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
imitate the Heavenly singing this at the Sacrament of his Body which the Angels did at the Birth of his Body And good reason there is to sing this for Christs being made One with us in the Sacrament as for his being made One of us at his Birth And if ever we be fit to sing this Angels song it is then when we draw nearest to the estate of Angels namely at the receiving of the Sacrament After the receiving of the holy Sacrament we sing an Hymn in imitation of our Saviour who after his Supper sung an Hymn to teach us to do the like Chrys. Hom. 83. S. Matth. And when can a Psalm or Hymn of thanksgiving be more seasonable and necessary than after we have received this heavenly nourishment Is it possible to hear these words This is my Body take and eat it Drink ye all of this This is my Blood and not be filled as with a kind of fearful admiration so with a sea of joy and comfort for the Heaven which they see in themselves Can any man receive this Cup of Salvation and not praise and bless God with his utmost strength of soul and body The Ancients did express their joy at this time in the highest manner that they could Some were so ravished with joy that they immediately offered themselves to martyrdom impatient of being longer absent from their so gracious Lord unable to keep themselves from expressing their love to Christ by dying for him the highest expression of love All men then counted it a sin to fully the day of their receiving the Eucharist with any sorrow or fasting these days they called daies of mirth daies of remission daies of Immunity solemn days Festival daies This Angelical Hyman was made of old by Ecclesiastical Doctors and who refuses it let him be excommunicated Conc. Toleâ— 4. c. 4. The Hymn being ended we depart with a BLESSING Goar in Euch. pag. 154. tells us That of old when the Communion Service was ended and the Deacon had dismist the people they would not for all that depart till they had the Blessing by this Stay saying in effect the same to the Priest that Iacob did to the Angel We will not let thee go unless thou blessest us The Priest therefore departing from them as our Saviour from his Disciples with a Blessing but first he comes down from the Altar by this descending shewing his condescension to the people in affection as well as in Body and standing behind the Pulpit Retro Ambonem whence the Blessing was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the midst of the people in this also imitating our Saviour S. Iohn 20. 9. who there gave the Blesâ—ing or peace of God standing in the midst by the place shewing how equally he stood affected to all how he would have his Blessings spread upon all Of BAPTISM HOly Churches aim being in all her Services to make them Reasonable that according to S. Paul 1 Cor. 14. We may all joyn with her in her Offices both with our spirit and understanding she hath been careful not only to put them into a known tongue but also to instruct us in the nature of them making thus her Prayer-Book a sum of Divinity Therefore here in the beginning she instructs out of holy Scripture concerning the necessity and efficacy of Baptism as very briefly so very pithâ—ly and fully First laying down this for a rule That we are all born in sin as it is Rom. 5. 18 19. all guilty in Adams fall so the Catholick Church spread over the world always understood it CON. MILEVAN c. 2. and therefore by our first birth have no right to heaven into which no unclean thing shall enter Ephes. 5. 5. Secondly that therefore there is need of a second birth to give us right to that as it is S. Iohn 3. 3. Except a man be born again he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God Thirdly that this second or new birth is by Water and the Holy Ghost S. Iohn 3 5. Except a man be born again of water and the Holy Ghost he cannot enter into the kingdom of God By Water and the Holy Ghost is there meant holy Baptism For first this is the most literal interpretation of the words for what is Baptism but Water and the Holy Ghost and therefore the best for that is certainly the sense of the Holy Ghost who as we all believe was the Author of the letter of the Scriptures and therefore of the literal sense where that is not contrary to but agreeable with the other Scriptures Now this literal sense given is agreeable to other texts as namely to Acts 8. 38. and 10. 47. Where Water is declared to be the element of Baptism And expresly again Ephes. 5. 26. Christ loved the Church and gave himself for it that he might sanctifie and cleanse it with the washing of water And as this is the most literal so is it the most Catholick interpretation of the words and therefore also the best by S. Peters rule 2 S. Pet. 1. 