work thou and thy son and thy daughter thy man-servant and thy maid-servant thy cattle and the stranger that is within thy gates for in six dayes the Lord made heaven and earth and the sea and all that in them is and rested the seventh day Wherefore the Lord blessed the seventh day and halowedit v. Honour thy father and thy mother that thy dayes may be long in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee vi Thou shalt do no murder vii Thou shalt not commit adultry viii Thou shalt not steal ix Thou shalt not bear false witnesse against thy neighbour x. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbous house thou shalt not covet thy neighbours wife nor his servant nor his maid nor his Ox nor his Asse nor any thing that is his Question What doest thou chiefly learn by these Commandments Answer I learn two things My duty towards God and my duty towards my neighbour Question What is thy duty towards God Answer My duty towards God is to beleeve in him to fear him and to love him with all my heart with all my minde with all my soul and with all my strength To worship him To give him thanks To put my whole trust in him To call upon him To honour his holy name and his word and to serve him truly all the dayes of my life Question What is thy duty towards thy neighbour Answer My duty towards my neighbour is to love him as my self and to do to all men as I would they should do unto me To love honour and succour my father and mother To honour and obey the King and his Ministers To submit my self to all my governours teachers spiritual Pastours and Masters To order my self lowly and reverently to all my betters To hurt no body by word nor deed To be true and just in all my dealing To bear no malice nor hatred in my heart To keep my hands from picking and stealing and my tongue from evil speaking lying and slaudring To keep my body in temperance sobernesse and chastity Not to cover nor desire other mens goods But learn and labour truely to get mine own living and to do my duty in that state of life unto which it shall please God to call me Question My good childe know this that thou art not able to do these things of thy self nor to walk in the commandments of God and to serve him without his special grace which thou must learn at all times to call for by diligent prayer Let me hear therefore if thou canst say the Lords prayer Answer OUr Father which art in heaven hallowed be thy name Thy kingdom come Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven Give us this day our dayly bread And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespasse against us And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil Amen Question What desirest thou of God in this prayer Answer I desire my Lord God our heavenly father who is the giver of all goodnesse to send his grace unto me and to all people that we may worship him serve him and obey him as we ought to do And I pray unto God that he will send us all things that be needful both for our souls and bodies And that he will be merciful unto us and forgive us our sins and that it will please him to save and defend us in all dangers ghostly and bodily And that he will keep us from sin and wickednesse and from our ghostly enemy and from everlasting death And this I trust he will do of his mercy and goodnesse through our Lord Jesu Christ. And therefore I say Amen So â—e it Question HOw many Sacraments hath Christ ordeined in his Church Answer Two onely as generally necessary to salvation that is to say Baptisme and the supper of the Lord. Question What meanest thou by this word Sacrament Answer I mean an outward and visible signe of an inward and spiritual grace given unto us ordeined by Christ himself as a means whereby we receive the same and a pledge to assure us thereof Question How many parts are there in a Sacrament Answer Two the Outward visible signe and the inward Spiritual Grace Question What is the Outward visible signe or form in baptisme Answer Water wherein the person baptised is dipped or sprinkled with it in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy Ghost Question What is the inward and spiritual Grace Answer A death unto sin and a new birth unto righteousnesse For being by Nature born in sin and the children of wrath we are hereby made the children of Grace Question What is required of persons to be baptised Answer Repentance whereby they forsake sin and faith whereby they stedfastly beleeve the promises of God made to them in that Sacrament Question Why then are Infants baptised when by reason of their tender age they cannot perform them Answer Yes they do perform them by their Suerties who promise and vow them both in their names which when they come to age themselves are bound to perform Question Why was the Sacrament of the Lords supper ordeined Answer For the Continual remembrance of the Sacrifice of the death of Christ and the benefits which we receive thereby Question What is the outward part or signe of the Lords Supper Answer Bread and Wine which the Lord hath commanded to be received Question What is the inward part or thing signified Answer The body and Blood of Christ which are verily and indeed taken and received of the faithful in the Lords Supper Question What are the benefits whereof we are partakers thereby Answer The strengthening and refreshing of our souls by the body and blood of Christ as our bodies are by the bread and wine Question What is required of them which come to the Lords Supper Answer To examine themselves whether they repent them truely of their former sins stedfastly purposing to lead a new life have a lively faith in Gods mercy through Christ with a thankful remembrance of his death and be in Charity with all men So soon as the children can say in their mother tongue the articles of the faith the Lords prayer the ten Commandments and also can answer to such questions of this short Catechisme as the Bishop or such as he shall appoint shall by his discretion appose them in then shall they be brought to the Byshop by one that shall be his Godfather or Godmother that every childe may have a witnesse of his Confirmation And the Bishop shall confirm them on this wise Confirmation Or D laying on of hands Our help is in the name of the Lord.  Answer  Which hath made both heaven and earth  Minister  Blessed is the name of the Lord.  Answer  Henceforth world without end 1 B. of Edw. 6. Minster Minister Lord hear our prayer The Lord be with you Answer Answer And let our cry come unto thee
of thy son our Saviour Jesus Christ and doest assure us thereby of thy favour and goodnesse towarâ— us and that we be very members incorporate in thy mistical body which is the blessed company of all faithful people and be also heires through hope of thy everlasting kingdom by the merits of the most precious death and passion of thy dear son We now most humbly beseech thee O heavenly father so to assist us with thy grace that we may continue in that holy fellowship and do all such good works as thou hast prepared for us to walk in through Jesus Christ our Lord to whom with thee and the holy Ghost be all honour and glory world without end Amen Then shall be said or song Scot. Lit. Gloria in Excelsis in English GLory be to God on high and in earth peace good will towards men We praise thee we blesse thee we worship thee we glorifie thee we give thanks to thee for thy great glory O Lord God heavenly king God the father almighty O Lord the onely begotten son Jesu Christ O Lord God lamb of God son of the father that takest away the sins of the world have mercy upon us Thou that takest away the sins of the world have mercy upon us Thou that takest away the sins of the world receive our prayers thou that sittest at the right hand of God the father have mercy upon us For thou onely art holy thou onely art the Lord thou onely O Christ with the holy ghost art most high in the glory of God the father Then the minister or the Bishop if he be present shall let them depart with this blessing THE peace of God which passeth all understanding keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God and of his son Jesu Christ our Lord. And the blessing of God almighty the Father the Son and the holy Ghost be amongst you and remain with you alwayes Amen Scot. Lit. After the Divine service is ended that which was offered shall be divided in the presence of the Presbyter and the Church-wardens whereof one half shall be to the use of the Presbyter to provide him books of holy divinity the other half shall be faithfully kept and imployed on some pious or charitable use for the decent furnishing of that Church or the publick relief of their poor at the discretion of the Presbyter and Church-wardens Collects to be said after the Offertory when there is no Communion every such day one And the same may be said also as often as occasion shall serve after the Collects either of Morning and Evening prayer Communion or Letany by the discretion of the Minister ASsist us mercifully O Lord in these our supplications and prayers and dispose the way of thy servants toward the attainment of everlasting salvation that among all the changes and chances of this mortal life they may ever be defended by thy most gracious and ready help through Christ our Lord Amen OAlmighty Lord and everliving God vouchsafe we beseech thee to direct sanctifie and govern both our hearts and bodies in the wayes of thy laws and in the works of thy commandments that through thy most mighty protection both here and ever we may be preserved in body and soul through our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ Amen GRant we beseech thee almighty God that the words which we have heart this day with our outward ears may through thy grace be so graffed inwardly in our hearts that they may bring forth in us the fruit of good living to the honour and praise of thy name through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen PRevent us O Lord in all our doings with thy most gracious favour and further us with thy continual help that in all our works begun continued and ended in thee we may glorifie thy holy name and finally by thy mercy obtain everlasting life through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen ALmighty God the fountain of all wisdom which knowest our necessities before we ask and our ignorance in asking we beseech thee to have compassion upon our infirmities and those things which for our unworthy nesse we dare not and for our blindnesse we cannot ask vouchsafe to give us for the worthynesse of thy son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen ALmighty God which hast promised to hear the petitions of them that ask in thy sons name We beseech thee mercifully to incline thine ears to us that have made now our prayers and supplications unto thee and grant that those things which we have faithfully asked according to thy will may effectually be obtained to the relief of our necessity and to the setting forth of thy glory through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen Common Prayer 1 B. of Edw. 6. T Upon the holy dayes if there be no Communion shall be said all that is appointed at the Communion untill the end of the Homily concluding with the general prayer for the whole state of Christs Church miliant here in earth and one or more of these Collects before rehearsed as occasion shall serve Upon Wednesdayes and Fridayes the English Litany shall be said or sung in all places after such form as is appointed by the Kings Majestyes Injunctions or as is or shall be otherwise appointed by his Highnesse And though there be none to Communicate with the Priest yet these dayes after the Litany ended the Priest shall put upon him a plain Alb or surplesse with a Cope and say all things at the Altar appointed to be said at the celebration of the Lords supper until after the Offertory And then shall adde one or two of the Collects afore written as occasion shall serve by his discretion And then turning him to the people shall let them depart with the accustomed blessing And the same order shall be used all other dayes whensoever the people be customably assembled to pray in the Church and none disposed to Communicate with him Common Prayer 1 B. of Edw. 6. And there shall be no Scot. Lit. publick celebration of the Lords Supper except there be a good number to Communicate with the Minister according to his discretion Likewise in Chappels annexed and all other places there shall be no celebration of the Lords Supper except there be some to Communicate with the Priest And in such Chappels annexed where the people hath not been accustomed to pay any holy bread there they must either make some charitable provision for the bearing of the charges of the Communion or else for receiving of the same resort to their Parish Church Common Prayer 1 B. of Edw. 6. And if there be not above twenty persons in the Parish of discretion to receive the Communion yet there shall be no Communion except four or three at the least Communicate with the Minister Also that the receiving of the Sacrament of the Blessed Body and blood of Christ may be most agreeable to the institution thereof and to the usage of the Primitive Church In all Cathedral
