cause even for all that do not renounce Communion with it and the Church for it is the Common service of them all Commanded to be offered up in the names of them all and agreed to by all of them to be offered up for them all and therefore is accepted for all them though presented to God by the Priest alone as the Lamb offered up to God by the Priest Ex. 29. was the sacrifice of the whole Congregation of the children of Israel a sweet smelling savour a savour of rest to pacifie God Almighty daily and to continue his favour to them and make him dwell with them Exod. 29. 42 45. Good reason therefore it is that this sweet smelling savour should be daily offered up to God Morning and Evening whereby God may be pacified and invited to dwell amongst his people And whatsoever the world think thus to be the Lords Remembrancers putting him in mind of the peoples wants Esay 62. Being as it were the Angels of the Lord interceding for the people and carrying up the daily prayers of the Church in their behalf is one of the most useful and principal parts of the Priests office So S. Paul tells us who in the 1 Ep. Tim. chap. 2. Exhorts Bishop Timothy that he should take care First of all that this holy service be offered up to God I exhort first of all that prayers and supplications intercessions and giving of thanks be made for all men For KINGS c. What is the meaning of this first of all I will that this holy service be offered up daily and the faithful know how we observe this rule of S. paul offering up daily this holy sacrifice Morning and Evening S. Chrys. upon the place S. Paul in the first Chapter of this Epistle at the 18. verse had charged his son Timothy to war a good warfare to hold faith and a good conscience and presently adds I exhort therefore that first of all prayers c. be made as if he had said you cannot possibly hold faith and a good conscience in your Pastoral office unless First of all you be careful to make and offer up prayers c. For this is the first thing to be done and most highly to be regarded by you Preaching is a very useful part of the Priests office and S. Paul exhorts Timothy to preach the word be instant in season out of season And the more because He was a Bishop and to plant and water many Churches in the Infancy of Christianity among many Seducers and Temptations But yet First of all he exhorts that this daily office of presenting prayers to the throne of grace in the behalf of the Church be carefully lookt to This charge of S. Paul to Tim. holy Church here laies upon all those that are admitted into that holy office of the Ministery that they should offer up to God this holy sacrifice of prayers praises and thanksgivings this savour of rest daily Morning and Evening And would all those whom it concerns look well to this part of their office I should not doubt but that God would be as gracious and bountiful to us in the performance of this service as he promised to be to the Jews in the offering of the Lamb Morning and Evening Exod. 29. 43 44. He would meet us and speak with us that is graciously answer our petitions he would dwell with us and be our God and we should know by comfortable experiments of his great and many blessings that he is the Lord our God Of the Mattins or MORNING SERVICE THe Mattins and Evensong begin with one sentence of holy Scripture after which follows the Exhortation declaring to the peoyle the end of their publick meetingâ— Namely To confess their sins to render thanks to God to set forth his praise to hear his holy Word and to ask those things that be necessary both for body and soul. All this is to prepare their hearts which it does most excellently to the performance of these holy duties with devotion according to the counsel of Ecclus. 18. 23. Before thou prayest prepare thine heart and be not as one that tempteth God To which agrees that of Ecclesiastes 5. 1. Be not hasty to utter anything before God but consider that he is in Heaven and thou upon earth Of CONFESSION The Priest and the People being thus prepared make their CONFESSION which is to be done with an humble voice as it is in the Exhortation Our Churches direction in this particular is grave and conform to ancient rules The sixth Counc of CONSTAN Can. 75. forbids all disorderly and rude vociferation in the execution of Holy Services and S. Cyprian de Orat. Dominica advises thus Let our speech and voice in prayer be with Discipline still and modest Let us consider that we stand in the presence of God who is to be pleas'd both with the habit and posture of our body and manner of our speech for as it is a part of impudence to be loud and clamorous so in the contrary it becomes modesty to pray with an humble voice We begin our Service with Confession of sins and so was the use in Saint Basils time Ep. 63. And that very orderly For before we beg any thing else or offer up any praise or Lauds to God it is fit we should confess and beg pardon of our sins which hinder Gods acceptation of our Services Psal. 66. 16. If I regard iniquity with mine heart the Lord will not hear me This Confession is to be said by the whole Congregation Sayes the Rubr. And good reason For could there be any thing devised better than that we all at first access unto God by prayer should acknowledge meekly our sins and that not only in heart but with tongue all that are present being made ear-witnesses even of every mans distinct and deliberate Assent to each particular branch of a Common Indictment drawn against our selves How were it possible that the Church should any way else with such ease and certainty provide that none of her children may dissemble that wretchedness the Penitent Confession whereof is so necessary a preamble especially to Common-Prayer Hooker The ABSOLUTION Next follows the ABSOLUTION to be pronounced by the Priest alone standing For though the Rubrick here does not appoint this posture yet it is to be supposed in reason that he is to do it here as he is to do it in other places of the Service And in the Rubrick after the general Confession at the Communion the Bishop or Priest is ordered to pronounce the Absolution standing Besides reason teaches That Acts of Authority are not to be done kneeling but standing rather And this Absolution is an Act of Authority by virtue of a Power and Commandment of God to his Ministers as it is in the Preface of this Absolution And as we read S. Iohn 20. Whosoever sins ye remit they are remitted And if our Confession be serious and hearty this Absolution is
effectual as if God did pronounce it from Heaven So sayes the Confession of Saxony and Bohemia and so sayes the Augustan Confession and which is more so says S. Chrys. in his fifth Hom. upon Esay Heaven waits and expects the Priests sentence here on Earth the Lord follows the servant and what the servant rightly binds or looses here on Earth that the Lord confirms in Heaven The same sayes S. Gregory Hom. 26. upon the Gospels The Apostles and in them all Priests were made Gods Viâ—egerents here on earth in his Name and stead to retain or remit sins S. Augustine and Cyprian and generally Antiquity sayes the same so does our Church in many places particularly in the form Absolution for the sick but above all holy Scripture is clear S. Iohn 20. 23. Whosesoever sins ye remit they are remitted unto them Which power of remitting sins was not to end with the Apostles but is a part of the Ministry of Reconciliation as necessary now as it was then and therefore to continue as long as the Ministery of Reconciliation that is to the end of the world Ep. 4. 12 13. When therefore the Priest absolves God absolves if we be truly penitent Now this remission of sins granted here to the Priest to which God hath promised a confirmation in heaven is not the act of Preaching or Baptizing or admitting men to the holy Communion For all these powers were given before this grant was made As you may see S. Mat. 10. 7. As ye go preach saying c. And S. Iohn 4. 2. Though Jesus baptized not but his disciples And 1 Cor. 11. In the same night that he was betrayed he instituted and delivered the Eucharist and gave his Apostles authority to do the like Do this that I have done bless the Elements and distribute them Which is plainly a power of admitting men to the holy Eucharist And all these powers were granted before our Saviours Resurrection But this power of remitting sins mentioned S. Iohnâ— 20. was not granted though promised S. Matt. 16. 19. till Now that is after the Resurrection As appears first by the ceremony of Breathing signifying that then it was given And secondly by the word Receive used in that place Verse 22. which he could not properly have used if they had been endued with this power before Therefore the power of Remitting which here God authorizes and promises certain assistance to is neither Preaching nor Baptizing but some other way of Remitting namely that which the Church calls Absolution And if it be so then to doubt of the effect of it supposing we be truly penitent and such as God will pardon is to question the truth of God and he that under pretence of reverence to God denies or despises this power does injury to God in slighting his Commission and is no better than a Novatian saies S. Ambrose l. 1. de Poenit. cap. 2. After the Priest hath pronounced the Absolution the Church seasonably prayes Wherefore we beseech him to grant us true repentance and his holy spirit c. For as repentance is a necessary disposition to pardon so as that neither God will nor man can absolve those that are impenitent So is it in some parts of it a necessary consequent of pardon and he that is pardoned ought still to repent as he that seeks a pardon Repentance say Divines out to be continual For whereas Repentance consists of three parts as the Church teaches us in the Commination 1. Contrition or lamenting of our sinful lives 2. Knowledging and confessing our sins 3. An endeavour to bring forth fruits worthy of penance which the Ancients call satisfaction Two of these Contrition and Satisfaction are requisite after pardon The remembrance of sin though pardoned must always be grievous to us For to be pleased with the remembrance of it would be sin to us and for Satisfaction or amendment of life and bringing forth fruits worthy of penance that is not only necessary after pardon but it is the more necessary because of pardon for divers reasons as first because immediately after pardon the Devil is most busie to tempt us to sin that we may thereby lose our pardon and he may so recover us again to his captivity from which by pardon we are freed And therefore in our Lords prayer assoon as we have begg'd pardon and prayed Forgive us our trespasses We are taught to pray And lead us not into temptation suffer us not to fall into sin again which very method holy Church here wisely intimates immediately after pardon pronounced directing us to pray for that part of repentance which consists in amendment of life and for the grace of Gods holy Spirit enabling us thereunto Again Repentance in this part of it viz. an endeavour of amendment of life is the more necessary upon pardon granted because the grace of pardon is a new obligation to live well and makes the sin of him that relapsed after pardon the greater and therefore the pardoned had need to pray for that part of repentance and the grace of Gods holy Spirit that both his present service and future life may please God that is that he may observe our Saviours rule given to him that was newly cured and pardoned by him that he may go away and sin no more lest a worse thing happen to â—im S. Iohn 5. 14. There be three several forms of Absolution in the Service The first is that which is used at Morning Prayer Almighty God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ c. And hath given power and commandment to his Ministers to declare and pronounce to his people being penitent the Absolution and Remission of their sins He pardoneth and Absolveth The second is used at the Visitation of the Sick Our Lord Iesus Christ who hath left power to his Church to absolve all sinners which truly repent of his great mercy forgive thée and by his Authority committed to me I absolve thée c. The Third is at the Communion Almighty God our heavenly Father who of his great mercy hath promised forgiveness of sins to all them that with hearty repentance and true faith turn to him Have mercy upon you pardon and forgive you c. All these several Forms in sence and virtue are the same For as when a Prince hath granted a Commission to any servant of his to release out oâ— Prison all penitent offenders whatsoever it were all one in effect as to the Prisoners discharge whether this servant sayes by virtue of a Commission granted to me under the Princeâ— hand and seal which here I shew I release this prisoner Or thus The Prince who hath given me this Commission He pardons you Or lastly The Prince pardon and deliver you the Prince then standing by and confirming the word of his Servant So is it here all one as to the remission of sins in the penitent whether the Priest Absolves him after this form Almighty God who hath given me and all
