the service of the 18. Sunday or some other before it as it happens to be that year But of old after other Vacant days had their proper Services this day continued for some while to make use of borrowing so Berno and Micrologus say it was in their times and what Service can we think could be more useful for that purpose than this of the 18th Sunday especially if we consider it with all the accessaries It had then In ancient Rituals as S. Hieromes Lectimarius S. Gregories Antiphonarius Liber Sacramentorum c. we find the service of Ember week placed immediately before â—â—t of this Sunday and the chief reason â—â—y be this aforesaid their affinity of matter Rupertus Tuitiens in his 12. Book De Divin Officiis and 18. Chap. is very â—â—pious in shewing how much the office of this day in that largeness it then had concern'd them that had the cure of souls and Berno Augiens in his 5. Chap. is as large in shewing how well it might serve in that regard for a supplement to the Vacant Sunday All which considered and withal that the usual order of the Epistles from 5. to the 25. was changed only in This and that according to the course of Easter the Ordination falls on this Sunday or some other before it we may very probably conclude that the choice of this Epistle and Gospel also was with design to exercise our meditations somewhat on the Ordination this day celebrated or not long before it And hereby a good ground was given to the Preacher in his Sermon for that was usually upon the Readings of the day to declare in a fit season the duty of Pastors and their flocks according as he saw occasion The Epistle is a Thanksgiving in behalf of the Corinthians for the grace of God which was given them by Iesus Christ It appears by what the Apostle saith of them in divers places that they had been taught by many learned Instructers and that many of them had much profited and abounded in many spiritual gifts And such gifts are here mentioned as are specially requisite for them that are Ordained to be Spiritual Guides as the being enriched in all utterance and in all knowledge and being behind in no good gift And the Gospel is of our Saviours answering a question of a Doctor of the Law of his silencing both Pharisees and Sadduces by his doctrine and questions whereby he shews how those whom he sends on Divine Messages should be qualified how able to speak a word in due season to give a reason of their faith and to convince gain-sayers This is the Gospel in the ancient Lectionary above mentioned and though some Churches use other yet we may observe that they are all very appliable to this occasion And the old Anthems or Versicles for the day S. Greg. Antiphonary which are to be found most of them in some Latin Services are herein most express desiring of God That his Prophets may be found faithful and speaking of being glad of going into the house of God Bringing presents coming into his Courts c. Of telling out among the Heathen that the Lord is King Of Moses hallowing an Altar and offering Sacrifices ascending into the Mount praying for the people of Gods shewing himself to him c. It is true that other Ordination-Sundays relate principally as is most meet to the chief Meditations of those special seasons wherein they fall but yet therein we may find matter very pertinent to this occasion How fit the Service of Trinity Sunday is in this regard hath already been declared p. 182. nor could any season have been more aptly chosen for this occasion In that of Lent the Epistle tells us what holiness of life is required in all and therefore certainly in them whom God hath called to such an holy profession and that saying of Christ in the Gospel for the same day that he was sent to the lost sheep c. may mind them of their duty who are sent by him to be Pastors of his flock The like Advertisements they may gather from both Epistle and Gospel of the Sunday of Ordination in time of Advent as may be obvious to view And no less proper is that Epistle which the Lectionary and some Churches appoint for the same day Let a man saith the Apostle there thus wise esteem us even as the Ministers of Christ and Stewards of the Secrets of God Furthermore it is required of Stewards that a man be found faithful Which Epistle with us and some other Churches is applyed to the Sunday next before this changing place with another Epistle not unfit for this occasion and more fit to come next to Christmas For by those words in it The Lord is even at hand it may excite us to such a preparation for the Feast of Christs coming in the flesh as may prepare us for that other coming in glory which we look for Thus have we taken a view of these Epistles and Gospels and upon occasion also of those which are used after Ordinations and somewhat also of the time when holy Orders were given Our Church herein keeps to the day that is most proper and that is to the Sunday which next follows the Ember Fast. A day on which Christ bestowed his Spirit upon his Apostles gave them their Commission and many wonderful gifts for the good of the Church For this and other reasons doth Leo shew how congruous the Lords day is for such a work Besides this may be added that a business of such consequence being done upon such a day is attended with more solemnity and presence of the Congregation See the discourse of Ember weeks pag. 149. and Leo Epist. 81. ad Diosc. The COLLECTS remain to be now spoken of and they in the same manner with the Epistles and Gospels have a general congruity with the affection of the season For as Faith Hope and Charity graces and gifts of the Holy Ghost are the general subject more or less of these Epistles and the same taught exemplified and confirmed in the Gospels so are these Collects certain general Invocations upon God for the assistance of his holy Spirit and bringing forth the fruits of it and consist usually of a most humble acknowledgment and a petition suitable as is above declared Pag. 85. And as we have taken there a brief view of the pious sense and spirit of these acknowledgments so will it not be amiss to do the same here concerning the petitions which in each Collect are some or other of these following or such like That God would be pleased to prevent and follow us always with his grace and with his mercy in all things direct and rule our hearts to stir up our wills pour into our hearts graff in them the love of his holy â—ame make us to have a perpetual fear and love of it to ask such things as shall please him to have the Spirit to think and do always such
memory of our Saviours joyful Resurrection Now if you take out of the six weeks of Lent Six Sundays there will remain but thirty six Fasting-days to which these four of this week being added make the just number of forty This was anciently call'd Caputâ— jejunii the Head of Lent and was a day of extraordinary humiliation Upon this day were Ashes sprinkled upon their heads to mind them of their mortality and also to mind them what they had deserved to be namely burnt to Ashes Hence was it call'd Dies cinerum ASH-WEDNESDAY and upon this day they were wont to cloath themselves in Sackcloth These rites are mentioned Esay 58. 5. as the usual rites of penitents This was common to all penitents But notorious sinners were this day put to open penance Which godly discipline saies our Church in her office of Commination it is much to be wished that it might be restored again Now that we may know what it is the Church wishes there it will not be amiss to set down in part the solemnity used upon those sinners at this time which was ordered thus Let all notorious sinners who have been already or are now to be enjoyned publick penance this day present themselves before the Church doors to the Bishop of the place cloathed in sackcloth barefooted with eyes cast down upon the ground professing thus by their habit and countenance their guilt There must be present the Deans or Arch-Presbyters and the publick penitentiaries whose office is to examine the lives of these penitents and according to the degree of their sin to apportion their penance according to the usual degrees of penance After this let them bring the penitents into the Church and with all the Clergy present let the Bishop sing the seven penitential Psalms prostrate upon the ground with tears for their Absolution Then the Bishop arising from prayer according to the Canons let him lay his hand upon them that is to ratifie their penance not to absolve them let him sprinkle ashes upon their head and cover them with sackcloth and with frequent sighs and sobs let him denounce to them that as Adam was cast out of Paradise so are they cast out of the Church for their sins After this let the Bishop command the Officers to drive them out of the Church-doors the Clergy following them with this Respond In the sweat of thy brows shalt thou eat thy bread that these poor sinners seeing holy Church afflicted thus and disquieted for their sins may be sensible of their penance Gratian dist 50. c. 64. I. Sunday in Lent The Epistle exhorts to patience in afflictions The Gospel reads to us Christs victory over temptations to keep us from despair of conquest that we should be of good cheer and heart since he our Captain hath overcome the world S. Iohn 16. v. last The Collect for the day is another of those Collects where in the Church directs her Petitions to Christ thereby manifesting her belief that he is the true Son of God for she prayes to none but God in praying to him therefore she professes to believe him to be God as it is in the close of the Collect and this in opposition to the Tempter Satan and all his Adherents who are still tempting Christ in his Members to misbelief in that Article Of EMBER-WEEK THe Week after Ash-wednesday is Imber or Ember-week of which Fast we will here treat in general There be Four Ember-weeks called in Latin Iejunia quatuor Temporum the Fasts of the four Seasons because they were kept in the four parts of the year Spring Summer Autumn Winter The first of these begins upon Wednesday next after Ash-wednesday The second upon Wednesday next after Whitsunday the third upon Wednesday next after Holy Cross. Sept. 14. The last upon Wednesday next after S. Lucie Dec. 13. The days of fasting and prayers in these weeks are Wednesday Friday Saturday Wednesday because then our Lord Christ was betrayed by Iudas Friday because then he was crucified Saturday because then we represent the Apostles sorrow for the loss of their Lord lying in the grave The causes of such religious fastings and prayers upon these weeks were formerly many as namely that Christians in these religious duties might let the World know that they were as devout as the Jews formerly had been whose custome it was to observe four solemn Fasts Zach. 8. 19. That they might dedicate to God as the first-fruits the beginnings of the several seasons of the year set apart to his religious worship and by this means obtain Gods-blessing upon them the remainders of those times But the principal cause was for preparation to the solemn Ordination of Ministers holy Church imitating the Apostles practice who when they were to set a-part men to the Ministery prayed and fasted before they laid on their hands Acts 13.3 And in after-times at these solemnities these Ember-Fasts special regard was had to the Ordination of Priests and Deacons In what manner and with how much care and Christianity these Fasts have been heretofore observed may be gathered from S. Leo in his Sermons upon them and from others And the second Councel of Millain decreed herein to good purpose Tit. 1. Dec. 22. That upon the Sundays before these Fasts the Priests should not only in their Parishes bid the solemn Fast but every one in his several Parish should piously and religiously say the Prayers and Litanies c. That Gods assistence being implored both the Bishop may be guided by the Holy Spirit in the choice of those whom he shall Ordain and also that they that are ordained may grow in Learning and holiness of life These four Fasts have been anciently observed both in the Church of England and in other Churches In the Laws of K. Canute Chap. 16. thus it is said Let every man observe the Fasts that are commanded with all earnest care whether it be the Ember-Fast or the Lent-Fast or any other Fast. And the like Decrees are found in other Councels of our Nation before his time See Sir Henry Spelmans Concil Britan. p. 256. 518. 546. Now for the reason of the name we find in Tho. Becon as he delivers it out of others that wrote before him By opinion of much people these daies have been called Ember-daies because that our Fathers would on these daies eat no bread but Cakes made under Embers so that by eating of that they reduced into their minds that they were but ashes and so should turn again and wist not how soon These Fasts are still appointed by the Church of England For though she hath not reckoned them amongst the Holy daies because there is no peculiar Office appointed for them as there is to all those that are reckoned in the Catalogue of Holy days yet by custome they have been always kept with Litanies Prayers and Fasting and are commanded to be kept still as formerly they were by that excellent Can. 31. Anno Dom. 1603.
of Christ for this day Christ both prayed and dyed for his Enemies and as he exprest the height of his love this day by dying for them so does the Church her height of Charity in praying for them The Antiquity of this Holy day appears by Euscb. Hist. l. 2. c. 17. who there tells us That it was an Holy-day in his time and long before That day of our Saviours Passion we are wont to celebrate not only with fastings and watchings but also with attentive hearing and reading of the holy Scriptures SATURDAY THis day the Gospel treats of Christs body ly in the Grave the Epistle of his Souls descent into Hell Of the Collects from Septuagesima to Easter THough the Church be always militant while she is upon Earth yet at this time the time when Kings go out to battel 2 Sam. 11. she is more than ordinary militant going out to fight against her avowed enemies the World the Flesh and the Devil making it her especial business to get the mastery over them so far that they may not be able to prevail over her the year following Now because as S. Paul saith 1 Cor. 9.25 Every one that strives for mastery is temperate in all things therefore at this time especially when she is seeking the mastery over her Enemies holy Church does more than ordinary addict her self to temperance fasting and other works of Penance and Mortification and accordingly she suits her Readings not aiming to fit them to each particular day this is to be expected only upon priviledged days the subject matter of whose solemnity is more particularly recorded in holy Scripture but to the Season in general and the Churches design at this time commending to us Fasting Repentance Alms Charity and Patience in undergoing such voluntary afflictions And the Collects are suitable also to the Readings and the time praying earnestly for those Graces and Vertues before mentioned which are especially requisite to this her holy undertaking And because she knows her own weakness and her Enemies both craft and strength who will then be most active and busie to hurt when we thus set our selves to fight against them therefore does she earnestly and frequently also in divers Collects pray for Gods protection and defence from those Enemies for his strength and assistence whereby she may overcome them That he would stretch forth the right hand of his Majesty and by his power defend us both outwardly in our bodies and inwardly in our souls which of our selves have no power to help our selves And in such prayers as these the Church continues lifting up her hands as Moses did his against the Amalekites all the time of this spiritual conflict EASTER THis is the highest of all Feasts says Epiphanius upon the day This day Christ opened to us the door of Life being the first-fruits of those that rose from the dead whose Resurrection was our life for he rose again for our justification Rom. 4.45 Instead of the usual Invitatory O câ—me let us sing unto the Lord holy Church uses special Hymns or Anthems concerning Christs Resurrection Christ rising again from the dead c. And Christ is risen c. set down before the Collect on easter-Easter-day Having kept company with the Apostles and first Believers in standing by the Cross weeping upon Good-Friday and kept a Fast upon the Saturday following to comply with the Apostles and Catholick Church who were that day sad and pensive because their Lord was taken away from them we are directed this day to rejoyce with them for the Rising again of our Lord and to express our joy in the same words that they then did and the Church ever since hath done Christ is risen S. Luke 24. 34. the usual Morning salutation this day all the Church over to which the Answer in some places was Christ is risen indeed and in others this And hath appeared to Simon Holy Church her aim is in all these chief days to represent as full as may be the very business of the day and to put us into the same holy affections that the Apostles and other Christians were when they were first done she represents Christ born at Christmas and would have us so affected that day yearly as the first believers were at the first tidings delivered by the Angel So at his Passion she would have us so affected with sorrow as they were that stood by the Cross. And now at his Resurrection she desires to represent it to us as may put us into the same rejoycing that those dejected Christians were when the Angel told them He is not here but is risen S. Luke 24. 6. Holy Church supposes us to have fasted and wept upon Good-Friday and the day following because our Lord was taken away according to that of our Saviour The time shall come that the Bridegroom shall be taken away from them then shall they fast in those daies and now calls upon us to weep no more for Christ is risen And that she may keep time also with the first tidings of the Resurrection she observes the Angels direction to the Women S. Matt. 26. 7. Go quickly and tell his Disciples that he is risen Supposing us as eager of the joyful news of Christs Resurrection as they were she withholds not the joy but immediately after Confession and Absolution she begins her Office with Christ is risen Proper Psalms at Morn are 2. 57. 111. The first of these is a Triumphant Song for Christs victory over all his Enemies that so furiously raged against him Ver. 6. Yet I have set my King upon my holy hill of Sion Notwithstanding all the fury of his Enemies that persecuted and murdered him Yet have I set my King upon my holy hill of Sion by his glorious Resurrection from the dead as it is expounded Acts 13â— 33. The 57. Psalm is of the same nature It mentions Christs Triumph over Hell and Death My Soul is among Lions Verse 4. And the children of men have laid a net for my feet and pressed down my soul crucifying the Lord of glory but God sent from Heaven Ver. 3. and saved him from the Lions both Devils and Men by a glorious Resurrection And therefore he â—reaks forth Ver. 9. Awake up my glory awake Lute and Harp I my self will awake right early I will give thanks unto thee O Lord c. The 3. Psal. is a Psalm of Thanksgiving for marvellous works of redemption Ver. 9. works worthy to be praised and had in honour Ver. 3. And therefore though it be not set particularly for the Resurrection but may serve for any marvellous work of mercy yet is it most fit for this day and the work of this for amongst all the marvellous works of Redemption this of Christs Resurrection is the chief and most worthy by us to be had in honour For If Christ be not risen we are yet in our sins We are utterly lost 1 Cor 15. But Christ is risen The merciful and
