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
A RATIONALE upon the BOOK OF Common-Prayer of the CHURCH of ENGLAND By Anth. Sparrow D. D. Now Lord Bishop of Exon. WITH The Form of Consecration of a Church or Chappel and of the place of Christian Burial By Lancelot Andrews Late Lord Bishop of Winchester LONDON Printed for Robert Pawlet at the Sign of the Bible in Chancery-Lane near Fleet-street 1672. The Litany to be said in the midst of the Church in allusion to the Prophet Ioel c. 2. 17. Let the Priest the Ministers of the LORD weep between the Porch and the Altar and let them say spare thy people O Lord c. Bishop ANDREWS Notes upon the Liturgy A RATIONALE upon the BOOK or Common-Prayer of the CHVRCH of ENGLAND By Anth Sparrow Now Lord B p. of Exon Printed for R Pawlet at y e Bible in Chancery Lane With Entertainments for the Great FESTIVALLS being 〈…〉 of the Proper PSALMS and Lessons for those DAYES The Compilers of The Common-Prayer-Book of the Church of England were Doctor CRANMER Arch-Bishop of Cant. GOODRICK Bishop of Ely SKIP Bishop of Herefâ—rd THIRLBY Bishop of Westminst DAY Bishop of Chichester HOLBECK Bishop of Lincoln RIDLEY Bishop of Rochester MAY Dean of S. Pauls TAYLOR Dean of Lincoln HEYNES Dean of Exeter REDMAN Dean of Westminster COX K. EDWARDS Almâ—ner M. ROBINSON Arch-Deacon of Leicester Mense Maio 1549. Anno regni Edwardi Sexti tertio Hardly can the pride of those men that study Novelties allow former times any share or degree of Wisdom or Godliness K. CHARLES Meditat. 16. upon the Ordinance against the Book of Common-Prayer THE PREFACE THE present Age pretends so great Love to Reason that this RATIONALE may even for its Name hope for acceptation which it will the sooner have if the Reader know that the Author vents it not for a full and just much less a publick and authentick Piece but as his own private Essay wholly submitted to the censure of our Holy Mother The Church and the Reverend Fathers of the same and composed on purpose to keep some from moving that way which it is feared some will say it leads to The Authors design was not by Rhetorick first to Court the Affections and then by their help to carry the understanding But quite contrary by Reason to work upon the Judgment and leave that to deal with the affections The Poor Liturgy suffers from two extreams one sort says it is old superstitious Roman Dotage The other it is Schismatically New This Book endeavours to shew particularly what Bishop JEWEL Apol. p. 117. says in general 1. That it is agreeable to PRIMITIVE USAGE and so not Novel 2. THAT IT IS A REASONABLE SERVICE and so not Superstitious As for those that love it and suffer for the love of it this will shew them Reasons why they should suffer on and love it still moreâ— and more To end if the Reader will cast his Eye upon the sad Confusions in point of prayer wherein are such contradictions made as God Almighty cannot grant and lay them as Rubbish under these Fundamental Considerations First How many Set Forms of Petition Blessing and Praise be recorded in the Old and Newâ—Testament used both in the Church Militant and Triumphant Secondly How much of the Liturgy is very Scripture Thirdly How admirable a Thing Unity Unity in Time Form c. is Fourthly How many Millions of poor souls are in the world ignorant infirm by nature age accidents as blindness deafness loss of speech c. which respectively may receive help by Set Forms but cannot so well or not at all by extemporary voluntary effusions and then upon all these will build what he reads in this Book he will if not be convinced to joyn in Communion with yet perhaps be so sweetned as more readily to pardon those who still abiding in their former judgments and being more confirmed hereby do use THE ANCIENT FORM. ECCLESIAE LITURGIAE Anglicanae VINDICES c. A Short RATIONALE upon the Book of Common-Prayer THe COMMON-PRAYER-BOOK contains in it many holy Offices of the Church As Prayers Confession of Faith holy Hymns Divine Lessons Priestly Absolutions and Benedictions all which are Set and Prescribed not left to private mens fancies to make or alter so was it of old ordained CON. CARTHAG Can. 106. It is ordained that the Prayers Prefaces Impositions of hands which are confirmed by the Synod be observed and used by all men These and no other So is our English Can. 13. The COUNCIL of MILEVIS gives the reason of this Constitution Can. 12 Lest through ignorance or carelesness any thing contrary to the Faith should be vented or uttered before God or offered up to him in the Church And as these Offices are set and prescribed so are they moreover appointed to be one and the same throughout the whole National Church So was it of old ordained CON. TOLETAN 11. c. 3. That all Governours of Churches and their people should observe one and the same rite and order of service which they knew to be appointed in the Metropolitan See The same is ordered CON. BRACCAR 1. Can. 19. and Tolet. 4. c. 2. It is appointed that one and the same order of praying and singing be observed by us all and that there should not be variety of usages by them that are bound to the same Faith and live in the same Dominion This for Conformities sake that according to divine Canon Rom. 15. 