in their Synagogues all those who professe the Christian faith So in Justin Martyrs time and so etiam nunc even at this very present as the famous Grotius sufficiently demonstrateth Secondly the Papists who make it a peculiar part of their service appointed for Maunday-thursday to curse with bell Book and candle all whom they account for hereticks as appeareth by their Bulla Caenae O Christ hear us The Civilians have a saying voluntas fortior attenditur ex geminata expressione the meaning of a man is best understood by iterating and doubling of the expression No lesse true in those resorts we make to God the frequent repeating of our supplications striking the more forceable impression upon our soules Whence the so often redoubling of several members of Davids Psalms whence our Saviour in his great agony conflict prayed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 using alwayes the very same words whence in the primitive Church the Litanies which were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Prayers spirited with the greater vehemency were alwayes full of such reduplications as may be seen by the several forms mentioned by the constitutions of Clemens and in the several Liturgies of those early times A thanksgiving for rain Gods blessings and our prayses are the great intelligencers which negotiate betwixt him us The first are testimonials to us that our Prayers and Almes miscarried not in their way got safe to heaven The last are certificates to him that his blessings got safe to us for that we have received his gifts no notice will he take from any but our selves and no notice can we convey to him without the sacrifice of Prayse Indeed reason good our hearts should move our lungs and lips as readily to thank as to supplicate him for his benefits therefore whereas in our service book certain collects of prayers were framed applicable to cases of extraordinary visitations it was noted as a great defect that set formes of thanksgiving were not also contrived relative to the same occasions in case the issues and dispensations of the Almighty proved answerable to our requests And though it hath been interposed by judicious Mr. Hooker on our Churches behalf that this were better provided for by select dayes assigned by supream authority for that duty and by set formes agreeable thereunto then by a small collect That defence is in my opinion but partly satisfactory For calamities are most commonly not National but sometimes Provinical somtimes they quarter onely in one City sometimes but in a petty village and unlesse they spread to be Epidemical they rarely reach the cognizance of the supream magistrate or if they do they will not carry with them importance enough to perswade the indiction of dayes of universal either Humiliation or thanksgiving for such minute mergencies therefore not to defraud the reformation under king James of the honour it hath merited the superadding of those relative Thanksgivings was not onely a commendable but a necessary Act. CHAP. V. 1. B. of Edw. 6. The A Introits Collects Epistles and Gospels to be used at the Celebration of the Lords supper and holy Communion through the year with proper Psalmes and lessons for divers Feasts and dayes COMMON PRAYER The Collects B. Epistles and Gospels to be used at the Celebration of the Lords Supper and holy Communion through the year C. The first Sunday in Advent 1. B. of Edw. the 6. Blessed is the man c. Psal. 1. Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. The Collect. ALmighty God give us grace that we may cast away the workes of darknesse put upon us the Armour of light now in the time of this mortal life in the which thy son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility that in the last day when he shall come again in his glorious majestie to judge both the quick and the dead we may rise to the life im mortal through him who liveth and raigneth with thee and the holy Ghost now and â—vâ—r Amen The Epistle O we nothing to any man Rom. 13. verse 8. unto the end Scotch Liturgie when the Presbyter or Minister readeth the Gospel the people shall stand up and the Presbyter before he beginneth to read the Gospel shall say thus The Gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ written in such a Chapter of such an Evangelist beginning at such a verse And the people shall answer Glory be to God The Gospel And when they drew nigh Mat. 21. verse 1. to the end Scotch Lit. When the Gospel is ended the Presbyter or Minister shall say Here endeth the Gospel and the people shall answer Thanks be to thee O Lord. And thus at the beginning and ending of the Gospel every Sunday and Holyday in the year or when else soever the Gospel is read The second sunday in Advent 1. B. of Ed. 6. When I was in trouble c. Psal. 120. Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. The Collect. BLessed Lord which hast caused all holy scriptures to be written for our learning Graunt us that we may in such wise hear them read mark learn and inwardly digest them that by patience and comfort of thy holy word we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life which thou hast given us in our Saviour Jesus Christ. The Epistle Whatsoever things are written Rom. 15. verse 4. to verse 14. The Gospel There shall be signes in the Sun Lu. 21. verse 25. to verse 34. The third Sunday in Advent 1. B. of Edw. 6. Hear me when I call Psal. 4. Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. The Collect. LOrd we beseech thee give ear to our prayers and by thy gratious visitation lighten the darknesse of our heart by our Lord Jesus Christ. The Epistle Let a man this wise esteem us 1 Cor. 4. verse 1. unto verse 6. The Gospel When John being in prison Mat. 11. verse 2. unto verse 11. The fourth Sunday in Advent 1. B. of Edw. 6. Ponder my words O Lord. c. Psal 5. Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. The Collect. LOrd raise up we pray thee thy power and come among us and with great might succour us that whereas through our sins and wickednesse we be sore let and hindered thy bountiful grace and mercy through the satisfaction of thy son our Lord may speedily deliver us to whom with thee and the holy ghost be honour and glory world without end The Epistle Rejoyce in the Lord alway Phil. 4. verse 4. unto verse 8. The Gospel This is the record of John John 1. verse 19. unto verse 29. D. Christmas day 1 B. of Edw. 6. Proper Psalmes and Lessons on Christmas day At Mattens 19. The first Lesson Esai 9. unto the end Psalm 45.  85. The second Lesson Mat. 1. unto the end At the
celebrari It is very convenient that the Lords supper be celebrated on Easter Whitsuntide and on the birth day of our Saviour The word Parishioner must here be understood according to several qualifications and capacities First it intendeth the Laity and therefore this Rubrick is no dispensation to the Clergy belonging to Cathedrals who are still obliged to receive every Sunday unlesse they shew cause to the contrary Secondly it meaneth such as can say their Catechisme and have been confirmed as is in the Rubrick at the end of Confirmation Lastly it importeth infants also which in the second qualification it excluded for it is said every Parishioner shall also receive the Sacraments c. meaning when Infants Baptisme and when of riper years the Eucharist else we make more then two Sacraments contrary to our Church Catechisme CHAP. VIII Common Prayer The Ministration of A Baptisme to be used in in the Church 1 B. of Edvv. 6. Of the Administration of Publick Baptisme to be used in the Church IT appeareth by ancient writers that the B Sacrament of Baptisme in the old time was not commonly ministred but at two times in the year C at Easter and Whitsuntide At which time it was openly ministred in the presence of all the Congregation which custom now being grown out of use although it cannot for many considerations be well restored again yet it is thought good to follow the same as neer as conveniently may be wherefor the people are to be admonished that it is most convenient that Baptisme should not be ministred but upon Sundayes and other holy-dayes when the most number of people may come together as well for that the congregation there present may testifie the receiving of them that be newly baptized into the number of Christs Church as also because in the Baptisme of infants every man present may be put in remembrance of his own profession made to God in baptisme For which cause also it is expedient that Baptisme be ministred in the English tongue Neverthelesse if necessity so require children 1 B. of Edw. 6. ought at all times to be baptised either at the Church or else at home may at altimes be baptised at home Publick Baptisme When there are children to be baptised upon the Sunday or holy day the parents shall give knowledge overnight or in the morning afore the beginning of morning prayer to the Curate And then the Godfathers Godmothers and people with the children D must be ready at the Font 1 B. of Edw. 6. at the Church door either immediately after the last 1. B. of Edw. 6. Canticle Lesson at Morning prayer or else immediatly after the last 1 B. of Edw. 6. Canticle Lesson at Evening prayer as the Curate by his discretion shall appoint And then standing there the minister shall ask whether the children be baptised or no If they answer no Then shall the Minister say thus DEarly beloved forasmuch as all men be conceived and born in sin and that our saviour Christ saith None can enter into the kingdome of God except he be regenerate and born a new of water and the holy ghost I beseech you to call upon God the father through our Lord Jesus Christ that of his bounteous mercy he will grant to these children that thing which by nature they cannot have that they may be baptised with water and the holy ghost and received into Christs holy Church and be made lively members of the same Then the Minister shall say Let us pray  1 B. of Edw. 6. ALmighty and everlasting God which of thy great mercy didst save Noah and his family in the Ark from perishing by water and also didst safely send the children of Israel thy people through the red sea figuring thereby thy holy Baptisme And by the Baptism of thy well beloved son Jesus Christ didst sanctifie the flood Jordan and all other waters to the mystical washing away of sin Scot. Lit. sanctifie this fountain of Baptisme thou which art the Sanctifier of all things And further we beseech thee for thy infinite mercies that thou wouldest mercifully look upon these children sanctifie and wash them with the holy Ghost that they being delivered from thy wrath may be received into the Ark of Christs Church and being stedfast in faith joyful through hope and rooted in charity Almighty and everlasting God which of thy justice didst destroy by floods of water the whole world for sin except eight persons whom of thy mercy the same time thou didst save in the Ark And when thou didst drown in the red sea wicked king Pharaoh with all his Army yet at the same time thou didst lead thy people the children of Israel safely through the midst thereof wherby thou didst figure the washing of thy holy Baptisme And by c.  1. B. of Edw. 6. May so passe the waves of this troublesome world that finally they may come to the land of everlasting life there to reign with thee world without end through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen May ever serve thee And finally attain to everlasting life with all thy holy and chosen people This grant us we beseech thee for Jesus Christs sake our Lord Amen 1. B. of Edw. 6. Here shall the Priest ask what shall be the name of the child and when the God-fathers and God-mothers have told the name then shall he make a F Crosse upon the childs forehead and breast saying N. Receive the sign of the holy Crosse both in thy fore-head and in thy breast in token that thou shalt not be ashamed to confesse thy faith in Christ crucified and manfully to sight under his bannor against sin the world and the Devil and to continue his faithful souldier and servant unto thy lives end Amen And this he shall do and say to as many children as be present to be baptized one after another 1 B. of Edw. 6. Let us pray Almighty and immortal God c. Common prayer ALmighty and Immortal God the did of them that need the helper of all hat flee to thee for succour the life of them that beleeve and the resurrection of the dead we call upon thee for these infants that they coming to thy holy baptisme may receive remission of their stirs by spiritual regeneration Receive them O Lord as thou hast promised by thy welbeloved son saying Ask and you shall have seek and ye shall finde knock and it shall be opened unto you So give now unto us that ask let us that seek finde open the gate unto us that knock that these infants may enjoy the everlasting benediction of thy heavenly washing and may come to the eternal kingdom which thou hast promised by Christ our Lord Amen 1 B. of Edward the 6. Then let the Priest looking upon the children say I command thee G unclean spirit in the name of the Father of the Son and of the holy Ghost that thou come out and depart from these infants whom our Lord Jesus Christ
Church Our manner of reading them most conformable to antiquity The Contents of the Chapters of what use Q The Primitive custome before every Lesson R The Benefit of mixing Psalmes or hymnes with Lessons S Te deum how ancient T Benedicite ancient V Benedictus and other hymns vindicated used by the Dutch Church W The Creed anciently no part of the Liturgy how imployed why called the Apostles the Catholick Church a phrase as ancient as Ignatius reason why so called The variety of Symbols whence derived why the Creed pronounced standing X The Lord be with you whence derived difference betwixt it and Peace be to you Y Let us pray an ancient formula Z Lord have mercy upon us c. called the Lesser Litany AA O Lord shew thy mercy upon us c. are canonical Scripture BB Collects why so called MOrning and Evening Prayer Prayer ought to be made as oft as occasion requireth as there is daily occasion so there must be daily prayer Our daily sins exact a daily confession our daily wants teach us as our Saviour prescribed us to say Give us this day our daily bread The Lords mercies are new every morning so should our prayers and thanksgivings be new in practice though the same in form Upon this account were the Diurnal sacrifices of the Temple upon this account did the Primitive Christians practice it sacrificia quot idie ceâ—â—bramus we daily offer sacrifices to God saith Cyyrian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Theodoret. Yea not only daily but twice a day at Morning and Evening according to the order of our Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Chrysostome all the faithful can bear witness of this how it is observed in the Morning and Evening Service and to the same purpose d Epiphanius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Morning Prayers and Hymns are continually used in the holy Church as also Evening Prayers and Hymns what these morning and evening hymns were shall be seen afterwards As for the hour of morning prayer with us it is nine in the forenoon agreeable to the Primitive practice of the Greek Church especially derived either from the miraculous descent of the holy Ghost at that hour upon the Apostles or from the Jewish custome of assembling for the performance of Religious duties at that hour their Third whereof instances there are enough in H. Scripture This in all probability of divine establishment not so I conceive the next or sixth in order of Canonical hours this being added by private devotion at which hour after dinner devout people resorted to the Temple to offer up their more pecular supplications in reference to their private and proper wants So Hannah rose up early after they had eaten in Shiloh and after they had drunk and went into the Temple and prayed unto the Lord. 1 Sam. 1. 9. whence old Eli mistook her to be drunk 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith S. Chrysostome from the heat of the day for it was about noon So the Prophet David at Morning and Evening and at high noon day will I rise up to praise thee In conformity to which the Antient Christians preserved the same observation though satisfied I am not that it was an universal practice because Clemens Alexandrinus restraineth it to some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some allot set hours for Prayers the Third Sixth and Ninth Except it shall be otherwise determined by the Ordinary c. The first Reformat on putting a positive restraint that general upon all Divine Offices to the Chorus or Quire Bucer whose judgment was called in to aid by Arch-Bishop Cranmer in order to a future Reformation of our Liturgy justly faulted it wishing quam primum corrigi that with all expedition it might be mended for Oportet ut sacra omnia Populus audiant percipiant que religione summâ Fit it is that all holy offices the people should both hear and minde with all possible devotion and this they could not doe in such Churches where the high Altars were disposed very distant from the Nave or Body of the Church by the interposition of a Belfrey as in many places it happened Thereupon in the next Liturgy order was given for the service to be used in such places of the Church c. as the people might best hear And if controverted the Ordinary to determine the place Now the last Reformers in Q. Elizabeth her time observing that in many Churches the edification of the people might be secured and the ancient practice observed restored the service to its former station leaving notwithstanding an overruling power in the Ordinary to dispose it otherwise if he saw just cause so to doe Whereby it appeareth that the Bishops lately enjoyning the service to be said at the holy Table or in the Chancel did not innovate but held to the Rubrick and that the officiating in the Desk was a swerving from the rule unless where it was able to shew Episcopal dispensation expresly to warrant it And the Chancels shall stand as they have done In the beginning of the Reformation under King Edward the 6. his Reign Altars were taken down upon good and godly consideration as King Edwards Letter to Bishop Ridley imports But as there is no constat that all altars were then taken down for the letter speaketh but of most part not of all the Churches in the Realm so is it dubious whether they were taken down by publick order or popular tumult for the consideration might be good and Godly yet the way of proceeding therein not approvable But taken down they were and by way of concomitancy probably in many places the steps of ascent were levelled also set so as some were notwithstanding left in their former state about which much strife and contention arising in several places some eager to pull them down others as earnest to continue them The wisdom of the Church interposeth to part the fray ordering in this Rubrick no alteration to be attempted therein which notwithstanding the people in the begining of Queen Elizabeth her Reign began to be unquiet again in this particular so as she was enforced to restrain them by a new order in these words Also that the Steps which be as yet at this day remaining in any our Cathedral Collegiate or Pâ—rish Churches be not stirred nor altered but be suffered to continue And if in any Chancel the steps be transposed that they be not erected again but that the place be decently paved By which words evident it is Authority had no designe to end the dispute by closing with either party but by stating things in their present posture The minister shall use such Ornaments c. In the latter end of the Act for uniformity there was reserved to the Queen a power to make some further order with the advice of her Commissioners c. concerning Ornaments for Ministers but I do not finde that she made any use of that Authority or
gifts with the Wismen applying the most remarkable occurrents of that day as inciâ—ements to rejoyce upon it Consonant is that of St. Basil who reckoning the special events on Christs Nativity saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The stars from heaven came to behold him the Magicians among the Gentiles made hast to adore him Ash-Wednesday and Lent Ash-Wednesday hath in antiquity two names First it is called Dies cinorum in reference to the Penitents whereof more under the title of Commination who were this day sprinckled with Dust and Ashes Secondly Caput jejunii the top of the Fast or first day of Lent Instituted it was by Gregory the Great the occasion this Lent commencing according to the former mode on the Sunday after Quinquagessima lasted six weeks or forty dayes from these substract six Sundayes which were never to be fasted there remained thirty six Lenten dayes the just tenth of the year abating the fraction of five dayes for multiply 360 by 10 the quotient will be 36. so then God by this observation received from the Christians a tenth as well of their time as of their fruits this was one designe of Lents original Now St. Gregory that the Churches practise might be more agreeable to the great exemplar of our Saviours 40. dayes the quotient observed by Moses and Elias abstinence in the wildernesse added these four dayes to compleat the number of 40. dayes But though by this rule the Church conformed nigher to the pattern of our Saviour as to the Number of 40. yet in the appointment of that time she varied from his copy Christ fasting immediatly after his baptisme she fasting before Baptisme and great reason had she so to do there were in those dayes many persons adult of full growth who became converts to Christianity and had besides original many actual sins to account for these could not be cleansed by the water of Baptisme unlesse they were first rinsed in the water of contrition therefore to these repentance was as necessary a requisite before baptisme as faith for as St. Basil saith exellently 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Repentance must lâ—ad the way to Faith whereas our Saviour being without sin had no need of Repentance to precede his baptisme in this respect this Quadragesimal fast whose chief end is humiliation and Repentance was very aptly premised before Easter the grand time designed for that Sacrament as a preparation to it And not in this respect alone but in several others for at that great solemnity Penitents were to be restored to a neerer Communion with the faithful did they shew any evident signes of Godly sorrow or contrition which the Scleragogy and hard treatment of so long a time of fasting and humiliation was most like to create And as Penitents were at that time to be reconciled to the faithful so were the faithful then also more then ordinarily to be reconciled to God Easter being the most solemn time alloted for the celebration of the Lords supper whereof the Jewish Passeover was a Type As for the first Institution uncertain it is from whom to derive it St. Hierom ascends to Apostolical Tradition Nos unam Quadragesimam toto Anno jejunamus secundum traditionem Apostolicam We observe in the whole year one Quadragesimal Fast according to Apostolical tradition Not strictly so I conceive but according to the latitude of the Language or conception of those times wherein the same Hierom tells us Unaquaeque Provintia praecepta majorum lâ—ges Apostolicas arbitratur every Province accounts the Precepts of their Ancestors as Apostolical Ordinances But though its derivation possibly will not reach so far yet considering that Origen Tertullian and the Councel of Laodicea mention it it must be allowed for very ancient For the manner how it was in general observed leaving particular dayes to be spoken to in their proper order the Councel of Laodicea informs us of these four particulars First 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That no consecration of the Sacrament be made in Lent but onely on the Sabbath and Lords-day This was done upon this account The consecration of the Bread and Wine was as those Fathers supposed an action more properly ally'd to the nature of a Festival then of a Past and it being the custom at that time to receive the Sacrament of the Lords Supper every day that there might be wherewith to supply the concernments of that Service and also for a Viaticum to Penitents and others in theâ—r fatal last it was thought meet that upon the Sabbaths and Lords Dayes there should be consecrated such a surplusage to be reserved as might be sufficient for those intents which consecrated Elements so received were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 foreconsecrated By this Canon the different nay contâ—ary customs of the East and West may be observed the first keeping the Sabbath as a Festival the second as a Fast yea the Trullan Councel magisterially enough decreeth that the 66. Canon of the Apostles which is penal to all such as fast on the Sabbath day shall be of force 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the very Church of Rome her self For which cause saith Balsamon that Church doth disclaim this for an Oecumenical Councel The second particular is Canon 50. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That it is meet to fast all Lent eating dry-meats These dry-meats we may safely presume were Bread water and Salt for so Epiphanius deciphereth them at the end of his Panarium If so it may be positively concluded that Wine Whit-meats Oyl and Fish as well as Flesh were within the interdict of the ancient Abstinence The third is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That the Birth dayes of the holy Martyrs be not celebrated in Lent But that their commemoration be transferred to the Sabbaths and Lords dayes whether this was extended to all other Festivals as well as the Birth-dayes of Martyrs I cannot say sure I am the day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Annuntiation which alwayes falls in Lent was observed under the sixth General Counsel The last 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That there must no Marriages nor Birth-dayes be celebrated during the time of Lent At what hour this Fast was to determine and when the people were to take their repast this Synod hath no decree in which point I observe in the Primitive Church a diversity betwen the Quadragesimal the Lent Fast and that of Wednesdayes and Fridays The Lent as all extraordinary and high Fasts were protended and reached to the evening thereof Expectas vesperam ut cibum oapias saith Basil of Lent Fast thou waitest for the Evening that thou maist refresh thy self The weekly Fast determined at the ninth hour or three in the afternoon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Epiphanius All the year long and Wednesdays and Fridayes they brake not their fasts until three in the afternoon But this distinction was not entertained in the Catholik Church until after