O praise the Lord all ye nations laud him all ye people for his merciful kindnesse is confirmed towards us and the truth of the Lord endureth for ever Glory be to the Father c. Lord have mercy upon us without any more repetition Omitted by Bucer Christ have mercy upon us  Lord have mercy upon us  The Priest Omitted by Bucer The Lord be with you  Answer  And with thy Spirit   Mm Common-prayer The Colect 1 B. of Edw. 6. Let us pray ALmighty everliving God maker of mankinde which doest correct those whom thou doest love and chastisest every one whom thou doest receive we beseech thee to have mercy upon this thy servant visited with thy hand and to 〈◊〉 he may take his sicknesse patiently and recover his bodily health if it be thy gratious will and whensoever his soul shall depart from the body it may without spot be presented unto thee through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen The Epistle MY son despise not the correction of the Lord neither faint thou when thou art rebuked of him for whom the Lord loveth him he correcteth yea and he scourgeth every son whom he receiveth The Gospel VErily verily I say unto you he that heareth my word and beleeveth on him that sent me hath everlasting life and shall not come unto damnation but he passeth from death unto life 1 B. of Edw. 6. The Preface The Lord be with you Answer And with thy spirit Lift up your hearts c. unto the end of the Canon Common-Prayer At the time of the distribution of the holy Sacrament the Priest shall first receive the Communion himself and after minister to them that be appointed to communicate with the sick 1 B. of Edw. 6. if there be any and then to the sick person and the sick person shall alwayes desire some either of his own house or else of his neighbours to receive the holy Communion with him for that shall be to him a singular great comfort and of their part a great token of charity And if there be moe sick persons to be visited the same day that the Curate doth celebrate in any sick mans house then shall the Curate there reserve so much of the Sacrament of the Body and blood as shall serve the other sick persons and such as be appointed to Communicate with them if there be any And shall immediatly carry it and minister it unto them But if any man either by reason of extremity of sicknese or for lack of warning in due time to the X Curate or for lack of company to receive with him or by any other just impediment do not receive the Sacrament of Christs body and blood then the Curate shall instruct him that if he do truely repent him of his sins and stedfastly beleeve that Jesus Christ hath suffered death upon the crosse for him and shed his blood for his redemption earnestly remembring the benefits he hath thereby and giving him hearty thanks therefore he doth eat and drink the body and blood of our Saviour Christ profitable to his souls health although he do not receive the Sacrament with his mouth Common Prayer 1 B. of Edw. 6. When the sick person is visited and receiveth the holy Communion all at one time then the Minister for more expidition shall cut of the form of the visitation at the Psalm In thee O Lord have I put my trust and go streight to the Communion When the sick person is visited and receiveth the holy Communion all at one time then the Priest for more expedition shall use this order at the visitation The Anthem Lord have mercy upon us Christ have mercy upon us Lord have mercy upon us Our Father which art in heaven c. And lead us not into temptation Answer But deliver us from evil Amen Let us pray O Lord Look down from heaven c. With the first part of the exhortation and all other things unto the Psalm In thee O Lord have I put my trust c. And if the sick person desire to be anointed then shall the Priest use the appointed prayer without any Psalm Common Prayer In the time of plage sweat or such other like contagious times of sicknesses or diseases when none of the Parish or neighbors can be gotten to Communicate with the sick in their houses for â—eaâ— of the infection upon special request of the diseased the Minister may aloâ—â— Communicate with him The order for the burial of the dead Y The Minister meeting the Corps at the Church stile shall say Or else the Ministers and Clarks shall sing And so go either unto the Church or toward the grave Z I Am the resurrection and the life saith the Lord He that beleeveth in me yea though he were dead yet shall he live And whosoever liveth and beleeveth in me shall not die for ever I Know that my redeemer liveth and that I shall rise out of the â—arth in the last day and shall be covered again with my skin 〈◊〉 shall see God in my flesh yea and I my self shall be hold him not with other but with these same eyes WE brought nothing into this world neither may we carry anything out of this world The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away Even as it pleaseth the Lord so cometh things to passe Blessed he the name of the Lord. When they come at the grave whiles the corps is made ready to be laid into the earth the Minister shall say or the Minister and Clerks shall sing MAn that is born of a woman hath but a short time to live and is full of misesery he cometh up and is cut down like a flour He fleeth as it were a shadow and never continueth in one stay In the midst of life we be in death Of whom may we seek for succor but of thee O Lord which for our sins justly are displeased Yet O Lord God most holy O Lord most mighty O holy and most merciful Saviour deliver us not into the bitter pains of eternal death Thou knowest Lord the secrets of our hearts shut not up thy merciful eyes to our prayers But spare us Lord most holy O God most mighty O holy and merciful Saviour thou most worthy Judge eternal suffer us not at our last hour for any pains of death to fall from thee Common Prayer 1 B. of Edw. 6. Then while the earth shall be cast upon the body by some standing by the Minister shall say Then the Priest casting earth upon the Corps shall say Forasmuch as it hath pleased almighty God of his great mercy to take unto himselfthe soulof our dear brother here departed we therefore commit his body to the ground earth to earth ashes to ashes dust to dust Z in sure and certain hope of resurrection to eternal life through our Lord Jesus Christ who shall change our vile Body that it may be like to his glorious Body according to the
mighty working whereby he is able to subdue all things to himself I commend this soul to God the Father Almighty and thy Body to the ground c. Then shall be said or sung I Heard a voyce from Heaven saying unto me Write from henceforth Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord Even so saith the Spirit that they rest from their labors 1 B. of Edw. 6. Let us pray WE commend into thy hands of mercy most merciful Father the soul of this our Brother departed N. And his body we commit to the Earth beseeching thine infinite goodness to give us grace to live in thy fear and love and to die in thy favor that when the Judgement shall come which thou hast committed to thy well-beloved Son both this our Brother and we may be found acceptable in thy sight and receive that blessing which thy well-beloved Son shall then pronounce to all that love and fear thee saying Come ye blessed Children of my Father Receive the Kingdom prepared for you before the beginning of the world Grant this merciful Eather for the Honor of Jesus Christ our onely Saviour Mediator and Advocate Amen This Prayer shall also be added ALmighty God we give thee hearty thanks for this thy servant whom thou hast delivered from the miseries of this wretched world from the body of death and all temptation And as we trust hast brought his soul which he committed into thy holy hands into sure consolation and rest Grant we beseech thee that at the day of Judgement his soul and all the souls of the elect departed out of this life may with us and we with them fully receive thy promises and be made perfect altogether through the glorious resurrection of thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. These Psalms with other suffrages following are to be said in the Church either before or after the burial of the Corps I am well pleased that the Lord c. Psal. 116. Glory to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. Praise the Lord O my soul c. Psalm 146. Glory to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. omitted by Bucer O Lord thou hast searched me out c. Psalm 139. Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. Then shall follow this Lesson taken out of the 15 Chapter to the Corinthians the first Epistle CHrist is risen from the dead and become the first fruits of them that slept For by a man came death and by a man came the resurrection of the dead For as by Adam all die even so by Christ shall all be made alive but every man in his own order The first is Christ then they that are Christs at his coming Then cometh the end when he hath delivered up the kingdom to God the Father when he hath put down all rule and all authority and power For he must reign till he have put all his enemies under his feet The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death For he hath put all things under his feet But when he saith All things are put under him it is manifest that he is excepted which did put all things under him When all things are subdued unto him then shall the son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him that God may be all in all Else what do they which are baptized over the dead if the dead rise not at all Why are they then baptized over them yea and why stand we alway then in jeopardy By our rejoycing which I have in Christ Jesu our Lord I die daily That I have fought with beasts at Ephesus after the maner of men what advantageth it me if the dead rise not again Let us eat and drink for to morrow we shall die Be not ye deceived evil words corrupt good maners Awake truly out of sleep and sin not For some have not the knowledge of God I speak this to your shame But some man will say How arise the dead With what body shall they come Thou fool that which thou sowest is not quickned except it die And what sowest thou thou sowest not that body that shall be but bare corn as of wheat or some other But God giveth it a body at his pleasure to every seed his own body All flesh is not one maner of flesh but there is one maner of flesh of men another maner of flesh of beasts another of fishes another of birds There are also celestial bodies and there are bodies terrestrial But the glory of the celestial is one and the glory of the terrestrial is another There is one maner glory of the sun another glory of the moon and another glory of the stars For one star differeth from another in glory So is the resurrection of the dead It is sown in corruption it riseth again in incorruption it is sown in dishonor it riseth again in honor it is sown in weakness it riseth again in power it is sown a natural body it riseth again a spiritual body There is a natural body and there is a spiritual body as it is also written The first man Adam was made a liâ—ing soul and the last Adam was made a quickning spirit Howbeit that is not first which is spiritual but that which is natural and then that which is spiritual The first man is of the earth earthy The second man is the Lord from Heaven heavenly As is the earthy such are they that be earthy And as is the heavenly such are they that are heavenly And as we have born the image of the earthy so shall we bear the image of the heavenly This say I brethren that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God neither doth corruption inherit incorruption Behold I shew you a mystery We shall not all sleep but we shall be changed and that in a moment in the twinckling of an eye by the last trump For the trump shall blow and the dead shall rise incorruptible and we shall be changed For this corruptible must put on incorruption and this mortal must put on immortality When this corruptible hath put on incorruption and this mortal hath put on immortality then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written Death is swallowen up Into victory Death where is thy sting Hell where is thy victory The sting of death is sin and the strength of sin is the law but thanks be unto God which hath given us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore my dear brethren be ye stedfast and unmoveable always rich in the work of the Lord forasmuch as ye know how that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. The Lesson ended the Minister shall say Lord have mercy upon us Christ have mercy upon us Lord have mercy upon us Our Father c. And leav us not c. Answer But deliver us from evil Amen 1 B. of Edw. 6. Priest Enter
to eternal life as is evident by the words shall change our vile bodies where the plural excludes the restraint to a singular number From the gates of Hell These Versicles with their Responses from hence to the end follow the forms preceding the Reformation The Breviary established by the Council of Trent varieth thus First it begins Vers. Requiem aeternam da eis Domine Lord give thy people eternal rest Resp. Et lux aeterna luceat illis And light perpetual shine on them Secondly instead of I believe c. Vers. Requiescat in pace Let him rest in peace Resp. Amen Now it is very observable that these Versicles and Answers according to the Roman mode bear their part in three Offices First in that which is called Commendatio Animae The Commendation of a soul departing into the hands of God Secondly in Exequiis The Burial Service Thirdly in Officio Defunctorum The Office of the Dead This Office of the Dead was performed on several dayes after the burial The third the seventh exclusive or eighth inclusive The thirtieth called therefore in Latin Trigintalis in old English the Months-mind in after times the Trental And lastly the Anniversary Now in no one of these three Offices is there the least mention of Purgatory and this I take it makes as much against the Doctrine of the Church of Rome as can be wished for take away Purgatory and the Romanists themselves will grant vain and unprofitable is all their Prayer for the deceased vain is a Requiem sung for them who are gone directly to either Heaven or Hell But if so what then do these Versicles and Responces in those Offices How came they thither Considering that disposed as they are they clearly imply prayer for the Dead I answer The first Original of these Versicles and other ejaculations of like nature was exceeding innocent as being relative to the soul passing out of the body and the proper service belonging to the Commendation of the Spirit into the hands of God For when the agonies of Death seize upon our dear Relations what can better testifie our Christian charity to them than the accompanying their souls in their transmigration with our most ardent prayers I his being then the practice of the Ancient Fathers at the separation of the soul from the body 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To favour it with ushering Prayers and devout wiâ—◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gales to bring it to its desired port not long after they thought sit to repeat the same Prayers at the Funeral of the deceased supposing the soul still as a passenger and moving towards its last home and not being fully assured that having so lately left the body it had yet arrived at its journeys end This consideration led these Prayers into the Burial Office where being once admitted superstition carried them one stride farther viz. into the Trental and Anniversary service but still upon the same account as believing the soul in transitu And this is ingenuously confest by Bellarmine himself Ecclesia ita pro destinctis orat ac si tum morerentur The Church prayeth so for the dead as if they were but then dying The celebration of the holy Communion In the Primitive Church the fashion was to receive the Communion at the end of the Burial unless it happened to be in the afternoon Si aliquorum vespertino tempore mortuorum sive Episcoporum sive caeterorum commendatio fiat solis precibus peragatur si ii qui illam agunt pransi esse inventi fue rint Saith the Council of Carthage If there happen to be a burial in the afternoon whether of a Bishop or any other let it be only dispatched with Prayers without the Eucharist if they which are present have dined before Where first it is evident that Commendatio signifieth the Exequial Office and so is to be understood in the 106. Can. of this Council Secondly w Balsamon clearly mistook this Canon which speaketh not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of those who dye but of those who are buried in the afternoon their time of death being in no capacity to create the diversity which this Canon intendeth Innocent was this rite whilest it preserved its first intention but degenerating from its original purity by Masses and Dirges sung for the souls of the