being those which were wanting in the
applicant's lay baptism. Now, if this were
so, the Church stands clear of any charge
of inconsistency ; nay, more, she exhibits
her adherence to principle in the strongest
light, by treating lay baptism as a mere
form of that sacrament, "without the power
thereof." This, we think, was the ordinary
practice of the Church. And though con-
firmation is an ordinance distinct from
baptism, yet it always preserved a closer
alliance Avith that sacrament than with
the holy eucharist, being anciently given
either in immediate connexion with bap-
tism, or at a period very little subsequent
to it.
So far as the irregular baptisms of here-
tics and schismatics were concerned, it is
incontestable that the compensating prac-
tice just referred to was very generally
adopted. And that confirmation was given,
in such cases, not only for the conferring
of its own proper graces, but also Avith the
direct object of correcting the deficiencies
of a previous baptism, is manifest from the
language of early writers. Leo, in writing
to Nicetius, bishop of Aquileia, remarks,
" that such as received baptism from here-
tics * * * were to be received only by
invocation of the Holy Spirit, and im-
position of hands, and that because they
had before only received ihQ form of baj)-
tism, without the sanctifying power of it."
St. Augustine " supposes," says Bingham,
" that they who are thus baptized received
the outward visible sacrament, but not the
invisil)le, internal, sanctifying grace of the
Spirit." These graces, " heretics and I
schismatics were not sup])osed qualified to {
give, nor they Avho desired baptism at their I
hands qualified to receive, till they rc-
2 F
turned with repentance and charity to the
\niity of the Church again ; and then the
Cinirch, by imjjosition of hands, and invo-
cation of the Holy Spirit, might obtain
for them those blessings and graces which
might have been had in baptism, &c. This
Avas the general sense of the Cliurch ; for
Avhich reason they api)ointed that imjjosi-
tion of hands should be given to such as
returned to the Church, in order to obtain
the grace of the Holy Ghost for them
by prayer, Avhich they Avanted before, as
having received baptism from those Avho
had no poAver to give the Holy Ghost.
Innocent says, that ' their ministrations
Avere defective in this, that they could not
give the Holy Ghost ; and therefore such
as Avere baptized by them Avere imperfect,
and Avere to be received Avith imposition of
hands, that they might thereby obtain the
grace of the Holy Ghost.'' " " This,"
adds Bingham, " Avas the true and only
method of supplying the defects of hereti-
cal baptism, as is evident from all the
passages Avhich speak of the use of the
sacred unction, Avhich Avas joined Avith
imposition of hands and prayer, to im-
plore the grace of remission of sins, and
the other gifts of the Holy Spirit, Avhich
Avere Avanting before." Confirmation Avas
therefore regarded as su])plying all that
Avas deficient in the unauthorized baptism
of heretics and schismatics ; and though
less is said about the usurped baptism of
orthodox laymen, yet analogy Avould lead
us to judge that a resort Avas had to the
same expedient to relieve their imperfec-
tion. Thus much Ave knoAv, that the an-
cient Church stood firmly on principle,
and yet that laymen sometimes baptized,
in direct defiance of that principle, and in
such cases the external part Avas frequently
not repeated ; therefore, by some process,
this imperfect baptism Avas legalized and
consummated, and Ave read of no other
such ])rocess than that just stated.
In the Church of England there is some
diversity both of opinion and practice with
respect to lay baptisms. By some persons
they are regarded as valid ; by others, as
imperfect, till ratified by confirmation, or
by the use of the hypothetical form ; by a
third class, as totally invalid. From the
time of Augustine, the first archbishop of
Canterbury, till that of Archbishop Ban-
croft, in the reign of James I., lay baptisms
Avere recognised in our Church ; but they
Avere baptisms by aailtorizcd persons, per-
sons Avho had received episcopal licence for
the act. In the reign of EdAvard VI., it
Avas ordered in the Office of Private Bap-
tism, that they "that be prtsent shall call
434
LAY-BROTHERS.
LEAGUE.
upon God for his grace, and say the Lokd's
Prayer, if the time will sufler, and then one
of them shall name the child, and dip him
in water, or pom* water ui)on him, saying,"
Sec. But the rubric now stands altered
thus : '* First let the minister of the parish
(or in his absence any other lair/nl minister
that can be procured) with them that are
present call upon God and say the Lokd's
Prayer, and so many of the collects ajj-
pointed to be said before in the form of
Public Baptism, as the time and present
exigence will suffer. And then the child
being named by some one that is present,
the minister shall throw water upon it,
saying," <^'c. This would seem to show a
desire on the part of the Church to pre-
vent laymen from baptizing, though it at-
taches, of course, such great importance to
this holy sacrament, that she permits any
lawful minister, i. e. any minister of the
Church, to ofhciate on such an occasion,
even though in another man's parish.
