The Sun.
London, England, 1830-01-14 00:00:00

—affirmatory on the part of the congregation. It
is God's cursing; it is the sinner's acquiescence in
the righteousness of that curse, and not the unhal-
lowed imprecation of God's wrath by one sinner
upon another. The ambassadors of Christ are com-
missioned to publish the glad tidings of great joy to
all people, but they are not authorized to suppress
the terrors of the Lord. This would be assuming,
that although the beams of the sun of righteousness
most frequently induce the sinner to throw aside
his " cloak of maliciousness," the tempests and
blackness of Sinai never compel him to put it
off. We have, alas! far too little discipline (prac-
tically) in the Chureh now—let us by no means
endeavour to weaken and destroy every vestige that
remains to us.

Many other alterations and emendations are pro-
posed in various parts of the Liturgy, which I for-
bear to enter upon. Those observations which refer
to the necessity of making such changes in the
Rubric as will enable the officiating Minister to
conform strictly and invariably to it, are of great
importance, and well demand the attention of our
rulers. Circumstances have so altered, that many
portions of it are virtually abrogated. Let them
be so in reality; and let scrupulous conformity be
then rigidly exacted. Our author informs us that
he has " endeavoured, by a harmless temporary
fiction, to consider himself as invested with the
office of an authorized reviser of the Liturgy,
freely proposing a plan for an improved edition of
our Prayer Book." In this character he has dis-'
played considerable knowledge of the delicate and
important subject which he has been engaged in dis-
cussing; he has brought it before the Hierarchy and
the public in a pleasing style, and appears fully to
have redeemed the implied pledge (p. 30) of fur- '
nishing " a mild specification" of what he considers
the defects in our Liturgy.
So far, however, from regarding all that he has
specified in this light, I should be inclined to class
some among the essential excellencies of the Liturgy.
I mean the phraseology and modes of expression.
Mr. Cox's objections to antiquated words and
phrases may be confined to a very small number of
instances, and savour more of fastidiousness than
of force. The rich, forcible, and vigorous language
of our Prayer Book is alike venerable from antiquity,
and hallowed by deeply-seated associations. Inno-
vations in this paiticular I hold to be as unwise as
they are uncalled for. So far from conceding any
ground of this sort, it should be disputed inch by
inch. It is notorious that some over-nice persons
condemn expressions, the energy, aptitude, and ex-
pressiveness of which they are unable to appreciate,
while Mr. C. and others, who know better, minister
to their morbid taste. Are the revisers of the
Liturgy then called upon to cater for these incom-
petent pledges ? Such is the objection brought
against that fine expression, (Ps. 6.5) " Thy clouds
drop fatness," by a writer, who said it put him in
miNd of grease. Against the perversions of such a
debased imagination it is impossible to guard, if it
were worth while to make the attempt. Again,
Mr. C. wishes to alter the passage, " who alone
workest great marvels." I can see no objection to
the clause whatever. In it an expressive word
is used in a legitimate manner. If all the nervous
and picturesque words, of somewhat an antique ap-
pearance, in our Prayer Book and Bible are to be
expunged, or to be done into the tamer and more
familiar phraseology of modern days, a great and
characteristic beauty in both would be totally de-
stroyed; and this for the purpose of parrying the
futile and petty sarcasms of a few. To me the
labour appears much more praiseworthy, which is
devoted to protecting the true hallowed associations
of the well-disposed, than that which is bestowed
upon the fruitless test of obviating the cavils of the
inimical and the fastidious.

Finally, amidst the numerous plans for alteration
and revision, the greatest care should be exercised
in avoiding every alteration that is not indispensably
necessary. Novelty has so great a charm for us,
that when once we begin to alter, we scarcely know
how to pause. This is a general fault in Mr. C.'s
" Liturgy Revised;" he is too much smitten with
the love of innovation. If, however, a Commission
should entertain only a portion of all the suggestions
which seem likely to be brought forward,our Liturgy
will be in a predicament not unlike to that of the
Mussulman's swine ; one will carry away a creed,
another a collect, and a third the exhortation, till
at last--

" Conscience free'd from every dog,
Mahometans eat up the bog."
Your's, &c.
A COUNTRY CLERGYMAN.
---, near Plymouth, Jan. 8, 1830.

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