shall execute the holy ministry shall put upon him the vesture appointed for that ministration that is to say a white Alb plain with a vestment or cope And where there be many Priests or Deacons there so many shall be ready to help the Priest in his ministration as shall be requisite and shall have upo them likewise the vestures appointed for their ministry that is to say Albes with tunicles Then shall the Clerks sing in English for the office or Introite as they call it a Psalm appointed for that day Common Prayer The Table having at the Communion time Scot. Lit. a Carpet and a faire white linnen cloth upon it Scot. Lit. with other decent furniture meet for the high mysteries there to be celebrated shall stand at the uppermost part of the Chancel or Church where the Presbyter standing at the North side or end thereof shall say shall D stand in the body of the Church or in the Chancel where morning Prayer and Evening Prayer be appointed to be said Common Prayer 1 B. of Edw. 6. And the Priest standing at the north side of the Table shall say the E Lords Prayer with this Collect following Scot. Lit. for due preparation The Priest standing humbly before the middle of the Altar shall say the Lords Prayer with this Collect. ALmighty God unto whom all hearts be open all desires known and from whom no secrets are hid clense the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of thy holy spirit that we may perfectly love thee and worthily magnifie thy holy name through Christ our Lord Amen Common Prayer  1 B. of Edw. 6. F Then shall the Priest Scot. Lit. Turning to the people rehearse distinctly all the ten Commandments and the People Scot. Lit. all the while kneeling Scot. Lit. and asking God mercy for the transgression of every duty therein either according to the letter or mysticall importance of the said Commandment shall after every Commandment ask Gods mercy for their trrnsgression of the same after this sort  Then shall he say a Psalm appointed for the introite which Psalm ended the Priest shall say or else the Clerks shall sing iii Lord have mercy upon us iii Christ have mercy upon us iii Lord haeve mercy upon us Then the Priest standing at Gods board shall begin Glory be to God on high Minister  The Clerk The Commandments and their responds wanting in 1 B. of Ed. 6. God spake these words and said I am the Lord thy God Thou shalt have no other Gods but me And in earth Peace good will towards men we praise thee we blesse thee c. As in the hymn before the blessing in the Common-Prayer   Then the priest shall turn himself to the People and say   The Lord be with you The Answer People  And with thy spirit Lord have mercy upon us and incline our hearts to keep this law  The Priest   Let us pray Minister Thou shalt not make to thy self any graven image nor the likenesse of any thing that is in heaven above or in the earth beneath or in the water under the earth thou shalt not bow down to them nor worship them for I the Lord thy God am a jelous God and visit the sin of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me and shew mercy unto thousands in them that love me and keep my commandments People Lord have mercy upon us and incline our hearts to keep this law Minister Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain For the Lord will not hold him guiltlesse that taketh his name in vain People Lord have mercy upon us and incline our hearts c. Minister Remember that thou keep holy the Sabbath day Six dayes shalt thou labour and do all that thou hast to do but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God In it thou shalt do no manner of work thou and thy son and thy daughter thy manservant and thy maid servant thy cattel and the stranger that is within thy gates For in six dayes the Lord made heaven and earth the sea and all that in them is and rested the seventh day wherefore the Lord blessed the seventh day and hallowed it People Lord have mercy upon us and incline our hearts c. Minister Honour thy father and thy mother that thy dayes may be long in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee People Lord have mercy upon us and encline our hearts c. Minister Thou shalt do no murther People Lord have mercy upon us and incline our hearts c. Minister Thou shalt not commit adultery People Lord have mercy upon us and incline our hearts c. Minister Thou shalt not steal People Lord have mercy upon us and encline our hearts c Minister Thou shalt not â—ear false witnesse against thy neighbour People Lord have mercy upon us and incline our hearts c. Minister Thou shalt not covet thy neighbours house thou shalt not covet thy neighbours wife nor his servant nor his maide nor his Ox nor his Asse nor any thing that is his People Lord have mercy upon us and write all these thy laws in our hearts we beseecâ— thee Then shall follow the Collect of the day with one of these two Collects following for the King the Minister standing up and saying Let us Pray ALmighty God whose kingdom is everlasting and power infinite have mercy upon the whole congregation and so rule the heart of thy chosen servant our King and governour that he knowing whose minister he is may above all things seek thy honour and glory and that we his subjects duely 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 Jesus Christ our Lord who with thee and the holy Ghost liveth and raigneth ever one God world without end Amen ALmighty and everlasting God we be taught by thy holy word that the hearts of kings are in thy rule and governance and that thou doest dispose and turn them as it seemeth best to thy godly wisdom we humbly beseech thee so to dispose and govern the heart of 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 godlinesse Grant this O merciful father for thy dear sons sake Jesus Christ our Lord Amen Common Prayer 1 B. of Edw. 6.  Immediately after the Collects the minister shall read the G Epistle saying thus The Epistle written in the Chapter of Scot. Lit. at the verse And when he hath done he shall say here endeth the Epistle And the Epistle ended Scot. Lit. the Gospel shall be read he shall say the Gospel beginning thus The Gospel written in the Chapter