Having now given the reader an abstract
of the state of this question, we leave him
to judge as well as he can, where lies the
preponderance of truth, and the place of
greatest safety. That the lawfully or-
dained ministers of Christ have the power
and right of administering true baptism, is
incontestable. Avliether any others pos-
sess the like power, we shall know and
acknowledge, when they produce their
commission to " go raid teach all na-
tions, baptizing them in the name of the
Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy
Ghost."
LAY-BROTPIEES, among the Roman-
ists, arc the servants of a convent.
A lay-hrother Avears a different habit
from that of the religious : he never enters
into the choir, nor is present at the chap-
ters. He is not in any orders, nor makes
any vow, except of constancy and obedience.
He is employed in the tem})oral concerns
of the convent, and has the care of the
kitchen, gate, &c.
The institution of lay-hrothcrs began in
the eleventh century. The persons, on
whom this title and office were conferred,
were too ignorant to become clerks, and
therefore applied themselves wholly to
bodily work, in which they expressed that
zeal for religion, which could not exert it-
self in spiritual exercises.
In the nunneries there are also lay-sisters,
who are retained in the convents for the
service of the tuins, in like manner as the
Intf-hrothcrs are for that of the monks.
LAY-CLERKS. Clerici Laid. Singing
men so called in the Statutes of the Cathe-
drals, founded or remodeled by King
Henry VHL In general, their number
was commensurate with that of the Minor
Canons. Lay- Vicars are sometimes incor-
rectlv so styled.
LAY-VICARS. (See Vicars Choral.)
LAY-ELDERS. After Calvin had
settled the presbyterian form of govern-
ment at Geneva, and that model was fol-
lowed elsewhere, laymen were admitted
into a share or part of the administration
of the Church, under the denomination
of lay-elders. This sort of officers was
utterly unknown in the Cliurch before the
sixteenth century, and is now admitted
only where the presb}terian government
obtains.
LAYING ON OF HANDS. (See
Imvosition of Hands.)
LEAGUE, SOLEMN LEAGUE AND
COVENANT. (See Confessions of Faith
and Covenant.) This was a compact estab-
lished in 1643, to form a bond of union
between the Scottish and English Presby-
terians. Those who took it pledged them-
selves, without respect of persons, to en-
deavour the " extirpation of Popery and
prelacy, (i. e. cliurch government by arch-
bishops, bishops, their chancellors and
commissaries, deans, deans and chapters,
archdeacons, and all other ecclesiastical
officers depending on that hierarchy,) su-
perstition, heresy, schism, profaneness, and
whatever shall be found contrary to sound
doctrine and the power of godliness." It
was opposed by the parliament and assem-
bly at Westminster, and ratified by the
General Assembly of the Scottish Kirk,
in 1645. In 1650, Charles II., under com-
pulsion and hypocritically, declared his
approbation of it. The league was ratified
by parliament in 1651, and subscription
required of every member. At the Re-
storation it was voted illegal by parliament.
The following is the document Mhich is
still bound up with the Westminster Con-
fession, as one of the formularies of the
Scottish Establishment, though the minis-
ters are no longer obliged to sign it : —
The solemn League and Covenant for
Reformation and Defence of Religion,
the Honour and Happiness of the King,
and the Peace and Safety of the Three
Kingdoms of Scotland, England, and
Ireland ; agreed upon by Commissioners
from the Parliament and Assembly of
Divines in England, with Commission-
ers of the Convention of Estates, and
General Assembly in Scotland; approved
by the General Assembly of the Church
of Scotland, and by both Houses of Par-
liament and Assembly of Divines in
LEAGUE, SOLEMN LEAGUE AND COVENANT.
43-)
England, and taken and subscribed by
them, Anno 1643; and thereafter, by
the said authority, taken and subscribed
by all Ranks in Scotland and England
the same Year; and ratified by Act of
the Parliament of Scotland, Anno 1G44 :
And again renewed in Scotland, with
an Acknowledgment of Sins, and En-
gagement to Duties, by all Uanks, An?io
1648, and by Parliament 1649; and
taken and subscribed by Kinjj/ Charles
II. a.tSj)(\i/,June 23, 1650; and at Scoon,
Januanj 1, 1651.