dead wisely was it done of our second Reformers to remove not only the evils themselves of such heterodox opinions but even the occasions of them also viz. the Communion used at Burials Which being so evident as to matter of Fact it may seem a wonder why in the Liturgy established by Parliament and translated into Latine 2. Eliz. and this done by Regal Authority this Communion Order is postliminiated into that Burial Office It could not certainly be done by mis-chance nor yet by clandestine practice for the Proclamation it self taketh notice of it Peculiaria quaedam in Christianorum funebribus exequiis decantanda adjungi praecepimus statuto de Ritu Publicarum precum anno primo Regni nostri promulgato in contrarium non obstante Some things peculiar at Funerals and Burials of Christians we have added and commanded to be used The Act far uniformity set forth in the first year of our Reign to the contrary notwithstanding So that some other reason must be assigned which I take to be this The Office it self consisteth but of four parts the Introite Collect Epistle and Gospel three whereof are Canonical Scriptures and the other the Collect is so inoffensive as it bears a part of our Reformed Lâ—turgy So that tâ—e materials being so harmless nothing could be faulted but the framing them into an Office and not this neither but by accident in reference to the Popish abuse The error for whose sake it was at first expunged was imbibed by few but the vulgar ready to interpret actions according to their former habits As for Societies of Literature the two Universities and Colleges to which this translation was directed they being men of more discerning spirits better might they be trusted with this Office which it was expected they would consider in its pure principles separated from the foggy medium of ignorance and superstition Altogether 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and impertinent it will not be to cast an eye upon some late appendants to this Burial Office viz. Oblations and Doles these still very frequent and they continued all along Queen Elizabeth her reign and to give a brief account whence they issued When once the Prayers of the living began to be believed available for the Dead no action was thought more expedient for this end than the blessed Eucharist wherein the Church might invocate an application of Christs merits and passion then offered in the Symbols of bread and wine to the benefit of those souls departed And because even the Eucharist it self was conceived languid in its usual effects when destitute of Offerings and Almes they therefore who were neerest allied to the party deceased did
grant that the scarcity and dearth which we do now most justly suffer for our iniquity may through thy goodnesse be mercifully turned into cheapnesse and plenty for the love of Jesus Christ our Lord to whom with thee and the holy Ghost be praise for ever Amen In the time of war O Almighty God King of all Kings and governour of all things whose power no creature is able to resist to whom it belongeth justly to punish sinners and to be merciful to them that truly repent Save and deliver us we humbly beseech thee from the hands of our enemies abate their pride asswage their malice and confound their devices that we being armed with thy defence may be preserved evermore from all perils to gloriâ—ie thee which art the onely giver of all victory through the merits of thy onely son Jesus Christ our Lord Amen In the time of any common plague or sicknesse O Lmighty God which in thy wrath in the time of King David didst â—ay with the plague of pestilence threescore and ten thousand and yet remembring thy mercy didst save the rest have pitty upon us miserable sinners that now are visited with great sicknesse and mortality that like as thou didst then command thine Angel to cease from punishing so it may please thee to withdraw from us this plague and grievous sicknesse through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen O God whose nature and property is ever to have mercy and to forgive receive our humble petitions and though we be tied and bound with the chain of our sins yet let the pitifulnesse of thy great mercy loose us for the honour of Jesus Christs sake our mediatour and advocate Amen A Thanksgiving for rain O Gd our heavenly Father who by thy gratious providence doest cause the former and the latter rain to descend upon the earth that it may bring forth fruit for the use of man we give thee humble thanks that it hath pleased thee in in our greatest necessity to send us at the lâ—st a joyful rain upon thine inheritance and to refresh it when it was dry to the great comfort of us thy unworthy servants and to the glory of thy holy name through thy mercies in Jesus Christ our Lord Amen A Thanksgiving for fair weather O Lord God who hast justly humbled us by thy late plague of immoderate rain and waters and futhy mercy hast relieved and comforted our souls by this seasonable and blessed change of weather we praise and glorifie thy holy name for this thy mercie and will alwayes declare thy loving kindnesse from generation to generation through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen A Thanksgiving for plenty O Most merciful father which of thy gracious goodnesse hast heard the devout prayers of thy Church and turned our bearth and scarcity into cheapnesse and plenty we give thee humble thanks for this thy special bounty beseeching thee to continue this thy loving kindnesse unto us that our land may yield us her fruits of increase to thy glory and our comfort through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen A Thanksgiving for peace and victory O Almighty God which art a strong tower of defence unto thy servants against the face of their enemies we yield thee praise and thanksgiving for our deliverance from those great and apparant dangers wherewith we were compassed we acknowledge it thy goodnesse that we were not delivered over as a prey unto them beseeching thee still to continue such thy mercies toward us that all the world may know that thou art our Saviour and mighty deliverer through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen A thanksgiving for deliverance from the plague O Lord God which hast wounded us for our sins and consumed us for our transgressions by thy late heavy and dreadful visitation and now in the midst of judgement remembring mercy hast reoâ—emed our souls from the jaws of death we offer unto thy fatherly goodnesse our selves our souls and bodies which thou hast delivered to be a living sacrifice unto thee alwayes praising and magnifying thy mercies in the midst of the Congregation through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen Or this WE humbly acknowledge before thee O most merciful father that all punishments which are threatened in thy law might justly have fallen vpon us by reason of our manifold transgressions and hardnesse of heart yet seeing it hath pleased thee of thy tender mercy upon our weak and unworthy humiliation to asswage the noisome pestilence wherewith we lately have been sore afflicted and to restore the voice of joy and health into our dwellings we offer unto thy Divine majestie the sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving lauding and magnifying thy glorious Name for such thy preservation and providence over us through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen The end of the Letany Annotations upon CHAP. IIII. A Catechising part of the Evening Office The want thereof the cause of heresies Judgement of the Synod of Dort Sermons where in the Primitive Church part of the Evening Office B Evening Prayer why so called An ancient Evening hymn C. The Doxology of the Pater Noster why omitted in our service D. A necessary Rubrick added by the Scotch Liturgy E. Athanasius his Creed falsly so called yet ancient and extant in Anno 600. after Christ. F. Litanies Ancient in the Western Church long before Mamercus Reformed by Gregory the Great ours whence derived the Gesture proper for it G. Wednesdaies and Fridayes why dayes of fastings Stations what and why so called Tertullian cleared H. Forgiving our Enemies a peculiar of Christianity The Jewish and Romish practice contrary to it I. Repeated Prayers most powerful K. The Thanksgivings for Rain c. a necessary Reformation AN order for Evening Prayer Though Evening service varieth not much from that of the Morning yet doth it afford something which obligeth our consideration For what is too much forgot I must reminde you that there is an Evening service befor Evening Prayer The Curate of every Parish or some other at his appointment shall diligently upon Sundayes and holy days half an hour before Evening Prayer openly in the Church instruct and examine so many children of his parish sent unto him as the time will serve and as he shall think convenient in some part of the Catechisme The same rule is observed by the Belgick Church and so did the Palatine Divines advise at the Synod at Dort that it should be an afternoon exercise with this positive resolution Non dubitamus cur tot haereses et nova dogmata locum passim inveniant causam vel maximam esse Catechizationis neglectum We are consident that the neglect of catechizing is the main cause of so many heresies and novel doctrines which infest the Church I wish they of the Presbyterian inclination would more listen to these their friends and if not for conformity's yet for Christianity's sake not suffer Preaching so totally to usurp and justle out this most necessary office that as an Inmate to expel the right owner
partakers of this holy Communion And as the son of God did vouchsafe to yeeld up his soul by death upon the crosse for your health even so it is your duty to receive the Communion together in the remembrance of his death as be himself commanded Now if you will in no wise thus do consider with your selves how great injury you do unto God and how sore punishment hangeth over your heads for the same And whereas you offended God so sore in refusing this holy banquet I admonish exhort and beseech you that unto this unkindnesse ye will not adde any more Which thing ye shall do if ye stand by as gazers and lookers on them that do communicate and be no partakers of the same your selves For what thing can this be accounted els then a further contempt and unkindnesse unto God Truely it is a great unthankfulnesse to say nay when ye be called but the fault is much greater when men stand by and yet will neither eat nor drink this holy Communion with other I pray you what can this be else but even to have the misteries of Christ in derision It is said unto all Take ye and eat take and drink ye all of this Do this in remembrance of me With what face then or with what countenance shall ye hear these words what will this be else but a neglecting a despising and mocking of the Testament of Christ Wherefore rather then ye should so do depart you hence and give place to them that be godly disposed But when you depart I beseech you ponder with your selves from whom you depart Ye depart from the Lords table ye depart from your brethren and from the banquet of most heavenly food These things if ye earnestly consider ye shall by Gods grace return to a better minde for the obtaining whereof we shall make our humble petitions while we shall receive the holy Communion Common Prayer 1. B. of Edw. 6. And sometime shall be said this also at the discretion of the Curate And if upon the Sunday or holyday the people be negligent to come to the Communion Then shall the Priest earnestly exhort his Parishoners to dispose themselves to the receiving of the holy Communion more diligently saying these or the like words DEarly beloved for as much as our duty is to render to Almighty God our heavenly Father most hearty thanks for that he hath given his Son our Saviour Jesus Christ not onely to die for us but also to be out spiritual food and sustenance as it is declared unto us as well by Gods word as by the holy Sacraments of his blessed body and blood the which being so comfortable a thing to them which receive it worthily c. Dear friends and you especially upon whose souls I have cure and charge on next I do iâ—tâ—nd by Gods grace to offer to all such as shall be godly disposed the most comfortable sacrament of the body and blood of Christ to be taken of them in remembrance of his most fruitful and glorious passion by the which Passion we have obtained remission of our sins and be made partakers of the Kingdom of heaven whereof we be well assured and ascertained if we come to the said Sacrament with hearty repentance for our offences stedfast faith in Gods mercy and earnest minde to obey Gods will and to offend no more wherefore our duty is to come to these holy mysteries with most hearty thanks to be given to almighty God for his infinite mercy and benefits given and bestowed upon us his unworthy servants for whom he hath not onely given his Body unto death and shed his blood but also doth vouchsafe in a Sacrament and mystery to give us his said Body and blood to feed upon Spiritually The which Sacrament being so divine and holy a thing and so comfortable to them which receive it worthily c. Common prayer And so dangerous to them which will presume to take the same unworthily my duty is to exhort you to consider the dignity of the holy mysterie and the great peril of the unworthy receiving thereof and so to search and examine your own consciences as you should come holy and clean to a most godly and heavenly feast so that in no wise you come but in the mariage garment required of God in holy Scripture and so come and be received as worthy partakers of such a heavenly table The way and means thereto is First to cramine your lives and conversation by the rule of Gods Commandments and wherein so ever ye shall perceive your selves to have offended either by will word or deed there bewall your own sinful lives confesse your selves to almighty God with full purpose of amendment of life And if ye shall perceive your offences to be such â—â— be not onely against God but also against your neighbours then ye shall reconcile your selves unto them ready to make restitution and satisfaction according to the uttermost of your powers for all injuries and wrongs done by you to any other and likewise being ready to forgive other that have offended you as you would have forgivenesse of your offences at Gods hand for otherwise the receiving of the holy communion doth nothing else but encrease your damnation And because it is requisite that no man should come to the holy Communion but with a full trust in Gods mercy and with a quiet conscience therefore if there be any of you which by the means aforesaid cannot quiet his own conscience but requireth further comfort or counsel then let him come to me or some other discreet and learned minister of Gods word and open his grief that he may receive such shoâ—tly counsel advice and comfort as his conscience may be relieved and that by the ministery of Gods word be may receive comfort and the benefit of absolution to the quieting of his conscience and avoiding of all scruple and doubtfulness 1 B. of Edw. 6. Requiring such as shall be satisfied with a general confession not to be offended with them that do use to their further satisfying the Auricular and secret confession to the Priest nor those also which think needful or convenient for the quietnesse of their own consciences particularly to open their sins to the Priest to be offended with them that are satisfied with their humble confession to God and the general Confession to the Church But in all things to follow and keep the rule of Charity and every man to be satisfied with his own conscience not judging other mens minds or consciences whereas he hath no warrant of Gods word to the same Common Prayer 1. B. of Edw. 6. Then shall the Minister say this exhortation After the Creed ended shall follow the Sermon or Homily or some one portion of one of the Homilies as they shall be hereafter divided Wherein if the people be not exhorted to the worthy receiving of the holy Sacrament of the body and blood of our Saviour Christ then shall the