interim order made to stay the stomacks of earnest longers for the present that very Proclamation which enjoynd it promising somewhat of an higher import which was effected accordingly in the first Liturgy of that King being compiled by the most judicious Bishops and others of that time ratified by Act of Parliament and set forth March 17. 1549. But this Liturgy being as some conceived not throughly racked from the lees of superstition The King and ment desirous to give all reasonable satisfaction to male-contents gave order probably to the same persons or so many of them as were then living that the Book should be faithfully and godly perused explained and made fully perfect and being so reviewed and explained they confirmed it again Anno 5. 6. of Edward 6. as in the statute appeareth Thus have I drawn the line of our Reformation so far as concerneth Publick worship in a known tongue that the Reader may observe all its motions stages and processions from its first rise unto the second Book of Edward 6. wherein our Church some few particulars excepted doth acquiesce Either privatly or openly The act preceding telling us so expresly that open Prayer is such as is made in a Cathedral Church Chappel or Oratory in a consecrated Place we need no Oedipus to unriddle the import of Private or to doubt that it signifieth any thing other then such as is performed at home But why is the Minister bound to say it daily either in publick or at home Some think our Church had under consideration how ignorant and illiterate many Vicars were and ordered thus that they might con in private the better to enable them for the Publick But I am of another perswasion for first the Church I conceive would not as she doth enjoyn them to officiat in publick did she not suppose them already in some tollerable degree fitted for the service Again the words are general not definitively such and such of those mean abilities but all Ministers without exception Now though very many were yet it is no charitable judgement to beleeve them all Dunces And it is apparent that where such ignorance fell under the consideration of authority the phrase doth vary with a particular application to them alone who were guilty of it so it is in the Queens injunctions such such onely not all as are but mean readers shall peruse over before once or twice the Chapters and Homilies to the intent they may read to the better understanding of the people and the more encouragement to Godlinesse So that I rather think the Churches policy was the better to inure and habituate the Clergy to Religious duties But be this so or not so sure of this we are that the Church doth hereby warrant the use of her Liturgy sometimes in places not consecrated This daily service especially which in its original designation was not onely indulged to privat places but private persons in those places I mean for Masters of families and others in the private exercises of Religion This is evident by the ancient Primers which containing the daily service were set forth to be frequented and used as well of the elder People as also of the youth for their common and ordinary prayers as is in the injunction of Henry the 8. prefixt to that of his in the year 1546. Of such ceremonies as have had their beginning by the institution of man Amongst the many exceptions to which this very venerable peece of piety Antiquity hath been exposed the first in order gives a countercheck to Ceremonies of humane institution for told we are that the Common Protestant tenent was alwayes that it is reprovable to add unto Christs intention new-found rites and fantasies of men which being so positively delivered by such a man of abilities as Dr. Amesius were enough to stagger any one whose curiosity leads him not to further search but when the streame of those tenents and practise elicited from them shall appear upon strict examination to be carried with a tide clean contrary certainly nothing but shame can justly attend so bold so confident and withal so groundlesse and false an Assertion Nothing assuredly can be more demonstrative of the Protestant tenents then the confession of their several Churches That of Helvetia first Churches have alwayes used their liberty in rites as being things indifferent which we also do at this day That of Bohemia Humane traditions and ceremonies brought in by a good custom are with an uniform consent to be reteined in the Ecclesiastical assemblies of Christian people at the common Service of God The Gallican Every place may have their peculiar constitutions as it shall seem convenient for them The Belgick we receive those Laws as are fit either to cherish or maintain concord or to keep us in the obedience of God That of Ausburg Ecclesiastical rites which are ordeined by mans authority and tend to qâ—ietnesse and good order in the Church are to be observed That of Saxony For order-sake there must be some decent and seemly ceremonies That of Sweveland Such traditions of men as agree with the Scriptures and were ordeined for good manners and the profit of men are worthily to be accounted rather of God then of man These were the tenents they publickly owned nor did they act different from what they thought ordeining Churches Pulpits prayers before and after Sermon administring the Sacraments in Churches delivering the Communion in the forenoons to