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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A61017	A rationale upon the Book of common prayer of the Church of England by Anth. Sparrow ... ; with the form of consecration of a church or chappel, and of the place of Christian burial ; by Lancelot Andrews ...	Sparrow, Anthony, 1612-1685.; Andrewes, Lancelot, 1555-1626. Form of consecration of a church or chappel.	1672 (1672)	Wing S4832; Wing A3127_CANCELLED; ESTC R5663	174,420	446

for all times and so not unseasonable for this 3. Sunday Adv. The Epistle mentions the second coming of Christ the Gospel the first The Collect prayes for the benefit of this light This week is one of the four Ember weeks concerning which see after the first Sunday in Lent 4. Sunday Adv. The Epistle and Gospel set Christ as it were before us not prophesied of but being even at hand yea standing among us pointing him out as S. Iohn Baptist did to the people Behold the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world The Collect Prayes most earnestly and passionately to him to succour us miserable sinners Feast of CHRISTMAS-day THe Epistle Gospel and Collect are plainly suitable to the day all mentioning the birth of Christ. Besides this Feast hath proper Psalms in which some Verses are peculiar to the day as will appear if they be well considered The First Psalm for the Morning Service is the 19. The heavens declare the glory of God very suitable to the Feast for at His Birth a a new Star appeared which declared his Glory and Deity so plainly that it fetcht the Sages of the East to come and worship him S. Matt. 2. Where is he that is born King of the Iews for we have seen his Star in the East and are come to worship him The Second Psalm for the Morning is 45. Which at the beginning of it is a Genethliack or Birth-song of Christ The fairest of the children of men v. 3 And of his mighty success in subduing the Devil a●d the world by the word of truth of meekness and righteous●ess vers 5. c. The third is Psal. 85. which is principally set for the Birth of Christ. For it is a thanksgiving to God for sending a Saviour which should save his people from their sins the greatest captivity that is and therefore cannot properly be meant of any but Christ who was therefore call'd Iesus because be should save his people from their sins S. Matt. 1. 21. And so the Primitive Church understood it and therefore selected it out as a part of their Office for this day as being proper and pertinent to the matter of the Feast For the meeting here specified ver 10. 11. of Mercy and Truth Righteousness and Peace was at Christs birth who said of himself that he was the Truth who as he had a birth from Heaven to wit his Divine nature so had he another as Man from Earth from the Virgin which birth drew Righteousness to look from Heaven upon poor sinners with a favourable look and made righteousness and peace kiss for the delivering of sinners from their captivity True it is the Prophet in the first Verses speaks of this delivery as of a thing past Lord thou hast turn'd away the captivity of Iacob Yet for all this it may be a prophesie of our salvation by the coming of Christ hereafter for as S. Peter sayes Acts. 2 30. David being a Prophet and seeing this before spake of Christs Nativity as if it were already past The Evening Psalms are 89 110 132. The first and last of which are thankful commemorations of Gods merciful promise of sending our Lord Christ into the world that seed of David which be had sworn to establish and set up his Throne for ever For which O Lord the very heavens shall praise thy wondrous works and thy truth in the congregation of the Saints v. 5. Psal. 89. The Church was in aff●iction now as is plain in both these Psalms but such was the joy that they were affected with at the promise of Christs birth and coming into the world that they could not contain but even in the midst of their misery break forth into Thanksgiving for it and how can the Church excite us better to Thanksgiving to God for the birth of Christ upon the day then by shewing us how much the promise of it afar off wrought upon the Saints of old The 110. Psalm expresly mentions the birth of Christ ver 3. The dew of thy birth is of the womb of the Morning as the morning dew brings forth innumerable fruit so shall the birth of Christ bring forth innumerable faithful people and therefore the Prophet here does as we should this day adore and praise the goodness of God for the birth of Christ the cause of so much good It is admirable to behold the frame of the Churches holy Office and Service this day In the First Lessons she reads us the prophesie of Christs coming in the flesh in the Second Lessons Epistle and Gospel she gives us the History of it In the Collect the teaches us to pray that we may be partakers of the benefit of his birth In the proper Preface for the day as also in the proper Psalms she sets us to our duty of Adoring and Glorifying God for his mercy In the Lessons and Gospels appointed holy Church does the Angels part brings us glad tydings of our Saviours Birth Behold I bring you glad tydings of great joy for unto you is born this day a Saviour which is Christ the Lord S. Luke 2. 