the parties themselves so deputed shall for ever be removed from the office of Apparitors: and if being so removed, they desist not from the exercise of their said offices, let them be punished by ecclesiastical censures as persons contumacious. Provided, that if upon experience the number of the said Apparitors be too great in any Diocese in the judgment of the Archbishop of Canterbury for the time being, they shall by him be so abridged as he shall think meet and convenient.

AUTHORITY OF SYNODS.

CXXXIX.-A National Synod the Church Representative. Whosoever shall hereafter affirm, That the sacred Synod of this nation in the name of Christ, and by the King's authority assembled, is not the true Church of England by representation, let him be excommunicated, and not restored until he repent and publicly revoke that his wicked error.

CXL.-Synods conclude as well the Absent as the Present.

Whosoever shall affirm, That no manner of person either of the clergy or laity, not being themselves particularly assembled in the said sacred Synod, are to be subject to the decrees thereof in causes ecclesiastical, (made and ratified by the King's supreme authority) as not having given their voices unto them; let him he excommunicated, and not restored until he repent and publicly revoke that his wicked error.

CXLI.-Depravers of the Synod censured.

Whosoever shall hereafter affirm, That the sacred Synod assembled as aforesaid, was a company of such persons as did conspire together against godly and religious professors of the Gospel: and that therefore both they and their proceedings in making of Canons and Constitutions in causes ecclesiastical by the King's authority as aforesaid, ought to be despised and contemned, the same being ratified, confirmed and enjoined by the said regal power, supremacy and authority: let them be excommunicated, and not restored until they repent and publicly revoke that their wicked error.

CONSTITUTIONS AND CANONS

ECCLESIASTICAL.

OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND.

I.--The King's Supremacy.

This Canon requires to be slightly altered about the unions with Scotland and Ireland, &c.

II. to XII. both inclusive.

These should be altered, on account of the repeal of the Corporation and Test Acts, retaining, however, their affirmative character. For example, (3rd,) "The Church of England by law established under the King's Majesty, is a true and apostolical church, teaching and maintaining the doctrine of the apostles."

OF DIVINE SERVICE AND ADMINISTRATION OF THE SACRAMENTS.

XIII.-Due celebration of Sundays and Holy Days.

As in folio Prayer Book, and this to be added, "Vespers or Evensong being concluded, they shall take care, in partaking of those recreations and amusements, never intended to be forbidden by our Maker, who formed man a social being, and necessary to the poor, who are engaged in labour so much; they shall take care to preserve that temperance and sobriety, as well in conversation as in sensual enjoyments, which becomes their profession; never forgetting the woes denounced against hypocrisy, and the scandal those bring upon our holy religion, who would go from “the table of the Lord to the table of devils." (1 Cor. x. 21.) Concerning the Saturday evening service (which shall always take place in cathedral and collegiate churches, except when Saturday shall happen to be a principal feast day,) strictly a part of the canonical Sunday, we recommend all the faithful to consider well the usefulness of its being observed by all so as to make them abstain from any thing tending to late hours, so often made an excuse for neglecting public worship on Sundays; and of all who can be spared in every family in the neighbourhood, setting the example of attending public worship on that night. Wishing to act by persuasion rather than by compulsion, we only say of parish churches,

that there shall be no Saturday evening service, unless upon the request to the Bishop of the diocese, of so many of the parishioners, members of the Church of England, as, considering the numbers in the parish, he shall think a sufficient number to render the measure expedient. But nothing herein stated shall be understood to prevent the minister, if he be so minded, from reading prayers, and expounding also, if he think fit, on Saturday evenings, to as small a number as may desire it. Also a similar evening service is to be performed, in the above churches, on the evening before Christmas Day, if not a Sunday evening, and the evening before Ascension Day, and on any other evening appointed by the civil power. And whereas, with other puritanical leaven, a doctrine took possession of the minds of some of our clergy, tending most palpably to confound feasts and festivals, which for fifteen hundred years at least, including the first ages of the church, has always been very different, making Sunday a Sabbath after the Jewish strictness about a different day, Saturday; a doctrine not countenanced by any rubric, or any promulgated doctrine of the Church of England, to this day; we enjoin, that, for the future, all such new-fangled fancies be disclaimed; and that fast days be, in future, observed more after the ancient sort; that, at least, Ash Wednesday, Passion Week, commencing the eve before Palm Sunday, (which Sunday is not to be included, as Sunday was never, in the primitive church, considered a fast day,) and ending on Easter Eve, be observed with all cessation of worldly pursuits, and in every respect as becomes a season of humiliation; and that other fast days be duly regarded by all whose worldly circumstances leave them no excuse for neglect."*