women Baptising infants and several other things not one wherof were directly commanded by either Christ of his Apostles Let all things be done among you saith St. Paul in a seemly aâ—d due order The Apostles having their full stock of imployment and a great task set them viz. the planting of the Gospel and conversion of souls had little leasure to intend the ordaining of Holy-dayes or external rites the accidents of publick worship besides prescient and foreknowing they were that several emergences of occasions differences of Climates various dispositions of Ages would not well admit one general uniform order Neverthelesse that the Church might have somewhat of direction in such concernments some rules of universal observation and of expresse relation to Church-meetings and Assemblies the Apostle St. Paul prescribed all within the provision of one Chapter that of 1 Cor. 14 whereof these here mentioned are the close 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let all things be done decently and according to appointment First 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is observing the due and proper scheam and figure that the action requireth as kneeling at prayer and confession of sins standing when we glorifie God or professe our Christian faith c. Secondly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i e according to the orders and injunctions of the Superiours or Governours of the Church for they erre which think the appointment of this order appertaineth to private men herein the Doctrine of our Church in this paragraph is
between Easter and Whitsunday was called by the name of Pentecost and was kept as one intire Festival which moved Tertullian to oppose against the Pagans Excerpe singulas nationum solemnitates in ordinem texe non Pentecosten implere non possunt Gather all the Festivals of the Gentiles and put them together into one sum the Festival of Pentecost will outvy them all As Tertullian delivered this for the Western so for the Greek Church the second Councel of Antioch Anno 341. speaking of the Synods to be yearly assembled decreeth that the first convene 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after the third Week following Easter in the fourth Week of Pentecost And so the Canons denominated from the Apostles limitteth the first Synod 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the fourth Week of Pentecost And so was the practice of those times for St. Cyprians Ides of May where in the Councel he treateth of Epist. 55. was held might probably fall upon that very week To apply what hath now been said to my present purpose it may very rationally be supposed that those seven Weeks being comprehended under the single denomination of one Festival what other days of sacred account did chance to happen within that time were the less distinguished or considered otherwise then as parcels of the great solemnity Whitsunday This day is called Pentecost being the fiftieth day from Easter A day observed by the very Apostles themselves Acts 2. 1. And all the reason in the world it should be celebrated as one of the highest Festivals it was the day whereon the Law was given on mount Sinai called therefore the Feast of the Law and the day whereon the Gospel was given in Sion by the descent of the holy Ghost and therefore venerable upon either account but most venerable upon the last This day was in the Jewish practice one of their great Panegyries or Generals as I may call them to which there was an universal confluence from all nations and in the like maner was it observed by the Christian Church as a great Rendezvouz for persons resorting to be Baptized This day is called Whitsunday by reason say some of the White Garments then put on by them who were at this time Baptized the probability whereof as I cannot absolutely deny so it may be free for me to offer mine own conjecture differing from it and then I would rather derive it from the French word huict which signifieth eight and then Whitsunday will be huict Sunday the eighth Sunday accounting from Easter which all men will yield to be the first and that this conceit may pass the better let me further it not onely with an Argument drawn from the consonancy of the words huict and whit which sound exactly like but also from another word of the same denomination used in our Law I mean ut as which is no more but the huictas in Latine the Octavo of the anteceding Feast This Week was not intirely a Festival like that of Easter the Wednesday Thursday and Friday being observed as Fasts and days of Humiliation and Supplication for a blessing upon the work of Ordination which was usually on the next Sabbath imitating therein the Apostolic◠practice mentioned Acts 13. 3. And when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them This custom of Fasting this Week is as ancient as Athanasius In hebdomade post sacram Pentecosten populus completis jejuniis ad orandum abiit i. e. In the Week following sacred Whitsunday the People having ended thir Fasts went to Prayer Having thus done my respects to the Festivals Dominical especially of highest remark they which follow not affording any thing of extraordinary note I pass to the holy days of an inferior order whereof very few will fall under consideration in regard antiquity hath transmitted to us so little specifically relating to them St. Andrews day This Apostle leads the van in the Rubrick of our Saints some conceive because he first came to Christ and followed him before any of the other Apostles John 1. 