not due regard to the time of the Equinox it might happen that there might be two Easters in one year viz. one in the first Month and another in the last and none in the next year After our English Account Easter is found by finding out Shrove-Tuesday which is always the first Tuesday in the New Moon after Candlemas the Sunday six weeks after is Easter MVNDAY and TVESDAY in Easter-week THese two Holy days are added as Attendants upon Easter-day in honour of this high Feast and the more solemnity of it And we find S. Austin upon occasion mentioning them De civit Dei l. 22. c. 8. although both from him elsewhere and others we may gather that these two days were not all which at that time were added to the Feast For of old this Queen of Feasts as the Fathers call it was so highly esteemed that it was in a manner solemnized fifty days together even from Easter to Whitsuntide See Ambr. Ser. 61. Per hos quinquaginta dies nobis est jugis continuata Festivitas c. See also Euseb. de vit Constant. l. 4. c. 64. And Tertul. de Iejuniis And in his Book de Idol where he affirms that all the Heathen Festivals put together could not equal this one great and solemn Feast of the Christians From these and the like places some conclude and most probably That every day of that time the Christians met together in publick to sing with greatest joy Psalms and Allelujah to God Almighty and to take the Cup of Salvation the holy Communion praising the Name of the Lord. All which time they did not kneel at their prayers which was accounted a posture of mourners but Stand as upon Sundays they were wont in token of joy thus making every of those days equal in a manner to Sundays The reason of this so great and long Festivity at this time was principally because it was the Feast of Easter or of our blessed Lords Resurrection a principal Article of our faith for as S. Paul says 1 Cor. 15. If Christ be not risen we are yet in our sins and we Christians of all men mâ—st miserable Now that Christ is risen needs must there be in Christians hearts an overflowing of joy which in those times they expressed by such dayly publick exercises of Religion principally of receiving the holy communion the pledge of our resurrection as our Saviour says S. Iohn 6. He that eats my flesh shall live for ever that by this means the memory of the resurrection might be fixt deeply in their minds We must not think that the Christians then did keep all this Time holy so as to cease from labour for the poverty of many and the care and charity required in all would not permit that but only as to religious exercises and services As devotion abated the Feast was shortned yet long after Tertullian even till Gratians time and downward the whole week of Easter as also of Whitsuntide were reckoned among Holy-days Gratian. de Consec Dist. 3. And our Church though she enjoyâ—s only Munday and Tuesday of this week for Holy-days yet seems to me to commend the keeping holy of this whole week as also of the whole week after Christmas Ascension and Pentecost For she directs the proper Prefaces for Christmas Easter Ascen and Pentecost to be used every day the week after Which Prefaces are to be used only at the Communion as appears by the Rubricks so that by prescribing the Prefaces to be used upon every day of the week she doth withal prescribe the Communion every day likewise which is properly the keeping of a day Solemnly Holy and this weeks solemnity is principally as we have said for the expressing of our joy for our Lords Resurrection and the honour of the Feast which Christians were not willing to make shorter than the Jews Feast of unleavened Bread Among the Ancients there was another peculiar Reason for the keeping of the whole week of Easter Holy besides that of the Resurrection For they ministring Baptism except in case of necessity aâ— no other times but the Eves of Easter and Whitsunday did make it a part of their Festivity the week following to congratulate the access of a new Christian progeny the New Baptized coming each day to Church in white vestures with lights before them where Thanksgivings and Prayers were made for them with Instructions also to those that were of years of discretion for at that time there were many such that came in from Heathenism in the principles and ways of Christianity But afterwards when most of the baptized were Infants and so not capable of such solemnities this custome was altered and Baptism administred all times of the year as at the beginning of Christianity Tertul. de Bapt. S. Chrysost. Hom. 1. in Act. Apost 1. Sunday after Easter It was the custome of our fore-fathers to observe the Octave or Vtas of their high and principal Feasts and this is the Octave or eighth day after Easter Upon every Octave the use was to repeat some part of that Service which was perform'd upon the Feast it self and this is the reason that the Collect used upon Easter is renewed upon this day The Epistle exhorts the new baptized persons that are born of God to labour to overcome the World which at their baptism they vowed to do The Gospel shews how Christ conversed with his Disciples after his Resurrection instructing and confirming them in the faith of the Resurrection This Sunday is called Low-Sunday because it is Easter-day repeated the Octave of Easter but the Sunday before is high Easter and this is a lower Feast Low Easter in Latin Dominica in albis or rather Post Albas sc. depositas as some old Rituals call it because those that were baptized on Easter-eve wore seven days after white garments called Chrysoms signs of the purity which they received in Baptism which white clothes they this day put off 2. Sunday As the last Sunday instructed the young and new-born Christians how they should imitate Christ in a Resurrection from sin and death to life so this Sunday instructs the Shepherds of the flock how to imitate their great Shepherd And the Epipistle sets before us his great patience and goodness in the work of our redemption The Collect prayes for thankfulness and imitation of his holy life 3. Sunday after Easter Hitherto since Easter the Church hath been as it were overwhelmed in the joyful meditation of Christs Resurrection from the dead or chiefly about it and that hath been the subject of all the Collects since then Now in this Collect as somewhat also in one of the Readings aforegoing the Church reflects upon that other ancient Paschal Solemnity the general Baptism that was used at that time so that this Collect is for the new baptized or new Regenerates by Baptism desiring Almighty God who shews the light of his truth to them that be in error enlightning them by baptism which was therefore
mistake of Durandus was occasioned by this that in some old Martyrologists this Feast of Philip and Iacob was called the Feast of S. Philip and Iacob and all the Apostles and in some the Feast of Philip and Iacob and All-saints The reason of which was not because the Apostles had no other Feasts appointed them but only this but because the Feast of Philip and Iacob is upon the Kalends of May and so falls within the Paschal Solemnity betwixt Easter and Whitsuntide All which time the Church of old was wont to commemorate not one Saint alone but altogether and therefore not Philip and Iacob alone but all the Apostles and Saints together with them The reason of which was saies Gemma de Antiq Mis. rit cap. 140. Because in our heavenly Country which that time signifies the joy of all is the joy of every one and the joy of every Saint the common joy of all Or because as Micrologus says De Eccl. Offic. c. 55. At the general Resurrection of which Easter solemnity is a type there is a common Festivity and joy of the Righteous The Philip this day commemorated was Philip the Apostle whom the Gospel mentions not Philip the Deacon Yet the Church gives us a Lesson Acts 8. concerning him and it was a thing not unusual in ancient Martyrologies to commemorate divers of the same name on the same day The Iames that is commemorated this day is not one of the sons of Zebedee whose day is kept in Iuly but Iames who was called the brother of our Lord the first Bishop of Ierusalem who wrote the Epistle called the Epistle of S. Iames part of which is this day read This day hath no Fast because it falls betwixt Easter and Whitsuntide See the Feast of Circumcision S. Iohn Baptist. WE celebrate the birth of S. Iohn Baptist and of our Saviour For these reasons The Births of both were full of joy and mystery Our Saviours we have already observed Now for S. Iohns it is plain there was more than ordinary joy at his birth S. Luke 1. 14. And full of mystery and wonder it was As a Virgin conceived our Lord so a barren woman brought forth S. Iohn S. Luke 1. 36. Again his birth was prophetical of our Lord whom he saluted out of his mothers womb Lastly his birth was made memorable by the prediction of the Angel Gabriel S. Luke 1. 19. There was formerly another Holy-day for the beheading of S. Iohn Baptist but our Church keeps only this Holy-day in memory of him wherein though she principally commemorates his mysterious Nativity as you may see in the Gospel yet she does not omit his Life and Death his Life and Office in the Morning Lessons are recorded His death is related in the Second Lesson Evening and the Collect prayes for grace to imitate his example patiently suffering for the Truths sake S. Michael HOly Church holds a Feast in memory of the holy Angels First because they minister to us on earth Heb. 1. 14. being sent forth to minister to them that shall be heirs of salvation Secondly because they fight against the Devil for us by their prayers and recommendation of us and our condition at the throne of grace as appears bp the Epistle and the Gospel at the end of it The Church in this Feast particularly commemorates S. Michael because he was Prince or tutelar Angel of the Church of the Jews Daniel 10. 13. 12. 1. and so of the Christian Church For the Church which was once in the Jews is now in the Christians All-Saints BEcause we cannot particularly commemorate every one of those Saints in whom Gods graces have been eminent for that would be too heavy a burthen and because in these particular Feasts which we do celebrate we may justly be thought to have omitted some of our duty through infirmity or negligence therefore holy Church appoints this day in commemoration of the Saints in general Other Holy-dayes not here spoken of are either mentioned in other places or need no other explication than what already hath been said in general of Holy dayes and their Readings The COMMVNION or Second-Service IN the Liturgy it is called The Communion and well it were that the piety of the people were such as to make it alwayes a Commwnion The Church as appears by her pathetical Exhortation before the Communion and the Rubrick after it labours to bring men oftner to communicate than she usually obtains Private and solitary Communions of the Priest alone she allows not and therefore when other cannot be had she appoints only so much of the Service as relates not of necessity to a present Communion and that to be said at the Holy Table and upon good reason the Church thereby keeping as it were her ground visibly minding us of what she desires and labours towards our more frequent access to that holy Table and in the mean while that part of the Service which she uses may perhaps more fitly be called the Second Service than the Communion And so it is often called though not in the Rubr of the Liturgy yet in divers Fast books and the like set out by Authority If any should think that it cannot properly be called the Second Service because the Morning Service and Litany go before it which we prove in the following discourse to be two distinct Services whereby this should seem to be the Third rather than the Second Service it is Answered that sometimes the Communion-Service is used upon such dayes as the Litany is not and then it may without question be called the Second Service nay even then when the Litany and all is used the Communion Service may be very fitly called the Second Service For though in strictness of speech the Litany is a service distinct as is shewn yet in our usual acception of the word Service namely for a compleat Service with all the several parts of it Psalms Readings Creeds Thanksgivings and Prayers so the Litany is not a Service nor so esteemed but called The Litany or Supplications and lookt upon sometimes when other Offices follow as a kind of Preparative though a distinct form to them as to The Communion Commination c. And therefore it was a custome in some Churches that a Bell was tolled while the Litany was saying to give notice to the people that the Communion Service was now coming on This Service consists of Four parts The first reaches to the Offertory called anciently Missa Catechumenorum the service of the Catechumens The second is the Offertory which reaches to the Consecration The third begins at the Consecration and ends at the Angelical Hymn Glory be to God an high The last is the Post-Commwnion or Thanksgiving which with us is nothing but that holy Hymn Part. 1. We begin the first part as the Church was wont to begin her Services with the LORDS PRAYER concerning which see the Morning Service After this follows an excellent prayer to God
the Father c. which is the Christians both Hymn and shorter Creed For what is the summ of the Christians faith but the mystery of the holy Trinity God the Father Son and Holy Ghost which neither Jew nor Pagan but only the Christian believes and in this Doxology professes against all Hereticks old and new and as it is a short Creed so it is also a most excel-Hymn for the glory of God is the end of our Creation and should be the aim of all our services whatsoever we do should be done to the glory of that God the Father Son and Holy Ghost and this is all that we can either either by word or deed give to God namely GLORY Therefore this Hymn fitly serves to close any of our Religious services our Praises Prayers Thanksgivings Confessions of Sins or Faith Since all these we do to Glorifie God it cannot be unfitting to close with Glory be to God the Father Son and Holy Ghost It cannot easily be expressed how useful this Divine Hymn is upon all occasions If God Almighty send us prosperity what can we better return him than Glory If he sends Adversity it still befits us to say Glory be to c. Whether we receive good or whether we receive evil at the hands of God we cannot say a better Grace than Glory be the Father c. In a word we cannot better begin the day when we awake nor conclude the day when we go to sleep than by Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost Then the Hallelujah or Praise ye the Lord of which S. Augustine sayes There is nothing that more soundly delights than the praise of God and a continual Hallelujah The VENITE O come let us sing unto the Lord. THis is an Invitatory Psalm For herein we do mutually invite and call upon one another being come before His presence to sing to the Lord to set forth His praises to hear His voice as with joy and chearfulness so with that reverence that becomes His infinite Majesty worshipping falling down and kneeling before Him using all humble behaviour in each part of His service and worship prescribed to us by His Church And needful it is that the Church should call upon us for this duty for most of us forget the Psalmists counsel Psal. 69. 7. To ascribe unto the Lord the honour due unto his Name into his Courts we come before the presence of the Lord of the whole Earth and forget to worship him in the beauty of holiness The PSALMS THe PSALMS follow which the Church appoints to be read over every Month oftner than any other part of holy Scripture So was it of old ordained saith S. Chrys. Hom. 6. de poenit All Christians exercise themselves in Davids Psalms oftner than in any other part of the Old or New Testament Moses the great Lawgiver that saw God face to face and wrote a Book of the Creation of the World is scarcâ— read over once a year The holy Gospels where the Miracles of Christ are preached where God converses with Man where Death is destroyed the Devils cast out the Lepers cleansed the blind restored to sight where the Thief is placed in Paradise and the Harlot made purer than the Stars where the waters of Iordan to the sanctification of Souls where is the food of immortality the holy Eucharist and the words of life holy precepts and precious promises those we read over once or twice a Week What shall I say oâ— blessed Paul Christs Oratour the Fisher of World who by his 14. Epistles those spiritual Nets hath caught Men to salvation who was wrapt into the third Heaven and heard and saw such Mysteries as are not to be uttered him we read twice in the week We get not his Epistles by heart but only attend to them while they are reading But for holy Davids Psalms the grace of the holy Spirit hath so ordered it that they should be said or sung night and day In the Churches Vigils the first the midst and the last are Davids Psalms in the Morning Davids Psalms are sought for and the first the midst and the last is David And Funeral Solemnities the first the midst and the last is David In private houses where the Virgins spin the first the midst and the last is David Many that know not a letter can say Davids Psalms by heart In the Monasteries the quires of Heavenly Hosts the first the midst and the last is David In the Deserts where Men that have crucified the world to themselvs converse with God the first the midst and the last is David In the Night when Men are asleep David awakes them up to sing and gathering the Servants of God into Angelical troops turns Earth into Heaven and makes Angels of Men singing Davids Psalms The holy Gospels and Epistles contain indeed the words of eternal life words by which we must be saved and therefore should be sweeter to us than Honey or the Honey-comb more precious than Gold yea than much fine Gold but they are not of so continual use as Davids Psalms which are digested forms of Prayers Thanksgivings Praises Confessions and Adorations fit for every temper and every time Here the penitent hath a form of confession he that hath received a benefit hath a Thanksgiving he that is in any kind of need bodily or ghostly hath a prayer all have Lauds and all may adore the several excellencies of Almighty God in Davids forms and these a Man may safely use being compos'd by the Spirit of God which cannot erre whereas other Books of Prayers and Devotions are for the most part compos'd by private men subject to error and mistake whose fancies sometimes wild ones are commended to us for matter of devotion and we may be taught to blaspheme while we intend to adore or at least to abuse our devotion when we approach to the throne of grace and offer up an unclean Beast instead of an holy Sacrifice May we not think that this amongst others hath been a cause of the decay of right and true devotion in these latter dayes namely the neglect of this excellent Book and preferring Mens fancies before it I deny not but that Collects and other parts of Devotion which the consentient Testimony and constant practice of the Church have commended to us may and especially the most divine Prayer of our LORD ought to be used by us in our private devotion but I would not have Davids Psalms disused but used frequently and made as they were by Athanasius and S. Ierome a great if not the greatest part of our private devotions which we may offer up to God as with more safety so with more confidence of acceptation being the inspiration of that holy Spirit of God who when we know not what to say helps our infirmities both with words and affections Rom. 8. 26. If any man thinks these Psalms too hard for him to understand and apply
Morning and Evening The Creed follows soon after the Lessons and very seasonably for in the Creed we confess that Faith that the Holy Lessons â—each The Creed is to be said not by the Priest alone but by the Priest and people together Rubr. before the Creed For since Confession of Faith in publick before God Angels and men is so acceptable a service to God as is shewn Fit it is that every man as well as the Priest should bear his part in it since every man may do it for himself as well nay better than the Priest can do it for him for as every man knows best what himself believes so it is fittest to confess it for himself and evidence to the Church his found Belief by expresly repeating of that Creed and every particular thereof which is and alwayes hath been accounted the Mark and Character whereby to distinguish a True Believer from an Heretick or Infidel We are required to say the Creed standing by this Gesture signifying our Readiness to Profess and our Resolution to adhere and stand to this holy Faith Of Athanasius's CREED Besides the Apostles Creed holy Church acknowledges two other or rather two explications of the same Creed the Nicene and Athanasius his Creed of the Nicene Creed shall be said somewhat in the proper place the Communion-Service where it is used Athanasius his Creed is here to be accounted for because it is said sometimes in this place in stead of the Apostles Creed It was composed by Athanasius and sent to Pope Iulius for to clear himself and acquit his Faith from the slanders of his Arian Enemies who reported him erroneous in the Faith It hath been received with great Veneration as a treasure of an inestimable price both by the Greek and Latin Churches Nazianz de laud. Athan. orat 21. and therefore both for that authority and for the testification of our Continuance in the same Faith to this day the Church rather uses this and the Nicene explanations than any other Gloss or Paraphrase devised by our selves which though it were to the same effect notwithstanding could not be of the same credit nor authority This Creed is appointed to be said upon the dayes named in the Rubrick for these Reasons partly because those daies many of them are most proper for this Confession of the Faith which of all others is the most express concerning the Trinity because the matter of them much concerns the manifestation of the Trinity as Christmas Epiph. Trinity Sunday and S. Iohn Baptists day at the highest of whose Acts the Baptizing of our Lord was made a kind of Sensible manifestation of the Trinity partly that so it might be said once a moneth at least and therefore on S. Iames and S. Barthol daies and withal at convenient distance from each time and therefore on S. Matt. Matthias Sim. and Iude and S. Andrew's The Lord be with you This Divine Salutation taken out of Holy Scripture Ruth 2. was frequently used in Ancient Liturgies before Prayers before the Gospel before the Sermon and at other times and that by the direction of the holy Apostles saies the Council of Braccara It seems as an Iâ—troit or entrance upon another sort of Divine Service and a good Introduction it is serving as an holy excitation to Attention and Devotion by minding the people what they are about namely such holy Services as without Gods assistance and special grace cannot be performed and therefore when they are about these Services the Priest minds them of it by saying The Lord be with you And again it is a most excellent and seasonable Prayer for them in effect thus much The Lord be with you to lift up your Hearts and raise your Devotions to his Service The Lord be with you to accept your Services The Lord be with you to reward you hereafter with eternal liâ—e The people Answer And with thy Spirit Which form is taken out of 2 Tim. 4. 22. and is as much as this Thou art about to Offer up Prayers and spiritual Sacrifices for us therefore we pray likewise for thee that He without whom nothing is good and acceptable may be with thy spirit while thou art exercised in these Spiritual Services which must be performed with the Spirit according to S. Paul 1 Cor. 14. 15. Thus the Priest prayes and wishes well to the people and they pray and wish well to the Priest And such mutual Salutations and Prayers as this and those that follow where Priest and people interchangeably pray each for other are excellent expressions of the Communion of Saints Both acknowledging thus that they are all one body and each one members one of another mutually caring for one anothers good and mutually praying for one another which must needs be if well considered and duly performed excellent Incentives and provocations to Charity and love one of another and as S. Chrys. observes hom 3. in Col. if these solemn mutual Salutations were religiously performed it were almost impossible that Priest and people should be at Enmity For can the People hate the Priest that blesses them that prayes for them The Lord be with you or Peace be with you which was anciently the Bishops Salutation in stead of the Lord be with you Or can the Priest forget to love the People that daily prayes for him And with thy Spirit Let us pray These words are often used in ancient Liturgies as wâ—ll as in ours and are an Excitation to prayer to call back our wandring and recollect our scattered thoughts and to awaken our Devotion bidding us mind what we are about namely now when we are about to pray to pray indeed that is heartily and earnestly The Deacon in ancient Services was wont to call upon the people often 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let us pray vehemently nay 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 still more vehemently and the same vehemency and earnest devotion which the manner of these old Liturgies breathed does our Church in her Liturgy call for in these words Let us pray that is with all the earnestness and vehemency that we may that our prayers may be such as S. Iames speaks of active lively spirited prayers for these are they that avail much with God And there is none of us but must think it needful thus to be call'd upon and awakened for thoughts will be wandring and devotions will abate and scarce hold out to the prayers end though it be a short one that well said the old Hermit whom Melanc mentions in his discourse de Crat. There is nothing harder than to pray These words Let us pray as they are an Incitation to prayer in general so they may seem to be sometimes an Invitation to another Form of petitioning as in the Litany and other places it being as much as to say Let us collect our alternate supplications by Versicles and Answers into Collects or Prayers In the Latin Liturgies their Rubricks especially Preces and Orationes seem to be