Curate give this exhortation to those that be minded to receive the same The Common Prayer DEarly beloved in the Lord ye that minde to come to the holy communion of the body and blood of our Saviour Christ must consider what Saint Paul writeth to the Corinthians how he exhorteth all persons piligently to try and examine themselves before they presume to eat of that bread and drink of that cup. For as the benefit is great if with a true penitent heart and lively faith we receive that holy Sacrament for then we spiritually eat the flesh of Christ and drink his blood then we dwell in Christ and Christ in us we be one with Christ Christ with us so is the danger great if we receive the same unworthyly For then we be guilty of the body and blood of Christ our Saviour we eat and drink our own damnation not considering the Lords body we kindle Gods wrath against us we provoke him to plague us with divers diseases and sundry kindes of death Therefore if any of you be a blasphemer of God an hinderer or slanderer of his word an adulterer or be in malice or envie or in any other grievous crime bewail your sins and come not to this holy table lest after the taking of that holy Sacrament the divil enter into you as he entred into Judas and fil you ful of all iniquities and bring you to destruction both of body and soul. Judge therefore your selves brethren that ye be not judged of the Lord. Repent you truely for your sins past Have a lively and stedfast faith in Christ our Saviour Amend your lives and be in perfect charity with all men so shall ye be meet partakers of those holy mysteries And above all things ye must give most humble and hearty thanks to God the father the son and the holy ghost for the redemption of the world by the death and passion of our saviour Christ both God and man who did humble him self even to the death upon the crosse for us miserable sinners which lay in darknesse and shadow of death that he may make us the children of God and exalt us to everlasting life And to the end that we should alway remember the exceeding great love of our master and onely saviour Jesu Christ thus dying for us and the innumerable benefits which by his pretious blood-sheding he hath obtained to us he hath instituted and ordained holy mysteries as pledges of his love and continual remembrance of his death to our great and endlesse comfort To him therefore with the Father and the holy Ghost let us give as we are most bounden continual thanks submitting our selves wholly to his holy will and pleasure and studying to serve him in true holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of our life Amen 1. B. of Edw. 6. In Cathedral Churches or other places where there is dayly Communion it shall be sufficient to read this exhortation above written once in a moneth And in parish Churches upon the week day it may be left unsaid Then so many as shall be partakers of the holy Communion shall tary still in the Quire or in some convenient place nigh the quire B the men on one side and the women on the other side All other that minde not to receive the said holy Communion shall depart out of the quire except the Ministers and Clerks Then shall the Minister take so much Bread and Wine as shall suffice for the persons appointed to receive the holy Communion laying the Bread upon the Corporas or else in the pattin or in some other comely thing prepared for that purpose And putting the wine into the Chalice or else in some fair convenient cup prepared for that use if the Chalice will not serve putting thereto C a little pure and clean water And setting both the Bread and Wine upon the Altar Then the Priest shall say The Lord be with you Answer And with thy Spirit Priest Lift up your hearts c. to the end of the Prefaces Common Prayer 1 B. of Edw. 6. Then shall the Minister say to them that come to receive the holy Communion Scot. Lit. this Invitation Here the Priest shall turn him towards those that come to receive the holy Communion and shall say YOU that do truely and earnestly repent you of your sins 1 B. of Edw. 6. to Almighty God and be in love and charity with your nieghbours and intend to lead a new life following the commandements of God and walking from henceforth in his holy wayes D Draw near and take this holy Sacrament to pour comfort make your humble confession to almighty God before this congregation here gathered together in his holy name meekly kneeling upon your knees E Then shall this general confession be made in the name of all those that are minded to receive the holy Communion Scot. Lit. by the Presbyter himself or the Deacon either by one of them Lit. of Q. Eliz. or else by one of the Ministers or by the Priest himself or else by the Minister himself Scot. Lit. both he and all the people all kneeling humbly upon their knees ALmighty God father of our Lord Jesus Christ maker of all things judge of all men we knowledge and bewail our manifold sins and wickednesse which we from time to time most grievously have committed by thought word and deed against thy divine majesty provoking most justly thy wrath and indignation against us we do earnestly repent and be heartily sorry for these our misooings the remembrance of them is grievous unto us the burden of them is intolerable have mercy upon us have mercy upon us most merciful father for thy son our Lord Jesus Christs sake forgive us all that is past and grant that we may ever hereafter serve and please thee in newnesse of life to the honour and glory of thy name through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen Then shall the Minister or the Bishop being present stand up and turning him self to the people Scot. Lit. pronounce the Absolution as followeth say thus ALmighty God our heavenly father who of his great mercy hath promised forgivnesse of sins to all them which with hearty repentance and true faith turn unto him have mercy upon you pardon and deliver you from all your sins confirm and strength you in all goodnesse and bring you to everlasting life through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen Then shall the Minister also say Hear what comfortable words our Saviour Christ saith to all that truely turn to him Come unto me all that travail and be heavie laden and I shall refresh you So God loved the world that he gave his onely begotten son to the end that all that beleeve in him should not perish but have life everlasting Hear also what saint Paul saith This is a true saying and worthy of all men to be received that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners Here also what saint John saith If any man
sin we have an advocate with the father Jesus Christ the righteous and he is the propiciation for our sins After which the Minister shall proceed saying Lift up your hearts Answer We life them up unto the Lord. Minister Let us give thanks unto our Lord God Answer It is meet and right so to do Minister It is very meet right and our bounden duty that we should at all times and in all places give thanks unto thee O Lord holy father almighty everlasting God Here shall follow the proper preface according to the time if there be any specially appointed Or else immediately shall follow Therefore with angels c. Proper Prefaces Upon Christmas day and seven dayes after BEcause thou didest give Jesus Christ thine onely son to be born as this day for us who by the operation of the holy Ghost was made very man of the substance of virgin Mary his mother and that without spot of sin to make us clean from all sin Therefore with c. Upon Easter day and seven dayes after BUt thiefly are we bound to praise thee for the glorious resurrection of thy son Jesus Christ our Lord for he is the very Pascal Lamb which was offered for us and hath taken away the sin of the world who by his death hath destroyed death and by his rising to life again hath restored to us everlasting life Therefore with c. Upon the Ascention day and seven dayes after THrough thy most dearly beloved son Jesus Christ our Lord who after his most glorious resurrection manifestly appeared to all his Apostles and in their sight ascended up into heaven to prepare a place for us that where he is thither might we also ascend and reign with him in glory Therefore with angels c. Upon Whitsunday and six dayes after THrough Jesus Christ our Lord according to whose most true promise the holy ghost came down this day from heaven with a sodain great sound as it had been a mighty winde in the likenesse of fiery tongues lighting upon the apostles to teach them and to lead them to all truth giving them both the gift of divers languages and also boldnesse with servent zeal constantly to preach the Gospell unto all nations whereby we are brought out of darknesse and errour into clear light and true knowledge of thee and of thy son Jesus Christ. Therefore with c. Upon the Feast of Trinity onely IT is very meet right and our bounden duty that we should at all times and in all places give thanks to thee O Lord almighty and everlasting God which art one God one Lord not one onely person but three persons in one substance For that which we beleeve of the glory of the father the same we beleeve of the son and of the holy Ghost without any difference or inequality Therefore with c. After which prefaces shall follow immediately THerefore with angels and archangels and with all the company of heaven we laude and magnifie thy glorious name evermore praysing thee and saying Holy holy holy Lord God of hosts Heaven and earth are full of thy glory glory be to thee O Lord most high Then shall the Minister 1 B. of Edw. 6. turning himself to Gods boord kneel down and kneeling down at Gods boord say in the name of all them that shall receive the Communion this Scot. Lit. Collect of humble accesse to the holy Communion as followeth prayer following WE do not presume to come to this thy table O merciful Lord trusting in our own righteousnesse but in thy manifold and great mercies We be not worthy so much as to gather up the crumbes under thy table But thou art the same Lord whose property is alwayes to have mercy Grant us therefore gratious Lord so to eat the flesh of thy dear son Jesus Christ and to drink his blood that our sinfull bodies may be made clean by his body and our souls washed through his most precious blood and that we may evermore dwell in him and he in us Amen Common Prayer Scot. Lit. Then the Minister standing up shall say as followeth Then the Presbyter standing up shall say the prayer of consecration as followeth but then during the time of Consecration he shall stand at such a part of the holy Table where he may with the more ease and decency use both his hands ALmighty God our heavenly Father which of thy tender mercy didst give thine onely son Jesus Christ to suffer death upon the crosse for our Redemption who made there by his one oblation of himself once offered a full perfect and sufficient sacrifice oblation and satisfaction for the sins of the whole world and did institute and in his holy Gospel commandus to continue a perpetual memory of that his precious death until his coming again Hear us O merciful Father we beseech thee Scot. Lit. 1 B. of Edw. 6. And of thy almighty goodnesse vouchsafe so to blesse and sanctifie with thy word and holy Spirit these thy gifts and creatures of bread and wine that they may be unto us the body and blood of thy most dearly beloved Son so that we receiving them according c. And with thy holy spirit and word vouchsafe to blesse and sanctifie these thy creatures and gifts of bread and wine that they may be unto us the body and blood of thy most dearly beloved Son Jesus Christ who in the same night that he was c. And grant that we receiving these thy creatures of bread and wine according to thy son our Saviour Jesus Christs holy institution in remembrance of his death and passion may be partakers of his most blessed body and blood who in the same night that he was betrayed took bread and when he had given thanks he broke it and gave it to his disciples saying K Take eat this is my body which is given for you do this in remembrance of me Likewise after supper he took the Cup and when he had given thanks he gave it to them saying Drink ye all of this for this is my blood of the new Testament which is shed for you and for many for remission of sinnes do this as â—â—t as you shall drink it in remembrance of me Scot. Lit. 1 B. of Edw. 6. At these words took bread that Presbyter that officiates is to take the patten in his hand Here the Priest must take the bread into his hands At these words took the cup he is to take the chalice in his hand and lay his hand upon so much be it in the chalice or slaggon as he intends to consecrate Here the Priest shall take the cup into his hands Scot. Lit. 1 B. of Edw. 6. Immediately after shall be said this memorial or Prayer of Oblation as followeth These words before rehearsed are to be said turning still to the Altar without any elevation or shewing the Sacrament to the people Wherefore O Lord and heavenly Father according to the institution of
