course of my reading to find how servilely he follows other authors in the main line of his history, and how superficial he is in those parts of it which oblige him to an incidental examination of the original sources of information. There would be little reason for insisting on this, were not the theories, which he substitutes for conclusions, so commonly taken for authority on all-important subjects. In spite of his apparent candour, few writers have been such practical haters of Christianity and the church; and Ambrose was one of those who most especially merited his disgust by the intrepidity with which he thrust the claims of sacred truth upon the world, which unbelievers would fain have shut up in the library of the theologian, or within the precincts of consecrated ground.

There is nothing to shew how Theodosius bore the remonstrance of Ambrose on the first receipt of it. We next hear of him as attempting to attend divine service at Milan, where Ambrose officiated, having by this time returned to the city. He was met at the entrance by the conscientious prelate, who thus addressed him :—

Your

Surely your Majesty is not aware of the heinousness of the slaughter which has taken place. Passion is over; yet reason does not yet estimate the crime. Perchance arbitrary rule is an obstacle to reflection and repentance. Yet it is as well for a man to feel his perishable nature, and remember that dust is his beginning and his end, in spite of that gorgeous purple which may beguile the heart, but cannot reverse the feebleness of the frame it covers. subjects, Emperor, are your fellow-creatures; I should rather say, your fellow-servants,—— servants of one universal Lord and King, the Maker of the universe. Dare you, then, look upon his shrine, who is Lord of low as well as high?-dare you tread his holy pavement?dare you stretch forth hands in prayer, which are yet reeking with the blood of innocent victims?-dare you receive in them the most holy body of your Lord?-dare you taste his precious blood with lips which have spoken their rage in an unjust slaughter? Go hence; add not a new offence to what is past; submit to the bond which is placed upon you according to the will of the Most High. Take it as medicine to restore your soul.

Theodosius attempted to palliate his offence by the instance of David, who had been guilty of adultery as well as murder. "You have resembled him," answered the bishop, " in your sin; resemble him also in his repentance." Theodosius yielded to the voice of the church;-he retired home, where he remained suspended from Christian communion for eight months.

Christmas was now come, and the Emperor made a second attempt to join in public worship, considering doubtless that he had already suffered a sufficient penance for his crime. His minister, Ruffinus, who had been the adviser of the massacre, had found him in tears; and, on inquiring the cause of his grief, had been reminded of his state of separation from the church. "Servants and beggars," said the Emperor," may enter freely to join in prayer; but against me the gates of heaven are shut: for well I know what the Lord has said, Whom ye bind, shall be bound in heaven.'" Ruffinus persuaded him to send himself to Ambrose; and Theodosius, impatient at his delay, set out towards the church before his return. When he had got as far as the forum, he was met by his minister, who reported to him the ill success of his mission; on which, with a noble resolution, he declared he would proceed onwards, and undergo the shame which he had deserved.

The bishop's apartments, as I have already had occasion to notice,

were contained within a range of buildings, of which the Basilica formed a part; and thither, not to the Basilica, Theodosius now betook himself. In the interview which followed, he consented to undergo a public penance; and promised to pass a law that thirty days should, in future, intervene between sentence and execution in all cases of death and confiscation. On these terms he reconciled himself to the church.

His first appearance in public worship after his absolution had itself the character of a penance. With all signs of vehement grief, he prostrated himself upon the pavement, and applied the words of the Psalmist to his own situation,-"My soul cleaveth unto the dust; quicken Thou me according to thy word." It so happened when the time came for presenting the oblation at the altar, instead of retiring from the chancel, he remained, through forgetfulness, within the rails, according to the custom of the eastern church, there to receive the sacrament. Ambrose ventured not to relax one title of the stern discipline of the Latins, even to reward a penitent monarch. He sent his archdeacon to signify to him that none but ordained persons were allowed to remain in the sanctuary; on which the Emperor promptly retired. Some writers, however, consider that this took place on his first arrival at Milan from the east.

Theodoret adds, that, on his return to Constantinople, one day after making his offering at the altar as usual, he retired, as he had learned from Ambrose, without the rails, and was recalled by the Patriarch Nectarius. Upon this he observed, "Of all the churchmen I have met, Ambrose is the only BISHOP."