Wednesday and murdered on Friday Epiphan adv Aerium And though our Church in imitation of the Western hath chang'd the Wednesday-Fast to Saturday yet in memory of the Eastern custom the still appoints the Litany to be used upon Wednesday Friday was both in Greek Church and Latin a Litany or Humiliation-day and so is kept in ours And whosoever loves to feast on that day rather than another in that holds not communion with the ancicient Catholick Church but with the Turks who in contumely of Christ crucified Feast that day Chemnit in 3. praec Of HOLY-DAYES HOly in Scripture phrase is all one with separate or set a part to God and is opposed to common What God hath clean'd that call not thou common Acts 10. 15. Holy daies then are those which are taken out of common dayes and separated to Gods holy service and worship either by Gods own appointment or by holy Churches Dedication And these are either Fasting and Penitential daies for there is a holy Fast Ioel 2. as well as a holy Feast Nehem. 8. 10. such as are Ash-wednesday Good-Friday and the whole week before Easter commonly called the Holy-week which daies holy Church hath dedicated to Gods solemn worship in religious fastings and prayers Or else holy Festivals which are set apart to the solemn and religious commemoration of some eminent mercies and blessings of God And amongst those Holy-daies some are higher daies than other in regard of the greatness of the blessing commemorated and of the solemnity of the Service appointed to them So we read Lev. 23. 24. c. The Feast of Tabernacles was to continue seven daies but the first and the eighth were the highest dayes because then were the most solemn Assemblies This sanctification or setting apart of Festival-daies is a token of that thankfulness and a part of that publick honour which we owe to God for admirable benefits and these dayes or Feasts so set apart are of excellent use being as learned Hooker observes the 1. Splendor and outward dignity of our Religion 2. Forcible witnesses of ancient truth 3. Provocations to the exercise of all Piety 4. Shadows of our endless felicity in heaven 5. On earth everlasting records teaching by the eye in a manner whatsoever we believe And concerning particulars As the Iews had their Sabbath which did continually bring to the mind the former World finished by Creation so the Christian Church hath her Lords dayes or Sundays to keep us in perpetual remembrance of a far better World begun by him who came to restore all things to make Heaven and Earth new The rest of the holy Festivals which we celebrate have relation all to one Head CHRIST We begin therefore our Ecclesiastical year as to some accounts though not as to the order of our service with the glorious Annunciation of his Birth by Angelical message Hereunto are added his blessed Nativity it self the mystery of his legal Circumcision the Testification of his true Incarnation by the Purification of his blessed Mother the Virgin Mary his glorious Resurrection and Ascension into Heaven the admirable sending down of his Spirit upon his chosen Again for as much as we know that CHRIST hath not only been manifested great in himself but great in other his Saints also the dayes of whose departure out of this world are to the Church of Christ as the birth and coronation-dayes of Kings or Emperors therefore especial choice being made of the very flower of all occasions in this kind there are annual selected times to meditate of Christ glorified in them which had the honour to suffer for his sake before they had age and ability to know him namely the blessed Innocents glorified in them which knowing him as S. Stephen had the sight of that before death whereinto such acceptable death doth lead glorified in those Sages of the East that came from far to adore him and were conducted by strange light glorified in the second Elias of the World sent before him to prepare his way glorified in every of those Apostles whom it pleased him to use as founders of his kingdom here glorified in the Angels as in S. Michael glorified in all those happy souls that are already possest of bliss Besides these be four dayes annext to the Feasts of Easter and Whitsunday for the more honour and enlargement of those high solemnities These being the dayes which the Lord hath made glorious Let us rejoyce and be glad in them These dayes we keep not in a secret Calendar taking thereby our private occasions as we list our selves to think how much God hath done for all men but they are chosen out to serve as publick memorials of such mercies and are therefore cloathed with those outward robes of holiness whereby their difference from other dayes may be made sensible having by holy Church a solemn Service appointed to them Part of which Service are the Epistles and Gospels of which in the first place we shall discourse because these are peculiar and proper to each several Holy-day the rest of the Service for the most part being common to all Concerning these two things are designed 1. To shew the Antiquity of them 2. Their fitness for the day to which they belong or the reason of their choice Concerning the Antiquity of Epistles and Gospels it will be sufficient once for all to shew that the use of them in the Christian Church was ancient Concerning the antiquity of the dayes themselves to which the Epistles and Gospels appertain it will be sit to be more particular That the use of Epistles and Gospels peculiar to the several Holy-dayes was ancient appears first by ancient Liturgies Secondly by the testimony of the ancient Fathers Let S. AVGVSTINE testifie for the Latin-Church in his Preface to his Comment upon the Epistle of S. Iohn and in his X. Sermon De verb. Apost We heard first sayes he the Apostolical Lesson then we sung a Psalm after that the Gospel was read Now let S. CHRYS testifie for the Greek Rom. 19. in cap. 9. Act. The Minister stands up and with a loud voice calls Let us attend then the Lessons are begun which Lessons are the Epistles and Gospels as appears in his Liturgy which follow immediately after the Minister hath so call'd for attention The fitness of the Epistle and Gospel for the day it belongs to and the reason of the choice will plainly appear if we observe that these holy Festivals and Solemnities of the Church are as I have touch'd before of Two Sorts The more high dayes or the rest The First commemorate the signal Acts or Passages of our Lord in the Redemption of mankind his incarnation and Nativity Circumcision Manifestation to the Gentiles his Fasting Passion Resurrection and Ascension the sending of the Holy Ghost and thereupon a more full and express manifestation of the Sacred Trinity The Second sort is of Inferiour dayes that supply the Intervals of the greater such as are either
for all times and so not unseasonable for this 3. Sunday Adv. The Epistle mentions the second coming of Christ the Gospel the first The Collect prayes for the benefit of this light This week is one of the four Ember weeks concerning which see after the first Sunday in Lent 4. Sunday Adv. The Epistle and Gospel set Christ as it were before us not prophesied of but being even at hand yea standing among us pointing him out as S. Iohn Baptist did to the people Behold the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world The Collect Prayes most earnestly and passionately to him to succour us miserable sinners Feast of CHRISTMAS-day THe Epistle Gospel and Collect are plainly suitable to the day all mentioning the birth of Christ. Besides this Feast hath proper Psalms in which some Verses are peculiar to the day as will appear if they be well considered The First Psalm for the Morning Service is the 19. The heavens declare the glory of God very suitable to the Feast for at His Birth a a new Star appeared which declared his Glory and Deity so plainly that it fetcht the Sages of the East to come and worship him S. Matt. 2. Where is he that is born King of the Iews for we have seen his Star in the East and are come to worship him The Second Psalm for the Morning is 45. Which at the beginning of it is a Genethliack or Birth-song of Christ The fairest of the children of men v. 3 And of his mighty success in subduing the Devil aâ—d the world by the word of truth of meekness and righteousâ—ess vers 5. c. The third is Psal. 85. which is principally set for the Birth of Christ. For it is a thanksgiving to God for sending a Saviour which should save his people from their sins the greatest captivity that is and therefore cannot properly be meant of any but Christ who was therefore call'd Iesus because be should save his people from their sins S. Matt. 1. 21. And so the Primitive Church understood it and therefore selected it out as a part of their Office for this day as being proper and pertinent to the matter of the Feast For the meeting here specified ver 10. 11. of Mercy and Truth Righteousness and Peace was at Christs birth who said of himself that he was the Truth who as he had a birth from Heaven to wit his Divine nature so had he another as Man from Earth from the Virgin which birth drew Righteousness to look from Heaven upon poor sinners with a favourable look and made righteousness and peace kiss for the delivering of sinners from their captivity True it is the Prophet in the first Verses speaks of this delivery as of a thing past Lord thou hast turn'd away the captivity of Iacob Yet for all this it may be a prophesie of our salvation by the coming of Christ hereafter for as S. Peter sayes Acts. 2 30. David being a Prophet and seeing this before spake of Christs Nativity as if it were already past The Evening Psalms are 89 110 132. The first and last of which are thankful commemorations of Gods merciful promise of sending our Lord Christ into the world that seed of David which be had sworn to establish and set up his Throne for ever For which O Lord the very heavens shall praise thy wondrous works and thy truth in the congregation of the Saints v. 5. Psal. 89. The Church was in affâ—iction now as is plain in both these Psalms but such was the joy that they were affected with at the promise of Christs birth and coming into the world that they could not contain but even in the midst of their misery break forth into Thanksgiving for it and how can the Church excite us better to Thanksgiving to God for the birth of Christ upon the day then by shewing us how much the promise of it afar off wrought upon the Saints of old The 110. Psalm expresly mentions the birth of Christ ver 3. The dew of thy birth is of the womb of the Morning as the morning dew brings forth innumerable fruit so shall the birth of Christ bring forth innumerable faithful people and therefore the Prophet here does as we should this day adore and praise the goodness of God for the birth of Christ the cause of so much good It is admirable to behold the frame of the Churches holy Office and Service this day In the First Lessons she reads us the prophesie of Christs coming in the flesh in the Second Lessons Epistle and Gospel she gives us the History of it In the Collect the teaches us to pray that we may be partakers of the benefit of his birth In the proper Preface for the day as also in the proper Psalms she sets us to our duty of Adoring and Glorifying God for his mercy In the Lessons and Gospels appointed holy Church does the Angels part brings us glad tydings of our Saviours Birth Behold I bring you glad tydings of great joy for unto you is born this day a Saviour which is Christ the Lord S. Luke 2. 10. In pointing the special Hymns and Psalms the calls upon us to do the Shepherds part to glorifie and Praise God for all the things that this day we hear and see ver 20. And to sing with the Angels Glory to God in the highest for this good will to Men. For the Antiquity of this day many testimonies might be brought out of the Ancients but because I intend brevity I shall be content with two beyond exception S. Augustine Ep. 119. witnesses that it was the custome of holy Church to keep this day And upon the five and twentieth of December in Psalm 132. S. Chrysostom makes a Sermon to prove that the keeping of Christmas-day was ancient even from the first times and that the Church kept the true day In the same same sermon he sayes It is a godly thing to keep this day Nay further that the keeping of this day was one of the greatest signs of our love to Christ. Amongst other Arguments which he uses there to perswade his hearers to keep this day he brings this that the custome of keeping this day was religious and of God or else it could never have been so early spread over the whole World in spight of so much opposition Orat. in Natal Dom. Tom. 5. Edit Savil. S. Stephen S. Iohn Innocents IMmediately after Christmas â—ollow as attendants upon this high Festival S. Stephen S. Iohn and Innocents not because this was the very time of their suffering but because none are thought fitter attendants on Christs Nativity than the blessed Martyrs who have laid down their lives for him from whose birth they received spiritual life And there being three kinds of Martyrdom I. In will and deed which is the highest 2. In will but not in deed 3. In deed but not in will in this order they attend S. Stephen first who suffered both
in will and deed Next S. Iohn who suffered Martyrdom in will but not in deed being miraculously delivered out of boyling Cauldron into which he was put before Port-Latin in Rome Lastly the holy Innocents who suffered in deed but not in will yet are reckoned amongst the Martyrs because they suffered for Christ whose praise these his witnesses confest and shewed forth not in speaking but in dying Collect for the day The reason of the choice of the Epistles Gospels and Collects for these dayes is plain these being all priviledged dayes that is days which have in Scripture their peculiar histories But â—or the Collect for S. Stephens day we may note in particular That as the Church offers up some of her Collects directly to the Second Person of the Trinity so one of them is this for S. Stephens day and very properly For as S. Stephen in the midst of his Martyrdom prayed to Jesus saying Lord Iesus receive my spirit and Lord lay not this sin to their charge so the Church in imitation of this blessed Proto-Martyr upon his day calls upon the Lord Jesus also desiring of him such a spirit as that of S. Stephen to love and pray for our Enemies which is that Heroical and Transcendant vertue which is peculiar to Christian Religion Before we endeavour to shew the antiquity of these days in particular it will not be amiss to give some account of the ancient observation of Saints dayes in general That the observation of Saints days was very ancient in the Church will appear by these testimonies following The Councel of Carthag 3. c. 47. tells us that the Church did celebrate the Passions and Anniversaries of the Martyrs This Counc was held in S. Augustines time S. Aug. in Psal. 88. Attend therefore my Dearly Beloved All of you unanimously hold fast God your Father and the Church your Mother Celebrate the Saints Birth-days so they Anciently called the dayes of their Death and Martyrdom with sobriety that we may imitate them that have gone before us that they may joy over us who pray for us that so the Blessing of God may remain upon us for ever Amen Amen Chrys. Hom. 66. ad Pop. Antioch The sepulchres of the Saints are honourable and their dayes are known of all bringing a festival joy to the world Before these S. Cyprian l. 4. ep 5. We celebrate the Passions of the Martyrs and their days with an anniversary commemoration And before him Anno 147. the Church of Smyrna says the same Enseb. Hist. l. 4. c. 15. If it be demanded why the Church kept the days of the Saints deaths rather than of their Birth or Baptism The answer may be 1. Because at their deaths they are born Citizens of Heaven of the Church triumphant which is more than to be born either a man or a Christian a member of the Church Militant whence as above said these days were usually styled by the Ancients Their Birth-days 2. Then do they perfectly triumph over the Devil and the world by which the Church Militant hath gained to her comfort an example of persevering constancy and courage and the Church Triumphant hath gained a new joy by the addition of a new member For surely if the Saints and Angels in heaven joy at the conversion of a sinner much more do they joy at the admission of a Saint into Heaven Thus much of the Saints days in general For these three holy days in particular that they are ancient S. Augustine shews us who hath Sermons upon all these days Tom. 10. And Chrysol who hath Sermons upon S. Stephen and Innocents And Origen in his Comment upon these words A voice was heard in Rama tells us the Church did and did well in it to keep the Feast of Innocents and there is as much reason for the keeping of S. Stevens day who was the first Martyr and of S. Iohns the beloved Disciple and Evangelist as for the keeping of Innocents and therefore it is to be thought that the Church did then as well observe them as this â—ince as we have proved she did keep the days of Martyrs Sunday after Christmas THis Sunday hath the Collect with Christmas-day and the Epistle and Gospel treat about the same business the birth of Christ for we have not yet done with the Solemnity of Christmas Thus great Solemnities have some days after them to continue the memory of them in prorogationem Festi Feast of CIRCVMCISION or Newyears-day THe Feast of the Circumcision is affirmed by Learned men to be of a later institution for though many of the ancients mention the Octave of Christmas and Newyears-day yet they do not mention or seem to keep it say they as a Feast of the Circumcision But suppose it be so yet surely it cannot be denied that there is reason enough for the keeping of this day solemn as it is the Feast of Christs Circumcision For as at Christmas CHRIST was made of a woman like us in nature so this day he was made under the Law Gal. 4. 5. and for us took upon him the curse of the Law being made sin for us and becoming a surety to the offended God for us sinners Which suretiship he seal'd this day with some drops of that precious blood which he meant to pour out whole upon the Cross. As by his Birth we received the adoption of Sons so by his Circumcision the redemption of the Law and without this his Birth had not availed us at all The Epistle Gospel and Collect are plainly fit for the day This Holy day hath no fast before it the Reason we shall shew and to save trouble we will here once for all shew Why some Holy-dayes have Fasts before them and then Why this and some other have none For the first It was the religious custom of the primitive times to spend the night or a greater part of it before the Holy-dayes in watching and prayers and tears partly to prepare them for the more solemn and religious observation of the Holy-day following partly to signifie that we should be as the blessed Saints were after a little time of mortification and affliction translated into glory and joy according to the Psalm Heaviness may endure dure for a night but joy cometh in the morning Thus after a Vigil comes a Holy-day These Vigils or night-watches being in continuance of time abused by the wickedness of some who under colour of those holy nightly exercises stole a liberty of intemperance lust and other villany were say some by the wisdom of holy Church to avoid scandal turn'd into Fasts which still retain the old name of Vigils The truth of this Assertion I question for neither do I find any decree of holy Church for bidding these Vigils the 35. Can. of the Counc of Eliber and the fifth Can. of the Counc of Altisiodorum or Auxeres which are usually produced to this purpose coming far short of such a prohibition nor is it so probable