3◠Reason good he should have that honor were this infallibly certain whereof the Scripture gives slender assurance for the words of the Evangelist are the two Disciples heard him speak and they followed Jesus so that there were two Disciples one of them indeed was Andrew but he being mentioned joyntly with the other who most probably was St. John himself Priority and Posteriority cannot be admitted Andrew true it is first revealed the Messias to his Brother Simon yet this no argument that he came the first of Apostles unto Christ And where it is said that these two Disciples followed Christ yet is it not thence inferrible that they followed Christ as Disciples but out of curiosity for clear it is they continued still in their vocations until they had their call Matth. 4. 18. as is evidently demonstrated by the learned Annotator on that Place and by Mr. Casaubon before him The Conversion of Paul This posthume Apostle though he came late into Christs Livery yet gives us this account of his service that he toiled sweat and labored more in Christs vineyard then all the rest 1 Cor. 15. 10. and therefore hath gained the reputation to be understood when we think fit to say no more then the Apostle and if such an eminent Saint should not be assigned a room amongst his fellow Apostles in the Memorials of the Church it may to any seem a wonder yet in part so hath it come to pass for though he hath in the service of our Church as much respect as the best of them yet both in the Kalendar and Catalogue he seems with his companion Barnabas to be omitted The truth is I do not observe so high a value set upon him by the Romish Church as his labor hath merited for in the Roman Order where the Letany gives the names of all the other Apostles and Canonized Saints onely St Paul and Barnabas are missing in that nomenclature in their ancient Kalendars indeed and in that prefixt to King Henry the eighths Primer though his conversion be not dignified with a Rubrick Note yet is he yoked with St. Peter on the twenty ninth of June that day bearing the Dedication of St. Peter and St. Paul upon which consideration perhaps our Reformers forbare the allotting him any other day peculiar to himself The Purification of St. Mary the Virgin This Feast is called by the Greeks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth a Meeting because Simeon and Anna the Prophetessmet at the presentation of our Saviour in the Temple Nicephorus ascribeth the Institution thereof to Justinian the Emperor about the year 550. whether Justinian first instituted it or whether he established its Oecumenical Celebration which perhaps before was but Provincial that Author is not express enough with us in the vulgar Language it is called Candlemass Day because saith a Learned Bishop the Lights formerly used all
Infants as they are represented by their Godfathers hath to many seemed overlight for a Sacrament of so high importance and I confesse at the first glance and perfunctory view it exhibits much in favour of that mis-apprehension But go nearer and behold it with a stricter scrutiny the Practice will appear not onely defenceable enough but decently accommodated to the sacred Office of Paedo-Baptism This Sacrament all men know and grant is the initiation the first admission into the Gospel-Covenant a Covenant must be Bipartite there must be at least two parties to it Christ here for his part promiseth to persons baptised remission of sins Acts 2. 8. as also in that great Charter of Ask and ye shall have and all other things advancing their eternal salvation And that this prove not nudum pactum a naked contract without quid pro quo reason good he should covenant with persons to be baptised That they forsake the devil and all his works and constantly believe Gods holy word and obediently keep his commandements Now because tender Babes are in no capacity to stipulate for themselves therefore the Church who is the common Mother to all such as professe Christianity assigneth to those Infants and to all persons naturally so impedited Sponsores i. e. Godfathers or Guardians to undertake and assume for them what they ought to do for themselves were it consistent with their rather dayes then years For the presentment of children at the Font is most properly the Act of the Church and but ministerially the Act of the Sponsores Accommodat illis mater Ecclesia aliorum pedes ut veniant aliorum cor ut credant aliorum linguam ut fateantur saith S. Augustine i. e. The Church furnisheth them with others feet to come with the heart of others to believe and with the tongues of others to confesse their faith And it is an Act of her charity indulged unto the Infants of all such as have consigned up their names to Christianity without regard to the either perhaps blame worthy conversation or misbelief in points of Religion of the Parents much lesse to spurious generation Nor this a practice rare and unheard of but hath its parallel amongst almost all Nations in civil transactions they indulging the like favour not onely to Infants but also to all that labour of the like incapacity Valerius Flaccus aedilis creatus quia Flamen Dialis erat jurare in leges non poterat magistratum plus quinque dies nisi qui jurasset in leges non licebat gerere ideo petiit ut legibus solveretur quare datus alter viz. Frater ejus qui pro eo juraret plebesque scivit ut perinde esset ac si ipse aedilis jurasset i. e. Valerius being before Flamen Dialis or Jupiters high priest soon after was created Aedile or overseer of Dilapidations As he was high prâ—eâ—t he ought not to swear the Law of the Romans supposing such a sacred person would voluntarily do what an oath would compel much like the value our Nation hath for her nobility upon that very account not demanding corporal oath from such persons of honour and no man could hold any Office of Magistracy above five dayes unlessâ— he first took oath to observe the Laws whereupon he moved the Law might be dispenced with wherefore