20. Knowing this first that no prophesie of Scripture is of private interpretation That this is the most Catholick interpretation appears by S. August l. 1. de peccator mer. rem c. 30. Tertul. de Bapt. and all the ancient interpreters upon the place who expound it all of Baptism And indeed if it were lawful to expound it otherwise seeing no other Scripture contradicts this literal sense I know not how it can be avoided but that men may lose all their Creed by playing so with Scripture leaving the letter for figures Thus are we instructed in the nature necessity and efficacy of holy Baptism that it is the only ordinary means of our Regeneration or second birth which gives us a right and title to Heaven Then is prescribed a Prayer usually called the Benediction or Consecration of the Water which is used only for reverence and decency not for necessity as if the Water without this were not available to Baptism For as the Prayer hath it Iordan and all other maters are sanctified by Christ to the mystical washing away of sin So that there needs no Consecration here as in the other Sacraments there is where the Bread and Wine must be blessed by us saith S. Paul 1 Cor. 10. 16. before it be the Communion of the body and blood of Christ to us And that the Church does not think any Consecration of Water necessary appears in her office of PRIVATE BAPTISM where haste admitting no delays no such Prayer or blessing is used Then follows a Prayer for Gods merciful acceptance of the Infant that is brought that as he is to receive the Sacrament so he may receive all the benefits of it And lest any should doubt whether CHRIST will accept an Infant to Baptism and the Effects of it holy Church propounds to us the 10. chap. of S. Mark out of which she concludes CHRISTS love and good will to children in general For he
commanded them to be brought to him he rebuked those that would have kept them from him he embraced them in his arms and blessed them which are all plain arguments that he will receive them when they are brought to him Yea and that he will so far embrace them as to receive them to eternal life if they be brought to him is plain by his own words in that Gospel Suffer little children to come unto me for to such and therefore to themselves for Quod in uno similium valet valebit in altero what belongs to others because they are such as children are must needs belong to the children belongeth the kingdom of God Since then they be capable of the Kingdom of heaven and there is no ordinary way for them to the Kingdom of heaven but by a new and second birth of Water and the Holy Ghost that is Baptism Doubt ye not but that He who exprest so much love to them as is mentioned in the Gospel will favourably receive the present infant to baptism and gratiously accept our charitable work in bringing it to him Thus holy Church concludes out of Scripture according to the practice and doctrine of the Catholick Church CYPRIAN tells us that no Infant is to be hindred from baptism Ep. 59. This was the sentence of that Council Anno Dom. 246. and this was no new decree but fides Ecclesiae firmissima the most established faith of the Church AVG. ep 28. ad Hieron Haec sententia olim in Ecclesia Catholica summa authoritate fundata est This definition was long before S. Cyprian settled in the Catholick Church by the highest Authority AVG. de verb. Apost Ser. 14. Let no man whisper to you any strange doctrines This the Church always had always held this she received from our forefathers and this she holds constantly to the end And Quicunque parvulos recentes ab uteris matrum baptizandos negat Anathema sit saith the COVNC of Milevis c. 2. being the CXth in the African Code That Council pronounced Anathema to any that shall deny the baptism of Infants And that Counc is confirmed by the fourth and sixth GENERAL COVNCILS Next follows a Thanksgiving for our Baptism which we are put in mind of by this occasion with an excellent prayer for our selves and the Infants before us that we may walk worthy of baptism and they be accepted to it graciously Then shall the Priest demand of the Godfathers c. These questions Dost thou forsake c. This Form of interrogating the Godfathers in the name of the child is very Ancient and Reasonable For the Antiquity of it see S. Chrys. in Psal. 14. Adducit quisquam infantem ubera sugentem ut baptizetur statim sacerdos exigit ab infirma aetate pacta conventa assensiones minoris aetate fide jussoreâ—â—â—ccipit susceptorem interrogat an renunciat Satanae The sucking Infant is brought to baptism The Priest exacts of that Infant covenants contracts and agreements and accepting of the Godfather in the Infants stead he asks whether he does forsake the Devil c. Cyprian ep 7. We renounc'd the world when we were baptized and their form of abrenunciation was much like ours as you may see Salvian l. 6. Aug. Ep. 23. and Cyril Cat. Mist. 1. Where you may see at large the ancient Form and Manner of Abrenunciations First you entred into the Church Porch the place of the Font or Baptistery and standing towards the West you heard it commanded you that with hands stretched out you should renounce the Devil as if he were there present It behoves you to know that a Type or Sign of this you have in the Old Testament When Pharaoh the most bitter and cruel Tyrant oppressed the free people of the Jews God sent Moses to deliver them from the grievous servitude of the Egyptians the posts of the doors were anointed with the blood of the Lamb that the destroying Angel might pass by the houses which had that sign of blood and the people were delivered beyond expectation But after that the Enemy saw them delivered and the Red sea divided he followed and pursued them and was over-whelmed with the waves of the Sea Pass we from the