the divine attributes, in a belief of the real, and love of the good sovereign of the universe. Prayer to be acceptable must be from the heart; it must be the language of this devotion within, unfettered by degrading or unhallowed thoughts, the ambassador of hope to heaven. The internal principle will be permanent, habitual, and unintermitted, abiding ever in its own place, to regulate action, and supply a never-ceasing flow of high aspirations, and holy desires, and righteous purposes. It seems to be that unfailing devotion which the Apostle enjoins, when he says, "Pray without ceasing:"1 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit."" Add to these passages our Lord's injunction, not to "use vain repetitions as the heathen do, for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking;" and the severity with which he rebuked the devotional emblems of the Pharisees, the

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1 1 Thess. v. 17. 2 Ephes. vi. 18. 3 Matt. vi.

broad phylacteries, and enlarged borders of the garments, that had not the soul of piety within; and the whole seems consistent only with a continuous habit of mental pre-occupation, and not with bodily service, which must be remitted and interrupted. We are delivered from the law, that we "should serve in newness of spirit."" For we are the circumcision which worship God in the spirit."

And to this internal devotion all exterior form is but accessory. The service

1 Rom. vii. 6.

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2 Phil. iii. 3.

3 A further division has been made of things which belong to devotion-that some are parts of divine worship, and some only circumstances attached to it. In the former, we are to adhere to the revelation of the divine will as our only guide; and though the laws of man may add the inducement of secular rewards and punishments, yet the commandment must be of God. Of this the observance of the Lord's Day is an instance among ourselves. In the circumstances of divine worship, what is fit and decent may be enjoined by the authority of man, and is to be observed, because we owe conscientious obedience to human authority in things lawful and

of the lip and bended knee, which may be performed at stated intervals in the routine of business, and be forgotten; the majestic cathedral, and the village church; the weekly congregation, and the Sabbath itself; the solemn ordinances, the offices and sacraments; the grave and holy orders of the ministry; the most

indifferent. Not that these circumstances are a part of worship, or that worship would be invalid without them; not that they are of antecedent value in themselves, or that they may never be omitted; but that they are to be observed for the sake of order when and where authority has enjoined their observance. In them there has always been a great diversity of practice; and in the primitive times, almost every church had its different rites and ceremonies, yet maintained unity and communion with its fellows. "Alii jejunant Sabbato; alii vero non : alii quotidie communicant corpori et sanguini Dominico; alii certis diebus accipiunt; alibi nullus dies intermittitur quò non offeratur; alibi Sabbato tantum et Dominico:"-" Some fast on the Sabbath; others do not some daily partake of the Lord's Supper; others only on fixed days: in some places offerings are made every day; in others only on the Jewish Sabbath or Lord's Days."-AUG. Ep. ad

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sublime hymns, the most touching prayers, the most grateful thanksgiving; all the homage of the sanctuary, and the first table of the commandments, are but exterior and subsidiary signs of that internal devotion of soul, which consists in the knowledge of God, and conformity of our will to his. It is of little import to

Januarium, Ep. 118. And in general, that which is enjoined as a circumstance only, and not as an essential part, of divine worship, can hardly be a sufficient ground of separation; for the principle which requires its observance is that of order, and order would be less violated by refusing to observe a ceremony, than by schism. And therefore in such a matter it is the duty of a Christian to conform to the authorised practice of those with whom it may be his lot to offer his devotions; and a member of our own church, if he is abroad, may freely join in communion with a foreign church not differing in essentials, and conform to their customs, though he may think his own preferable. "If you will neither give offence, nor take offence, conform yourself to all the lawful customs of the churches to which you chance to come," says St. Ambrose to St. Austin. "Nec disciplina ulla est in his melior gravi prudentique Christiano, quam ut eo modo

the Almighty, that men should adore a graven image, or take his name in vain. But it is of the utmost import to his creatures, that they should not confound him with stocks and stones, nor learn to treat their Maker with irreverence.

The internal principles of worship cannot be maintained without external signs.

aget, quo agere viderit ecclesiam ad quamcunque forte devenerit. Quod enim neque contra fidem, neque contra bonos mores injungitur, indifferenter est habendum, et pro eorum inter quos vivitur societate servandum est. Mater mea Mediolanum me consecuta, invenit Ecclesiam Sabbato non jejunantem; ceperit perturbari, et fluctuare quid agerit, cum ego talia non curabam, sed propter ipsam consului de hac re beatissimæ memoriæ virum Ambrosium; respondit se nihil docere me posse nisi quod ipse faceret, quia si melius nosset id potius observaret. Subsecutus est, ut ait mihi, Cum Romæ venio, jejuno Sabbato, cum hic sum non jejuno. Sic etiam tu, ad quam forte Ecclesiam veneris, ejus morem serva si cuiquam nonvis esse scandalo, nec quenquam tibi. Ego vero de hac sententiâ etiam atque etiam cogitans, ita semper habui tanquam eam celesti oraculo susceperim."AUG. ad Jan. Ep. 118.