Tertullians time for writing against the Orthodox Party as a Montanist he tells them they continued their Fasts but to the ninth hour whereas his Brethren of the Discipline of Montanus protracted theirs to the evening The Sunday before Easter This is called Palm Sunday in Latine Dominica in Ramis in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so Epiphanius and Johannes Euchaâ—â—ensis All upon one and the same account because the people strewed boughs of Palm in our Saviours passage to Hierusalem a Custom used by other Nations upon their reception of Kings and eminent Persons So did they of Cremonâ— entertain Vitellius Lauro rosisque viam constraverant regium in morem They had strewed the way with Bays and Roses after a Princely maner and so the Roman Commodus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Carrying Bays and all sorts of Flowers then in their Prime Isidorus that liv'd about 630 tells us That this day the Creed or Summary of the Christian Faith was wont to be delivered to the competents or persons who desired to receive the Seal of Baptism the like is affirmed by Alcuine and perhaps it might be so for St. Ambrose speaking of his Officiating upon this day saith Post lectiones atque Tractatum dimissis Catechumenis Symbolum aliquibus competentibus in Baptisteriis tradebam Basilicae After the Lessons and Sermon I delivered the Creed to the Competents in the Baptisteries of the Church Durandus their junior 500 years fixeth this Custom upon Maundy Thursday but his word being traditur may import that he onely intended the practice of his present not of the Primitive times Monday before Easter This week had many appellations in Antiquity It was sometimes called Pasch or Easter so Epiphanius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Church observeth to celebrate the Feast of Easter that is the week defined by the Apostles Constitutions And elsewhere he calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the six days of Easter So Augustine Ecce Paschaest da nomen ad Baptismum See it is now Easter give in thy name for Baptism Perhaps for that very cause it became to be stiled also The great Week Easter being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as St. John calls it c. 19. v. 31. and the Councels after him The grand Festival it was proportionable enough that this Septimana Paschae or the Week preceding it should be called the Great Week or else as St. Chrysostome in his Lenten Sermons yields the reason 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because great and unutterable Blessings as Christs Passion Burial and Resurrection accrued to us this Week It was stiled also the holy Week because celebrated with devotion extraordinary This Week had especial priviledges first it was a Justitium and Vacation from civil pleadings and by the Edicts of Theodosius and other godly Princes All prisoners committed for Debt or petty crimes were then set at liberty Sanctis diebus Hebdomadis ultimae solebant debitorum laxari viâ—cula saith Ambrose In the holy days of the last week the Bonds of Debtors were wont to be loosed So of Theodosius St. Chrysostome that he commanded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All the Prisoners throughout the Empire to be freed In this week were penitents reconciled into the Communion of the Faithful St. Hieromes Fabiola ante diem Paschae stabat in ordine Poenitentium Stood before Easter in the row of Penitents whom he presently renders reconciled to the Church This Week the Competents gave in their names for Baptism Durandus and others of later Antiquity apply this Custom to the Wednesday after the fourth Sunday in Lent possibly it was so in their days not so certainly in St. Augustines time as is evident by his words above cited and elsewhere Appropinquabat Pascha dedit nomen inter alios competentes Easter was at hand he gave in his name amongst other Competents Thursday before Easter This day was anciently called Coena Domini and in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the great fifth day as a parcel of the great Week and dies Mandati with us Maundy Thursday because Christ this day instituted the Sacrament of his Supper commanding his Disciples and in them Posterity to do the same in remembrance of him Many were the peculiars of this day First because the Bodies of such as were to be Baptized on the next Sabbath had contracted an offensive scent through the observation of Lent and it was therefore necessary that they should be washed and cleansed before they entred the sacred Font This day was set apart for that lotion as St. Augustine informs us Secondly The Catechumeni or rather the Competents that gave in their names for Baptism were in the Greek Church to rehearse the Articles of their Faith either to the Bishop or to the Presbyters Thirdly Upon this day there was a double Communion the blessed Eucharist being given twice on this day by the Latine Church Bis in coena Domini Eucharistia datur manè propter prandentes ad vesperum propter jejunantes The Eucharist is given twice on that day whereon the Lord instituted it in the morning in respect of those that dine in the evening for their sakes who forbear meat all the day which he saith was done upon this account ut in honorem tanti Sacramenti in as Christiani prius dominicum corpus intraret quam caeteri cibi That for the honor of that great Sacrament the Body of Christ should have the precedence of entring in at our mouthes before ordinary meat Upon this day the now Church of Rome accurseth and Excommunicateth all Protestants under the notion of Hereticks and more then Protestants his Catholick Majesty of Spain also for fingring some part of St. Peters Patrimony but she soon makes him an amends by absolving him on Good Friday Upon this day also the Kings of England in imitation of our Saviour were wont either themselves or by their Eleemosynary or Almner to wash the feet of so many poor People as they were years of age Good Friday This day with the Saturday and Sunday following St. Augustine calleth Sacratissimism triduum crucifixi sepulti suscitati The most sacred three days of Christ Crucisixt Buried and raised again It was anciently of so high esteem as Constantine entred it into the same Edict wherein he commanded the observation of the Lords Day Augustine mentions Passionem Domini The day of Christs Passion amongst those which were of Catholick and universal observation Nos non Azymorum Pascha celebramus sed Resurectionis crucis saith St. Hierome We do not observe the Feast of unleavened Bread but the days of Christs Resurrection and his Passion It was a day of general absolution to all the faithful Oportet hoc die indulgentiam Criminum clara vocâ— omnem Populum praestolari saith the fourth Councel of Toledo This day all the People are to expect Absolution of their Sins declared with
a loud voice by the Priest And in the next Canon it is ordained that none dissolve the Fast children aged and sick persons excepted ante peractas Indulgentiae preces before the absolution office be over Why it is called Good Friday needs slender elucidation every ordinary pretender to Christianity is able to say because it was the completory of our eternal Redemption Upon this day the Gospel is taken out of St. John probably as the Rationalists inform us because he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an eye witness of what he relateth In the African Church St. Augustine tells us it was taken out of St. Matthew Passio quia uno die legitur non solet leg i nisi secundum Mattheum Because the Gospel appointed for the Passion is read but one day it is wont to be taken out of St. Matthew Easter Eve This was stiled Sabbatum magnum the great Sabbath upon this day were the Competents Baptised and this day with the next sabbath ensuing called Clausum Paschae the close of Easter and all the dayes within that enclosure were called octo dies Neophytorum the eight dayes of the Neophytes or new-made Christians which wore white vestments all that time There was a tradition amongst the Jews that Christ should come again upon Easter-day at midnight about the hour of his Resurrection upon which ground St. Hierom conceived the tradition continued ut in die vigiliarum Paschae ante noctis medium Populos dimittere non liceat expectantes adventum Christi That on Easter-Eve the people should not be dismissed before midnight as waiting for Christs coming The like is attested by Theodorus Balsamon limiting the practise to those onely who were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the devoutest sort A Relick of which custom remained in this Church until the first reformation implyed in that ceremony of setting up the Sepulture of Christ and watching of the Sepulchre frequently mentioned in the Ritual monuments of those times Upon this day it was the custom for the Bishop in imitation of our Saviour to wash the feet of the new baptised persons Ascendisti de fonte quid secutum est succinctus est Sacerdos licet enim Presbyteri fecerint tamen exordium ministerii est à summo Sacerdote pedes tibi lavat saith St. Ambrose Thou didst arise out of the font what was next the chief Priest being girt washt thy feet for though the Presbyter officiateth yet the derivation of his power is from the chief Priest where he seemeth to make this ceremony proper onely to the Bishop as indeed so was all relating to Baptisme according to the sense of Antiquity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Ignatius it is not lawfull to Baptise without licence from the Bishop Dandi Baptismum ius habet summus Sacerdos dein Presbyteri Diaconi non tamen sine Episcopi authoritate so Tertullian The Chief Priest hath power to administer Baptisme so also have Presbyters and Deacons but not without authority derived from the Bishop Easter-Day This was the Birth-day of our Saviour in his state of Glory and exaltation as his first nativity was the Birth-day to his state of humiliation It was anciently called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the great day By Gregory Nazianzen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Feast of Feasts How could it be lesse it being the day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by way of eminence which the Lord hath made Psal. 118. 24. for of this day do the Fathers unanimously expound that place and therefore with them as it is with us that Psalm was alwayes part of the office of this day For the antiquity of the observation of this day innumerable Authors might be produced but in a matter not at all controverted it would edifie little I shall therefore supersede from others and content my self with a Reference to that known contest betwixt the Churches of the East and West about it whether it should be observed on the 14. of the first New-moon in March as they of the East pretended or on the Lords-day as the Western custom was wherein both pleaded and justly too as I conceive Apostolical tradition The Quarta decimani or they who kept the fourteenth day derived their practise from St. John the other from St. Peter The matter being adiaphorous they of the Levant the East might in this as they did in other things condescend to the customs of the Jews their cohabitants on designe to win upon them in higher matters And the Western Churches more conversant with Gentiles having not the same occasion might rather make choice of the Lords day it being the very day of Christs Resurrection in memory whereof that feast was observed That the celebration of this day was Apostolical is a truth as radient as if it were written with the beams of the Sun and needs no further demonstration then the consideration how early this Question invaded the Church The first news we hear of it is from Polycarpus his journey to the Roman Bishop Anicetus Propter quasdam super die Paschae quaestiones by reason of some questions raised about Easter-day So Hierom and Eusebius Polycarpus was St. Johns disciple and when Anicetus endeavoured to gain him to the western usage his answer was he would never desert that custom which he had received from St. John So that though Polycarpus and Anicetus argued the question yet like stout Champions both kept their ground and which is most laudable like good Christians kept also the peace of the Church So did not Victor Bishop of Rome a while after for being a man composed of fire and tow and inflamed with an Epistle of Policrates then Bishop of Ephesus to him he grew so cholerick that he renounced Communion with all Asia upon that sole account for which Ireneus of Victors perswasion not of his Spirit sent him a sound rattle Let this suffice for the Antiquity of this grand festival This day with Christs Nativity Epiphany and Pentecost were dayes of so high solemnity as all the Clergy were bound upon pain of excommunication for three years not to be absent from their Cures at any of them And that such was the Practise for Easter St. Cyprian giveth us early account for being desired by Fortunatus and others to consult with his confraternity about the receptions of Persons lapsed through torture he referreth them for his answer to another time because saith he Nunc omnes inter Paschae prima solemnia apud se cum fratribus demorantur Now all my Collegues are tied to their proper Cures until the Easter holy-dayes be over The Anthymnes appointed by our Church are pure Canonical Scripture wherof the last beginning thus Christ is risen again being taken out of 1 Cor. 15. 20. seemeth to be an Imitation of the Ancient practise of the Primitive Christians who were accustomed to greet one another every Easter morning one saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the
Winter through in the Evening Service were then laid aside according to the Proverb On Candlemas day lay Candles away But more properly from the former custom of bearing Tapers lighted in Procession upon this day in imitation of the five wise Virgins represented in the parable Matth. 25. as St. Bernard delivereth or to put Christians in remembrance of Christ the spiritual Light of whom Simeon did Prophesie as is read in the Church that day The Annunciation of the Virgin Mary There pass two Homilies the one under the name of Gregorius Neocaesariensis the other of Athanasius which were Preached on this Day But in regard they are both Impostures the yongest being at least 600 years after Christ as the Ora pro nobis sufficiently demonstrateth I shall not urge them Nor indeed could the celebration of this Day consist with the Canons of the Church at that time because it fell in Lent a time of Fasting and Humiliation wherein the Councel of Laodicea decreed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the Birth-days or Passions of the Martyrs and consequently other Festivals be not celebrated nor do I finde any mention of this Festival in any piece I dare confide in before the sixth general Councel in Trullo where the fifty second Canon stands thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. that in all the days of the Lenten Fast unleâ—s it be on the Sabbaths Lords-Days or on the holy Annunciation Day the service of the Elements beforeconsecrated be performed Philip and Jacob. In ancient Martyrologies this day was stiled the Feast of Philip and Jacob and All Saints All Saints was indeed its first and most genuine appellation upon which account as the Western Church observed this very day so also did the Eastern or at least some other in temporality and point of time very near it for St. Basil preaching upon this or the like day saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. for the most part we celebrate the memory of the Martyrs Martyrs not of one Martyr this day Now what this day was at the end of that Homily he is more explicite 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This very day determineth the year past and commenceth that which is to come evidently denoting New-years day Now the Primitive Christians of the East began their year in April which they called Hecatombaeon in honor of their Easter and so the distance of time could not be much As to the original of its Institution it was this The Apostles Evangelists and Martyrs Luminaries of the greatest Magnitude being honored with days of single appropriation it was withal considered that very many others though of inferior note had yet sacrificed their Lives in defence of the Catholick Faith and it was requisite their Honor should in some competency be provided for to gratifie it with the assignation of a particular day to every one being so numerous was impossible therefore the best expedient was to celebrate their memories by one day allotted to all whereby God might be glorified for them as comprehended under one Constellation why this Feast was translated to the Calends of November Ritualists give a probable though earthy and sensual account viz. Because of the scarcity of Victuals in the Spring and plenty at the time of defoliation or fall of the leaf so Durandus Biel and others As to the persons now commemorated on this day the first is Philip not the Evangelist neither the Collect second Lesson nor Gospel of our Church speaks him so but the Apostle and not he because he suffered on that day as Chronologers and Ritualists of the Romish Church assert late Tradition I confess hath crucified him and so Johannes Euchaitensis delivers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Philip came to the same end with Peter But neither Eusebius nor Hierome who followed him knew of any such thing and Clemens Alexandrinus who lived near up to the Apostles times is positive in the contrary 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Matthew Philip Thomas and Levi did not suffer as Christian Confessors The next is James not he the son of Alpheus nor he the son of Zebedee but James the brother of our Lord though the Greek Menology fixeth this day upon the second St. Peters Day This day was not dedicated to Peter alone but to Peter and Paul joyntly and in the Romish Church June the 13 is allotted intirely for the Commemoration of St. Paul the coupling of these two Apostles together in one Festival is no late invention for Theodorus Lector mentioning a Petition of one Festus a Roman Senator to Anastatius the Emperor for the celebration of the memory of these two Champions of the Church Peter and Paul he saith It was never kept with such splendid solemnity as then an Argument of its existence before St. Mary Magdalene Upon stricter scrutiny and inquiry to our second Reformers it did appear dubious as it doth still to Grotius and other learned men whether the Woman mentioned in the Gospel applyed to this day was Mary Magdalene or not nay they rather inclined to think she was Mary the sister of Lazarus upon which account the Festival came to be discontinued in our Chruch CHAP. VI. Common Prayer The Order for the Administration of the Lords Supper or holy Communion 1 B. of Edw. 6. The Supper of the Lord and the holy Communion Commonly called the Masse SO many as intend to be partakers of the holy Communion shall signifie their names to the Curate over night or else in the morning before the beginning of Morning prayer or immediately after And if any of those be an open and notorious evil liver so that the congregation by him is offended or have done any wrong to his neighbours by word or deed The Curate having knowledge thereof shall call him and advertise him in any wise not to presume to come to the Lords table untill he have openly declared himself to have truely repented and amended his former naughty life that the congregation may thereby be satisfied which afore were offended and that he have recompensed the parties whom he hath done wrong unto or at the least declare himself to be in full purpose so to do as soon as he conveniently may The same order shall the Curate use with those betwixt whom he perceiveth malice and hatred to raign not suffering them to be partakers of the Lords table untill he know them to be reconciled And if one of the parties so at variance be content to forgive from the bottom of his heart all that the other hath trespassed against him and to make amends for that he himself hath offended and the other party will not be perswaded to a godly unity but remain still in his frowardnesse and malice The Minister in that case ought to admit the penitent person to the holy Communion and not him that is obstinate 1 B. of Edw. 6. Upon the day and at the time appointed for the ministration of the holy Communion the Priest that
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
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
convenient place nigh 1 B. of Edw. 6. unto the Quier door unto the place where the table standeth and the Minister standing by her shall say these words or such like as the case shall require Forasmuch as it hath pleased almighty God of his goodnesse to give you safe diliverance and hath preserved you in the great danger of child-birth ye shall therefore give hearty thanks unto God and pray Then shall the Minister say this Psalm Scot. Lit. or else the Psal. 27. I Have lifted up mine eyes unto the D. hills from whence cometh my help My help cometh even from the Lord which hath made heaven and earth He will not suffer thy foot to be moved and he that keepeth thee will not sleep Behold he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep The Lord himself is thy keeper the Lord is thy defence upon thy right hand So that the sun shall not burn thee by day neither the moon by night The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil yea it is even he that shall keep thy soul. The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth for evermore Glory be to the Father and to the Son c. As it was in the beginning is now c Lord have mercy upon us Christ have mercy upon us Lord have mercy upon us Our father which are in heaven c. And lead us not into temptation Answer E But beliver us from evil Amen Minister O Lord save this woman thy servant Answer Which putteth her trust in thee Minister Be thou unto her a strong tower Answer From the face of her enemy Minister Lord hear our prayer Answer And let our cry come unto thee Minister Let us pray O Almighty God which hast delivered this woman thy servant from the great pain and perill of child birth grant we beseech thee most merciful father that she through thy help may both faithfully live and walk in her vocation according to thy wil in this life present and also may be partaker of everlasting glory in the life to come through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Common-Prayer Sotch Lit. 1 B. of Edw. 6. The woman that cometh to give thanks must offer accustomed offerings and if their be a Communion it is convenient that she receive the holy Communion The woman that cometh to give her thanks it is convenient that she receive the holy Communion if there be any at that time The woman that is purified must offer her chrysom and other accustomed offerings And if there be a Communion it is convenient that she receive the holy Communion Common Prayer 1 B. of Edw. 6. A F Comination against sinners with certain prayers to be used divers times in the year Scot. Lit. and especially on the first day of Lent commonly called Ash-wednesday The first day of Lent commonly called Ash-wednesday After Morning Prayer the people being called together by the ringing of a Bell and assembled in the Church the English Letany shall be said after the accustomed maner which ended the Minister shall go into the Pulpit G and say thus Scot. Lit. The People sitting and attending with reverence BRethren in the Primative Church there was a godly Discipline that at the beginning of Lent such persons as were notorious sinners were put to open peuauce H and punished in this world thâ—â— their souls might be saved in the day of the Lord And that other admonished by their example migâ—â— be more afraid to offend In the stead whereof until the said discipline may be restored again which thing is much to be wished it is thought good that at this time in your presence should be read the general sentences of Gods cursing against impeuitenâ— sinners gathered out of the xxvii Chapter of Deuteronomy and other places of scripture And that ye should answer to every sentence Amen To the intent that you being admonished of the great indignation of God against sinners 〈…〉 rather be called to earnest and true repentance and may walk more warily in these dangerous days fleeing from such vices for the which ye affirm â—â—th your own mouths the curse of God to be due Cursed is the man that maketh any carvâ—d or 〈◊〉 imagâ— an aâ—â—mination to the Lord the work of the hands of the crâ—â—ts-man and putteth it in a secret place to worship it And the People shall answer and say Amen Minister Cursed is he that curseth his father and mother Answer Amen Minister Cursed is he that removeth away the mark of his Neighbors Land Answer Amen Minister Cursed is he that maketh the 〈◊〉 to go out of his way Answer Amen Minister Cursed is he that â—â—â—teth in Judgement the right of the Stranger of them that be fatherless and of widows Answer Amen Minister Cursed is he that smiteth his neighbor seâ—â—â—tly Answer Amen Minister Cursed is he that lieth with his Neighbors wife Answer Amen Minister Cursed is he that taketh reward to stay the soul of innocent blood Answer Amen Minister Cursed is he that putteth his trust in man and taketh man for his defence and in his heart goeth from the Lord. Answer Amen Cursed are the unmerciful the fornicators and adulterers and the covetous persons the worshippers of Images slanderers drunkards and extorâ—oners Answer Amen Minister NOw seeing that all they be accursed as the Prophet David beareth witness which do erre and go astray from the Commandments of GOD let us remembring the dreadful Judgement hanging over our heads and being always at hand return unto our Lord God with all contrition and meekness of heart bewailing and lamenting our sinful lite knowledging and confessing our offences and seeking to bring forth worthy fruits of penance For now is the ax put unto the root of the trees so that every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewen down and cast into the fire It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God He shall pour down ram upon the sinners snares fire and brimston storm and tempest this shall be their portion to drink For loe the Lord is commen out of his place to visit the wickedness of such as dwell upon the earth But who may abide the day of his coming Who shall be able to endure when he appeareth His fan is in his hand and he will purge his floor and gather his Wâ—eat into his barn but he will burn the chaff with unquenchable fire The day of the Lord cometh as a thieâ— upon the night And when men shall say peace and all things are safe then shall suddenly destruction come upon them as sorrow cometh upon a woman traveling with childe and they shall not escape Then shall appear the wrath of God in the day of vengeance which obstinate sinners through the stubbornness of their hâ—art have heaped unto themselves which â—â—spised the goodness patience and long sufferance of God when he called them continually to repentance