another was assigned for his Proxy and his Brother sworn in his stead the people decreeing that it should be as firm in Law as if the Aedile himself had taken the oath So the Civil Law confirmeth all stipulations of the Guardians or Tutors of Pupils which are made for the benefit of the Minor and so doth the Common Law of this land Authorit as custodum sit ut contrahant in judicio stent reliquaque faciant pro pupillo suo quaererum statusque sui vel conservationem vel incrementum spectant i. e. Guardians have full authority to contract to bring an action and to act any thing in their Pupils behalf which may tend to the preservation of his estate or advantage of his affairs Yea Custos in animam minoris jurare potest i. e. the Guardian may swear for his Minor saith the same Author And I my self am not ignorant that in Court Rolls Entries are to be found of severall persons who have been sworn for Minors and Infants who in respect of tenure were obliged in course to bear offices relating to their Lord Paramount Dost thou forsake the devil c. This form of Abrenuntiation is no â—ovice Teatullian mentions it expresly sub Antistitis manu coutestamur nos renunciare Diabolo pompiae Angelis ejus Whilst the hand of the priest is upon us we declare that we renounce the devil his pomp and his angels S. Cyprian Saeculo renuncia veramus cum Baptisati sumus We gave defiance to the world when we were first baptised The direction in the Constitutions is very considerable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let him who is to be baptized renounce in this firm I renounce the devil and all his works and his pomps and his services and his angels and all his devices And after this renunciation let him proceed thus I list and enroll my self in the service of Christ. The Ancient mode in this Renunciation presents us with these remarkables First it was distinguished into sometimes two sometimes three questions as it was in the 1. Liturgy of Edw. 6. and as many replications Quando te interrogavit Sacerdos Abrenuncias diabolo operibus ejus quid respondisti Abrenuncio Abrenuncias saeculo voluptatibus ejus Quid Respondisti Abrenuncio Whilst the priest demanded of thee dost thou renounce the devil and all his works what didst thou answer I renounce them all Dost thou renounce the world and all the pleasures thereof what didst thou answer I renounce them all This for double Renunciation As for triple the Author of the Ecclesiasticall Hierarchy and S. Gregory the great witnesseth it Secondly it is observable that the party renouncing did use first to turn himself to the west Primum renunciamus ei qui in occidente est and so renounce and then versus Orientem pacium in imus cum Sole justitiae Turning about to the East there we make a Covenant with the Sun of righteousnesse Now this Abrenunciation denoting a motion from the service of the world the flesh and the devil to the worship of Jesus Christ it is also very remarkable that Satan observes the same rule in the admission of his Neophytes For which I note as a singular evidence for the verity of Christian Religion the first operation in the first method of his stipulation is that all his converts renounce their Baptisme that is recant their Baptismal renunciation and this he observes precisely towards all such as he subverts as well in the profession of the Church of Rome as England Naming the child The imposition of the name
and adversity into the which holy estate these two persons present come now to be joyned Therefore if any man can shew any just cause why they may not lawfully be joyned together let him now speak or else hereafter for ever hold his peace And also speaking to the persons that shall be maried he shall say I Require and charge you as you will answer at the dreadful day of judgement when the secrets of all hearts shall be disclosed that if either of you do know any impediment why ye may not be lawfully joyned together in Matrimony that ye confesse it For be ye well assured that so many as be coupled together otherwise then Gods word doth allow are not joyned together by God neither is their Matrimony lawful At which day of mariage if any man do alledge and declare any impediment why they may not be coupled together in Matrimony by Gods law or the laws of this Realm and will be bound and sufficient suerties with him to the parties or else put in a caution to the full vallue of such charges as the persons to be maried doth sustain to proove his allegation then the solemnization must be deferred unto such time as the truth be tried If no impediment be alleadged then shall the Curate say unto the man N D Wilt thou have this Woman to thy wedded wife to live together after Gods ordinance in the holy estate of Matrimony Wilt thou love her comfort her honour and keep her in sicknesse and in health And forsaking all other keep thee onely to her so long as you both shall live The man shall answer I will Then shall the Minister say to the woman N Wilt thou have this man to thy wedded husband to live together after Gods ordinance in the holy estate of Matrimony wilt thou obey him and serve him love honour and keep him in sicknesse and in health and forsaking all other keep thee onely unto him so long as you both shall live The woman shall answer I will Then shall the Minister say E Who giveth this woman to be maried unto this man And F the Minister receiving the woman at her father or friends hands shall cause the man to take the woman G by the right hand and so either to give their troth to other The man first saying I N. take thee N. to my wedded wife to have and to hold from this day forward for better for worse for richer for poorer in sicknesse and in health to love and to cherish till death us depart according to Gods holy