that the Church should for some particular mens abuse forbid a practice so religious commanded by our Saviour S. Matth. 25. 13. commended to us by his practice at Gethsemaine S. Matth. 26. 38. S. Luke 6. 12. earnestly urged by the Fathers of the Primitive times I therefore rather think that whereas it was the ancient custome to fast the day and watch the night before the Holy-day as s. Bernard tells us Ser. de Vigil S. Andrei in time as charity and devotion grew cold through sloth and restiness this more troublesome part of devotion the nightly watches were laid aside and the Fast only retained and that but slenderly observed But it were to be wished that as the Fast might be retained and more strictly observed so the holy Vigils might be in part at least revived For the night was not made only for sleep Tradesmen Mariners Merchants will tell you so much they spend a good part of the night in watching for gain will not you do as much for your soul Besides the darkness and silence of the night are helps to compunction and holy sorrow helps to meditation and contemplation the soul is the more free from outward distraction The sight of men lying a-sleep in their beds like dead men in the grave suggests a meditation of Doomsday Let me therefore perswade men and women Bend your knees sigh watch and pray in the night Blessed is he whom our Lord when he cometh shall find so doing and because we know not what hour he will come watch therefore See Chrys. Hom. 26. in Act. This for the first why some Holy-dayes have Fasts before them Now why this Feast of CIRCUMCISION and some other have no Fasts the reason is double First because sometimes the signification of the Vigil or Fast mentioned above ceases and the signification or mystery failing the Vigil or Fast is omitted For example S. Michael upon this account hath no Fast because the Angels did not by sufferings and mortifications enter into their joy but were created in the joy they have But then secondly though this signification and Mystery of vigils and Fasts holds good in S. Mark S. Philip and S. Iacob and some other yet they have no Fasts for another reason because they fall either betwixt Easter and Whitsunday or betwixt Christmas and Epiphany which holy Church held for such high times of joy and Festivity that they would not have one day among them sullied by pensive sorrow and fasting Con. Turon 2. c. 13. Epiph. in brevi expos Fidei If the Fast for a Holy-day fall upon a Holy-day that is if the day before the Holy-day upon which the Fast regularly is to be kept be it self also a Holy-day then the Fast must be kept the day before that Decretal l. 3. Tit. 46. EPIPHANY THis Greek Word signifies Manifestation and hath been of old used for Christmass-day when Christ was manifested in the flesh and for this day wherein the Star did appear to manifest CHRIST to the Wise men as appears by Chrys. and Epiphan Upon this identity of the word some unskilful ones were missed to think that anciently the Feasts of Christmas and Epiphany were one and the same but plain it is by Chrys. Epiphan Nazianzen in their Sermons upon this day that these two Feasts were observed as we do upon several days Nazianzen calls this day on which Christ was baptized The holy lights of Epiphany which to day we celebrate says he having already celebrated the holy Feast of Christmas S. Chrysostome says the day of Christs birth is not so usually and properly called Epiphany as the day of his Baptism This Feast is called in Latin Epiphaniae Epiphanies in the plural because upon this day we celebrate three glorious apparitions or manifestations all which happened upon the same day though not of the same year Chrys. Serm. 159. The first manifestation was of the Star mentioned in the Gospel the Gentiles guide to Christ. The Second Epiphany or manifestation was that of the glorious Trinity at the baptism of Christ mentioned in the second Lesson at morning prayer S. Luke 3. 22. The third was of Christ's glory or Divinity by the miracle of turning water into wine mentioned in the second Lesson at Evening prayer S. Iohn 2. The Collect is plain The Epistle and Gospel mention Christs manifestation to the Gentiles for this was the day of the Dedication of the Gentiles Faith Chrys. in diem For the antiquity of this day we have already seen Nazianzen Chrysost. and Epiphan to which I shall adde only S. August de temp Ser. 32. The solemnit of this day known throughout all the world what joy doth it bring us But the Donatists says he will not keep it both because they are Schismaticks and love not unity and also because they hate the Eastern Church where the Star appeared 1. Sunday after Epiphany From Christmas to Epiphany holy Churches design is to set forth Christs Humanity to make Christ manifest in the flesh which the offices do as we have seen but from Epiphany to Septuagesima especially in the four next Sundays after Epiphany she endeavours to manifest his glory and Divinity by recounting some of his first miracles and manifestations of his Deity so that each Sunday is in this respect a kind of Epiphany The Gospel of this day mentions Christs manifestation to the Doctors of the Jews astonishing all his hearers with his miraculous answers The Epistle exhorts us to make a spiritual use of the wisemens mysterious offerings especially of Myrrhe which signifies very rightly the mortifying of the flesh and the offering of our bodies as an holy Sacrifice to God by Christ. The Collect prayes for grace to enable us thereunto 2. Sunday after Epiphany The Gospel mentions Christs turning water into wine by which he manifested both his glory by the miracle and his goodness in ministring to the necessities of others to which virtue the Epistle exhorts us that whatsoever gifts we have we should use them as Christ did to the good and benefit of others The Collect as divers others recommends to God the supplications of the people c. See more of the Collects in general Pag. 81. and for the Day 86. 3. Sunday after Epiphany The Gospel is concerning our Lords healing of the Leper that believed in him The Epistle at first sight seems not to agree to the Gospel but yet if rightly applyed it suits well with it in the mystical sense For the healing of the Leper signifies that Christ will heal us from the Leprosie of sin if we believe in him and come to him for cure as the Leper did The Epistle labours to prevent the moâ—â— over-spreading leprous sins of pride against which the first verse is directedâ— Be not wise in your own conceits and wrath and revenge in the following words rendring to no man evil for evil Or rather the Epistle doth remove the two great impediments of Christs cure of our sinfâ—â—â— leprosie
Forasmuch as the Ancient Fathers of the Church led by example of the apostles who set men apart to the ministery of the Gospel by imposition of hands with prayer and fasting appointed prayers and fasts at the solemn ordering of Ministers and to that purpose allotted certain times in which only sacred orders might be given or conferred we following their holy and religious example do constitute and decree that Deacons and Ministers be Ordained or made but only upon the Sundays immediately following jejunia quatuor temporum commonly called Ember weeks appointed in ancient time for Prayer and Fasting purposely for this cause at their first institution and so continued at this day in the Church of England 2. Sunday The Epistle perswades to temperance and abstinence from all uncleanness The Gospel tells us how we may subdue that Devil namely by stedfast faith and servent and importunate prayer 3. Sunday The Epistle as the time calls for strictness of life The Gospel commends perseverance shewing the danger of relapsing For the end of that man is worse than the beginning 4. Sunday This is called Dominica Refectionis For the Gospel tells us of Christs miraculous feeding and satisfying the hungry souls that hunger after him and his doctrine and the Epistle tells us of a Ierusalem which is above which is free and a joyous place to which we as children are heirs Thus holy Church mixes joy and comfort without sorrow and afflictions 5. Sunday This is called PASSION-SUNDAY For now begins the commemoration of the Passion of our Lord and after a long funeral pomp and train the corps follows upon Good Friday The Epistle treats of the Passion The Gospel of our Lords being slandred by the bold malice of the Jews who call him Samaritan and tell him he hath a Devil which must needs be a thorn in his side and a part of his Passion 6. Sunday This is PALM-SUNDAY on which CHRIST came from Bethany to Ierusalem and was received with joy some strewing their garments others cutting down branches and strewing them in the way whose religion it is fit that we should imitate Bernard We should meet Christ by keeping innocency bear Olive by doing works of mercy carry Palms by conquering the Devil and our vices green leaves and flowers we carry if we be adorned with vertues and we strew our garments in the way when by mortification we put off the old man This week was called of old the GREAT-WEEK because it hath a larger Service than any other Week every day having a Second-service appointed It was called also the Holy-week because men gave over all worldly employments and betook themselves wholly to devotion this week The Courts were shut up and civil affairs laid aside and prisoners that were put in for small faults were freed Chrys. Hom. 30. in 10. cap Gen. Code l. 1. tit 4. 3. It was also called the week of Fasts Because fasting was then heightned and intended with watching and prayers for these six dayes were spent in lying upon the ground and afflicting the body in prayers watchings and fastings longer than ordinary And when they did eat their refreshing was only bread salt and water Epiphan adv Aerium It will not be amiss to set down Epiphanius somewhat more at large Aerius and his disciples had flouted at the Catholick Christians severities at this time Why say they do you keep Easter why do you keep such a strict fast before it it is Ienish thus to keep daies of fasting by a law it is an enslaving your selves to a yoke of bondage if I would determine to fast at all I would fast what day I pleased at mine own liberty Upon this principle it is saith that Father that Aerius and his followers affect to fast on Sunday and feast on Friday and to spend this week of Religion and Devotion in jollity and sport rising early to fill themselves with flesh and wine with which being full stuft they sport and scoff at the Catholick Christians folly in afflicting themselves with such severities But who says he are the more fools Aerius a silly fellow of yesterday still living with us or we who observe this severe discipline which our Fathers delivered us which they received from their Fathers and they from theirs and so from the Apostles The Epistles and Gospels of this week are concerning Christs Passion to the contemplation of which this week is dedicated Thursday THis day CHRIST washt his Disciples feet and gave them a commandment to do likewise Hence it is called Dies mandati Mandate or Maundy Thursday This day the penitents that were put out of the Church upon Ash-wednesday were received again into the Church partly because there was this day an holy Communion in memory of our Lords institution of the same this day and the Epistle is fitted to that purpose sit therefore it was that penitents should be reconciled this day upon which this Sacrament was instituted for the remission of sins to receive the holy Communion Partly because this day our Lord was apprehended and bound whose binding wrought our deliveranceâ— and freedome The form of reconciling penitents was in short this The Bishop goes out to the doors of the Church where the penitentsly prostrate upon the earth and thrice in the Name of CHRIST he calls them Come Come Come ye children hearken to me I will teach you the fear of the Lord then after he hath prayed for them and admonished them he reconciles them and brings them into Church The peniterts thus received trim their heads and beards and laying off their penitential weeds they reclothe themselves in handsome apparel The Church doors were wont to be set all open this day to signifie that penitent sinners coming from North or South or any quarter of the World shall be received to mercy and the Churches favour GOOD-FRIDAY THis day holy Church keeps a most strict Fast It is called GOOD-FRIDAY For a good day it was for us even the cause of all our good and ground of all our joy And so in respect of the effect of it Christs Passion may be a Gospel for a Feast and so it is upon Palm-Sunday But if we consider that our sins were the cause of his Sufferings and that it was we that crown'd his head with thorns nail'd his hands and feet and gored his side with a Spear so his Passion considered in the cause of it is matter of the greatest sorrow and in this respect we keep it a Fast. The Gospel is taken out of S. Iohn rather than out of any other Evangelist because he was present at the Passion and stood by the Cross when others fled and therefore the Passion being represented as it were before our eyes this day his Testimony is read who saw it himself and from whose example we may learn not to be ashamed nor afraid of the Cross of Christ. This day holy Church prayes expresly for all Jews Turks and Infidels Enemies of the Cross
gracious Lord hath so done his marvellous work of Christs Resurrection that it ought to be had in remembrance For which holy Church teaches us to sing as we are bound I will give thanks unto the Lord with my whole heart secretly amongst the faithful and in the Congregation Ver. 1. Evening Psalms are 113. 114. 118. The first is a Psalm of Thanksgiving especially for raising up Christ Ver. 6,7 Taking him out of the dust and lifting him out of the miâ—e to set him with and above the Princes when he raised him from the dead and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places far above all Principalities and powers and Might and Dominion and every name that is named not only in this world but also in that which is to come Ephes. 1. 21. The 118. Psal. is part of it at least of Christs Resurrection as it is expounded S. Matt. 21. and Acts 4. 11. The stone which the builders refused is become the the head of the corner this day And therefore This is the day which the Lord hath made we will rejoyce and be glad in it ver 27. The 114. Psal. may seem at first sight not so applyable to Christs Resurrection for it is a Thanksgiving for the Jews deliverance out of Egypt Yet notwithstanding if we look well into it we shall find it proper enough for the day For as the Apostle teaches us All things hapned to them in types and figures not only words but actions were typical Egypt was a type of Hell and their captivity there a type of our captivity under sin and the Devil Their deliverance from thence a type and figure of our deliverance from Hell and that which the Psalmist here gives thanks for as past in the History is understood to be meant as much or more in the prophesie of Christs Redemption of his Church the true Israelites that walk in the steps of the Faith of our Father Abraham from sin and Hell by the power of his glorious Resurrection this day The first Lesson Morn is Exod. 12. in which is mentioned the Institution of the Passeover proper for this day the feast of the Passeover For as S. Aug. observes Ep. 119. We do in this Feast not only call to mind the history of our Saviours Resurrection but also celebrate the mystery of ours That as Christ this day rose again from death to life so by Christ and the vertue of his Resurrection shall we be 〈◊〉 alive and rise from death to life eternal Christ is therefore our true Passeover where of the other was a type The Lesson then is proper for the day So is the first Lesson Even Exod. 14â— For it is concerning the Israelites deliverance out of Egypt a type of our deliverance from Hell this day by Christs gloririous resurrection As that day Israel saw that great work which the Lord did upon Egypt Ver. 31. So this day we see the great conquest over Hell and Death finished by Christs triumphant Resurrection from the dead The Second Lessons are plain The Gospel gives us the full evidence of Christs Resurrection The Epistle tells what use we should make of it If Christ be risen seek those things that are above c. The Collect prayes for grace to make that use of it which the Epistle directs Thus holy Church is careful to teach and instruct all her children in the matter of the Feast preaching Christs Resurrection to us both in the type and Prophesie out of the Old Test. and in the History of it out of the New And she does not only teach us to know what God hath done for us this day but also she is careful that we may do our duty to God for this his marvellous goodness commanding and 〈◊〉 recting us to pray for grace to do our duty prescribing us excellent forms of adoring and blessing God for his mercy this day such methods as the Holy Ghost hath set down in which we may be sure to pray and praise God by the Spirit For the Antiquity of this Feast heaps of Testimonies might be brought but these two following may suffice 1. S. AVGVST Epist. 118. These things which are not written but we keep them by tradition if they be observed all the world over are to be understood to be commended to us and commanded either by General Councels whose authority in the Church is most safe or else by the Apostles as for example That the Passion of our Lord his Resurrection and Ascension into Heaven and the coming of the Holy Ghost should be observed by an Anniversary solemnity 2. CONSTANTINE The Great c. 17. The Feast of Easter we have kept from the first day of the Passion untill now Euseb. de vita Constant. l. 3. c. 17. And this was not in the practice of some few but of all Churches as he there testifies and is apparent from the great contention in the Church about the day Some following the Jewish accompt who kept this Feast the Fourteenth day of the first Month The first Month began with the new Moon whose fourteenth day or Moon as they call'd it was the day of the Vernal Equinox or if none such hapned then that whose fourteenth day came the soonest after the Equinox but the most Churches kept their Easter the first Sunday after the fourteenth day of the first Month which usage the Councel of Nice confirmed for these reasons First because it was the most general custome of the Churches Secendly because they would not in this particular comply with the Iews for though in some other cases they did it on purpose to sweeten them and make them plyable to Christianity as our Lord himself did and his Apostles Acts 21. 24. retaining many of their laâ—dable and useful Rites as of Exâ—ommunication Benediction Imposition of hands with many more which you may see in Grotius Annot. in S. Matth. 18. and Append. p. 54. for they loved not Innovation nor measured the goodness of their Religion by their distance from the Iews in things lawful and useful though I say the Primitive Christians did not like the Jewish Rites ever the worse because they were Theirs i.e. of Gods Institution but did use as many of them that were useful as they had occasion for yet in this of the time of keeping Easter they would not because it was of ill signification and scandalous for the Jews keep their Easter as typical and prefiguring Christ to come the Christians kept their Easter in thankful remembrance of Christ Come and Risen from the dead and therefore differing so much in the main of the Feast they would not comply with them no not so much as in the Time lest by that they might have been though to have complyed also in the very Feast and so have seemed to have denied their Lord as the Jews did Thirdly because after the Jews fashion of keeping of Easter they following at that time an Erroneous Account which had
called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 illumination and the baptized the Enlightened to grant them that be admitted into the fellowship of Christs religion namely by baptism that they may eschew those things that be contrary to their profession or vow in baptism c. Though this custome of general baptism at Easter be not in use now yet this Collect is still seasonable as a general anniversary Commemoration of the great blessings received from God by our baptism and our solemn vow and profession made to him therein The Ancients were wont to observe Pasâ—ha annotinum an anniversary commemoâ—ation of their baptism they that were baptized at Easter the year before came the year following the same day to the Church and solemnly with obâ—ations and other religious offices commemorated the anniversary day of their new birth Though our Church does not in every particular observe the same custome yet she draws near to the ancient practice in this solemn though general Anniversary Commemoration of baptism this day minding us all this day of our baptism and our vow made therein and praying to God to enable us all to keep it And for this very reason does she appoint children to be baptized upon Sundays and other Holy-days when most people are present that they may be put in remembrance of their own profession made to God in baptism Preface before Baptism and happy were it for us if we would made good use of this care of the Church and be often remembring that solemn vow by which we have dedicated our selves to God to be an holy people the wilful breach of which vow is horrid Sacriledge In the Gospel our Saviour tells his Disciples that though they should weep and lament by reason of his death their sorrow should be turned into joy which no man should take from them namely after his Resurrection And such joy belongs to this time and to us in it if we be also his true Disciples and followers which how we may be the Epistle shews by minding us of what we promised and vowed when admitted into Christs School and gave up our names to him the abstaining from fleshly lusts and having honest conversation in all our Relations And this is the main drift of the whole Epistle the first of S. Peter out of which this is taken to perswade them that were born again and lately become Christians to walk suitably to such an holy profession and that chiefly in regard of the lively hope unto which they were begotten again by the Resurrection of Iesus Christ from the dead and so is most agreeable to the Churches meditations this day and season 4. Sunday after Easter This Collect is fit for this Paschal time from Easter to Pentecost a time of greatest joy the Church therefore prays that we may rightly observe the time be full of joy in a joyful time withal that our joy may be a true and real joy that our hearts may surely there be fixt where true joyes are to be found Such joyes as Christs Resurrection and the promised Comforter affords And one or both of these two grand occasions of Joy and Exultation to wit Christs Resurrection and the promise of a Comforter are the principal Subject of the Gospels from Easter to Whitsuntide but lest our joy should grow presumptious and luxuriant as joy is apt to exceed the Epistles for the same time admonish us of duties answerable as to believe in Christ to rise from the grave of sin to be patient loving meek charitable c. having our Lord for an example and the promise of his Spirit for our guide strength and comfort 5. Sunday after Easter The Gospel before promised a Comforter The Epistle and Gospel this day direct us what to do to obtain that promise Two conditions are required on our parts for the receiving of that promised Comforter First prayers or Rogations this the Gospel teaches Ask and ye shall receive that your joy may be full Secondly to love God and keep his Comandments S. Iohn 14. 15. This the Epistle exhorts to See that ye be doers of the Word c. The Collect prayes that we may feel the fruits and comforts of this holy Spirit in our hearts by good thoughts and abilities to perform them Of Rogation week This is called Rogation Sunday because upon the three following days Rogations and Litanies were used and Fasting for these two reasons 1. Because this time of the year the fruits of the earth are render and easily hurt therefore Litanies extraordinary are said to God to avert this judgement 2. Because our LORDS Ascension is the Thursday following therefore these three days before are to be spent in prayers and fasting Conc. Aurelian that so the flesh being tamed and the soul winged with fasting we may ascend with Christ. The Gospel is concerning Rogations teaching us how to ask of God so as we may obtain and withal foretels his approaching Ascension The Fast this week is voluntary for there is no Fast commanded betwixt Easter and Whitsunday as hath been observed before The Service formerly appointed in the Rogation days of Procession was the 103 and 104. Psal. with the Litany and Suffrages and the Homily of Thanksgiving Artic. Eliz. in the 7. year of her reign The 2. Psalms were to be said at convenient places in the common perambulation the people thus giving thanks to God in the beholding of Gods benefits the increase and abundance of his fruits upon the Earth At their return to the Church they were to say the rest of the Service mentioned Eliz. Injun 18 19. ASCENSION-Day THis day was Christs perfect triumph over the Devil Leading captivity captive Ephes. 4. 8. This day He opened the kingdom of Heaven to all believers as we say daily in the Te Deum See S. Iohn 3. 13. Acts 2. 24. Heb. 10. 23. His flesh opened that passage in that he deserved to enter there first For when he was taken up on high then he opened the Gates of Heaven Chrysost. upon that place of the Hebrews Therefore the Church appoints for this day the 24. Psalm Lift up your heads O ye gates and be ye lift up ye everlasting doors and the King of glory shall come in This day gives us hopes of Heaven in that our flesh in the first-fruits is thâ—ther ascended For if God had not intended some great good to our nature he would not have received the first-fruits up on high Christ taking the first-fruits of our nature this day carried it up to God and by those first-fruits hath made the whole stock to be sanctified And the Father highly esteemed the gift both for the worthiness of him that offered it up and for the purity of the offering so as to receive it with his own hands and to set it at his right hand To what Nature was it that God said Sit thou on my right hand To the same to which formerly he had said dust thou art and to dust thou