thy dearly beloved Son our Saviour Jesus Christ we thy humble servants do celebrate and make here before thy divine majesty with these thy holy gifts the memorial which thy Son hath willed us to make L having in remembrance his blessed passion mighty resurrection and glorious ascension rendring thee most hearty thanks for the innumerable benefits procured unto us by the same entirely desiring thy fatherly goodnesse to accept c. as in the prayer after the Elements delivered 1 B. of Edw. 6. Let us pray Scot. Lit. Then shall the Presbyter say As our Saviour Christ hath commanded and taught us we are bold to say Our Father c. The Answer But deliver us from evil Amen Then shall the Priest say The peace of the Lord be alway with you The Clerk And with thy spirit The Priest Christ our paschal Lamb is offered up for us once for all when he bare our sinnes on his body upon the Crosse for he is the very Lamb of God that taketh away the sinns of the World wherefore let us keep a joyful and holy feast with the Lord. Scotch Liturgy Common Prayer 1. B. of Edw. 6t  Then shall the Byshop if he be present or else the Presbyter that celebrateth first receive the Communion in both kinds himself and next deliver it to other Byshops Presbyters and Deacons if any be there present that they may help him that celebrateth and after to the People in due order all humbly kneeling Then shall the Minister first receive the Communion in both kindes himself next deliver it to other ministers if any be present that they may help the chief Minister and after to the people in their M hands N kneeling Then shall the Priest first receive the Communion in both kindes himself and next deliver it to other Ministers if any be present there that they may be ready to help the chief minister and after to the people  And when he receiveth himself or delivereth the bread to others he shall say this Benediction And when he delivereth the Bread he shall say And when he delivereth the Sacrament of the Body of Christ he shall say to every one these words    1. B. of Edw. 6. 2. B of Edw. 6 The body of our Lord Jesus Christ which was given for thee preserve thy body and soul unto everlasting life O The body of our Lord Jesus Christ which was given for thee preserve thy body and soul into everlasting life and fake and eat this in remembrance that Christ died for thee and feed on him in thy heart by faith with thanksgiving The body of our Lord Jesus Christ which was given for thee preserve thy body and soul unto everlasting life Take and eat this in remembrance that Christ died for thee and feed on him in thine heart by faith with thanksgiving Here the party receiving shall say P Amen      1. B. of Edw. 6.  And the Presbyter or Minister that receiveth the Cup himself or delivereth it to others shall say this Benediction And the Minister that delivereth the Cup shall say And the Minister delivering the Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ and giving every one to drink once and no more shall say    1. B. of Edw. 6. 2. B. of Edw. 6. The blood of our Lord Jesus Christ which was shed for thee preserve thy body and soul unto everlasting life The blood of our Lord Jesus Christ which was shed for thee preserve thy body and soul unto everlasting life drink this in remembrance that Christs blood was shed for thee and be thankful The blood of our Lord Jesus Christ which was shed for thee preserve thy body and soul unto evey lasting life Drink this in remembrance that Christ blood was shed for thee and be thankfull Here the Party receiving shall say Amen    1 B. of Edward 6. If there be a Deacon or other Priest then shall he follow with the Chalice and as the Priest ministreth the Sacrament of the body so shall he for more expedtion minister the Sacrament of the blood in form before written In the Communion time the Clerk shall sing O Lamb of God that takest away the sins c. have mercy upon us O Lamb of God that takest away the sins c. Grant us thy peace Beginning so soon as the Priest doth receive the holy Communion and when the Communion is ended then shall he sing the Post-Communion Sentences of holy Scripture to be said or sung every day one after the holy Communion called the Post Communion Matth. 16. 24. Mar. 13. 13. Luke 1. 68. 12. 37. 40. 47. John 4. 23. 5. 14. 8. 31. 12. 36. 14. 21 23. 15. 7 8 12. Rom. 8. 31 32 33. 13. 12. 1 Cor. 1. 30. 3. 16. 6. 20. Then the Priest shall give thanks to God in the name of all them that have communicated turning him first to the people and saying The Lord be with you The Answer And with thy Spirit The Priest Let us pray Almighty and everlasting God we most heartily c. The Common Prayer Then shall the Minister say the Lords prayer the people repeating after him every petition After shall be said as followeth O Lord and heavenly father we thy humble servants entirely desire thy fatherly goodnesse mercifully to accept this our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving most humbly beseeching thee to grant that by the merits and death of thy son Jesus Christ and through faith in his blood we and all thy whole Church may obtain remission of our sins all other benefits of his passion Q And here we offer and present unto thee O Lord our selves our souls and bodies to be a reasonable holy and lively sacrifice unto thee humbly beseeching thee that all we which be partakes of this holy Communion may be fulfilled with thy grace and heavenly benediction And although we be unworthy through our manifold sins to offer unto thee any sacrifice yet we beseech thee to accept this our bounden duty and service 1 B. of Edw. 6. And command these our prayers and supplications by the ministry of thy holy Angels to be brought up into thy holy Tabernacle before the sight of thy divine Majesty not weighing our merits but pardoning our offences through Jesus Christ our Lord by whom and with whom in the unity of the holy Ghost all honour and glory be unto thee O father almighty world without end Amen Or this Scot. Lit. When all have Communicated he that celebrates shall go to the Lords Table and cover with a fair linen cloth or corporal that which remaineth of the consecrated elements and then say this Collect of thanksgiving as followeth ALmighty and everliving God we most heartily thank thee for that thou doest vouchsafe to feed us which have duâ—ly received these holy mysteries with the spiritual food of the most precious body and blood
abused to superstition and wickednesse Least any such thing hereater should be attempted and that an uniformity might be used throughout the whole Realm it is thought convenient the people commonly receive the Sacrament of Christs body in their mouths at the Priests hands Annotations upon CHAP. VII A. The Eucharist whence derived 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 different things and had different formes B. Men and women sate separate one from another C. Mixing of water with wine Ancient The reasons for it D. Draw neer when to be said Chancels anciently peculiar to the Clergy The Emperor onely privileged Laique Communion what why Chancels allotted to the Clergy onely The people usulaly received at the Chancel door E. Confession why necessary before the Communion The Priests posture at the Altar standing and why F. Sursum corda Ancient G. So also the Responces H. Proper Prefaces I. Trisagium Ancient Two hymnes so called K. Consecration not performed by the words of Primitive Institution The sense of the Fathers The Ancient custom of saying Amen to the concecration 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what in Justin Martyr L. Remembrance of Christs Passion at the Eucharist ought to be as well by verbal commemoration as by mental meditation The ancient formes M. The bread anciently delivered into the Communicants hands N. Kneeling in the act of receiving commended sometime used in Antiquity where practised since the Reformation O. The various formes of delivering the Eelements That of our Church justly preferred before the rest P. The Scotch order for saying Amen by the party receiving commended Singing of Psalms during the Communicating ancient Q. The Roman order defective in the most proper Sacrafice R. The Angelical hymn Difference betwixt an hymn and a Psalm The hymn mis-placed in the Mâ—sse-Book Our order more consonant to Antiquitie The Councel of Carthage cleared S. The Benediction by whom to be given The custome of bowing at it T. The second service when to be read V. A Rubrick unhappily Omitted W. The remains of the Consecrated Elements how anciently disposed X. To Receive thrice in the yevr an ancient practice AND above all things c. That the holy Communion even in the Apostolical age was celebrated at the same both table and time when Christians met for their ordinary repast at meals hath been said before No part of that either spiritual or temporal food was received without some religious application to God relative and directed to the ends for which those Collations were prepared which application whither it concerned the creature destined for bodily or for Mystical refreshment consisted of either two prayers distinct or two distinct members of one prayer The first was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thanksgiving to God for those benefits The second 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Invocation of his blessing upon them To speak appositly to the matter in hand when this application related to the elements seperated for the holy Communion Thanksgiving was made to God the Father much to the same effect of this that is for the redemption of the world by the death and passion of our Saviour Jesus Christ c. And from this very use the Communion contracted the name of Eucharist and not as hitherto hath been commonly supposed from any words constituting Consecration Consecration of the Elements was made indeed with thanksgiving not by it by blessing it was performed by blessing joyned with thanksgiving in one continued form of prayer or by blessing concomitant with thanksgiving in two distinct formes Clear it is though I grant the words were anciently used in a promiscuous sense these two thanksgiving and blessing as distinct things have in Antiquity several designes and also several formes Justin Martyr describing the Eucharist or thanksgiving in his time saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Lord hath commanded that Withal we should give thanks to God for the Creation of the world and all things therein for the benefit of man And for his delivering us from the misery wherein We were born and overthrowing principalities and powers with a total defeat by him that suffered according to his Counsel For farther illustration of this place you must know that though the Agapae were now for the cause afore specified antiquated in the Greek Church yet in regard the Collations were so very bountiful as the Communion accommodations served there remained fair dole for the poor the Antient form of thanksgiving used at their ordinary meales was in part retained viz. that by which special recognisance was made to God as the Creator Lord and giver of all things After this relating to the creatures deputed for charitable and common use followeth the thanksgiving for the benefits of Christs redemption and passion and as he elsewhere addeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For that God did deigne them the favour of those gifts of bread und wine To the very same purpose is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Clementine Constitutions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. we give thee hearty thanks O our Father for the life thou hast given us by thy Son Jesus Christ c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whom thou sentest to become man for our salvation c. so gradually proceeding through the whole economy of his Mediatorship it concludeth thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We further thank thee O our father for the precious blood of Jesus Christ shed for us and for his precious body The antitypes whereof we now celebrate he having commanded us to shew forth his death Thus have I made it evident whence the word Eucharist is derived and that this thanksgiving was anciently distinct from the consecrating or blessing of the elements whereof the several formes are also as easily to be produced but I shall supersede them for the present having occasion anon to declare them The men on one side and the women on the other side Such was the Primitive practise The Clementine Constitutions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let it be their care speaking of Deacons to see that the people sit on one side with all stilnesse and order and that the women sit apart by themselves Nor did they onely sit in places distinct but in reference to those places had distinct officers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let the door keepers attend upon the entrance of the men and the Diaconisses upon the entrance of the women A little pure and clean water So was the ancient practise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bread is brought forth and wine and water saith the ancient Father This was in opposition to two contrary Sects first the Armenians who held that it was onely lawful to use wine alone without water Secondly against the Hydroparastatae who officiated with water unmixt with wine The reason of this mixture was partly in imitation of our Saviours act in the first institution of the Eâ—charist agreeable to the custome of that hot climate which constantly used
to allay the heat of the wine with water and partly because that when our Saviours side was pierced with the lance there issued out both water and blood John 19. 34. Draw neer This exhortation with the former should regularly be said before the people ascend into the Chancel for the first I have the suffrage of a very learned Bishop concurring in opinion with me and for the latter these very words Draw neer seem to imply as much which would sound very superfluous and idle where the Communicants already ascended Therefore Bishop Andrews hath affixt this marginal note forte non est opus his verbis quia jam accesserunt Perhaps these words might be better spared because they are already come Again the Rubrick before this invitation confirms this opinion enjoyning it to be said to them that come not to those that are already come to receive the holy communion Now to enquire into the practise of Antiquity First you must know that the laity the people were not permitted so much as to enter the Chancel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is onely lawful for the Clergy to enter the Chancel and there to communicate So also another Canon of another Councel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let no lay man be permitted to come within the Quire but this is with an exception of honour to the Emperour who had a dispensation to enter this holy place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when he had a minde to present his oblations to his Creator I do not think that this is the first Councel which past this Grace to the Emperour because Nazianzen before cited in the last chapter gives so clear an account of the matter of fact I shall not over-charge you with too many proofs in so known a custome which needs no further demonstration then that familiar phrase of Laique Communion so frequent in St Cyprian and the African Fathers which denoted the deposing of a Clergy-man and compelling him to Commuincate amongst the people in a place distinct from the Clergy whence first this distinction grew Bishop Jewel gives this reason That they might not be disturbed in the office of their Ministry I may assigne another because at that time the quire was not susceptible of both states for without dispute the Clergy were then surpassing numerous so as Nazianzen speaks complainingly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they were very neer as many as the flock under their cure In the Church of