do no Good thing without thee grant us the Help of thy Grace that in keeping thy Commandments we may please thee both in will and deed through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen * ALmighty and everliving God by whose Spirit the whole Body of the Church is sanctified and governed Receive our Supplications and Prayers which we offer unto thee for all Estates of Men in thy holy Church that every Member of the same in his Vocation and Ministry may truly and godly serve thee through our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ Amen Then the Collect of the Day with one of these Two for the King ALmighty God whose Kingdom is everlasting Power infinite Have Mercy upon the whole Church and so rule the Heart of thy chosen Servant N. our King and Governour that he knowing whose Minister he is may above all things seek thy Honour and Glory and that we and all his subiects duly considering whose Authority he hath may faithfully serve honour and humbly obey him in thee and for thee according to thy blessed Word and Ordinance through Iesus Christ our Lord who with thee and the holy Ghost liveth and reigneth ever One God World without end Amen Or. ALmighty and everliving God we are taught by thy holy Word that the Hearts of Kings are in thy Rule and Governance and that thou dost dispose and turn them as in thy most excellent Wisdom thou seest best We humbly beseech thee so to dispose and govern the Heart of N. thy Servant our King and Governour that in all his Thoughts Words and Works he may ever seek thy Honour and Glory and study to preserve thy People committed to his charge in Wealth Peace and Godliness Grant this O merciful Father for thy dear Sons sake Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen Then turning toward the People The Epistle written in the Chapter of at the Verse And when he hath done Here endeth the Epistle The Holy Gospel c. People Glory be to thee O Lord. And at the end of the Gospel Pr. So endeth the Holy Gospel Pe. Thanks be to thee O Lord. Then turning toward the Altar I Believe in one God the Father Almighty Maker of Heaven and Earth and of all things visible and invisible And in one Lord Iesus Christ the onely begotten Son of God Begotten of his Father before all Worlds God of God Light of Light Very God of very God Begotten not made Being of one substance with the Father By whom all things were made Who for us Men and for our Salvation came down from Heaven And was incarnate by the holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary And was made Man And was Crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate He suffered and was buried And the third day he rose again according to the Scriptures And ascended into Heaven And sitteth on the right hand of the Father And he shall come again with Glory to judge both the quick and the dead Whose Kingdom shall have no end And I believe in the holy Ghost The Lord and giver of Life Who proceedeth from the Father and the Son Who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified Who spake by the Prophets And I believe one Catholick and Apostolick Church I acknowledge one Baptism for the Remission of Sins And I look for the Resurrection of the Dead And the Life of the World to come Amen * WE praise thee O God we acknowledge thee to be the Lord. All the Earth doth worship thee the Father everlasting To thee all Angels cry aloud the Heavens and all the Powers therein To the Cherubin and Seraphin continually do cry Holy Holy Holy Lord God of Sabaoth Heaven and Earth are full of the Majesty of thy Glory The glorious Company of the Apostles praise thee The goodly Fellowship of the Prophets praise thee The noble Army of Martyrs praise thee The Holy Church throughout all the World doth acknowledge thee The Father of an infinite Majesty Thine honourable true and onely Son Also the Holy Ghost the Comforter Thou art the King of Glory O Christ Thou art the everlasting Son of the Father When thou tookest upon thee to deliver Man thou didst not abhor the Virgins Womb. When thou hadst overcome the sharpness of Death thou didst open the Kingdom of Heaven to all Believers Thou sittest at the right hand of God in the Glory of the Father We believe that thou shalt come to be our Iudge We therefore pray thee help thy Servants whom thou hast redeemed with thy precious Blood Make them to be numbered with thy Saints in Glory everlasting O Lord save thy people and bless thine heritage Govern them and lift them up for ever Day by day we magnifie thee And we Worship thy Name ever World without end Vouchsafe O Lord to keep us this day without sin O Lord have Mercy upon us have Mercy upon us O Lord let thy Mercy lighten upon us as our trust is in thee O Lord in thee have I trusted let me never be confounded * ALmighty and everliving God who hast given unto us thy servants Grace by the Confession of a true Faith to acknowledge the Glory of the eternal Trinity and in the Power of the Divine Majesty to worship the Vnity We beseech thee to keep us stedfast in this Faith and evermore