turning of our bodies towards a more honourable place may mind us of the great honour and majesty of the person we speak to And this reason S. Augustine gives of the Churches ancient custom of turning to the East in their publick prayers because the East is the most honourable part of the World being the Region of Light whence the glorious Sun arises Aug. l. 2. de Ser. Dom. in Monte c. 5. That this was the constant practice of the Church to turn toward the East in her publick prayers may sufficiently appear by S. Augustin in the place last cited where he sayes Cum ad orationes stamus ad Orientem Convertimur When we stand at our prayers we turn towards the East And by Epiphan l. 1. haer 19. c. 19. who there detests the madness of the Impostor Elzaeus because that amongst other things he forbad praying toward the East And the Church of England who professes to conform to the ancient practices as far as conveniently she can as may be seen in many passages of her Canons and other places did observe the same custom in her prayers as appears by the placing of the Desk for the Prayer-book above mentioned looking that way and as may be collected from this Rubrick which directs the Priest in the reading of the Lessons to turn to the people which supposes him at prayer and the Psalms to look quite another way namely as in reason may be concluded that way which the Catholick Church uses to do for divers reasons and amongst other for that which S. Augustine hath given because That was the most worthy part of the World and therefore most fit to be lookt to when we come to worship God in the Beauty of Holiness Again another reason may be given of turning from the people towards the upper end of the Chancel in our Prayers because it is fit in our prayers to look towards that part of the Church or Chancel which is the highest and chief and where God affords his most gracious and mysterious presence and that is the holy Table and Altar which anciently was placed towards the upper or East end of the Chaâ—cel This is the highest part of the Chancel set apart to the highest of Religious Services the consecration and distribution of the holy Eucharist here is exhibited the most gracious and mysterious presence of God that in this life we are capable of the presence of his most holy Body and Blood And therefore the Altar was usually call'd the Tabernacle of Gods Glory His Chair of State the Throne of God the Type of Heaven Heaven it self As therefore the Jews in their Prayers lookt towards the principal part of the Temple the Mercy-Seat Psal. 28. 2. So the Christians in their prayers turned towards the principal part of the Church the Altar of which the Mercy-Seat is but a type And as our Lord hath taught us in his Prayer to look up towards Heaven when we pray saying Our Father which art in Heaven not as if God were there confin'd for he is every where in Earth as well as in Heaven but because Heaven is his Throne whereas Earth is but his Foot-stool so holy Church by her practice teaches us in our publick and solemn prayers to turn and look not towards the inferior and lower parts of the Footstool but towards that part of the Church which most nearly resembles Heaven the holy Table or Altar Correspondent to this practice was the manner of the Jews of old for at the reading of the Law and other Scriptures he that did Minister turned his face to the people but he who read the prayers turned his back to the people and his face to the Ark. Mr. THORNDYKE of Relig. Assem pag. 231. For the choice of these Lessons and their Order holy Church observes a several course For the Ordinary Morning and Evening prayers she observes only this to begin at the beginning of the year with Genesis for the first Lesson and S. Matthew for the Second in the Morning and Genesis again for the First and S. Paul to the Romans for the Second Lesson at Even and so continues on till the Books be read over but yet leaving out some Chapters either such as have been read already upon which account she omits the Chronicles being for the most part the same with the book of Kings which hath been read already and some particular Chapters in some other Books having been the same for the most part read either in the same book or some other or else such as are full of Genealogies or some other matter which holy Church counts less profitable for ordinary hearers Only in this she alters the order of the books not reading the prophet Esay till all the rest of the books be done Because the Prophet Esay being the most Evangelical Prophet most plainly prophesying of Christ is reserved to be read a little before ADVENT For Sundayes somewhat another course is observed for then Genesis is begun to be read upon Septuagesima Sunday because then begins the holy time of penance and mortification to which Genesis is thought to suit best because that treats of our misery by the fall of Adam and of Gods severe judgment upon the world for sin Then we read forward the books as they lye in order yet not all the books but only some choice Lessons out of them And if any Sunday be as they call it a priviledged day that is if it hath the history of it expressed in Scripture such as Easter Whit sunday c. then there are peculiar and proper Lessons appointed for it For Saints dayes we observe another order for upon them except such of them as are especially recorded in Scripture and have proper Lessons the Church appoints Chapters out of the moral books such as Proverbs Ecclesiastes Ecclesiasticus and Wisdom for first Lessons being excellent instructions of life and conversation and so fit to be read upon the daies of holy Saints whose exemplary lives and deaths are the cause of the Churches Solemn Commemoration of them and Commendation of them to us And though some of these books be not in the strictest sense Canonical yet I see no reason but that they may be read publickly in the Church with profit and more safety than Sermons can be ordinarily preacht there For certainly Sermons are but humane Compositions and many of them not so wholsome matter as these which have been viewed and allowed by the judgment of the Church for many ages past to be Ecclesiastical and good nearest to divine of any writings If it be thought dangerous to read them after the same manner and order that Canonical Scripture is read lest perhaps by this means they should grow into the same credit with Canonical It is answered that many Churches have thought it no great hurt if they should but our Church hath sufficiently secured us against that danger whatsoever it be by setting different marks upon them
Wednesday and murdered on Friday Epiphan adv Aerium And though our Church in imitation of the Western hath chang'd the Wednesday-Fast to Saturday yet in memory of the Eastern custom the still appoints the Litany to be used upon Wednesday Friday was both in Greek Church and Latin a Litany or Humiliation-day and so is kept in ours And whosoever loves to feast on that day rather than another in that holds not communion with the ancicient Catholick Church but with the Turks who in contumely of Christ crucified Feast that day Chemnit in 3. praec Of HOLY-DAYES HOly in Scripture phrase is all one with separate or set a part to God and is opposed to common What God hath clean'd that call not thou common Acts 10. 15. Holy daies then are those which are taken out of common dayes and separated to Gods holy service and worship either by Gods own appointment or by holy Churches Dedication And these are either Fasting and Penitential daies for there is a holy Fast Ioel 2. as well as a holy Feast Nehem. 8. 10. such as are Ash-wednesday Good-Friday and the whole week before Easter commonly called the Holy-week which daies holy Church hath dedicated to Gods solemn worship in religious fastings and prayers Or else holy Festivals which are set apart to the solemn and religious commemoration of some eminent mercies and blessings of God And amongst those Holy-daies some are higher daies than other in regard of the greatness of the blessing commemorated and of the solemnity of the Service appointed to them So we read Lev. 23. 24. c. The Feast of Tabernacles was to continue seven daies but the first and the eighth were the highest dayes because then were the most solemn Assemblies This sanctification or setting apart of Festival-daies is a token of that thankfulness and a part of that publick honour which we owe to God for admirable benefits and these dayes or Feasts so set apart are of excellent use being as learned Hooker observes the 1. Splendor and outward dignity of our Religion 2. Forcible witnesses of ancient truth 3. Provocations to the exercise of all Piety 4. Shadows of our endless felicity in heaven 5. On earth everlasting records teaching by the eye in a manner whatsoever we believe And concerning particulars As the Iews had their Sabbath which did continually bring to the mind the former World finished by Creation so the Christian Church hath her Lords dayes or Sundays to keep us in perpetual remembrance of a far better World begun by him who came to restore all things to make Heaven and Earth new The rest of the holy Festivals which we celebrate have relation all to one Head CHRIST We begin therefore our Ecclesiastical year as to some accounts though not as to the order of our service with the glorious Annunciation of his Birth by Angelical message Hereunto are added his blessed Nativity it self the mystery of his legal Circumcision the Testification of his true Incarnation by the Purification of his blessed Mother the Virgin Mary his glorious Resurrection and Ascension into Heaven the admirable sending down of his Spirit upon his chosen Again for as much as we know that CHRIST hath not only been manifested great in himself but great in other his Saints also the dayes of whose departure out of this world are to the Church of Christ as the birth and coronation-dayes of Kings or Emperors therefore especial choice being made of the very flower of all occasions in this kind there are annual selected times to meditate of Christ glorified in them which had the honour to suffer for his sake before they had age and ability to know him namely the blessed Innocents glorified in them which knowing him as S. Stephen had the sight of that before death whereinto such acceptable death doth lead glorified in those Sages of the East that came from far to adore him and were conducted by strange light glorified in the second Elias of the World sent before him to prepare his way glorified in every of those Apostles whom it pleased him to use as founders of his kingdom here glorified in the Angels as in S. Michael glorified in all those happy souls that are already possest of bliss Besides these be four dayes annext to the Feasts of Easter and Whitsunday for the more honour and enlargement of those high solemnities These being the dayes which the Lord hath made glorious Let us rejoyce and be glad in them These dayes we keep not in a secret Calendar taking thereby our private occasions as we list our selves to think how much God hath done for all men but they are chosen out to serve as publick memorials of such mercies and are therefore cloathed with those outward robes of holiness whereby their difference from other dayes may be made sensible having by holy Church a solemn Service appointed to them Part of which Service are the Epistles and Gospels of which in the first place we shall discourse because these are peculiar and proper to each several Holy-day the rest of the Service for the most part being common to all Concerning these two things are designed 1. To shew the Antiquity of them 2. Their fitness for the day to which they belong or the reason of their choice Concerning the Antiquity of Epistles and Gospels it will be sufficient once for all to shew that the use of them in the Christian Church was ancient Concerning the antiquity of the dayes themselves to which the Epistles and Gospels appertain it will be sit to be more particular That the use of Epistles and Gospels peculiar to the several Holy-dayes was ancient appears first by ancient Liturgies Secondly by the testimony of the ancient Fathers Let S. AVGVSTINE testifie for the Latin-Church in his Preface to his Comment upon the Epistle of S. Iohn and in his X. Sermon De verb. Apost We heard first sayes he the Apostolical Lesson then we sung a Psalm after that the Gospel was read Now let S. CHRYS testifie for the Greek Rom. 19. in cap. 9. Act. The Minister stands up and with a loud voice calls Let us attend then the Lessons are begun which Lessons are the Epistles and Gospels as appears in his Liturgy which follow immediately after the Minister hath so call'd for attention The fitness of the Epistle and Gospel for the day it belongs to and the reason of the choice will plainly appear if we observe that these holy Festivals and Solemnities of the Church are as I have touch'd before of Two Sorts The more high dayes or the rest The First commemorate the signal Acts or Passages of our Lord in the Redemption of mankind his incarnation and Nativity Circumcision Manifestation to the Gentiles his Fasting Passion Resurrection and Ascension the sending of the Holy Ghost and thereupon a more full and express manifestation of the Sacred Trinity The Second sort is of Inferiour dayes that supply the Intervals of the greater such as are either