shalt return This gift went far beyond the loss Paradise was the place from which we fell but we were this day carried up to heaven and mansions are there provided for us Chrys. in diem Christ ascended up into heaven in the sight of his Disciples that they and we might assuredly believe that we should follow and not deem it impossible for us body and soul to be translated thither Cypr. in diem This day hath proper Lessons and Psalms The First Lesson at Morning Service is Deut. 10. Wherein is recorded Moses going up into the Mount to receive the Law from God to deliver it to the Jews a type of Christs ascension into Heaven to send down the new Law the Law of Faith For when he ascended up on high he led captivity captive and gave gifts to men Apostles Evangelists Pastors and Teachers to publish the new Law to the world Ephes. 4. 8. The First Lesson at Even is 2 Kings 2. Wherein Elias his ascending into Heaven was a type of Christs Ascension but Christ went far beyond his type in many particulars Elias went up with a single Chariot but Christ was attended with thousands Psal. 68. 17. The Chariots of God are twenty thousand even thousands of Angels and the Lord ascending is among them Elias upon his ascension doubles his Spirit upon Elisha But Christ gave such an abundance of the holy Spirit to his Disciples upon his Ascension that they not only were filled with it themselves but it ran over upon others from them by laying on of hands they imparted it to others Acts 8. 17. We have no proper Second Lessons appointed but in Edw. 6. Liturgy were appointed S. Iohn 14. Ephes. 4. both very fit for the day Psalms for the Morâ— are 8. 15. 21. Psalms The 8. Psal. begins O Lord our Governour how excellent is thy name in all the world thou that hast set thy glory above the heavens This was fulfilled this day For this day he set his glory above the Heavens ascending from earthly humility to heavenly glory This made thy Name wonderful in all the world For hereby it appears that thou that didst before descend so low and wert for a time so vile reputed art greater than all Principalities and Powers in Heaven and Earth since some saw and all men now believe that thou didst ascend into Heaven whereby thou hast gotten A name above all names That at the Name of Iesus every knee should bow both of things in Hevven and earth Phil. 2. 9 10. Psal. 15. Who shall dwell in thy Tabernacle or who shall rest upon thy holy hill even he that hath clean hands c. shews both how just it was that Christ should ascend and rest upon the holy Hill the highest Heaven of which Mount Sion was a type for he of all others had clean hands and a pure heart and withal tells us the way which we must walk viz. the way of righteousness and holiness if we desire to follow Christ to heaven The 21. Psal. is to be understood of Christ. S. Aug. in loc Ver. 4. Thou gavest him a long life even for ever and ever his honour is great in thy salvation The raising him from death hath made his honour great and all the world to believe in him Glory and great worship shalt thou lay upon him by setting him at thy right hand in Heaven The rest of the Psalm is to the same purpose of Christs absolute triumph over his enemies which was this day fulfilled when he led captivity captive The Even Psalms are 24. 68. 108. Psalms The 24. was sung this day at Christs Ascension by a Quire of Angels some going before the Lord Christ knocking as it were at Heaven gates and singing Lift up your heads O ye gates and be ye lift up ye everlasting doors and the King of glory shall come in to whom other Angels in Heaven desirous to know who this King of glory was sing the next words Who is the King of glory The first Angels that waited upon our Lord in his Ascension answer The Lord strong and mighty even the Lord mighty in battel as ye may see by the prisoners that he leads captive in his triumph Therefore Lift up your heads O ye gates that never were yet opened to humane nature where never man yet entred S. Iohn 3. 13. Acts 2. 24. Heb. 10. 20. The other Angels as yet as it were amazed at the glory of the triumph ask again Who is the King of glory what Lord is it that is so mighty His heavenly Guard answer again The Lord of hosts he is the King of glory Theodor. in Psal. Then Heaven gates were opened and our dear Lord entred and took possession for us and prepared places for us S. Iohn 14. 2. The 68. Psal. at the 18. ver is by the Apostle applyed to the Ascension of Christ Ephes. 4. 8. Thou hast ascended up on high and led captivity captive It is not to be denied but that it may be applyed to others also for the Scripture is full of sense as to Moses For he from the bottom of the Red Sea went up to the top of Sinai leading with him the people of Israel that long had been captive to Pharaoh and there received gifts the Law the Priesthood but above all the Ark of the Covenant to be the pledge of Gods presence amongst them this is the literal sense This of Moses by analogy doth King David apply to himself to his going up to mount Sion and carrying up the Ark thither For all agree this Psalm was set upon that occasion The very beginning of it Let God arise shews as much the acclamation ever to be used at the Arks removing Num. 10. 35. This was done immediately upon his conquest of the Iohnsites whom he had taken captives what time for the honour of the solemnity he dealt gifts bread and wine to the people 1 Chron. 15. But in the prophetical sense this Psalm belongs to Christ to the Testimony of Iesus which is the Spirit of all prophesie Rev. 19. 10. For that was the greatest captivity that ever was led captive his the highest up-going higher than Sion or Sinai far that the most gracious and glorious triumph when Christ made a shew of Principalities and Powers of Hell triumphing over them in his own person Col. 2. 19. which was this days triumph Bishop Andrews Serm 7. in Pentecost In the 108. Psal. The Prophet awakes himself and his Instruments of Musick to give thanks to God among the people and among the Nations for setting himself above the heavens and his glory above all the earth which was most litterally fulfilled in his Ascension into Heaven and sitting down at the right hand of God It is true this Psalm is thought to be set upon another occasion viz. Gods promise of subduing the Ammonites and Idumeans under David for which he here vowes his best thanks yet for all this it may be and that principally meant
of Christ and his triumphant Ascension For God Almighty did so direct the mind of the Prophets that that which was spoken by them of other persons and actions is oft-times more exactly fulfilled in and by Christ. Osee 11. 1. Out of Egypt have I called my Son was there spoken of the deliverance of the people of Israel out of Egypt fulfilled in Christ S. Matth 2. 15. What David sayes of himself I will open my mouth in a payable was fulfilled by Christ S. Matth. 13. 35. The 72. Psalm was written for Solomon as the title shews but more exactly fulfilled of Christ. Davids complaint or his own nâ—sery Psal. 35. 19. verified in Christ. S. Iohn 15 25. Nay more which is worth our observation some things David speaâ—s of himself which do not agree to him but in a figure which agree to Christ in the letter as They parted my garments among them and cast lots upon my vesture Psalm 22. 17 18. Nay in the same Psalm and sometimes in the same verse some words will not agree to Christ as Psal. 69. 5. My faults are not hid from thee These cannot be spoken of Christ who knew no sin Some words again most properly belong to Christ as verse 22. They gave me gall to eat and when I was thirsty they gave me vinegar to drink Thus holy Church hath in the Lessons and Gospel preached to us the Ascension of Christ in the type and antitype In the Epistle she teaches us our duty not to stand gazing up to Heaven wondring at the strangeness of the sight but to take heed to demean our selves so as that we may with comfort behold him at his second coming his coming to judgment Act. 1. 11. Why stand ye gazing up into heaven there is other business to be done fit your selves for another coming for this same Iesus which was taken up from you into heaven shall so come even as ye have seen him go into heaven In the Collect we are taught to pray that we as far as may be may conform to our Lord in his Ascension that like as we believe him to have ascended into the Heavens so we may also in heart and mind thither ascend and with him continually dwell In the special Psal. and Hymn we adore and bless God for our Saviours glorious Ascension It is pleasant to behold the rare beauty of the Churches offices as on others so on this day how each part suits the other The Gospel to the Lessons the Epistle to the Gospel the Collect and Psalms and Hymns all fitted to the same and all to the day For the Antiquity of this day See S. Aug. Epist. 118. cited upon Easter day Epiphanâ— and Chrys. upon the day Sunday after Ascen This is called Expectationsweek for now the Apostles were earnestly expecting the fulfilling of that promise of our Lord. If I go away I will send the Comforter to you S. Iohn 16. 7. The Epistle exhorts to earnest prayer for the Comforter promised in the Gospel which the Church performs in the Collect. WHIT SVNDAY THis day the HOLY GHOST came down from heaven upon his Church as the Epistle tells according to the promise of the Gospel As in a long war it happens when the war is ended and peace concluded Pledges and Hostages are mutually sent both as tokens of and securities for the mutual agreement and peace so was it betwixt God and Man After our Lord Jesus had ended the long war betwixt God and Man and finished the reconciliation he sent up or rather he carried up himself our Hostage our flesh and nature ennobled by the union with his Divine Person as a royal pledge to his Father on the other side God sent this day his royal Hostage his holy Spirit a security for our future peace 1. S. Iohn 4. 12 13. Chrys. Hom. 1. in Pentecost Edit Savil. tom 5. The Devil had taken us captive our Lord Christ undertakes the quarrel his death was his battel but then he seem'd to be overcome but up he got again at his Resurrection that was his victory his Ascension was his triumph and as the ancient custome was for Conquerours to scatter gifts amongst the beholders especially on the last and great day of the triumph so does our Lord in this last day of the Feast the Conclusion of his triumph he doth as it were make the Conduits run with Wine he poured out his Spirit so upon all flesh that some mockers said they were full of new wine Acts 2. 12. He casts abroad his new wine new gifts and graces of the world giving to some the word of wisdome to others the gift of knowledge to others faith to others the gift of healing to others the working of miracles to others prophesie to others discerning of spirits to others divers kinds of tongue to others the interpretations of tongues all these worketh one and the same spirit the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. 12. 4. whom the Lord Christ as he promised sent down this day with these gifts in honour of whom and his gifts we keep this day holy This time was also appointed of old for solemn baptism The reason was 1. Because this day the Apostles were baptized with the holy Ghost and fire Acts 2. 3. 2. Because this day three thousand were baptized by the Apostle Acts 2. 40. In memory of which the Church ever after held a solemn custome of baptizing at this Feast Gratian. de Consec Dis. 3. c. 13. This day is called Pentecost because it is fifty days betwixt the true Passeover and Whitsunday As there were fifty days from the Jews Passeover to the giving of the Law to Moses in Mount Sina which Law was written with the finger of God for from the 14. day of the first month the day of the Passeover to the third day of the third month the day of the Laws giving Exod. 19. are fifty days so from the true Passeover which was celebrated when Christ was offered up for us are fifty days to this time when the Holy Ghost came down upon the Church to write the new Lawâ— of Charity in their hearts Upon this meditation S. Aug. breaks out thus Who would not prefer the joy and pleasure of these mysteries before all Empires of the world Do you not see that as the two Seraphins cry one to another holy holy holy Esay 6. 3. So the two Testaments Old and New faithfully agreeing convince the sacred truth of God S. Aug. Ep. 119. Note that we must not count the fifty days from the very day of the Passeover but from the Sunday following and so God directed the Jews Lev. 23. 15. speaking of their Pentecost or Feasts of Weeks And ye shall count from the morrow after the Sabbath from that day seven weeks shall be compleat It is also called Whitsunday from the glorious Light of Heaven which was then sent down upon the Earth from the Father of Lights so many tongues so many Lights which kindled such
Meditation of each day should be the chief subject of one and this to be the day For no sooner had our Lord ascended into Heaven and Gods holy Spirit descended upon the Church but there ensued the notice of the glorious and incomprehensible Trinity which before that time was not so clearly known The Church therefore having solemnized in an excellent order all the high Feast of our Lord and after That of the descent of Gods Spirit upon the Apostles thought it a thing most seasonable to conclude these great solemnities with a Festival of full special and express Service to the holy and blessed Trinity And this the rather in after-times when Arrians and such like Hereticks had appeared in the world and vented their blasphemies against this Divine Mystery Some proper Lessons this day hath as the Morning First and Second The first Lesson is Gen. 18. wherein we read of three that appeared to Abraham or the Lord in three Persons ver 1 2. A type of that mysterious Trinity in Unity which was after revealed in the Gospel So Theodor. l. 2. ad Graec. Because the Jews had long lived in Egypt and had learned there the worship of many gods the most wise God did not plainly deliver to them the mystery of the Trinity lest they should have mistaken it for a doctrine of a plurality of gods Yet the Doctrine of the Trinity was not wholly hidden in those times but some seeds of that perfection of Divinity were dispersed and for that cause the Quire of Angels sing thrice Holy but once Lord holy holy holy Lord God of Hosts and here Three Men appeared to Abraham The Second Lesson S. Matth. 3. is thought fit for this Feast because it delivers to us the baptism of Christ at which was discovered the mystery of the Trinity for there the Son is baptized the holy Spirit descends upon him and the Father speaks from Heaven This is my beloved Son The Epistle and the Gospel are the same that in Ancient Services were assigned for the Octave of Pentecost The Epistle being of the vision of S. Iohn Rev. 4. and the Gospel the Dialogue of our Lord with Nicodemus And the mentioning which we find therein of Baptism of the holy Spirit and gifts of it though it might then fit the day as a repetition as it were of Pentecost so is it no less fit for it as a Feast to the Blessed Trinity The mission the Holy Ghost brings with it as aforesaid more light and clearness to the doctrine of the Trinity and when more fit to think of the gifts of the Spirit than on a solemn day of Ordination as this is one when Men are consecrated to spiritual Offices But besides this we have in the Gospel set before us all the Three Persons of the Sacred Trinity and the same likewise represented in the Vision which the Epistle speaks of with an Hymn of praise Holy holy holy Lord God Almighty c. which expressions by ancient interpretation relate to the holy Trinity as is above said Of the Sundayes after TRINITY till ADVENT THe Church hath now finished the celebration of the high Festivals and thereby run as it were through a great part of the Creed by setting before us in an orderly manner the highest Mysteries of our Redemption by Christ on earth till the day he was taken up into Heaven with the sending down of the Holy Ghost at Pentecost Now after she hath in consequence and reflexion upon these Mysteries broke out into a more solemn and special Adoration of the Blessed Trinity she comes according to her Method in the Intervals of great Feasts of which see Pag. 93. to use such Epistles Gospels and Collects as suit with her holy affections and aims at this season Such namely as tend to our edifying and being the living Temples of the Holy Ghost our Comforter with his Gifts and Graces that having Oyl in our Lamps we may be in better readiness to meet the Bridegroom at his second Advent or coming to judgment And this done in the remaining Sundaies till Advent which in their Services are as it were so many Eccho's and Reflexions upon the Mystery of Pentecost the life of the Spirit or as Trumpets for preparation to meet our Lord at his second coming Which will be more manifest if we take a general view of the Gospels together and afterwards of the Epistles and Collects The GOSPELS for this time according to the method which hath before been declared pag. 93. are of the holy Doctrine Deeds and Miracles of our Saviour and so may singularly conduce to the making us good Christians by being followers of Christ and replenished with that Spirit which he both promised and sent and for which the Church lately kept so great a solemnity For to be charitable heavenly-minded repentant merciful humble peaceable religious compassionate and thankful to trust in God and abound with such spiritual qualities are the Lessons taught us by our Lord in these Gospels and that not only by word and deed but many miracles also for divers Gospels are of such and tend much to our edifying From his healing of the sick and going about doing good we may learn to employ that power and ability we have in works of mercy and goodness He that raised the dead and did such mighty works can be no other we may be sure than God and Man the Saviour of the world and able to protect us even against death it self to raise our bodies from the dust and glorifie them hereafter Thus we have in general the intent of these Gospels as may easily appear by particular observation and withal how pertinent they are to the time And with them the Church concludes her Annual course of such readings having thereby given us and in such time and order as most apt to make deep impression the chief matter and substance of the four Evangelists True it is that in ancient Rituals and particularly in S. Hieromes Comes or Lectionarius where we find this same order of Epistles and Gospels See Pamelii Liturg. Eccles. Lat. T. 2. there are some other besides these which our Church useth as for Wednesdays Fridaies and other special times and Solemnities But these for Sundaies and other Holy-daies which are retained by our Church are so well chosen for the fitness variety and weightiness of the matter and out of that Evangelist that delivers it most fully that the chiefest passages of all the Evangelists are hereby made known and preached to us and what we meet not with here is abundantly supplied by the daily Second Lessons And the like also may be said concerning the Epistles In the EPISTLES for this time there is an Harmony with the Gospels but not so much as some have thought in their joynt propounding of-particular considerations and those several and distinct as the daies they belong to for that belongs to more special solemnities but rather as they meet all in the common stream