6. We may with one mind and one mouth glorifie God Of Daily saying of MORNING and EVENING PRAYER ALL Priests shall be bound to say Daily the Morning and Evening Prayer The end of the Preface before the Service Rubr. 2. So was it of old ordered in the Church of Christ Saint CHRYS 6. hom in 2. cap. 1. ep ad Tim. and Clem. Const. l. 2. c. 39. And this is agreeable to Gods own Law Exo. 29. 38. Thou shalt offer upon the Altar Two Lambs of the first year day by day continually the one Lamb in the Morning the other at Evening Besides the daily private devotions of every pious Soul and the more solemn Sacrifices upon the three great Feasts of the year Almighty God requires a daily publick worship a continual burnt offering every day Morning and Evening teaching us by this saith Saint CHRYS That God must be worshipped daily when the day begins and when it ends and every day must be a kind of holy day Thus it was commanded under the Law and certainly we Christians are as much at least obliged to God as the Jews were our grace is greater our promises clearer and therefore our righteousness should every way exceed theirs our Homage to Almighty God should be paid as frequently at least Morning and Evening to be sure God expects from us as well as from the Jews a publick worship a sweet savour or savour of rest as it is in the Hebrew Num. 28. 6. without which God Almighty will not rest satisfied This publick Service
and worship under the Law was appointed by God himselfâ— both for matter and manner of performance Exod. 29. 38. but under the Gospel our Lord hath appointed only materials and essentials of his publick worship In general Prayers Thanksgivings Confessions Lauds Hymns and Eucharistical Sacrifices are commanded to be offered up in the name of Christ in the virtue and merits of that immaculate Lamb whereof the other was but a type and for whose sake alone that was accepted but for the manner and order of his publick worship for the method of offering up Prayers or praises and the like our Lord hath not so particularly determined now but hath left that to be ordered and appointed by those to whom he said at his departure out of this world As my Father sent me so send I you S. Iohn 20. 21. To govern the Church in his absence viz. The Apostles and their Successors in the Apostolick Commission And therefore Acts 2. 42. The publick prayers of the Church are called the Apostles Prayers The Disciples are commended there for Continuing in the Apostles Doctrine fellowship breaking of bread and Prayers And therefore S Paul writes to Timothy the Bishop and Governour of the Church of Ephesus to take care that Prayers and Supplications be made for all men especially for Kings c. And 1 Cor. 11. 34. Concerning the manner of celebrating the holy Eucharist St. Paul gives some directions and adds The rest will I set in order when I come And 1 Cor. 14. 40. Let all things i. e. all your publick services for of those he treats in the Chapter at large be done deceâ—tly and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to Ecclesiastical Law and Canon The Service and worship of God thus prescribed according to our Lords general rules by those to whom he hath left a Commission and power to order and govern his Church is the right publick Service and worship of God commanded by himself in his Law for though God hath not immediately and particularly appointed this publick worship yet he hath in general commanded a publick worship in the second Commandment For where it is said Thou shalt not bow down to them nor worship them by the rule of contraries we are Commanded to bow down to God and Worship Him A public worship then God must haveâ— by his own Command and the Governors of the Church have prescribed this form of worship for that publick service and worship of God in this Church which being so prescribed becomes Gods service and worship by his own Law as well as the Lamb was his sacrifice Exod. 29. For the clearer understanding of this we must know that some Laws of Gods do suppose some humane act to pass and intervene before they actually bind which act of man being once passed they bind immediately For example Thou shalt not steal is Gods Law which Law cannot bind actually till men be possest of some goods and property which property is not usually determined by God himself immediately but by the Laws of him to whom he hath given Authority to determine it God hath given the earth to the children of men as he gave Canaan to the Israelites in general but men cannot say this is mine till huâ—ane Laws or acts determine the property as the Israelites could not claim a property on this or that side Iordan till Moses had assigned them their several portions But whâ—n their portions were so assigned they might say this is mine by Gods as well as mans Law and he that took away thâ—ir right sinned not only against mans but God Law too that says Thou shalt not steal In like manner God hath in general commanded a publick worship and service but hath not under the Gospel assigned the particular form and method That he hath left to his Ministers and Delegates the Governors of the Church to determine agreeable to his general rules which being so determin'dâ— is Gods service and worship not only by humane but even by divine Law also and all other publick services whatsoever made by private men to whom God hath given no such Commission are strange worship Lev. 10. 