Figure to the Truth there was Moses sent by God into Egypt here Christ is sent into the world he to deliver the people oppressed by Pharaoh Christ to deliver the Devils captives there the blood of the Lamb turn'd away the Destroyer here the blood of the immaculate Lamb Christ Jesus is the defence against the Devil That Tyrant followed our Fathers to the Red Sea this impudent Prince of wickedness the Devil follows there even to the waters of Salvation he was drowned in the Sea this is stifled in the waters of Life Hear now what with a beck of the hand is said to the Devil as present I renounce thee Satan It is worth the while to explain why you stand to the West when you say this The sun-set is the place of darkness and the Devil is the Prince of darkness and therefore in token of this ye renounce the Prince of darkness looking towards the West I renounce thee Satan thou cruel Tyrant I fear thy force no more for Christ hath dissolved the power of darkness I renounce thee subtle Serpent who under the shew of friendship actest all thy villany Then he adds and all thy works Those are sins of all sorts which you must of necessity renounce And this you must not be ignorant of that whatsoever thou sayest in that dreadful hour is written down in Gods book and shall be accounted for After this you say And all his pomp all vain shews from which holy David prayes to be delivered Turn away mine eyes lest they behold vanity Psal. 119. and all thy worship all Idolatry and Superstition all Magick and Southsaying all worship of and prayers to the Devil Take heed therefore of all these things which thou hast renounced For if after the renunciation of the Devil you fall back again into his captivity he will be a more cruel Master than before the last state of that man is worse than the beginning When you have renounced the Devil then the Paradise of God is opened to you which was planted in the East and therefore as a Type of this you are turn'd from the West to the East the Region of light We have seen that it was Ancient And that it is Reasonable we shall perceive if we consider that in baptism we are making or concluding a Covenant the New Covenant of the Gospel in which Covenant Gods part is promises precious promises as S. Peter calls them 2 S. Pet. 1. 4. for performance of which he hath given his word and therefore good reason it is that we also should give our word and promise for performance of conditions on our parts viz. to renounce the Devil and the World and swear fidelity to our LORD In all other Covenants and Contracts it
did confirm And S. Hierom. dial adv Lucifer saies it was Totius orbis consensus in hanc partem the general acknowledgement of the whole Christian World The Office begins on this wise Our help standeth in the Name of the Lord. Of such short ejaculations in general hath been said in the Morning Prayer concerning these in particular that they are fitted to the Office will appear to them that consider that Confirmation is appointed for the strengthning of us against all our ghostly enemies which though they be many and great yet is there no reason to despair of obtaining strength enough to resist them for Our help stands in the Name of the Lord who hath made heaven and earth who is therefore able enough and willing also to help them that call upon his Name Blessed therefore be the Name of the Lord hence forth and for ever After these Versicles follows a Prayer that God would strengthen the baptized with the holy Ghost the Comforter who had in their baptism received him as a Sanctifier These two wayes to omit others we are taught in holy Scripture that the holy Ghost may be received as a sanctifier and cleanser in holy baptism Tit. 3. 5. He saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the holy Ghost and after baptism we may receive him again as a Comforter and strengthener The Apostles who received him the first way in baptism are promised to receive him the second S. Iohn 16. 7. Acts 1. 8. which was performed Acts 2. 4. They were filled with the holy Ghost Then shall the Bishop lay his hands upon them severally By this sign certifying them of Gods Goodness towards them and consigning it upon them This is the most ancient and Apostolical Rite of Confirmation Acts 8. 17. and by this name it is known Heb. 6. 2. The doctrine of baptisms and laying on of hands After a most excellent prayer for their continuance in Gods love obedience to him the Bishop departs them with a Blessing Of such blessings hath been said already This holy Rite hath been too little understood by many and therefore too lightly esteem'd and valued for the remedy whereof it may not be amiss to shew the benefit of it in these conclusions following 1. The Holy Ghost was given to persons baptized by the Apostles prayers and laying on of hands Acts 8. 14 15 16. Acts 19. 6. 2. This gift of the Holy Ghost so givâ—n was not only nor principally the gift of miracles or speaking with tongues For first Confirmation is reckoned by S. Paul amongst Fundamentals Heb. 6. 1 2. which were necessary to all ages of the Church but the gift of miracles was not such for that lasted but a whâ—le as experience hath taught us Again confirmation was administred to all baptized persons Acts 8. 15. 19. 