defend us from all Adversities who livest and reignest One God World without end Amen ALmighty Everliving most Merciful and most Gracious God who hatest nothing which thou hast made and dost forgive the Sins of all them who are Penitent create and make in us New and Contrite Hearts that we worthily lamenting our Sins and acknowledging our Wretchedness may obtain of thee the God of all Mercy perfect Remission and Forgiveness through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen THE Liturgy of the Ancients Represented c. PART II. The Office of the Faithful The Priest turning toward the People Pr. * The Lord be with you Pe. And with thy Spirit Pr. Christ our Pascal Lamb is offered for us once for all when he bare our Sins on his Body upon the Cross For he is the very Lamb of God that taketh away the Sins of the World Wherefore let us keep a Ioyful and Holy Feast with the Lord. YE who do truly and sincerely Repent you of your Sins and are in Love and Charity with your Neighbours and intend to lead a new Life and heartily to follow the Commandments of God and to walk from henceforth in his Holy Ways Draw near * The Men on the one side and the Women on the other saith the Rubrick in the first Book of E. 6. after the Offertory and such was the Ancient Usage with Faith and take this Holy Sacrament to your Comfort and make your humble Confession to Almighty God meekly kneeling upon your Knees Then Kneeling ALmighty God Father of our Lord Iesus Christ Maker of all things Iudge of all Men We acknowledge and repent us of our manifold Sins and Wickednesses which
of Temporal Interest or Concern of Applause Reputation Power or Gain This is often very subtle and prevalent where and when it is little suspected 8. Lastly though it be not last in the Order of Causes Abuse or Misuse of the Sacred Scriptures a thing subtilely practised by the Divel and simply many times though not always so but too often craftily dis-ingeniously and dis-honestly by Men. There is in the Scriptures a Divine Perfection such as is in all the Works of God but as much different from that Perfection which Men are apt to imagin as the Wisdom of God exceeds Man's Wisdom And they who endeavour to set up a Humane Conceit of Perfection though they may mean well yet pretending that for Perfection which they can neither prove nor others find there they do great Injury to the Scriptures by raising Prejudices and Scandals in the Minds of many ingenious People against them and against themselves too as either silly weak People or Cheats who impose upon others The Scriptures are of no Use to such as understand not the Language wherein they were Written unless they have them faithfully Translated and How shall they know which is so amongst so many Translations Yet is there enough for the Unlearned in what all or most do agree Nor is the bare Knowledge of the Language sufficient for a compleat Understanding of the Scriptures without the Knowledge of divers Orders Usages Customs Observations c. of the Jews before our Saviours Time for the Old Testament and of both Jews and Christians for the New This is so certain that they who have presumed to set up their own Imaginations without due regard to those Means have left to Posterity so many Monuments of their Self conceitedness Presumption and either Ignorance and Folly or Disingenuity and Dishonesty in handling the Word of God deceitfully And though we cannot comprehend the Wisdom of God in many such things yet may we perceive sufficient Reasons why he was pleased to order it so in this but this is no place to insist upon that And therefore it is an Argument of Ignorance and Errour or something worse in any one who shall require Scripture for such Particularities as it pleased God should not be recorded there but be transmitted to after-Ages by other Means It is found by Experience that some who have mightily cry'd up the Pure Word of God have under that Pretence set up and impos'd upon the World their own meer Fancies Under this Pretence hath the Spirit of Antichrist as mischievously prevailed and imposed upon People in some Places as in others under Pretence of Apostolical Traditions They who would confine Antichrist to Rome are as much mistaken as they who deny him to be there He hath no less prevailed to suppress or oppress some important Truths under the odious Name of Popery elsewhere than he hath done at Rome to oppose others under the like odious Name of Heresie It is a Question which may bear some dispute and deserve Consideration Whether the Superstition of the Papists leading them to Idolatry and Subjection to one of the greatest Impostures in the World or that of some Protestants who have pretended highly to Reformation precipitating them into Sacriledge Prophaneness Selfconceitedness and Contempt of Lawful Humane Authority hath done most Mischief But certain it is that the taking away of the Daily Sacrifice is as notorious a Mark of the Spirit of Antichrist according to the Apprehensions of the Ancient Christians as any and the Operations of Satan