tions may arise even among serious Christians, as to what is the truth: but never has the real disciple of Jesus doubted, that, above all things, and before all things, it is his duty to maintain, defend, and promulgate, what he BELIEVES to be the truth. This is the principle, which has compelled the confessor to endure the rack, and the martyr to die at the stake, rather than renounce their faith, or deny their Saviour. This is the principle, which has supported, encouraged, and inspirited the cloud of Christian witnesses, from that day, when Stephen, the captain of this noble army, saw the heavens opened, and his glorified Saviour standing at the right hand of God (10), and cheering him to his duty, with a benignant smile; down to the hour, when Cranmer, Ridley, and Latimer, sealed, and sanctified by their blood, the catholic (11) principles of the English Reformation.

NOTES TO LECTURE I.

NOTE (1), page 1.

"THERE was one week, called the Hebdomas magna, or the great week, before Easter, which they (the primitive Christians) observed with greater strictness and solemnity above all the rest. No one can better describe it to us, than St. Chrysostom, who tells us, It was called the great week, not because it consisted of longer days, or more in number, than other weeks; but because, at this time, great things were wrought for us by our Lord: for, in this week, the ancient tyranny of the devil was dissolved, death was extinct, the strong man bound, his goods were spoiled, sin was abolished, the curse was destroyed, Paradise was opened, Heaven became accessible, men and angels were joined together, the middle wall of partition was broken down, the barriers were taken out of the way, the God of Peace made peace between things in heaven and things in earth; therefore, it was called the great week. And, as this is the head of all other weeks, so the great Sabbath is the head of this week; being the same thing in this week, as the head is in the body. Therefore, in this week, many increase their labours: some adding to their fastings, others to their watchings; others give more liberal alms, testifying the greatness of the divine good

ness, by their care of good works, and more intense piety and holy living. As the Jews went forth to meet Christ, when he raised Lazarus from the dead, so now, not only one city, but all the world, go forth to meet him, not with palm branches in their hands, but with alms-deeds, humanity, virtue, fastings, prayers, watchings, and all sorts of piety, which they offer to Christ their Lord. And not only we, but the emperors of the world, honour this week, making it a time of vacation from all civil business, that the magistrates, being at liberty from the business of the law, may spend all their days in spiritual service. Let the doors of the courts, say they, all be shut up; let all disputes, and all kinds of contention and punishment, cease; let the executioner's hand rest a little: common blessings are wrought for us all by our common Lord; let some good be done by us, his servants. Nor is this the only honour they show to this week; but, they do one thing more, no less considerable. The imperial letters are sent abroad, commanding all prisoners to be set at liberty from their chains; for, as our Lord, when he descended into hell, set free those that were detained by death; so the servants, according to their power imitating the kindness of their Lord, loose men from their corporal bonds, when they have no power to relax the spiritual.' All this is repeated by St. Chrysostom, in another of his Lent sermons, in nearly the same words." Bingham. Origines Ecclesiasticæ,

book xxi. chap. i. sect. 24.

Concerning the duration, the time, and the mode, of observing the Quadragesimal or Lent fast, the disputes among the primitive Catholics were many, and sometimes bitter; but the following observations of St. Chrysostom were written for all ages, and they afford a fair

specimen of the plain, practical, common sense, for which that father is remarkable:

many

"We are wont to ask one another, how weeks we have fasted during Lent; and we hear some answering, two; another, three; another, all. But what advantage is it if we have kept the fast, and not improved our conduct? If a man tells you, I have fasted the whole of Lent,' let your answer be, I had an enemy, and I am reconciled to him; I had a habit of reviling, and I left it off; I had a custom of swearing, and the evil propensity is broken in me.' It is of no use for a merchant to have traversed a vast extent of ocean, unless he return laden with an increase of goods; nor is there any use in our fasting, if we have passed over the time, without having derived any good fruits. If our fasting has consisted merely in abstaining from meats,.. when the forty days are terminated, our fast will have passed away. But, if our fast consist in abstaining from our sins, when the fast has come to an end, the benefit will still remain, and will lay up for us treasures in the heavens." Chrysost. Hom. 16. to the People of Antioch.

The spirit, here so nobly inculcated, is finely embodied in an Arabic distich, quoted by the learned author of Mahometanism Unveiled:

·

How many feast, while they fast!
How many fast, while they feast!

Vol. i. p. 358.

Descending from ancient to modern times, I cannot refrain from transcribing the words of a venerable prelate, in whom one of the purest branches of the Catholic Church of Christ may justly be complacent: I mean Dr.

Alexander Jolly, Bishop of Moray, in Scotland; a prelate, who is regarded with filial affection by the members of his own communion, and to whom the adherents of the established system are glad to pay their tribute of esteem and respect.

"Our own church," observes this good man, "which, as far as the degenerate temper of modern times will allow, treads in the steps of the primitive church, whence she is descended, distinguishes the holy week by a separate office for every day; and the whole service is devoutly fastened to the cross of our divine Redeemer, both God and man, a man suffering, as God in one person with the humanity, satisfying for the sins of the whole world. The iniquity of us all was laid upon him; a load which nothing but his almighty strength could enable him to support; who, therefore, himself, bore our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead unto sin, might live unto righteousness, healed by his stripes. Inflamed by the love of our suffering Lord, whose suffering, to distinguish it from all others, is commonly called his Passion, we fervently pray, in the pathetic collect for Palm Sunday, which is the collect for the week, down to Good Friday, that we may be so conformed to his patient suffering, as that we may share the joy and glory of his resurrection. And in the several Epistles and Gospels, we hear and are melted down by the knowledge and love of Christ crucified. Now, especially, our hearts are pierced by the Divine Word, while we view him ascending Mount Calvary, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me; each saying, and practically feeling, with the Apostle, I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me ; and the