the general meditation and affection of the season We may therefore observe that as all the Gospels for Sundaies since Easter day hitherto are taken out of the beloved Disciple S. Iohn who therein gives us many of the last and most tender and affectionate words of our dear Lord before his Passion and Ascension his promising of a Comforter bidding them not fear bequeathâ—ing his peace to them and the like so now the two first Epistles are taken and most fitly out of the same Apostle who therein minds us with much earnest affection of that spirit which our Lord promised for our Comforter and of the great effect and sign of it the love of one another If saith he we love one another God dwelleth in us and his love is perfect in us Hereby know we that we dwell in him and he in us because he hath given us of his Spirit And the Epistle for the second Sunday exhorteth us in like manner To love one another as he gave commandment and he that keepeth his Commandments dwelleth in him and he in him and hereby we know that he abideth in us even by the Spirit which he hath given us In the Epistle for the third Sunday we are put in mind by S. Peter of submission and being humble for God gives grace to such of sobriety watching faith and patience in affliction with an exhortation to cast our care upon God who cares for us and shall perfect seâ—tle strengthen and stablish us which is according to what Christ said That he would not leave us Comfortless The fourth Epistle is out of Rom. 8. and is a comfort against afflictions as not worthy of that glory which shall be shewed upon us provided we be such as they whom the Apostle there speaks of who had received the first-fruits of the Spirit The Epistle for the fifth being taken out of S. Peter exhorts us to Love Peace Innocence and such spiritual affections and if any trouble us not to be afraid but to sanctifie the Lord God in our hearts The rest of the Epistles for all the days following relate much to the same business as newness of life and all the fruits and gifts of Gods holy Spirit and as a particular insight will sufficiently manifest But being not the first that are used in this season they seem to have been chosen with more indifferency for they are taken out of S. Paul and keep the very order of his Epistles and the place they have in each Epistle For of them the first are out of the Epistle to the Romans and so in order the next out of the Epistles to the Corinthians first and second Galatians Ephesians Philippians and Colossians for so far the Order reacheth till the time of Advent Only two of the Sundaies the 18. and 25. do vary from this method in the choice of their Epistles and there is reason for both And first for the 25. or last Sunday the reason is manifest for it being lookt upon as a kind of preparative or fore-runner of Advent as Advent is to Christmas and in S. Ieromes Lectionarius it is comprized within the time of Advent an Epistle was chosen not as hapned according to the former method but such an one as prophesied of Christs Advent or Coming for that plainly appears in This out of Ieremy Behold the time cometh saith the Lord that I will raise up the righteous branch of David which King shall bear rule and he shall prosper with wisdom and shall set up Equity and Righteousness again in Earth The like Prophesie is implyed in the Gospel and applyed to Iesus in the words of the people when they had seen his miracle This is of a truth the same Prophet that should come into the world And therefore when there are either more or fewer Sundays than 25 between Trinity and Advent if we so dispose of the Services as always to make use of this for the last of them it will be agreeable to reason and exemplary practice and that from time of old for we find such a Rule in Micrologus an ancient Ritualist The other Sunday that follows not the method of the rest is the 18. after Trinity for its Epistle is taken out of the first to the Corinthians not out of that to the Ephesians as other are for the Sundayes that go next before and after This seems to be occasioned by a particular circumstance for which a fit Epistle was to be found out though it were not taken out of its place in the usual order and that was the Ordination of Ministers for the understanding of which and the ancient care about Ordinations it will not be amiss to be somewhat the larger We may therefore note that what was said of Collects pag. 70. is true also of this order of Epistles and Gospels that it comes down to us from Ancient Times as appears by S. Hieromes Lectionarius above mentioned and other old Liturgists and Expositors And by them we find that it was the Custome of old to have proper Services for Wednesdays Fridays and Saturdayes in each Ember-week and then followed as with us the conferring of Holy Orders But care being taken that the Ordination should be performed after continuance the same day in Prayer and fasting and yet be done upon the Lords day also and because by ancient Canon that day was not to be fasted they therefore took this course to perform it on Saturday it being one of the Ember Fasts and yet in the Evening of it for that time was accounted as belonging to the Lords day following or if they would continue so long fasting to do it early in the morning following See Leâ— Epist. 81. ad Diosc. In regard therefore that this was accounted a Sundays work and that there had been so much Exercise and Fasting on Saturday the Sunday following had no publick Office and was therefore called Dominica Vacat or Vacans a vacant Sunday But it was afterwards thought better not to let that day pass in that manner nor to continue so long and late on Saturday in such Abstinence and Exercise and therefore the Ordination came to be dispaâ—cht sooner on Saturday and the Sunday following had a Service said on it which at first for some time was borrowed of some other days but afterwards One was fixt being fitted to the day or season with some respect in the frame of it to the Ordination at that time For although there were peculiar Readings Rites and Prayers for the Ordination it self as there is also in our Church much resembling the ancient Form yet besides that in the general Service of the day some reflexion was made on the business of Ordination Only the Vacant Sunday for the Ember week in September had no constant peculiar â—ervice for being fixt to a certain time â—fâ— that Month it chanceth that the said Sunday sometimes is the 18. after Trinity sometimes the 17. or sooner as Easter falls out and accordingly takes
things as be rightful to please him both in will and deed that he would encrease nourish keep us in true Religion and all goodness give unto us the encrease of Faith Hope and Charity that we may live according to his will with pure and free hearts follow him accomplish those things he would have done may be cleansed assoyled delivered from all our offences have pardon peace protection and defence may plentifully bring forth the fruits of good works and by him be plenteously rewarded and obtain his promises which exceed all we can desire Such requests as these besides some other That God would hear the prayers of the people of which see pag. 68 and 85. are by the Priest presented to God fit for the Churches meditations at this time after Pentecost and not unfitly following the Lessons the Decalogue and the following Supplications of the people as the proper place of Collects Being all of them though in several branches and expressions in effect thus much That by the merciful Grace Inspiration Defence and Protection of God Almighty we may be cleansed from our sins may obey his Commandments may live as Christians ought not after the flesh but after the Spirit and so to be fitter to meet our blessed Lord at his second Advent to judge the world And this meditation of the second Advent of Christ is thought so seasonable in the last place that some Churches instead of those Readings which we have for the last Sunday of this Time make use of some other which concern the day of judgement But our Church as she hath good reason for her method as we have seen p. 187 188. So is she not at all defective in her thoughts of Christs second coming In time of Advent and often afterwards she takes occasion to remember it but most especially at this season The last Gospel except that which implyes a prophesie of Christs advent sets before us his raising up of one from the dead a great ground of our faith and hope of a Resurrection The Epistle that goes with it and all the rest in a manner aim most evidently at this the Quickning us to a life spiritual by the hopes of an eternal The last Collect with some other is for the enjoyment of it ac cording to Gods promises So that we see the Church in her Meditations for the conclusion of the year takes in that for her subject which is the close of our Creed end of our Faith and Crown of our Devotions The Rosurrection of the body and the life everlasting S. ANDREW THis Saints day is the first that is kept solemn because he first came to Christ and followed him before any of the other Apostles S. Iohn 1. 38. He brought his brother Simon to Christ 42. He it was that said We have found the Messiah and therefore his day is right set at the beginning of Advent for ever to bring news De Adventu Domini of the Advent or coming of our Lord. Conversion of S. PAVL WHereas other Saints martyrdoms or at least the dayes of their death are celebrated by holy Church S. Pauls Conversion is made the Holy-day For these reasons 1. For the Example of it that no sinner how great soever might hereafter despair of pardon seeing Saul a grievous persecutor made S. Paul For this cause I obtained mercy that in me first Iesus Christ might shew forth all long-suffering for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe 1 Tim. 1. 36. 2. For the joy which the Church had at his Conversion 3. For the miracle wrought at his Conversion Purification of S. MARY or Feast of Candlemas SOme Churches keep four Holy-daies in memory of the blessed Virgin namely The Annunciation the Assumption the Nativity and Purification Our Church keeps only the Purification and Annunciation which are common to her and our Blessed Lord. The Purification is a double Feast partly in memory of the Virgins purification this being the fourtieth day after the birth which she observed according to the Law Leviticus 12. 4. though she needed it not but chiefly in memory of our Lords presentation in the Temple which the Gospel commemorates Our Saviour thus presented in the Temple offered himself alive Oblation for us that so the whole obedience of his life might be ours This day had one solemnity of old peculiar to it namely Procession the order and manner of which I shall set down briefly out of S. Bernard We go in Procession two by two carrying Candles in our hands which are light 〈◊〉 at a common fire but a fire first blest in the Church by a Bishop They that go out first return last and in the way we sing Great is the glory of the Lord. We go two by two in commendation of Charity and a social life for so our Saviour sent out his Disciples We carry lights in our hands First to signifie that our light should shine before men Secondly this we do this day especially in memory of the wise virgins of whom this blessed Virgin is the chief that went to meet their Lord with their Lamps light and burning And from this usage and the many lights set up in the Church this day it is called Candelaria or Candlemas Because our works should be all done in the holy fire of Charity therefore the Candles are light with holy fire They that go out first return last to teach humility in humility preferring one another Phil. 2. 3. Because God loves a cheerful giver therefore we sing in the way The Procession it self is to teach us that we should not stand idle in the way of life but proceed from vertue to vertue not looking back to that which is behind but reaching forward to that which is before For the Antiquity of this day see Cyril Alex. Gregory Nys in diem And for the Feast of the Annunciation Athanas. Ser. de Dei para S. Philip and S. Iames. WHereas in the Primitive Church the Apostles had not several days of solemnity it was appointed that one day should be allowed for them all namely in the Latin Church the Calends or first of May in the Greek the Feast of S. Peter and S. Paul Afterwards when the other Apostles had peculiar days appointed this first of May was left to S. Philip and S. Iacob because it was thought that they suffered upon that day Thus Durandus and some other deliver it but upon further enquiry it seems to be a mistake for it as hath been proved in the discourse upon S. Stephens day Martyrs and other Saints had their several days observed in the first times it is not probable that the Apostles those Founders of Churches those Princes over all Lands as they are called Ps. 44. 10. should be hudled up all into one day and have a less respect given them by the Church than other Saints and Martyrs had I conceive therefore that they had several days allowed them as well as other Saints and this
were practised by the Father in the Christian Church So saies Epiphan haer 80. Irenaeus l. 4. c. 34. By a gift to the King his honour and our affection is shewn therefore our Lord willing us to offer with all simplicity and innocency preached saying When thou bringest thy gift to the altar c. We must therefore offer of our goods to God according as Moses commanded Thou shalt not appear before the Lord empty There are offerings under the Gospel as well as under the Law the kind of offerings is the same Here is all the difference they were offered then by servants now by sons S. Hier. ep ad Heliodor The axe is laid to the root of the tree if I bring not my gift to the Altar nor can I plead poverty since the poor widow hath cast in two mites We should do well to think of this Though oblations be acceptable at any time yet at sometimes they have been thought more necessary as First when the Church is in want Ex. 35. 4 c. Secondly when we have received some signal and eminent blessing from God Psal. 76. When David had recounted the great mercy of God in breaking the bow and the shield of the Churches enemies at the 11. verse he presses this duty Bring presents to him that ought to be feared Thirdly at our high and solemn Festivals Deut. 16. 16. Three times in the year shall they appear before me and they shall not appear empty Especially when we receive the holy Communion Theodoret Hist. l. 5. c. 17. tells us that it was the ancient custome before the receiving of the holy Sacrament to come into the Quire and offer at the holy Table And surely it becomes not us to be empty-handed when God comes to us full-handed as in that Sacrament he does Next to the OFFERTORY is that excellent PRAYER for the CHVRCH-MILITANT wherein we pray for the Catholick and Apostolick Church For all Christian Kings Princes Governors for the Whole Clergy and people for all in adversity Such a prayer hath S. Chr. in his Liturg a little before the Consecration After which follow some wholsom Exhortations to those that are coming to the holy Communion seriously exhorting the unprepared to forbear So was the custome of old in the Greek Church The Priest admonishes all that are coming to that holy Sacrament driving away the unworthy but inviting the prepared and that with a loud voice and hands lifted up standing aloft where he may be seen and heard of all Chrys. in Heb. hom 9. in Ethic. Those that after these exhortations stay to receive the Church supposing prepared invites to draw near and after their humble confession the Priest or Bishop absolves and comforts them with some choice sentences taken out of holy Scripture After which the Priest saies Lift up your hearts For certainly at that hour when we are to receive the most dreadful Sacrament it is necessary to lift up our hearts to God and not to have them groveling upon the earth for this purpose the Priest exhorts all to leave all cares of this life and domestick thoughts and to have our hearts and minds in heaven upon the lover of mankind The people then answer We lift them up unto the Lord assenting to the Priests admonition And it behoves us all to say it seriously For as we ought alwayes to have our minds in heaven so especially at that hour we should more earnestly endeavour it The Priest goes on Let us give thanks to our Lord God and many thanks we ought to render him that calls and invites such unworthy sinners as we be to so high grace and favour as to eat the Flesh and drink the Bloud of the Son of God The people answer It is meet and right so to do For when we give thanks to God we do a work that is just and of right due to so much bounty Then follow for great daies some proper Prefaces containing the peculiar matter or subject of our thanks that day which are to be said seven daies after Rubr. ibidem except Whitsunday Preface which is to be said but six daies after because Trinity Sunday is the seventh day after which hath a peculiar Preface By this it appears that the Church intends to prorogue and continue these high Feasts several daies even eight daies together if another great Feast comes not within the time which requires a peculiar Service But when we say that the Church would have these high Feasts continued so long it is not so to be understood as if she required an equal observance of those several daies for some of those daies she commands by her Canons and Rubricks Some she seems only to commend to us to be observed some are of a higher festivity some of less The first and the last namely the Octave of the first are usually the chief daies for solemn Assemblies yet every of those daies should be spent in more than ordinary meditation of the blessings of the time and thanksgiving for them according to that which the Lord commanded to the Jews concerning the Feast of Tabernacles Lev. 23. 36. Upon every one of the daies of that Feast an offering was to be made but the first and last were the solemn Convocations The reason of the Churches proroguing and lengthning out these high Feasts for several days is plain The subject matter of these Feasts as namely Christs Birth Resurrection Ascension the sending of the holy Ghost is of so high a nature so nearly concerning our salvation that one day is too little to meditate of them and praise God for them as we ought a bodily deliverance may justly require a day of thanksgiving and joy but the deliverance of the soul by the blessings commemorated on those times deserve a much longer Feast It were injurious to good Christian souls to have their joy and thankfulness for such mercies confined to a day therefore holy Church upon the times when these unspeakable blessings were wrought for us by her most seasonable commands and counsels here invites us to fill our hearts with joy and thankfulness and let them overflow eight daies together See above of the Continuation of great Solemnities pag. 128. 174. 180. and of the service of Octaves p. 178. But two Quaeries here may be fit to be satisfied First why eight dayes are allowed to those high Feasts rather than another number For which the reasons given are divers one is from the example which Almighty God sets us commanding his people the Jews to keep their great Feasts some of them seven daies and one namely the Feast of Tabernacles eight daies Lev. 23. If the Jews were to keep their Feasts so long by a daily Burnt-offering which were but as types of the Christians great Feasts the Christians ought by no means to come short of them but offer up to God as long daily hearty thanksgivings presenting our selves souls and bodies a reasonable holy and lively Sacrifice
In the faith and fear of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 come hither or as our Liturgy saies draw near the people Answer Amen Amen Amen Blessed be he that comes in the Name of the Lord and so come and receive in both kinds Every Parishioner shall communicate at the least three times in the year whereof Easter to be one Rubr. last after the Communion In the Primitive Church while Christians continued in their strength of Faith and Devotion they did communicate every day This custome continued in Africa till S. Cyprians time Orat. Dom. We daily receive the Eucharist for to be our food of salvation And after him till S. Augustines time Ep. 23. ad Bonifac. Insomuch as these words in our Lords Prayer Give us this day our daily bread they interpreted of the Eucharist as being daily to be celebrated But afterward when charity grew cold and devotion faint the custome grew faint withal and within a small time began to be left by little and little and some upon one pretence and some upon another would communicate but once a week In the East-Church they grew to a worse custome betimes which in after Ages came into the Latin Churches too They fell from every day to Sundaies and Holy daies only and from thence to once a year and no oftner S. Ambr. is cited for the proof of this De Sacram. l. 4. c. 4. But this wicked custome of receiving the Eucharist but once a year was but of some Greeks in the East saies S. Ambrose there which cannot properly be understood of any but the Diocess as it was anciently called or Patriarchate of Antioch For though the Eastern Empire whereof Constantinople was the Metropolis contained many Provinces yet the Eastern Church or Greeks in the East were properly those of Antioch Theodor. Hist. 1.5 c. 9. And possibly some of these might be so supine as hath been observed but of the Greeks in general no such careless custome can be affirmed for S. Chrysost. tells us that in his time in every meeting or congregation of the Church the healthful mysteries of the Eucharist are celebrated Hom. 26. in Matth. In regard of this neglect after-Councels did as the Church of England make Canons that if men could be got to receive it no oftner yet they should be forc'd to receive it at least three times in the year Christmas Easter and Whitsontide Nor was he to be reckoned amongst good Catholick Christians that did not receive at those feasts Conc. Agat c. 18. Eliber c. 81. as they are cited by Gratian. de Consor dis 2. Three times a year at the least they were to receive whereof Easter to be one and good reason For when Christ our Passeover was Sacrificed for us then of all times let us keep a Feast with this holy banquet 1 Cor. 5. 7. These Canons were made for the Laity but for those of the Clergy that lived in Cathedral and Collegiate Churches where there were enough of themselves to make a sufficient company to receive the Sacrament they were bound to receive much oftner every day Edw. 6. Liturg. every Sunday at the least Rubr. 4. after the Communion Thus we see holy Church her care to bring all her Children Clergy and Laity to the heavenly banquet of the body and blood of Christ she invites all to a frequent and due receiving of this holy Sacrament in most passionate and kind manner in that most excellent exhortation next after the prayer for the Catholick Church militant here on earth An exhortation fit to be read weekly by the Priest and seriously considered daily by all the people In which holy Church one while exhorts us by the mercies and bowels of Christ to come to this holy feast another while terrifies us by the indignation of God against those that despise his so great love and refuse to come she sends her Ministers as the man in the Gospel S. Luke 14. to tell them all things are ready◠and to bid them in the Name of God to call them in Christ's behalf to exhort them as they love their own salvation to come to this holy Supper and those that notwithstanding all this bidding shall go about to make excuses because they had bought a Farm or would try their yoke of Oxen or because they were married holy Church by her Canons and Laws endeavours to compel to come in at least three times in the year And it were to be wished that all those that despise the Churches passionate exhortations and contemn her wholsome Canons and commands in this particular would seriously at last think of that dreadful sentence of our Lord upon those that still refuse so great mercy I say unto you that none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my Supper S. Luke 14. 24. None of those that are thus bidden by Christ and his Church to his holy Supper the holy Communion and shall refuse to come shall ever taste of his great Supper hereafter or eat and drink with him at his Table in his Kingdom S. Luke c. 22. 29. If any of the Bread and Wine remain the Curate shall have it to his own use Rubr. 5. after the Communion Service That is if it were not consecrated for if it be consecrated it is all to be spent with fear and reverence by the Communicants in the Church Gratian de Consecr dist 2. c. 23. Tribus Concil Constant. Resp. ad Qu. 5. Monachon apud Balsam Theophil Alexand cap. 7. Part 4. After all have received we say the LORDS PRAYER according to ancient Custome Ambr. l. 5. de Sacram. c. 4. The people are to repeat every Petition after the Priest Rubr. If the Church did ever devise a thing fit and convenient what more than this That when together we have all received those heavenly Mysteries wherein Christ imparts himself to us and gives visible testification of our blessed Communion with him we should in hatred of all Heresies Factions and Schisms declaredly approve our selves united as Brethren in one by offering up with all our hearts and tongues that most effectual prayer Our Father c. In which we profess our selves Sons of the same Father and in which we pray for Gods pardon no otherwise than as we forgive them that trespass c. For which cause Communicants have ever used it and we at that time do shew we use yea every syllable of it as Communicants saying it together with one consent and voice This done the Priest offers up the Sacrifice of the holy Eucharist or the Sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving for the whole Church as in all old Liturgies it is appointed and together with that is offered up that most acceptable Sacrifice of our selves souls and bodies devoted to Gods service Of which see Rom. 12. and S. Aug. de Civit. Dei l. 10. c. 6. Then we say or sing the Angelical Hymn GLORY BE TO GOD ON HIGH c. wherein the Ecclesiastical Hierarchy does admirably
