"Our pious, laudable, and ancient form of divine service, composed by the holy martyrs, and worthy instruments of reformation, established by the prudent sages of state (your religious predecessors), honoured by the approbation of many learned foreign divines, subscribed by the ministry of the whole kingdom, and with such general content received by all the laity, that scarce any family or person (that can read), but are furnished with the Book of Common Prayer: for the conscionable use whereof many Christian hearts have found unspeakable joy and comfort, wherein the famous Church of England, our dear mother, hath just cause to glory; and may she long flourish in the practice of so blessed a Liturgy," &c. &c.-From a Petition presented to the King and Parliament from the Nobility, Gentry, Clergy, Freeholders, and other Inhabitants of the County Palatine of Chester, &c. February, 1641.

"Gilbertus Cognatus, a most learned German, about 130 years ago, laying down the forms Veteris Ecclesiæ (of the primitive Church), layeth down the very prayers of this Church of England."-MS. Note, Bishop J. Cosin, 1648.

"In the first year of Edward VI. was this book compiled by a religious synod, and after that so again mended and corrected, that it was then called the work of God. Archbishop Cranmer translated it, and sent it to Bucer to crave his judgment concerning it. He approved all, declaring there was nothing dissonant to the Word of God, si commodè acciperetur (if taken in a good sense). They used it beyond sea that fled in Queen Mary's days, until Knox began to pick quarrels with them that used it."-Ibid.

"We have sought to establish our Liturgy, on the authority of that sacred volume which cannot mislead us; and have returned to the primitive Church of the ancient fathers and apostles; that is, to the very source and foundation, and, as it were, the pure fountain from which the doctrines of Christianity flowed."-Bishop Jewell's Apology.

"We profess the same pure and undefiled faith which the apostles preached; and as our Reformers took especial care that our Church should, as to its doctrine, discipline, and worship, be restored to the same state, wherein it was by the apostles at first constituted; so the malice of our enemies hath farther provided, that, as to its being hated also and persecuted, it should be primitive and apostolical."-Bishop Smalridge.

"Neither our homilyes, nor our articles, are so good, so inviolable evidences of the Church's doctrine, as her prayers; for we see what glosses and comments both Papists and Arminians (as Santa-Clara and Montac.) can make upon those to countenance theyr assertions; but 'tis not possible any man should so befoole us out of our devotions, as to make us beleeve wee did not understand the sense and meaning of our prayers."-L. Womock, in his book entitled " Beaten Oyle for the Lamps of the Sanctuary." 1641.

"Wee extract our Liturgie, not from the loynes, or lines of the pope, but from God's word, and the primitive Church, howsoever the pope may seeme to have used, or usurped the same."-A Defence of the Liturgie by Ambrose Fisher, sometimes of Trinitie Colledge in Cambridge. 1630.

"In the house, and by the service of God therein, wee cheifly hallow his name, as it is done in heaven; that part of his worship beeing the most angelicall office, which is or can be by man performed unto the God of heaven untill wee come unto hym in his heavenly temple, and into the same quire with those blessed spirits. And therefore it were to be wished, since it is dedicated to God, and since that by our godly predecessours it hath beene hewen out of the rock of primitive devotions, and stood fayre and impregnable, as never yet having beene so much as soyled by one argument which a catechist could not reach and wipe off, that the mound which man hath sett about it might be upheld and maintayned in the execution of the statute printed before it; and that the prudent annexed proclamation of our late (and for ever to be renowned) Solomon K. James of glorious memory, were throughly pondered, and intended; That in our Zion, God being religiously served by us, might fatherly bless us.' .'"-Proquisitatio mapaverika. Printed 1642.

Reasons given by those of our English Church at Strasbourg to them of Frankfort, why they should continue the Book of Common Prayer.

1. Because they that should alter it, might be thought to condemn the chief authors of it, who suffered as martyrs.

2. Because it might give occasion to the adversary, to accuse our doctrine of imperfection and mutability; and to upbrayd us, that wee have onely menstruam fidem, a changeable faith.