Constantinople there were by imperial determination 60. Priests 100. Deacons 110. Readers and 25. singers The people being thus shut out of the Quire some place they must of necessity be allotted to which the phrase draw neer for it was of ancient usage must have respect this was the Chancel door or entrance into it for the Clergy having communicated the Superiour orders within the Rails at the Communion Table the inferiour within the body of the Quire the priest went down to the Chancel door opened both leaves which before were keept shut upon which occasion St. Chrysostom hath this excellent advertisment 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when thou beholdest the two doors of the Cancollum or travers doors opened think with thy self thou then beholdest heaven it self displayed and the Angels descending from above there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with a loud voice and thundring noise like a Cryer lifting his hand on high mounted up visible to all men these he inviteth to participate those he driveth away The form of invitation if we may credit the Liturgy which beareth St. Chrysostomes name was this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the fear of God with faith draw neer and the very same is in the Liturgy ascribed to James Certain it is the Priest did not run ambling with the Elements up and down from man to man but that the Communicants came to him and this is further manifest by the constitutions called Apostolical 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let every order by it self in course participate of the body of the Lord and of his precious blood with all fear and reverence as approaching to the presence of a king Then shall this general Confession be made The Church very aptly disposeth Confession at the beginning of the Communion service for considering that solemn Pennance of so laudable practise in the Primitive Church is laid aside and the necessity of Auricular confession worthily abolisht reason good some account should be given to the Church and in the Church of our humble acknowledgement of our sins and hearty contrition for them as preparatives necessary to the ensuing duty During the whole time of the Priest his officiating at the Communion setting aside in the very instant of his receiving you finde him but twice upon his knees whereof this is the first at all other times and parts of the service he is ordered to stand and so was the practise of the Primitive Church So the Constitutions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Bishop in a white and shining vestment and standing at the Altar praying So Augustine very often especially where he expostulateth Quis audivit aliquando fidelium stantem Sacerdotem ad Altare dicere in precibus Offero tibi sacrificium Petre vel Paule c. What one of all the faithful ever heard the Priest standing at the Altar say in his prayers I offer sacrifice to thee Peter or thee Paul This posture was taken up by the Christian Church in imitation of the Temple-service where the legal sacrifices were offered by the Priest standing Now the correspondence bewixt the legal and our Evangelical sacrifice being such as is betwixt the substance and the shadow why should we not agree in the Posture also for the Priest performing the Agenda of this office is imployed in several oblations First to offer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the incense of prayers and prayses those of the Congregation Secondly the oblation of our Almes Thirdly the oblation of our selves souls and bodies Lastly the grand sacrifice of all the Lamb of God slain for us and his death represented in the blessed symbols But why then doth he not stand at this prayer also I answer because it is not part of the former oblations but an◠humble confession of his own and the Congregations transgressions Lift up your hearts Of the excellent designe and antiquity of this Preface with its responsory St. Cyprian gives undeniable evidence Quando stamus ad Orationem cogitatio omnis carnalis secularis abscedat nec quicquam tunc animus quam idsolum quod cogitat precatur Ideo Sacerdos ante orationem Praefatione praemissa parat fratrum animos dicendo sursum corda dum responde◠plebs habemus ad Dominum admoneatur nihil se quam Dominum cogitare When we are imployed in prayer all carnal and worldly thoughts should be banisht nor must we minde any thing but what we are about our Prayers and therefore the Priest
consist A sacramental verity of Christs body and blood there cannot be without the Commemoration of his death and Passion because Christ never promised his mysterious yet real presence but in reference to such Commemoration Nor can there be a true Commemoration without the body and blood exhibited and participated because Christ gave not those visible Elements but his body and blood to make that spiritual representation Here the party receiving shall say Amen This order is a peece of Reformation where in the Church of Scotland stands single and alone I call it a peece of Reformation because it is the reviving of a very ancient custome The same is the direction in the Constitutions ascribed to the Apostles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let the Bishop give the Oblation of bread saying The body of Christ and let him that receiveth it say Amen Then the Deacon having the cup and delivering it let him say The blood of Christ the cup of salvation and let him that drinketh say Amen By St. Augustine it should seem to have been of general usage saying Universa Ecclesia accepto sanguine Chirsti dicit Amen The universal Church at the Receiving of the blood of Christ answereth Amen Thus you see upon what tearmes of conformity the Scotch service in this particular stands with the ancient practise Though I have neither rule nor text in any one of the Liturgies I discourse upon engageing me to it yet is it no extravant vagary here to take into consideration the general fashion used in our Church of imploying the Congregation in singing during the time of Communicating whither that time can be better transacted and laid out then in Psalmes sutable to the subject of those blessed Mysteries not falling under dispute must passe in the negative this being so the onely concernment to which I am obliged is to shew that the custome floweth from the prescript of Primitive tradition whereof the ancient Liturgies are evidence enough that especially exhibited in the Constitutions above mentioned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let the thirty third Psalm be said whilst the rest Communicate For the African practise speaks St Augustine Mos caeparat apud Carthagenem ut hymni ad Altare dicerentur de Psalmorum libro sive ante Oblationem sive cum distribueretur populo quod fuisset Oblatum Hunc morem Hilarius Laicus maledica reprehensione ubicunque poterat laterabat asserens fieri non oportere A custome was begun at Carthage that hymns out of Davids Psalms both before the Oblation and at the distribution of it should be sung This fashion one Hillary a lay-man wheresoever he could envied against affirming it ought not to be done And here we offer and present c. This high and eminent place looketh big upon all those false clamors that our service is extracted from the Masse challenging the Authors thereof to exhibit where it is to be found in the Canon of that Masse No to the utter shame of the Romish party our Church upbraideth them that whereas they contend so much for the propriety of the sacrifice of their Masse the whole Canon of that Masse hath not one syllable of this most proper sacrifice this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 indivisible Sacrifice of both bodies and souls a sacrifice enjoyned by Apostolical precept Romans 12. 1. and which did in the Primitive times constitute an illustrious part of the Eucharistical office Glory be to God on high Antiquity called this the Angelical hymn and in truth being Angelical it must be an hymn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Chrysostom Angels and the Celestial Quire send forth hymns they sing not Psalms And so Clemens Alexandrinus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let hymns be onely the prayses of God the reason is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psalmes contain all things both Divine and Moral Hymns onely the praises of God Called it is the Angelical hymn because the first part thereof is the Nativity-Carol mentioned Luke 2. 13. sung by the Angels the rest was composed by Ecclesiastical Doctors some think St. Hillary and the fourth Councel of Toledo seemeth to imply as much But the Constitutions of Clemens perswade me it was of earlier entrance it being there compleatly the same with ours in all materials but disposed in two several Prayers and is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that morning-hymn as I suppose to which Epiphanius a great follower of Clemens relateth in a place formerly cited Part it was of the Missa Catechumenorum in the Masse-book but worthily translated into the Communion service by our discreet Reformers it being formerly mis-laid this being its proper ubi or place for two reasons First because it is an hymn To sing an hymn after the distribution of the Elements is conformity to the mode of Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. thou seeâ—t that the last prayer after the Eucharist is celebrated is made in imitation of our Saviours practise Again it is a compound peece made up partly of Donology partly of Prayer and of Prayer addrest to Jesus Christ the Lamb of God now it is improper to apply our selves to Christ before the action of participation is past the reason is because the blessed Eucharist is a sacrifice wherein our Saviour Christ is considered as an immaculate Lamb offered upon the Altar to God the Father for the Remission of our sins And this I take to be the meaning of the third Counsel of Carthage decreeing ut nemo in precibus vel Patrem pro Filio vel Filium prâ— Patre nominet cum altari assistitur semper ad Patrem airigatur oratio That no man name the Father for the Son nor the Son for the Father in publick prayers and when any officiate at the altar viz. before distribution of the Elements that the prayer be alwayes directed to the Father For which I can assigne no other reason but because Christ is then the great sacrifice and the Father is the person to be appeased The Peace of God This benediction is a peculiar of the Bishops office if present because the lesse is blessed of the greater Hebr. 7. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The principal Priest dismisseth the people with his blessing After this pronounced the Deacon usually said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Go in peace when the people received it they bowed down their heads 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let the Bishop give the benediction the people bowing down their heads This gesture imports a kinde of adoration Eccles. 50. 23. The Jewes are said to bow down themselves to worship the Lord. So in the Primitive Church the Energumenj were commanded to bow their heads and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in that fashion to perform their bodily reverence Upon the holidayes if there be no Communion Anciently upon holy-dayes Communions were constant and consequently oblations wherefore Proclus saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Festival is the poor mans harvest because he
Then shall the Minister say 1 B. of Edw. 6. O Merciful God grant that the old Adam in these children may be so buried that the new man may be raised up in them Amen O merciful God grant that the old Adam in them that shall be baptised in this fountain may so be buried that the new man may be raised again Amen Grant that all carnal affections may die in them and that all things belonging to the spirit may live and grow in them Amen Grant that all carnal offections may die in them and that all things belonging to the spirit may live and grow in them Amen Grant that they may have power and strength to have victory and triumph against the devil the world and the flesh Amen Grant to all them which at this fountain forsake the Devil and all his works that they may have power and strength to have victory and to triumph against him the world and the flesh Amen Whosoever shall confesse thee O Lord recognise him also in thy kingdom Amen Grant that all sin and vice here may be so exstinct that they never have power to reign in thy servants Amen Grant that whosoever here shall begin to be of thy flock may evermore continue in the same Amen Grant that all they which for thy sake in this life do deny and forsake themselves may win and purchase thee O Lord which art everlasting treasure Amen Common Prayer Grant that whosoever is here dedicated to thee by our office and Ministry may also be endued with thy heavenly vertues and everlastingly rewarded through thy mercy O blessed Lord God who doest live and govern all things world without end Amen ALmighty everliving God whose most dearly beloved son Jesus Christ for the forgivenesse of our sins did shed out of his most pretious side both water and blood and gave commandment to his disciples that they should go teach all nations and baptise them in the name of the father the son and of the holy ghost Regard we beseech thee the supplications of the congregation and grant that all thy servants which shall be baptised in this water Scot. Lit. which we here blesse and dedicate in thy name to this spiritual washing may receive the fulnesse of thy grace and ever remain in the number of thy faithful and elect children through Jesus Christ our Lord.  1 B. of Edw. 6. Then shall the Minister take the child in his hands and ask the name K and naming the childe shall L dip it in water so it be discretly and warily done saying Then shall the Priest take the childe in his hands and ask the name and naming the childe shall dip it in the water M thrice First dipping the right side Secondly the left side the third time dipping the face toward the font So it be discreetly and warily done saying N. I baptise thee in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy ghost Amen N. I baptise thee c. And if the childe be weak it shall sufffice to power water upon it saying the same words And if the childe be weak it shall suffice to poure water upon it saying the foresaid words I baptise thee c. Then the Godfathers and Godmothers shall take and lay their hands upon the children and the Minister shall put upon him his white vesture N commonly called the Chrysom And say N. I baptise thee in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy Ghost Amen  Take this white vesture for a token of the Innocence which by Gods grace in this holy Sacrament of Baptisme is given unto thee and for a signe where by thou art admonished so long as thou livest to give thy self to innocence of living that after this transitory life thou mayest be partaker of the life everlasting Amen Then the Priest shall O anoint the infant upon the