in will and deed Next S. Iohn who suffered Martyrdom in will but not in deed being miraculously delivered out of boyling Cauldron into which he was put before Port-Latin in Rome Lastly the holy Innocents who suffered in deed but not in will yet are reckoned amongst the Martyrs because they suffered for Christ whose praise these his witnesses confest and shewed forth not in speaking but in dying Collect for the day The reason of the choice of the Epistles Gospels and Collects for these dayes is plain these being all priviledged dayes that is days which have in Scripture their peculiar histories But â—or the Collect for S. Stephens day we may note in particular That as the Church offers up some of her Collects directly to the Second Person of the Trinity so one of them is this for S. Stephens day and very properly For as S. Stephen in the midst of his Martyrdom prayed to Jesus saying Lord Iesus receive my spirit and Lord lay not this sin to their charge so the Church in imitation of this blessed Proto-Martyr upon his day calls upon the Lord Jesus also desiring of him such a spirit as that of S. Stephen to love and pray for our Enemies which is that Heroical and Transcendant vertue which is peculiar to Christian Religion Before we endeavour to shew the antiquity of these days in particular it will not be amiss to give some account of the ancient observation of Saints dayes in general That the observation of Saints days was very ancient in the Church will appear by these testimonies following The Councel of Carthag 3. c. 47. tells us that the Church did celebrate the Passions and Anniversaries of the Martyrs This Counc was held in S. Augustines time S. Aug. in Psal. 88. Attend therefore my Dearly Beloved All of you unanimously hold fast God your Father and the Church your Mother Celebrate the Saints Birth-days so they Anciently called the dayes of their Death and Martyrdom with sobriety that we may imitate them that have gone before us that they may joy over us who pray for us that so the Blessing of God may remain upon us for ever Amen Amen Chrys. Hom. 66. ad Pop. Antioch The sepulchres of the Saints are honourable and their dayes are known of all bringing a festival joy to the world Before these S. Cyprian l. 4. ep 5. We celebrate the Passions of the Martyrs and their days with an anniversary commemoration And before him Anno 147. the Church of Smyrna says the same Enseb. Hist. l. 4. c. 15. If it be demanded why the Church kept the days of the Saints deaths rather than of their Birth or Baptism The answer may be 1. Because at their deaths they are born Citizens of Heaven of the Church triumphant which is more than to be born either a man or a Christian a member of the Church Militant whence as above said these days were usually styled by the Ancients Their Birth-days 2. Then do they perfectly triumph over the Devil and the world by which the Church Militant hath gained to her comfort an example of persevering constancy and courage and the Church Triumphant hath gained a new joy by the addition of a new member For surely if the Saints and Angels in heaven joy at the conversion of a sinner much more do they joy at the admission of a Saint into Heaven Thus much of the Saints days in general For these three holy days in particular that they are ancient S. Augustine shews us who hath Sermons upon all these days Tom. 10. And Chrysol who hath Sermons upon S. Stephen and Innocents And Origen in his Comment upon these words A voice was heard in Rama tells us the Church did and did well in it to keep the Feast of Innocents and there is as much reason for the keeping of S. Stevens day who was the first Martyr and of S. Iohns the beloved Disciple and Evangelist as for the keeping of Innocents and therefore it is to be thought that the Church did then as well observe them as this â—ince as we have proved she did keep the days of Martyrs Sunday after Christmas THis Sunday hath the Collect with Christmas-day and the Epistle and Gospel treat about the same business the birth of Christ for we have not yet done with the Solemnity of Christmas Thus great Solemnities have some days after them to continue the memory of them in prorogationem Festi Feast of CIRCVMCISION or Newyears-day THe Feast of the Circumcision is affirmed by Learned men to be of a later institution for though many of the ancients mention the Octave of Christmas and Newyears-day yet they do not mention or seem to keep it say they as a Feast of the Circumcision But suppose it be so yet surely it cannot be denied that there is reason enough for the keeping of this day solemn as it is the Feast of Christs Circumcision For as at Christmas CHRIST was made of a woman like us in nature so this day he was made under the Law Gal. 4. 5. and for us took upon him the curse of the Law being made sin for us and becoming a surety to the offended God for us sinners Which suretiship he seal'd this day with some drops of that precious blood which he meant to pour out whole upon the Cross. As by his Birth we received the adoption of Sons so by his Circumcision the redemption of the Law and without this his Birth had not availed us at all The Epistle Gospel and Collect are plainly fit for the day This Holy day hath no fast before it the Reason we shall shew and to save trouble we will here once for all shew Why some Holy-dayes have Fasts before them and then Why this and some other have none For the first It was the religious custom of the primitive times to spend the night or a greater part of it before the Holy-dayes in watching and prayers and tears partly to prepare them for the more solemn and religious observation of the Holy-day following partly to signifie that we should be as the blessed Saints were after a little time of mortification and affliction translated into glory and joy according to the Psalm Heaviness may endure dure for a night but joy cometh in the morning Thus after a Vigil comes a Holy-day These Vigils or night-watches being in continuance of time abused by the wickedness of some who under colour of those holy nightly exercises stole a liberty of intemperance lust and other villany were say some by the wisdom of holy Church to avoid scandal turn'd into Fasts which still retain the old name of Vigils The truth of this Assertion I question for neither do I find any decree of holy Church for bidding these Vigils the 35. Can. of the Counc of Eliber and the fifth Can. of the Counc of Altisiodorum or Auxeres which are usually produced to this purpose coming far short of such a prohibition nor is it so probable
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
perceive that we are Christians HOOKER 1. 5. Eccl. pol. § 75. There being in those dumb shews nothing but what heathens and pagans do How can any unlearned or unbeliever be convinced by them that either we who are present at them do or that he ought to believe any part of Christian Religion but when the unlearned or unbeliever hears us sing triumphant songs to God for our victory over death when he hears holy Lessons and discourses of the Resurrection when he hears us pray for a happy and joyful Resurrection to Glory by all these he must be convinced that we do believe the Resurrection which is a principal Article of Christian faith and the same may be the means to convince him also and make him believe the same and so fall down and worship God And this is according to S. Paul's rule 1. Cor. 14. 23 24 25. who thence concludes that all our publick religious services ought to be done that the unlearned or unbeliever may be convinced and brought to worship God For the due performance of these holy publick services a Priest ordained for men in things pertaining to God Heb. 5.1 is required by the Church as it ought to be and as it was of old S. Chrys. Hom. 4 in Hebr. Ambr. Ser. 90. It was an ancient custom after Burial to go to the holy COMMVNION unless the office were performed after noon For then if men were not fasting it was done only with Prayers Conc. Carth. 3 29. Can. Funeral Doles were an ancient custom Chrys. Hom. 32. in Mat. Thanksgiving of Women after Child-birth commonly call'd the CHVRCHING OF WOMEN THe Woman when she comes to give her thanks shall kneel near to the place where the holy Table stands but in the Church of Rome she was to kneel at the Church door The Woman may come to give her thanks whensoever she shall be able Decretal l. 3. Tit. 4. But if she be likely to live she is required by the Civil Law according to the Tradition of the Church to forbear the coming to partake of the holy Mystery forty days after the Birth Not for any unholiness in the Woman or incapacity of receiving the holy Mysteries at that time for if there be fear of death she may receive them as soon as she please after the birth but for some secret reasons in the Law which are set down Constit. Leon. 7. The Woman that is to be Churched is to have a Veil and good reason For if as S. Paul 1 Cor. 11 sayes Every woman when she prayes in publick ought to have a veil or covering on her head in token of her modesty and subjection then much more when she is to sit in a more eminent place of the Church near to the holy Table apart from the rest of her Sex in the publick view ought she to have such a Veil or covering Nor can it be deemed unreasonable for her at that time to have a Veil or habit distinct from others that so it may be known for whom thanks is then particularly given The Preface following Forasmuch c. is left arbitrary to the Priest but the prayers are all prescribed Then shall the Priest say the 121. psal I have lifted up mine eyes unto the Hills c. The Church appointing this Psalm at this time does not intend to perswade us by this that this Psalm was pen'd for such a particular occasion as this or that the promises of Gods protection and assistence there expressed were directly and primarily made to persons in that danger of child-birth but because the Psalm at the very beginning tells us all that our help comes from God it is thought seasonable at this time to be used to mind the woman from whom she hath received that mercy of deliverance and to whom she is to return the honour due for such a mercy even to him from whom comes all our help the Lord that made heaven and earth And this were enough to justifie the Churches choice of this Psalm at this time in that part of it is so fit for this business in hand though it were not penn'd upon this very occasion for so we find Hezekiah commended for appointing of the Psalms of David and Asaph to set forth the praises of God in the publick services 2. Chr. 29. 