10. In pointing the special Hymns and Psalms the calls upon us to do the Shepherds part to glorifie and Praise God for all the things that this day we hear and see ver 20. And to sing with the Angels Glory to God in the highest for this good will to Men. For the Antiquity of this day many testimonies might be brought out of the Ancients but because I intend brevity I shall be content with two beyond exception S. Augustine Ep. 119. witnesses that it was the custome of holy Church to keep this day And upon the five and twentieth of December in Psalm 132. S. Chrysostom makes a Sermon to prove that the keeping of Christmas-day was ancient even from the first times and that the Church kept the true day In the same same sermon he sayes It is a godly thing to keep this day Nay further that the keeping of this day was one of the greatest signs of our love to Christ. Amongst other Arguments which he uses there to perswade his hearers to keep this day he brings this that the custome of keeping this day was religious and of God or else it could never have been so early spread over the whole World in spight of so much opposition Orat. in Natal Dom. Tom. 5. Edit Savil. S. Stephen S. Iohn Innocents IMmediately after Christmas ●ollow as attendants upon this high Festival S. Stephen S. Iohn and Innocents not because this was the very time of their suffering but because none are thought fitter attendants on Christs Nativity than the blessed Martyrs who have laid down their lives for him from whose birth they received spiritual life And there being three kinds of Martyrdom I. In will and deed which is the highest 2. In will but not in deed 3. In deed but not in will in this order they attend S. Stephen first who suffered both

In the faith and fear of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 come hither or as our Liturgy saies draw near the people Answer Amen Amen Amen Blessed be he that comes in the Name of the Lord and so come and receive in both kinds Every Parishioner shall communicate at the least three times in the year whereof Easter to be one Rubr. last after the Communion In the Primitive Church while Christians continued in their strength of Faith and Devotion they did communicate every day This custome continued in Africa till S. Cyprians time Orat. Dom. We daily receive the Eucharist for to be our food of salvation And after him till S. Augustines time Ep. 23. ad Bonifac. Insomuch as these words in our Lords Prayer Give us this day our daily bread they interpreted of the Eucharist as being daily to be celebrated But afterward when charity grew cold and devotion faint the custome grew faint withal and within a small time began to be left by little and little and some upon one pretence and some upon another would communicate but once a week In the East-Church they grew to a worse custome betimes which in after Ages came into the Latin Churches too They fell from every day to Sundaies and Holy daies only and from thence to once a year and no oftner S. Ambr. is cited for the proof of this De Sacram. l. 4. c. 4. But this wicked custome of receiving the Eucharist but once a year was but of some Greeks in the East saies S. Ambrose there which cannot properly be understood of any but the Diocess as it was anciently called or Patriarchate of Antioch For though the Eastern Empire whereof Constantinople was the Metropolis contained many Provinces yet the Eastern Church or Greeks in the East were properly those of Antioch Theodor. Hist. 1.5 c. 9. And possibly some of these might be so supine as hath been observed but of the Greeks in general no such careless custome can be affirmed for S. Chrysost. tells us that in his time in every meeting or congregation of the Church the healthful mysteries of the Eucharist are celebrated Hom. 26. in Matth. In regard of this neglect after-Councels did as the Church of England make Canons that if men could be got to receive it no oftner yet they should be forc'd to receive it at least three times in the year Christmas Easter and Whitsontide Nor was he to be reckoned amongst good Catholick Christians that did not receive at those feasts Conc. Agat c. 18. Eliber c. 81. as they are cited by Gratian. de Consor dis 2. Three times a year at the least they were to receive whereof Easter to be one and good reason For when Christ our Passeover was Sacrificed for us then of all times let us keep a Feast with this holy banquet 1 Cor. 5. 