must have been very subtle and his Delusions very strong upon Mens Minds to prevail with them so inâ—ustriously to abolish so considerable a Part of the most Solemn Worship of God for Popish Superstition and so to expunge the genuine Notion of it out of Peoples Minds that they know not what it means and therefore neglect it as a needless thing By Men of these Principles was this Church abused and imposed upon and the True English Reformed Liturgy disordered dismembred and defaced to gratifie their Humour in the Reign of K. Ed. 6. But God did not connive at it but took off the Contriver of those Disorders within a Month the King himself who imposed upon the Parliament in it within a Twelvemonth and him who misled the King by a violent and blemished Death not long after and hath made that Generation of Men to them of the Church of England Pricks in their Eyes and Thorns in their Sides ever since just Corrections for so pernicious a League and continued Compliance therein And though he hath not hitherto connived at it yet doth he now in a special manner call to Repentance by new Admonitions First By setting up an Example of Reformation and next By discovering the Shame of the Miscarriage a manifest Call to take Shame to our selves and give Glory to God by humble publick Confession and speedy Reformation I may add and 3. By this late great Mercy and so manifest Declaration of the continuance of his Favour yet towards us notwithstanding all our Ingratitude and Unworthiness The Concurrence of all these together are obliging Calls both of Encouragement if we answer as we should and of Danger by Provocation if we neglect It is a New Declaration of His Gracious Condescention and Readiness still to receive us into Favour if we will wisely imbrace it consider our Ways and set to our Duty in good earnest and not think to satisfie Him with the Formality of a Day of Thanksgiving without any just Act of a real hearty Gratitude Who can or dare say that this Divine Favour hath not been obtained of Almighty God by this Beginning of a Restitution of the Daily Christian Sacrifice under the Conduct of His special Providence as a principal means for a Manifestation of his Approbation thereof to the whole Nation If we well consider the Judgments both of Ancient Christians and of Learned and Judicious Divines of our own Church in this Age concerning the Prevalence of this Holy â—eans together with the Circumstances we are under it will appear no unreasonable thing to think so The Celebration of the Holy Sacrament saith a late Bishop Dr. Jeremy Taylor is in its self and in its own Formality a Sacred Solemn and Ritual Prayer in which we invocate God by the Merits of Christ expressing that Adjuration not only in Words but in Actual Representment and Commemoration of his Passion And if the Necessities of the Church were well considered we should find that a Daily Sacrifice of Prayer and a Daily Prayer of Sacrifice were no more but what her Condition requires And I would to God the Governours of Churches would take Care that the Necessities of Kings and Kingdoms of Churches and States were represented to God by the most Solemn and Efficacious Intercessions and Christ hath taught us none greater than the Praying in the Virtue and Celebration of his Sacrifice And this is the Counsel that the Church received from St.
Temporal Interests and Respects and Pre-ingagement of Reputation for maintenance of Opinions received especially when intermixed with something of Truth to support them it is absolutely necessary to the Discharge of this Duty Securing of this Interest and Exercise of this Wisdom Esteem and Reverence to consider well and settle it in our Minds that those are no Principles of Truth but commonly of Error and Means of which wicked Spirits make great Advantage to harden Mens Hearts and make them obstinate in the Errors which they have intermixed with the Truths of God and therefore be assured that since we are all Fallible there may be as much Truth on their side with whom we contend as on our own and that it is more likely that both Parties are in Error than that either is intirely in the Right and thereupon to set generously and impartially to examine and distinguish and retain what is plain and clear reject what is manifestly false and leave what is doubtful and obscure till God shall reveal that also in the mean time as of less Importance and where there is occasion of consulting others make choice as in consulting Lawyers or Physicians of such as are not only well versed in such matters but also disinterested unbyassed and faithful And because to resist reject or make light of any Truth but offered by the gracious Providence of God is a Sin of great Ingratitude and very offensive to his Divine Majesty and usually provokes subtraction of his Grace and Spiritual Judgments it greatly concerns all who have any true Devotion to God and considerate Care for their own Souls to be very cautious that they do not unadvisedly reject or neglect any such when proposed to them but especially if such