5. 14. Is any sick let him send for the Elders or Priests of the Church to pray over him and the prayer of faith shall save the sick But if he fails of that bodily cure by these means yet he may be sure to obtain remission of sins by their means If he hath committed sins they shall be forgiven him ver 15. by the benefit of absolution so the words import For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sins being a feminine plural seems not to agree with the verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it shall be forgiven of the singular number and therefore this word more properly seems to be rendred impersonally thus If he hath committed sins pardon or absolution shall be given him and so by this means the sick person shall be sure if not to save his body yet at least to save his soul. There was an ancient Canon which that it might be truly practised and observed it must be the wish of all good men It is Can. 7. Con. Aurelian 5. ut qui pro quibuscunque culpis in carceribus deputantur ab Archidiacono seu à Praeposito Eccles. diebus singulis Dominicis requirantur at necessitas vinctorum secundum praeceptum divinum misericorditer sublevetur That all prisoners for what crime soever shall be call'd for and visited by the Archdeacon or Bishop of the Church every Lords day that the necessities bodily and ghostly of the prisoners according to Gods command may be mercifully relieved The neglect of which duty how dangerous it is we may read S. Mat. 25 43. Go ye cursed for I was sick and in prison and ye visited me not The Rubrick at the Communion of the sick directs the Priest to deliver the Communion to the sick but does not there set down how much of the Communion-Service shall be used at the delivering of the Communion to the sick and therefore seems to me to refer us to former directions in times past Now the direction formerly was this If the same day that the sick is to receive the Communinn there be a celebration of the holy Communion in the Church then shall the Priest reserve at the open Communion so much of the Sacrament of the body and blood as shall serve the sick person and so many as shall communicate with him And as soon as he may conveniently after the open Communion ended in the Church shall go and minister the same first to them that are appointed to communicate with the sick if there be any and last of all to the sick But before the Curate distribute the holy Communion the appointed general Confession in the Communion-Service must be made in the name of the Communicants the Curate adding the Absolution with the comfortable sentences of Scripture following in the open Communion immediately and so proceeding in the Communion-Service to the end of the Consecration and Distribution and after the Communion ended the Collect is to be used which begins Almighty and everliving God we most heartily thank thee c. But if the day wherein the sick person is to receive the Communion be not appointed for the open Communion in the Chruch then upon convenient warning given the Curate shall come and visit the sick person afore noon And cutting off the form of the visitation at the Psalm In thee O Lord shall go straight to the Communion Rubr. 3. Com. of sick that is after he hath said the Collect Epist. and Gosp. there directed he shall go to the Communion-Service K. Edw. 6th 1. BVRIAL THe Priest méeting the Corps at the Church stile shall go before it to the grave saying or singing I am the resurrection and the life This in triumph over death O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory thou mayest a while hold the corps but he that is the resurrection and the life will make the dead man live again Therefore thanks be to God who gives this victory through Iesus Christ our Lord. Much after this sort did the Ancients Hieron ep 30. ad Ocean de Fabiola Chrys. Hom. 4. in Hebr. Quid fibi volunt istae lampades tam splendidae nonne sicut athletas mortuos comitamur quid etiam aymni nonne ut Deum glorificemus quod jam coronavit discedentem quod à laboribus liberavit quod liberatum à timore apud se habeat What mean the bright burning torches do we not follow the dead like Champions what mean the Hymns do we not thereby glorifie God for that he hath crowned our departed brother that he hath freed him from labours that he hath him with himself freed from fear All these are expressions of joy whereby we do in a holy valour laugh at death saith Chrys. there And this is Christian-like whereas if we be sad and dejected as men without hope mortem Christi qua mors superata est Calumniamur we disgrace the death of Christ that hath conquered death and Heathens and Atheists will deride us saying how can these contemn death that cannot patiently behold a dead friend talk what you will of the Resurrection when you are out of passion it is no great matter nor perswades much but shew me a man in passion of grief for the loss of his friend playing the Philosopher and triumphantly singing to God for his happy deliverance and I will believe the Resurrection Of so good use are such triumphant hymns at this time and of this sort are the three first When they come to the Grave while the corps is made ready to be laid into the grave the Priest shall say or sing Man that is born of a Woman c. closing with a most devout prayer for grace and assistence in our last hour a prayer very suitable to such a time and such a spectacle before us Then they commit the body to the earth not as a lost and perished carkass but as having in it a seed of eternity in sure and certain hope of the resurrection to eternal life This is to bury it Christianly the hope of the resurrection being the proper hope of Christians Such was the Christians burial of old that it was accounted both an evident argument and presage of the resurrection and an honour done to that body which the Holy Ghost had once made his Temple for the Offices of piety Aug. de Civit. l. 1. c. 13. After follows another Triumphant Hymn Then a Lesson out of S. PAVL to the same purpose Then a Thanksgiving for that our brothers safe delivery out of misery Lastly a Prayer for his and our consummation in Glory and joyful Absolution at the last day By all which prayers praises and holy Lessons and decent solemnities we do glorifie God honour the dead and comfort the living Take away these prayers praises and holy lessons which were ordained to shew at Burials the peculiar hope of the Church of the Resurrection of the dead and in the manner of the dumb funerals what one thing is there whereby the world may
perceive that we are Christians HOOKER 1. 5. Eccl. pol. § 75. There being in those dumb shews nothing but what heathens and pagans do How can any unlearned or unbeliever be convinced by them that either we who are present at them do or that he ought to believe any part of Christian Religion but when the unlearned or unbeliever hears us sing triumphant songs to God for our victory over death when he hears holy Lessons and discourses of the Resurrection when he hears us pray for a happy and joyful Resurrection to Glory by all these he must be convinced that we do believe the Resurrection which is a principal Article of Christian faith and the same may be the means to convince him also and make him believe the same and so fall down and worship God And this is according to S. Paul's rule 1. Cor. 14. 23 24 25. who thence concludes that all our publick religious services ought to be done that the unlearned or unbeliever may be convinced and brought to worship God For the due performance of these holy publick services a Priest ordained for men in things pertaining to God Heb. 5.1 is required by the Church as it ought to be and as it was of old S. Chrys. Hom. 4 in Hebr. Ambr. Ser. 90. It was an ancient custom after Burial to go to the holy COMMVNION unless the office were performed after noon For then if men were not fasting it was done only with Prayers Conc. Carth. 3 29. Can. Funeral Doles were an ancient custom Chrys. Hom. 32. in Mat. Thanksgiving of Women after Child-birth commonly call'd the CHVRCHING OF WOMEN THe Woman when she comes to give her thanks shall kneel near to the place where the holy Table stands but in the Church of Rome she was to kneel at the Church door The Woman may come to give her thanks whensoever she shall be able Decretal l. 3. Tit. 4. But if she be likely to live she is required by the Civil Law according to the Tradition of the Church to forbear the coming to partake of the holy Mystery forty days after the Birth Not for any unholiness in the Woman or incapacity of receiving the holy Mysteries at that time for if there be fear of death she may receive them as soon as she please after the birth but for some secret reasons in the Law which are set down Constit. Leon. 7. The Woman that is to be Churched is to have a Veil and good reason For if as S. Paul 1 Cor. 11 sayes Every woman when she prayes in publick ought to have a veil or covering on her head in token of her modesty and subjection then much more when she is to sit in a more eminent place of the Church near to the holy Table apart from the rest of her Sex in the publick view ought she to have such a Veil or covering Nor can it be deemed unreasonable for her at that time to have a Veil or habit distinct from others that so it may be known for whom thanks is then particularly given The Preface following Forasmuch c. is left arbitrary to the Priest but the prayers are all prescribed Then shall the Priest say the 121. psal I have lifted up mine eyes unto the Hills c. The Church appointing this Psalm at this time does not intend to perswade us by this that this Psalm was pen'd for such a particular occasion as this or that the promises of Gods protection and assistence there expressed were directly and primarily made to persons in that danger of child-birth but because the Psalm at the very beginning tells us all that our help comes from God it is thought seasonable at this time to be used to mind the woman from whom she hath received that mercy of deliverance and to whom she is to return the honour due for such a mercy even to him from whom comes all our help the Lord that made heaven and earth And this were enough to justifie the Churches choice of this Psalm at this time in that part of it is so fit for this business in hand though it were not penn'd upon this very occasion for so we find Hezekiah commended for appointing of the Psalms of David and Asaph to set forth the praises of God in the publick services 2. Chr. 29. 30 although neither had Hezek and the Church then the very same occasions to use them which David and Asaph had nor did every particle of those songs so directly and properly belong to Hezekias and the Church then as they did to David and Asaph But not only the beginning of this Psalm but even the whole body of it is fit and suitable to this service and those promises of divine assistence therein exprest though they were primarily and in their first intention made to the Church of the Jews yet in their proportion they do belong to the person coming to give thanks and to every one that shall lift up their eyes to the Hills and trust in God For not Israel at large but Israel lifting up her eyes to God and trusting in God is the formal and true object of this promise which therefore belongs to every such person as shall be so qualified so depending upon God This rule S. Paul hath taught us Heb. 13. 5. applying there the promise made particularly to Ioshuah Chap. 1. 5. to every one of us that shall contentedly depend upon God as Ioshuah was commanded to do in expectance of that promise Let your conversation be without covetousness and be content with such things as ye have For he hath said I will not leave thee nor forsake thee So that we may boldly say the Lord is my helper One verse of this Psalm may perhaps at the first sight seem not so well expressed namely this the sun shall not burn thée by day nor the Moon by night for the Moon does not burn but cool But it i◠easily cleared by taking notice that to burn is not always taken in the strict and proper sence but usually in a larger whereby it is the same with to grieve or hurt a ordinary skill in language will enform us so the meaning is The Sun shall not hurt thee by day nor the Moon by night whose shine is held to be very hurtful After the Psalm follow the Kyrie or short Litany and the Lords Prayer so admirably good and useful that there is scarce any publick service dispatcht without them after these follow some Verses and Responds of which and the reason of their use together with the antiquity of it hath been said already and need not be here repeated But there is one thing observable in these Responds or Answers which was not spoken of hitherto nor was so observable in some of the former Verses and Responds as in these here and that is this that some of these Answers are not of themselves intire sentences or petitions as the others were but are parts or ends of the
service p. 316. Reasons why 318 c. The advantage of having our Services performed in such places p. 320 321. That Service may be said privately and why p. 333 c. The Diptychs p. 217. Doxology or Glory be to the Father c. p. 25 32. Dominica Vacat or Vacans which and why so called p. 190. Dominica refectionis p. 132. Dominica in Albis or post Albas rather why so called p. 155. E. Ejaculations commended by S. Aug. p. 62 63. Of Ember-weeks p. 128. which they are ibid. Why Wednesday Friday and Saturday observed in them ibid. On Easter-day special Hymns instead of the usual Invitatory p. 141. Proper Psalms for it p. 143. and proper Lessons 145 c. The Antiquity thereof p. 147. Contention in the Church when to be kept p. 148. The determination of the Nicene Council about it ibid. How to find out Easter p. 150. Munday and Tuesday in Easter-week why kept p. 150. Easter solemnized of old Fifty days together 151. Baptism ministred anciently at no times but the Eves of Easter and Whitsuntide p. 153. The new Baptized come to Church in White Vestures with Lights before them ibid. Baptism ministred all times of the year p. 154. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Easter p. 175. Epiphany used of old for Christmas-day p. 115. Mistakes upon the Identity of the word ibid. In Latin Epiphany why ibid. Of the Antiquity thereof p. 116. Of the Sundaies after the Epiphany p. 116 c. Epistles p. 92. of the Antiquity and fitness of the Epistles and Gospels p. 92 93. Epistles from Trinity to Advent and the reason of their choice 185 c. F. Fast. See Lent Good-Friday c. If a Fast for an Holyday fall upon an Holy-day then the Fast is to be kept the day before that p. 114. To Feast on Friday is not to hold Communion with the Catholick Church but with the Turks p. 88. The Week of Fasts which and why so called p. 134. Festivals S. Andrew p. 198. Conversion of S. Paul p. 199. why kept rather than the day of his death ibid. S. Philip p. 202. S. James p. 204. The Apostles in the Primitive times had not several days of Solemnity saith Durandus not probably though p. 202. One day for all ibid. In the Latin Church the Calends or first of May. In the Greek the Feast of S. Peter and S. Paul ibid. No Fast on S. Philip and S. James why p. 204. S. John Baptist his Birth celebrated and why p. 204. His beheading 205. S. Michael and All Angels why a Feast then p. 205. Tutelar Angel of the Church of the Jews and so of the Christians p. 206. All Saints why kept p. 206. S. Stephen p. 106. 109. S. John H. Innocents The Observation of Saints Days ancient p. 107. The Days of Saints deaths kept rather than of their Births or Baptism why p. 108 â—â—9 â—ome Holy days have Fasts and some 〈◊〉 111 113 114. Purification of S. Mary p. 200. Feast of Circumcision or New-years day p. 110. Of a later institution ibid. Great solemnities have some days after them in Prorogationem Festi ibid. Font. Baptism to be at the Font p. 258. Why so called ibid. placed in the Church-Porch Significantly ibid. After in Churches but not all but only in the City Church hence called the Mother Church ibid. in high Veneration p. 259. G. Glory be to the Father c. is both Hymn and Creed p. 25. A fit Close for any religious Services ibid. Glory be to the Father c. said at the ends of Psalms never quarrelled by any till Arius 32. Glory be to the Father c. in the Litany p. 85. Glory be to thee O Lord. Reason of saying it when the Gospel is named p. 213. Thanks be to God for this Gospel Vsed to be said after the Gospel and the Reason of it p. 214. Godfathers p. 255. Good-Friday a most strict Fast. Why so called p. 137. The Gospel out of S. John why upon that day ibid. The Antiquity thereof p. 138. Gospel Râ—tes used at the reading of the Gospel p. 213 c. Standing at the Gospel ibid. To kiss the Book the Fashion in some places p. 214. Of Gospels and the reason of their choice p. 93. Reason of saying Glory be to thee O Lord at the Gospel 213 c. Of the Gospels from Trinity to Advent p. 183. H. Holy-days p. 88. They are either Fasting-days or Festivals p. 89. Are of excellent use ibid. Of the particular Festivals p. 90 91 92. Holy week which and why so called p. 134. Called also Great Week ibid. Holy Table so called considering the Eucharist as a Sacrament p. 327. The Altar so called considering the Eucharist a Sacrifice ibid. And so it is called Heb. 13. 10. and S. Matth. 5. 23. p. 328. Altars always had in high estimation p. 330. The Holy Tables set where the Altars stood ib. Of Hymns the Antiquity of them p. 42. Most properly to be Sung p. 44. And why ibid. The profit of it ibid. Standing the proper posture of Hymns ibid. Why 45. Te Deum framed miraculously by S. Ambrose and Aug. ib. Why Hymns after Lessons 46. And why those appointed ibid. Magnificat Nunc Dimittis quarrell'd at Answered p. 47. L. Lent The Antiquity thereof p. 122. In imitation of Moses Elias and our Saviour p. 123. Why not kept immediately after Christs Baptism p. 123,124 Why call'd Lent p. 125. In Lent the glory of the Altar's hid why 48. Benedicite then used p. 49. Te Deum Benedictus Magnificat Nunc Dimittis may be said more often Excepting in Lent and Advent why p. 48. The Litany p. 79. Vsed in Processions why ib. Vsed at the Communion Ordinations c. ib. Probable to be derived from the Apostles Times p. 80. Donum Precum ib. Of the Litany of our Church 81. The Sum of it 81 82. The Nature of it Short Ejaculations 82. The former part of the Litany may be said by a Deacon as in Cathedral and Collegiate Churches The Later peculiarly by the Priest and why 84 85. Secretae what they are The reason of them 86. The Litany when to be said and why then 87 88. The Litany a distinct Service p. 208. Lords Prayer p. 22. The frequent use thereof why ib. The Doxology omitted in the Lords Prayer why p. 23. But deliver us from evil Amen Said by the people when and why ib. Give us this day our daily Bread understood by the Fathers of the Eucharist 237 238. No prayer before Sermon but the Lords Prayer p. 220. The Lessons Of the choice of them out of the Old and New Test. p. 33 39. Mingling Services of divers sorts a wise Constitution of the Church why 34. At the Reading of the Lessons the Minister is to turn to the people 35 36. The Prophet Esay read last before Christmas and why p. 40. A several course in reading Lessons Ordinary p. 39. for Sundaies p. 40. for Saints days p. 41. The