30 although neither had Hezek and the Church then the very same occasions to use them which David and Asaph had nor did every particle of those songs so directly and properly belong to Hezekias and the Church then as they did to David and Asaph But not only the beginning of this Psalm but even the whole body of it is fit and suitable to this service and those promises of divine assistence therein exprest though they were primarily and in their first intention made to the Church of the Jews yet in their proportion they do belong to the person coming to give thanks and to every one that shall lift up their eyes to the Hills and trust in God For not Israel at large but Israel lifting up her eyes to God and trusting in God is the formal and true object of this promise which therefore belongs to every such person as shall be so qualified so depending upon God This rule S. Paul hath taught us Heb. 13. 5. applying there the promise made particularly to Ioshuah Chap. 1. 5. to every one of us that shall contentedly depend upon God as Ioshuah was commanded to do in expectance of that promise Let your conversation be without covetousness and be content with such things as ye have For he hath said I will not leave thee nor forsake thee So that we may boldly say the Lord is my helper One verse of this Psalm may perhaps at the first sight seem not so well expressed namely this the sun shall not burn thée by day nor the Moon by night for the Moon does not burn but cool But it i◠easily cleared by taking notice that to burn is not always taken in the strict and proper sence but usually in a larger whereby it is the same with to grieve or hurt a ordinary skill in language will enform us so the meaning is The Sun shall not hurt thee by day nor the Moon by night whose shine is held to be very hurtful After the Psalm follow the Kyrie or short Litany and the Lords Prayer so admirably good and useful that there is scarce any publick service dispatcht without them after these follow some Verses and Responds of which and the reason of their use together with the antiquity of it hath been said already and need not be here repeated But there is one thing observable in these Responds or Answers which was not spoken of hitherto nor was so observable in some of the former Verses and Responds as in these here and that is this that some of these Answers are not of themselves intire sentences or petitions as the others were but are parts or ends of the
A RATIONALE upon the BOOK OF Common-Prayer of the CHURCH of ENGLAND By Anth. Sparrow D. D. Now Lord Bishop of Exon. WITH The Form of Consecration of a Church or Chappel and of the place of Christian Burial By Lancelot Andrews Late Lord Bishop of Winchester LONDON Printed for Robert Pawlet at the Sign of the Bible in Chancery-Lane near Fleet-street 1672. The Litany to be said in the midst of the Church in allusion to the Prophet Ioel c. 2. 17. Let the Priest the Ministers of the LORD weep between the Porch and the Altar and let them say spare thy people O Lord c. Bishop ANDREWS Notes upon the Liturgy A RATIONALE upon the BOOK or Common-Prayer of the CHVRCH of ENGLAND By Anth Sparrow Now Lord B p. of Exon Printed for R Pawlet at y e Bible in Chancery Lane With Entertainments for the Great FESTIVALLS being 〈…〉 of the Proper PSALMS and Lessons for those DAYES The Compilers of The Common-Prayer-Book of the Church of England were Doctor CRANMER Arch-Bishop of Cant. GOODRICK Bishop of Ely SKIP Bishop of Herefâ—rd THIRLBY Bishop of Westminst DAY Bishop of Chichester HOLBECK Bishop of Lincoln RIDLEY Bishop of Rochester MAY Dean of S. Pauls TAYLOR Dean of Lincoln HEYNES Dean of Exeter REDMAN Dean of Westminster COX K. EDWARDS Almâ—ner M. ROBINSON Arch-Deacon of Leicester Mense Maio 1549. Anno regni Edwardi Sexti tertio Hardly can the pride of those men that study Novelties allow former times any share or degree of Wisdom or Godliness K. CHARLES Meditat. 16. upon the Ordinance against the Book of Common-Prayer THE PREFACE THE present Age pretends so great Love to Reason that this RATIONALE may even for its Name hope for acceptation which it will the sooner have if the Reader know that the Author vents it not for a full and just much less a publick and authentick Piece but as his own private Essay wholly submitted to the censure of our Holy Mother The Church and the Reverend Fathers of the same and composed on purpose to keep some from moving that way which it is feared some will say it leads to The Authors design was not by Rhetorick first to Court the Affections and then by their help to carry the understanding But quite contrary by Reason to work upon the Judgment and leave that to deal with the affections The Poor Liturgy suffers from two extreams one sort says it is old superstitious Roman Dotage The other it is Schismatically New This Book endeavours to shew particularly what Bishop JEWEL Apol. p. 117. says in general 1. That it is agreeable to PRIMITIVE USAGE and so not Novel 2. THAT IT IS A REASONABLE SERVICE and so not Superstitious As for those that love it and suffer for the love of it this will shew them Reasons why they should suffer on and love it still moreâ— and more To end if the Reader will cast his Eye upon the sad Confusions in point of prayer wherein are such contradictions made as God Almighty cannot grant and lay them as Rubbish under these Fundamental Considerations First How many Set Forms of Petition Blessing and Praise be recorded in the Old and Newâ—Testament used both in the Church Militant and Triumphant Secondly How much of the Liturgy is very Scripture Thirdly How admirable a Thing Unity Unity in Time Form c. is Fourthly How many Millions of poor souls are in the world ignorant infirm by nature age accidents as blindness deafness loss of speech c. which respectively may receive help by Set Forms but cannot so well or not at all by extemporary voluntary effusions and then upon all these will build what he reads in this Book he will if not be convinced to joyn in Communion with yet perhaps be so sweetned as more readily to pardon those who still abiding in their former judgments and being more confirmed hereby do use THE ANCIENT FORM. ECCLESIAE LITURGIAE Anglicanae VINDICES c. A Short RATIONALE upon the Book of Common-Prayer THe COMMON-PRAYER-BOOK contains in it many holy Offices of the Church As Prayers Confession of Faith holy Hymns Divine Lessons Priestly Absolutions and Benedictions all which are Set and Prescribed not left to private mens fancies to make or alter so was it of old ordained CON. CARTHAG Can. 106. It is ordained that the Prayers Prefaces Impositions of hands which are confirmed by the Synod be observed and used by all men These and no other So is our English Can. 13. The COUNCIL of MILEVIS gives the reason of this Constitution Can. 12 Lest through ignorance or carelesness any thing contrary to the Faith should be vented or uttered before God or offered up to him in the Church And as these Offices are set and prescribed so are they moreover appointed to be one and the same throughout the whole National Church So was it of old ordained CON. TOLETAN 11. c. 3. That all Governours of Churches and their people should observe one and the same rite and order of service which they knew to be appointed in the Metropolitan See The same is ordered CON. BRACCAR 1. Can. 19. and Tolet. 4. c. 2. It is appointed that one and the same order of praying and singing be observed by us all and that there should not be variety of usages by them that are bound to the same Faith and live in the same Dominion This for Conformities sake that according to divine Canon Rom. 15. 6. We may with one mind and one mouth glorifie God Of Daily saying of MORNING and EVENING PRAYER ALL Priests shall be bound to say Daily the Morning and Evening Prayer The end of the Preface before the Service Rubr. 2. So was it of old ordered in the Church of Christ Saint CHRYS 6. hom in 2. cap. 1. ep ad Tim. and Clem. Const. l. 2. c. 39. And this is agreeable to Gods own Law Exo. 29. 38. Thou shalt offer upon the Altar Two Lambs of the first year day by day continually the one Lamb in the Morning the other at Evening Besides the daily private devotions of every pious Soul and the more solemn Sacrifices upon the three great Feasts of the year Almighty God requires a daily publick worship a continual burnt offering every day Morning and Evening teaching us by this saith Saint CHRYS That God must be worshipped daily when the day begins and when it ends and every day must be a kind of holy day Thus it was commanded under the Law and certainly we Christians are as much at least obliged to God as the Jews were our grace is greater our promises clearer and therefore our righteousness should every way exceed theirs our Homage to Almighty God should be paid as frequently at least Morning and Evening to be sure God expects from us as well as from the Jews a publick worship a sweet savour or savour of rest as it is in the Hebrew Num. 28. 6. without which God Almighty will not rest satisfied This publick Service
and worship under the Law was appointed by God himselfâ— both for matter and manner of performance Exod. 29. 38. but under the Gospel our Lord hath appointed only materials and essentials of his publick worship In general Prayers Thanksgivings Confessions Lauds Hymns and Eucharistical Sacrifices are commanded to be offered up in the name of Christ in the virtue and merits of that immaculate Lamb whereof the other was but a type and for whose sake alone that was accepted but for the manner and order of his publick worship for the method of offering up Prayers or praises and the like our Lord hath not so particularly determined now but hath left that to be ordered and appointed by those to whom he said at his departure out of this world As my Father sent me so send I you S. Iohn 20. 21. To govern the Church in his absence viz. The Apostles and their Successors in the Apostolick Commission And therefore Acts 2. 42. The publick prayers of the Church are called the Apostles Prayers The Disciples are commended there for Continuing in the Apostles Doctrine fellowship breaking of bread and Prayers And therefore S Paul writes to Timothy the Bishop and Governour of the Church of Ephesus to take care that Prayers and Supplications be made for all men especially for Kings c. And 1 Cor. 11. 34. Concerning the manner of celebrating the holy Eucharist St. Paul gives some directions and adds The rest will I set in order when I come And 1 Cor. 14. 40. Let all things i. e. all your publick services for of those he treats in the Chapter at large be done deceâ—tly and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to Ecclesiastical Law and Canon The Service and worship of God thus prescribed according to our Lords general rules by those to whom he hath left a Commission and power to order and govern his Church is the right publick Service and worship of God commanded by himself in his Law for though God hath not immediately and particularly appointed this publick worship yet he hath in general commanded a publick worship in the second Commandment For where it is said Thou shalt not bow down to them nor worship them by the rule of contraries we are Commanded to bow down to God and Worship Him A public worship then God must haveâ— by his own Command and the Governors of the Church have prescribed this form of worship for that publick service and worship of God in this Church which being so prescribed becomes Gods service and worship by his own Law as well as the Lamb was his sacrifice Exod. 29. For the clearer understanding of this we must know that some Laws of Gods do suppose some humane act to pass and intervene before they actually bind which act of man being once passed they bind immediately For example Thou shalt not steal is Gods Law which Law cannot bind actually till men be possest of some goods and property which property is not usually determined by God himself immediately but by the Laws of him to whom he hath given Authority to determine it God hath given the earth to the children of men as he gave Canaan to the Israelites in general but men cannot say this is mine till huâ—ane Laws or acts determine the property as the Israelites could not claim a property on this or that side Iordan till Moses had assigned them their several portions But whâ—n their portions were so assigned they might say this is mine by Gods as well as mans Law and he that took away thâ—ir right sinned not only against mans but God Law too that says Thou shalt not steal In like manner God hath in general commanded a publick worship and service but hath not under the Gospel assigned the particular form and method That he hath left to his Ministers and Delegates the Governors of the Church to determine agreeable to his general rules which being so determin'dâ— is Gods service and worship not only by humane but even by divine Law also and all other publick services whatsoever made by private men to whom God hath given no such Commission are strange worship Lev. 10. 