as have been believed professed and practised if of that nature by the most eminent Saints in all Ages and in all Parts of the Church of Christ and more-especially if such as concern the Honor of God and of our Saviour the Interest of his Church which is the Kingdom of Christ upon Earth the Communion of Saints or the Salvation or Consolation of Souls whether in the Body or out of the Body and more yet if there appear just cause of Suspicion of the contrary Opinions as when the first Teachers differ and fall out among themselves and principal Men of their Followers afterward confess that what was greatly magnified by them before was greatly mistaken when Charges or Accusations are of themselves monstrous and unreasonable as that Catalogue of Errors of the Church of Rome published by two several Persons eminent in their own Parties which computed amount to above Five Hundred a great sign of more Partiality than Prudence more Heat than Truth and of more Contention and Calumny than of just cause of Accusation and one of the same Persons after-terward confessing that those of that Church are unjustly and untruly charged in many things and especially when that remarkable Note of the Apostle viz. Going out 1 Jo. 2.19 according to his Masters Cautions before Luk. 17.23 21.8 which by the Ancient Christians is so much insisted on as a certain Note of Heresie and Schism is manifest beyond all contradiction In all such cases a Godly Jealousie and Circumspection is highly necessary that we do not obstinately persist in Error and resist the Truth So much is required of all Men as Rational Creatures that they be faithful to their Creator and their own Souls in the due Use and Improvement of their Talent of Natural Reason and Understanding But Christians should farther consider that they have many subtile and powerful invisible Adversaries to contend with called Principalities and Powers and the Rulers of the Darkness of this World and one chief called the God of this World who commonly puts on the Appearance of an Angel of Light blinding the Minds of Worldly and Carnal Men least the Light of Truth should shine unto them and therefore be very watchful against their Wiles beware of their Snares be not conformed to this World but transformed by the Renewing of their Mind be mindful of their Baptismal Covenant their Renunciation not only of the Devil but of the World and the Pomps and Vanities thereof and of the Flesh with its Lusts and Affections which are two great Engines of the Adversaries that they may attain to true Purity in Heart that the Light of Truth may shine into it and be kindly and effectually received For this they have first the implicit Document of the Great Example of their Redeemer their Lord and the Captain of their Salvation which they must follow if they do sincerely indeavour to attain the End and besides the Explication of it in manifold express written plain Declarations affectionate Admonitions obliging Exhortations and strict Injunctions they must be Doers of his Will if they will know the Truth of his Doctrine and be careful to avoid Pride seeking Honor of Men Jo. 5.44 and Conceitedness the common Levin of Hereticks and Schismaticks be mindful also of the other part of their Baptismal Covenant their Profession of Faith observe and consider well the Order of the several Articles of their Belief and study to understand the Importance of each For there is nothing in that Form of Sound Words either in Matter or Order but is of Importance to be noted and understood and consider well what special Means and Helps our Lord hath provided for them for Evidences of his Word and Doctrine and be careful they neglect none of them much less set them one against another and abuse what they pretend to receive as is very usual I know not any Means whereby Men are more effectually imposed upon than by Misapplication of manifest Truths nor any Matters wherein in this part of the World they are more commonly deceived or deceive themselves than in false Notions concerning the Two great Evidences of the Christian Doctrine and Institutions the Catholick Church and the Sacred Scriptures which rightly understood and used do mutually confirm and corroborate one the other but misunderstood separated and abused are the very Principles of all our Differences and Confusions The Catholick Church is the Kingdom of Christ upon Earth and to have great Regard to the Interests of it is certainly the Duty of all Christians but to despise or slight the Testimony or Authority of it is a great Sin in it self and the Inlet to many others and a Fundamental Error To conclude they who sincerely desire to understand and imbrace the Truth of Christianity must consider what is required before their Engagement declared by our Saviour in two Comparisons Luke 14.28 31. what is to be performed after declared likewise by two other Comparisons Matt. 13.44 45. and what are the Terms upon which only Men may be Christ's Disciples indeed in express Terms inculcated upon divers Occasions Matt. 10.35 37 38. and again Matt. 16.24 Luk. 9. and again to the Multitude Luk. 14.26 33. and the Danger of Denying or being