3. Because it might move the godly to doubt of that truth whereof before they were well perswaded.

ABSTRACT OF PROFESSIONS OF FAITH, CHIEFLY TAKEN FROM THE WILLS OF EMINENT PROTESTANTS.

COSIN, BISHOP Of Durham, ob. 1672.-" Moreover I do profess, with holy asseveration, and from my very heart, that I am now, and ever have been from my youth, altogether free and averse from the corruptions and impertinent new-fangled, or papistical, superstitions and doctrines,-long since introduced, contrary to the Holy Scripture, and the rules and customs of the ancient fathers. But in what part of the world soever any churches are extant, bearing the name of Christ, and professing the true Catholic faith and religion, worshipping and calling upon God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, with one heart and voice, if I be now hindered actually to join with them, either by distance of countries, or variance amongst men, or by any hindrance whatsoever, yet always, in my mind and affection, I join and unite with

:

them which I desire to be chiefly understood of Protestants, and the best reformed Churches," &c.

CROFT, BISHOP OF HEREFORD, OB. 1691.-"I do, in all humble manner, most heartily thank God that he hath been most graciously pleased, by the light of his most holy Gospel, to recall me from the darkness of Popish errors and gross superstitions, into which I was seduced in my younger days, and to settle me again in the true ancient Catholic and Apostolic Faith, professed by our Church of England, in which I was born and baptized, and in which I joyfully die, with full assurance, by the merits of my most blessed Saviour Jesus, to enjoy eternal happiness."

BULL, BISHOP OF ST. DAVIDS, OB. 1709.-" I would not be so pre sumptuous as to say positively that I am able to bear so great a trial; but according to my sincere thoughts of myself, I could, through God's assistance, lay down my life, upon condition that all those, who dissent from the Church of England, were united in her communion."

SIR H. LYNDE'S VIA TUTA, &c.

Mr. EDITOR.-Allow me, through the medium of the "Remembrancer," to suggest to the Delegates of the University Press, Oxford, the propriety of reprinting Sir H. Lynde's Via Tuta and Via Devia, a work both excellent in itself, and very suitable to the present times. A sixth edition, I believe, of the original appeared in 1636. Not to occupy your pages, I will only add, that the modern orthography, an enlargement or simplification of the references, and a copious index, should accompany any reprint. I am, Sir, yours, &c.

VOLENS.

P.S.-It may be added that the University cannot offer to the theological student at present, and in the compass of one volume, as much as is contained in the work of Sir Humphry Lynde.

EXTRACT FROM THE N. V. OF THE PSALMS, BY S. P. C. K.

MR. EDITOR. Having been induced to attempt some improvement in the Psalmody of the Church intrusted to my care, I determined to adopt the "Extract from the New Version of the Psalms" published by the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge. Admirable as that Selection is, it is, however, deficient in two respects; viz. that it neither points out what portions are appropriate to each Sunday in the year, nor suggests suitable tunes to which they may be sung. With a view to supply this deficiency, I have made the following adaptation of the several portions contained in that volume, and have also selected tunes, proper to the subject of each.

If you think my two tables likely to be useful to my Clerical brethren, they are much at your service. Possibly some of your correspondents may have turned their attention to the same subject, and may be able to suggest some improvement upon them.

CLER. CANTUAR.

Should there be more than 25 Sundays after Trinity, the deficiency may be supplied from

the Sundays after the Epiphany, taking care that the Psalms for the 25th Sunday be used on the Sunday next before Advent,

...These Tunes have been compiled from a selection by T. W. Henshaw, Organist of St. Pancras New Church; from another by R. G. Foord, Organist of St. John's Church, Margate; and from a third by McMurdie. Each of these books contains a sufficient number of Tunes for the use of any Congregation. The Sicilian Mariners' Hymn Tune (set for a long metre verse) may be sung with the Evening Hymn, alternately with its own proper tune.