Perhaps an unlearned reader might imagine Theodosius some weak prince, such as abounded in the latter days of Rome, the offspring and the instrument of her degeneracy. For such an one I will quote the words of the infidel Gibbon :

The wisdom of his laws, and the success of his arms, rendered his administration respectable in the eyes both of his subjects and of his enemies. He loved and practised the virtues of domestic life, which seldom hold their residence in the palaces of kings. Theodosius was chaste and temperate; he enjoyed, without excess, the sensual and social pleasures of the table; and the warmth of his amorous passions was never diverted from their lawful objects. The proud titles of imperial greatness were adorned by the tender names of a faithful husband, an indulgent father. His uncle was raised, by his affectionate esteem, to the rank of a secondparent. Theodosius embraced, as his own, the children of his brother and sister; and the expressions of his regard were extended to the most distant and obscure branches of his numerous kindred. His familiar friends were judiciously selected from among those persons who, in the intercourse of private life, had appeared before his eyes without a mask; the consciousness of personal and superior merit enabled him to despise the accidental distinction of the purple; and he proved, by his conduct, that he had forgotten all the injuries, while he most gratefully remembered all the favours and services which he had received before he ascended the throne of the Roman empire. The serious or lively tone of his conversation was adapted to the age, the rank, or the character of his subjects whom he admitted into his society; and the affability of his manners displayed the image of his mind. Theodosius respected the simplicity of the good and virtuous; every art, every talent of an useful, or even of an innocent, nature was rewarded by his judicious liberality; and, except the heretics, whom he persecuted with implacable hatred, the diffusive circle of his benevolence was circumscribed only by the limits of the human race. The government of a mighty empire may assuredly suffice to occupy the time and the abilities of a mortal; yet the diligent prince, without aspiring to the unsuitable reputation of profound learning, always reserved some moments of his leisure for the instructive amusement of reading. History, which enlarged his experience, was his favourite study........ His disinterested opinion of past events was usefully applied as the rule of his own actions; and Theodosius has deserved the singular commendation, that his virtues always seemed to expand with his fortune; the season of his

prosperity was that of his moderation; and his clemeney appeared the most conspicuous after the danger and success of the civil war. But the Emperor shewed himself much more attentive to relieve the innocent than to chastise the guilty. The oppressed subjects of the west, who would have deemed themselves happy in the restoration of their lands, were astonished to receive a sum of money equivalent to their losses; and the liberality of the conqueror supported the aged mother, and educated the orphan daughter of Maximus. A character thus accomplished might almost excuse the extravagant supposition of the Orator Pacatus, that, if the elder Brutus could be permitted to revisit the earth, the stern republican would abjure, at the feet of Theodosius, his hatred of kings; and ingenuously confess, that such a monarch was the most faithful guardian of the happiness and dignity of the Roman people.

Such was the Great Theodosius;-such in his general character, in his offence, and in his penitence.

N.

COLLECTS BEFORE SERMON.

SIR,-Having briefly touched upon the propriety of certain collects, as introductory to the office of the pulpit, I am now induced to submit to you a few forms which I have compiled from the Liturgy, chiefly from the collects for special holydays. I send you five such forms, which, if variety be expedient, may be followed up by appropriate modifications of the Prayer for the Church Militant, the Collect for Ordination of Priests, or for Consecration of Bishops, [vide Service] and the Collects for the second and third Sundays in Advent. It is very desirable that a clergy sworn to conform to the Book of Common Prayer should desist from that worst of all practices which one occasionally observes, of composing their own collects; and if that book do not provide for the pulpit, and if they must take license, let us, at least, do no greater violence to our oaths than we can help.

The language of the Liturgy is as correct, and the petitions are as pious, as any that we hear from those who delight in their own composition; and we shall not suffer, nor will our congregations be dissatisfied, if our forms be derived from that venerable book, especially when transposition is all that is required for our purpose. Why should we so sedulously abstain from the use of the form directed in the Canon? Our village and parochial congregations ought occasionally to have the benefit of it, in common with their brethren of collegiate chapels and cathedrals, nor could they fail equally to appreciate its beauties. At any rate, let us be Liturgical. Would that we might be uniform! Your obedient servant, W. F. P.

(1.) From the Collects for St. Mark and the Conversion of St. Paul.

O Almighty God, who hast instructed thy church in the heavenly doctrine of thy holy Evangelists, and also, through the preaching of thine apostles, hast caused the light of the gospel to shine throughout the world, give us grace, we beseech thee, that we, having their words in remembrance, may shew forth our thankfulness unto thee for the same by following the holy doctrine which they taught, and that being not, like children, carried away with every blast of vain doctrine, we may be established in the divine truth of thy gospel, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

VOL. IV.-Dec. 1833.

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(2.) From the Collects for St. Bartholomew, and for St. Simon and St. Jude.

O Almighty God, who hast built thy church upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the head corner-stone, grant us so to be joined together in unity of spirit by their doctrine, that we may be an holy temple acceptable unto thee. Give us grace truly to believe and to preach thy word; and make, we pray thee, the whole church to love that word which they believed, and both to preach and receive the same, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

(3.) From the Collects for St. Philip and St. James, and St. Andrew's Day.