ashamed of Christ or his Words the Doctrines and Institutions delivered by Him in Person or by his Apostles to the Churches Matt. 10.28 32. Mar. 8.34 and lastly the Danger of a fruitless and ineffectual Profession expressly declared in the conclusion of our Saviour's first Sermon upon the Mount Matt. 7.21 c. and in his Farewel Discourse when he went last out of the Temple in the whole 25th chapter of St. Matthew all concerning Professors whence it appears how far People may go in a Profession and yet at last fail of their Expectation upon the consideration whereof it may be doubted whether as many Souls do not miscarry by Security in an ineffectual Profession as by living in gross and scandalous Sins To Souls thus prepared Truth will undoubtedly find admittance and the Good Spirit will be ready to lead them into all necessary Truth The Discourses above-mentioned are OF Prayers for the Dead With a Preface shewing the Necessity of a Retraction of the mistaken Reformation for a more firm Settlement of the Peace of the Nation A Profession of Faith comprizing the Ancient Forms of the Catholick Church with other Articles concerning the Roman Terms of Communion A Letter to a Young Man of one of the Religious Societies in London concerning Separation and the Proceedings of the Reformation Common Principles of a just Vindication of the Rights of the Kingdom of God upon Earth OF PRAYERS FOR THE DEAD Whether the Practice and Tradition thereof in the CHURCH be truly CATHOLICK and a competent Evidence of Apostolick Original and Authority Humbly tendred to the Consideration of the Right Honourable the JUDGES and of the Gentlemen of the Honourable Profession of the LAW With a PREFACE concerning the Reasons thereof and the Concern of the Nation that the Differences about Religion be better considered in order to a more firm Foundation of an Honourable and Lasting PEACE LONDON Printed in the Year 1699. To the Right Honourable John Lord Summers Baron of Evesham Lord High Chancellour of England Sir John Holt Lord Chief Justice of the Kings-Bench Sir George Treby Lord Chief Justice of the Common Pleas Sir Edward Ward Lord Chief Baron and the rest of the Honourable Judges May it please Your Lordships THough at first to some it may seem strange and improper to offer a Theological Controversie to the Consideration of Magistrates and Judges of Civil Causes yet if the present Constitution of the Church of England the Nature of the Question and the special Qualifications of the Persons for the Consideration of such a Question besides the Common Concern of all States and Persons in Matters of Religion be well consider'd nothing can be more reasonable A Church professing and glorying in the Profession of a Religion Established by Law and so intirely subject to the Authority of the State that it cannot call a Synode choose a Bishop Dean or Prebend make a Canon or alter any publick Prayers of the Church without it a Question of Prescription Vsage and Custom than which none are more frequently examined tryed and determined in our Civil Courts and by consequence no Persons more proper to give a Judgment upon such a Question because none more versed and expert in Cases of that nature than those of the Honourable Profession of the Law Besides Your Lordships and the rest of that Honourable Profession have another Qualification indispensably requisite to a just and true Judgment Indifferency and Freedom from any special Prejudice more than what is common to the whole Nation and as much above that as any Persons in it I mean that of Education by which tho' the inconsiderate Vulgar and People of little Judgment are very strangely affected and moved either fondly affecting or childishly abhorring what hath nothing of real Good or Evil but what proceeds from an abused or deceived Imagination yet Men of Parts Judgment and Experience can more easily extricate themselves out of the fetters and manacles of such Impressions and Prejudice upon consideration of sufficient Grounds and Reasons But the Generality of the English Clergy and Non-Conformists are under a double special Prejudice and Pre-ingagement the Authority and Credit of their Party and their own in particular having not only imbibed a Special Opinion in the Case but inconsiderately asserted and so espoused it also besides the Prudential Caution of not disobliging or offending their Auditors tho' many Protestants in other Parts are of another Opinion and the most learned here have deserted the old Cause both in their Disputes in the Vniversity and in their Controversial Writings And therefore as every honest Man in any Difference would desire the Judgment of such as are most indifferent unbyassed and impartial so every wise Man will desire that they may be Persons of most Ability Skill and expert in such Matters And in both these respects I know none more proper to judge of this Case than Your Lordships and the Gentlemen of Your Honourable Profession