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
of Christ and his triumphant Ascension For God Almighty did so direct the mind of the Prophets that that which was spoken by them of other persons and actions is oft-times more exactly fulfilled in and by Christ. Osee 11. 1. Out of Egypt have I called my Son was there spoken of the deliverance of the people of Israel out of Egypt fulfilled in Christ S. Matth 2. 15. What David sayes of himself I will open my mouth in a payable was fulfilled by Christ S. Matth. 13. 35. The 72. Psalm was written for Solomon as the title shews but more exactly fulfilled of Christ. Davids complaint or his own nâ—sery Psal. 35. 19. verified in Christ. S. Iohn 15 25. Nay more which is worth our observation some things David speaâ—s of himself which do not agree to him but in a figure which agree to Christ in the letter as They parted my garments among them and cast lots upon my vesture Psalm 22. 17 18. Nay in the same Psalm and sometimes in the same verse some words will not agree to Christ as Psal. 69. 5. My faults are not hid from thee These cannot be spoken of Christ who knew no sin Some words again most properly belong to Christ as verse 22. They gave me gall to eat and when I was thirsty they gave me vinegar to drink Thus holy Church hath in the Lessons and Gospel preached to us the Ascension of Christ in the type and antitype In the Epistle she teaches us our duty not to stand gazing up to Heaven wondring at the strangeness of the sight but to take heed to demean our selves so as that we may with comfort behold him at his second coming his coming to judgment Act. 1. 11. Why stand ye gazing up into heaven there is other business to be done fit your selves for another coming for this same Iesus which was taken up from you into heaven shall so come even as ye have seen him go into heaven In the Collect we are taught to pray that we as far as may be may conform to our Lord in his Ascension that like as we believe him to have ascended into the Heavens so we may also in heart and mind thither ascend and with him continually dwell In the special Psal. and Hymn we adore and bless God for our Saviours glorious Ascension It is pleasant to behold the rare beauty of the Churches offices as on others so on this day how each part suits the other The Gospel to the Lessons the Epistle to the Gospel the Collect and Psalms and Hymns all fitted to the same and all to the day For the Antiquity of this day See S. Aug. Epist. 118. cited upon Easter day Epiphanâ— and Chrys. upon the day Sunday after Ascen This is called Expectationsweek for now the Apostles were earnestly expecting the fulfilling of that promise of our Lord. If I go away I will send the Comforter to you S. Iohn 16. 7. The Epistle exhorts to earnest prayer for the Comforter promised in the Gospel which the Church performs in the Collect. WHIT SVNDAY THis day the HOLY GHOST came down from heaven upon his Church as the Epistle tells according to the promise of the Gospel As in a long war it happens when the war is ended and peace concluded Pledges and Hostages are mutually sent both as tokens of and securities for the mutual agreement and peace so was it betwixt God and Man After our Lord Jesus had ended the long war betwixt God and Man and finished the reconciliation he sent up or rather he carried up himself our Hostage our flesh and nature ennobled by the union with his Divine Person as a royal pledge to his Father on the other side God sent this day his royal Hostage his holy Spirit a security for our future peace 1. S. Iohn 4. 12 13. Chrys. Hom. 1. in Pentecost Edit Savil. tom 5. The Devil had taken us captive our Lord Christ undertakes the quarrel his death was his battel but then he seem'd to be overcome but up he got again at his Resurrection that was his victory his Ascension was his triumph and as the ancient custome was for Conquerours to scatter gifts amongst the beholders especially on the last and great day of the triumph so does our Lord in this last day of the Feast the Conclusion of his triumph he doth as it were make the Conduits run with Wine he poured out his Spirit so upon all flesh that some mockers said they were full of new wine Acts 2. 12. He casts abroad his new wine new gifts and graces of the world giving to some the word of wisdome to others the gift of knowledge to others faith to others the gift of healing to others the working of miracles to others prophesie to others discerning of spirits to others divers kinds of tongue to others the interpretations of tongues all these worketh one and the same spirit the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. 12. 4. whom the Lord Christ as he promised sent down this day with these gifts in honour of whom and his gifts we keep this day holy This time was also appointed of old for solemn baptism The reason was 1. Because this day the Apostles were baptized with the holy Ghost and fire Acts 2. 3. 2. Because this day three thousand were baptized by the Apostle Acts 2. 40. In memory of which the Church ever after held a solemn custome of baptizing at this Feast Gratian. de Consec Dis. 3. c. 13. This day is called Pentecost because it is fifty days betwixt the true Passeover and Whitsunday As there were fifty days from the Jews Passeover to the giving of the Law to Moses in Mount Sina which Law was written with the finger of God for from the 14. day of the first month the day of the Passeover to the third day of the third month the day of the Laws giving Exod. 19. are fifty days so from the true Passeover which was celebrated when Christ was offered up for us are fifty days to this time when the Holy Ghost came down upon the Church to write the new Lawâ— of Charity in their hearts Upon this meditation S. Aug. breaks out thus Who would not prefer the joy and pleasure of these mysteries before all Empires of the world Do you not see that as the two Seraphins cry one to another holy holy holy Esay 6. 3. So the two Testaments Old and New faithfully agreeing convince the sacred truth of God S. Aug. Ep. 119. Note that we must not count the fifty days from the very day of the Passeover but from the Sunday following and so God directed the Jews Lev. 23. 15. speaking of their Pentecost or Feasts of Weeks And ye shall count from the morrow after the Sabbath from that day seven weeks shall be compleat It is also called Whitsunday from the glorious Light of Heaven which was then sent down upon the Earth from the Father of Lights so many tongues so many Lights which kindled such
