worthy men from entering into the Church, but do at this hour press upon the consciences of many, who in all other things approve and admire the public formularies of our Church. A great portion of this present assembly are educating with a view to the ministry in the Establishment ; and, if I may be able in any little measure to satisfy their minds, or to remove a stumbling-block out of their way, I shall think that I have made a good use of the opportunity which is thus afforded me. A more essential service I can scarcely render unto any of my younger bre- thren, or indeed to the Establishment itself, than by meeting fairly the difficulties which occur to their minds, and which are too often successfully urged by the enemies of our Church, to the em- barrassing of conscientious minds, and to the drawing away of many, who might have laboured comfortably and successfully in this part of our Lord's vineyard.
There is one circumstance in the formation of our Liturgy, which is not sufficiently adverted to. The persons who composed it were men of a truly apo- stolic spirit : unfettered by party prejudices, they endeavoured to speak in all things precisely as the Scriptures speak : they did not indulge in specula- tions and metaphysical reasonings ; nor did they presume to be wise above what is written : they laboured to speak the truth, the whole truth, in love : and they cultivated in the highest degree that candour, that simplicity, and that charity, which so eminently characterize all the apostolic writings. Permit me to call your attention particularly to this point, because it will satisfactorily account for those expressions which seem most objectionable ; and will shew precisely in what view we may most conscien- tiously repeat the language they have used.
In our Burial Service, we thank God for deliver- ing our brother out of the miseries of this sinful world, and express a sure and certain hope of the resurrection to eternal life, together with a hope also that our departed brother rests in Christ. Of course,