ordinance and therefore I pledge thee my troth Then shall they loose their hands and the woman taking again the man by the right hand shall say I N. take thee N. to my wedded husband to have and to hold from this day forward for better for worse for richer for poorer in sicknesse and in health to love cherish and to obey till death us depart according to Gods holy ordinance And thereto I give thee my troth Common Prayer 1 B. of Edw. 6. Then shall they again loose their hands and H the man shall give unto the woman a Ring I laying the same upon the book with the accustomed duty to the Minister and Clerk And the Minister taking the Ring shall deliver it unto the man to K put it upon the fourth finger of the womans left hand And the man taught by the Minister shall say Then shall they again loose their hands and the man shall give unto the woman a Ring and other tokens of spousage as gold or silver laying the same upon the Book and the Priest taking the Ring c. With this ring I thee wed L with my body I thee worship and with all my worldly goods I thee endow In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy Ghost Amen Then the man leaving the ring upon the fourth finger of the womans left hand the Minister shall say Let us pray O Eternal God creator and preserver of all mankinde giver of all spiritual grace the author of everlasting life send thy blessing upon these thy servants this man and this woman whom we blesse in thy name that as Isaac and Rebecca 1 B. of Edw. 6. after braslets and Jewels of gold given of the one to the other for tokens of their Matrimony lived faithfully together so these persons may surely perform and keep the vow and covenant betwixt them made whereof this ring given and received is a token and pledge and may ever remain in perfect love and peace together and live according unto thy laws through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen Then shall the Minister joyn their right hands together and say Those whom God hath joyned together let no man put asunder Then shall the Minister speak unto the people FOrasmuch as N. and N. have consented together in holy wedlock and have witnessed the same before God and this company and thereto have given and pledged their troth either to other and have declared the same by giving and receiving 1 B of Edw. 6. Gold silver of a ring and by joyning of hands I pronounce that they be man and wife together in the name of the father of the son and of the holy Ghost Amen M and the Minister shall adde this blessing GOD the father 1 B. of Edw. 6. + God the son God the holy Ghost blesse preserve and keep you the Lord mercifully with his favour look upon you and so fill you with all spiritual benediction and grace that you may so live together in this life that in the world to come you may have life everlasting Amen Then 1 B. of Edw. 6. shall they go into the Quire and the Ministers or Clerks shall say c. the Ministers or Clerks going to the Lords table shall say or sing this psalm following BLessed are all they that fear the Lord and walk in his wayes For thou shalt eat the labour of thy hands O well is thee and happy shalt thou be Thy wife shall be as the fruitful vine upon the walls of thine house Thy children like the Olive branches round about thy table Lo thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the Lord. The Lord from out of Slou shall blesse thee that thou shalt see Hierusalem in prosperity all thy life long Yea that thou shalt see thy childrens children and peace upon Israel Glory be to the Father and to the Son c As it was in the beginning is now c. Or else this Psalm following Deus misereatur GOD be merciful unto us and blesse us and shew us the light of his countenance and be mercifully unto us That thy way may be known upon the earth thy saving health among all nations Let the people praise thee O God yea let all the people praise thee O let the nations rejoyce and be glad for thou shalt judge the folk righteously and govern the nations upon the earth Let the people praise thee
proceeded not Though this answer may seem to some very retrograde and far fetch'd yet may it pass for default of a better Secondly it is enquired why a Ring rather than any other thing is given in marriage The general account which Ritualists render us is to signifie the continuity of affection and that true Love hath no termination but Clemens Alexandrinus assigneth another reason far more probable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To seal up within aoors such things as being more precious required strict 〈◊〉 the woman having the chief charge of household affaires Whereby it not only appeareth that anciently these Rings were as well as others formed with impressions but that they served instead of keyes which probably might be the reason why Solon enacted by Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That an engraver should not keep by him the impression of any Seal-Ring he sold because I conceive else he might cut another by it to the prejudice of the first buyer Laeying the same upon the book The judgment of Learned Buâ—or is much in favoâ—r of this Order Admodum commodus hic Ritus esse videtur quod Annulus caetera dona quibus spousus sponsam ornare vult prius in librum Sacroâ—um deponuntur a Ministro sponso rursus traduntur tribuenda ab eo sponsae significans oportere nos nostra omnia priusquam illis utamur offerre Deo cujus sunt consecrare illa tanquam ex ipsius manu accipere ad illius gloriam usurpanda This is a very becoming rite that the Ring â—nd other gifts for his censure was upon the first Liturgy wherewith the Husband intends to adorn his Bride are first laid upon the Book then delivered back by the Minister to the Manâ— to be bestowed upon the Woman