head saying Almighty God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. who hath regenerate thee by water and the holy Ghost and hath given unto thee remission of all thy sins he vouchsafe to anoint thee with the unction of his holy spirit and bring thee to the inheritance of everlasting life Amen When there are many to be baptised this order of demanding Baptising puting on the Crysome and anointing shall be used severally with every childe Those that be first Baptised departing from the Font and remaining in some convenient place within the Church until all be baptised Common prayer P Then the minister shall make a crosse upon the childs forehead saying WE receive this childe into the Scot. Lit. Church of Christ Congregation of Christs flock and do signe him with the signe of the crosse in token that hereafter be shall not be ashamed to confesse the faith of Christ crucified and manfully to fight under his banner against sin the world and the devil and to continue Christs faithful soldier and servant unto his lives end Amen Then shall the Minister say SEeing now dearly beloved brethren that these children be regenerate and grafted into the body of Christs congregation let us give thanks unto God for these benefits and with one accord make our prayers unto almighty God that they may lead the rest of tâ—â—ir life according to this beginning Then shall be said Our father which art in heaven c. Then shall the Minister say WE yeeld thee hearty thanks most merciful father that it hath pleased thee to regenerate this infant with thy holy spirit to receive him for thine own childe by adoption and to incorporate him into thy holy congregation And humbly we veseech thee to grant that he being dead unto sin and living unto righteousnesse and being buried with Christ in his death may crucifie the old man and utterly abolish the whole body of sin that as he is made partaker of the death of thy son so he may be partaker of his resurrection so that finally with the residue of thy holy congregation he may be inheritor of thine everlasting kingdom through Christ our Lord Amen At the last end the Minister calling the Godfathers and Godmothers together shall say this exhortation following FOrasmuch as these children have promised by you to forsake the devil and all his works to beleeve in God and to serve him you must remember that it is your parts and duties to see that these infants be taught so soon as they shall be able to learn what a solemn vow promise and profession they have made by you And that they may know these things the better ye shall call upon them to hear sermons And cheefly ye shall provide that they may learn the Creed the Lords prayer and the ten Commandments in the English tongue and all other things which a Christian man ought to know and beleeve to his souls health and that these children may be vertuously brought up to lead a godly and a Christian life remembring alwayes that baptisme doth represent unto us
Penitent which were under excommunication should carry the bodies of Christians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Where Epiâ—hanius lived others were â—eculiorly designed for this Office these were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whose care conversant about the disposal of dead bodies Whether voluntary charity inclined these Copiates to this Office or whether they were hirelings and mercenary I can not determine the labour they underwent maketh me suspect them servile and of the lowest row On the contrary Na ianzene speaking of St. Bazils funeral saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 His body was taken up and car◠〈◊〉 by the Saints Which Saints may very well be esteemed the eminentest of Christians especially when this St. Gregories Scholar St. Hierom tells us that his famous Paula was Translata Episcoporum manibus servicem feretro subjicientibus carried by the Bishops supporting the Bier with their hands and shoulders Whereby the Office was not it seems so servile nor of such disparagement as the first Authorities would pretend to render it To bring these ends neerer together and yet not to depreciate and undervalue the credit of the witnesses I conceive the best way is to yield up all for true and that the Bishops and eminent Persons did assume this Office onely at the first egress from the house and also at the last ingress into the Church and that the great toyl and drudgery between both was undergone by Penitents as part of their Canonical penance or by the Copiastae who therefore gained the name of Labourers because they contracted a lassitude by bearing the Corps to Church But by these all or which you will the Corps went 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in state with Psalmodies one after another 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What 's the matter what means this singing of Psalms expoâ—tulateth St. Chrysostome and then makes answer Do we not praise and glorifie God because at length he hath given the deceased a Crown of Glory The body being in this solemn Pomp brought to the Church was placed in media Ecclesia in the midst of the Church over which before interment there was usually made in praise of the Dead a funeral Oration and sometimes more than one For as I said before of Sermons upon other occasions so at funeral solemnities Orations were performed by many the first at the end of his Harangue or Speech usually raising up another So St. Basil in his upon St. Barlaam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. But why do I by my childish stammering disparage this Triumphant Martyr Let me give way for more eloquent tongues to resound his praise let me call up the louder Trumpets of more famous Doctors to set him forth Arise then I say c. And so Nazianzene bespeaketh St. Basil being present at his Fathers Funeral 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Strike up with thine own voice I am the Resurrection Our solemn attending on the hearse of a deceased friend the embalming of him with a funeral Oration the care to see him decently inhumed and all other dues of exteriour honour we pay to that Noble clod are but those civilities which ethnique Philosophy hath dictated to her disciples God certainly expects more from Christianity than from Infidelity he expecteth from Christians conformity to his own precepts whereof this is one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That ye be not sorrowful at all at the loss of your friends not so the tears our blessed Saviour shed at the death of Lazarus legitimate and warrant ours but we must not be sorrowful 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as others are some Jewes as the Sadduces and all Heathens how that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that are without hope They give all for lost if some few dreamed of I know not what Elisian fields for the soul yet generally concerning the body they were of opinion with the Tragedian post mortem nihil est after death nulla retrorsum no hope that ever the body should recover life and be re-united with the soul. So that upon such occasions Hope is our Christian duty our duty I say not our complement not what we may do or leave undone but what we must do Now the proper object of this Hope is the Resurrection of the Body which followeth in the next verse Them which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him So then here is cause of great comfort as to the state of our departed friend what though for the present and an inconsiderable moment his flesh shall rot and waste to dust yet shall it rise again and be restored to a state of Glory and as this meditation is of singular consolation in respect of the dead so is it no less applied to the living That spectacle of mortality presented to the eyes of the beholders is lecture enough to assure them of their like change and what must they do in the interim The Apostle bidds them Hope for what for temporal benefits and accommodations for things of this life No. If in this life only we have hope in Christ we are of all men most miserable Of the Resurrection of their flesh unto glory and eternal life this undoubtedly So then funeral solemnities ought to excite in us Hope that is a certain expectation of the General Resurrection Nor will closet soli-loquies and private contemplation of that day serve our turns it is a sociable duty for so the Apostle makes it Comfort your selves one another with these words 1 Thess. c. 4. v. 18. What words With discourses concerning the Resurrection The premised context certainly implyeth as much as if he should say that they who are laid into the earth and nothing said at their interment declaring the mystery of the Resurrection Let their bodies be never so decently treated human they may Christian burial they cannot have From all this which hath been said the excellency of our Church her burial Office and the true conformity it beareth to Canonical Scripture will evidently appear Of the whole Service three parts of four are nothing else but pure Canonical Scripture the choicest parcels thereof being collected thence to declare the Doctrine of the Resurrection agreable to the Primitive Practice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Ministers reading those undoubted promises which are exhibitea â—â— Sacred Scripture concerning our holy Resurrection next devoutly sung such of the Sacred Psalms as were of the same subject and argument For the rest the praying part what is it but the application of that Doctrine to the benefit of the living and a desire that they with all the faithful departed may at that day have perfect consummation and bliss both in body and soul. In sure and certain hope of the Resurrection These words have not as some mistake peculiar reference to the party deceased but import the faith of the congregation then present in the Article of the Resurrection and that their own bodies shall rise again
ut volebas conatus sum hortari I have used my endeavour as thou didst wish me to perswade the Protector Whence manifest it is that Letter was wrot at the instance of Martin Bucer then in England Now Bucer arrived not in England until Anno 49. though Mr. Fox erroneously renders him here Anno 47. This is apparent by the occanon of his leaving Strasburgh In the year 1548. Charles the fift then Emperour caused at the diet of Ausburgh a form of Religion to be drawn up so modified in accomodation to the both Romish Catholiques and Protestants as he expected both Parties would subscribe unto it and because it was onely intended as the standard of Belief until the Councel of Trent should add to the points contraverted a final determination and no longer it was therefore called the Interim Bucer being called to Auspurgh by the Electors Palatine and Brandenburgh with the Emperours leave to submit to this Interim declared he could not with a safe conscience do it He well know that this declaration once past Strasburgh would be no place of security to him especially taking notice that the Emperour had an old pique and grudge against him as a principal Actor in the Collen Reformation Being thus necessitated to abandon Strasburgh he intimated his condition to a friend of his in England that Friend acquaints the Bishop Cranmer therewith who presently by an express of his own dated October 2. 48. and after by his Secretary Peter Alexander March 14. 49. gives him an earnest invite to England with promises of ample promotion To this friendly call Bucer listens and visits England in the Spring Cum primum venissem are his own words as soon as he came over he caused the Liturgy to be translated for him that he might judge whither or not he might conform to it So that the Liturgy was certainly published before he came over and that was not until 49. Being here and observing some Ceremonies boggled at by nicer palates that Summer he gives Calvin an account thereof desiring him to move the Protector they might not be so strictly urged This was the genuine and true impulsive to Calvin to write that Letter which if dated in October as all the Impressions of his Epistles render it and the context of all circumstances seems to perswade belief it must then of necessity be in October 1549. THE PROCLAMATION EDward by the grace of God King of England France and Ireland defender of the Faith and of the Church of England and Ireland in earth the supream head To all and singuler our loving Subjects greeting For so much as in our high Court of Parliament lately holden at Westminster it was by us with the consent of the Lords spiritual and temporal and Commons there assembled most godly and agreeably to Christs holy institution enacted the most blessed Sacrament of the body and blood of our Saviour Christ should from henceforth be commonly delivered and ministred unto all persons within our Realm of England and Ireland and other our Dominions under both kinds that is to say of bread and wine except necessity otherwise require least every man phantasying and devising a sundry way by himself in the use of this most blessed Sacrament of unity there might thereby arise any unseemly and ungodly diversity Our pleasure is by the advise of our most dear Uncle the Duke of Somerset Governour of our person and Protector of our Realmes Dominions and Subjects and other our Privy Counsel that the said blessed Sacrament be ministred unto our People onely after such form and manner as hereafter by our authority with the advise before mentioned is set forth and declared Willing every man with due reverence and christian behaviour to come to this holy Sacrament and most blessed Communion lest that by the unworthy receiving of so high misteries they become guilty of the body and blood of the Lord and so eat and drink their own damnation but rather diligently trying themselves that they so come to this holy table of Christ and so be partakers of this holy Communion that they may dwell in Christ and have Christ dwelling in them And also with such obedience and conformity to receive this our Ordinance and most godly direction that we may be encouraged from time to time further to travel for the reformation and setting forth of such godly orders as may be most to Gods glory the edifying of our Subjects and for the advancement of true Religion Which the thing we by the help of God most earnestly entended to bring to effect willing all our loving Subjects in the mean time to stay and quiet themselves with this our direction as men content to follow authority according to the bounden duty of Subjects and not enterprising to run afore and so by their rashness become the greatest hinderers of such things as they more arrogantly than godly would seem by their own private authority most hotly to set forward we would not have our Subjects so much to mislike our Judgment so much to mistrust our zeale as though we rather could not discerne what were to be done or would not do all things in due time God be praised we know both what by his Word is meet to be redressed and have an earnest mind by the advise of our most deare Uncle and other of our Privy Councel with all diligence and convenient speed so to set forth the same as it may most stand with Gods glory and edifying and quietness of our people Which we doubt not but all our obedient and loving Subjects will quietly and reverently tarry for God save the King The order of the Communion FIrst the Parson Vicar or Curat the next Sunday or Holy-day or at the least one day before he shall minister the Communion shall give warning to his Parishioners or those which be present that they prepare themselves thereto saying to them openly and plainly as hereafter followeth or such like DEar friends and you especially upon whose souls I have cure and charge upon day next I do entend by Gods grace to offer to all such as shall be thereto godly disposed the most comfortable Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ to be taken of them in the remembrance of his most fruitful and glorious passion by the which passion we have obtained remission of our sinnes and be made partakers of the kingdom of heaven whereof we be assured and ascertain'd if we come to the said Sacrament with harty repentance of our offences stedfast Faith in Gods mercy and earnest mind to obey Gods will and to offend no more wherefore our duty is to come to these holy mysteries with most hearty thanks to be given to Almighty God for his infinite mercy and benefits given and bestowed upon us his unworthy servants for whom he hath not onely given his body to death and shed his blood but also doth vouchsafe in a Sacrament and mystery to give us his said body