1. Because not Commanded for example As under the Law when God had appointed a Lamb for a burnt-offering Exod. 29. that alone was the right daily worship The savour of rest because Commanded and all other sacrifices whatsoever offered up in the place of that though of far more value and price than a Lamb suppose 20. Oxen would have been strange Sacrifice so now the publick worship of God prescribed as we have said by Those to whom he hath given Commission is the only true and right publick worship and all other forms and methods offered up in stead of that though never so exactly drawn are strange worship because not Commanded It is not the elegancy of the phrase nor the fineness of the Composition that makes it acceptable to God as his worship and service but obedience is the thing accepted Behold to obey is better than sacrifice or any fat of Rams 1 Sam. 15. 22. This holy service offered up to God by the Priest in the name of the Church is far more acceptable to Almighty God then the devotious of any private man For First it is the service of the whole Church to which every man that holds Communion with that Church hath consented to and said Amen and agreed that it should be offered up to God by the Priest in the name of the Church and if what any two of you shall agree to ask upon earth it shall be granted S. Matt. 18. 19. How much more what is ask'd of God or offered up to God by the common vote and joynt desire of the whole body of the Church Besides this publick service and worship of God is Commanded by God i. e. by those whom he hath impowr'd to command and appoint it to be offered up to him in the behalf of the Church and therefore must needs be most acceptable to him which is so appointed by him For what he Commands he accepts most certainly Private devotions and services of particular men which are offered by themselves for themselves are sometimes accepted sometimes refused by God according as the persons are affected to vice or virtue but this publick worship is like that Lamb Exod. 29. commanded to be offered by the Priest for others for the Church and therefore accepted whatsoever the Priest be that offers it up And therefore King David prayes Psal. 141. 2. Let the lifting up of my hands be an evening Sacrifice i. e. as surely accepted as that Evening Sacrifice of the Lamb which no indevotion or sin of the Priest could hinder but that it was most certainly accepted for the Church because commanded to be offered for the Church S. Chrys. Hom. in Psal. 140. This publick service is accepted of God not only for those that are present and say Amen to it but for all those that are absent upon just
the Father c. which is the Christians both Hymn and shorter Creed For what is the summ of the Christians faith but the mystery of the holy Trinity God the Father Son and Holy Ghost which neither Jew nor Pagan but only the Christian believes and in this Doxology professes against all Hereticks old and new and as it is a short Creed so it is also a most excel-Hymn for the glory of God is the end of our Creation and should be the aim of all our services whatsoever we do should be done to the glory of that God the Father Son and Holy Ghost and this is all that we can either either by word or deed give to God namely GLORY Therefore this Hymn fitly serves to close any of our Religious services our Praises Prayers Thanksgivings Confessions of Sins or Faith Since all these we do to Glorifie God it cannot be unfitting to close with Glory be to God the Father Son and Holy Ghost It cannot easily be expressed how useful this Divine Hymn is upon all occasions If God Almighty send us prosperity what can we better return him than Glory If he sends Adversity it still befits us to say Glory be to c. Whether we receive good or whether we receive evil at the hands of God we cannot say a better Grace than Glory be the Father c. In a word we cannot better begin the day when we awake nor conclude the day when we go to sleep than by Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost Then the Hallelujah or Praise ye the Lord of which S. Augustine sayes There is nothing that more soundly delights than the praise of God and a continual Hallelujah The VENITE O come let us sing unto the Lord. THis is an Invitatory Psalm For herein we do mutually invite and call upon one another being come before His presence to sing to the Lord to set forth His praises to hear His voice as with joy and chearfulness so with that reverence that becomes His infinite Majesty worshipping falling down and kneeling before Him using all humble behaviour in each part of His service and worship prescribed to us by His Church And needful it is that the Church should call upon us for this duty for most of us forget the Psalmists counsel Psal. 69. 7. To ascribe unto the Lord the honour due unto his Name into his Courts we come before the presence of the Lord of the whole Earth and forget to worship him in the beauty of holiness The PSALMS THe PSALMS follow which the Church appoints to be read over every Month oftner than any other part of holy Scripture So was it of old ordained saith S. Chrys. Hom. 6. de poenit All Christians exercise themselves in Davids Psalms oftner than in any other part of the Old or New Testament Moses the great Lawgiver that saw God face to face and wrote a Book of the Creation of the World is scarcâ— read over once a year The holy Gospels where the Miracles of Christ are preached where God converses with Man where Death is destroyed the Devils cast out the Lepers cleansed the blind restored to sight where the Thief is placed in Paradise and the Harlot made purer than the Stars where the waters of Iordan to the sanctification of Souls where is the food of immortality the holy Eucharist and the words of life holy precepts and precious promises those we read over once or twice a Week What shall I say oâ— blessed Paul Christs Oratour the Fisher of World who by his 14. Epistles those spiritual Nets hath caught Men to salvation who was wrapt into the third Heaven and heard and saw such Mysteries as are not to be uttered him we read twice in the week We get not his Epistles by heart but only attend to them while they are reading But for holy Davids Psalms the grace of the holy Spirit hath so ordered it that they should be said or sung night and day In the Churches Vigils the first the midst and the last are Davids Psalms in the Morning Davids Psalms are sought for and the first the midst and the last is David And Funeral Solemnities the first the midst and the last is David In private houses where the Virgins spin the first the midst and the last is David Many that know not a letter can say Davids Psalms by heart In the Monasteries the quires of Heavenly Hosts the first the midst and the last is David In the Deserts where Men that have crucified the world to themselvs converse with God the first the midst and the last is David In the Night when Men are asleep David awakes them up to sing and gathering the Servants of God into Angelical troops turns Earth into Heaven and makes Angels of Men singing Davids Psalms The holy Gospels and Epistles contain indeed the words of eternal life words by which we must be saved and therefore should be sweeter to us than Honey or the Honey-comb more precious than Gold yea than much fine Gold but they are not of so continual use as Davids Psalms which are digested forms of Prayers Thanksgivings Praises Confessions and Adorations fit for every temper and every time Here the penitent hath a form of confession he that hath received a benefit hath a Thanksgiving he that is in any kind of need bodily or ghostly hath a prayer all have Lauds and all may adore the several excellencies of Almighty God in Davids forms and these a Man may safely use being compos'd by the Spirit of God which cannot erre whereas other Books of Prayers and Devotions are for the most part compos'd by private men subject to error and mistake whose fancies sometimes wild ones are commended to us for matter of devotion and we may be taught to blaspheme while we intend to adore or at least to abuse our devotion when we approach to the throne of grace and offer up an unclean Beast instead of an holy Sacrifice May we not think that this amongst others hath been a cause of the decay of right and true devotion in these latter dayes namely the neglect of this excellent Book and preferring Mens fancies before it I deny not but that Collects and other parts of Devotion which the consentient Testimony and constant practice of the Church have commended to us may and especially the most divine Prayer of our LORD ought to be used by us in our private devotion but I would not have Davids Psalms disused but used frequently and made as they were by Athanasius and S. Ierome a great if not the greatest part of our private devotions which we may offer up to God as with more safety so with more confidence of acceptation being the inspiration of that holy Spirit of God who when we know not what to say helps our infirmities both with words and affections Rom. 8. 26. If any man thinks these Psalms too hard for him to understand and apply
Forasmuch as the Ancient Fathers of the Church led by example of the apostles who set men apart to the ministery of the Gospel by imposition of hands with prayer and fasting appointed prayers and fasts at the solemn ordering of Ministers and to that purpose allotted certain times in which only sacred orders might be given or conferred we following their holy and religious example do constitute and decree that Deacons and Ministers be Ordained or made but only upon the Sundays immediately following jejunia quatuor temporum commonly called Ember weeks appointed in ancient time for Prayer and Fasting purposely for this cause at their first institution and so continued at this day in the Church of England 2. Sunday The Epistle perswades to temperance and abstinence from all uncleanness The Gospel tells us how we may subdue that Devil namely by stedfast faith and servent and importunate prayer 3. Sunday The Epistle as the time calls for strictness of life The Gospel commends perseverance shewing the danger of relapsing For the end of that man is worse than the beginning 4. Sunday This is called Dominica Refectionis For the Gospel tells us of Christs miraculous feeding and satisfying the hungry souls that hunger after him and his doctrine and the Epistle tells us of a Ierusalem which is above which is free and a joyous place to which we as children are heirs Thus holy Church mixes joy and comfort without sorrow and afflictions 5. Sunday This is called PASSION-SUNDAY For now begins the commemoration of the Passion of our Lord and after a long funeral pomp and train the corps follows upon Good Friday The Epistle treats of the Passion The Gospel of our Lords being slandred by the bold malice of the Jews who call him Samaritan and tell him he hath a Devil which must needs be a thorn in his side and a part of his Passion 6. Sunday This is PALM-SUNDAY on which CHRIST came from Bethany to Ierusalem and was received with joy some strewing their garments others cutting down branches and strewing them in the way whose religion it is fit that we should imitate Bernard We should meet Christ by keeping innocency bear Olive by doing works of mercy carry Palms by conquering the Devil and our vices green leaves and flowers we carry if we be adorned with vertues and we strew our garments in the way when by mortification we put off the old man This week was called of old the GREAT-WEEK because it hath a larger Service than any other Week every day having a Second-service appointed It was called also the Holy-week because men gave over all worldly employments and betook themselves wholly to devotion this week The Courts were shut up and civil affairs laid aside and prisoners that were put in for small faults were freed Chrys. Hom. 30. in 10. cap Gen. Code l. 1. tit 4. 