O Almighty God, whom truly to know is everlasting life, grant us perfectly to know thy Son Jesus Christ to be the way, the truth, and the life, that following the steps of thy holy apostles, we may readily obey his calling, and follow him without delay. Enable us all to walk stedfastly in the way that leadeth to eternal life, and send us thy gracious help, that, being called by thy holy word, we may forthwith give up ourselves obediently to fulfil thy holy commandments, through the same Jesus Christ our Lord.

(4.) From the Collects for St. Peter, St. Barnabas, John the Baptist, and the Third Sunday in Advent.

O Lord Almighty, who, by thy Son Jesus Christ, didst endue the apostles with singular gifts of the Holy Ghost, leave us not, we beseech thee, destitute of thy manifold gifts, nor yet of grace to use them alway to thy honour and glory. Make all bishops and pastors diligently to preach thy holy word, and the people obediently to follow the same; and grant that as thou didst send thy Messenger to prepare thy way before thee by preaching of repentance, we may so follow his doctrines and holy life, that we may truly repent according to his preaching, and after his example constantly speak the truth, boldly rebuke vice, and patiently suffer for the truth's sake, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

(5.) From the Collects for Ember Week, St. Thomas, Fifth Sunday after Epiphany, and the Liturgy.

Almighty God, our heavenly Father, who has purchased to thyself an universal church by the precious blood of thy dear Son, mercifully look upon the same; give thy Holy Spirit to all those who are called to any office and administration in the same, and so replenish them with innocency of life that they may faithfully serve before thee, to the glory of thy name and the increase of thy Kingdom; and to all thy people give thy heavenly grace, that they may hear meekly thy word spoken by their mouths, and receive it with pure affection, and bring forth the fruits of the Spirit; and lead us all, we implore thee, so perfectly, and without all doubt, to believe in thy Son Jesus Christ, that our faith in thy sight may never be removed, but that we thy people may be preserved continually in thy true religion, and may so lean only upon the hope of thy heavenly grace, as that we may evermore be defended by thy mighty power through the same, thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord.

ON UNIFORMITY AMONG THE CLERGY.

SIR, I am desirous, through the medium of your valuable Magazine, of suggesting to my brother clergy the importance of uniformity of practice in the performance of our church services. But there are two to which I especially wish to advert-" Private Baptism," and "the Churching of Women." As regards the first, in addition to other considerations, the inexpediency of departing from the rubric may

appear from the following circumstance:-I was lately requested to administer private baptism to an infant under other circumstances than the church seems to contemplate, when she forbids it without great cause and necessity-a favour, I was told, which a clergyman in an adjoining parish had always granted. But, as I was not disposed to grant it, I could not but be sensible of the awkwardness of my position. If, on the one hand, I concealed the true reason of my refusal, I must have subjected myself to the odium of being less obliging than my neighbour; and, though I might not regard personal popularity, yet ministerial popularity we are bound to respect. If, on the other hand, I referred to the directions of the rubric, saying, that I had no permission to depart from them; that it was not a subject on which a clergyman was permitted the exercise of private judgment, I was aware of the reflection which it cast on him who had acted differently. But still, the practice of another is no sanction for my doing what I conceive to be wrong; I therefore, as I ever have done, declined. Those who are acquainted with the pertinacity of the class to which my applicant belongs, will readily judge that I was obliged to put my own case very strongly for refusing to comply with a practice to which he had hitherto been accustomed; and though I endeavoured to place the conduct of those who differ from me in practice in as favourable a light as I could, yet the unavoidable conclusion in the mind of the former would be, that, without sufficient cause or necessity, any departure from the rubric is wrong.

fore submit, that, in a matter on which the church has provided a rule, it is highly inexpedient to adopt a different practice, since cases, similar to the above, which it appeared to me well to detail, are constantly occurring in other parishes.

The other service to which I desire to advert is, the thanksgiving of women after child-birth, administered in private houses: To this practice the same objections will apply as have been suggested above. Added to which, the practice is not only absurd, but destructive of the pious intention of our church, whose object manifestly is, that when the woman has sufficiently regained her strength to go to the temple of the Lord, she should there resort, and make public acknowledgment of his late mercies vouchsafed to her; and, with the congregation of which she is a member, return thanks for her safe deliverance. That the house of God is the first place to which every woman should go on her recovery, is consistent with piety and the ordinance of our church; but that any virtue should be attached to the service appointed for the occasion when performed in a private room, beyond what belongs to any other expression of thankfulness sincerely breathed from the heart, savours rather of superstition. To call it churching, is a misappropriation of the term; and to substitute it for the public service of our church, is to mar one of her chief beauties-the interest which she expresses for all who are within her pale, on every occasion, when they especially need her prayers. I am, Sir, &c.

CLERICUS.