Nor is this all that You are thus qualified to judge of this matter but you have also a Concern a double Concern in it but that it may be fairly and truly determined a Concern which obligeth you to Impartiality that the Truth may be cleared and an End put to such Differences both in regard to the Places you hold and the Interest you have in the Civil State of the Nation and in regard of your Personal Interest and particular Concerns both in this Life and hereafter For Matters of Religion are of no little Importance to the Well-being of States as well as of particular Persons and to the Well-being of particular Persons as well in this Life as hereafter And all this in a double respect in respect to the Providence of God and in respect of their Natural Efficacy and Tendency It is very manifest that almost all the Vnhappiness Troubles and Disturbance which this Nation hath suffered for more than 150 Years last past have proceeded from unhappy Differences about Matters of Religion And it would be as evident if duly considered that there is as little Likelyhood if Possibility of any long Continuance of Peace without some proper Application to so fatal a Root of Mischief amongst us for the Extirpation or Suppression of it Nor is this so vain unreasonable or impracticable a thing to be thought on or attempted as most Men are apt to presume upon the Vnsuccessfulness of the Attempts which have been made if better consider'd It is no unusual thing for Men to learn from the Errors of former Attempts so to correct their Methods and Measures as to accomplish with ease what others with great Labour were not able to effect Many things in Practice are like Riddles in Speculation which after many have found insoluble by their utmost Study appear at last when the Secret is once revealed very plain and easie to the meanest Capacity But in such Differences as these there is usually a double Secret the one Supernatural managed by
and eminent Sanctity was by the Importunity of the People made Bishop of Nola in Campania so that he also was every way qualified for another Witness in this Case and these two I suppose sufficient for their time especially for the Latin Church S. Paulinus in an Epistle to St. Augustin says as much as need to be in few Words that * Vacare non posse quòd universa pro Defunctis Ecclesia supplicare consuevit ap Aug. de Cura pro Mort. pr. It cannot be in vain that the Vniversal Church is accustomed to pray for the Dead Not the Church but the Vniversal Church not only did at that time but was accustomed so to do that is time out of mind without any known beginning And what was it accustomed to do Not barely to commemorate but to pray and supplicate for them Vniversa pro Defunctis Ecclesia supplicare consuevit As ample a Testimony I think as can be expressed in so few words S. Augustin in confirmation of this alleadgeth the Book of Maccabees and addeth ‖ Sed etsi nusquam in Scriptuâ— is veteribus omnino legeretur non parva tamen est Universae Ecclesiae quae in hâ—c consuetudine claret Authoritas ubi in preâ—ibus sacerdotis quae Domino Deo ad ejus altare funduntur locum suum habet etiam Commendatio Mortuorum S. Aug. de Cura pro Mortuis c. 1. But altho' we did no where at all read this in the ancient Writings yet is not the Authority of the Vniversal Church which is clear in this Custom a small matter when in the Prayers of the Priest which are poured out to the Lord God at his Altar the Commemoration of the Deceased hath also its proper place In this Testimony are divers things observable and very considerable 1. The Authority of the Universal Church not of a Particular Church of a City of a Province of Hippo or Africa but of the Universal Church which however manifested or declared is no small matter 2. But in this it is declared in the most Solemn Acts of the Church her most Solemn Address to Almighty God at his Altar So that here is the greatest Authority that is among Mankind and that most solemnly declared 3. It is no new Resolution but a Custom Consuetudo Vniversae Ecclesiae an ancient Custom and a universal Custom which he elsewhere upon another occasion expresseth in this manner * Hoc à Patribus traditum Universa observat Ecclesia ut pro eis qui in Corporis Sanguinis Christi Communione Defuncti sunt cum ad ipsum Sacrificium suo loco commemorantur oretur pro illis quoque id offerri commemoretur S. Aug. de verb. Apost Ser. 32. c. 2. This being delivered from the Fathers à Patribus traditum doth the Vniversal Church observe that for them who are departed in the Communion of the Body and Blood of Christ when they are remembred at the Sacrifice it self in their place Prayer be made and it be commemorated that that is offered for them also Not only for the Living but for the Dead also and in their proper place 4. This Custom and Tradition was not only for a general Commemoration but for a special Commendation And here because this excellent Person hath written much and therefore affords more observable matter than is ordinary in any one Author I will indeavour