the Alterations H Antiently Bishops visited in person An uniformity of Articles commended I The Canons 1603. not repugnant to the Act for uniformity The power of the civil Magistrate in Ecclesiastical matters K The occasion of the conference at Hampton-court L The Proclamation of King James obligatory to Obedience M Our service not taken out of the Masse-book N The Pye Several acceptations of the word O Apocryphal Lessons lawful to be read The Minister hath Liberty to exchange them for Canonical Scripture They are more edifying then many Chapters of the Canon appointed by the Directory P The Bishops to interpret in doubtful cases Q The several degrees of the first Reformation R What meant by the Minister saying daily prayer either privately or openly S Ceremonies of humane Institution lawful Proved by the several confessions of Reformed Churches T Order in the Church of Divine institution Orders to be obeyed not disputed where they are not simply unlawful V The Churches prudence and moderation in her first Reformation W Significant Ceremonies lawful X Superstition defined Y Our Ceremonies elder then the Masse-Book Directory a Popish word Z Scandal no just exception against our Liturgy by the confession of Geneva herself More scandalized and more justly by the Directory then our Common Prayer pag. 17. CHAP. II. A The division of the Psalmes very discreet The ancient manner of singing them various in Antiquity The 15. Cannon of the Council of Laodicea Expounded B Bookes and Chapters of Canonical Scripture least edifying omitted C The Rubrick for proper Lessons cleared D A necessary Caveat to Ministers E Differences between the former Kalendars and ours Why several Saints are added now more then formerly F Feasts instrumental to piety The Jews fasted on high festivals till noon Whence our Fasts before some Holy-dayes Why not before All. G Holy-dayes why fit to be established by Parliament Why instituted The Churches power to ordain them The judgment of forein Churches and Divines Zanchy cleared a demur upon the best Reformed Churches Our Holy-dayes not derived from the Pagans yet warrantable if they were pag. 55. CHAP. III. A Morning and Evening Prayer agreeable to the Jewish and Christian practice The three houres of Prayer in the Temple The 6. of private devotion B Where Morning and Evening Prayer are to be said Why the place left arbitrary to the Bishop C What meant by Chancels shall stand as they have done D Ornaments in Cathedrals E The Surplice defended and primitive practice set down F A discourse concerning the Translations of the Bible where the obstacle was that our Liturgy was not reformed in this particular G To begin with confession ancient H What meant by the word alone in the Rubrick of absolution I The Lords Prayer why pronounced in a loud voice K The primitive practice concerning Amen L The Versicles and Responds Canonical Scripture approved by Bucer M The original of the Doxology its antiquity N Hallelujah at what time to be used O The Invitatory what and why devised P The Number of Lessons in the Romish Church Our manner of reading them most conformable to antiquity The Contents of the Chapters of what use Q The primitive custome before every Lesson R The benefit of mixing Psalmes or Hymnes with Lessons S Te Deum how ancient T Benedicite ancient V Benedictus and other Hymns vindicated used by the Dutch Church W The Creed anciently no part of the Liturgy how imployed why called the Apostles the Catholick Church a phrase as ancient as Ignatius Reason why so called The variety of Symbols whence derived why the Creed pronounced standing X The Lord be with you whence derived Difference betwixt it and Peace be to you Y Let us pray an ancient formula Z Lord have mercy upon us c. called the lesser Litany A A O Lord shew thy mercy upon us c. are canonical Scripture B B Collects why so called p. 71. CHAP. IIII. A Catechising part of the Evening Office The want thereof the cause of heresie 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 Fridaies 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 Thanksgiving for Rain c. a necessary Reformation p. 97 CHAP. V. A The Introit what B Epistles and Gospels very necessary why Epistles when all are not so The reason and defence of that denomination C Advent what and why observed D Christmas day It s antiquity variously observed in the primitive times The precise day dubious and unnecessary to be known Calvin passionately for it Observed by the Synod of Dort and the Belgick Church A main argument for it E Two Communions anciently in one fore-mâ—n F Why the Feasts of St. Stephen St. John and Innocents are celebrated neer Christmas day G Antiquity of the Circumcision feast H Epiphany what Ancient I Ashwednesday and Lent the original and various observation of them K Palm Suâ—day how observed L The holy week why so called M Maunday Thursday a day of great note N Good-Friday anciently a very high day a day of general Absolution O Easter-Eve the great day of Baptising competents Watching the Sepulchre whence derived P Easter-day of Apostolical institution Q Easter-Mnoday and Easter-Tuesday very anciently observed R Dominica in Albis S Rogation dayes why instituted T Ascension day why rarely mentioned in Antiquity Pentecost what Synods anciently summoned about this time V Whitsunday why so called a private conjecture W St. Andrews day why the first festival X Conversion of St. Paul why not observed Paul and Peter one intire festival anciently and of late years Y The Purification of Mary anciently how called why Candlemass-day Z The Annuntiation of the Virgin Mary how Ancient A St. Philip and Jacob and All-Saints B St. Peter hath no single day C The Festival of Mary Magdalen why discontinued p. 133. CHAP. VI. A Immediately after what meant by it a Bell usually rang betwixt morning Prayer and the Sermon so also in Scotland B Notorium what who notorious Offenders in the sense of our Church the 109 Canon the Committee 1641. the Ordinance of Parliament Octob. 20. 1645. the Imperial Law Primitive practice our Saviours president in admitting Judas The main reason for free admission C Charity how necessary to a Communicant One loaf in the primitive Church Agapae the holy Kiss D The Table where to stand in Communion time E
meant by Presbyteri consignant in the counterfeit Ambrose F Vnction or Chrism an ancient ceremony belonging to Confirmation why separated at length from it and indulged to Presbyters The Arausican Council diversity of readings Sirmundus his Edition defended Whence two Chrismations in the Church of Rome G Signing with the Cross a companion of unctson H Children when anciently confirmed I Communication of the Eucharist to succeed presently upon Confirmation p. 261. CHAP. X. A. The Matrimonial Office very necessary Marriage ought to be blessed by a Minister Our Saviour and the Primitive Fathers did it Set forms anciently used B. Times prohibited for Marriage upon what Law founded The Directory as guilty of Popery therein as our Church C. Marriage anciently celebrated ad ostium Ecclesiae D Mutual consent of both Parties necessary Espousals what E The giving of the Woman ancient F. The excellence of the English mode in receiving the Wife from the Priest G. The right hand a Symbole of fidelity H. A Ring why given by the man The ancient use of Rings I. Why the Ring is laid upon the Book K. Why the Ring is put upon the 4th singer the usual reason rejected L With my Body I thee worship what meant by it M. The blessing ought to be by imposition of hands N. Why the married couple to communicate O. The visitation of the sick a necessary Office P. A sound faith how necessary Q. Charity very necessary to a dying man R. So also Almes-giving S. Absolution how commendable and comfortable The several kinds of absolution T. Extreme unction why laid aside V. Communion of the sick vindicated Calvin foâ— it W. Reservation of the consecrated Elements anciently very laudable X. The various customs of bearing the Corps to Church Copiatae what Why Hymns sung all along as the corps was born Y. The Resurrection of our bodies ought to be the chief of our Meditations upon funeral occasions Z In sure and certain hopes c. What meant by it AA Prayer for the Dead in the Romish Church implyeth not Purgatory The mind of the Breviary opened Trentals what BB. Communion at Burials ancient why now laid aside The Original of Oblations Doles at Funerals and Mortuaries p. 291 CHAP. XI A The grounds of Thanksgiving after Child-birth why rather for this than other deliverances B Our Church doth not Judaize Difference betwixt our practice and Jewish Purification C What meant by the word Church into which the woman is to come D The woman not enjoined a veil F The 121 Psalm not abused E But deliver us from evil why returned by way of response F Commination how often used in the year G Why read in the Pulpit A discourse of reading-Desks none setled by Rule before the Canons 1603. upon what occasion devised H A Discourse of publick Pennance By whom it was imposed and how long to continue The several motions of it in the Greek Church What meant by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what and what 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Errours noted in the Editions of Zonaras and Balsamon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what Penitential customs in the Western Church Africa most severe and why The ancient mode of Excommunicating of notorious offenders out of Gratian Discourse upon it Adgeniculari charis Dei in Tertullian Penitents when reconciled in the Latine Church The Ancient Discipline commended and Vote for its restauration I What meant by the word Curate in our Liturgy K Homilies whether part of our Churches Service And whether the Doctrine of our Church L Calvins Epistle to the Protector mis-dated in all Editions p. 315 FINIS THE BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER AND Administration of the SACRAMENTS AND Other RITES and CEREMONIES OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND CHAP. I. An Act for the uniformity of Common-Prayer and service in the Church and administration of the Sacraments WHere at the death of our late soveraign Lord King Edward the sixt there remained one uniform order of common service and prayer and of the administration of Sacraments Rites and Ceremonies in the Church of England which was set forth in one book entituled the book of Common-prayer and administration of the sacraments and other rights and ceremonies in the Church of England authorized by act of Parliament holden in the lift and sixt years of our said late soveraign Lord king Edward the sixt entituled an Act for the uniformity of Common-prayer and administration of the Sacraments the which was repealed and taken away by act of Parliament in the first yeer of the raign of our late soveraign Lady Queen Marie to the great decay of the due honour of God and discomfort to the professours of the truth of Christs religion Be it therfore enacted by the authority of this present Parliament that the said statute of repeal and every thing therein contained onely concerning the said book and the service administration of Sacraments rites and ceremonies contained or appointed in or by the said book shall be void and of none effect from and after the feast of the Nativity of Saint John Baptist next coming And that the said book with the order of service and of the administration of Sacraments rites and ceremonies with the alteration and additions therein added and appointed by this statute shall stand and be from and after the said feast of the Nativity of Saint John Baptist in full force and effect according to the tenour and effect of this statute any thing in the aforesaid statute of repeal to the contrary notwithstanding And further be it enacted by the Queens highnesse with the assent of the Lords and Commons of this present Parliament assembled and by the authority of the same that all and singular ministers in any Cathedral or parish Church or other place within this realm of England Walâ—s and the marches of the same or other the Queens dominions shall from and after the feast of the Nativity of saint John Baptist next coming be bounden to say and use the Mattins Even-song celebration of the Lords Supper and administration of each of the sacraments and all other common and open prayer in such order and form as is mentioned in the said book so authorized by Parliament in the said fift and sixt year of the raign of king Edward the sixt with one alteration or addition of certain Lessons to be used on every Sunday in the year and the form of the Letanie altered and corrected and two sentences onely added in the delivery of the Sacrament to the Communicants and none other or otherwise And that if any manner of Parson Uicar or other whatsoever minister that ought or should sing or say common prayer mentioned in the said book or minister the sacraments from and after the feast of the â—ativity of saint John Baptist next coming refuse to use the said common prayers or to minister the sacraments in such Cathedral or parish Church or other places as he should use to minister the same in such order and form as
they be mentioned and set forth in the said book or shall wilfully or obstinately standing in the same use any other rite ceremony order form or manner of celebrating of the Lords supper openly or privily or Mattins Even-song administration of the sacraments or other open prayers then is mentioned and set forth in the said book Open prayer in and throughout this act is meant that prayer which is for other to come unto or hear either in common Churches or private Chappels or oratories commonly called the service of the Church or shall preach declare or speak any thing in the derogation or depraving of the said book or any thing therein contained or of any part thereof and shall be thereof lawfully convicted according to the laws of this Realm by verdict of xii men or by his own confession or by the notorious evidence of the fact shall lose and forfeit to the Queens highnesse her heires and successors for his first offence the profit of all his spiritual benefices or promotions coming or arising in one whole year next after his conviction And also that the person so convicted shall for the same offence suffer imprisonment by the space of six moneths without baile or mainprise And if any such person once convict of any offence concerning the premises shall after his first conviction eftsoons offend and be thereof in form aforesaid lawfully convict that then the same person shall for his second offence suffer imprisonment by the space of one whole yeer and also shall therefore be deprived ipso facto of all his spiritual promotions And that it shall be lawful to all patrons or donors of all and singular the same spiritual promotions or of any of them to present or collate to the same as though the person and persons so offending were dead And that if any such person or persons after he shall be twise convicted in form aforesaid shall offend against any of the premises the third time and shall be thereof in form aforesaid lawfully convicted that then the person so offending and convicted the third time shall be deprived ipso facto of all his spiritual promotions and also shall suffer imprisonment during his life And if the person that shall offend and be convict in form aforesaid concerning any of the premisses shall not be beneficed nor have any spiritual promotion that then the same person so offending and convict shall for the first offence suffer imprisonment during one whole yeer next after his said conviction without haile or mainprise And if any such person not having any spiritual promotion after his first conviction shall eftsoons offend in any thing concerning the premisses and shall in form aforesaid be therefore lawfully convicted that then the same person shall for his second offence suffer imprisonment during his life And it is ordained and enacted by the authority abovesaid that if any person or persons whatsoever after the said feast of the Nativity of Saint John Baptist next coming shall in any Enterludes Playes Songs Rimes or by other open words declare or speak any thing in the derogation depraving or despising of the same book or of any thing therein contained or any part thereof or shall by open fact deed or by open threatnings compel or cause or otherwise procure or maintain any Parson Uicar oâ— other Minister in any Cathedral or Parish Church or in Chappel or in any other place to sing or say any common and open prayer or to minister any Sacrament otherwise or in any other manner and form then is mentioned in the said book or that by any of the said means shall unlawfully interrupt or let any Parson Uicar or other Minister in any Cathedral or Parish Church Chappel or any other place to sing or say common and open prayer or to minister the Sacraments or any of them in such manner and form as is mentioned in the said book that then every such person being thereof lawfully convicted in form abovesaid shall forfeit to the Queen our Soveraign Lady her heires and successours for the first offence an hundred marks And if any person or persons being once convict of any such offence eftsoons offend against any of the last recited offences and shal in form aforesaid be thereof lawfully convict that then the same person so offending and convict shall for the second offence forfeit to the Queen our soveraign Lady her heires and successours four hundred marks And if any person after he in form aforesaid shall have been twice convict of any such offence concerning any of the last recited offences shall offend the third time and be thereof in form abovesaid lawfully convict that then every person so offending and convict shall for his third offence forfeit to our Soveraign Lady the Queen all his goods and chattels and shall suffer imprisonment during his life And if any person or persons that for his first offence concerning the premisses shall be convict in form aforesaid do not pay the sum to be payed by vertue of his conviction in such manner and form as the same ought to be payed within six weekes next after his conviction that then every person so convict and so not paying the same shall for the same first offence instead of the said sum suffer imprisonment by the space of six monethes without vaile or mainprise And if any person or persons that for his second offence concerning the primises shall be convict in form aforesaid do not pay the said sum to be payed by vertue of his conviciton and this estatute in such manner and form as the same ought to be paid within six weeks next after his said second conviction that then every person so convicted and not so paying the same shall for the same second offence in the stead of the said sum suffer imprisonment during twelve moneths without baile or mainprise And that from and after the said feast of the Nativity of saint John Baptist next coming all and every person and persons inhabiting within this Realm or any other the Queens Majesties dominions shall diligently and faithfully having no lawful or reasonable excuse to be absent endeavour themselves to resort to their Parish Church or Chappel accustomed or upon reasonable let thereof to some usual place where common prayer and such service of God shall be used in such time of let upon every Sunday and other dayes ordained and used to be kept as Holy-dayer and then and there to abide orderly and soberly during the time of Common prayeâ— preachings or other service of God there to be used and ministred upon pain and punishment by the censures of the Church and also upon pain that every person so offending shall forfeit for every such offence xii d. to be levied by the Church Wardens of the Parish where such offence shall be done to the use of the poor of the same Parish of the goods lands and tenements of such offender by way of distresse And for due
sunt quos dirigit amor i. e. they are the best natured whom love perswades so plures sunt quos corrigit timor they are more numerous whom awe constrains upon which very score necessary it was to call in aid of the civil power which was done here by act of Parliament So that no one order had reason to except against this established form the Clergy were imployed as contrivers of the model The laity from the highest to the lowest all Kings Lords and Commons were interested in the ratification wherby a coercive power in order to conformity was constituted And that the said book with the order of service c. This act is not introductory of a now Liturgy but a reviver of the old that of the fift and sixth of Edward the 6 the remains of which structure are so considerable notwithstanding it hath gone twice to the mending as may worthily give it the denomination of Edward the 6 his Liturgy With one alteration c. It must not be imagined that either the Queen or the Parliament made those alterations for the review of the Liturgy was commited by the Queen to certain Commissioners viz to Mr. Whitehead Doctor Parker after Arch-Byshop of Canterbury Doctor Grindal after Bishop of London Doctor Cox after Bishop of Ely Doctor Pilkinton after Bishop of Durham Doctor May Dean of St. Pauls Doctor Bill Provost of Eaton and Sr. Thomas Smith These adding and expunging where they thought meet presented it to the Parliament who onely established what they had concluded upon As for the several changes Alterations and differences betwixt this Liturgy of ours and that of the 2 of Edward 6. this statute takes not notice of them all but what is defective herein Smectymnuâ—s hath supplyed as shall be observed at their several occurrences To inquire in their visitation c. Diocesan visitations were alwayes of very eminent use in the Ecclesiastical Polity and peculiar of the Episcopal function Indeed none â—o fit to make the scrutiny and lustration as he who is to pronounce the censure upon this account Primitive Bishops held themselves obliged as no disparagement to their Grandure to perform the office in their own persons St. Augustine plead it in bar to Celer's action of unkindnesse against him for not writing sooner Quâ—niam visitandarum Ecclesiarum ad meam Curam pertinentium necessitate profectus sum i. e. Because saith he I was gone a broad upon abusinesse of necessity the visiting of such Churches as were within my cure So the Mareotick Clergy in the defence of Athanasius Bishop of Alexandria against a calumny of his adversaries make mention of his visitation in person and not onely so but also that they themselves were of his train when he went upon that service In after times their work encreasing so as they could not well attend it themselves they had their Periodeutae and Itinerary Vicars to go the circuit for them these acting still agreeable to a series of Articles enjoyned by their Bishops In the beginning of the Reformation when it much concerned the Civil power to act as we say of natural agents ad extremum Potentiae to the utmost of its politick hability King Henry the eighth and Edward the sixt and Queen Elizabeth though I presume upon consultation had with the Clergy assumed and exercised the Authority of framing and imposing a body of Articles for Episcopal visitations which had certainly this very commendable property that they preserved uniformity whereas the leaving them to every arbitrary fancy and the exercise of that liberty by some Bishops of later memoray was in my opinion a probable way of erecting Altar against Altar and creating Schisme in the Church The Queens Majesty may by the like advice c. There was in the Act premised a prohibition with a penalty annext to it that no Parson Vicar or other whatsoever Minister shall use any other rite ceremony order form c. then is mentioned in the Book of Common prayer against this constitution a caveat is entred here whereby the Queen may by the advice of her Commissioners or metropolitan ordain and publish such farther Ceremonies or Rites as may be most for the advancement of Gods glory c. So that upon the entertainment of this exception the rule is corroborated as to all particulars not so exempted and consequently that none might innovate any Rite not expressly enjoyned in the book of Common Prayer then established or Book of Canons legally to be framed afterwards Which clause of reserve was no impowring nor enabling the Queen with any new and upstart authority but onely a declaration of what was resident in her before as inseparably incident to the supream Dominion vested in the Crown Agreeable to which She Anno. 1597. authorised the Clergy then met in Convocation to make and publish certain Canons which she after confirmed under the great Seal of England Other Canons there were made Anno 1571. But being not ratified with royal Authority I suppose they were not obligatory enough to constrain obedience and as concerning these of 1597. the formal words of her heires and successors being omitted in those Ratifications they were supposed onely obligatory during her Reign and that they together with her self breathed their last Whereupon King James in the first year of his reign issued forth a new Commission by his letters Patents to the Convocation then assembled therein giving them full power and Authority to consult and agree upon such Canons c. as they should think necessary which being concluded upon by the Clergy and presented to his Majesty He did for himself his heires and lawful successors confirm them with his royal assent as may be seen more at large in that Ratification Indeed the supremacy of the Civil Magistrate as to confirmation and a cogency of external obedience in Religious and Ecclesiastical affaires is no usurpation upon the Churches right as the Romish party contend against us but hath been approved of in the purest times and therefore whereas they seem to presse us with the objection That our Religion is Parliamentary because some concernments thereof have been Ratified by Act of Parliament Our answer is that Parliaments Enact not without the Royal assent This is onely this that vital spirit which regularly animates those establishments and from such assent the two first general Councels not to insist upon Nationals received their confirmation Eminent is that of Socrates 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. I therefore so often mention the Emperours in the series of my History though Ecclesiastical because that from the very first of their becoming Christians all Church matters depended upon their pleasure so as the greatest and Oecumenical Councels were then and are still convented by their order and summons As concerning these Canons of our Church Regal assent it was alone which firmed them the Parliament though then sitting not being resorted to nor interposing their Authority an unhappy disjunctive
the festivals of the Heathen scituated under the same parallel of legality may not also be converted into Christian Holy-dayes CHAP. III. The order where Morning and Evening prayer shall be used and said Common prayer 2. B. of Edw. 6. THE morning and Evening Prayer shall be used in the accustomed place of the Church Chappel or Chancel B except it shall be otherwise determined by the Ordinary of the Place C And the Chancels shall remain as they have done in times past The morning and Evening Prayer shall be used in such places of the Church Chappel or Chancel and the Minister shal so turn him as the people may best hear And if there be any controversie therein the matter shall be referred to the Ordinary and he or his deputy shall appoint the place And the Chancels shall remain as they have done in times past 1. B. of Edw. 6. The Common prayer 2. Book of Edw. 6. In the saying or singing of Mattens and Evensong Baptizing Burying the Minister in Parish Churches and Chappels annext to the same E shall use a Surplice And in all Cathedral Churches and Colledges the Arch-Deacons Deans Provosts Masters Prebendaries and fellows being Graduates may use in the quire besides their Surplices such hoods as pertaine to their several degrees which they have taken in any university within this Realm But in all other places every Minister shall be at liberty to use any Surplice or no. It is also seemly that Graduats when they do preach should use such hoods as pertaine to their several degrees And here is to be noted that the Minister at the time of the Communion and at all other times in his ministration shall use D such ornaments in the Church as were in use by Authority of Parliament in the 2. year of the reign of King Edw. the 6th according to the act of Parliament set in the beginning of the Book And here is to be noted that the Minister at the time of the Communion and at all other times in his ministration shall use neither All Vestment nor cope but being Arch-Bishop or Bishop he shall have and wear a Rochet and being a Priest or Deacon he shall have and wear a surplice only  Scotch Liturgy  And whensoever the Bishop shall celebrate the holy Communion in the Church or execute any other publick ministration he shall have upon him beside his Rochet a Surplice or Alb and a Cope or Vestment and also his Pastoral staffe in his hand or else born or holden by his Chaplain And here is to be noted that the presbyter or Minister at the time of the Communion and at other times of his ministration shall use such Ornaments in the Church as are prescribed or shall be by his Majesty or his successors according to the Act of Parliament provided in that behalf  The Common Prayer 1. B. of Edw. 6. An order for Morning Prayer dayly throughout the year An order for Mattens dayly throughout the year At the beginning both of Morning Prayer and likewise of Evening Prayer F the Priest shall read with a loud voice some one of these sentences of the Scriptures that follow And then he shall say that which is written after the said sentences AT what time soever a sinner doth repent him of his sin from the bottom of his heart I will put all his wickednesse out of my remembrance faith the Lord. I do know mine own wickednesse and my sin is alwaye against me Turn thy face away from our sins O Lord and blot out all our offences A sorrow til spirit is a sacrifice to God despise not O Lord humble and conâ—rite hearts Rent your hearts and not your garments and turn to the Lord your God because he is gentle and merciful he is patient and of much mercie and such a one that is sorry for your afflictions To thee O Lord God belongeth mercy and forgivenesse for we have gone away from thee and have not bearkened to thy voice whereby we might walk in thy laws which thou hast appointed for us Correct us O Lord and yet in thy judgement not in thy fury lest we should be consumed and brought to nothing Amend your lives for the kingdome of God is at hand I will go to my father and say to him Father I have sinned against heaven and against thee I am no more worthy to be called thy son Enter not into judgement with thy servants O Lord for no flesh is righteous in thy sight If we say that we have no sin we deceive our selves and there is no truth in us DEarly beloved brethren the Scripture moveth us in sundry places to acknowledge and confess our manifold sins and wickednesse and that we should not dissemble nor cloak them before the face of Almighty God our heavenly Father but confesse them with an humble lowly penitent and obedient heart to the end that we may obtain forgivenesse of the same by his infinite goodnesse and mercy And although we ought at all times humbly to acknowledge our sinnes before God yet ought we most chiefly so to do when we assemble and meet together to render thanks for the great benefits which we have received at his hands to set forth his most worthy praise to hear his most holy word and to ask those things which be requisite and necessary as well for the body as the soul. Wherefore I pray and beseech you as many as be here present to accompany me with a pure heart and humble voice unto the Throne of the heavenly grace saying after me A general confession to be said of the whole congregation after the Priest Scot. Liturgy all humbly kneeling ALmighty and most merciful father we have erred and strayed from thy wayes like lost sheep we have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts we have offended against thy holy laws we have left undon those things which we ought to have done and we have done those things which we ought not to have done and there is no health in us but thou O Lord have mercy upon us miserable offenders spare thou them O God which confess their faults restore thou them that be penitent according to thy promises declared unto mankinde in Christ Jesu our Lord. And grant O most merciful Father for his sake that we may hereafter live a godly righteous and sover life to the glory of thy holy name Scotch Liturgy And the Salvation of our own souls Amen The absolution or remission of sins to be pronounced by the Priest alone Scot. Lit. he standing up and turning himself to the people but they still remaining humbly upon their knees Lmighty God the father of our Lord Jesus Christ which desireth not the death of a sinner but rather that he may turn from his wickednesse and live and hath given power and commandment to Scotch Lit. the Presbyters of his Church the ministers of his Gospel