1. Because not Commanded for example As under the Law when God had appointed a Lamb for a burnt-offering Exod. 29. that alone was the right daily worship The savour of rest because Commanded and all other sacrifices whatsoever offered up in the place of that though of far more value and price than a Lamb suppose 20. Oxen would have been strange Sacrifice so now the publick worship of God prescribed as we have said by Those to whom he hath given Commission is the only true and right publick worship and all other forms and methods offered up in stead of that though never so exactly drawn are strange worship because not Commanded It is not the elegancy of the phrase nor the fineness of the Composition that makes it acceptable to God as his worship and service but obedience is the thing accepted Behold to obey is better than sacrifice or any fat of Rams 1 Sam. 15. 22. This holy service offered up to God by the Priest in the name of the Church is far more acceptable to Almighty God then the devotious of any private man For First it is the service of the whole Church to which every man that holds Communion with that Church hath consented to and said Amen and agreed that it should be offered up to God by the Priest in the name of the Church and if what any two of you shall agree to ask upon earth it shall be granted S. Matt. 18. 19. How much more what is ask'd of God or offered up to God by the common vote and joynt desire of the whole body of the Church Besides this publick service and worship of God is Commanded by God i. e. by those whom he hath impowr'd to command and appoint it to be offered up to him in the behalf of the Church and therefore must needs be most acceptable to him which is so appointed by him For what he Commands he accepts most certainly Private devotions and services of particular men which are offered by themselves for themselves are sometimes accepted sometimes refused by God according as the persons are affected to vice or virtue but this publick worship is like that Lamb Exod. 29. commanded to be offered by the Priest for others for the Church and therefore accepted whatsoever the Priest be that offers it up And therefore King David prayes Psal. 141. 2. Let the lifting up of my hands be an evening Sacrifice i. e. as surely accepted as that Evening Sacrifice of the Lamb which no indevotion or sin of the Priest could hinder but that it was most certainly accepted for the Church because commanded to be offered for the Church S. Chrys. Hom. in Psal. 140. This publick service is accepted of God not only for those that are present and say Amen to it but for all those that are absent upon just
turning of our bodies towards a more honourable place may mind us of the great honour and majesty of the person we speak to And this reason S. Augustine gives of the Churches ancient custom of turning to the East in their publick prayers because the East is the most honourable part of the World being the Region of Light whence the glorious Sun arises Aug. l. 2. de Ser. Dom. in Monte c. 5. That this was the constant practice of the Church to turn toward the East in her publick prayers may sufficiently appear by S. Augustin in the place last cited where he sayes Cum ad orationes stamus ad Orientem Convertimur When we stand at our prayers we turn towards the East And by Epiphan l. 1. haer 19. c. 19. who there detests the madness of the Impostor Elzaeus because that amongst other things he forbad praying toward the East And the Church of England who professes to conform to the ancient practices as far as conveniently she can as may be seen in many passages of her Canons and other places did observe the same custom in her prayers as appears by the placing of the Desk for the Prayer-book above mentioned looking that way and as may be collected from this Rubrick which directs the Priest in the reading of the Lessons to turn to the people which supposes him at prayer and the Psalms to look quite another way namely as in reason may be concluded that way which the Catholick Church uses to do for divers reasons and amongst other for that which S. Augustine hath given because That was the most worthy part of the World and therefore most fit to be lookt to when we come to worship God in the Beauty of Holiness Again another reason may be given of turning from the people towards the upper end of the Chancel in our Prayers because it is fit in our prayers to look towards that part of the Church or Chancel which is the highest and chief and where God affords his most gracious and mysterious presence and that is the holy Table and Altar which anciently was placed towards the upper or East end of the Chaâ—cel This is the highest part of the Chancel set apart to the highest of Religious Services the consecration and distribution of the holy Eucharist here is exhibited the most gracious and mysterious presence of God that in this life we are capable of the presence of his most holy Body and Blood And therefore the Altar was usually call'd the Tabernacle of Gods Glory His Chair of State the Throne of God the Type of Heaven Heaven it self As therefore the Jews in their Prayers lookt towards the principal part of the Temple the Mercy-Seat Psal. 28. 