out of him alone to present the honest and ingenuous Reader with a Scheme of the whole Custom and Practice of the Ancients whereby he will the better understand their Testimonies and decern the Fallacies Evasions Cavillings and Shufflings of the Adversaries of it What was done by them on behalf of the Deceased was either Publick or Private What was done in Private was Prayers such as S. Augustin offered for his Mother in his Confessions lib. 9. cap. 13. Fasting and Alms c. What was Publick was done either by the Relations or Friends of the Persons deceased and that was presenting their Oblations whether ordered by the Deceased or freely offered by their Friends on their behalf Which if they departed in Communion of the Church were received otherwise rejected unless they were in the State of Penitents and were surprized in such case as the Priest should have absolved them if he could have been present or what was done by the Bishop or Priest with the rest of the Clergy and People And this was either a general Commemoration pro omnibus in Christiana Catholica Societate defunctis as he speaks de Cura pro Mat. c. 4. for all departed in the Christian and Catholick Society or Communion without any particular recitation of their Names or a more particular Memory of them by Name with others or a more special Commendation of a particular Person at his Death and besides certain other days upon their Anniversaries And these were all performed at the Altar and with the Holy Sacrifice except that at his Death in case that happened after the Priest had eaten and then by some Canons it was to be performed solis Orationibus with Prayers only but otherwise Orationibus Oblationibus that is with Prayers and Sacrifice both for that is there to be understood by Oblationibus And as S. Augustin did intend all this in what he saith of the Universal Custom by Tradition from the Fathers so did he believe that the Souls departed were benefitted by them all For his words immediately preceeding those before-recited out of his Serm. de Verb. Apost are * Orationib vero S. Ecclesiae Sacrificio salutari Eleemosynis quae pro eorum spiritibus erogantur non est dubitandum mortuos adjurari ut cum eis misericordius agatur à Domino quam eorum peccata meruerunt It is not to be doubted that the Dead are helped by the Prayers of the H. Church and the Salutary Sacrifice and the Alms which are distributed for their Spirits that the Lord should deal more mercifully with them than their Sins have deserved This was one End and Benefit of those Commemorations and Prayers and therefore was not only comprehended in the general Intendment of the general Commemorations but was expressly prayed for both in the Common Prayers and in the more special Commendations as we shall see further hereafter but this does not exclude Others of which I think fit to take notice of one in this place which is mentioned by S. Austin and others and which concern two Articles of our Creed but little understood or consider'd amongst us It is in his Book de Civ Dei lib. 20. cap. 9. in these words †Neque enim piorum animae mortuorum separantur ab Ecclesia quae etiam nunc est regnum Christi Alioquin nec ad altare Dei fieret corum memoria in communione Corporis 〈◊〉 Christi Nor are the Souls of the Pious deceased separated from the Church which even now is the Kingdom of Christ Otherwise neither at the
and so comprize the whole time of the four first General Councils from first to last Eusebius in his 4th Book of the Life of Constantine describing the Martyrium of the Apostles built by him at Constantinople adds chap. 60. All these did the Emperor dedicate that he might consign to Posterity the Memory of our Saviour's Apostles But he had another Design in his Mind when he built this Church which was at first concealed but in the end it became known to all For he had designed this place for himself after his Death foreseeing by a transcendent Alacrity of Faith that his Body after Death should be made Partaker of the Apostles Apellation that even after Death he might be esteemed worthy of the Prayers which should be performed there in Honour of the Apostles believing that their Memory would be useful and advantagious to his Soul And afterward describing the Solemnity of his Funeral chap. 71. he saith that a vast Number of People together with those Persons consecrated to God not without Tears and great Lamentation poured forth Prayers to God for the Emperor's Soul thereby performing a most grateful Office to this pious Prince And herein also God demonstrated his singular Favour towards his Servant because after his Death agreeable to his own most earnest Desire the Tabernacle of his thrice blessed Soul was vouchsafed a place with the Monument of the Apostles and that it might be joined with God's People in the Church and might be vouchsafed the Divine Rights and Mystick Service and might enjoy a Communion of the Holy Prayers This was but 12 years after the Nicen Council and a great and most illustrious instance of the common received and