7. These Canons were made for the Laity but for those of the Clergy that lived in Cathedral and Collegiate Churches where there were enough of themselves to make a sufficient company to receive the Sacrament they were bound to receive much oftner every day Edw. 6. Liturg. every Sunday at the least Rubr. 4. after the Communion Thus we see holy Church her care to bring all her Children Clergy and Laity to the heavenly banquet of the body and blood of Christ she invites all to a frequent and due receiving of this holy Sacrament in most passionate and kind manner in that most excellent exhortation next after the prayer for the Catholick Church militant here on earth An exhortation fit to be read weekly by the Priest and seriously considered daily by all the people In which holy Church one while exhorts us by the mercies and bowels of Christ to come to this holy feast another while terrifies us by the indignation of God against those that despise his so great love and refuse to come she sends her Ministers as the man in the Gospel S. Luke 14. to tell them all things are ready● and to bid them in the Name of God to call them in Christ's behalf to exhort them as they love their own salvation to come to this holy Supper and those that notwithstanding all this bidding shall go about to make excuses because they had bought a Farm or would try their yoke of Oxen or because they were married holy Church by her Canons and Laws endeavours to compel to come in at least three times in the year And it were to be wished that all those that despise the Churches passionate exhortations and contemn her wholsome Canons and commands in this particular would seriously at last think of that dreadful sentence of our Lord upon those that still refuse so great mercy I say unto you that none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my Supper S. Luke 14. 24. None of those that are thus bidden by Christ and his Church to his holy Supper the holy Communion and shall refuse to come shall ever taste of his great Supper hereafter or eat and drink with him at his Table in his Kingdom S. Luke c. 22. 29. If any of the Bread and Wine remain the Curate shall have it to his own use Rubr. 5. after the Communion Service That is if it were not consecrated for if it be consecrated it is all to be spent with fear and reverence by the Communicants in the Church Gratian de Consecr dist 2. c. 23. Tribus Concil Constant. Resp. ad Qu. 5. Monachon apud Balsam Theophil Alexand cap. 7. Part 4. After all have received we say the LORDS PRAYER according to ancient Custome Ambr. l. 5. de Sacram. c. 4. The people are to repeat every Petition after the Priest Rubr. If the Church did ever devise a thing fit and convenient what more than this That when together we have all received those heavenly Mysteries wherein Christ imparts himself to us and gives visible testification of our blessed Communion with him we should in hatred of all Heresies Factions and Schisms declaredly approve our selves united as Brethren in one by offering up with all our hearts and tongues that most effectual prayer Our Father c. In which we profess our selves Sons of the same Father and in which we pray for Gods pardon no otherwise than as we forgive them that trespass c. For which cause Communicants have ever used it and we at that time do shew we use yea every syllable of it as Communicants saying it together with one consent and voice This done the Priest offers up the Sacrifice of the holy Eucharist or the Sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving for the whole Church as in all old Liturgies it is appointed and together with that is offered up that most acceptable Sacrifice of our selves souls and bodies devoted to Gods service Of which see Rom. 12. and S. Aug. de Civit. Dei l. 10. c. 6. Then we say or sing the Angelical Hymn GLORY BE TO GOD ON HIGH c. wherein the Ecclesiastical Hierarchy does admirably

foregoing verses the verse and Answer together making up one entire petition For example O Lord save this Woman thy Servant R. Which putteth her trust in thee And Be thou to her a strong Tower R. From the face of her Enemy This I observe because it seems to be the remain of a very ancient custom For Eus. in Hist. l. 2. c. 17. tells us that the Primitive Christians in the singing of their hymns had this use that one began and sung in rhythm the rest hearing with silence only the last part or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the ends of the Psalm or Hymn all the rest joyned and sung together with him Agreeable to this says Clem. Const. l. 2. c. 57. was the usage in his time and before After the readings of the Old Testament says he Let another sing the Psalms of David and let the people answer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the extreams or ends of the Verses What the reason of this ancient custome was I will not peremptorily determine whether it were only for variety which much pleases and delights and is a great help against weariness which those Primitive Christians who continued in sacred exercises from morning to night had need of For which cause says Euseb. in the place above cited they used all decent and grave variety of rhythmes and Meeters in their Hymns and Psalms Or whether it were to avoid the inconvenience of indecorum and confusion which the people usually not very observant of decency were guilty of in their joynt singing and yet to reserve them apart in these Offices that it was so appointed that they should only sing the extreams or ends of the Verses Or what else was the cause I leave it to others to judge The prayer following is clearly fitted to the occasion The woman that comes to give her thanks must offer Rubr. after the Thanksgiving Although Offerings be always acceptable to God yet some times there are in which the Church hath held them more necessary as hath been shewn formerly about offerings First when the Church is in want Secondly at the holy Communion Thirdly when we come to give thanks for some more than ordinary blessing received Then not only in word but in Deed also to thank God by bringing a present to God Psal. 76. 