days, which were unknown in the ages of pure Chriftianity, and only introduced by the papacy to aggrandize the Church of Rome, but by adopting fuch an order for their fucceffion and celebration, as to comprife a complete fyftem of education in Christian divinity; each fubject leading fo naturally into the other, and the importance of the foundation, raising such a firm and regular fuperftructure, that to follow our church through her calendar, is to obtain a regularly connected epitome of ecclefiaftical history and Chriftian practice. Her public fervices thus call upon her MINISTERS to explain every article of our creed, and every mystery of our faith, and every point of practice; and

afford

* See the black letter days in the calendar of Dr. Nicholls on the Common Prayer, and the Clavis Calendaria, or the Liturgy Calendar of the Church of England explained, a very useful old book to be reprinted: Also the late Bishop Douglas's CRITERION on true and false miracles; wherein those of the Abbè Paris and the Romish Church are particularly considered.

+ Dr. Young has observed with his usual acumen, "a mystery explained is a mystery undone," i. e. it can be so no longer; and an orthodox and exemplary divine now living, has well added, "we do not presume to explain them (mysteries) to you, because they have not been explained to us." The late learned Bishop of St. Asaph, Dr. Horsley, was of opinion there were no mysteries in Christianity. After all, the subject resolves itself into that admirably beautiful, wise, and oratorical definition of him who is the author of all mysteries both in heaven and earth; "if we do not understand earthly things, how can we understand when we hear of heavenly things." In fact, is there any thing we do perfectly understand? The wisest and best of the medical faculty acknowledge and lament, by sad experience, their inability to comprehend thoroughly any of the complicated and wonderfully combined actions of the human economy, yet we all see the effects daily. Can we tell the process of nutrition, of growth, or the various secretions, from that single fluid, the blood, &c.? yet I presume we are nourished, do grow, &c. although the modus has never been yet ascertained, but is enveloped in inextricable darkness. (Should any of your readers, Mr. Editor, controvert this position, I am ready to defend it, and will only add my belief that the wisdom of Solomon alluded both in a religious and physical sense to a subject of this kind, viz. the arcana of human generation, in that little understood, and certainly much perverted text, where the latter word requires being translated, a young or child-bearing woman," which in the East, being

at

*

afford her PEOPLE an opportunity to avail themselves of thus presenting the most acceptable facrifice a God of mercy can receive, by a public acknowledgment of "all his goodnefs and loving kindnefs in their creation, prefervation, and all the bleffings of, this life, and more efpecially for the REDEMPTION of the world by our Lord Jefus Chrift, for these means of grace, and the hopes of glory, and fuch as are unavoidably prevented from joining the public fervice of the church, are not only entitled to their fhare of the prayers and praises THERE offered, but have their minds recalled to the confideration of the facred fubjects as they recur, and can add to their daily devotions thofe admirable COLLECTS, + which have been provided for every such especial occafion.

But befides these public and authorised Anniverfaries, there are many others, which in their obfervation are neceffarily attended with important advantages to those "who are exercised thereby;" fuch as the days of our birth and baptifm; the death of our relations, or friends, any particular mercy, as recovery from dangerous illnefs, prefervation from imminent danger, as accidents by water, fire, animals, falls, &c. and a variety of others, which only the piety of

the individual and the nature of the circumftance can direct, and in this we have alfo the example of our good mother the Church, in the public inftances of those days fhe has added to the reft, and commanded to be observed holy, as Jan. 30, Nov. 5, Oct. 25, &c. &c. &c. &c. We are therefore edified by the example of ARCHBISHOP LAUD, in thus calling our attention to the fubject, while it evinces at the

at an early age, has been misnamed by our translators in the North, where the influence of climate, habits, and manners, produce such an essential difference upon the constitution. That "God hath made all things in wisdom," the unlearned reader may learn by consulting Ray or Edwards on the Creation, Derham's Astro and Physico Theology; or that more modern work of archdeacon Paley's, the Natural Theology.

• General Thanksgiving.

+ Hence the importance and utility of their being learned by children, to whom they may prove of lasting use through life, by furnishing them with a collection of prayers on every occasion, whatever that state of life may be, "to which it shall please God to call them." See (p. 20.) Endeavour Society's Prayers from the Church Catechism for Children. Rivingtons, 3d.

fame

fame time how zealously HE was attached to that mother, whose dutiful fon he fo undoubtedly was, and whose PIETY and humility are thus fo clearly evinced.

In these commemorations all his petitions, breathe the most devout order, humility, and felf-reproach; while the fervour of his piety fuftains his finking fpirits under the most fevere loffes, and trying calamities, an human being could experience. In the anniversary of his parents death, he applies that comfortable and well-founded doctrine of mutual knowledge in a future ftate,* where, we are told by divine authority that we fhall know, even as we are known, and fee as we are feen. Our bleffed redeemer himself affures us of this comfort in his parable of Dives and Lazarus, the very groundwork of which is founded upon this doctrine, and furely no parable of his would be founded upon a fiction!