AVe Noblemen, Barons, Knights, Gen-
tlemen, Citizens, Burgesses, Ministers of
the Gospel, and Commons of all sorts, in
the kingdoms of Scotland, England, and
Ireland, by the providence of GOI), living
under one King, and being of one reform-
ed religion, having before our eyes the
glory of GOD, and the advancement of
the kingdom of our Lord and Saviour
Jesus Christ, the honour and happiness
of the King's Majesty and his posterity, and
the true publick liberty, safety, and peace of
the kingdoms, vrherein every one's private
condition is included : And calling to mind
the treacherous and bloody plots, con-
spiracies, attempts, and practices of the
enemies of GOD, against the true religion
and professors thereof in all places, espe-
cially in these three kingdoms, ever since
the reformation of religion ; and how much
their rage, power, and presumption are of
late, and at this time, increased and exer-
cised, whereof the deplorable state of the
church and kingdom of Ireland, the dis-
tressed estate of the church and kingdom
of England, and the dangerous estate of
the church and kingdom of Scotland, are
present and public testimonies ; we have
now at last, (after other means of suppli-
cation, remonstrance, protestation, and
sufferings,) for the preservation of our-
selves and our religion from utter ruin and
destruction, according to the commend-
able practice of these kingdoms in former
times, and the example of GOD'S people
in other nations, after mature deliberation,
resolved and determined to enter into a
mutual and solemn League and Covenant,
wherein we all subscribe, and each one of
us for himself, with our hands lifted up to
the most High GOD, do swear,
I. That we shall sincerely, really, and
constantly, through the grace of GOD, en-
deavour, in our several places and callings,
the preservation of the reformed religion
in the Clmrch of Scotland, in doctrine, wor-
ship, discipline, and government, against
our common enemies ; the reformation of
2 F 2
religion in the kingdoms of England and
Ireland, in doctrine, worship, discipline,
aiul government, according to the word of
GOD, and the example of the best reform-
ed Churches ; and shall endcavoia* to bring
the Churches of God in the three king-
doms to the nearest conjunction and uni-
formity in religion, confession of faith,
form of church-government, directory for
worship and catechising ; that m'c, and our
posterity after us, may, as brethren, live in
faith and love, and the Lord may delight
to dwell in the midst of us.
II. That we shall in like manner, with-
out respect of persons, endeavour the
extirpation of Popery, Prelacy, (that is,
church-government by Archbishops, Bi-
shops, their Chancellors, and Commissaries,
Deans, Deans and Chapters, Archdeacons,
and all other ecclesiastical Officers depend-
ing on that hierarchy,) superstition, heresy,
schism, profaneness, and whatsoever shall
be found to be contrary to sound doctrine
and the power of godliness, lest we partake
in other men's sins, and thereby be in
danger to receive of their plagues ; and
that the Lord may be one, and his name
one, in the three kingdoms.
III. We shall, with the same sincerity,
reality, and constancy, in our several
vocations, endeavour, with our estates and
lives, mutually to preserve the rights and
privileges of the Parliaments, and the
liberties of the kingdoms ; and to preserve
and defend the King's Majestj-'s person
and authority, in the preservation and
defence of the true religion, and liberties
of the kingdoms ; that the world may
bear witness with our conscience of our
loyalty, and that we have no thoughts or
intentions to diminish his Majesty's just
power and greatness.
IV. We shall also, with all faithfulness,
endeavour the discovery of all such as have
been or shall be incendiaries, malignants,
or evil instruments, by hindering the re-
formation of religion, dividing the Idng
from his people, or one of the kingdoms
from another, or making any fiiction or
parties amongst the people, contrary to
this league and Covenant ; that they may
be brought to i)ublic trial, and receive
condign punishment, as the degree of their
offences shall require or deserve, or the
supreme judicatories of both kingdoms
res])ectively, or others having power from
them for that effect, shall judge convenient.
V. And whereas the happiness of a
blessed peace between these kingdoms,
denied in former times to our progenitors,
is, by the good providence of G(3D, granted
unto us, and hath been latclv concluded
436
LEAGUE.
LECTURER.
and settled by both Parliaments ; we shall
each one of us, accordmg to our place and
interest, endeavour that they may remain
conjoined in a firm peace and union to all
posterity ; and that justice may be done
upon the Milful opposers thereof, in manner
expressed in the i)recedent article.