3. It was also called the week of Fasts Because fasting was then heightned and intended with watching and prayers for these six dayes were spent in lying upon the ground and afflicting the body in prayers watchings and fastings longer than ordinary And when they did eat their refreshing was only bread salt and water Epiphan adv Aerium It will not be amiss to set down Epiphanius somewhat more at large Aerius and his disciples had flouted at the Catholick Christians severities at this time Why say they do you keep Easter why do you keep such a strict fast before it it is Ienish thus to keep daies of fasting by a law it is an enslaving your selves to a yoke of bondage if I would determine to fast at all I would fast what day I pleased at mine own liberty Upon this principle it is saith that Father that Aerius and his followers affect to fast on Sunday and feast on Friday and to spend this week of Religion and Devotion in jollity and sport rising early to fill themselves with flesh and wine with which being full stuft they sport and scoff at the Catholick Christians folly in afflicting themselves with such severities But who says he are the more fools Aerius a silly fellow of yesterday still living with us or we who observe this severe discipline which our Fathers delivered us which they received from their Fathers and they from theirs and so from the Apostles The Epistles and Gospels of this week are concerning Christs Passion to the contemplation of which this week is dedicated Thursday THis day CHRIST washt his Disciples feet and gave them a commandment to do likewise Hence it is called Dies mandati Mandate or Maundy Thursday This day the penitents that were put out of the Church upon Ash-wednesday were received again into the Church partly because there was this day an holy Communion in memory of our Lords institution of the same this day and the Epistle is fitted to that purpose sit therefore it was that penitents should be reconciled this day upon which this Sacrament was instituted for the remission of sins to receive the holy Communion Partly because this day our Lord was apprehended and bound whose binding wrought our deliveranceâ— and freedome The form of reconciling penitents was in short this The Bishop goes out to the doors of the Church where the penitentsly prostrate upon the earth and thrice in the Name of CHRIST he calls them Come Come Come ye children hearken to me I will teach you the fear of the Lord then after he hath prayed for them and admonished them he reconciles them and brings them into Church The peniterts thus received trim their heads and beards and laying off their penitential weeds they reclothe themselves in handsome apparel The Church doors were wont to be set all open this day to signifie that penitent sinners coming from North or South or any quarter of the World shall be received to mercy and the Churches favour GOOD-FRIDAY THis day holy Church keeps a most strict Fast It is called GOOD-FRIDAY For a good day it was for us even the cause of all our good and ground of all our joy And so in respect of the effect of it Christs Passion may be a Gospel for a Feast and so it is upon Palm-Sunday But if we consider that our sins were the cause of his Sufferings and that it was we that crown'd his head with thorns nail'd his hands and feet and gored his side with a Spear so his Passion considered in the cause of it is matter of the greatest sorrow and in this respect we keep it a Fast. The Gospel is taken out of S. Iohn rather than out of any other Evangelist because he was present at the Passion and stood by the Cross when others fled and therefore the Passion being represented as it were before our eyes this day his Testimony is read who saw it himself and from whose example we may learn not to be ashamed nor afraid of the Cross of Christ. This day holy Church prayes expresly for all Jews Turks and Infidels Enemies of the Cross
of Christ for this day Christ both prayed and dyed for his Enemies and as he exprest the height of his love this day by dying for them so does the Church her height of Charity in praying for them The Antiquity of this Holy day appears by Euscb. Hist. l. 2. c. 17. who there tells us That it was an Holy-day in his time and long before That day of our Saviours Passion we are wont to celebrate not only with fastings and watchings but also with attentive hearing and reading of the holy Scriptures SATURDAY THis day the Gospel treats of Christs body ly in the Grave the Epistle of his Souls descent into Hell Of the Collects from Septuagesima to Easter THough the Church be always militant while she is upon Earth yet at this time the time when Kings go out to battel 2 Sam. 11. she is more than ordinary militant going out to fight against her avowed enemies the World the Flesh and the Devil making it her especial business to get the mastery over them so far that they may not be able to prevail over her the year following Now because as S. Paul saith 1 Cor. 9.25 Every one that strives for mastery is temperate in all things therefore at this time especially when she is seeking the mastery over her Enemies holy Church does more than ordinary addict her self to temperance fasting and other works of Penance and Mortification and accordingly she suits her Readings not aiming to fit them to each particular day this is to be expected only upon priviledged days the subject matter of whose solemnity is more particularly recorded in holy Scripture but to the Season in general and the Churches design at this time commending to us Fasting Repentance Alms Charity and Patience in undergoing such voluntary afflictions And the Collects are suitable also to the Readings and the time praying earnestly for those Graces and Vertues before mentioned which are especially requisite to this her holy undertaking And because she knows her own weakness and her Enemies both craft and strength who will then be most active and busie to hurt when we thus set our selves to fight against them therefore does she earnestly and frequently also in divers Collects pray for Gods protection and defence from those Enemies for his strength and assistence whereby she may overcome them That he would stretch forth the right hand of his Majesty and by his power defend us both outwardly in our bodies and inwardly in our souls which of our selves have no power to help our selves And in such prayers as these the Church continues lifting up her hands as Moses did his against the Amalekites all the time of this spiritual conflict EASTER THis is the highest of all Feasts says Epiphanius upon the day This day Christ opened to us the door of Life being the first-fruits of those that rose from the dead whose Resurrection was our life for he rose again for our justification Rom. 4.45 Instead of the usual Invitatory O câ—me let us sing unto the Lord holy Church uses special Hymns or Anthems concerning Christs Resurrection Christ rising again from the dead c. And Christ is risen c. set down before the Collect on Easter-day Having kept company with the Apostles and first Believers in standing by the Cross weeping upon Good-Friday and kept a Fast upon the Saturday following to comply with the Apostles and Catholick Church who were that day sad and pensive because their Lord was taken away from them we are directed this day to rejoyce with them for the Rising again of our Lord and to express our joy in the same words that they then did and the Church ever since hath done Christ is risen S. Luke 24. 34. the usual Morning salutation this day all the Church over to which the Answer in some places was Christ is risen indeed and in others this And hath appeared to Simon Holy Church her aim is in all these chief days to represent as full as may be the very business of the day and to put us into the same holy affections that the Apostles and other Christians were when they were first done she represents Christ born at Christmas and would have us so affected that day yearly as the first believers were at the first tidings delivered by the Angel So at his Passion she would have us so affected with sorrow as they were that stood by the Cross. And now at his Resurrection she desires to represent it to us as may put us into the same rejoycing that those dejected Christians were when the Angel told them He is not here but is risen S. Luke 24. 6. Holy Church supposes us to have fasted and wept upon Good-Friday and the day following because our Lord was taken away according to that of our Saviour The time shall come that the Bridegroom shall be taken away from them then shall they fast in those daies and now calls upon us to weep no more for Christ is risen And that she may keep time also with the first tidings of the Resurrection she observes the Angels direction to the Women S. Matt. 26. 7. Go quickly and tell his Disciples that he is risen Supposing us as eager of the joyful news of Christs Resurrection as they were she withholds not the joy but immediately after Confession and Absolution she begins her Office with Christ is risen Proper Psalms at Morn are 2. 57. 111. The first of these is a Triumphant Song for Christs victory over all his Enemies that so furiously raged against him Ver. 6. Yet I have set my King upon my holy hill of Sion Notwithstanding all the fury of his Enemies that persecuted and murdered him Yet have I set my King upon my holy hill of Sion by his glorious Resurrection from the dead as it is expounded Acts 13â— 33. The 57. Psalm is of the same nature It mentions Christs Triumph over Hell and Death My Soul is among Lions Verse 4. And the children of men have laid a net for my feet and pressed down my soul crucifying the Lord of glory but God sent from Heaven Ver. 3. and saved him from the Lions both Devils and Men by a glorious Resurrection And therefore he â—reaks forth Ver. 9. Awake up my glory awake Lute and Harp I my self will awake right early I will give thanks unto thee O Lord c. The 3. Psal. is a Psalm of Thanksgiving for marvellous works of redemption Ver. 9. works worthy to be praised and had in honour Ver. 3. And therefore though it be not set particularly for the Resurrection but may serve for any marvellous work of mercy yet is it most fit for this day and the work of this for amongst all the marvellous works of Redemption this of Christs Resurrection is the chief and most worthy by us to be had in honour For If Christ be not risen we are yet in our sins We are utterly lost 1 Cor 15. But Christ is risen The merciful and
called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 illumination and the baptized the Enlightened to grant them that be admitted into the fellowship of Christs religion namely by baptism that they may eschew those things that be contrary to their profession or vow in baptism c. Though this custome of general baptism at Easter be not in use now yet this Collect is still seasonable as a general anniversary Commemoration of the great blessings received from God by our baptism and our solemn vow and profession made to him therein The Ancients were wont to observe Pasâ—ha annotinum an anniversary commemoâ—ation of their baptism they that were baptized at Easter the year before came the year following the same day to the Church and solemnly with obâ—ations and other religious offices commemorated the anniversary day of their new birth Though our Church does not in every particular observe the same custome yet she draws near to the ancient practice in this solemn though general Anniversary Commemoration of baptism this day minding us all this day of our baptism and our vow made therein and praying to God to enable us all to keep it And for this very reason does she appoint children to be baptized upon Sundays and other Holy-days when most people are present that they may be put in remembrance of their own profession made to God in baptism Preface before Baptism and happy were it for us if we would made good use of this care of the Church and be often remembring that solemn vow by which we have dedicated our selves to God to be an holy people the wilful breach of which vow is horrid Sacriledge In the Gospel our Saviour tells his Disciples that though they should weep and lament by reason of his death their sorrow should be turned into joy which no man should take from them namely after his Resurrection And such joy belongs to this time and to us in it if we be also his true Disciples and