light and darknesse blesse ye the Lord praise him and magnify him for ever O ye lightnings and 〈◊〉 blesse ye the Lâ—â—d praise him and magnify him for ever O let the 〈◊〉 â—â—esse the Lord yea let it praise him and magnify him for ever O ye mountains and hils â—lesse ye the Lord praise him and magnify him for ever O all ye green things upon the earth blesse ye the Lord praise him and magnify him for ever O ye wells blesse ye the Lord praise him and magnify him for ever O ye seas and floods blesse ye the Lord praise him and magnify him for ever O ye Whales and all that move in the waters blesse ye the Lord praise him and magnify him for ever O all ye fouls of the aire blesse ye the Lord praise him and magnify him for ever O all ye beasts and cattle blesse ye the Lord praise him and magnify him for ever O ye children of men bless ye Lord praise him and magnify him for ever O let Israel bless the Lord praise him and magnify him for ever O ye priests of the Lord bless ye the Lord praise him and magnify him for ever O ye servants of the Lord bleâ—e ye the Lord praise him and magnify him for ever O ye spirits and souls of the righteous blesse ye the Lord praise him and magnify him for ever O ye holy and humble men of heart blesse ye the Lord praise him and magnify him for ever O Ananias Azarias and Misael bless ye the Lord praise him and magnify him for ever Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the holy Ghost As it was in the beginning is now c. And after the second Lesson shall be used and said V Benedictus in English as followeth BLessed be the Lord God of Israel c. Glory be to the Father and to the Son c. As it was in the beginning is now c. Or else this Psalm O Be joyfull in the Lord all ye lands c. Psalm 100. Glory be to the Father and to the Son c. As it was in the beginning is now c. 1. B. of Edw. 6. Then shall be said dayly throughout the year the Prayers follwing as well at Evensong as at Mattens all devoutly kneeling Lord have mercy upon us Christ have mercy upon us Lord have mercy upon us The Common Prayer 1. B. of Edw. 6. Then shall be said Scot. Lit. or sung the creed by the Priest and the people standing The shall the minister say the Greed and the Lords prayer in English with a loud voice I Believe in God the father Almighty maker of heaven and earth and in Jesus Christ his only son our Lord which was conceived by the Holy Ghost born of the Uirgin Mary suffered under Ponce Pilate was crucified dead and buried he descended into Hell the third day he rose again from the dead he ascended into Heaven and sitteth on the right hand of God the father almighty from thence shall he come to judge the quick and the dead I beleeve in the holy Ghost the holy Catholick Church the Communion of Saints the forgivenesse of sins the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting Amed And after that these prayers following as well at Evening Prayer as at Morning Prayer all devoutly kneeling the Priest first pronouncing with a loud voice The Lord be with you This salutation and answer do enter between the Versicles and the Collect for the day in the first Book of Edward the sixt Answer  And with thy spirit  The Priest Let us pray Lord have mercy upon us Christ have mercy upon us Lord have mercy upon us Then the Priest Clarks and people shall say the Lord Prayer in English with a loud voice Our father which are in heaven c. 1. B. of Edw. 6. Answer But deliver us from evil Then the Priest standing up shall say O Lord shew thy mercy upon us Answer And grant us thy salvation Priest O Lord save the King Answer And mercifully hear us when we call upon thee Priest Indue thy ministers with righteousnesse Answer And make thy chosen people joyful Priest O Lord save thy people Answer And blesse thine inheritance Priest Give peace in our time O Lord. Answer Because there is none other that fighteth for us but onely thou O God Priest O God make clean our hearts within us Answer And take not thy holy Spirit from us Then shall follow 1. B. of Edw. 6. dayly Three Collects The first of the day which shall be the same that is appointed at the Communion The second for Peace The third for Grace to live well And the two last Collects shall never alter but dayly be said at morning Prayer throughout all the year as followeth 1 B. of Edw. 6. the Priest standing up and saying Let us pray then the Collect for the day The second Collect for peace O God which art the author of peace and lover of concord in knowledge of whom standeth our eternal life whose service is perfect freedom defend us thy humble servants in all assaults of our enemies that we surely trusting in thy defence may not fear the power of any adversaries through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen The Third Collect for Grace O Lord our heavenly father Almighty and everlasting God which hast safely brought us to the beginning of this day defend us in the same with thy mighty power and grant that this day we fall into no sin neither run into any kinde of danger but that all our doings may be ordered by thy governance to do alwayes that is righteous in thy sight through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen Scot. Lit. After this Collect ended followeth the Letany and if the Letany be not appointed to be said or sung that morning then shall be next said the prayer for the Kings Majesty with the rest of the Prayers following at the end of the Letany and the Benediction Annotations upon CHAP. III. A Morning and Evening Prayer agreeable to the Jewish and Christian practice The three houres of Prayer in the Temple The 6. of Private devotion B Where Morning and Evening prayer are to be said Why the place left arbitrary to the Bishop C what meant by Chancels shall stand as as they have done D Ornaments in Cathedrals E the Surplice defended and Primitive practise set down F A discourse concerning the Translations of the Bible where the obstacle was that our Liturgy was not reformed in this particular G To begin with confession ancient H What meant by the word alone in the Rubrick of absolution I The Lords Prayer why pronounced in a loud voice K The Primitive practise concerning Amen L The versicles and Responds Canonical Scripture approved by Bucer M The original of the Decalogy its antiquity N Hallelujah at what times to be used O The Invitatory what and why devised P The Number of Lessons in the Romish
prayers of God would take up much more of the Lords day then in most places they do as Master Baxter saith very well As for this Doxology so often repeated in the service of our Church cause there is to think it very ancient and of much elder standing then the Councel of Nice St. Basil derives it very high citeth Irenaeus for the use thereof calleth it antiquam vocem a phraâ—e of great antiquity And doubtlesse so it is for Justine mentions it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Glorifying the Father the Son and the holy Ghost without a sound Confession of the Trinity is not enough to save us So also Clemens Alexandinus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Glorifying the Father onely and the Son with the holy Ghost And in all probability to this had Tertullian regard where interpreting that of the prophet Malachi Incense shall be offered and a pure offering he gives his sense of it thus by id est Gloriae relatio Benedictio Hymni the giving Glory to God the blessings and Hymnes Truth it is there might in the former times be some small syllabical difference in the rehearsing of it some thus Glory be to the Father by the Son in the holy Ghost some thus Glory be to the Father and the Son with the holy Ghost as Irenaeus in St. Basil others as we use it now in which diversity there was certainly nothing either intended ill towards the truth or which could be directly drawn into ill construction but when about the time of the Nicene Councel the Arrians began to sow their seeds of heresie touching the inequality of the three Persons and the better to colour their pretences sheltered themselves under the protection of the Doxology the Father by the Son in the holy Ghost formerly used to which they constantly adhered hereupon the Councel of Nice to avoid all occasion of future question held her self to that form which came nighest to the form of Baptisme composed by our Saviour and the Doctrine of Christian faith prescribing it to be punctually observed by all such as were of the Orthodox party So that the Church being then split into two divisions the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and form of Doxology used by ether side because the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and note of distinction from the other Now whereas it may be urged out of Philostorgius that Flavianus first brought it into use if the Author may not be questioned as partial being an Arrian yet may he be interpreted to speak in reference to Antioch onely And whereas St. Hierom hath been currantly delivered to be the Author and composer of the second verse As it was in the beginning c. the story of Leontius his cunning pronouncing of onely the end of that versicle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. world without end in an audible tone is evidence to the contrary that Leontius being contemporary with Athanasius and both long before Jerom. And from Easter to Whitsunday Hallelujah The fifty dayes between Easter and Whitsunday were dayes of excessive joy in the primitive Church in honour of our Saviours Resurrection and were in some particulars observed with equal solemnity to the Lords day as in not fasting not kneeling chanting this Angelical Hallelujah upon these dayes which last was retained by our first Reformers as a mark of honour fixt upon them In the Scotch Liturgy by way of responce is added The Lords name be praised more in compliance to exemplary usage then in advantage of the sense which is compleat enough without it for the Allocution of praise ye the Lord hath no implied reference to any such return from the people but onely regardeth the subsequent Psalm for as let us pray is usually premised to incite intention to an ensuing prayer with the same congruity is praise ye the Lord assigned as an impressive invitatory to a following Hymn calling upon the people to joyn not not onely mentally but vocally by way of alternate response after the Priest Then shall be said or sung this Psalm Such also was the mode in St. Basils time Ab oratione surgentes ad Psalmodiam instituuntur i. e. Rising from prayers they the Assembly fall to singing of Psalmes O come let us sing c. This is not to say properly the Invitatory but the Invitatory Psalm so called because it comprehends the Invitatory for the Invitatory it self is onely the verse O come let us worship and fall down and kneel before the Lord our maker which was in the Church of Rome often no lesse then six times repeated by the Priest at certain closes and Periods of this Psalm and as oft returned by the people which our Reformers judging to be a vain Tautology thought fit to omit it appointing the venite to be without the Invitatory The Original of this Invitatory was at first of valuable consideration For you must know that anciently as appeareth out of Chrysostome before the Congregation was compleat and fully assembled the usage was to entertain the time with singing of Psalms where of this was the chief And Durandus who lived about the 400 years since tells us it was then the fashion in some Churches for the people who lay in expectation of the morning Service as soon as they heard this Psalm once began presently they all hasted into the Church Then shall follow certain Psalmes Concerning the dividing of the Psalmes into certain portions for every day I have spoke before Then shall be read two Lessons In the Romish Church there are usually appointed nine Lessons whereof the three first are commonly out of the Epistles the three next are short extracts out of the Homilies and Sermons of the Fathers the seventh is almost constantly out of the Gospel next which followeth ashred of a homily out of the Fathers which supplieth the place of the Sermon in more ancient times and is a short exposition upon the Gospel then two Lessons taken out of some antient writer Therefore in the first injunctions of Edw. the 6. elder by a year then the first Liturgy it is appointed that in order to the reading of the Epistles and Gospels and one Chapter in the New Testament in English when nine Lessons should be read in the Church three of them shall be omitted and left out with their Responds The reading of Lessons out of the Old as also out of the New-Testament is in a punctual imitation of the Ancient Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Justine Martyr i. e. the Commentaries of the Apostles and writings of the Prophets are read as the time permits These Lessons except before excepted are not left arbitrary but either to be appointed by the Kalendar or by the Table of proper Lessons the first for Ordinary and work-dayes the second for Festivals And such also was the Primitive Custom Audistis Librum legi Job saith Ambrose qui solemni munere est decursus tempore you have
different order So that to draw to an end uniting these African parcels together we have found a Creed as to the essentials very conformable to this of the Apostles and for the verbal diversity it is the less to be wondred at when they who are conversant in the antient Fathers know their manner was in citing even Canonical Scripture not alwayes to consult the Originals but often to deliver it in in such words as their memories suggested provided they preserved the sense intire Probably from the same Liberty practised in those accounts they give of the Confessions of their faith might arise this diversity This and the other Creeds in the offices of our Church are alwayes appointed to be said after the reading of some part of Canonical Scripture because Faith comes by hearing Rom. 10. 17. first hearing and then faith it is ordered to be read standing for three reasons First because it is as to the substantials thereof taken out of the Gospels which were to be rehearsed standing Secondly because the stationary posture is most significant and importeth a Resolution to defend and maintain the faith we profess when we assert any thing with much earnestness we usually say this is truth and we will stand to it Thirdly in imitation of the Order of the Catechumens who did rehearse it in a stationary posture St. Augustine relating one Victorinus his deportment in this case speaks thus ut ventum est ad horam profitendae fidei quae verbis certis conceptis retentisque memoriter de loco eminentiore in conspectu populi sidelis reddi solet As soon as the time came for him to make profession of his faith which was used to be done in a set form of words got by heart and from an high place of ascent so as all the faithful might behold the Presbyters offered him that if he would he should rehearse it in private as some others did for fear of being daunted with so great an audience he refused it saying he would do it in the presence of the whole congregation and presently he mounted up From which story very inferrible it is that as the eminence of the place was regularly required for the greater evidence of the fact so was the posture erect as most serviceable to that end although St. Austin saith it not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in direct terms The Lord be with you The Psalms Lessons and hymns having long imployed both minister and people they now address themselves to prayer again the Priest greeting the people with this form called therefore the Salutation of the Priest whom they re-salute with the Response and with thy spirit derived as many conjecture from Ruth 2. 4. where Boaz said to the Reapers The Lord be with you and they answered him the Lord bless thee Very ancient it is and one of the first formulas used in the Christian Church Ritualists observe that this form was only an appurtenance to ministers of the lower Orb and that when the Bishop did Officiate he did use in lieu thereof Peace be to you and St. Chrysostom seemeth to perswade as much 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. The chief Priest or Bishop wisheth peace to all the people as entring into his Fathers house and therefore whereas the Braccarian Councel decreed that the Bishop and Presbyter should both use one and the same form and determineth that form by The Lord be wioh you with this expression sicut omnis retinet Oriens as is generally retained in the East either the custome must be changed since St Chrysostomes days or else we must reject a great part of his works for counterfeit which give us assurance of the contrary viz. his homilies upon Pentecost the Phillippians Colossians and others This form of Salutation Epâ—phanius saith was derived from our Saviours first greeting the Apostles after his Resurrection with his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 peace be to you In-observed let it not pass that this salutation did anciently denote as it is here applied a transition from one service to another and so St. Chrysostom upon the Colossians Hom. 3. seems to render the mode of his time Let us pray The intention of the minde is never so disposed to relax as in sacred exercises either seised upon with drowsinesse or withdrawn by straying thoughts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. when we come into Gods dâ—eadful presence we yawn and stretch our selves we scratch and scrub we gape about us or grow drowsie while our knees are upon the ground our mindes are on wool-gathering or about our Law-suites yea as Cyprian saith well while we supplicate God to hear our prayers we do not hear them our selves To summon and rouze us therefore to a fixt intention towards the ensuing duty the Church hath accustomed to call upon us often with an Orenâ—us Let us pray an office anciently peculiar to the Deacon as is evident out of St. Chrysostome Augustine and others And agreeable to this was the practise of those who followed only natures dictates 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when the Priest is officiating in sacred things the Cryer proclaimes with a loud voice Attend or minde what you are about Lord have mercy upon us These three versicles Antiquity called the Lesser Litany and of early admission they were into the service of the Church being mentioned in the constitutions ascribed to Clemens 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. at every of these allocutions of the Deacon Let the people say Lord have mercy upon us Fitly are they placed before the Lords Prayer because expedient it is we implore Gods mercy before we resort to him in prayer The addresse in it is to the three persons of the blessed Trinity and for that cause repeated thrice by the Greeks but the Western Church put 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ have mercy upon us in the second place O Lord shew thy mercy upon us These versicles with their answers are of Divine derivation Shew us thy mercy and grant us thy salvation Psal. 85. 7 God save the King 1 Sam. 10. 24. Heare me O Lord when I call Psal. 4. 1. Let thy Priests be clothed with righteousnesse and let thy Saints sing with joyfulnesse Psal. 132. 9. O Lord save thy people and blesse thine inheritance Psal. 28. 9. Shall it not be good if peace be in my dayes 2 Kings 20. 19. There is no strength in us but our eyes are towards thee 2 Chron. 20. 12. Create in me a clean heart and take not thy holy spirit from me Psal. 51. 10 11. And in regard they are for the major part taken out of the Psalms of David the Priest is ordered to stand up Collects Collects are so called either because many Petitions are contracted and collected into one body or because they are gathered from several portions of Scripture especially from those appointed for the Epistles and Gospels of the Dayes As well those here next following as
preserve to our use the kindly fruits of the earth so as in due time we may enjoy them We beseech thee to hear us good Lord. That it may please thee to give us true repentance to forgive us all our sins negligences and ignorances and to endue us with the grace of thy holy spirit to amend our lives according to thy holy word We beseech thee to hear us good Lord. Son of God we beseech thee to hear us Son of God we beseech thee to hear us O Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the world Grant us thy peace O Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the world Have mercy upon us O Christ hear us O Christ hear us Lord have mercy upon us Lord have mercy upon us Christ have mercy upon us Christ have mercy upon us Lord have mercy upon us Lord have mercy upon us Our father which art in heaven c. And lead us not into temptation But deliver us from evil Amen The Versicle O Lord deal not with us after our sins The Answer Neither reward us after our iniquities Let us pray O God merciful father that despisest not the sighing of a contrite heart nor the desire of such as be sorrowful mercifully assist our prayers that we make before thee in all our troubles and adversities whensoever they oppresse us And gratiously hear us that those evils which the craft and subtilty of the Devil or man worketh against us be brought to nought and by the providence of thy goodness they may be dispersed that we thy servants being hurt by no persecutions may evermore give thanks unto thee in thy holy Church though Jesus Christ our Lord. O Lord arise help us and deliver for thy names sake O God we have heard with our ears and our fathers have declared unto us the noble works that thou didst in their dayes and in the old time before them O Lord arise help us and deliver us for thine honour Glory be to the Father and to the Son c. As it was in the beginning is now c. From our enemies defend us O Christ. Gratiously look upon afflictions Pitifully behold the sorrows of our hearts Mercifully forgive the sins of thy people Favourably with mercy hear our prayers O son of David have mercy upon us Both now and ever vouchsafe to hear us O Christ. Gratiously hear us O Christ Graciously hear us O Lord Christ. The Versicle O Lord let thy mercy be shewed upon us The Answer As we do put our trust in thee Let us pray WE humbly beseech thee O father mercifully to look upon our infirmities and for the glory of thy name sake turn from us all those evils that we most righteously have deserved and grant that in all our troubles we may put our whole trust and confidence in thy mercy and evermore serve thee in holinesse and purenesse of living to thy honour and glory through our onely mediator and advacate Jesus Christ our Lord Amen A prayer for the Kings majesty O Lord our heavenly father high and mighty King of Kings Lord of Lords the onely ruler of Princes which doest from thy throne behold all the dwellers upon the earth most heartily we beseech thee with thy favour to behold our most gracious soveraign Lord and so replenish him with the grace of thy holy spirit that he may alway encline to thy will and walk in thy way endue him plentifully with heavenly gifts grant him in health and wealth long to live strengthen him that he may vanquish and overcome all his enemies and finally after this life he may attain everlasting joy and felicitie through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen Scot. Lit. A prayer for the holy Clergy ALmighty and everlasting God which only workest great marvails send down upon our Bishops and Curates and all congregations committed to their charge the healthful spirit of thy grace and that they may truely please thee powre upon them the continual dew of thy blessing grant this O Lord for the honour of our advocate and mediator Jesus Christ Amen Scot. Lit. A prayer to be said in Ember weeks for those which are then to be admitted into holy orders and is to be read every day of the week beginning on the Sunday before the day of Ordination ALmighty God the giver of all good gifts who of thy divine providence hast appointed divers Orders in thy Church give thy grace we humbly beseech thee to all those which are to be called to any office and administration in the same and so replenish them with the truth of thy Doctrine and innocency of life that they may faithfully serve before thee to the glory of thy great name and the benefit of thy holy Church through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen A Prayer of Chrysostome ALmighty God which hast given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplications unto thee and doest promise that when two or three be gathered together in thy name thou wilt grant their requests fulfil now O Lord the desires and petitioâ—s of thy servants as may be most expedient for them granting us in this world knowledge of thy truth and in the world to come life everlasting Amen THe grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship 2 Cor. 13. of the holy Ghost be with us all evermore Amen Scot. Litnrgies For Rain if the time require O God Heavenly Father whose gift it is that the Rain doth fall the earth is fruitful beasts encrease and fishes do multiply send us we beseech thee in this our necessity such moderate Rain and showers that we may receive the fruits of the earth to our comfort and to thy honour through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen O God Heavenly Father which by thy son Jesus Christ hast promised to all them that seek thy kingdom and the righteousnesse thereof all things necessary to their bodily sustenance send us we beseech thee in this our necessity such moderate Rain and showers that we may receive the fruits of the earth to our comfort and to thy honour through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen For fair weather O Lord God which for the sin of man didst once drown all the world except eight persons and afterwards of thy great mercy didst promise never to destroy it so again we humbly beseech thee that although we for our iniquities have worthily deserved this plague of rain and waters yet upon our true repentance thou wilt send us such weather whereby we may receive the fruits of the earth in due season and learn both by thy punishment to amend our lives and for thy clemencie to give thee praise and glory through Jesus Christ our Lord. In the time of dearth and famine O God heavenly father whose gift it is that the rain doth fall the earth is fruitful beasts increase and fishes do multiply behold we beseech thee the afflicuons of thy people and