VI. "VVe shall also, according to our
places and callings, in this common cause
of religion, liberty, and peace of the king-
doms, assist and defend all those that
enter into this League and Covenant, in
the maintaining and pursuing thereof;
and shall not suffer ourselves, directly or
indirectly, by whatsoever combination,
persuasion, or terror, to be divided and
withdrawn from this blessed union and
conjunction, whether to make defection to
the contrary part, or to give ourselves to a
detestable indifferency or neutrality in this
cause which so much concerneth the glory
of GOD, the good of the kingdom, and
honour of the King ; but shall, all the
days of our lives, zealously and constantly
continue therein against all opposition, and
promote the same, according to our poAver,
against all lets and impediments what-
soever ; and, what we are not able ourselves
to suppress or overcome, we shall reveal
and make known, that it may be timely
prevented or removed : All which we shall
do as in the sight of God.
And, because these kingdoms are guilty
of many sins and provocations against
GOD, and his Son Jesus Christ, as is
too manifest by our present distresses and
dangers, the fruits thereof; we profess and
declare before GOD and the world, our
unfeigned desire to be hvmibled for our
own sins, and for the sins of these king-
doms : especially, that we have not as we
ought valued the inestimable benefit of
the gospel ; that we have not laboured for
the purity and power thereof; and that
we have not endeavoured to receive Christ
in our hearts, nor to Avalk worthy of him
in our lives ; which are the causes of other
sins and transgressions so much abounding
amongst us : and our true and unfeigned
purpose, desire, and endeavour for our-
selves, and all others under our power and
charge, both in publick and in private, in
all duties we owe to GOD and man, to
amend our lives, and each one to go be-
fore another in the example of a real re-
formation ; that the Lord may turn away
his AATath and heavy indignation, and
establish these churches and kingdoms in
tvuth and peace. And this Covenant we
make in the presence of ALMIGHTY
GOD, the Searcher of all hearts, with a
true intention to perform the same, as we
shall answer at that great day, when the
secrets of all hearts shall be disclosed;
most humbly beseeching the Lord to
strengthen us by his Holy Spirit for this
end, and to bless our desires and proceed-
ings with such success as may be deliver-
ance and safety to his people, and en-
couragement to other Christian churches,
groaning under, or in danger of, the yoke
of antichristian tyranny, to join in the
same or like association and covenant, to
the glory of GOD, the enlargement of the
kingdom of Jesus Christ, and the peace
and tranquillity of Christian kingdoms and
commonwealths.
LECTUKER. Long prior to the Re-
formation persons were appointed to read
lectures, chiefly on the schoolmen, before
the universities. Hence they were called
lecturers. From the universities they
passed into monasteries, and eventually
into parishes : either upon the settlement
of a stipend to support them, or upon
voluntary contribution of the inhabitants
under the licence of the bishop. The
lecture in parish churches was nothing
more than a sermon, extra ordiiiem, as
being no part of the duty of the incum-
bent, and therefore delivered at such times
as not to interfere with his ministrations.
Although lecturers were continued after
the Reformation, and we read of Travers
being evening lecturer at the Temple in
the reign of Elizabeth, the first injunction
respecting them is in the canons of James I.
In the year 1604 directions for their con-
duct were issued by Archbishop Bancroft ;
and in 1622 the Primate Abbot enjoined
that no lecturer " should preach upon Sun-
days and holy-days in the afternoon, but
upon some part of the catechism, or some
text taken out of the creed, Lord's Prayer,
or ten commandments." At this period
they do not appear to have been numer-
ous ; but, about the year 1626, their
numbers were much increased by twelve
persons having been legally empowered to
pm-chase impropriations belonging to lay-
men, with the proceeds of which they
were allowed to provide parishes, where
the clergy were not qualified to preach,
with preaching ministers, or lecturers.
The power thus granted to the feoffees of
the impropriations, ostensibly for the good
of the Church, was soon abused, and made
a handle of by Puritanism in the appoint-
ment of unorthodox preachers. Dr. Heylyn,
in an act sermon, preached at Oxford, first
pointed out the evil of this new society.
Accordingly, in 1633, Archbishop Laud
procured a bill to be exhibited by the
attorney-general in the Court of Exchequer
LECTURER.
LECTURN.