followers which how we may be the Epistle shews by minding us of what we promised and vowed when admitted into Christs School and gave up our names to him the abstaining from fleshly lusts and having honest conversation in all our Relations And this is the main drift of the whole Epistle the first of S. Peter out of which this is taken to perswade them that were born again and lately become Christians to walk suitably to such an holy profession and that chiefly in regard of the lively hope unto which they were begotten again by the Resurrection of Iesus Christ from the dead and so is most agreeable to the Churches meditations this day and season 4. Sunday after Easter This Collect is fit for this Paschal time from Easter to Pentecost a time of greatest joy the Church therefore prays that we may rightly observe the time be full of joy in a joyful time withal that our joy may be a true and real joy that our hearts may surely there be fixt where true joyes are to be found Such joyes as Christs Resurrection and the promised Comforter affords And one or both of these two grand occasions of Joy and Exultation to wit Christs Resurrection and the promise of a Comforter are the principal Subject of the Gospels from Easter to Whitsuntide but lest our joy should grow presumptious and luxuriant as joy is apt to exceed the Epistles for the same time admonish us of duties answerable as to believe in Christ to rise from the grave of sin to be patient loving meek charitable c. having our Lord for an example and the promise of his Spirit for our guide strength and comfort 5. Sunday after Easter The Gospel before promised a Comforter The Epistle and Gospel this day direct us what to do to obtain that promise Two conditions are required on our parts for the receiving of that promised Comforter First prayers or Rogations this the Gospel teaches Ask and ye shall receive that your joy may be full Secondly to love God and keep his Comandments S. Iohn 14. 15. This the Epistle exhorts to See that ye be doers of the Word c. The Collect prayes that we may feel the fruits and comforts of this holy Spirit in our hearts by good thoughts and abilities to perform them Of Rogation week This is called Rogation Sunday because upon the three following days Rogations and Litanies were used and Fasting for these two reasons 1. Because this time of the year the fruits of the earth are render and easily hurt therefore Litanies extraordinary are said to God to avert this judgement 2. Because our LORDS Ascension is the Thursday following therefore these three days before are to be spent in prayers and fasting Conc. Aurelian that so the flesh being tamed and the soul winged with fasting we may ascend with Christ. The Gospel is concerning Rogations teaching us how to ask of God so as we may obtain and withal foretels his approaching Ascension The Fast this week is voluntary for there is no Fast commanded betwixt Easter and Whitsunday as hath been observed before The Service formerly appointed in the Rogation days of Procession was the 103 and 104. Psal. with the Litany and Suffrages and the Homily of Thanksgiving Artic. Eliz. in the 7. year of her reign The 2. Psalms were to be said at convenient places in the common perambulation the people thus giving thanks to God in the beholding of Gods benefits the increase and abundance of his fruits upon the Earth At their return to the Church they were to say the rest of the Service mentioned Eliz. Injun 18 19. ASCENSION-Day THis day was Christs perfect triumph over the Devil Leading captivity captive Ephes. 4. 8. This day He opened the kingdom of Heaven to all believers as we say daily in the Te Deum See S. Iohn 3. 13. Acts 2. 24. Heb. 10. 23. His flesh opened that passage in that he deserved to enter there first For when he was taken up on high then he opened the Gates of Heaven Chrysost. upon that place of the Hebrews Therefore the Church appoints for this day the 24. Psalm Lift up your heads O ye gates and be ye lift up ye everlasting doors and the King of glory shall come in This day gives us hopes of Heaven in that our flesh in the first-fruits is thâ—ther ascended For if God had not intended some great good to our nature he would not have received the first-fruits up on high Christ taking the first-fruits of our nature this day carried it up to God and by those first-fruits hath made the whole stock to be sanctified And the Father highly esteemed the gift both for the worthiness of him that offered it up and for the purity of the offering so as to receive it with his own hands and to set it at his right hand To what Nature was it that God said Sit thou on my right hand To the same to which formerly he had said dust thou art and to dust thou
and their children and was given by imposition of hands Now that which was promised to the Apostles was principally ghostly strength and comfort on which that gift of miracles was an attendant as we have seen this then is the principal effect of confirmation the gift of the holy Ghost by way of eminence Acts 2 38. Hence this phrase Full of the holy Ghost is interpreted by Scripture to be the same in effect with this Full of ghostly courage and strength Act. 4. 8. 31. They were all filled with the holy Ghost and spake with boldness the word of the Lord Acts 7. 55. and Acts 6. 5. Stephen full of faith and the holy Ghost that is full of faith and power verse 8. 4. This Office of Confirmation as well as that of Baptism is to continue in the Church as long as that shall be Militant here on earth For S. Paul Heb. 6. l 2. joyns them together calling them Fundamentals and a Fundamental in one age is so in another Besides we have seen that Confirmation was the means used by the Apostles and doubtless not without their Lords directions and guidance of his Spirit for conveying the holy Ghost the Comforter into persons baptized and since that all ages have as much need of that ghostly strength as the age of the Apostles had and that the promise of it belongs to us all as well as to them as formerly hath been proved and since that we find no other means appointed instead of Confirmation for the conveighing of the gift of the holy Ghost then given by confirmation it remains that we conclude that Confirmation is still to continue And so the Church Catholick hath taught us both by her doctrine and practice as may be seen by the quotations cited above 5. That Bishops who succeed the Apostles are to be the Ministers of this holy Rite hath been shewn above of MATRIMONY FIrst holy Church instructs us in the ends of Matrimony which are three 1. The procreation of children 2. Aremedy against sin 3. A mutual help to each other Then the Priest requires the parties to be married by the terror of the dreadful judgment day to declare if they know any impediment why they may not be lawfully married which is as much care and caution as can be used by those that are not able to discern the secrets of the heart Then follows the Contract in the future tense whereby these persons mutually promise to the Priest Gods Minister before the Congregation to enter into that holy state of Wedlock and strictly to keep those sacred laws of marriage which Almighty God hath ordained This is that as I conceive which S. August de Gen. ad lit l. 11. c. 4. calls Votorum solennitatem the solemnities of vows and promises which was in his time and formerly an usual ceremony of marriage And of very good use is this solemnity for by this have the persons bound themselves to their duty by all the obligations that a sacred solemn vow or promise can lay upon the soul. Then the Priest asks Who gives this woman to be married to this man This was the old custome that the Bride should be given by the Father or friend Aug. de Gen. ad lit 11. c. 41. to which S. Paul may be thought to allude 2 Cor. 11. 2. I have espoused you to one husband that I might present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. And Psal. 45. 13. The Queen the Spouse shall be brought to the King The reason of this saith Learned Mr. Hooker l. 5. Eccl. Pol. Sect. 73. was That in ancient times all women which had not Husbands or Fathers to govern them had their Tutors without whose authority there was no act which they did warrantable and for this cause they were in marriage delivered unto their husbands by others Which custom retained hath still this use that it puts women in mind of a duty whereto the very imbecillity of their sex doth bind them namely to be always directed and guided by others Whether this were the very cause of this custom I will not determine nor what else was but whatsoever was the first cause of it this is certain that it is a decent custom For it cannot be thought fit that a woman whose chiefest ornament is modesty and shamefacedness should offer her self before the Congregation to marriage to any person but should rather be led by the hand of another and given by him After the marriage it self The man puts a Ring upon the womans finger The Ring hath been alwayes used as an especial pledge of faith and fidelity Nothing more fit to serve as a token of our purposed endless continuance in that which we never ought to revoke and therefore fitly used in marriage which is a contract not to be dissolved but by death Aurum nulla nor at praeter uno digito quem sponsus oppignâ—rasset pronubo annulo No woman was permitted to wear gold save only upon one finger which the husband had fastned to himself with a wedding Ring This he puts upon the fourth finger of the left hand because there is a vein that goes from thence to the heart by which is signified that the love should be hearty say some Rituals Then follows With my body I thée worship c. For the better understanding of this phrase we must know that anciently there were two sorts of wives One whereof was called the primary or lawful wife the other was called the half wife or Concubine The difference betwixt these two was only in the differing purpose of the man betaking himself to the one or the other If his purpose was only fellowship there grew to the woman by this means no worship at all but rather the contrary In professing that his intent was to add by his person honour and worship unto hers he took her plainly and clearly to be his Wife not his Concubine This is it which the Civil Law doth mean when it makes a Wife to differ from a Concubine in dignity The worship that grew unto her being taken with declaration of this intent was that her children became by this means free and legitimate heirs to their father Gen 25. 5 6. her self was made a mother over his family Lastly she received such advancement of state as things annexed to his person might augment her with Yea a right of participation was thereby given her both in him and even in all things which were his and therefore he saies not only With my body I thée worship but also with all my worldly goods thée endow The former branch having granted the principal the later granteth that which is annexed thereto Hooker Eccl. Pol. l. 5. Sect. 73. The Iews anciently used the same phrase Godwin Jew Customs Be unto me a wife and I according to the word of God will worship honour and maintain thee according to the manner of husbands amongst the Iews who worship honour and maintain their wives And