fulfil the same through Jesus Christ our Lord. The Epistle I beseech you therefore brethren Rom. 12. ver 1. unto ver 6. The Gospel The father and mother of Jesus Luk. 2. verse 41. unto the end The second Sunday after the Epiphany 1 B. Edw. 6. The fool hath said in his heart c. Psal. 14. Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. The Collect. ALmighty and everlasting God which â—ost govern all things in heaven and earth mercifully hear the supplications of thy people and graunt us thy peace all the dayes of our life The Epistle Seeing that we have divers gifts Rom. 12. ver 6. unto ver 16. The Gospel And the third day was there Joh. 2. verse 1. unto ver 12. The third Sunday after the Epiphany 1 B. of Edw. 6. Lord who shall dwell in thy tabernacle c. Psal. 15. Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. The Collect. ALmighty and everlasting God mercifully look upon our infirmities and in all our dangers and necessities stretch forth thy right hand to help and defend us through Christ our Lord. The Epistle Be not wise in your own opinions Rom. 12. verse 16. unto the end The Gospel When he was come down Matth. 8. verse 1. to verse 14. The fourth sunday after the Epipiphany 1. B. Edw. 6. Why do the Heathen so furiously rage together c. Psal. 2. Glory be to the father c. As it was in the begining c. The Collect. GOd which knowest us to be set in the midst of so many and great dangers that for mans â—railnesse we cannot alwayes stand uprightly grant to us the health of body and soul that all those things which we suffer for sinne by thy help we may well passe and overcome through Christ our Lord. The Epistle Let every soul submit himself Rom. 13. verse 1. unto ver 8. The Gospel And when he entred into a ship Mat. 8. verse 23. unto the end The fifth Sunday after the Epiphanie 1. B. of Edward 6. The Lord hear thee in the day of thy trouble c. Psal. 20. Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. The Collect. LOrd we beseech thee to keep thy Church and houshold continually in thy true religion that they which no leau only upon hope of thy heavenly grace may evermore be defended by thy mighty power through Christ our Lord. The Epistle Put upon you as the elect of God Colos. 3. verse 12. unto verse 18. The Gospel The kingdom of heaven Mat. 13. verse 24. unto ver 31. The 6. Sunday if there be so many shal have the Psalm Collect Epistle and Gospel that was upon the fift Sunday The Sunday called Septuagesima 1 B. of Edw. 6. The Lord is my Shepheard c. Psal. 23. Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. The Collect. OLord we beseech thee favourably to hear the prayers of thy people that we which are justly punished for our offences may be mercifuly delivered by thy goodnesse for the glory of thy name through Jesus Christ our Saviour who liveth and reigneth world without end The Epistle Perceive ye not how that they which 1 Cor. 9. 24. ver 24. unto the end The Gospel The kingdom of heaven is like Mat. 20. verse 1. unto ver 17. The Sunday called Sexagesima 1 B. of Edw. 6. The earth is the Lord c. Psal. 24. Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. The Collect. LOrd God which seest that we put not our trust in anything that we do mercifully grant that by thy power we may be defended against all adversitie through Jesus Christ our Lord. The Epistle Ye suffer fooles gladly 2 Cor. 11. verse 19 unto ver 32. The Gospel When much people were gathered Lu. 8. verse 4. unto verse 16. The Sunday called Quinquagesima 1 B. of Edw. 6. Be thou my judge O Lord c. Psal. 26. Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. The Collect. O Lord which doest teach us that all our doings without charity are nothing worth send thy holy ghost and powre into our hearts that most excellent gift of charity the very bond of peace and all vertues without the which whosoever liveth is counted dead before thee grant this for thy onely son Jesus Christs sake The Epistle Though I speak with tongues of men 1 Cor. 13. verse 1 unto the end The Gospel Jesus took unto him the twelve Mat. 4. verse 31. unto the end I. The first day of Lent 1 B. of Edw. 6. O Lord rebuke me not in thine indignation Psal. 6. Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. The Collect. ALmighty and everlasting God which 〈◊〉 nothing that thou hast 〈◊〉 and dost forgive the sinns of all them that be penitent create and make in us new conâ—ritâ— hearts that we worthily lamenting our sins and knowledging our wretchednesse way obtain of theâ— the God of all mercy perfect remission and forgivenesse through Jesus Christ. The Epistle Turn you unto me with Joel 2. verse 12. unto ver 18. The Gospel When ye fast be not sad Matth. 6. verse 16. unto ver 22. The first Sunday in Lent 1 B. of Edw. 6. Blessed is he whose unrighteousnesse is forgiven c. Psa. 32. Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. The Collect. LOrd which for our sake didst fast forty dayes and forty nights give us grace to use such abstinence that our flesh being subâ—tied to the spirit we may ever obey thy godly motions in righteousnesse and true holinesse to thy honour and glory which livest and raignest c. The Epistle We as helpers exhort you 2 Cor. 6. verse 1. unto verse 11. The Gospel Then was Jesus led away Luk. 18. verse 1. unto ver 12. The second Sunday in Lent 1 B. of Edw. 6. Out of the deep have I called c. Psal. 130. Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. The Collect. ALmighty God which doest see that we have no power of our selves to help our selves keep thou us both outwardly in our bodies inwardly in our souls that we may be defended from all adversities which may happen to the body and from all evil thoughts which may assault and hurt the soul through Jesus Christ c. The Epistle We beseech you brethren 1 Thes. 4. verse 1. unto ver 9. The Gospel Jesus went thence Matth. 15. verse 21. unto verse 29. The Third Sunday in Lent 1 B. of Edw. 6. Give sentence with me O Lord c. Psal. 45. Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. The Collect. WE beseech thee almighty God look upon the hearty desires of thy humble servants and stretch forth
the onely God through Jesus Christ our Lord. The Epistle I thank my God alwayes 1 Cor. 1. verse 4. unto verse 9. The Gospel When the Pharisees had Mat. 22. verse 34. unto the end The ninteenth Sunday after Trinity 1. B. of Edw. 6. I call with my whole heart hear me O Lord c. Psal. 119. Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. The Collect. O God forasmuch as without thee we are not able to please thee Grant that the working of thy mercy may in all things direct and rule our hearts through Jesus Christ our Lord. The Epistle This I say and testifie through Ephes. 4. verse 17. unto the end The Gospel Jesus entred into a shi◠Matth. 9. verse 1. unto ver 9. The twentieth Sunday after Trinity 1. B. of Edw. 6. O consider mine adversity and deliver me c. Psal. 119. Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. The Collect. ALmighty and merciful God of thy bountiful goodnesse keep us from all things that may hurt us that we being ready both in body and soul may with free hearts accomplish those things that thou woulost have done through Jesus Christ our Lord. The Epistle Take heed therefore how ye walk Ephes. 5. verse 15. unto ver 22. The Gospel Jesus said unto his disciples Mat. 22. verse 1. unto ver 15. The xxi Sunday after Trinity 1 B. of Edw. 6. Princes have persecuted me without a cause c. Psal. 119. Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. The Collect. GRant we beseech thee merciful Lord to thy faithful people pardou and peace that they may be cleansed from all their sins and serve thee with a quiet minde through Jesus Christ our Lord. The Epistle My brethren be strong through Ephes. 6. verse 10. unto ver 21. The Gospel There was a certain ruler John 4. verse 16. unto the end The xxii Sunday after Trinity 1 B. of Edw. 6. Let my complaint come before thee c. Psal. 119. Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. The Collect. LOrd we beseech thee to keep thy houshold the Church in continual godlinesse that through thy protection it may be free from all adversities and devoutly given to serve thee in good works to the glory of thy name through Jesus Christ our Lord. The Epistle I thank my God with all Phil. 1. verse 3. unto verse 12. The Gospel Peter said unto Jesus Matth. 18. verse 21. unto the end The xxiii Sunday after Trinity 1 B. of Edw. 6. If the Lord himself had not been on our side c. Psal. 123. Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. The Collect. GOD our refuge and strength which are the author of all goodnesse be ready to hear the devout prayers of the Church and grant that those things which we ask faithfully we may obtain effectually through Jesus Christ our Lord. The Epistle Brethren be followers together Phil. 3. verse 17. unto the end The Gospel Then the Pharisees went out Mat. 22. verse 15. unto verse 23. The xxiiii Sunday after Trinity 1 B. of Edw. 6. They that put their trust in the Lord c. Psal. 125. Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. The Collect. LOrd we beseech thee assoil thy people from their offences that through thy bountiful goodnesse we may be delivered from the bands of all those sins which by our frailty we have committed Grant this c. The Epistle We give thanks to God Colos. 1. verse 3. unto ver 13. The Gospel While Jesus spake unto Math. 9. verse 18. unto ver 27. The xxv Sunday after Trinity 1. B. of Edw. 6. Except the Lord build the house c. Psal. 127. Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. The Collect. STir up we beseech thee O Lord the wills of thy faithful people that they plenteously bringing forth the fruit of good works may of thee be plenteously rewarded through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen The Epistle Behold the time cometh Jer. 23. verse 3. unto ver 9. The Gospel When Jesus lift up his eyes John 6. verse 5. unto ver 15. Omitted in the 1 B. of Edw. 6. ¶ If there be any more Sundayes before Advent Sunday to supply the same shall be taken the service of some of those Sundayes that were omitted between the Epiphany and Septuagesima W. Saint Andrews day 1 B. of Edw. 6. Many times have they fought against me c. Psal. 129. Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. The Collect. ALmighty God which didst give such grace unto thy holy apostle saint Andrew that he readily obeyed the calling of thy sou Jesus Christ and followed him without delay grant unto us all that we being called by thy holy word may forthwith give over our selves obediently to follow thy holy commandments through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. The Epistle If thou knowledge with thy Rom. 10. verse 9. unto the end The Gospel As Jesus walked by the Matth. 4. verse 18. unto verse 23. Saint Thomas the Apostle 1 B. of Edw. 6. Blessed are all they that fear the Lord c. Psal. 128. Glory be to the father c. As it was in the beginning c. The Collect. ALmighty everlasting God which for the more confirmation of the faith didst suffer the holy Apostle Thomas to be doubtful in thy sons resurrection grant us so perfectly and without all doubt to beleeve in thy son Jesus Christ that our faith in thy sight never be reproved hear us O Lord through the same Jesus Christ to whom with thee and the holy Ghost be all honour c. The Epistle Now ye are not strangers Ephes. 2. verse 19. unto the end The Gospel Thomas one of the twelve John 20. verse 24. unto the end X The conversion of St. Paul 1. B. of Edw. 6. at Mattens The second Lesson Acts 22 unto they heard him I will give thanks unto thee O Lord c. Psal. 138. Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. The Collect. GOd which hast taught all the world through the preaching of thy blessed Apostle saint Paul grant we beseech thee that we which have his wonderful conversion in remembrance may follow and fulfil thy holy doctrine that he taught through Jesu Christ our Lord. The Epistle And Saul yet breathing out Act. 9. verse 1 unto ver 25. The Gospel Peter answered and said unto Matth. 19. verse 24. unto the end 1. B. of Edw. the 6. at Evensong The second Lesson Acts 26. unto the end Y. The purification of Saint Mary the Virgin 1 B. of Edw. 6. Behold now praise the Lord c. Psal. 134. Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the
20. unto verse 29. Saint Bartholomew the Apostle 1 B. of Edw. 6. Not unto us O Lord not unto us c. Psalm 115. Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. The Collect. O Almighty and everlasting God which hast given grace to thine Apostle Bartholomew truely to beleeve and to preach thy word grant we beseech thee unto thy Church both to love that he beleeved and to preach that he taught through Christ our Lord. The Epistle By the hands of the Apostles Acts 5. verse 12. unto ver 17. The Gospel And there was a strife among them Luk. 22. verse 24 unto ver 31 Saint Matthew apostle 1. B. of Edw. 6. O praise the Lord all ye heathen c. Psal. 117. Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. The Collect. ALmighty god which by thy blessed son didst call Matthew from the receit of custom to be an apostle Evangelist Grant us grace to forsake all covetous desires and inordinate love of riches and to follow thy said son Jesus Christ who liveth and raigneth c. The Epistle Sering that we have such an office 2 Cor. 4. verse 1. unto verse 7. The Gospel And as Jesus passed forth Mat 9. verse 9. unto ver 14. Saint Michael and all angels 1 B. of Edw. 6. Praise the Lord ye servants c. Psal. 113. Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. The Collect. Euerlasting God which hast ordained and constituted the services of all angels and men in a wonderful order mercifully grant that they which alway do thee service in heaven may by thy appointment succour and defend us in earth through Jesus Christ our Lord. The Epistle There was a great battle in heaven Apoc. 12. verse 7. unto ver 13. The Gospel At the same time came Matth. 18. verse 1. unto ver 11. Saint Luke Evangelist 1 B. of Edw 6. By the waters of Babylon c. Psal. 137. Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. The Collect. ALmighty God which calledst Luke the Phisycian whose praise is in the Gospel to be a Phisycian of the soul it may please thee by the wholesom medicines of his doctrine to heal all the diseases of our souls through thy son Jesus Christ our Lord. The Epistle Watch thou in all things 2 Tim. 4. verse 5. unto ver 16. The Gospel The Lord appointed other Luk. 10 verse 1. unto verse 7. Simon and Jude Apostles 1 B. of Edw. 6. O praise Gd in his holinesse c. Psal. 150. Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. The Collect. ALmighty God which hast builded thy congregation upon the fundation of the Apostles and Prophets Jesu Christ himself being the head corner stone grant us so to be joyned together in unity of spirit by their doctrine that we may be made an holy temple acceptable to thee through Jesus Christ our Lord. The Epistle Judas the servant of Jud. verse 1. unto ver 9. The Gospel This command I you John xv verse 17. unto the end All-Saints 1 B. of Edw. 6t Proper Lessons at Mattens The first Lesson Sapi. 3. unto Blessed rather is the. The second Lesson Heb. 11. ver 12. unto If ye endure O sing unto the Lord a new Song c. Psal. 118. Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. The Collect. A Amighty God which hast knit together thy elect in one Communion and fellowship in the mystical body of thy son Christ our Lord grant us grace so to follow thy holy saints in all vertuous and godly living that we may come to those unspeakable joyes which thou hast prepared for them that unfeinedly love thee through Jesus Christ our Lord. Behold I John saw Apoc. 7. verse 2. unto verse 13. The Gospel Jesus seeing the people c. Matth. 1. verse 1. unto ver 13. 1 B. of Edw. 6. Proper Lessons at Evensong The first Lesson Sapi. 5. unto his jealousy also The second Lesson Apoc. 19. unto And Jesus saw an Angel stand Annotations upon CHAP. V. A. The Introit what B. Epistles and Gospels very necessary why Epistles when all are not so The reason and defence of that denomination C. Advent what and why observed D. Christmas day Its antiquity variously observed in the Primitive times The Precise day dubious and unnecessary to be known Calvin passionately for it Observed by the Synod of Dort and the Belgick Church A main argument for it E. Two Communions anciently in one fore-noon F. Why the Feasts of St. Stephen St. John and Innocents are celebrated neer Christmas day G. Antiquity of the Circumcision feast H. Epiphany what Ancient I. Ashwednesday and Lent the original and various observation of them K. Palm Sunday how observed L. The holy week why so called M. Maunday Thursday a day of great note N. Good-Friday anciently a very high day a day of general Absolution O. Easter-Eve the great day of Baptising competents watching the Sepulchre whence derived P. Easter-day of Apostolical institution Q. Easter-Munday and Easter-Tuesday very anciently observed R. Dominica in Albis S. Rogation dayes why instituted T. Ascension day why rarely mentioned in Antiquity Pentecost what Synods anciently summoned about this time V. Whitsunday why so called a private conjecture W. St. Andrews day why the first festival X. Conversion of St. Paul why not observed Paul and Peter one intire festival and anciently and of late years Y. The Purification of Mary anciently how called why Candlemass-day Z The Annuntiation of the virgin Mary how Ancient A St. Philip and Jacob and All-Saints B. St. Peter hath no single day C. The Festival of Mary Magdalen why discontinued THE Introites The Introites were certain Psalms appointed for certain dayes and were at first devised as decent imployments for the people whilest the Priest was ascending up to the high Altar They did somewhat resemble those Psalms of degrees appointed in the service of the Temple Epistles and Gospels The Epistles and Gospels need no advocate to plead for them it not being imaginable that Christians assembling for sacred exercises should omit the main fundamentals of Christianity or that the Jews should have the Law and the Prophets read in their Synagogues every Sabbath-day as it is clear they had and that the Christians should debar themselves of having the Epistles and Gospels the great evidences of their faith rehearsed in their Assembly places in their Churches Having had occasion before to deliver the Practise of the Primitive Church in this particular and to evidence that those leading Fathers did not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at peradventure and casually read these Lessons but were studious to fit and dispose them to the concernment of every Festival I shall not actum agere but onely adde that without those Lessons the Festivals would signifie little for what can
is still if I mistake not in some parts of Germany in Scotland I am sure or the Reverend Bishop of Galloway deceives me Having persued his Narrative through all the divisions of that Churches first Service at length he adds You hear the third Bell ringing and in this space the Reader ceaseth and at the end of the Bell ringing the Preacher will come There being then as I have said so apparent and visible a breach between the first and second Service the Morning Office and the Letany it is very probable though the Assembly did not dissolve yet was there such a ceasing and rest from sacred Imployments as might give the Curat◠time in that Interval both to receive the names of such as intended to communicate as also to admonish and in case of obstinacy to repel scandalous persons from that Ordinance sure I am he was then more at leisure then he could be at any other time after Morning Prayer begun and before it were ended And if any of them be an open and notorious evil liver c. Notorium amongst the Civilians and Canonists is threefold First there is Notorium Praesumptionis a notoriousness of Presumption where Evidentia rei est evidenter à Jure praesumta The evidence of the thing is taken for evident by presumption of Law As where it presumeth one to be the Son of such a man because he was born in Wedlock Secondly There is Notorium Juris a notoriousness of Law when the offence is proved either per confessionem factam in Jure by confession made in open Court or per Sententiam Judicis by the Sentence of the Judge Lastly There is Notorium facti a notoriousness of Fact when per evidentiam rei nulla potest tergiversations celari The evidence is so clear as the Accusation can by no shifts be avoided Now to which of these three the term Notorious in this Rubrick relateth is a great question The learned Prelate Bishop Andrews restraineth it positively to the second Our Law of England saith he will not suffer the Minister to judge any Man a notorious Offender but him who is so convinced by some legal Sentence The Law of England will not suffer it so that should the Ecclesiastical permit it the Municipal Law would not and if it comes to an Antinomy a justle between the Canon Laws of our Church and the Law of the Land this it is must over-rule But doth our Canon Law give any such toleration doth it impower any Minister to exclude his Parishioner claiming his Christian priviledge in those blessed Mysteries from the Sacrament or to make his private discretion the supream Judge of the Notoriousness here mentioned certainly no. As for the 26 and 27 Canons which are produced to the contrary they neither speak explicitly enough nor do they sufficiently direct in this Affair The Canon wherein our Church declareth her minde more articulately is the 109. If any offend their Brethren either by Adultery Whoredom Incest or Drunkenness or by Swearing Ribaldry Usury or any other uncleanness and wickedness of life the Church Wardens or Quest-men and Side-men in their next Presentment to their Ordinaries shall faithfully present all and every of the said Offenders to the intent that they and every of them may be punished by the severity of the Laws according to their deserts and such notorious Offenders shall not be admitted to the Communion till they be reformed where I note First the Crime must be scandalous an Offence to the Brethren Secondly it must be presented to the Ordinary Thirdly That such scandalous Offenders so presented to the Ordinary are not to be admitted to the Communion But some perhaps will say this was one of the failings of an ill regulated State and Church which justly called for a Reformation and so indeed it was pretended by Dr. Burgess and Mr. White of Dorchester at a Committee sitting in the Lords House in March 1641. But upon a full debate it was determined at that Committee to the very conviction of the Opponents that open and notorious evil-livers were none but such as the Laws had adjudged to be so Agreeable to this determination did the Parliament afterwards ordain That no person be suspended from the Communion for any matter of scandal but either upon his confession before the Eldership to have committed such an offence or upon the testimony of two Witnesses at least and those examined upon oath So was it ordained by this Parliament sufficiently Presbyterian against the liking of an Assembly of Presbyters which did Enixins Dogmatis Argumentis in contrarium nec semel sed frustra contendere vehemently though all to little purpose more then once oppose it with all the Arguments they could as Mr. Selden assures us Having opened the minde of our both Church and State as to this particular it will not be amiss to represent the conformity it beareth with the Imperial Edict and practice of the Primitive Church As for the Emperial Law it speaks loud enough Omnibus Episcopis Presbyteris interdicimus segregare aliquem à sacra communione antequam causa monstretur propter quam Sanctae regulae hoc fieri jubent We prohibit all both Bishops and Presbyters from shutting out any one from the Communion before just cause be shewn that the holy Canons warrant them so to proceed As for the primitive usage St. Augustine fully Nos à Communione quenquam prohibere non possumus nisi aut sponte confessum aut in aliquo Judicio Ecclesiastico vel seculari nominatum at que convictum We cannot repel any man from the Communion unless he hath freely confest his offence or hath been accused and convicted in some secular Court or Ecclesiastical consistory Indeed so was the Legislative patern of our Saviour in the first institution of his Supper Never was there a more detestable Crime then Judas his Treason never was Delinquent convicted upon Evidence so infallible as his Masters Omniscience But though he had already projected the conspiracy and our Saviour already knew it yet did he not interdict him from participating with his elect Apostles recommending thereby to his Church this Lesson that no outward communion of the wicked with us in those sacred Ordinances can possibly render them ineffectual to his holy Ones 'T is true I grant some learned men depart from this sence and because St. John saith that Judas having received the sop went immediately out thence infer his absence at the time of Christs instituting his last Supper But our Church is positive in the contrary nor can St. John be otherwise reconciled to the rest of the Evangelists To conclude the result of all the premises is That none are to be suspended from this Sacrament but the notorious Delinquents and that none are notorious but they whom the Sentence of the Law or their own confessions have stated so to be All reason it should be so My temporal Estate no