2. So the Christians in their prayers turned towards the principal part of the Church the Altar of which the Mercy-Seat is but a type And as our Lord hath taught us in his Prayer to look up towards Heaven when we pray saying Our Father which art in Heaven not as if God were there confin'd for he is every where in Earth as well as in Heaven but because Heaven is his Throne whereas Earth is but his Foot-stool so holy Church by her practice teaches us in our publick and solemn prayers to turn and look not towards the inferior and lower parts of the Footstool but towards that part of the Church which most nearly resembles Heaven the holy Table or Altar Correspondent to this practice was the manner of the Jews of old for at the reading of the Law and other Scriptures he that did Minister turned his face to the people but he who read the prayers turned his back to the people and his face to the Ark. Mr. THORNDYKE of Relig. Assem pag. 231. For the choice of these Lessons and their Order holy Church observes a several course For the Ordinary Morning and Evening prayers she observes only this to begin at the beginning of the year with Genesis for the first Lesson and S. Matthew for the Second in the Morning and Genesis again for the First and S. Paul to the Romans for the Second Lesson at Even and so continues on till the Books be read over but yet leaving out some Chapters either such as have been read already upon which account she omits the Chronicles being for the most part the same with the book of Kings which hath been read already and some particular Chapters in some other Books having been the same for the most part read either in the same book or some other or else such as are full of Genealogies or some other matter which holy Church counts less profitable for ordinary hearers Only in this she alters the order of the books not reading the prophet Esay till all the rest of the books be done Because the Prophet Esay being the most Evangelical Prophet most plainly prophesying of Christ is reserved to be read a little before ADVENT For Sundayes somewhat another course is observed for then Genesis is begun to be read upon Septuagesima Sunday because then begins the holy time of penance and mortification to which Genesis is thought to suit best because that treats of our misery by the fall of Adam and of Gods severe judgment upon the world for sin Then we read forward the books as they lye in order yet not all the books but only some choice Lessons out of them And if any Sunday be as they call it a priviledged day that is if it hath the history of it expressed in Scripture such as Easter Whit sunday c. then there are peculiar and proper Lessons appointed for it For Saints dayes we observe another order for upon them except such of them as are especially recorded in Scripture and have proper Lessons the Church appoints Chapters out of the moral books such as Proverbs Ecclesiastes Ecclesiasticus and Wisdom for first Lessons being excellent instructions of life and conversation and so fit to be read upon the daies of holy Saints whose exemplary lives and deaths are the cause of the Churches Solemn Commemoration of them and Commendation of them to us And though some of these books be not in the strictest sense Canonical yet I see no reason but that they may be read publickly in the Church with profit and more safety than Sermons can be ordinarily preacht there For certainly Sermons are but humane Compositions and many of them not so wholsome matter as these which have been viewed and allowed by the judgment of the Church for many ages past to be Ecclesiastical and good nearest to divine of any writings If it be thought dangerous to read them after the same manner and order that Canonical Scripture is read lest perhaps by this means they should grow into the same credit with Canonical It is answered that many Churches have thought it no great hurt if they should but our Church hath sufficiently secured us against that danger whatsoever it be by setting different marks upon them
of grace and pardon as well as the rest in all confessions of sins and penitential prayers such as the Litany is directed to beg his pardon and grace upon his knees He being moreover a Priest or Minister of the most high God that hath received from him an office and authority sometimes stands to signifie that his office and authority which office of his may be considered either in relation to God or the people As it relates to God so he is Gods Embassador 2 Cor. 5. 20. to whom is committed the Ministery of Reconciliation in which respect he is to Teach Baptize Consecrate the holy Eucharist Bless and Absolve the penitent and in all these acts of Authority which he does in the name and person of Christ he is to stand As his office relates to the people so he is in their stead for them appointed by God to offer up gifts and sacrifices to God particularly the sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving together with their prayers so we read Heb. 5. 1. Every high priest or priest so the words are promiscuously used Heb. 8. 3. 4. taken from among men is ordained for men or in their stead in things pertaining to God to offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins Which definition of a Priest belongs not only to a Priest of the Law but also to a Priest or Minister of the Gospel For S. Paul from this definition proves that our Lord Christ who was after the order of Melchisedeâ—k not of Aaron a Priest of the Gospel not of the Law ought not call himself v. 5. but was appointed by God and moreover that he ought to have gifts and sacrifices to offer Heb. 8. 