bright Stars the circling roof the Firmament the Priests within the Quire beginning the divine Hymns represent the first order of Angels that stand before God the Deacons with the Readers and Singers orderly succeeding the middle order or quire of heaven the whole company of true believers joyning with the Priests and Deacons in heart and affection saying Amen to the divine Hymns and prayers and so inviting and alluring the mercy of God resemble the lowest rank of Angels with whom no prophane Heretick or unclean notorious sinner is suffered to assemble for what fellowship hath light with darkness thus the whole Church typifies heaven but the Chancel parted and separated from the Nave or body of the Church so as that it cannot be seen into by those that are there typifies the invisible heaven or things above the heaven not to be seen by the eye of flesh The Nave or body resembles the lowest visible heaven or Paradise and as man for sin was cast out of Edens Paradise into the earth accursed to briars and thorns there to eat his bread in sorrow and not suffered by the flaming sword to enter again Gen. 3. till after much affliction and sorrow in this troublesome world he shall be reconciled to God by repentance and so his peace being made be received as the thief upon the Cross was to our Lord Christ in Paradise so in like manner notorious sinners were by the sentence of excommunication cast out of that Paradise the body of the Church abroad into the Church porch which represents the earth not to be received in again to the society of the faâ—thful till after a wearisome attendance there in a place call'd of old Narthex or Ferula because those that stood there were under the Churches Ferula or censure begging the prayers entreating the tears hanging upon the knees of all that entred into the Church by much spiritual affliction and castigation they had made their peace and were reconciled In the Nave we shall mention but two things as observable here First the Doors called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the beautiful Doors or Gate Acts 3. 2. because those that had entred them might see the whole beauty of the Church and the Pulpit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which stood in the midst or side of the Nave Sym. Thess. This signifies the stone rolled away from the Sepulchre and because the Angel sitting upon it preacht the Gospel of the Resurrection of Christ to the women S. Matth. 28. 6. the Priests and Deacons imitating the Angels pattern from this Pulpit publish and proclaim the glad tidings of the Gospel The Chancel was divided from the Body of the Church Cancellis whence it is called the Chancel This was as was said peculiar to the Priests and sacred persons In it were at least in some principal Churches these divisions Chorus Cantorum the Quire where was an high Seat for the Bishop and other Stalls or Seats for the rest of the Quire yet perhaps this Chorus as also the next called Soleas might be more properly reckoned a part of the Nave and the Chancel properly that which of old was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Sanctuary which was separated from the rest of the Church with rails and whither indeed none but sacred persons entered whereas the Laity entred into the other as will appear after but account it to which you please such a place there was and immediately beyond it divided from the Quire with boards on the one side and from the Sanctuary by the rails of the Altar on the other side was a place called Soleas from the Latine Solium or Throne because this was Christs lower Throne his higher or upper Throne was the Altar where the precious body and blood of Christ was consecrated and offered And this was his lower Throne where the Bishop or Priest in Christ his stead stood and distributed the holy Sacrament to the people Beyond this is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Sanctuary rail'd in of old as you may see plainly Syn. Calc Acts 1. that it might not be prest upon by the multitude Euseb. Hist. l. 10. c. 4. At the upper end of this Sanctuary or Chancel is a large Arch or Absis within that a Seat called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Seat or Seats built for the Bishop and his assistent Priests in the Celebration the middle of which is the highest where the chief Bishop sate which S. Chrys. in his Liturgie calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of this Seat is the 56. Can. of Laodic to be understood The Priests ought not to go into the Church and sit in Tribunalibus before the Bishop be entred unless he be sick and cannot come The Bishop sitting in this Seat by the Altar having his assistent Priests sitting with him resembles Christ with his Apostles by him instituting the holy Sacrament and blessing the prayers offered up at the Altar by the Priest Right under this Seat stood the Altar or holy Table the Propitiatory Christs Monument and the Tabernacle of his glory The Shop of the great Sacrifice Sym. Thessal Now that no man take offence at the word Altar Let him know that anciently both these names Altar or holy Table were used for the same things though most frequently the Fathers and Councils use the word Altar And both are fit names for that holy thing For the holy Eucharist being considered as a Sacrifice in the representation of the breaking of the Bread and pouring forth the Cup doing that to the holy Symbols which was done to Christs Body and Blood and so shewing forth and commemorating the Lords death and offering upon it the same Sacrifice that was offered upon the Cross or rather the commemoration of that Sacrifice S. Chrys. in Heb. 10. 9. may fitly be call'd an Altar which again is as fitly call'd an holy Table the Eucharist being considered as a Sacrament which is nothing else but a distribution and application of the Sacrifice to the several receivers To put all out of doubt it is questionless lawful and safe to speak the language of the New Testament and to give this holy thing the name which is given it there now there it is called an Altar Heb. 13 10. we have an Altar S. Paul in the verse before had perswaded that they should not be carried away with strange doctrines of Jewish and carnal observances which are grown unprofitable to those that walk in them For we have an Altar now whereof they that serve at the Tabernacle the Jewish Priests have no right to eat unless they will receive the Faith of Christ our Altar is better than theirs and theirs was but a shadow of ours the Sacrifices of their Altar but types of ours theirs are vanished and ours only continue And for this reason do you leave strange doctrines of legal observances and Jewish Altars and continue in the grace of the Gospel whose Altar is to continue for we have an Altar Again S.
in Baptism used only for reverence and decency not for necessity p. 247. Not thought necessary by the Church p. 248. Infants to be Baptized ibid. c. Interrogatories at Baptism ancient and reasonable p. 250 253. The ancient Abrenunciations in Baptism p. 251 c. Abrenunciation not absolutely necessary to Baptism p. 256. The ancient Exorcisms what ibid. Observ'd Uniformiter in Universo Mundo ibid. Names given at Baptism why p. 257. Susceptores Godfathers p. 255. their promises bind the child ibid. Dipping or sprinkling sufficient in Baptism p. 257. Thrice dipping of old to signifie the Mystery of the Trinity ibid. Why afterwards but once 258. vide Font. The sign of the Cross used in Baptism and in the Forehead and why p. 259. The Necessity and Efficacy of Baptism p. 245. Guardians contract for Pupils p. 255. He that is Baptized may Baptize in case of necessity p. 261. Baptism ministred at Easter vide Easter Baptism is Janua Sacramentorum p. 288. Of Private Baptism p. 260. in case of necessity in any decent place ibid. Iustified against Objections p. 261 c. Of the Blessing by whom to be pronounced p. 76. How to be received p. 77. God blesseth by the mouth of his Minister p. 78. The Priest giving the Blessing comes down from the Altar and why p. 244. Bidding of prayers p. 220. Ancient p. 223. No prayer before Sermon but the Lords Prayer p. 220. Nothing said before Sermon of old but Gemina salutatio ibid. Restraint of private prayers in publick necessary p. 221. 222. Bidding of Prayers practised by Bishop Latymer Jewel c. p. 223. Of Burial and the Rites thereof p. 303 c. An Ancient custome after Burial to go to the Holy Communion p. 306. Funeral Doles an ancient custome p. 307. C. Of Churches Chappels dedicated to Gods service p. 316. Of Churches Chancels and the Fashion of Churches p. 322. Church divided into the Nave and Chancel p. 322 323. Nave what it is p. 323. Chancel why so called ibid. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what p. 325. Chorus Cantorum what ibid. Soleas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Sanctuary what p. 326. Absis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Altar p. 326 c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what 329. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what ibid. Diaconicum what 330. The respect given to Altars p. 331. Consecration of Churches and Chappels See Dedication Mother Church why so called p. 258. A description of the Church p. 75. What meant by Curates ibid. The Collects why so called p. 67. called of old Missae Blessings Sacramenta and why 68. by whom Composed p. 69. The Object of them ibid. Their Form and proportion p. 70. The Matter of them p. 71. Of the Collect for Peace 73. for Grace 74. for Kings ibid. for the Church p. 75. Of the Collects from Septuagesima to Easter 139. From Trinity to Advent p. 195. Common Prayers set and prescribed and why p. 1. But One and the same in the whole National Church p. 2. The publick prayers of the Church called the Apostles Prayers why p. 4. Essentials only of publick worship appointed under the Gospel p. 3. Publick Service more acceptable than private p. 7. and why p. 8. Accepted of God not only for the present but absent alsoon just cause p. 9. Strange worship what p. 6 7. Divine Service may be said privately See Service The Communion Service p. 207. Second Service ibid. to be read at the holy Table ibid. The Church by reading the Second Service there keeps her ground ibid. why so called ibid. Much of the order of the Communion Service set forth out of Dionysius Eccles. Hierar p. 215 216. The thrice holy triumphant Song p. 233. The Consecration of the holy Sacrament of the Lords Supper in what words it consists p. 234. The Bread and Wine common before the Consecration p. 235. The Priest to receive the Sacrament first ibid. The Sacrament to be delivered the people in their hands ibid. Kneeling 236. Amen to be said by the Communicant and the Reason of it ibid. The Sacrament of old delivered to the people at the Railes of the holy Table ibid. Thrice a year every Parishioner to Communicate at Easter by name p. 237. In the Primitive Church they communicated every day ibid. How this failed p. 238. Care of the Church to reduce the Primitive Order p. 239. Why at Easter ibid. Bread and Wine remaining after the Consecration how to be disposed of p. 241. the Angelical Hymn when sung and why p. 242 243. It was made of old by Ecclesiastical Doctors the penalty of refusing it p. 244. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 why so called ibid. Washing of hands before the Consecration why 218. This Sacrament to be received fasting Commandments repeated at the Communion-Service p. 209. Of the Communion of the sick p. 286. That the Communion is not to be denied to persous dangerously sick appears by the 13 Can. Con. Nice p. 287. The several degrees of penance for wasting sins in the Greek Church p. 293 294 c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who ibid. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who p. 294. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ferula what p. 293. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what p. 296 297. How much of the Communion-Service shall be used at the delivery of the Communion to the sick in case there had been that day a Communion p. 302. Confession by Priest and people with an humble voice p. 1◠13. Service begins with it and why p. 13. Churching of women and the Rites thereof p. 307 308. Of the 121 Psalm and a doubt about one expression therein cleared p. 308. Women to be Church'd must offer p. 313. To be vail'd and why p. 308 c. Chrysomes what p. 155. Of Commination p. 314. Of Amen in the Commination and what it meaneth ibid. Confirmation when to be administred and why then p. 262 263. A Godfather to witness the Confirmation p. 265. Confirmation the act of the Bishop ibid. Imposition of hands the most Ancient and Apostolical Rite of Confirmation p. 267. The benefit of Confirmation p. 267 c. To continue in the Church while Militant p. 272. A Fundamental ibid. The Apostles Creed upon what occasion made p. 49. to be said daily twice Morn and Even p. 51. by Priest and People Why p. 53. Standing why p. 54. Athanasius Creed p. 54. When used and why p. 55. The Nicene Creed why so called p. 214. called also the Constantinopolitan and why p. 215. When begun to be used at the Communion-Service ibid. why read after the Epistle and Gospel ibid. Christmas-day p. 101. The Proper Psalms for it p. 101,102,103 The frame of the Church Service that day admirable p. 104. The Antiquity of the day and upon the 25 of December p. 105. Candlemas p. 200. Procession peculiar to it ibid. The Antiquity thereof p. 201 202. D. Of the Dedication of Churches and Chappels to Gods