437
apjainst the feoffees, wherein they were
charged with diverting the charity where-
wath they were intrusted to other uses,
by appointing a morning lecturer, a most
violent Puritan, as Clarendon also wit-
nesses, to St. Antholin's church, I^ondon,
wliere no preacher was required ; and
generally nominating nonconformists to
their lectureships. These charges having
been established, the court condemned
their proceedings, as dangerous to the
Church and State, at the same time pro-
nouncing the gifts and feoffments made to
such uses illegal ; and so dissolved the
same, confiscating the money to the king's
use. But this judgment does not appear
to have had the desired effect ; since we
find the bishop of Norwich, three years
afterwards, (1636,) certifying that lecturers
Avcre very frequent in Suffolk, and many
of them set up by private gentlemen,
without either consulting the ordinary, or
observing the canons and discipline of the
Church. The lecturers in the country
were also said to run riot, and live wide
of discipline. In 1637, therefore. Laud
proceeded with increased rigour against
them, and obtained the king's instructions
for prohibiting all lecturers preaching,
who refused to say the Common Prayer
in hood and surplice — a vestment which,
being considered by them as a rag of
Popery, they refused to wear. So there
seems every reason to coincide watli the
bishop of London in his charge of 1842,
wherein he assigns the origin of the disuse
of the surplice in preaching to these lec-
turers. They also introduced the after-
noon sermon, and thus, according to Arch-
bishop AVake, were the first to bring into
disrepute the venerable custom of cate-
chising. When in 1641 the revenues of
archbishops and bishops, deans and chap-
ters, were confiscated, the advowsons and
impropriations belonging to them were
employed in providing lecturers, who,
under the garb of superior sanctity, " turn-
ed religion into rebellion, and faith into
faction." For these, their innovations,
their avarice, and their faction, lecturers
have been somewhat roughly handled by
Selden in liis T<ihle Talk.
After the llcstoration their evil influence
was sufficiently guarded against by the Act
of Uniformity, which enacts that no person
shall be allowed or received as a lecturer,
unless he declare his unfeigned assent and
consent to the Thirty-nine Articles, and
the Book of Common Prayer, and to the
use of all the rites, ceremonies, forms, and
orders therein contained. It is further
enacted, that prayers shall always be said
before a lecture is delivered. Archbishop
Sheldon (16()5) issued the last orders
concerning lectures and lecturers. The
incumbent may at any time prevent a
lecturer preaching by occupying the pul-
pit himself. Lecturers of parishes are
now generally elected by the vestry or
principal inhabitants, and are usually
afternoon preachers. There are also lec-
turers in some cathedral churches, as the
divinity lectureship at St. Paul's, now a
sinecure, (see Prcelector,) and several lec-
tureships have been founded by private
individuals, such as Lady Moyer's, Mr.
Boyle's, the Bampton at Oxford, and the
Hulsean at Cambridge. The act 7 & 8
Vict. c. 59, intituled " An act for better
regulating the offices of lecturers and
parish clerks," authorizes the bishop, with
the consent of the incumbent, to require a
lecturer or preacher to perform such clerical
or ministerial duties, as assistant curate,
or otherwise, within the parish, &c., as the
bishop, with the assent of the incumbent,
shall think proper. The following papers
are to be sent to the bishop by a clergy-
man to be licensed.
1 . A certificate of his having been duly
elected to the office, or an appointment
under the hand and seal of the person or
persons having power to appoint ; on the
face of vthich instrument it should be
s'lown by whom and in what manner the
olfice had been vacated.
2. A certificate signed by the incum-
bent of the church, of his consent to the
election or appointment.
3. Letters of orders, deacon, and priest.
4. Letters testimonial, by three beneficed
clergymen. (See form No. 3, for Stipen-
cUarj/ Curates, adding " and moreover we
believe him in our consciences to be, as to
his moral conduct, a person worthy to be
licensed to the said lectureship.")
Before the licence is granted, the same
subscriptions, declarations, and oaths are
to be made and taken, as in the case of a
licence to a stipendiary curacy, and the lec-
turer is to read the Thirty-nine Articles.
AVithin three montlis after he is licensed,
he is to read, in the church where he is
appointed lecturer, the declaration ap-
pointed by the Act of Uniformity, and also
the certificate of his having subscribed it
before.
LECTURES. (See Bampton, Boyle,
Donnellan, llulsean, Mot/er, and JVarhur-
ton.)
LECTURN, or LECTERN. The read-
ing desk in the choir of ancient churches
and chapels. The earliest examples re-
maining are of wood, many of them beau-
43a
LEGATE.
LEGENDS.
tifully carved. At a later period it was
commonly of brass, often formed of the