and blood spiritually to feed and drink upon The which Sacrament being so divine and holy a thing and so comfortable to them which receive it worthily and so dangerous to them that will presume to take the same unworthily my duty is to exhort you in the mean season to consider the greatness of the thing and to search and examine your own consciences and that not lightly nor after the manner of dissemblers with God But as they which should come to a most godly and heavenly banket not to come but in the marriage garment required of God in Scripture that you may so much as lieth in you be found worthy to come to such a table The waies and means thereto is First that you be truely repentant of your former evil life and that you confess with an unfained heart to almighty God your sins and unkindness towards his Majesty committed either by will word or deed infirmity or ignorance and that with inward sorrow and teares you bewaile your offences and require of Almighty God mercy and pardon promising to him from the bottom of your hearts the amendment of your former life And amongst all others I am commanded of God especially to move and exhort you to reconcile your selves to your neighbours whom you have offended or who hath offended you putting out of your hearts all hatred and malice against them and to be in love and charity with all the world and to forgive other as you would that God should forgive you And if there be any of you whose conscience is troubled and grieved in any thing lacking comfort or counsel let him come to me or some other discreet and learned Priest taught in the Law of God and confess and open his sinne and grief secretly that he may receive such ghostly counsel advise and comfort that his conscience may be relieved and that of us as a Minister of God and of the Church he may receive comfort and absolution to the satisfaction of his mind and avoiding of all scruple and doubtfulness requiring such as shall be satisfied with a general confession not to be offended with them that doth use to their further satisfying the auricular and secret confession to the Priest nor those also which think needful or convenient for the quietness of their own consciences particularly to open their sinnes to the Priest to be offended with them which are satisfied with their humble confession to God and the general confession to the Church But in all these things to follow and keep the rule of Charity and every man to be satisfied with his own conscience not judging other mens minds or acts whereas he hath no warrant of Gods Word for the same The time of Communion shall be immediatly after that the Priest him self hath received the Sacrament without the varying of any other rite or ceremony in the Masse until other order shall be provided but as heretofore usually the Priest hath done with the Sacrament of the body to prepare less and consecrate so much as will serve the people so it shall yet continue still after the same manner and form save that he shall bless and consecrate the biggest Chalice or some fair and convenient cup or cups full of wine with some water put unto it And that day not drink it all up himself but taking one onely sup or draught leave the rest upon the Altar covered and turn to them that are disposed to be partakers of the Communion and shall thus exhort them as followeth Dearly beloved in the Lord ye comming to this holy Communion must consider what S. Paul writeth to the Corinthians how he exhorteth all persons diligently to trie and examine themselves or ever they presume to eate of this bread and drink of this cup for as the benefit is great if with a truly penitent heart and lively faith we receive this holy Sacrament for then we spiritually eate the flesh of Christ and drink his bloud Then we dwell in Christ and Christ in us we be made one with Christ and Christ with us So is the danger great if we receive the same unworthily for then we become guiltie of the body and blood of Christ our Saviour we eat and drink our own damnation because we make no difference of the Lords body we kindle Gods wrath over us we provoke him to plague us with divers diseases and sundry kindes of death Judge therefore your selves brethren that ye be not judged of the Lord. Let your minde be without desire to sinne Repent you truly for your sinnes past have an earnest and lively Faith in Christ our Saviour be in perfect Charity with all men so shall ye be meet partakers of these holy Mysteries But above all things you must give most humble and hearty thanks to God the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost for the Redemption of the world by the death and passion of our Saviour Jesus Christ both God and man who did humble himself even to the death upon the Cross for us miserable sinners lying in darkness and the shadow of death that he might make us the children of God and exalt us to everlasting life And to the end that we alway should remember the exceeding love of our Master and Saviour Jesus Christ thus doing for us and the innumerable benefits which by his precious blood shedding he hath obtained to us he hath left in these holy Mysteries as a pledg of his love and a continual remembrance of the same his own blessed body and precious blood for us spiritually to feed upon to our endless comfort and consolation To him therefore with the Father and the Holy Ghost let us give as we are bound continually thanks submitting our selves wholly to his holy will and pleasure and studying to serve him in true holiness and righteousness all the daies of our life Amen Then the Priest shall say to them that be ready to take the Sacrament If any man here be an open Blaspemer Advouterer in malice or envy or any other notable crime and be not truly sorry therefore and earnestly minded to leave the same vices or that doth not trust himself to be reconciled to Almighty God and in charity with all the world let him yet a while bewail his sinnes and not yet come to this holy Table least after the taking of this most blessed bread the Devil enter into him as he did into Judas to fulfill in him all iniquity and to bring him to destruction both of body and soul. Here the Priest shall pause a while to see if any man will withdraw himself and if he perceive any so to do then let him commune with him privily at convenient leasure and see whether he can with good exhortation bring him to grace and after a little pause the Priest shall say You that do truly and earnestly repent you of your sinnes and offences committed to Almighty God and be in love and charity with your neighbours and intend
Almighty God and so fulfil his appointment So the Constitutions whereby it is manifest not onely that such commemoration was made but that it was made upon the account of Divine institution In all the Liturgies ascribed to St. James St. Basil St. Chrysostom c. the like commemoration passeth currant For the Latines listen to St. Ambrose Sacerdos dicit ergo memores gloriosissimae ejus passionis ab inferis resurrectionis in coelum ascensionis Offerimus tibi c. The Priest sayes Therefore commemorating his most glorious passion resurrection from the Dead and Ascension into heaven we offer up unto thee c. Agreeable to which is the now Canon of the mass whence it is that the same Ambrose of the words do this in remembrance of me gives this paraphrase Mortem meam praedicabitis resurrectonem meam annunciabitis adventum sperabitis donec iterum ad-veniam ye shall set forth my death declare my resurrection and hope for my coming until I shall come again Indeed St. Paul himself seems so to interpret them saying For as often as ye shall eat this bread and drink this cup ye shew the Lords death till he come 1 Cor. 11. 26. implying that Annunciation or declaration of Christs passion was usually made at the celebrating the Eucharist which could no otherwise be then by verbal commemoration To the people in their hands so was the celebration observed by Christ himself and so the Primitive custome the scrupulous person mentioned before in Eusebius is said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to stretch out his hand for the receiving of the sacred food So St. Cyprian speaking of persons lapsed who intruded to the Communion before they had performed those solemnities of penance which the Church required saith Plus modo in Dominum manibus et ore delinquunt quam cum Dominum negaverunt They did more heinously offend God with their hands reacht out to take and their mouthes open to devour those pretious symbols then they the Jews did with their tongues when they denyed him To the same purpose this father elsewhere very often so also Clemens Alexandrinus Augustine who not In tract of time some indiscreet persons pretending greater reverence to the mysteries as if they were defiled with their hands were at the cost to provide certain saucers or little plates of gold why not as well golden mouths and stomacks to receive it until they were forbidden by the sixth Councel in Trullo Another abuse the Church of Rome brought in where the Priest puts it into the peoples mouth least a crum should fall beside which favouring Transubstantiation is by our Church discontinued Kneeling The antients made it their study to adorn the blessed Eucharist with all the Appellations of honour they could devise some called it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. the perfection of perfections some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the dreadful mysteries some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the exemplar of high mysteries The table on which it was said was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the holy Table 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the mysticnl Table 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the terrible and dreadful Table much cost to slender purpose if after all it be now be discovered they were in the wrong and that this Sacrament hath nothing of that veneration nothing of that dreadfulness which they imputed to it and that it is so same and despicable an Ordinance as will admit of any negligent posture and that kneeling is too good for it Miserable infatuation Good God how well mayest thou say to those missed souls as Augustus to him who entertained him meanly I did not think you and I had been so familiar Blessed Jesus wert thou so gracious to us wretches as to leave and bequeath us this mystery of our eternal redemption and great charter of all thy benefits and shall we dare to receive it in any other then the lowest and humblest posture What is if this be not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not to disdiscern the Lords Body and what the consequence of that in distinction is let all them consider who would avoid it But it may be said that Kneeling was not the gesture of the Primitive Church Confest generally it was not because their fashion was upon Communion days to pray standing Nevertheless the communicant was enjoyned to receive those mysteries 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bowing himself after the manner of veneâ—ation and Adoration Now can Augustines words be otherwayes truly interpreted Nemo carnem illam manducat nisi prius adoraverit Let none presume to eat that flesh until he hath done his Obeysance Nor was this Oecumenical and universal practise for Sozomen tells a story of a woman which to please her husband comming to the Communion took the bread when the Priest gave it her and kneeling down as if it had been to secret prayer conveyed it away her maid then by privily stealing a peece of common bread into her hands which she eat instead of the other whence it appeareth that kneeling was not then interdicted A gesture used by the Protestants of Bohemia upon whose custo me mentioned in their Confession the French and Dutch Churches passed this judgement In hoc ritu suam cuique Ecclesiae libertatem salvam relinquendam arbitramur As to this ceremony we hold it fit that every Church be left to her own liberty A gesture which by Beza's own confession olim potuit cum fructis usurpari might in times past have been used with edification In time past why not now as well yea much rather when as the fear of reverting to Popish Idolatry is altogether vain so the danger of Apostatizing from Christ is very great and no way sooner occasioned then by a sitting posture it being observed by the Polish Church that the men who lapsed there into the Arrian haeresie were all such as addicted themselves to that posture at the Communion The body of our Lord c. If you take a view of the elder formes as they stand lateral to the Common prayer you may perceive this constituted by the coupling and uniting of the other two which were before unhappily divorced For the first form in the â— Book excluding the words commemorative of Christs death and passion which those divine Mysteries were ordered to represent as it is the precise formula of the Masse-book so might it be suspected as overserviceable to the Doctrine of Transubstantion to which the Romanists applied it Again in the next Book the Commemoration being let in and the body and blood of Christ shut out that real Presence which all sound Protestants seem to allow might probably be implied to be denied Excellently well done therefore was it of Q. Elizabeth her Reformers to link them both together for between the body and blood of Christ in the Eucharist and the Sacramental commemoration of his passion there is so inseparable a league as subsist they cannot unlesse they