a light in the world on this day as never shall be put out to the worlds end as also because the new baptized which were many at that Feast Whitsunday and Easter being the two solemn times of baptism and of old called Illuminati the Enlightned Heb. 6. 6. from the spiritual light they received in baptism were then cloathed in white garments as types both of that spiritual whiteness and purity of soul which they received in baptism and were carefully to preserve all their life after As also of their joy for being made then by baptism members of Christ Children of God and Heirs of the Kingdom of Heaven White is the colour of joy says Eccles. 9. 8. Let thy garments be always white for God now accepts of thy works S. Cyril in his 4. Cat. myst alluding to this ancient custome of the new baptized of putting off their old garments and clothing themselves in pure white hath words to this effect This white clothing is to mind you that you should always hereafter go in white I speak not this to perswade you always to wear white clothes but that you should ever be clothed with spiritual white brightness and purity o soul. that so you may say with divine Esay 61. 10. I will greatly rejoyce in the Lord for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness Of which robe of righteousness and garment of salvation the white vestment was a resemblance Apoc. 19. 8. And to her was granted that he should be arrayed in fine linnen clean and white for fine linen is the righteousness of the Saints Whitsunday then is as much as Dominiâ—a in albis the Sunday in white The Greeks for the same reason call Easter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Bright Sunday because then also the new baptized wore white But the Latins call neither of these days from thence but give them their names from the Resurrection and Pentecost and the Octave of Easter or Low Sunday is by them called Dominica in Albis as is abovesaid pag. 154 155. This Holy day hath Proper Lessons and Psalms The Second Lessons are plain The Morning first Lesson Deut. 16. gives us the Law of the Jews Pentecost or Feast of Weeks which was a type of ours The Evening first Lesson Wisd. 1. is fit for this day For it treats of the holy Spirit ver 5 6. how it fills the world ver 7. which was most exactly fulfilled this day in which they were all filled with the holy Ghost Acts 2. The Psalms for the morning 45. 47. are very proper to the day The beginning of the 45. is concerning the Birth of Christ and therefore used upon Christmas-day but the latter part is concerning the calling of the Gentiles ver 10 11. and the glory of the Church the King of Heavens Daughter v. 14. Who is all glorious within through the heavenly gifts and graces of the holy Ghost sent down this day which glorious gifts miraculously poured upon the Church brought in the Gentiles to the Christian faith ver 15. The Virgins that be her fellows shall bear her company and shall be brought unto thee For which all the people shall as holy Church directs us to do this day give thanks unto thee verse 18. In holy ` Davids Psalms as we do so Theodoret in Psal. I will remember thy Name from one generation to another therefore shall the people give thanks unto thee world without end That is all people to the worlds end shall praise God for these blessings upon the Church with those Psalms which I compose and so though I be dead long before yet in my Psalms sung by them I will remember thy Name from one generation to another The 47. Psalm is a song of praise for the conversion of the Gentiles by the Gospel published this day in all Languages Acts 2. for which the Prophet invites them to active praises ver I. O clap your hands together all ye people O sing unto God with the voice of melody for God is gone up in jubilo with a merry noise ver 5. That was upon Ascension day And now he is set upon his holy and royal seat he reigns over the heathen makes the Princes of the people joyâ— in one body unto the people of the God of Abraham brings the Gentiles in to the Jews and makes one Church of both and that by the Gospel of the kingdom published this day to all Nations and so that was done this day for which this Psalm gives thanks Evening Ps. are 104 145. These two are thankful Commemorations of the various gifts of God the Holy Ghost who then gave temporal this day spiritual gifts which spiritual gifts of this day were shadowed out by those temporal and all come from the same spirit 1 Cor. 12. 4. to whom this Feast is held sacred So that in blessing the Author of them we bless the Author of these the holy Spirit from whom these divers gifts Some part of the 104. is more particularly appliable to this Feast He maketh the clouds his chariots that was upon Ascension day when he went up to Heaven in a cloud Acts 1. 9. ver 5. Then follows ver 30. Emittis spiritum Thou sendest forth thy Spirit and they shall be made thou shalt renew the face of the earth which is proper to this day for this day the Holy Spirit was sent and renewed the face of the Earth with new Creatures new Men of new hearts and new tongues Acts 2. Old things passed away and all things are become new The same Harmony of Epistle Gospel and Collect and Lessons and Psal. that we have observed upon Christmas and Easter and Ascension may with pleasure be meditated upon this day The same Ancients testifie the Antiquity of this Feast that gave in evidence for Easter Munday and Tuesday in Whit sun-week THe Epistles for both relate not only to the sending of the Holy Ghost but also to Baptism which the Church takes often occasion to remember us of by her Readings and Usages and would have us improve them all towards most useful Meditations This is one of the four Ember-weeks of which see above after the first Sunday in Lent p. 149. TRINITY-SVNDAY IN Ancient Liturgies and Ritualists we find this day lookt upon as an Octave of Pentecost or as Dominica vacans of which Name is spoken p. 219. and that the observing of it as a Feast of the Trinity was of later use and more late in the Roman Church than in some other See Decretal lib. 2. T. 9. De Feriis And there were who objected that because on each day and especially Sundays the Church celebrates the praises of the Trinity in her Doxologies Hymns Creeds c. Therefore there was no need of a Feast on one day for that which was done on each But yet the wisdom of the Church thought it meet that such a Mystery as this though part of the