to you its use and meaning, to confirm it by Scripture, and to shew you in what sense you are to understand those parts which are commonly called the damnatory clauses. So many objections have been raised against this "Confession of Faith" by those who have never taken the trouble to understand it, that I trust you will endeavour to be present, as I shall attempt to explain it to you in a plain and simple

manner.

3. You must allow, my brethren, that the daily worship of the Church is a most scriptural, holy, and acceptable sacrifice to Almighty God. Most of its forms, its prayers, its collects, and its creeds, so ancient and so venerable, are expressed in the very words of Scripture: and it acknowledges and embodies all the great Christian doctrines as contained in the Bible. It should never be forgotten that "THE DOCTRINES OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND ARE RECORDED IN THE PRAYER BOOK," and that every one of them may be confirmed by Holy Scripture: every man therefore who cannot conscientiously hold the doctrines that are declared in the Liturgy is quite authorised to dissent from it but surely you must grant that "HE ALONE IS TO BE CONSIDERED A FAITHFUL MINISTER OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND WHO PREACHES THE BIBLE IN CON

FORMITY WITH THE PRAYER BOOK."* Never, my brethren, think that it can be possibly right for the Reading Desk and the Pulpit to be holding forth opposite doctrines.

Lastly, I have felt thus anxious to explain to you at some length the series of doctrines, practices, rites, and ceremonies, contained in the Liturgy of the Church, and embodied in our own invaluable and inestimable Book of Common Prayer, because it appears to me to contain the whole substance of the Scriptures, and to be in entire conformity with the Word of God. In the present day, the Bible does not want its defenders, but the Prayer Book does. Every one, with few exceptions, and I believe that they are the most worthless part of society, receives the Bible as a Divine Book; but there are too many who are unwilling to accept the Prayer Book as the lawful interpreter of the Holy Scriptures. To such, these discourses may be profitable. Indeed, a series of discourses of this kind seems to possess the following advantages, viz. while it is calculated to shew us what the different doctrines of THE BIBLE" are, it shews us, at the same time, what the doctrines of "THE CHURCH" are.

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* Vide Visitation Sermon at Manchester, 1832, in which the nature and necessity of " Liturgical Preaching" are ably developed by the Rev. Richard Parkinson, Fellow of Christ's College, Manchester.

The Church we really believe to be "built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets," not Luther, not Calvin, not Arminius, but, "Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone." This actually being the case, a thorough understanding of the different doctrines and practices of the Church cannot fail eventually to lead you to Christ to that knowledge which will make you "wise unto salvation"-to that "bread which came down from heaven," of which he that eateth shall never hunger again-to that "well of water, which, in the soul of the true disciple and of the faithful believer, shall finally everlasting life."

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spring up unto

LECTURE IX.

THE CREED OF SAINT ATHANASIUS.

Rom. x. 17.

FAITH COMETH BY HEARING.

It is certain enough that he who has never been taught, can never learn. How have Christian nations become acquainted with all the solemn and awful doctrines of the Gospel, but by having first heard them? There are many nations, we know, who have never yet become acquainted with them-and simply for this reason, because they have never heard. Nevertheless, we have no reason to think that their ignorance will be imputed unto them as a sin, because it is not their own fault.

In Christian countries also there are many, very many, persons, who are, to a great extent, ignorant of the great truths of the Gospel; because they have never been properly explained, or set forth, to them. There are many indeed,

who have hardly ever heard that there is one God Almighty, ever present, about our path and about our bed, and spying out all our ways—there are many who have heard little of Jesus Christ whom God hath sent, or of that Holy Ghost whose blessed influence will be given to all that ask for it to renew and sanctify their souls. I do not say either that these will be punished for their ignorance in the next life, because very probably it is not their own fault-and we are plainly told that " we shall be accepted according to that which we have, and not according to that which we have not."-(2 Cor. viii. 12.)

Nevertheless, this is no excuse for any person's remaining in ignorance on spiritual matters, if he has any opportunity of knowing better, or of informing himself properly. Indeed, we shall, no doubt, be finally judged according to all the advantages, and opportunities, which God has been pleased to grant us in this life of probation.

And how shall we inform ourselves better? how shall we acquire a right Scriptural Faith? how shall we know what is really and actually contained in Holy Scripture, but by "hearing?"

And depend upon it, my brethren, we shall all have to be accountable for our Faith as well as for our Practice. "Without Faith it is impossible to please God"-" he that believeth shall be saved,