intimating that it is our duty to offer up all is ours to God as to the true proprietary before we use them our selves and to receive them as from his hand to be imployed towards his glory Shall put it upon the fourth finger of the womans left hand Why Election is made of this hand the left and of this finger of that hand the fourth rather than any other the Rubrique of the Sponsal Order in the Romish Church and Ritualists from thence assigneth this reason Quia in illo digito est quaedam vena procedens usque ad cor Because from that finger there is a vein which leadeth to the heart But seeing that Church hath not yet pretended to an infallibility in Anatomy as well as in Faith we may be the holder to question the truth of this assertion and the rather because the Learned and most ingenious Inquirer into vulgar errors hath evidently demonstrated the vanity of this fiction and that in truth no one finger hath any vein differing in either number or origination from another And that Macrobius his opinion is most probable viz. that it was disposed there upon principle of frugality the better to preserve it from attrition or wearing to which I may add to secure it also from slipping off being guarded on every side with others With my Body I thee worship A great question it is what may be the true import of these words and what expedient will be found to free them from the terrible Idolatry imputed to them by people who worship nothing more than the Idols of their own Imaginations The best way to interpret them in my slender judgment is to consider that the Languages and Phrases of Elder times differed from this of ours so vastly as innumerable words have quite lost their native and primary significations and require new Dictionaries or new intellectuals to understand them In certain Prayers at the end of King Henry the eighth his Primer from whence those at the end of our Psalter are extracted amongst other very odd oppressions take this for one My five wits i. e. senses have I fouly mis-spent How innocent was in those dayes the word Knave which later times have animated with a mind so various from the former as to apply it now to such as the early Translation of the Bible hath done would look like an odious blasphemy Thousands of instances might be produced as the Ballad of Ballads for the Canticles they have thrils and stink not c. would the â—emolument pay the fraight The inference from all this is that seeing words are not now in the mind they were this of worship must not be bound to abide what sense our curious and subtile ones shall award it if therefore as we use it now it denoteth an address of special-honour either divine or civil to that wherein we acknowledg an excellency above us it doth not therefore follow that the first contrivers of this form so meant it I rather think they aimed at nothing either more or less but that of the Apostles The Husband had not power over his own head but the Wife which is as much as to say that he resigheth up all the power and jurisdiction he hath over his own body to his wife so as it shall be intirely at her devotion and this I conceive is evident by the syntax and frame of this grant or deed of gift whose design being to impart and communicate to the wife those great proprieties of his Person and Estate all that social League can decently desire the investure is made in such formal words as may best specifie and denote what he intends to pass to this end when he saith with his body he doth her worship that is bow to her he thereby signifieth the submitting and yielding of it up to her alone dispose and when he saith he doth endow her with all his worldly goods he thereby enstateth her in an usu-fructuary right in his worldly fortune that is such a right as the Main indemnified provideth her of alimony and all accomodations suitable to her degree As for the words This Gold and Silver I thee give in all likelyhood they were left out because some men had none to give Which omission notwithstanding the ancient custome is allmost generally observed in the Northern parts of this Kingdom to this day And the Minister shall add this blessing This blessing should regularly be pronounced the rite of Imposition of hands applied so was the ancient mode Clemens lexandrinus reproving such Women as ware false-hair demands 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Upon whom shall the Presâ—yter in that case â—ay his hands Whom shall he 〈◊〉 not the woman in the Peruque but anothers head of hair Must receive the Communion And reason good if the solemnity be as it ought to be a Lâ—ve-feast such was the primitive custom appeareth by Tertullian Unde sufficiam ad enarrandam foelicitatem ejus matrimonii quod conciliat Ecclesia confirmat oblatio How shall I be able to declare the happiness of that marriage whose kâ—ot the Church doth tye and the blessed Eucharist doth confirm Whence the Order of Marriage Benediction
