this deduction, however plausible at first sight, and abstractedly considered, stand the test of experience? Let us look at the case of the Church of England, and of those who dissented from it two centuries ago. On what grounds did the schism take place? It is notorious that it was not at all upon the same as those on which it is maintained to-day. The surplice or gown, the peals of the organ, the adornment of churches, &c., are no longer considered antagonistic to devotion, and savouring of heresy; but these objections (which were in themselves as contemptible as their results were wicked) have not only been renounced by the successors of the men who held them, but the contrary principles and practices have been adopted and acted upon. Now, this case is one far less likely to happen, than that which Renaudot considers impossible. The agreement between the Monophysite and the orthodox is upon matters beside and beyond the grounds of the original separation; but in our case the agreement is now on the former subjects of disagreement. As the case stands here, it is as if the Monophysites had renounced their errors and joined the orthodox, which they have not done. What was to prevent the same influences, acting in the same manner and with the same results, upon all the Syrian Christians, in matters concerning which there was no controversy between them? I confess I can see none; while, on the contrary, I think it the most natural thing in life that Protestant and Papist, Jew and Christian, orthodox and heretic, should be similarly influenced, when living in the same community, by the flux of time and the change of circumstances, in most matters wherein there was no antagonism between them. I do not see why the controversy respecting our Lord's nature, between the Monophysite and the orthodox, should have prevented their both being led insensibly by the same road was the liturgy which was used in Egypt before the year 451; for the several parties by whom the documents have been preserved, have been separated, not only by religious antipathy, but by difference of speech." I have shewn in the text, that the test applied is by no means a certain one, and that a comparison with the Clementine liturgy proves, that the existing is not the anti-Nicene form of this or of the other liturgies, but one much corrupted by subsequent interpolations. to the adoption of doctrinal errors, or of doubtful practices. I think, therefore, that the deduction of Renaudot cannot be maintained, and that agreement in matters beyond their original cause of separation in the liturgies of the orthodox and the schismatics, does not at all prove that these articles existed in the common liturgy before the commencement of the schism. Therefore it cannot be assumed that we can discover the anti-Nicene form of the liturgies, but the existing copies must be received as evidence only of the form existing in the age wherein they were made. Now, in endeavouring to arrive at a satisfactory conclusion as to the measure of, I will not say authority, but of weight, which ought to be allowed to the contents of the various liturgies, it will be necessary to consider first their age, and next their purity, tested by comparison with the Clementine. For, as the learned Dr. Hickes says generally, "The ancient liturgies, how different soever among themselves, agree in all these things with Justin Martyr's account of the Eucharist, and the Eucharistical office in the apostolical constitutions, which is the standard and test by which all the others are to be tried. And by comparing those with this, the innovations and additions in after times, be they good or bad, will appear. Among the additions, some are good, and some bad. And any man, who is conversant in the history of the councils, may see how and when both the sorts were introduced into the liturgies of the Church. Of the first sort is the word opoovaios, in acknowledging the Son to be of the same substance with the Father, which likely was not brought into the liturgies before the first Council of Nice. The Constantinopolitan, commonly called the Nicene creed, which could not. be introduced before the second general council of Constantinople; the benediction in the name of the holy, consubstantial, and adorable Trinity, which must have come in after one of those two councils; the epithets added to the Holy Spirit in the prayer of oblation, in which they did not only call Him τὸν παράκλητον, το νεvμа тηя aληocias, the Paraclete, the Spirit of Truth, but Tor Kúpιov, Tòν (wÓTTоtor, the Lord, the Giver of Life, who spake in the law, the prophets, and apostles, and who worketh sanctifying grace in all αὐτεξουσίως, οὐ διακονικώς, by His own power, not as a minister, ἐκπορεύμενος, ὁμοούσιος, σύνθρονος, proceeding from the Father, being consubstantial to the Father, and sitting upon the same throne with Him and His Son Jesus Christ ;-this must have been added after the second general council of Constantinople, κατὰ τῶν πνευματομάχων. In the same liturgy is this invocation of Christ, of the same date, κύριος, ὁ θεὸς ἡμῶν, ἀκατάληπτε θεοῦ λόγε, τῷ πατρὶ καὶ τῷ ἁγίῳ πνεύματι ὁμοούσιε, συναΐδιε, σύν avapxe, O Lord our God, the incomprehensible word of God, of one substance with, and co-eternal to, the Father and the Holy Spirit, and without beginning, accept our hymn, &c. *So the expression 'ATρéтws evaν0рwπýσаs, who was made man, not by conversion [of the Godhead