Page:Tracts for the Times Vol 2.djvu/458

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been validated.
248
AUTHORITIES FOR THE SEVERAL REFORMED LITURGIES.

the knowledge of His grace, and to confirm evemore our faith in Him," but for our Infants, we pray not for "confirmation of grace," but that "they may be born again, and made heirs of everlasting "salvation."

The "reformed" Liturgies have been taken from the following sources,—that of Zurich from Zuingli's works, t. ii. f. 98, where he quotes it to show "how dexterously they had omitted every thing which could not be proved by Scripture." A translation was published in English from the Helvetian, A. D. 1693, "Liturgia Tigurina." Compared with the Latin of Zuingli, it is wordy but not unfaithful; but it contains an exhortation, which, as being omitted by Zuingli, must have been introduced after Zuingli's times, though quite in his spirit. The Zurich Service was also published in Latin in the "Ritus Ecclesiæ Tigurinæ," by Lavater, 1702. The Liturgy of Belgium, (which in verbal differences agrees most with the Ritus Eccl. Tigur.) is taken from the "Enchiridion for Young Preachers," published by authority, 1645. For the French Reformed Liturgy two editions have been consulted—"La forme des prières Ecclésiastiques," 1552, and that appended to the version of the Psalms by Beza and Marot (Pseaumes de David, &c.) It is also found in Calvin's works, t. viii. p. 32, sqq. with such variations only, as would be occasioned by a free translation into Latin. These have been marked underneath by the letter C. That of Polanus is entitled "Liturgia Sacra, seu Ritus Ministerii et Ecclesiæ Peregrinorum profugorum propter Evangelium Christi Argentinæ, 1551;" and the 2d edition, "Liturgia, &c. peregrinorum Francofordiæ ad Mænum Ed. 2, Francof. 1558." There is no variation between them. There is much mention of this Liturgy in Strype Eccl. Mem. vol. ii. B. 1, c. 29; and life of Cranmer, B. 2, c. 23. For the Scotch there have been used, an old edition, entitled "the CL Psalms of David in English metre, with the form of Prayers, and ministration of the Sacraments, &c. used in the Church of Scotland: Edinburgh, 1575:" also, "The New Booke of Common Prayer, according to the forme of the Kirk of Scotland, our brethren in faith and covenant, (London) 1644;" and the modern "Directory." Alasco published his under the title "Forma ac ratio tota Ecclesiastici ministerii, potissimum pro Germanorum ecclesia, instituta Londini in Anglia per pientissimum Principem Angliæ, &c. Regem Edvardum VI &c." Francofurti, 1535.

In the following Tables I have placed, 1st, A, our present Baptismal Service, as compared with the Ancient Church, and contrasted with the "Reformed" School. 2dly, B, Such prayers and rites as formed part of our primitive Service, but were omitted at the instigation of Bucer, and corresponding, or the same prayers, in the ancient Liturgies. 3dly, C. A prayer in Hermann's Liturgy, as a specimen of the way in which the restorers of our Liturgy avoided the modern theology.