to lead a new life and heartily to follow the Commandements of God and to walk from henceforth in his holy wayes draw near and take this holy Sacrament to your comfort make your humble Confession to Almighty God and to his holy Church here gathered together in his name meekly kneeling upon your knees Then shall a general Confession be made in the name of all those that are minded to receive the holy Communion either by one of them or else by one of the Ministers or by the Priest himself all kneeling humbly upon their knees Almighty God father of our Lord Jesus Christ Maker of all things Judge of all men we acknowledg and bewail our manifold sinnes and wickedness which we from time to time most grievously have committed by thought word and deed against thy divine Majestie provoking most justly thy wrath and indignation against us we do earnestly repent and be heartily sorry for these our misdoings The remembrance of them is grievous unto us the burthen of them is intollerable have mercy upon us have mercy upon us most mercifull Father for thy son our Lord Jesus Christs sake Forgive us all that is past and grant that we may ever hereafter serve and please thee in newness of life to the honour and glory of thy name through Jesus Christ our Lord. Then shall the Priest stand up turning him to the people say thus Our blessed Lord who hath left power to his Church to absolve penitent sinners from their sinnes and to restore to the grace of the heavenly Father such as truely believe in Christ have mercy upon you pardon and deliver you from all sinnes confirme and strengthen you in all goodness and bring you to everlasting life Then shall the Priest stand up and turning him to the people say thus Hear what comfortable words our Saviour Christ saith to all that truly turn to him Come unto me all that travail and be heavy laden and I shall refresh you So God loved the world that he gave his onely begotten Son to the end that all that believe in him should not perish but have life everlasting Hear what S. Paul saith This is a true saying and worthy of all men to be embraced and received that Jesus Christ came into this world to save sinners Hear also what S. John saith If any man sin wee have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous he it is that obtained grace for our sinnes Then shall the Priest kneel down and say in the name of all them that shall receive this Communion this Prayer following WE do not presume to come to this Table O mercifull Lord trusting in our own righteousness but in thy manifold and great mercies we be not worthy so much as to gather up the crumbs under thy Table But thou art the same Lord whose property is alwayes to have mercy Grant us therefore Gracious Lord so to eat the flesh of thy dear Son Jesus Christ and to drink his blood in these holy Mysteries that we may continually dwell in him and he in us that our sinfull bodies may be made clean by his body and our soules washed though his most precious blood Amen Then shall the Priest rise the people still reverently kneeling and the Priest shall deliver the Communion first to the Ministers if any be there present that they may be ready to help the Priest and after to the other and when he doth deliver the Sacrament of the body of Christ he shall say to every one these words following The body of our Lord Jesus Christ which was given for thee preserve thy body unto everlasting life And the Priest delivering the Sacrament of the bloud and giving every one to drink once and no more shall say The bloud of our Lord Jesus Christ which was shed for thee preserve thy soul unto everlasting life If there be a Deacon or other Priest then shall he follow with the Challice and as the Priest ministreth the bread so shall he for the more expedition minister the wine in form before written Then shall the Priest turning him to the people let the people depart with this Blessing The Peace of God which passeth all understanding keep your hearts and mindes in the knowledge and love of God and of his son Jesus Christ our Lord. To the which the people shall answer Amen Note that the Bread that shall be Consecrated shall be such as heretofore have been accustomed And every of the said consecrated Breads shall be broken in two peices at the least or more by the discretion of the Minister and so distributed And men must not think less to be received in part then in the whole but in each of them the whole body of our Saviour Jesu Christ Note that If it doth so chance that the wine hallowed and consecrate doth not suffice or be enough for them that do take the Communion the Priest after the first cup or Chalice be emptied may go again to the Altar and reverently and devoutly prepare and consecrate another and so the third or more likewise beginning at these words Simili modo postquam coenatum est and ending in these words Qui pro vobis pro multis effundetur in remissionem peccatorum and without any levation or lifting up Imprinted at London the 8th day of March 2º EDW. 6 ti by R. Grafton Anno 1548. Addenda PAge 22. after line 12 begin another Division Thus. Chancellors Commissaries c. As much is it for the both honour and Interest of Christianity That the Professors of that Religion live as well as believe answerable to her Rule Upon this account in the Infancy of the Church for the first three hundred years the first care taken was That morall scandalls should not be committed at all the next was That when committed they should not be known amongst or taken notice of by the Heathens to the infamy of Christianity To this end all Offences of what nature or degree soever Ecclesiastical or Civil had their audience before the Bishop and his Bench of Elders which consistory according to the merit of the cause did admonish correct censure Nor did it take notice of crimes onely but if any contention or brabble chanced to happen between Party and Party the matter was so ordered as it was amicably composed by Arbitration and in case any were refractory and stubborne they were cast out of the Society of Christians Such was the Clergy Discipline before the Supream Magistrates entertained the Christian Faith And although after Constantine Lay-Courts took off Civil Lawes from the Church nisi alteruter Litigatorum aliter postularet unless one of the litigant parties should request to have the cause tried in the Bishops Consistory Yet did the Bishop notwithstanding keep up his Court for the cognizance of crimes Ecclesiastical by which I intend not onely such as are committed by persons Ecclesiastical contrary to Canons but also such others as were of