into flesh,] must have been added after the fourth general council of Chalcedon against Dioscorus and Eutyches. So, wheresoever we find the blessed Virgin called aya Ocoτókos, we may presume it was an addition brought in after the third general council at Ephesus, against Nestorius, who, not believing Christ to be God, would only call her xpiσTOTÓKOS, the Mother of Christ; though, as the Fathers of that council shewed, she was called OEOTÓKOS by the writers of the Church in the ages before And, with these additions, I may take notice of the alterations from the ancient form of oblation of the elements to God the Father, to the oblation of them to God the Son, as an acknowledgment of His Godhead in the proper offices (as I have observed before upon the Ethiopic Liturgy) for Christmas, Easter, and Ascension-day, which could not come, I think, into use till after the first Council of Nice. "But then, after the second Council of Nice, were introduced additions of the latter sort, whereby the liturgies were most abominably corrupted by commemorations, salutations, gratula Liturg. S. Jacobi. tions of the Holy Virgin, and desiring to be heard through her intercessions, and the intercessions of other saints. Among these additions, I may also reckon their superstitious practices, as putting warm water to the sacramental wine, saying prayers at putting on every vestment in the robing of the priest, making the sign of the cross upon the Δῶρα, and * the late addition of σταυροθεστόκος, the mother of the crucified God, to @EOTOKOS, the mother of God."† We will now proceed to compare the two liturgies-the Clementine and that of St. James-with each other. 66 In the apostolical constitutions, there are given what may be called a few introductory particulars, all of which were observed more or less by the whole Church. These consisted in the deacon giving the solemn admonition, as soon as the common prayers were over, Πρόσχωμεν Let us give attention." Then the Bishop gives his salutation to all present, saying, "The peace of God be with you all;" to which the reply of the people was, "And with Thy Spirit." Next the deacon says, "Salute ye one another with a holy kiss." "Then the clergy salute the bishop, and laymen their fellow laymen, and the women the women; the children standing before the bema, that is, either the reading-desk or the altar, with a deacon attending them, to see that they keep good order; others of the deacons walking about the Church, and inspecting the men and women, that there be no tumult, nor making of signs to one another, nor whispering, nor sleeping; and others standing at the men's gate, and the sub-deacons at the women's gate, that the doors be not opened for any to go in or out in the time of oblation. After this, the subdeacon brings water to the priests to wash their hands, as a sign of the purity of those souls that are consecrated unto God."-Bingham. After these preliminaries commences the proper sacramental service as it is given in Appendix G (p. lxxiv.,) and which may be summed up under the following heads:-1. The admonition to the non-communicants to withdraw, and to the communicants to * In Liturg. ante consecratorum. Bibl. Patr. vol. ii. Parisiis. 1624. Y approach with charity and purity. 2. The common preface, sursum corda, "Lift up your hearts," preparatory to (3) The great EvXapioria "thanksgiving," being a summary of God's great mercies to His Church, through all time. 4. The hymn Trisagion, or as it was usually called, "the seraphic hymn," "Holy, holy, holy," included in the thanksgiving. 5. A special thanksgiving for the mercies of redemption through Jesus Christ. 6. The "form of consecration," always composed of a repetition of the words of institution, and a prayer to God to sanctify the gifts by His Holy Spirit. 7. A prayer for the whole state of Christ's Church militant here in earth," enumerating all classes, especially the bishops and clergy, kings and magistrates,* the departed saints, martyrs, confessors, and all others, as recorded in the diptychs; all orders of the living in that particular Church, with those sick, in slavery, and banishment; all travellers, persecutors, heretics, and unbelievers; catechumens, energumens, and penitents; for healthy and fruitful seasons; the absent, &c.; concluding with a gloria patri, and a responsive "Amen" from the people. 8. Upon which the bishop says, "The peace of God be with you all," to which the people rejoin, " And with Thy Spirit." (Here, in such liturgies as contain them, follow the Creed, the Lord's Prayer, and sundry benedictions; but these are wanting in the Clementine.) 9. Then follows the deacon's "bidding prayer;" and, 10. A short prayer by the bishop for worthy partaking of the Holy Supper. 11. The exclamation ȧyia ȧyios-" Holy things for holy persons," and the "Gloria Deo excelsis,"" Glory be to God on high," came next, and the service concluded with the distribution, accompanied with the words (12), "The body of Christ," "the blood of Christ, the cup of life." Now, in comparing the rival liturgy, St. James's, with the Clementine, we find many additions,-" some good and some bad," as Dr. Hickes has said,-but yet additions. The Virgin, *For proof that the very general practice of the ancients, in praying for the dead did not arise from their belief in the Romish purgatory, and for the various reasons why they did so pray, see Bingham, book 15, cap. iii. ss. 16, 17. |