private person can deprive me of until it be legally evicted from me by course of Law and shall it be in the power of any mortal man to divest me of my interest in that blessed Banquet before I be adjudged to have forfeited it upon fair hearing what were this but to expose Christians to the infirmities passions and somewhat else quod dicere nolo of their spiritual Pastors The same order shall the Curate use with those betwixt whom he perceiveth malice and hatred to reign c. Amongst the three Graces the Apostle hath given the supremacy of dignity to Charity 1 Cor. 13. 13. and this most excellent Grace is never so resplendent as in the celebration of the Eucharist in relation to which she is most strictly enjoyned by our Saviour himself If thou bringest thy gift unto the Altar and there remembrest that thy Brother hath ought against thee leave thy gift before the Altar and go first and be reconciled to thy Brother which is very rationally thought by learned men to be the Institution of an Evangelical Ordinance because it was not commanded under the Law to such as were to present their Oblations and it is not like that Christ would superinduce any new establishment to former Rights when the ceremonial Law was expiring concurrent with the Masters Precept is the order of his Disciples St. Paul 1. Cor. 11. 18. When ye come together in the Church I hear that there be divisions among you What these divisions were he tells them in the 21. verse viz. that when they came to their Love-feasts wherewith this Sacrament was joyned and which were instituted for the preservation of Christian fellowship and levelling of all not onely animosities but highthoughts this notwithstanding the rich who brought plenty presuming he might be master of what he offered either fell to apart or with some select and choice friends of his own exceedings fed liberally while the poor-man had not wherewith to stay his stomack which inferred a disdain not agreeable to the designe of that charitable collation upon these proceedings the Apostle being to pronounce his judgement he assures them they are much in the wrong and that this is not to eat the Lords Supper i. e. that this practise and the Communion are two inconsistent and incompatible one with the other Charity being so essentially requisite to the right participation of the Sacrament as it hath imposed denomination to it It being called the Communion 1 Cor. 10. 16. why so he tells us in the next verse for thereby we being many are one Bread and one body for we are all partakers of that one Bread Now there cannot possibly be union where there is not charity the breach of this grace being the same in the spiritual Body of the Church that a wound is in the natural Solutio continui a rupture of the part intire And in Symbolical reference to this it may be here aptly hinted that in the Primitive Church for certain and probably in the Apostolick they used in the celebration of this Sacrament to have but one loaf and one cup for the whole Congregation to which in all likelihood Ignatius alluded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. One Bread is broken and one cup distributed to the whole Congregation which passage though that most excellent edition of Isaacus Vossius exactly agreeing with the very ancient Translation published by the Reverend Primate of Armach doth not own yet I presume the rather to cite because he speaketh elsewhere of some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. breaking one Bread A matter not improbable in such times when Communicants were not by the tith so numerous as now And though I deny not but this Father might have chief regard to Christ the mystical Bread which came down from heaven yet doth not that hinder but he might also allude to what was then matter of fact in the celebration of the Eucharist Besides this nominal indication of the necessity of this virtue from the word Communion further evidence may be produced from Antiquity for its high reputation As that it was a constant adjunct to those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or feasts of love which were fellow-like collations intended as a repast for the poor together with the wealthy and though several abuses stepping into that sacred confraternity and Brotherhood Christian prudence thought fit soon after in the Greek Church for in the African they continued to gether up to Tertullians time to disjoyn them ordering the Lords Supper to be celebrated in the morning fasting yet that it might still lay claim and title to its ancient appellation of a Love feast it was accommodated with ceremonies of like import Whence in the entrance into service of those blessed mysteries the Deacon was appointed to cry aloud 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. let no man be at one with another a Phrase borrowed I conceive from that of Ignatius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Let not man have any controversy with his neighbour and this proclamation once past the holy kisse and imbraces amongst the faithful presently followed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i e. Prayers ended we sâ—lute one another with an holy kisse that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the constitutions have it men men and women women and it cannot otherwise be conceived considering their stations were so disposed in holy Assemblies as each Sex was severed and apart from the other From hence also Tertullian calleth this signaculum orationis the Seal and close of prayer This is that which the Councel of Leodicea and the Greeks in their Liturgies call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Latines Pax the Salutation of Peace and is still retained by the Church of Rome derived originally from that of the Apostle Rom. 15. 16. Salute one another with a holy kisse Lastly when the Congregation was departed this noble virtue of Charity was still preserved by sending sometimes blessed loaves sometimes part of the consecrated bread to their absent friends as tokens of their Christian correspondence whereof mention is made in the Epistle of Ireneus to Victor Bishop of Rome cited by Eusebius and in the several Epistles of Augustine and Paulinus under the name of Paâ—is Benedictus blessed bread The result of all this tends not as to the decision of a question controverted but to the exciting us up to a due estimation of this Grace and to minde us that this Sacrament should be somewhat beside 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a memorial of Christs Sacrifice upon the crosse which is granted to be the chief motive to its institution and that also it is intended to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an act of oblivion according to the Athenian mode of injuries received Shall stand in the Body of the Church or in the Chancel This Rubrick being not explicite enough as to the proper station of the holy Table is illustated by comparing the 82. Canon with Queen
Elizabeth her first Injunctions and succeeding Orders In the Canon the Order is that the Table shall stand where it is placed viz at the east end of the Chancel Saving when the holy Communion is to be administred At which time the same shall be placed in so good sort as thereby the Minister may be more conveniently heard of the Communicants and the Communicants also may more conveniently and in more number communicate with the Minister Which words are almost verbatim transcribed out of the Queens injunctions these only superadding And after the Communion done from time to time the same holy table to be placed where it stood before Nothing can be more expresse and demonstrative that the table placed where the Altar stood was but supposed set out of the way during onely the Time of Non-communication and that at the time of the Communion it was to be removed as the word Saving mentioned both in the Canon and in the injunctions and the cited member of the Injunctions infallibly implieth if these instances afford not satiety to quiet all scruples the Orders of that Queen speak shril enough And if in any Church the steps be transposed that they be not erected again but that the place be decently paved where the Comnunion Table shall stand Out of the time of receiving of the holy Communion Order Oct. 10. 3. Eliz. So that out of Communion time the Table is to stand Altarwise as we and onely we do phrase it for Altarwise is an idiome peculiar to us English not known abroad in forreign parts and they who can finde Popery in that position have better eyes then ordinary Altars with them do not observe one regular position some are placed in the middle of the Quire some at the upper part end-wayes north and south and if eye witnesses may be trusted the chief Altar in St. Peters Church at Rome stands in the midst of the Chancel As for the Priest standing at the north side of the Table this seemeth to avoid the fashion of the Priests standing with his face towards the East as is the Popish practise So the M. S. collections of a learned man Shall say the Lords prayer The Lords Prayer hath been ever since Christianity a considerable portion of the Communion service and instituted so to be by Christ himself if credit may be given to St. Hierom Docuit Apostolos ut quotidie in corporis illius sacrificio credentes audeant loqui Pater Noster c. i. e. Christ taught his Apostles the boldnesse to addresse themselves to God in his own words in the daily sacrifice of his body The like is affirmed by St. Augustine Epist. 59. and Gregory Lib. 7. Epist. 63. Then shall the Priest rehearse the ten Commandments The recital of the Decalogue with the Pater Noster and Creed were enjoyned by Henry the 8. and his Son Edward in his first in junctions but the rehearsal of them after this sort that is before the Epistle and Gospel and with these Responses was not introduced untill the second Liturgy of Edward the 6. An order it is of as high prudence as can be devised in such a Christian affair Here is God speaking by the Priest another Moses to the people so it should be speak thou unto us all that the Lord our God shall say unto thee and we will hear thee Deut. 5. 27. he stands delivering Gods message to us while we ly prostrate in the lowest posture we can stricken down with terrour at those dreadful Laws the violation of the least of which were enough in Gods strict eye eternally to condemn us Laws which never any man without Gods preventing and assisting grace did or can observe and therefore we are directed by the Church to invoke Gods grace for our performance of his will to every Precept we are taught to apply St. Augustines Da quod jubes grant me to do what thou commandest The sum of this Petitionary Responce is derived from Deut. 5. 29. Oh that there were such an heart in them that they would keep all my Commandments And as we crave such an heart from God so we implore his mercy for our violation of them The Priest shall read the Epistle The Epistle or as the ancients sometimes called it the Apostle was instituted to personate and represent the Law preceding the Gospel and therefore for the most part is formed of such parcels of the Apostolical writings as are more eminent for moral instructions Glory be to thee O Lord. This Doxology is omitted in our Reformed Liturgy not out of any particular disgust against it but because our Church was studious of reducing her sacred rites to a lesse onerous model Antiquity did own it with an high regard and it deserved no lesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. The Deacon going about to open the Gospel consisting of four parts we all fix our eyes upon him as still as may be and when he begins to read the Gospel by declaring whence it is taken we presently all rise up acclaiming Glory be to thee O Lord Alcuin gives a satisfactory reason for it Quasi dicat Quia verba salutem conferentia mox audituri estis laudate Dominum cujus benâ—ficio hanc gratiam percipere meruistis Because you expect to hear the words of the Gospel which brings salvation to all true beleevers therefore praise that God who hath graciously dispenced to you so great a blessing Standing up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when the Gospel is read let all Prosbyters Deacons and all the people stand up with much silence and attention Clem. Const. l 2. c. 57. so also the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mentioned in the foregoing place of Chrysostome imports a custom anciently observed with that punctual strictnesse as none of what quality soever was exempted from it as the same Father assures us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i e. while the holy Gospel is reading we do not attend in a carelesse posture but standing up with much gravity we so receive the message c. yea the greatest potentate on earth stands upalso with awful reverence takes not the liberty to cover his head with his imperial Diedem but in all submissive manner behaves himself in the presence of God who speaks in those sacred Gospels standing is in truth the most proper posture of attention and if any part of Scripture requireth attention the Gospel doth it in an eminent degree the reading whereof is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the setting of heaven gates wide open not with the Psalmist for the King of Glory to enter in but for the King of Glory to come forth Nor shall it passe without a note that this passage of Chrysostom presents the Emperor himself not onely standing but also standing bare at the reading of the Gospel such honour was then deferred to those Evangelical tidings But here it will be demanded what assurance I can give that those early
Pulpet or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 standing upon some advanced place as the constitutions have it his manner was not onely to instruct the people what they were to do upon Religious occasions as when to attend when to pray when to bow their heads to the Benediction when to stand upright when and who to depart but also to call upon them to pray in such manner and form as he dictated to them as is evident by that Prayer for the Catechumens lately cited out of St Chrysostom where the Deacon all along premiseth every particular of that prayer The fift thing observable from the Canon is the kisse of Peace for that is meant by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereof before The last is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. the second oblation which is the next thing offereth it self in our service and is called the Offertory The Offertory The whole action of the sacred Communion is elemented of nothing but sacrifices and oblations So in our Church so in the Apostolick which should be the grand examplar to all and though our Church varieth somewhat in the mode from the first original yet in the Substance her practice is conformable These sacrifices and oblations we may cast into four partitions and finde them all in the primitive and in our own service I shall name them all but insist onely upon the first as incident to my present purpose The first is the bringing of our gifts to the Altar that is the species and elements of the sacred symbols and withal some overplus according to our abilities for relief of the poor And this elemosinary offering is a sacrifice so called Phillip 4. 18. and Hebr. 13. 16. and declared to be well pleasing to God pleasing to God though extended to the poor these have a warrant of Atturney from God himself to receive our Almes He that hath pitty on the poor lendeth to the Lord. Prov. 19. 17. So that when we come together to Break bread in the Scripture notion that is to communicate we must break it to the hungry to God himself in his poor members as ever we expect a share in that last venice Come ye blessed c. These acts of mercy being onely set down as the reason of that venite Come ye blessed c. for I was an hungry and ye gave me to eat c. Matth. 25. 35. The second sacrifice is the Consecration of the Elements and presenting them up to God by the Prayers of the Minister and Congrâ—gation whereby they become that Sacrament for which they are set apart and deputed The third is the sacrifice of prayers and prayers unto God which are stiled sacrifices Psal. 50. 23. and 141. 2 Heb. 5 7. 13. 15. The fourth is the Oblation of our selves of our souls and bodies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aliving holy and reasonable sacrifice Rom. 12. 1. Now to restrain my discourse as I promised to the sacrifice of Almes-deeds it will be necessary to take notice of the Apostolick and primitive practise in this concerment and thereby to observe the agreeablenesse of our own Rule with it First then we are not ignorant I hope that the Apostolick custom of communicating was at their Agape's and Love-feasts These feasts were a joynt and liberal collation of all the Assembly every man contributing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as God had blessed him the rich for the poor Out of the offerings brought so much as was thought convenient for the Sacrament was taken by the party who officiated and the remains were deputed both for the refreshment of the Congregation and also for relief of the poor and these oblations were by the Apostles constitution to be set apart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every Lords-day Of these Feasts St. Jude in his Epistle makes mention speaking of spots in the Christians Love-feasts and not long after him Ignatius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is not suffered to celebrate the Agape without leave from the Bishop Of the mode Tertullian is most expresse Modicam unusquisque stipem menstruâ Die vel cum velit si modo possit apponit Haec quasi deposita pietatis sunt inde non epulis nec potaculis nec ingratis voratrinis dispensatur sed egenis alendis humandisque pueris puellisque re ac parentibus destitutis etateque domitis senibus item naufragis si qui in metallis si qui in insulis vel in custodiis duntaxat ex causa Dei fiunt Some little modicum or portion of contribution every man once a moneth or oftener if he can and will layeth aside for this purpose These collations are the pledges of piety nor are they disposed to the satisfying of our gluttenous appetites but for the relief or burial of the poor or Orphans or aged or shipurackt persons or for the maintenance of such as suffer imprisonment or exile for the cause of Christ. But abuses of excesse having crept into these feasts the junketings comeslations and mealing together were soon laid aside and where they were so though the Sacrament had nothing but of religious import yet the eleemosinary Oblations still continued For Justin Martyr rendring the practise of his time tells us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They that are well to passe if they are so disposed every man as he pâ—easeth offereth somewhat of that he hath and this collection is deposited with the chief President who therewith relieveth Orphants Widows such as are sick or in want upon the like cause such also as are in prison or travailers which come from far Countries and to this usage I conceive Clemens Alexandrinus had an eye where he said many resorted to hear the word of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 knowing that Christians communicated to the needy things necessary To the same effect St. Syprian Thou art rich and wealthy and dost thou beleeve thou canst rightly celebrate the Lords Supper who doest not minde the Poor-mans box who appearest in the Lords house empty without the sacrifice of Almes deeds nay who takest thy share of that sacrifice which the poor man himself offered Not to trouble you with multiplying more Authorities in so clear a matter it may suffice once for all to reminde you that upon this very account the sacred mysteries gained in the Primitive Church so frequently to be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sacred gifts or offerings But though Almes-giving be a necessary duty yet doth not God accept it from all but in these Oblations he respects the men not the gifts there are some Cains of whose sacrifices he will none and therefore in the Primitive Church such persons as had misdemeaned themselves or scandalized Religion St. Cyprian positively orders prohibeantur offerre let them be kept back from offering so also for such as harboured malice against their brethren the Counsel of Carthage ordemed neque in sacrario neque in Gazophylacio recipiantur eorum Oblationes
Church at the end of this commemoration there was added a clause of Invocation to God That he would receive the Prayers of the Church by the intercession of those blessed Souls departed as Cyril tells us in the place before quoted and this is the first notice given of the Intercession of Saints in any Liturgy or publick Service and all this time not a syllable of Invocation of or address to them Yea St. Augustine who lived much about the same time is express to the contrary assuring us that though those holy men suo loco ordine nominantur non tamen a sacerdote qui sacrificat invocantur are named in their proper course and order in the Communion Service yet are they not invocated or prayed to by the Priest who officiateth This passage of this Father informing us that those Saints departed were named in their course and order leads us to the other Dyptick-Roll which was a Nomenclator framed on purpose as a dictamen for the officiating Priest some resemblance whereof is still extant in the Canon of the Mass called by Ritualists Litania Sanctorum nominum The Litany of the Saints names This nominal recital Walfridus Strabo saith came into practice soon after St. Jerome had composed his Martyrology General Intercession being thus admitted as what could hinder it into the Church the next step was that of singular Saints for single persons and occasions yet this not all at once neither for before any other were thought qualifi'd for the purpose the Virgin Mary was enstalled a Mediatrix and she call'd into ayd in several Prayers of the Church which Nicephorus ascribeth to Petrus Gnapheus as the first Author thereof about the year 500. She once thus admitted did not onely her self keep possession to the very almost justling out of her Son and Saviour but did let in all the train of the blessed Apostles Martyrs and others who by Pope Gregory about Anno 600. were dis-honored with an Ora pro nobis in that his otherwise gallant model of the Litany We commend unto thy mercy all other thy Servants The Commemorations of the dead Epiphanius divideth into two ranks or Classes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Just-men and Sinners understanding thereby less perfect Christians The order of the Just was that of the Patriarchs Prophets Apostles Evangelists Martyrs and Confessors mentioned before these were supposed directly to go to Heaven without calling in at Purgatory or any other withdrawing room and therefore thought it a vanity to pray for such who were conceived already arrived at a perfect state of bliss nay more then a vanity a wrong Injuriam facit Martyri qui orat pro Martyre he doth injure the Martyr who prayeth for him The other Classis that of Sinners were conceived by the Antients to be disposed of in some base Court as I may so say or inferiour appurtenance of heaven which for want of a better name they called Paradise there they conceived these souls did abide whilst they were in mora resurrectionis expecting the general Resurrection did pant and thirst for the beatifical vision of God and for these they prayed that God would give them some comfortable refreshment to slack that thirst This is the uttermost of their opinion fo far as their own records informes us and this scarce came to opinion neither not a man of them for the first five hundred years delivering himself positively but very staggeringly touching this point This and the former commemoration our second Reformers very judiciously omitted being loth to retain any thing liable to so just exceptions This prayer according to the primitive mode was made after the later consecration For the Sacramental elements were twice consecrated First when they were in the general masse of all oblations which were consecrated at large by thansgiving to God for all those benefits and invocation of his blessing upon them as they were provided for bodily refreshment and again when they were separated from the residue and by a particular Benediction deputed for the Symboles of the Eucharist which being thus consecrated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Cyril we invocate God over that propitiatory host for the Common peace c. and what he calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we entreat others usually say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we offer unto thee All intending thereby that they offered up their Prayers to God for those particulars by and through the intercession of Jesus Christ represented in the signes of that holy mystery certainly an edifying and innocent rite But the Church of Rome foysting in under the disguise of this excellent custome private Masses and in them a pretence of Christ really not mystically sacrificed and that sacrifice applied and determined to the souls of such persons as the Priest shall by his memento's limit Our Reformers endeavouring to a-move all occasion of abetting that wicked practise transposed and inverted the Order of this prayer to the Place you see CHAP. VII THE COMMUNION Then shall follow this exhortation at certain times when the Curate shall see the people negligent to come to the holy Communion WE be come together at this time dearly beloved brethren to feed at the Lords supper unto the which in Gods behalf I bid you all that be here present and beseech you for the Lord Jesus Christs sake that ye will not refuse to come thereto being so lovingly called and biddeâ— of God himself Ye know how grievous and unkinde a thing it is when a man hath prepared a rich feast decked his table with all kinde of provision so that there lacketh nothing but the guests to sit down and yet they which be called without any cause most unthankfuly refuse to come Which of you in such a case would not be moved Who would not think a great injury and wrong done unto him Wherefore most dearly beloved in Christ take ye good hâ—ed lest ye withdrawing your selves from this holy supper provoke Gods indignation against you It is an easie matter for a man to say I will not communicate because I am otherwise letted with worldly businesse but such excuses be not so easily accepted and allowed before God It any man say I am a grâ—evous sinner and therefore am afraid to come Wherefore then do you not repent and amend When God calleth you be you not ashamed to say you will not come When you should return to God will you excuse your self and say that you be not ready Consider earnestly with your selves how little such feigned excuses shall avail before God They that refused the feast in the Gospel because they had bought a farm or would try their yokes of Oreâ— or because they were married were not so excused but counted unworthy of the heavenly feast I for my part am here present and according to mine office I bid you in the name of God I call you in Christs behalf I exhort you as you love your own salvation that ye will be
and Collegiate Churches there shall alwayes some Communicate with the Priest that ministreth And that the same may be also observed every where abroad in the Country some one at the least of that house in every Parish to whom by course after the ordinance herein made it pertaineth to offer for the charges of the Communion or some other whom they shall provide to offer for them shall receive the holy Communion with the Priest The which may be better done for that they know before when their course cometh and may therefore dispose themselves to the worthy receiving of the Sacrament And with him or them who doth so offer the charges of the Communion all other who be then Godly disposed thereunto shall likewise receive the Communion And by this means the Minister having alwayes some to Communicate with him may accordingly solemnize so high and holy mysteries with all the suffrages and due order appointed for the same And the Priest in the week day shall forbear to celebrate the Communion except he have some that will Communicate with him And in Cathedral or Collegiat Churches where be many Ministers and Deacons they shall all receive the Communion with the Minister every Sunday at the least except they have a reasonable cause to the contrary  2 B. of Edw. 6. V Although no order can be so perfectly devised but it may be of some either for their Ignorance and infirmity or else for malice and obstinacy misconstrued depraved and interpreted in a wrong part and yet because brotherly Charity willeth that so much as conveniently may be offences should be taken away therefore we willing to do the same Whereas it is ordained in the Book of Common prayer in the Administration of the Lords Supper that the Communicants kneeling should receive the same which thing being well meant for a signification of the humble and grateful acknowledging of the benefits of Christ given unto the worthy receiver And to avoid the prophanation and disorder which about the holy Communion might else ensue least yet the same kneeling might be thought or taken otherwise we do declare that it is not meant thereby that any adoration is done or ought to be done either unto the Sacramental Bread or wine there bodily received or unto any real and essential presence there being of Christs natural flesh and blood For as concerning the Sacramental Bread and wine they remain still in their very natural substances and therefore may not be adored for that were Idolatry to be abhorred of all faithful Christians And as concerning the natural Body and Blood of our Saviour Christ they are in heaven and not here for it is against the truth of Christs true natural body to be in mo places then one Common Prayer 1 B. of Edw. 6. And to take away the superstition which any person hath or might have in the bread and wine it shall suffice that the bread be such as is usual to be eaten at the table with other meats but the best and purest wheat bread that conveniently may be gotten W And if any of the bread and wine remain the Curate shall have it to his own use Scot. Lit. And if any of the Bread and Wine do remain which is consecrated it shall be reverently eaten and drunk by such of the Communicants onely as the Presbyter which celebrates shall take unto him but it shall not be carried out of the Church And to the end there may be little left he that officiates is required to consecrate with the least and then if there be want the words of consecration may be repeated again over more either Bread and Wine The presbyter beginning at these words in the Prayer of consecration Our Saviour in the night that he was betrayed c. For avoiding of all matters and occasion of dissention it is meet that the bread prepared for the Communion be made through all this Realm after one sort and fashion that is to say unleavened and round as it was afore but without all manner of print and something more larger and thicker then it was so that it may be aptly divided in divers peeces and every one shall be divided into two peeces at the least or more by the discretion of the Minister and so distributed And men must not think lesse to be received in part then in the whole but in each of them the whole body of our-Saviour Jesus Christ. Common Prayer 1. B. of Edw. 6. The bread and wine for the Communion shall be provided by the Curate and Church-wardens at the charges of the Parish and the Parish shall be discharged of such sums of money or other duties which hitherto they have payed for the same by order of their houses every Sunday And for as much as the Pastors and Curates within this Realm shall continually finde at their costs and charge in their Cures sufficient bread and wine for the holy Communion as oft as their Parishioners shall be disposed for their spiritual comfort to receive the same It is cherefore ordered that in recompence of such costs and charges the Parishioners of every Parish shall offer every Sunday at the time of the Offertory the just value and price of the holy Loaf with all such money and other things as were wont to be offered with the same to the use of their Pastors and Curates and that in such order and course as they were wont to finde and pay the said holy Loaf Common Prayer 1 B. of Edw. 6. And note that every Parishioner shall Communicate at the least three X times in the year of which Easter to be one and shall also receive the Sacraments and Scot. Lit. observe other rites according to the order in this book appointed And yearly at Easter every Parishioner shall reckon with his Parson Vicar Curate or his or their Deputy or Deputies and pay to them or him all Ecclesiastical duties accustomably due then and at that time to be payed Furthermore every man and woman to be bound to hear and to be at Divine service in the Parish Church where they be resident and there with devout Prayer or Godly silence and meditation to occupy themselves There to pay their duties to communicate once in the year at the least and there to take and receive all other Sacraments and rites in this book appointed And whosoever willingly upon no just cause doth absent themselves or doth ungodly in the Parish Church occupy themselves upon proof thereof by the Ecclesiastical laws of the Realm to be excommunicated or suffer other punishment as shall be to the Ecclesiastical Judge according to his discretion seem convenient And although it be read in ancient writers that the people many years past received at the Priests hands the Sacrament of the body of Christ in their own hands and no Commandment of Christ to the contrary yet for as much as they many times conveyed the same secretly away kept it with them and diversly