3. because every high Priest or Priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices These arguments of S Paul drawn from this definition are fallacious and unconcluding unless this be the definition of a Gospel-Priest as well as a Legal Seeing then that we must not conclude S. Pauls arguments to be unconcluding we must grant that the Ministers of the Gospel are appointed by God to offer up the sacrifices of prayers and praises of the Church for the people thus to stand betwixt God and them and to shew this his office in these services he is directed to stand By this we may see what advantage it is to the people that their prayers are offered up by a Priest For God having appointed him to this office will certainly assist and accept his own constitution and though the Minister be wicked or undevout in his prayers yet God that will punish this neglect in himself will certainly accept of his office for the people Upon this ground probably it was that God sent Abimelech to Abraham to pray for him for he was a Prophet Gen. 20. 7. The Collects The Collects follow which are thought by divers to be so called either because they were made by the Priest super collectam populi over or in behalf of the Congregation meeting or collection of the people or rather because the Priest doth herein collect the Devotions of the people and offer them up to God for though it hath been the constant practice from the beginning for the people to bear a vocal part by their Suffrages and Answers in the publick service of God which for that very reason was by the Ancients called Common Prayer as may be gathered out of Iustin Martyr Apol. 2. 8. Aug. Epist. 118. and others yet for the more renewing and strengthning of their earnestness importunity and as it were wrestling with God and hope of prevailing they desired that themselves and their devotions should in the close be recommended to God by the Priest they all joyning their assent and saying Amen to it And that is the reason why in many of the Collects God is desired to hear the petitions of the people to wit those that the people had then made before the Collect that they come in at the end of other devotions and were by some of old called Missae that is to say Dismissions the people being dismissed upon the pronouncing of them and the Blessing the Collects themselves being by some of the Ancients called Blessings and also Sacramenta either for that their chief use was at the Communion or because they were uttered Per Sacerdotem by one consecrated to holy Offices But it will not be amiss to enquire more particularly what may be said for these very Collects which we use they being of so frequent use and so considerable a part of the Devotion of our Church And first concerning their Authors and Antiquity we may observe that our Church endeavouring to preserve not only the Spirit but the very Forms as much as may be and in a known tongue of ancient Primitive Devotion hath retained these very Collects the most of them among other precious Remains of it for we find by ancient testimony that they were composed or ordered either by S. Ambrose Gelasius or Gregory the Great those holy Bishops and Fathers of the Church and therefore having daily ascended up to Heaven like Incense from the hearts and mouths of so many Saints in the Ages since their times they cannot but be very venerable and relish well with us unless our hearts and affections be of a contrary temper Secondly for the object of these Collects they are directed to God in the Name of Jesus Christ our Lord for so usually they conclude and very fitly For Christ is indeed the Altar upon which all our prayers are to be offered that they may be acceptable Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my Name he will give it you S. Iohn 16. 23. And so it was the custome of old Itaque Orationes nostras vitam Sacrificia omnia nostra offerimus tibi Pater assiduè per Dominum nostrum Iesum Christum c. Bernard de Amore Dei cap. 8. But yet we may observe that a few Collects are directed to Christ and in the Litany some supplications to the holy Ghost beside that precatory Hymn of Veni Creator in the Book of Ordination and that some Collects especially for great Festivals conclude with this acknowledgement thâ— Christ with the Father and the holy Ghost liveth and reigneth one God world without end And this seems to be done to testifie what the Scripture warrants that although for more congruity we in the general course of our prayers go to the Father by the Son yet that we may also invocate both the Son and the Holy Ghost and that while we call upon one we equally worship and glorifie all Three together Quiâ— dum ad solius Patris personam honoris sermâ— dirigitur bene credentis fide tota Trinitaâ— honoratur saith Fulgentius lib. 2. ad Mâ—nimum Thirdly for their Form and Proportionâ— as they are not one long continued prayer but divers short ones they have many Advantages to gain esteem The Practice of the Jews of old in whose prescribed Devotions we find a certain
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
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
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-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
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