The Canon was not written till about the beginning of the fifth age, when the danger of exposing all that was most sacred in the mysteries of Religion to the derision and blasphemy of infidels, was not so great, as it was in the first two or three centuries : but when the Canon was generally committed to writing, it was found to be the same, in substance, in all Christian countries. This shewed the unity of its origin, in the unity of that faith, which was every where taught by the Apostles, and which was the spirit of the body, and language of the Liturgies.”
LITURGY OF JERUSALEM.[1] - " Have mercy on us, O God! the Father Almighty, and send thy Holy Spirit, the Lord and Giver of life, equal in dominion to Thee and to thy Son—who descended in the likeness of a dove on our Lord Jesus Christ—who descended on the holy Apostles in the likeness of tongues of fire;—that coming, he may make this bread, the life-giving body—the saving body—the heavenly body--the body giving health to souls and bodies—the body of our Lord, God and Saviour, Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins, and eternal life to those who receive it: Amen.And may make what is mixed in this chalice, the blood of the new Testament—the saving blood—the life-giving blood—the heavenly blood-the blood giving health to souls and bodies - the blood of our Lord, God and Saviour, Jesus Christ, &c. Amen. Wherefore, we offer to thee, O Lord, this tremendous and unbloody sacrifice, for thy holy places which thou hast enlightened by the manifestation of Christ, thy Son, &c."
- ↑ It is also called the Liturgy of St. James, the first Bishop of Jerusalem, and the substance of it can be traced to that Apostle. It is the most ancient of all the Liturgies, and has been commonly used in the Churches of Syria. In the judgment of able critics, it is the Liturgy, which St. Cyril of Jerusalem explained in his Catecheses.