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
hath vouchâ—aâ—ed to call to his holy baptisme and to be made members of his body and of his holy congregation therefore thou cursed spirit remember thy sentence remember thy judgement remember the day to be at hand wherein thou shalt burn in fire everlasting prepared for thee and thy Angels And presume not hereafter to exercise any Tyrany towards these Infants whom Christ hath bought with his most precious blood and by this his holy Baptisme calleth to be of his flock Then shall the Priest say The Lord be with you The people And with thy spirit The Minister Hear now the Gospel written by St. Mark AT a certain time they brought children unto Christ that he should touch them and his disciples rebuked those that brought them But when Jesus sow it he was displeased and said unto them suffer little Children to come unto me and forbid them nor for to such belong the kingdome of God Uerily I say unto you whosoever doth not receive the kingdom of God as a little childe be shall not enter therein And when he had taken them up in his armes he put his hands upon them and blessed them After the Gospel is read the Minister shall make this brief exhortation upon the words of the Gospel FRends you hear in this gospel the words of our saviour Christ that be commanded the children to be brought unto him how he blamed those that would have kept them from him how be exhorteth all men to follow their innocency You perceive how by his outward gesture and deed he declared his good will toward them For he unbraced them in his armes he laid his hands upon them and blessed them Doubt not ye therefore but earnestly beleeve that he will likewise favourably receive these present infants that he will imbrace them with the armes of his mercy that he will give unto them the blessing of eternal life and make them partakers of his everlasting kingdome Wherefore we being thus perswaded of the good will of our heavenly father toward these infants declared by his son Jesus Christ and nothing doubting but that he favourably alloweth this charitable work of ours in bringing these children to his holy baptisme let us faithfully and devoutly give thanks unto him and say 1 B. of Edw. 6. And say the prayer which himself hath taught and in declaration of our faith let us recite also the articles contained in our Creed Here the Minister with the Godfathers and Godmothers and people present shall say Our Father which art in heaven hallowed be c. And then shall say openly I beleeve in God the Father Almigihty c. Then shall he adde also this prayer ALmighty and everlasting God heavenly Father we give thee humble thanks that thou hast vouchsafed to call us to the knowledge of thy grace and faith in thee Encrease this knowledge and confirm this faith in us evermore give thy holy spirit to these infants that they may be born again and be made heires of everlasting salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ who liveth and reigneth with thee and thy holy spirit now and for ever Amen Then the Minister shall speak unto the Godfathers and Godmothers on this wise WE beloved friends ye have brought these children here to be baptised ye have prayed that our Lord Jesus Christ would vouchsafe to receive them to lay his hands upon them to blesse them to release them of their sins to give them the kingdom of heaven and everlasting life Ye have heard also that our Lord Jesus Christ hath promised in his Gospel to grant all these things that ye have prayed for Which promise he for his part will most surely keep and perform Wherefore after this promise made by Christ these infants must also faithfully for their part promise by you that be their suerties that they will forsake the devil and all his works and constantly beleeve Gods holy word and obediently keep his commandments  1 B. of Edw. 6. Then shall the Minister demande H of the Godfathers and Godmothers these questions following Then shall the Priest demand of the childe which shall be first baptised these questions following first naming the childe and saying I Doest thou forsake the devil and all his works the vain pomp and glory of the world with all covetous desires of the same the carnal desires of the flesh so that thou wilt not follow nor be led by them N. Doest thou forsake the devil and all his works  Answer  I forsake them  Minister Answer Doest thou forsake the vain pomp and glory of the world with all the covetous desires of the same I forsake them all Answer  I forsake them Minister Doest thou beleeve in God the Father almighty maker of heaven and earth And in Jesus Christ his onely begotten Son our Lord And that he was conceived by the holy ghost born of the Nirgin Mary that he suffered under Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and buried that he went down into hell and also did rise again the third day that he ascended into heaven and â—itteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty and from thence shall come again at the end of the world to judge the quick and the dead And doest thou beleeve in the holy Ghost the holy Catholick Church the Communion of Saints the remission of sins the resurrection of the flesh and everlasting life after death Answer All this I stedfastly beleeve Minister Wilt thou be baptised in this faith Answer That is my desire Minister Dost thou forsake the carnal desires of the flesh so that thou wilt not follow nor be led by them Answer I forsake them Minister Doest thou beleeve in God the Father Almighty maker of heaven and earth Answer I beleeve Minister Dost thou beleeve in Jesus Christ his onely begotten son our Lord c. Answer I beleeve Minister Doest thou beleeve in the holy Ghost the holy Catholick Church the Communion of saints remission of sins Resurrection of the flesh and everlasting life after death Answer I believe Minister What is thy desire Answer Baptisme Minister wilt thou be baptised Answer I will 1 B. of Edw. 6. The water in the Font shall be changed every moneth once at the least and afore any childe be baptised in the water so changed the Priest shall say at the font these prayers following O most merciful God our Saviour Jesus Christ who hast ordeined the element of water for the regeneration of thy faithful people upon whom being baptised in the river of Jordan the holy Ghost came down in the likenesse of a dove send down we beseech thee the same thy holy spirit to assist us and to be present at this our invocation of thy holy name Sanctifie †this fountain of Baptisme thou that art the sanctifier of all things that by the power of thy word all those that shall be baptised therein may be spiritually regenerated and made the children of everlasting adoption Amen
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
the articles conteined in our Creed Here the Minister with the Godfathers and Godmothers shall say Our father which art in heaven c. Then shall the Minister demand the name of the childe which being by the Godfathers and Godmothers pronounced the Minister shall say Doest thou in the name of this child forsake the devil and all his works the vain pomp and glory of the world with all the covetous desires of the same the carnal desires of the flesh and not to folow and be led by them Answer I forsake them all Minister Doest thou in the name of this childe professe this faith to beleeve in God the father almighty maker of heaven and earth and in Jesus Christ his onely begotten son our Lord and that he was conceived by the holy Ghost born of the Uergin Mary that he suffered under Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and buried that he went down into hell and also did rise again the third day that he ascended into heaven and siteth at the right hand of God the father almighty and from thence he shall come again at the end of the world to judge the quick and the dead And do you in his name beleeve in the holy ghost The holy Catholick Church the Communion of saints The remission of sins Resurrection and everlasting life after death Answer All this I stedfastly beleeve Let us pray ALmighty and everlasting God heavenly father we give thee humble thanks for that thou hast vouchsafed to call us to the knowledge of thy grace and faith in thee increase this knowledge and confirm this faith in us evermore Give thy holy spirit to this infant that he being born again and being made heire of everlasting salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ may continue thy servant and attain thy promise through the same our Lord Jesus Christ thy son who liveth and reigneth with thee in the unity of the same holy spirit everlastingly Amen Then shall the Minister make this exhortation to the Godfathers and Godmothers FOr as much as this childe hath 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 part and duty to see that this infant be taught so soon as he shall be able to learn what a solemn vow promise and profession he hath made by you And that he may know these things the better ye shall call upon him to hear Sermons and chiefly you shall provide that he may learn the Creed the Lords prayer and the ten Commandments in the English tongue and all other things which a Christian ought to know and beleeve to his souls health and that this childe may be vertuously brought up to lead a godly and Christian life remembring alway that Baptisme doth represent to us our profession which is to follow the example of our Saviour Christ and be made like unto him that as he died and rose again for us so should we which are baptised die from sin and rise again unto righteousnesse continually mortifying all our evil and corrupt affections and dayly proceeding in all virtue and godlinesse of living And so forth as in publick baptisme Common prayer Scot. Lit. W But if they which bring the infants to the Church do make an uncertain answer to the Ministers questions and say that they cannot tell what they thought did or said in that great fear and trouble of minde as often times it chanceth then let the Minister baptise him in form above written concerning publick baptisme saving that at the dipping the childe in the Font he shall use this form of words But if they which bring the infants to the Church do make such uncertain answeres to the Presbyters questions as that it cannot appear that the childe was baptised with water in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy Ghost which are the essential parts of baptisme then let the Presbyter baptise it in form above written concerning publick baptisme saving that at the dipping of the childe in the Font he shall use this form of words If thou be not already baptised N. I baptise thee in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy Ghost Amen Annotations upon CHAP. VIII A Baptisme how called in Antiquity why 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Illumination Barnabas his Epistle corrected Why the Laver of Regeneration a dissent from Mr. Selden and Dr. Hamond about its derivation B Sacrament What Whence derived Sacramentum and Jusjurandum differ Baptisme most properly a Sacrament why the office in order of place after the Communion C Easter and Whitsuntide why anciently times allotted for Baptisme D Rivers the first Fonts Baptisteries when erected the Directory felo de se. E Sanctifying of water what it meaneth F Two signings with the Crosse anciently relating to Baptisme one before and the other after why the Crosse used in our Church after Baptisme G The form of ancient Exorcisme H Interrogatories moved to Infants vindicated by the Primitive practice and parallel with the civil usages of others I Abrenunciation ancient severall modes observed therein K Imposition of names why used at Baptisme L Dipping not necessary England noted of singularity in that particular inconveniences thereof Many baptized in the same Baptisteries Women and men had severall rooms in one Baptistery Diaconisses their office at the Baptising of women M Triple mersion ancient why ordained single mersion or aspersion the rule of our Church N White vestments ancient O Tâ—ro Unctions anciently distinguished 4 several wayes P The Rubrique explained concerning the Crosse. The first original ground of that Ceremony Miracles wrought with it Why miracles ceased why Timotheus and Epaphroditus cured without them Dr. Reinolds a friend to the Crosse after the explanation of it The Crosse not operative demonstrated by K. James his omitting it in the Charismal office Q Private Baptisme proved lawfull by severall Authorities R The former Rubrique allowed of womens Baptising S Necessity dispenceth with accidentall formalities T Water a necessary element Beza his erour V What are the essentiall words of Baptisme W Children to be baptised where the testimony is doubtfull BAptism hath in Antiquity various appellations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is called Grace Illumination Perfection and the Laver saith Clemens Alexandrinus who there gives the reason why it is so called To the same purpose but more copious Nazianzen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We call it the Gift Grace Baptisme Unction Illumination the vestment of incorruption the Laver of Regeneration the Seal The great variety of these denominations flows from the several benefits accruing thereby The most noble and most emphaticall of these are first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 illumination to which the Authour of the Epistle to the Hebrews S. Paul as I conceive had regard in the word inlightened Heb. 6. v. 4. Illumination it was called out of a triple respect First 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
Church it will be proper and pertinent to inquire into the Original inducement to this Cermony These I observe to be three First an ancient Rite it was for servants or captives to be stygmatized or branded with the names of their Masters on their foreheads as it was for their souldiers enrolled with the names of their Emperours or Generalissimo's on the hands declaring thereby to whom they did belong To this custome the Prophet Ezechiel is thought to allude chap. 9. vers 4. Set a mark upon the forehead of them that mourn and cry for all the abominations that are done in the midst of Jerusalem To this custome the Angel in the Revelation is thought to regard chap. 7. vers 3. Hurt ye not the earth c. until we have sealed the Servants of God on the forehead and chap. 14. vers 1. where the retinue of the Lamb are said to have his Fathers name written on their foreheads And as Christ's Flock carried their cognizance on their foreheads so did his great adversary the Beast sign his servants there also Revel 14. 9. If any man shall receive the mark of the Beast on his forehead or on his hand Now that the Christian Church might hold some Analogy with those sacred applications she conceived it a most significant ceremony for Baptism it being our first admission into Christian Profession that all her children should be signed with the Cross on their forehead at their reception of it signifying thereby their consignment up to Christ whence it is so often called by the Fathers Signaculum Dominicum the Lords Signet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ's broad Seal or by words of the same import and hence Tertullian signat illic in fronte milites suos he marketh on the forehead his own soldiers Secondly The real miracles which were in those times daily wrought by the use thereof both in expelling and driving out of the Devil and by healing of corporal diseases whereof I lately produced one Testimony out of St. Augustin who from that very place can furnish you with many more So that woman in Epiphanius was preserved from Poyson 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 She was helped by the sign of the Cross and faith in Cirist Not by either separated but by both together Many other instances might be produced Now in case any shall object that many of those anciently recorded miracles were impostures and meer fables were it possible to be proved it would be of no force unless they could also prove al were so which is a thing impossible considering that so many of the Primitive Fathers witnesse the contrary nor is there any Protestant of remarque who doth not acknowledg as much Confest it is this gift of working miracles lasted not many Centuries after Christ and that for two reasons one least the familiarity of them should breed contempt for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith elegant Philo real miracles loose their estimation when they grow common Again the work was done for which they were wrought 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when the knowledg of the Christian faith was not far diffused miracles were wrought as necessary for the conversion of Proselites but when the Gospel began to be spread abroad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there was no further need of that way of teaching Therefore St. Paul saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wonders were exhibited more for the unbelievers than for the faithful which is the cause that Timothy and Epaphroditus being sick 1 Tim. 5. 73. Phil 2. 30. No miracle was applied to recover them they being faithfull and confirmed believers Lastly The Heathens were wont to deride the Christians and to speak disdainfully of them as worshippers of a Malefactor crucified To encounter which reproach and to shew that they gloried in the Cross of Christ Galath 6. 14. Taking it to be an honour not an ignominy they assumed this Ceremony of signing themselves with the Cross both in Baptism and at several other times Cor quidem habemus non tamen tale quale vos habet is nec nos pudet crucifixi sed in parte ubi pudoris signum est signum ejus crucis habemus We have an heart saith Austen to the Pagans but of a better mould than yours nor are we at all ashamed of Christ crucified but bear his cognizance in our foreheads the seat of shamefacenesse Now as to the establishment of this Ceremony by our Church though we have slender expectation that it should operate as formerly yet why may it not be retained as an honorable memorial of its miraculous effects of old But the Church is so exceedingly expresse and perspicuous in her explanation of the use thereof as nothing can be disired more which explication being the product of the Conference at Hampton Court was so abundantly satisfactory to the Foreman of those Opponents Dr. Reinolds as haveing once perused it he ingenuously profest he would never gain-say that Ceremony any more In that Explication not a sillable appears of any operation ascribed to this sign therefore they who have adhered to any such opinion cannot plead the Church of England for their guide Eminent and most remarkable was the great prudence of King James in this concernment All along King Edward the sixt'h and Queen Elizabeth her Reign when the Strumosi such as had the King 's evil came to be touched the manner was then for her to apply the sign of the Cross to the tumour which raising cause of jealousies as if some mysterious operation were imputed to it That wise and learned King not onely with his son the late King practically discontinued it but ordered it to be expunged out of the prayers relating to that Cure which hath proceeded as effectually that omission notwithstanding as it did before The sign of the Cross being then significant onely and not operative and significant of a duty to be elicited by future practice good reason hath our Church to continue it in which sence non est reprobanda with Zanchy it is not to be disallowed Adhiberi nec indecens nec inutile esse existimo saith Bucer p. 479. in my opinion the use of it is neither unseemly nor unprofitable Of them that be baptized in private houses if the custome of the Ancient Fathers yea if the practice of the very Apostles themselves be allowed us as directory sufficient in all sacred relations Private Baptisme that is baptizing out of and apart from the publique Congregation in case of necessity can draw its extraction as high as almost any other part of our Divine Service When Philip converted and baptized so many in Samaria Acts 8. We do not read any thing implying much less expressing that he did it in the place of publique worship or in the face of the Congregation So when he baptized the Eunuch ibid. 38. He did it not in the place of publiâ—k worship nor in the face of the Congregation When Ananias baptized Saul Acts
corruption so that the spirit be milde and quiet which is a precious thing in the sight of God For after this manner in the old time did the holy women which trusted in God apparel themselves being subject to their own husbands As Sara obeyed Abraham calling him Lord whose daughters ye are made doing well and not being dismaid with any fear The new married persons the same day of their marriage N must receive the holy Communion O The order for the visitation of the Sick The Minister entring into the sick persons house shall say Peace be in this house and to all that dwell in it Common Prayer 1. B. of Edw. 6. When he cometh into the sick persons presence he shall say kneeling down When he cometh into the sick persons presence he shall say this Psalm Hear my prayer O Lord and consider my desire hearken unto me for thy truth and righteousnesse sake c. Glory be to the Father and to the Son c. As it was in the Beginning c. With this Anthem REmember not Lord our iniquities nor the iniquities of our forefathers spare us good Lord spare thy people whom thou hast redeemed with thy most precious blood and be not angry with us for ever 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 Minister O Lord save thy servant Answer Which putteth his trust in thee Minister Send him help from thy holy place Answer And evermore mightily defend him Minister Let the enemy have none advantage of him Answer Nor the wicked approach to hurt him Minister Be unto him O Lord a strong tower Answer From the face of his enemie Minister Lord hear our 1 B. of Edw. 6. my prayers Answer And let our 1 B. of Edw. 6. cry come unto thee The Minister 1 B. of Ed. 6. Let us pray O Lord look down from heaven behold visit and relieve this thy servant look upon him with the eyes of thy mercy give him comfort and sure confidence in thee defend him from the danger of the enemy and keep him in perpetual peace and safety through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen HEar us almighty and most merciful God and Savior extend thy accustomed goodness to this thy servant which is grieved with sickness visit him O Lord as thou didst visit Peters wives mother and the Captains seruant So visit and restore to this sick person his former health if it be thy will or else give him grace so to take thy visitation that after this painful life ended he may dwell with thee in life everlasting Amen Then shall the Minister exhort the sick person after this form or other like DEarly beloved know this that Almighty God is the Lord of life and death and over all things to them pertaining as youth strength health age weakness and sickness Wherefore whatsoever your sickness is know you certainly that it is Gods visitation And for what cause soever this sickness is sent unto you whether it be to try your patience for the example of other and that your faith may be found in the day of the Lord laudable glorious and honorable to the increase of glory and endless felicity or else it be sent unto you to correct and amend in you whatsoever doth offend the eyes of your heavenly Father know you certainly that if you truly repent you of your sins and bear your sickness patiently trusting in Gods mercy for his dear Son Jesus Christ sake and render unto him humble thanks for his fatherly visitation submitting your self wholly to his will it shall turn to your profit and help you forward in the right way that leadeth unto everlasting life If the person visited be very sick then the Curate may end his exhortation in this place Take therefore in good worth the chastisment of the Lord. For whom the Lord loveth he chastiseth Yea as St. Paul saith he scourgeth every son which he receiveth If ye endure chastisement he offereth himself unto you as unto his own children What son is he that the Father chastiseth not If ye be not under correction whereof all true children are pattakers then are ye bastards and not children Therefore seeing that when our carnal fathers â—o correct us we reverently obey them shall we not now much rather be obedient to our spiritual Father and so live And they for a few days do chastise us after their own pleasure but he doth chastise us for our profit to the intent he may make us partakers of his holiness These words good brother are Gods words and written in holy scripture for our comfort and instruction that we should patiently and with thanksgiving bear our heavenly Fathers correction whensoever by any maner of adversity it shall please his gracious goodness to visit us And there should be no greater comfort to Christian persons then to be made like unto Christ by suffering patiently adversities troubles and sicknesses For he himself went not up to joy but first he suffered pain he entred not into his glory before he was cruâ—ified So truly our way to eternal Joy is to suffer here with Christ and our door to enter into eternal life is gladly to die with Christ that we may rise again from death and dwell with â—â—m in everlasting life New therefore taking your sickness which is thus profitable for you patiently I exhort you in the name of God to remember the profession which you made unto God in your Baptism And forasmuch as after this life there is account to be given unto the righteous Judge of whom all must be judged without respect of persons I require you to examine your self and your state both toward God and man so that accusing and condemning your self for your own faults you may finde mercy at our heavenly Fathers hand for Christs sake and not be accused and condemned â—iâ— that fearful Judgement Therefore I shall shortly rehearse the Articles of our Faith that you may know whether you do believe as a Christian man should or â—o P Then the Minister shall rehearse the Articles of the Eaith saying thus Doest thou believe in God the Father Almighty And so forth as it is in Baptism Then shall the Minister examine Q whether he be in charity with all the world exhorting him to forgive from the bottom of his heart all persons that have offended him and if he have offended other to ask them forgiveness And where he hath done injury or wrong to any man that he make amends to the uttermost of his power And if he have not afore disposed his goods let him then make his will But men must be oft admonished that they set an order for their temporal goods and lands when they be in health and also declare his debts what he oweth and what is owing unto him for discharging of his conscience and quietness of