10 11. That this is more than an ordinary blessing a deliverance that deserves even perpetual thanks David tells us Psal. 71. 5. Thou art he that took me out of my mothers womb my praise shall be always of thee This service is to be done betwixt the first and second Service as I have learnt by some Bishops enquiries at their Visitation the Reason perhaps is because by this means it is no interruption of either of these Offices COMMINATION THis Office the Church confesses not to be ancient but appointed instead of an ancient godly discipline of putting notorious sinners to open penance which being lost with us holy Church wishes might be restored again Though it be not ancient yet is it a very useful penitential service either in publick or private consisting of holy sentences taken out of Gods word fit for the work of repentance Gods holy Commandments the glass wherein we see our sins Holy penitential prayers taken for the most part out of holy Scripture so that he which prayes this form is sure to pray by the Spirit both for words and matter Nothing in it seems to need exposition but the AMEN which is to be said after the Curses which being commonly used after prayers may perhaps here be accounted by some a wish or prayer and so the people be thought to curse themselves For the satisfying of which scrupulosity it is enough to say that God himself commanded these Amens to be said after these Curses Deut. 27. and therefore good there may be in saying of them but harm there can be none if men when they say them understand them Now that we may understand them when we use them let us consider that Amen is not always a wish or prayer For it signifies no more but verily or truly or an assent to the truth of that to which it is added If that to which it is added be a prayer then this must needs be a joyning in the prayer and is as much as so be it but if that to which it be added be a Creed or any affirmative proposition such as these curses are then the Amen is only an affirmation as that is to which it is annexed In this place therefore it is not a wishing that the Curses may fall upon our heads but only an affirming with our own mouthes that the curse of God is indeed due to such sins as the Church here propounds it The use of it is to make us flee such vices for the future and earnestly repent of them if we be guilty since as we acknowledge the curse and vengeance of God doth deservedly follow such sins and sinners Having gone through the several Offices in the Book of Com. Prayer we will now speak of the Rubricks and other matters thereunto belonging Of the Dedication of CHVRCHES and CHAPPELS to Gods Service THe publick Service and Worship is to be offered up in the Church Last Rubr. of the Preface And the Curate that ministreth in every Parish Church or Chappel shall say the same in the Parish Church or Chappel And where may it be so fitly done as in the Church which is the house of Prayer S. Matth. 21. 13. My house shall be called the house of Prayer Almighty God always had both Persons and Places set apart for his publick Service and worship 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Temple and a Priest are necessary instruments of publick and holy worship The Priest to offer it up and the Church with an Altar to offer it upon Symeon Thessal The Light of Nature taught Heathens thus much and they obeyed that Light of Nature and dedicated and set apart to the worship of their gods Priests and Temples The Patriarchs by the same Light of Nature and the guidance of Gods holy Spirit when they could not set a part houses being themselves in a flitting condition dedicated Altars for Gods service Genesis 22. 9. 28. 22. c. Vnder the Law God call'd for a Tabernacle Exodus 25. within which was to be an Altar upon which was to be offered the daily Sacrifice Morning and Evening Exod. 29. 38. David by the same Light of Nature and the guidance of the holy Spirit without any express direction from God as appears 2 Sam. 7. 7. and also by this that God did not suffer him to build it intended and designed an House for Gods service and worship which though for some reasons viz. because he had shed much blood being a man of war God did not suffer him to build yet he accepted it highly from him and for this very intention promised to bless him and his for many generations,2 Sam. 7. But Salomon built him an house