6. but all baptized persons were not to have the gift of miracles 1 Cor. 12. 8 9. To one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom to another the working of miracles And again 29. verse Are all workers of miracles It is true that in the Apostles times the inward grace of confirmation was attended with miracles but it will not thence follow that miracles were the principal intended gift in confirmation no more than that the visible opening of Heaven is the proper effect of baptism because at our Saviours baptism the heavens were so opened S. Matthew 3. or that the proper effect of preaching is to work miracles because that at the Apostles preaching miracles were wrought Acts 10. 44. In those first times the Holy Ghost fell upon Believers and they spake with tongues Signa erant tempori opportuna Those signs were seasonable to those times does any man now expect that those that receive the holy Ghost by our prayers and imposition of hands should speak with tongues and if they do not speak with tongues is any man of so perverse a heart as to say that they have not received the holy Ghost S. Aug. in ep S. Ioh. tractat 6. In the beginning of spiritual and marvellous dispensations outward signs appeared to confirm the new preached faith but now that the faith is sufficiently confirm'd although such miracles be not wrought yet we receive those inward graces and vertues which were signified and demonstrated by those signs Chrys. in S. Matth. Hom. 13. 3. The proper and principal effect of confirmation was and is Ghostly strength and power to resist temptations as our Church teaches Rubr. 1. before the Catechism That the baptized when they come to years and the use of reason may have not their baptism confirm'd which needs no confirmation to perfect it but themselves and their souls by some new vertue and power or by an addition and increase of former graces by which they may be enabled against those temptations that shall assault them whence it is called Confirmation Regeneramur ad vitam per baptismum in hoâ— confirmamur ad pugnam By baptism we are regenerated to life in confirmation we are strengthned to fight against our enemies Melchiad ep ad Epis. Hisp. about the year 311. In Confirmation the Holy Ghost is given for strength as he was given to the Apostles at Pentecost that Christians may boldly confess the Name of Christ. Conc. Flor. Tertul. de bapt Cypr. ep 2. ad donat For our fuller perswasion of this it will be necessary to consider that our Lord Christ promised to his Apostles after they had been baptized that When he went away he would send them the holy Ghost to be their comforter or strengthener S. Iohn 16. 7. to make them able to bear witness of Christ notwithstanding all the threats and terrors of men S. Iohn 15. 27. 16. 1 2 3. And Acts 1. 5. he promises them that Not many daies hence they should receive the holy Ghost or the power of the Holy Ghost whereby they that forsook him formerly and fled should be henceforth emboldned and encouraged to bear witness to him all the World over vers 8. This promise was performed at Pentecost Acts 2. 4. They were filled with the holy Ghost and began to speak and to bear witness of Christ with courage verse 36. This very promise made to the Apostles formerly and perform'd at Pentecost belongs to every one of us that are baptized Acts 2. 38. Repent and be baptized every one of you in the Name of Iesus Christ for the remission of sins and ye shall receive the gift of the holy Ghost For this promise of the holy ghost fulfilled on us verse 33. is unto you and to your children and to all that are afar off And what S. Peter here promises them was fulfilled by him and the other Apostles for by their prayer and imposition of hands they received after baptism the holy Ghost not only enabling them to speak miraculously but also strengthening and comforting them inwardly as he did the Apostles For the same that was promised to the Apostles belonged to them
and their children and was given by imposition of hands Now that which was promised to the Apostles was principally ghostly strength and comfort on which that gift of miracles was an attendant as we have seen this then is the principal effect of confirmation the gift of the holy Ghost by way of eminence Acts 2 38. Hence this phrase Full of the holy Ghost is interpreted by Scripture to be the same in effect with this Full of ghostly courage and strength Act. 4. 8. 31. They were all filled with the holy Ghost and spake with boldness the word of the Lord Acts 7. 55. and Acts 6. 5. Stephen full of faith and the holy Ghost that is full of faith and power verse 8. 