settled Practice of that time And here before I proceed further it is fit to consider how far the continuance of that wicked and shameful Abuse by Cranmer put upon the Church of England in his clandestine Corruption of the True English Liturgy I say the Continuance of it to this day whether by supine Negligence or base Compliance with a Faction of Sectaries be consistent with that Profession of Reverence to Antiquity in general and to those first four General Councils in particular which is made by all who pretend to be genuine Sons of the Church of England with their use of the Constantinopolitan Creed in the most solemn Office so fouly deformed contrary to the Publick Office at that time used in the Church and attested by S. Cyril Bishop of Hierusalem who was present at that Council and a principal Man there How consistent with the Statutes of most ancient Colleges in both the Universities and the Oaths taken by so many Scholars for the Observance of them How consistent with the Belief of One Holy Catholick Church and of the Communion of Saints with that Reverence and Respect which the Holy Scriptures require should be paid to the Body of Christ the Depository of Christian Verities and the Pillar or Monument and Basis of Truth with that Reverence and Honour and Esteem which all true and genuine Christians cannot but have for so many glorious Saints as flourished in the Church of Christ and all agreed in this pious Practice for more than 1200 years from the time of Constantine who himself was none of the least being converted in an extraordinary manner by special Vision from our Saviour and the Truth thereof confirmed by very remarkable Victories and afterward so great a Promoter of Christian Piety that he was as Eusebius relates partaker of the Apostles appellation being called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Offices of the Greek Church and deservedly How it can be consistent therewith and with Christian Modesty to set up a Calvin a Bucer a Cranmer an Vsher like little Idols above all and not rather an undeniable proof of the very Spirit of Hereticks and Schismaticks Mr. * Life Appendix p. 55. Baxter's Questions in another Case not unlike this may very properly be proposed to our modern Opposers of this Catholick Practice Would they have held Communion with the Catholick Church for a Thousand Years together Or would they not if they had lived in those times If they would then why not with us who are of the same Judgment Was it a Duty then And is it unlawful now If they would not in all those Ages have held Communion with the visible Church what would they have done but separated from the Body and so from the Head and cast off Christ in all his Members and taken him to be a Head without a Body which is no Head and so no Christ What would they have done but denied his Power and Love and Truth and consequently his Redemption and his Office Hath he come at the end of 4000 years since the Creation to redeem the World that lay so long in Darkness And hath he made such wonderful Preparations for his Church by his Life and Miracles and Blood and Spirit c. and promised That the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against it and that his Kingdom shall be an Everlasting Kingdom and his Dominion endureth from Generation to Generation and yet after all this shall he have a Church even as the Seekers say but for an Age or two Thus Mr. Baxter and very good but if this be good in the Case of Baptism of Infants why not as good in the Case of Prayers and Oblations for the Dead which I think hath as good Evidence of Apostolical Original as that or the Lord's-Day or Episcopacy or a good part of the Scriptures of the New Testament And if they stand all upon the same Foundation why should they not stand or fall together There is also an Assertion of St. Augustin 's which deserves to be here considered in this Case That * Quod universa tenet Ecclesia nec in Consiliis institutum sed semper retentum est non nisi Authoritate Apostolica traditum rectissimè creditur cont Donat l. 4 c. 24. what the Vniversal Church doth hold and was not instituted in Councils but always retained is most rightly believed to have been delivered by no other than Apostolical Authority For as this is a Practice which none did ever pretend was instituted by any Council so amongst all who have written concerning the Original or first Invention or Introduction of things none has ever assigned any Original of it in the Catholick Church later than the Apostles or in any part of the Catholick Church later than of the rest of Christianity it self So that could we trace it no further back than the time of Constantine it would be unreasonable to believe that the whole Christian Church so largely spread over the Face of the Earth and planted by so many several Persons at first and in Places so divided and remote one from another should so unanimously agree in such a Practice did it not proceed from some Common Cause which could be no other than the Mutual Agreement of all the Apostles in it