Then shall they call upon me saith the Lord but I will not hear they shall seek me early but they shall not finde me and that because they hated knowledge and received not the fear of the Lord but abhorred my counsel and despised my correction Then shall it be to late to knock when the door shall be shut and to late to cry for mercy when it is the time of justice O terrible voice of most just judgement which shall be pronounced upon them when it shall be said unto them Go ye cursed into the fire everlasting which is pâ—epared for the Devil and his angels Therefore brethren take we heed be time while the day of salvation lasteth for the night cometh when none can work But let us while we have the light believe in the light and walk as the children of the light that we be not cast into the utter darkness where is weeping and â—nashing of teeth Let us not abuse the goodness of GOD which calleth us mercifully to amendment and of his endless pitty promiseth us forgiveness of that which is past if with a whole minde and true heart we return unto him For though our sins be as red as scarlet they shall be as white as snow And though they be like purple yet shall they be as white as wool Turn you clean saith the Lord from all your wickedness and your sins shall not be your destruction Cast away from you all your ungodliness that ye have done make you new hearts and a new spirit Wherefore will ye die O ye house of Israel seeing that I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth saith the Lord God Turn you then and you shall live Although we have sinned yet have we an advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous and he it is that obtaineth grace for our sins For he was wounded for our offences and smitten for our wickedness Let us therefore return unto him who is the merciful receiver of all true penitent sinners assuring our selves that he is ready to receive us and most willing to pardon us if we come to him with faithful repentance if we will submit our selves unto him and from henceforth walk in his ways If we will take his easie yoke and light burthen upon us to follow him in holiness patience and charity and be ordered by the governance of his holy spirit seeking always his glory and serving him duly in our vocation with thanksgiving This if we do Christ will deliver us from the curse of the Law and from the extream malediction which shall light upon them that shall be set on the left hand and he will set us on his right hand and give us the blessed benediction of his Father commanding us to take possession of his glorious kingdom unto the which he vouchsafe to bring us all for his infinite mercy Amen Then shall they all kneel upon their knees and the Ministers and Clarks kneeling where they are accustomed to say the Letany shall say the Psalm HAve mercy upon me O God after thy great goodness according to the multitude of thy mercies do away mine offences Wash me throughly from my wickedness and cleanse me from my sin For I knowledge my faults and my sin is ever before me Against thee onely I have sinned and done this evil in thy sight that thou mightest be justified in thy saying and clear when thou art judged Behold I was shapen in wickedness and in sinne hath my mother conceived me But loâ— thou requirest truth in the inward parts and shalt make me to understand wisdom secretly Thou shalt purge me with hysope and I shall be clean thou shalt wash me and I shall be whiter then snow Thou shalt make me hear of joy and gladness that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoyce Turn thy face from my sins and put out all my mis-deeds Make me a clean Heart O GOD and renew a right Spirit within me Cast me not away from thy presence and take not thy holy Spirit from me O give me the comfort of thy help again and stablish me with thy free Spirit Then shall I teach thy ways unto the wicked and sinners shall be converted unto thee Deliver me from blood-guiltiness O God thou that art the God of my health and my tongue shall sing of thy righteousness Thou shalt open my lips O Lord my mouth shall shew thy praise For thou desirest no sacrifice else would I give it thee but thou delightest not in burnt-offering The sacrifice of God is a troubled spirit a broken and a contrite heart O God shalt thou not despise O be favorable and gracious unto Sion build thou the walls of Jerusalem Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifice of righteousness with the burnt-offerings and oblations then shall they offer yong bullocks upon thine altar Glory be to the Father and to the Son c. As it was in the beginning is now c. 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 â—â—t deliver us from evil Amen Minister O Lord save thy servants Answer Which put their trust in thee Minister Send unto them help from above Answer And evermore mightily defend them Minister Holy as O God our saviour Answer And for the glory of thy names sake deliver us be merciful unto us sinners for thy names sake Minister O Lord hear our prayers Answer And let our cry come unto thee Let us pray O Lord we â—eseech thee mercifully hear our prayers and spare all those which confesse their sins to thee that they whose consciences by sin are accused by thy merciful pardon may be absolved through Christ our Lord Amen O Most mighty God and merciful Father which hast compassion of all men and hatest nothing that thou hast made which wouldest not the death of a sinner but that he should rather turn from sin and be saved mercifully forgive us our trespasses receive and comfort us which be grieved and wearied with the burden of 〈◊〉 Thy property is to have mercy to thee onely it appertaineth to forgive sins Spare us therefore good Lord spare thy people whom thou hast redeemed Enter not into judgement with thy servants which be vile earth and miserable sinners but so turn thine â—re from us which meekly knowledge our vilenesse and truely repent us of our faults so make hast to help us in this world that we may ever live with thee in the world to come through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen Then shall the people say this that followeth after the Minister 1 B. of Edw 6. Then shall this Anthem be said or sung TUrn thou us O good Lord and so shall we be turned be favourable O Lord be favourable to thy people which turn to thee in weeping fasting and praying for thou art
these in the time of Edward the sixth and the three last in the time of c Queen Elizabeth This being thus it will be worth the inquiry what it was that did first dictate to us the necessity of the Reading-desk The satisfying of which doubt will reside in reminding you of what I discoursed upon the Rubrique before Morning Prayer viz. that the service was to be said in the Accustomed place of the Church or Chancel That this place regularly was the Quire or Chorus now because in some Churches a belfery interposing or over great distance impeding the voice the People would bear too slender a part in those Orations it was therefore in such cases left to the Ordinaries discretion to vary from the former course and to assign such a place as he should think meet for the largeness and straightness of the Church and Quire for so are the words of the Advertisements Now this liberty was as readily taken as freely indulged The Ordinaries flexible at the sollicitations of their subordinate Ministres allowing them in several places to supersead their former practice setling the Morning and Evening Service in the Church as a place more edifying and in order to it tolerating the frame of a Reading-desk which dispensation begun at first by some few Ordinaries became in process of time to be recommended from one to another untill it amounted to a general and universal practice In the stead This Office being erected in default of publique and solemn Pennance it may here seem pertinent to give an account of the ancient practice and the most material concernments thereof viz. by declaring what it was upon whom by whom imposed how long by what degrees and with what ceremonies persons in that state were restored to the Communion of Believers and received absolution First it was an Ecclesiastical censure by which some persons were ordered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be cast out of the Church that is interdicted not onely the participation of the Lords Supper but all sociable converse in Divine Offices being not admitted to Common Prayers Imposed it was upon such as Apostatized in the times of persecution were convicted of heresy schism contumacy adultery drunkenss or such notorious crimes They who inflicted this censure were the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in St. Paul 1 Tim. 5. 7. The Ruling Elders the Probati seniores in Tertullian the majores natu in St. Cyprian not Lay-Elders as some most erroneously suppose but those Elders qui baptizandi manuum imponendi ordinandi habuerunt potestatem who had power to baptize to confirm to ordein as the same Father assureth us no one whereof was ever pretended to by Lay-Elders Nor were they meer Presbyters as distinct from Bishops but both Bishops and Presbyters Bishops in chief and Presbyters in a fraternal consociation for though some words in St. Cyprian sound in favour of his acting alone and exercising a sole power in Excommunication yet when I hear him profess to his Presbyters A primordio Episcopatus mei statui nihil sine consilio vestro privata sententia genere I resolved from my first instalment in Episcopacy never to act any thing of mine own head without your advice I cannot but conceive that his Presbyters were admitted joynt Commissioners with him though the definitive sentence passed it is like in his name when he was present As for the time how long this Pennance was to continue as the Greek and Latine differed each from other so was neither at unity without it self but varied with the times in an arbitrary course protending and contracting it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the rate and assise of the Office as the Constitutions have it In the Greek Church at first the party censured was separated from the Congregation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 three five or seaven weeks according to the nature of the Office A very gentle and mild procedure if the severity of after times be considered which in stead of those weeks appointed years nay and more then so extending the censure sometimes even to twelve years as shall be seen anon The time once perfixt and determined the Bishop or his Penetentiary upon evident tokens of sincere contrition had power notwithstanding to abbreviate and shorten it at pleasure So the Councel of Ancyra decreed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That Bishops examining the demeanour of Penitents shall have power to use more clemency towards such as shall deserve it So in the Nicene Councel liberty is given likewise to the Bishop where he observes men truly penitent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to deal more favourably with them Persons lapsed lying under the censure of the Church thus and so long it will not be amiss to enquire how they spent their time in this interim and by what degrees they were repristinated and rendred in their former state The most clear and most satisfactory account whereof is given us by Gregorius Neocaesariensis commonly called Thaumatergus Upon their first expulsion saith he they were assigned their stations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without in the Churcb-yard where they were enjoined as saith S. Basil also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to beseech the prayers of the Faithfull as they entred This place therefore called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from their weeping mourning and howling there most commonly they spent three years Their next step was into the Porch 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this place was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because there they stood amongst the Audients to hear the Sermon preached and holy Scriptures read where they tarried three years more Their third remove was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into the very nave and body of the Church close up to the Catechumenium This place was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Substration because there they did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 throw themselves down to receive the Priests blessing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 casting thenselves all along prostrate and even knocking the floor with their foreheads whilest the Priest prayed and holding his hand over them gave them his benediction And from this very familiar custome of Prostration or Penitential incurvation at length the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 came after to be usually applied to Adoration as in the Liturgy ascribed to S. Chrysostome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imports the doing of Reverence by Adoration He who was in this Classis S. Gregory tells us was to go out with the Catechumens 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by which there seems an evident difference betwixtt he practice of this time being about 260 and that of the times succeeding the Councel of Laodicea For by that Councel it was expresly ordered that the Catechumens and Penitents should be dismis'd apart for the words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after the Catechumens are dismissed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The prayer of the Penitents must succeed And here give me leave to note further to you that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
first Communion O sing unto the Lord a new song c. Psal. 98. Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. The Collect. GOd which makest us glad with the yearly remembrance of the birth of thy onely son Jesus Christ grant that as we joyfully receive him for our Redeemer so we may with sure confidence behold him when he shall come to be our Judge who liveth and reigneth c. The Epistle The grace of God that bringeth salvation Tit. 2. verse 11. to the end The Gospel And it chanced in those dayes c. Lu. 2. to verse 15. E At the second Communion O Lord our Governour c. Psalm 8. The Collect. ALmighty God which hast given us thy onely begotten son to take our nature upon him â— this day to be born of a pure virgin Grant that we being regenerate and made thy children by adoption and grace may dayly be renued by thy holy spirit through thâ— same our Lord Jesus Christ who liveth and reigneth with thee c. The Epistle God in times past diversly Heb. 1. verse 1. unto verse 13. The Gospel In the beginning was the word Joh. 1. verse 1. unto verse 15. 1. B. of Edw. 6. Proper Psalms and Lessons at Even-song 89. The first Lesson Esay 7. God spake once again c. to the end Psalm 110. Â 132. Â The second Lesson Tit. 3. The kindness and love c. unto foolish questions F St. Stevens day at Mattens 1. B. of Edw. 6. The second Lesson Act. 6. 7. Stephen full of faith c. unto and when 40. years At the Communion Why boastest thou thou Tyrant Psal. 3. Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the Beginning c. The Collect. GRant us O Lord to learn to love our enemies by the example of thy martyr S. Steven who prayed for his persecutors to thee which livest c. Then shall follow the Collect of the Nativity which shall be said continually unto Newyears day Scot Lit. But instead of these words and this day to be born the Presbyter shall say at this time to be born The Epistle And Stephen being full of the holy Ghost Act. 7. verse 55 unto the end The Gospel Behold I send unto you Prophets Mat. 23. verse 34. unto the end 1. B. of Edw. 6. The second Lesson at Evensong Acts 7. And when 40. years were expired unto Stephen full of the holy Ghost St John Evangelist's day 1. B. of Edw. 6. at Mattens The second Lesson Apoc. 1. unto the end At the Communion In the Lord put I my trust c. Psal. 11. Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. The Collect. MErcyfull Lord we beseech thee to cast thy bright beams of light upon thy Church that it being lightened by the doctrine of thy blessed Apostle and Evangelist John may attain to thy everlasting gifts through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen The Epistle That which was from the beginning 1 John 1. verse 1. unto the end The Gospel Jesus said unto Peter John 21. verse 19. unto the end 1. B. of Edw. 6. at Evensong the second Lesson Apoc. 22. unto the end The Innocents day 1. B. of Edw. 6. at Mattens The first Lesson Jer. 31. unto moreover I heard Ephraim At the Communion O God the heathen are come c. Psal 29. Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. The Collect. ALmighty God whose praise this day the young Innocents thy witnesses have confessed and shewed forth not in speaking but in dying mortifie and kill all vices in us that in our conversation our life may express the faith which with our tongues we do confesse through Jesus Christ our Lord. The Epistle I looked and lo a Lamb Apoc. 14. verse 1. unto verse 6. The Gospel The angel of the Lord appeared Mat. 2. verse 13. unto verse 19. The Sunday after Christmas day 1. B. of Edw. 6. I will lift mine eyes up to the hills c. Psal. 121. Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. The Collect. Almighty God which hast given c. As upon Christmas day The Epistle And I say that the hire Galat. 4. verse 1. unto verse 8. The Gospel This is the Book of the generation Matth. 1. verse 1. unto the end The Circumcision of Christ. 1. B. of Edw. 6. At Mattens The first Lesson Gen. 17. unto the end The second Lesson Rom. 2. unto the end G At the Communion I was glad when they said unto me c. Psalm 122. Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. The Collect. ALmighty God which madest thy blessed son to be circumcised and obedient to the law for man grant us the true circumcision of the spirit that our hearts and all our members being mortified from all wordly and carnal lusts may in all things ovey thy blessed will through the same thy son Jesus Christ our Lord. The Epistle Blessed is that man to whom Rom. 4. verse 8. unto verse 15. The Gospel And it fortuned Luk. 2. verse 15. unto verse 22. 1. B. of Edw. 6. at Evensong The first Lesson Deut. 10. And now Israel unto the end The Second Lesson Colos. 2. unto the end Omitted in the 1. B. of Edward 6. If there be a Sunday between the Epiphany and the Circumcision then shal be used the same Collect Epistle and Gospel at the Communion which was used upon the day of Circumcision Scot. Lit. so likewise upon every other day from the time of the Circumcision to the Epiphany H. The Epiphany 1. B. of Edw. 6. at Mattens The first Lesson Esay 60. unto the End The second Lesson Luke 3. and it fortuned unto the end At the Communion O sing unto the Lord a new song c. Psalm 96. Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. The Collect. O God which by the leading of a star diddest manifest thy onely begotten son to the Gentiles mercifully grant that we which know thee now by faith may after this life have the fruition of thy glorious God head through Christ our Lord. The Epistle For this cause I Paul Ephes. 3. verse 1. unto verse 13. The Gospel When Jesus was born Matth. 2. verse 1. unto ver 13. 1. B. of Edw. 6. At Evensong The first Lesson Isai. 49. unto the end The second Lesson John 2. After this he went down to Capernaum unto the end The first Sunday after the Epiphanie 1. B. of Edw. 6. How long wilt thou forget me c. Psal. 13. Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. The Collect. LOrd we beseech thee mercifully to receive the prayers of thy people Which call upon thee and grant that they may both perceive and know what things they ought to do and also have grace and power faithfully to
had then his dividend of offerings But afterward as devotion relaxed they were content with Sundayes appointing neverthelesse that which they called missam Catechumenorum the service of the Catechumens to be used upon such dayes as there was no Communion and this went under the appellation of Missa sicca Dry-masse To speak in particular of our Church this Rubrick is a very pious and prudent provision what pity were it that the congregation should for default of a Communion be deprived of that excellent ex homo logesis confession of sins implied in that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lord have mercy upon us and invocation of Gods grations assistance which the Decalogue service constrains us to what is there in those Collects succeeding what in the Constantinopolitan Creed what in the Prayer for the whole state of Christs-Church which createth in them an inseparable relation to the Eucharist or which may not exceedingly officiate to the edification of the Assembly at all times would leasure permit Nay how absurd would it seem to celebrate those holy-dayes and meerly for the defect above said to turn out of doors so large portions of holy Scripture as the Epistles and Gospels these last with their Collects giving us the onely account why these dayes are observed Under the notion of Holy-dayes in this place such Sundayes are also to be comprehended on which there is no communion in Country villages where congregations are thin for Sundayes are put into the Catalogue of holy-dayes in the Act of Parliament and order of our Church But it is ordered here onely what shall be said for the second service without determining the place where and this hath been a very intricate and almost interminable question The visitation Articles of some Bishops enjoyned it to be read at the holy Table placed at the East end of the Chancel and the late Arch-Bishop inferreth direction for it from the Rubrick before the Communion appointing that the Priest standing at the North side of the holy Table shall say the Lords prayer with that which followeth But this order hath reference to the Communion time the Rubriok is expresly so and in Communion time I have evidently demonstrated before the Table was to be placed in the midle of the Church or Chancel and consequently I conceive this Rubrick referreth not to this service out of Communion time where then is it to be read I agree at the holy Table set Altarwise at the East end and in this I perswade my self the Bishops were right though they perhaps mistook the reason so it was I am certain in the first Reformation the Rubrick parallel to ours ordering all these things to be said at the Altar But it may be said the second Reformation expunging this rule as to this particular we may presume it meant to reform the practise also I answer our Reformers are best understood by their own orders Now this Rule constitutes this service either as a label annext to morning prayer or parcel of the Communion service take which you will by the order of the Church it must be said at the holy table set Altarwise at the East end for there regularly ought both the morning and the Communion office to be read out of Communion time As for the Morning prayer both it and Evening prayer shall be used in the acoustomed place of the Church Chappel or Chancel So are the very words of the Rubrick The accustomed place was then without dispute the Quire for all along Queen Marses dayes nay from her death being the 27. of November to the feast of St. John Baptist when this Common prayer was to commence by the statute Mattins and Masse yea all Divine offices were performed after the popish manner and that was undoubtedly in the Quire at the high Altar and consequently to that place must the word accoustomed have relation in this Rubrick True it is there is an exception against this rule in case the ordinary shall otherwise determine So that till the Ordinary shall state it otherwise the rule holds firm and consequently Morning prayer with all its appendants not otherwise setled by expresse order is to be said at the Altar Now if it be considered as part of the Communion service the words of the Rubrick are expresse The Priest standing at the North side of the Table shall say c. So he is to stand and officiate at the North side of the Table and this out of Communion time must be scituated at the East end and consequently the service to be read there Although no order c. How by whom or upon what account and inducement this excellent Rubrick ancientiy called a protestution touching the gesture of kneeling came to be omitted in Queen Elizabeth her Liturgy I cannot determine and would gladly learn And if any of the Bread or wine remain c. In the Primitive Church the bread and wine was taken from a large table which was the receptacle of all the offerings so much in quantity as the Priest officiating judged sufficient for the Comunicants These Elements thus separated from their fellows were consecrated apart for the service to which they were destined but because so great a portion was usually blessed as did afford some over-plus it was therefore judged necessary some order should be taken for a decent disposal of those analects and remains this was done at first by sending some parcels to absent friends as pledges and tokens of love and agreement in the unity of the same faith whereof Eusebius maketh mention in Ireneus his Epistle to Pope Victor But this custome being abused was interdicted by the Councel of Leodicea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That the consecrated bread be no more sent abroad to other Parishes at Easter under the notion and in resemblance of the blessed loaves After this the Remains began to be divided amongst the Clergy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Clemens What is left of the consecrated Elements let the Deacons divide among the Clergy and sometimes the other Communicants were allowed their share 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let the Clergy and with them the faithful brethren divide amongst themselves the Oblations of the Eucarist when every one hath participated As for the order of our Church it is very circumspect for by saying the Curate shall have it to his own use care thereby is taken to prevent the superstitious reservation of this Sacrament as the Papists formerly practised At the least three times in the year So did the Counsel of Agatha decree prescribing these very dayes also Qui in Natali Domim Paschate Pentechoste non communicant catholici non credantur nec inter Catholicos habeantur They which do not communicate at the Nativity of our Lord Easter and Pentechost let them not be accounted amongst the members of the Catholick Church So also the Belgick Church Commodumerit die Pascates Pentechostes Nativitatis salvificae Dominicam caenam