4. This Office of Confirmation as well as that of Baptism is to continue in the Church as long as that shall be Militant here on earth For S. Paul Heb. 6. l 2. joyns them together calling them Fundamentals and a Fundamental in one age is so in another Besides we have seen that Confirmation was the means used by the Apostles and doubtless not without their Lords directions and guidance of his Spirit for conveying the holy Ghost the Comforter into persons baptized and since that all ages have as much need of that ghostly strength as the age of the Apostles had and that the promise of it belongs to us all as well as to them as formerly hath been proved and since that we find no other means appointed instead of Confirmation for the conveighing of the gift of the holy Ghost then given by confirmation it remains that we conclude that Confirmation is still to continue And so the Church Catholick hath taught us both by her doctrine and practice as may be seen by the quotations cited above 5. That Bishops who succeed the Apostles are to be the Ministers of this holy Rite hath been shewn above of MATRIMONY FIrst holy Church instructs us in the ends of Matrimony which are three 1. The procreation of children 2. Aremedy against sin 3. A mutual help to each other Then the Priest requires the parties to be married by the terror of the dreadful judgment day to declare if they know any impediment why they may not be lawfully married which is as much care and caution as can be used by those that are not able to discern the secrets of the heart Then follows the Contract in the future tense whereby these persons mutually promise to the Priest Gods Minister before the Congregation to enter into that holy state of Wedlock and strictly to keep those sacred laws of marriage which Almighty God hath ordained This is that as I conceive which S. August de Gen. ad lit l. 11. c. 4. calls Votorum solennitatem the solemnities of vows and promises which was in his time and formerly an usual ceremony of marriage And of very good use is this solemnity for by this have the persons bound themselves to their duty by all the obligations that a sacred solemn vow or promise can lay upon the soul. Then the Priest asks Who gives this woman to be married to this man This was the old custome that the Bride should be given by the Father or friend Aug. de Gen. ad lit 11. c. 41. to which S. Paul may be thought to allude 2 Cor. 11. 2. I have espoused you to one husband that I might present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. And Psal. 45. 13. The Queen the Spouse shall be brought to the King The reason of this saith Learned Mr. Hooker l. 5. Eccl. Pol. Sect. 73. was That in ancient times all women which had not Husbands or Fathers to govern them had their Tutors without whose authority there was no act which they did warrantable and for this cause they were in marriage delivered unto their husbands by others Which custom retained hath still this use that it puts women in mind of a duty whereto the very imbecillity of their sex doth bind them namely to be always directed and guided by others Whether this were the very cause of this custom I will not determine nor what else was but whatsoever was the first cause of it this is certain that it is a decent custom For it cannot be thought fit that a woman whose chiefest ornament is modesty and shamefacedness should offer her self before the Congregation to marriage to any person but should rather be led by the hand of another and given by him After the marriage it self The man puts a Ring upon the womans finger The Ring hath been alwayes used as an especial pledge of faith and fidelity Nothing more fit to serve as a token of our purposed endless continuance in that which we never ought to revoke and therefore fitly used in marriage which is a contract not to be dissolved but by death Aurum nulla nor at praeter uno digito quem sponsus oppignâ—rasset pronubo annulo No woman was permitted to wear gold save only upon one finger which the husband had fastned to himself with a wedding Ring This he puts upon the fourth finger of the left hand because there is a vein that goes from thence to the heart by which is signified that the love should be hearty say some Rituals Then follows With my body I thée worship c. For the better understanding of this phrase we must know that anciently there were two sorts of wives One whereof was called the primary or lawful wife the other was called the half wife or Concubine The difference betwixt these two was only in the differing purpose of the man betaking himself to the one or the other If his purpose was only fellowship there grew to the woman by this means no worship at all but rather the contrary In professing that his intent was to add by his person honour and worship unto hers he took her plainly and clearly to be his Wife not his Concubine This is it which the Civil Law doth mean when it makes a Wife to differ from a Concubine in dignity The worship that grew unto her being taken with declaration of this intent was that her children became by this means free and legitimate heirs to their father Gen 25. 5 6. her self was made a mother over his family Lastly she received such advancement of state as things annexed to his person might augment her with Yea a right of participation was thereby given her both in him and even in all things which were his and therefore he saies not only With my body I thée worship but also with all my worldly goods thée endow The former branch having granted the principal the later granteth that which is annexed thereto Hooker Eccl. Pol. l. 5. Sect. 73. The Iews anciently used the same phrase Godwin Jew Customs Be unto me a wife and I according to the word of God will worship honour and maintain thee according to the manner of husbands amongst the Iews who worship honour and maintain their wives And
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