (the formative principle, constituting the worship Public); thirdly, Submission to a certain basis of agreement in the Faith and Baptism of Christ; and fourthly, Pursuit of a certain object of agreement, the Presence of Christ (the ultimate principle or final cause of Worship). All other motives or principles, even if right, are subordinate to these. It will be observed that these principles are divisible into two groups: the first two having reference more particularly to the manner—the last two to the substance—of Public Worship. I shall found my present enquiry into the propriety of our