Salutations The Lord be with you Of the use of them p. 56. And with thy Spirit ib. Excellent Incentives to Charity 57. Let us pray Often used and why p. 58 59. Lord have mercy c. A short Litany Frequently used in Ancient Liturgies p. 59. Seasonable at all parts of the Service 60. Set before the Lords Prayer why p. 61. M. Of Marriage Three ends of it p. 273. The Contract of marriage called by S. Aug. Votorum Solennitas ib. The Bride given by Father or Friend why p. 274 c. The Ring a pledge of fidelity 275. Why upon the fourth finger of the left Hand ib. With my body I thee worship the meaning of it p. 275 c. The 128 Psalm tbe Epithalamium used by the Iews at Nuptials 278. Devout Prayer and the H. Communion very useful and highly Christian at Marriages 278 c. The Iews religious Solemnities at Marriages ib. The Primitive Christians used the like solemnities at Marriages which we do 279. which the Church received from the Apostles ibid. Maunday Thursday Dies Mandati why so called p. 135. Practice of the Church upon that day and form of reconciling Penitents p. 136. Missa Catechumenorum p. 209. Morning-Prayer Litany and Communion-Service Three distinct Services p. 210 c. The several places and times of the performance of them ib. Nine in the Morning the usual hour for the Communion-Service and why 212. Morning and Even Prayer to be said daily p. 2. 4. Publick Prayers of the Church call'd the Apostles Prayers why p. 4. O. Ornaments to be used in time of Divine Service and why p. 335. Offerings Oblations an high part of Gods Service p. 224. A duty of the Gospel proved 225 226 c. When most necessary 226 127. Offerings at the Churching of women p. 313. The Octave of Christmas p. 110. The Octave or Utas of High Feasts observed by our Forefathers p. 154. Vpon which some part of the service of the Feast repeated Why Eight days allowed to High◠Feasts 231. How the Prefaces for those Eight daies can be properly used on each of them p. 232. See Prefaces P. Priests are the Lords Remembrabrancers p. 9 10. Priests bound to say daily Morning and Evening prayer p. 2. The Reason of the Priests sometimes Kneeling and sometimes standing p. 65. The Priest giving the Blessing came down from the Altar and why p. 244 245. Priest what the word signifies It may be applyed to the Ministers of the Gospel Reasons why 337 c. Priests not a Iewish name why p. 341. Ministers of the Gospel call'd Priests by the P. Esay ibid. Prefaces proper for some great days p. 229. An argument that the Church intends the Prorogation and continuance of those Feasts ib. How this Prorogation to be understood p. 229 230. Praying with the Spirit A man may safely use Davids Forms as being composed by the Spirit p. 30 31. Donum Precum peculiar to the Apostles times p. 80. The Psalms read over every Moneth and why p. 27 28 c. Fit for every Temper and Time p. 30. Sung or said by Course by Priest and People and why p. 31 32. Standing why p. 32. Of the Translation of the Psalms in our English Liturgy p. 344. Objections against some passages in the Translation of the Psalms 344 c. R. The Rogation daies service and Procession formerly appointed p. 160. Rogation week why so called p. 160. Litanies and Fasting then ib. The Fast then is voluntary ib. No Fast betwixt Easter and Whitsuntide ibid. Passion Sunday why so called p. 133. Palm Sunday why so called ibid. Low Sunday why so called p. 154. Rogation Sunday p. 160. S. Septuagesima Sunday so called à consequentia numerandi p. 120. Septuagesima Sexagesima Quinquagesima Preparatives to Lent Regulars fasted those weeks p. 120 121. Secretae what they are the reason of them 86. The Sermon when p. 218. Vsually an Exposition of part of the Epistle or Gospel c. of the day ib. not above an hour long p. 220. Preachers in their Expositions appointed to observe the Catholick Interpretation of the old Doctors vid. p. 218 219. Golden Canons about Preachers p. 220. No Prayer before the Sermon but the Lords Prayer ibid. The Divine Service may be said privately and the reason why p. 333. T. Trinity Sunday the Octave of Pentecost or Dominica vacans p. 179. how ancient ibid. Proper Lessons p. 180. Of the Sundays after Trinity till Advent p. 182. The last Sunday after Trinity a Preparative to Advent hath therefore an Epistle purposely chosen out of the P. Jer. prophesying of Christs Advent p. 188 c. V. Visitation of the sick p. 281. The Orders of the Church about and at it ib. c. Examination of the Faith of the sick person p. 282. and of his Life and Conversation p. 283. No true Repentance without Restitution ibid. The sick person to be admonished to settle his estate p. 284. and to be liberal to the poor p. 285. Sick persons to send for the Priest p. 298. and to what purpose ib. Prisoners antiently Visited by the Arch-Deacon or Bishop p. 301. Verses or Versicles and Responds The Reason of placing the Verses after the Confession c. and before the Psalms 24 25. Versicles and Answers by Priest and People a holy emulation p. 62. Answers of the People the Benefit of them p. 63. Versicles and Resp. p. 311. Some of the Answers are not entire sentences but parts or ends of the foregoing Verses and the Reason why 312. The word Viaticum applied to more things beside the Eucharist p. 287. Only the Eucharist is Ultimum Viaticum ibid. Of Vigils turn'd into Fasts why p. 112. The Venite is an Invitatory Psalm p. 26. The Vestry why so called p. 329. W. Whitsunday p. 170. Appointed of old for solemn Baptism 172. Why called Pentecost ibid. and Whitsunday p. 173. and why p. 174. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Easter p. 175. Whitsunday hath Proper Lessons and Psalms ibid. Of the Antiquity of it p. 178. FINIS To your Liturgical Demands I make as good Return to you as I am able on this wise In the Preface c. 1. COMMEMORATIONS were the recital of the Names of famous Martyrs and Confessors Patriarchs Bishops Kings Great Orthodox Writers Munificent Benefactors which recitation at the Altar took up much time and those Names were anciently wont to be read out of DIPTYCHS or Folded Tables and tedious quarrels have been anciently about dispunging some Names out of the DIPTYCHS which have run into schisms 2. SYNODALS were Synodical Constitutions such as are in Linwood wont to be read on Sundayes in time of Service to the great waste of time and you may remember that our Canons of Anno 1604. are appointed to be read at least once a year in all Churches 3. The PYE I should suppose did come from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Table of Order how things should be digested
not in Temples made with hands as saith the Prophet yet hast ever vouchsafed to accept the devout endeavours of thy poor servants allotting special places for thy Divine Worship promising even there to hear and grant their requests I humbly beseech thee to accept of this days duty and service of dedicating this Chappel to thy great and glorious name Fulfill O Lord I pray thee thy gracious promises that whatsoever prayer in this sacred place shall be made according to thy will may be accepted by thy gracious favour and returned with their desir'd success to thy glory and our Comfort Amen Post benedictionem populi cantatur Psalm 132. conscenditqne suggestum M. Robinson Theol. Bac. Funà atoris summo rogatu Episcopus hoc ei tandem concessit geminas sorores ille atque Fundator in uxores duxerant sed utraque defuncta jam tertiis gaudebat thalamis Concionator Thema ejus desumptum è 28 Cap. Gen. vers 16 17. inter caetera doctè egit de omnipraesentia Divina ubivis Loâ—orum tum speciatim pro beneplacito suo in Ecclesia deque reverentia veneratione ibi debita Pergitur in Liturgia qua Mulier quaedam paupercula purificanda ad limen Cancellorum accedens genua flectit gratiasque post partum solenni Ecclesiae ritu agit Baptizandus autem vel Matrimonio jungendus nullus aderat Itur dein ad Coenae Dominicae administrationem Sacellanorum altero ad Australâ—m altero ad Septentrionalem partem sacrae mensae genu slectente dicente OUr Father c. Ante Epistolae lectionem hanc specialem Collectam una cum Collecta solita pro Rege recitat Sacellanorum alter MOst blessed Saviour who by thy bodily presence at the Feast of Dedication didst honour and approve such devout and religious services as we have now in hand be thou present also at this time with us and consecrate us into an Holy Temple unto thy self that thou dwelling in our hearts by Faith we may be cleansed from all carnal affections and devoutly given to serve thee in all good works Amen Epistolam secundus Sacellanus ante Saecram Mensam stans legit ex 1 Cor. cap. 3. à vers 16. ad finem SS Evangelium prior Sacellanuâ— ibidem stans recitat ex 10. cap. 8. Iohannis à vers 22. ad finem Dein Symbolum Nicenum omnibus etiam stantibus Post illa Episcopus sede sua egressus coram sacra mensa sese provolvit atque ait Let us pray the prayer of King Solomon which he prayed in the day of the Dedication of his Temple the first Temple that ever was 2 Chron. 6. ab initio vers 18. ad versum 40. quo finito ait THus prayed King Solomon and the Lord appeared unto him and answered and said unto him I have heard thy prayer and have chosen this place for my self to be an house of Sacrifice 2 Chr. 7. 12. Thus did God answer We have prayed with Solomon answer us O Lord and our prayer as thou didst him and his Behold the face of thine Anointed even Christ our Saviour and for his sake grant our requests Dein in Cathedram ibidem se collocat assidentibus Thoma Ridley Cancellario Episcopi à dextris à sinistris vero Doctore Barlo Archidiacono Winton Actumque Consecrationis pileo tectus promulgat in hanc formam IN Nomine Domini Amen Cum strenuus vir Richardus Smith de Peer-tree in Comitatu Southampt Armiger pia Religiosa Devotione ductus Capellam hanc in quodam solo vasto vocato Ridgway-heath juxta aedes suas communiter nuncupat as Peer-tree infra Parochiam Ecclesiae paroch Betae Mariae juxta villam Southampt Dioceseos jurisdictionis nostrae continentem intra muros ejusdem in longitudine ab Oriente ad Occidentem 50 pedes dimid aut circiter in latitudine vero ab Aquilone ad Austrum 20 pedes dimid aut circiter propriis suis sumptibus aedificaverit erexerit construxerit candemque Capellam Cancellis ligneis distinxerit sacra Mensa decenter instructa Baptisterio Pulpito sedibus convenientibus tam ipfra super solum quam supra in modum Galeriae Campana etiam aliisque necessariis ad divinum cultum sussicienter decenter ornaverit nobisque supplicaverit tam suo nomine quam aliorum inhabitantium in villa de Weston ac Hamlettis de Itchin Ridgway ac quorundam etiam inhabitantium in Manerio nostro de Bitterne de Parochia praedicta quatenus nos authoritate nostra ordâ—naria Episcopali pro nobis successoribus nostris dictam Capellam ab usibus pristinis communibus profanis quibuscunque separare in usuâ— sacros divinos consecrare dedicare dignaremur Nos Lancelotus permissione divina Winton Episcopus pio religioso tam ipsius quam aliorum in villa Hamlettis praedictis habitantium desiderio in hac parte favorabiliter annuentes ad Consecrationem Capellae hujus de novo propriis sumptibus dicti strenui viri Richardi Smith sic ut praefertur erectae ornatae authoritate nostra ordinaria Episcopali procedentes â—andem Capellam ab omni communi profano usu in perpetuum separamus soli divino cultui ac divinorum celebrationi in perpetuum addicimus dicamus dedicamus Ac insuper eadem authoritate nostra ordinaria Episcopali pro nobis Successoribus nostris licentiam pariter facultatem in Domino concedimus ad rem divinam ibidem faciendam nempe Preces publicas sacram Ecclesiae Liturgiam recit andam ad Verbum Dei sincere proponendum praedicandum Sacramenta Sacrae Eucharistiae Baptismatis in eadem ministranda Matrimonia solemnizanda Mulieres post puerperium ad gratiarum actionem publicam recipiendas adjuvandas Mortuos sepeliendos caeteraque quaecunque peragenda quae in aliis Capellis licite fieri possunt solent Ac tam Presbytero in Capellâ— praedicta deservituro preces divinas dicendi caeteraque praemissa faciendi quam Domino Ric. Smith Familiae ejus reliquisque in dictis locis haebitantibus preces divinas audiendi caeteraque praemissa percipiendi plenam in Domino potestatem concedimus Eandemque Capellam ad levamen Anglice a Chappel of Ease sub dicta Ecclesia parochiali B. Mariae juxta villam Southampt tanquam Matrice Ecclesia sua quantum in nobis est de jure divino Canonibus Ecclesiae Statutis hujus Regni Angliae possumus in honorem Dei sacros inhabitantium usus nunc in futurum consecramus per nomen Capellae IESU in Parochia Sanctae Mariae juxta villam Southampt sic consecratam fuisse esse in futuris perpetuis temporibus remanere debere palam publice pronunciamus decernimus declaramus per nomen Capellae IESU nominamus appellamus sic perpetuis futuris temporibus nominandam appellandam fore decernimus Privilegiis insuper omnibus singulis in
the remaining Sundayes wherein without any consideration of the sequence of time which could only be regarded in great Feasts the holy Doctrine Deeds and Miracles of our Lord are the chief matters oâ— our meditations or else the other Holy dayes of which already hath been spoken And for all these Holy Times we have Epistles and Gospels very proper and seasonable for not only on high and special dayes but even in those also that are more general and indifferent some respect is had to the season and the holy affections the Church then aims at as Mortification in Lent Joy Hope newness of Life c. after Easter the Fruits and Gifts of the Spirit and preparation for Christs Second coming in the time between Pentecost and Advent But these things I shall shew in the Discourse of the Holy dayes severally As for the Lesâ—ons although they have another Order and very profitable being for each day of the week following usually the method of Chapters and taking in the Old Testament also the Communion dealing chiefly with the New as most fit for the nature of that Service yet in them also regard is had to the more solemn times by select and proper readings as hath been shew'd This being the Churches Rule and Method as she hath it from the Apostle that all things be done unto edifying that we may be better acquainted with God and with our selves with what hath been done for us and what is to be done by us And this Visible as well as Audible preaching of Christian Doctrine by these Solemnities and Readings in such an admirable Order is so apt to infuse by degrees all necessary Christian knowledge into us and the use of it to the ignorant is so great that it may well be feared as a Reverend person hath forewarned that When the Festivals and Solemnities for the Birth of Christ and his other famous passages of life and death and Resurrection and Ascensiâ—â— and Mission of the Holy Ghost and the Lessons Gospels and Collects and Serâ—â—ons upon them be turned out of the Church together with the Creeds also 't will not be in the power of weekly Sermons on some head of Religion to keep up the knowledge of Christ in mens hearts c. And no doubt for this and other good Reasons which he gives us it was that the primitive Christians were so exact and religious in these Solemnities and Meditations on the occasions of them and therefore the Sermons oâ— the Fathers were generally on the Readings of the Day as hereafter is shewed And we have from another the like hand thus The Blessings of God whereof these Solemnities renew the Remembrance are of that esteem to the Church that we are not able to express too much thankfulness in taking that occasion of Solemnizing his Service And the greatest part of Christians are such as will receive much improvement in the principal Mysteries of our Faith by the Sensible instruction which the Observation of such Solemnities yieldeth The remembrance of the Birth the Sufferings the Resurrection of Christ the Coming of the Holy Ghost the Conversion of the Gentiles by sending the Apostles the way made before his coming by the Annunciation of the Angel and the coming of the Baptist as it is a powerful mean to train the more ignorant sort in the Vnderstanding of such great Mysteries so it is a just occasion for all sorts to make that a particular time of Serving God upon which we solemnize those great works of his See Dr. Hammonds View of the Directory pag. 38. Mr. Thorndyke of publick Assemblies pag. 256. and what we have above said concerning the excellent use of Festival dayes at pag. 105. The same Method shall be observed in this Discourse of Holy-dayes which the Service-Book uses not that in the Title-Page in the beginning of the book which perhaps reckons for Holy-dayes only those days in which we are solemnly to worship God and also to rest from usual labour but that in the Services appointed by the Book which adds over and above that old Catalogue of Holy-dayes S. Paul And S. Barnabas Ashwednesday and the Holy-Week All which must be reckoned for Holy-dayes in the Churches account because they have Holy-day service Epistles and Gospels and Second-service appointed to them though there be no Law that inflicts a penalty upon them that do their usual works upon those dayes they being only desired to be present at the Churches service at the Hours appointed Of ADVENT Sunday THe Principal Holy-days as Christmas Easter and Whitsunday have some days appointed to attend upon them some to go before some to come after as it were to wait upon them for their greater solemnity Before Christmas are appointed four Advent-Sundays so called because they are to prepare us for Christ his Advent or coming in the flesh These are to Christmas-day as S. Iohn Baptist to Christ forerunners to prepare for it and point it out First Sunday Adv. The Gospel S. Matth. 21. 1. seems at first more proper to Christs Passion than his Birth yet is it read now principally for those words in it Blessed is he that cometh in the Name of the Lord. That is Blessed is he for coming in the Flesh the cause of all our joy for which we can never say enough Hosanna in the Highest The Epistle labours to prepare us to behold with joy this rising Sun bidding us awake from sleep according to the Prophet Esay 60. 1. Arise and shine for thy light is come The Collect is taken out of both and relates to both the first part of it is clearly the words of the Epistle That we may cast away the works of darkness and put upon us the armour of light That which follows In the time of this mortal life in the which thy Son Iesus Christ came to visit us in effect is the same with that in the Epistle Let us put off the works of darkness c. because the night is spent the day is at hand and our salvation is near that is our Saviour Christ the light of the world is coming into the world to visit us in great humility according to the Prophet Zach. 9. 9. which the Gospel records Tell ye the daughter of Sion to her great joy that behold Her King comes unto her meek or in great humility sitting upon an Asse 2. Sunday Adv. The Gospel treats of Christs second coming to judgment an excellent meditation to prepare us for the welcome and joyful entertainment of Christs first coming A Saviour must needs be welcome to him that is afraid of damnation The Epistle mentions the first coming of our Lord for the Salvation even of the Gentiles that is of us for which all praise is by us to be given to him Praise the Lord all ye Gentiles and laud him all ye nations together The Collect is taken out of the Epistle and though it seems not to relate to the day yet is it an excellent prayer
a light in the world on this day as never shall be put out to the worlds end as also because the new baptized which were many at that Feast Whitsunday and Easter being the two solemn times of baptism and of old called Illuminati the Enlightned Heb. 6. 6. from the spiritual light they received in baptism were then cloathed in white garments as types both of that spiritual whiteness and purity of soul which they received in baptism and were carefully to preserve all their life after As also of their joy for being made then by baptism members of Christ Children of God and Heirs of the Kingdom of Heaven White is the colour of joy says Eccles. 9. 8. Let thy garments be always white for God now accepts of thy works S. Cyril in his 4. Cat. myst alluding to this ancient custome of the new baptized of putting off their old garments and clothing themselves in pure white hath words to this effect This white clothing is to mind you that you should always hereafter go in white I speak not this to perswade you always to wear white clothes but that you should ever be clothed with spiritual white brightness and purity o soul. that so you may say with divine Esay 61. 10. I will greatly rejoyce in the Lord for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness Of which robe of righteousness and garment of salvation the white vestment was a resemblance Apoc. 19. 8. And to her was granted that he should be arrayed in fine linnen clean and white for fine linen is the righteousness of the Saints Whitsunday then is as much as Dominiâ—a in albis the Sunday in white The Greeks for the same reason call Easter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Bright Sunday because then also the new baptized wore white But the Latins call neither of these days from thence but give them their names from the Resurrection and Pentecost and the Octave of Easter or Low Sunday is by them called Dominica in Albis as is abovesaid pag. 154 155. This Holy day hath Proper Lessons and Psalms The Second Lessons are plain The Morning first Lesson Deut. 16. gives us the Law of the Jews Pentecost or Feast of Weeks which was a type of ours The Evening first Lesson Wisd. 1. is fit for this day For it treats of the holy Spirit ver 5 6. how it fills the world ver 7. which was most exactly fulfilled this day in which they were all filled with the holy Ghost Acts 2. The Psalms for the morning 45. 47. are very proper to the day The beginning of the 45. is concerning the Birth of Christ and therefore used upon Christmas-day but the latter part is concerning the calling of the Gentiles ver 10 11. and the glory of the Church the King of Heavens Daughter v. 14. Who is all glorious within through the heavenly gifts and graces of the holy Ghost sent down this day which glorious gifts miraculously poured upon the Church brought in the Gentiles to the Christian faith ver 15. The Virgins that be her fellows shall bear her company and shall be brought unto thee For which all the people shall as holy Church directs us to do this day give thanks unto thee verse 18. In holy ` Davids Psalms as we do so Theodoret in Psal. I will remember thy Name from one generation to another therefore shall the people give thanks unto thee world without end That is all people to the worlds end shall praise God for these blessings upon the Church with those Psalms which I compose and so though I be dead long before yet in my Psalms sung by them I will remember thy Name from one generation to another The 47. Psalm is a song of praise for the conversion of the Gentiles by the Gospel published this day in all Languages Acts 2. for which the Prophet invites them to active praises ver I. O clap your hands together all ye people O sing unto God with the voice of melody for God is gone up in jubilo with a merry noise ver 5. That was upon Ascension day And now he is set upon his holy and royal seat he reigns over the heathen makes the Princes of the people joyâ— in one body unto the people of the God of Abraham brings the Gentiles in to the Jews and makes one Church of both and that by the Gospel of the kingdom published this day to all Nations and so that was done this day for which this Psalm gives thanks Evening Ps. are 104 145. These two are thankful Commemorations of the various gifts of God the Holy Ghost who then gave temporal this day spiritual gifts which spiritual gifts of this day were shadowed out by those temporal and all come from the same spirit 1 Cor. 12. 4. to whom this Feast is held sacred So that in blessing the Author of them we bless the Author of these the holy Spirit from whom these divers gifts Some part of the 104. is more particularly appliable to this Feast He maketh the clouds his chariots that was upon Ascension day when he went up to Heaven in a cloud Acts 1. 9. ver 5. Then follows ver 30. Emittis spiritum Thou sendest forth thy Spirit and they shall be made thou shalt renew the face of the earth which is proper to this day for this day the Holy Spirit was sent and renewed the face of the Earth with new Creatures new Men of new hearts and new tongues Acts 2. Old things passed away and all things are become new The same Harmony of Epistle Gospel and Collect and Lessons and Psal. that we have observed upon Christmas and Easter and Ascension may with pleasure be meditated upon this day The same Ancients testifie the Antiquity of this Feast that gave in evidence for Easter Munday and Tuesday in Whit sun-week THe Epistles for both relate not only to the sending of the Holy Ghost but also to Baptism which the Church takes often occasion to remember us of by her Readings and Usages and would have us improve them all towards most useful Meditations This is one of the four Ember-weeks of which see above after the first Sunday in Lent p. 149. TRINITY-SVNDAY IN Ancient Liturgies and Ritualists we find this day lookt upon as an Octave of Pentecost or as Dominica vacans of which Name is spoken p. 219. and that the observing of it as a Feast of the Trinity was of later use and more late in the Roman Church than in some other See Decretal lib. 2. T. 9. De Feriis And there were who objected that because on each day and especially Sundays the Church celebrates the praises of the Trinity in her Doxologies Hymns Creeds c. Therefore there was no need of a Feast on one day for that which was done on each But yet the wisdom of the Church thought it meet that such a Mystery as this though part of the