* About the Saturday and other evening services, I have supposed the legislature to interfere, so as to have public-houses and theatres closed on Saturday evenings, which is of more importance than closing them on Sunday. The pernicious custom of paying workmen in public-houses, in many instances through the landlords giving the masters an interested motive for so doing, has done the working classes and society the greatest harm, by tempting them to despise all the lessons they previously imbibed, whether of religion in general, or temperance and frugality in particular; and I am convinced, that if half the zeal had been shown against this that has been shown against some comparatively harmless breaches of decorum on Sundays, the Church, at this time, would have occupied safer ground. The best remedy is the simplest, viz. to make payments in public houses, or near them, (unless on the master's premises,) if the object is palpably to evade the enactment, no payments at all in law; leaving, however, (and this is particularly necessary, to prevent masters thinking the fear of dismissal will deter the men from demanding a second time,) the men, or their representatives, to sue ever so many years afterwards, the Statute of Limitations, or any release the men may have given, notwithstanding, making the proof of the place of former payment the only thing necessary. About shutting public houses, I would propose, that, in all places, whether there is evening service or not, (or else it would to some be holding out a premium to decline that service,) public houses be closed after six on Saturdays, allowing, however, beer to be sent out from nine to half-past ten o'clock; that they be closed on Sundays till one o'clock, p. m., and again from three to four, after which that they be allowed to be open as on other days, leaving disorderly conduct to be punished by the same law which provides against it for other days. There are several things, perhaps,

M

XIV. The prescript form of Divine Service to be used on Sundays, and Holy-days, [and at other times of divine service.]

A little verbal alteration, and add, "Where the income of the Minister is too small to afford it, he shall have an allowance from the Ecclesiastical Fund for the musical part of public worship. Whenever practicable, (and, in process of time, we fervently hope it may be the general rule,) we would strongly recommend the use of a small choir, and of cathedral chants, (not including the chanting of the prayers,) services, and anthems, being deeply convinced of the bad consequences which have arisen from the lamentable disregard of this heavenly part of public worship, of which our Church must accuse herself. Where choral-music generally is not practicable we enjoin that the Psalms and Hymns after the Lessons be chanted, and that no metrical Hymns or Psalms be used but such as are set forth by authority."

XV.-The Litany to be read on Wednesdays, Fridays, [and Saturdays.]

After "particularly," say, "upon Wednesdays and Fridays at Morning Prayer, and on Saturdays at both Morning and Evening Prayers," and dele "though they be not holy-days.'

XVI.-Colleges to use the prescript form of Divine Service. Add, "The cathedral mode of chanting and singing is to be observed in all colleges that have, or can afford, a choir."

XVII.-Students in Colleges to wear Surplices in time of Divine Service.

Alter it thus, in the middle, "wear surplices over their gowns according to, &c." as in Canon, to the end.

in theatres, also, which I might not undertake to vindicate; but that is no argument about the propriety or impropriety of theatrical performances on any particular day. Let the law be altered, if there is any impropriety in the practice at our theatres to reform; but surely let not even the city of Rome rise up to condemn us at the bar of common sense. In that city, theatres are closed on Saturdays, leaving no excuse for late hours and neglect of worship on Sundays; on the Sunday evening, the religious rites ended, the canonical Lord's day indeed ended, those who, from their employments and circumstances, cannot afford the time for amusement on any other day, are not forbidden a few hours' recreation in the theatre, the dance, v. c., according to their inclinations. Surely those, who have nearly the whole of the week for amusements, ought not, in common charity, to grudge the poor man the social part of his weekly festival. * Without disparagement to several others, of whom I have a high opinion, and for whom I have great respect, I must say that, in my judgment, there is no one more fit to be consulted, in endeavouring to make an improved selection of Hymns and Psalms for churches, than Mr. Hawes of his Majesty's Chapel Royal. As to the chanting of the Psalms and Hymns after the Lessons, that, in any church, can be done, because it has been, and is now, done in some parish churches in London by a few charity children; in the Episcopal Chapels at Edinburgh it is the usual mode, except sometimes when services are performed.

XVIII. A reverence and attention to be used within the Church in time of Divine Service.

A very little verbal alteration in this Canon.

XIX.-Loiterers not to be suffered near the Church in time of Divine Service.

To be verbally altered.

XX.-Bread and wine to be provided against every communion, [and oil for the Visitation of the Sick.]

To be altered, so as for them to be provided in some other way: where livings can afford it, now the Corporation and Test Acts are repealed, it had better be at the charge of the Minister. Here I may remark, that I can conceive but three ways for an established church to permanently stand; one, when no other church is tolerated; another, when protected by Corporation and Test Acts, and Roman Catholic disabilities; the third, where neither of these protections exist, but where, in consequence, tithes are redeemed, and the clergy endowed with land, and all church-rates, or any thing tending to clash with Dissenters, are gradually repealed. The last only can be our case; therefore I am clearly of opinion, that it is the true interest of the clergy (provided the Government is strong, and it is a voluntary boon and concession, instead of being wrung by force) to abolish church-rates altogether, as soon as each diocese can afford it. The loss might soon be provided for by an accumulating fund.

XXI.-The Communion to be frequently received.

After "Minister," alter thus, "the short and long services, on the mornings of the principal feast days, and oftener, if so judged by the Ordinary; and all the parishioners shall be exhorted to communicate at the least three times in the year, of which Easter to be one. In all cathedral and collegiate churches and chapels, the holy communion shall be administered on all principal feast days, and on the first Sunday of every month, except when it is the Sunday either before or after a principal feast day, in which case it may be dispensed with; provided that nothing herein contained is to be understood as preventing communion much oftener, as was the primitive practice, whenever the Ordinary sees a reasonable prospect of its tending to serve for edification; and provided that every Minister that," &c. (as in Prayer Book to the end of the Canon.)

XXII.- Warning to be given beforehand for the Communion. Altered, so as to leave no compulsion.