When fo many advantages are derived from fuch an obfervation of days, who would neglect to fecure them? how many plealing recollections do they afford? how many admonitions of our duty and thankfulness to God, when thus more especially called upon to exercise them! Yet the Diffenters, with the true SECTARIAN fpirit of oppofition, are too wife, it feems, to follow the example of the church universal, (for fuch it affuredly is), and too good to need thofe aids which modest humanity folicits with grateful hope; and while others are employed in celebrating the fundamentals of Chriftianity to the glory of God, and their own falvation, they are perverfely diftinguishing themselves and their habitations, their families and domeftics, by the most opposite and worldly employments. Thus indeed most tacitly avowing, that they neither have nor defire any concern in these things; upon a due attention to which the falvation of Chriftians depends! The portions of scripture, which our church has fo wifely appointed to be read on the anniversary of her HOLY DAYS, in the lessons, epiftles, and gofpels, are no fmall part of the advantage attending our public celebration of them; and that part which gives us a very decided fuperiority over SEPARATISTS; for as Bifhop King obferves, in all their meetings in a whole year, perhaps there is not fo much scripture read as in one day in OUR Church;" + and he " challenged them to fhow any one meeting

See a Sermon of Dr. Dodd's, on the death of Bishop Squire. + See Archbishop King's Discourse on the inventions of men. in the Worship of God, in which he shews what the Holy Scrip

ture

meeting of the preceding age, where reading the Scripture was duly performed, begging them to confider how they would excufe themselves before God of thus violating his command." This was alfo publickly acknowledged by one of their greatest preachers and advocates. +

Our MANUALS of Devotion in general do not furnish a fufficient number of examples of this kind, to affift the pious in their celebration of anniversaries for particular occafions, of loffes, mercies, &c. generally confining them to thofe of our birth or baptifm, though very excellent and highly useful works in every OTHER refpect. Some omit them altogether, and where we certainly ought to find them but Dr. Inett's "Guide to the Devout Christian," affords a remarkable exception in this particular, where he has given feveral fpecimens, and among them one for the fecond of September, being the FIRE OF LONDON.

The CHURCH of ENGLAND, fays one of her venerable fons**, regulates not her year by the courfe of the natural fun, but by the SUN of righteousness, and therefore

ure prescribes, what is practised in our church, and what is the Dissenters manner, respecting praises, prayer, hearing, bodily worship, and the Lord's supper, with an affectionate address in conclusion, to the conforming clergy, and laity, and the dissenting ministers and laity, p. 71; a most useful little work to be reprinted at this time, and peculiarly adapted, by its conciliating manner, to settle the minds of such as are called moderate men.

As in Spinkes's Manual, the Devout Christian's Companion, by Warren; the Protestant Manual of Christian Devotions.

§ Bishop Taylor's Holy Living and Dying, Bishop Patrick's Devout Christian.

The Clergyman's Companion in visiting the Sick, and Dodwell's excellent work, the Sick Man's Companion, and Clergyman's Assistant.

¶ See Inett's Guide to Repentance (added to his Devout Christian,) part iv. p. 387.

** The late well known, learned, and much lamented Rev. W. Jones of Nayland.

anti

to

as

anticipates and prepares for the celebration of his coming at the end of the natural year," thence proceeding in a regular series of appointed holy days wifely diftributed throughout that period; for, as Bishop King obferves, inculcate the great myfteries of our faith the better, OUR CHURCH has appointed certain folemn times, wherein once in the year the ministry are obliged to explain and inculcate every great mystery of our faith, and moft material paffages of the gofpel."* Let it become therefore the pleasure, well as the duty of her children to obey her kind injunction, and celebrate with due refpect the myfteries of our religion, and the anniverfaries of its founderst; which is now more especially required for the revival of true religion, the holding forth a good example, and "putting to filence the reproach of gainfayers." And let us not be confounded either with the deluded or defigning SECTARY, who "fojourning among us," make a mock at that fin of SCHISM, which was fo much abhorred in the Primitive Church, of which the CHURCH OF ENGLAND is fo fair a copy. ST. CLEMENT, in his Epiftle to the Corinthians, thus addreffes them. "Your fchifm has perverted many, difcouraged many it has caufed diffidence in many, and GRIEF in us all and yet your SEDITION continues ftill. Wherefore are there thefe divifions and fchifms among us? Have we not one calling in Chrift? Why do we raise feditions against our own body? Are we at fuch a height of madnefs as to forget we are members one of another? Remember the words of Christ, "Woe to that man by whom the offence cometh." fhame and a very great fhame, to hear the Church should be led by one or two perfons, into a Jedition AGAINST its priests. The report is also come to those that differ from us, and the name of the Lord is blafphemed through your folly. Let

• Archbishop King's Disc. p. 68.

'Tis a

For their direction and assistance herein, an acquisition will be found in Nelson on the Festivals: or Kirke's Abridgement of it, an old but very useful work. Scintilla Altaris, by Dr. Sparke. Dr. S. Glasse's Lectures on the Festivals. Also a very excellent Tract, entitled the Nature and Design of Holy Days explained, &c. as appointed by the Church of England, printed for Sare, Holborn, 1722; the plainness, size, and price of which would render it a great acquisition on the list of the Society for promoting Christian Knowledge, where it would supply an essential want, and prove highly beneficial in its distribution.

VOL. XIV.

Chm. Mag. Feb. 1808.

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