people still crying with a loud voice that God would deliver them from such and such evils And then they were called Litanies and Rogations Hence it is that Mamertus and others are said to have framed Litanies because they enlarged them and used them in manner aforesaid And hence it is that S. Basil told the Clergy of Neocaesaria that there were no Litanies in Gregory's days because that name and that use of them was not then known But yet it is as true that such Forms of supplication and earnest Prayer were very anciently in use and before the times either of Basil or Gregory and S. Chrysostome in his Homily upon Rom. 8. deriveth the Original of them from the Apostles times And truely the general use of them doth argue that this way of praying cannot well be derived from any other Fountain for it was an Vniversal as well as Ancient way Look into that old Liturgy used by the Christians in India and you shall find large Litanies that is Prayers Litany-wise call them what you will Look into the Aethiopian Liturgy called the Vniversal Canon and you shall find Litanies Look into the Mosarabe or Spanish Course and you shall find Litanies Look into the Ambrosian office and you shall find Litanies Look into the Jerusalem Liturgy and you shall find Litanies Look into S. Chrysostomes and S. Basils Liturgies and those other offices collected by Goar and you shall still find Litanies And look into that most Ancient Service-book Eucholog called the Constitutions of the Apostles and you shall find Litanies frequently used at ordinations and in their daily Service and Prayers for the Catechumeni for penitents for persons vexed with evil Spirits for such as were Baptized and afterwards at the Lords Table too for the whole Catholick Church and its Members before the Holy Communion Can any thing speak louder for the Ancient and Vniversal use of Litanies And whence should this come but from Apostolical practice For the Primitive Christians were not easie to be imposed upon or to be perswaded out of their old beaten way Witness for all the Condemnation of Petrus Gnapheus and his V. Can. 81. Concil sixti in Trullo una cum Balsam Blast followers for adding only a little Formula to that received and usual Hymn holy God holy and strong holy and immortal have mercy upon us To this they subjoyned another clause thou that wast Crucified for us have mercy on us and the sixth Council in Trullo condemned the Author of it for a wicked and vile Heretick and Anathematiz'd all that should use that Form for the future for their fear was lest by that Additament it should be intimated that our Saviour was a fourth person distinct from the three persons in the holy Trinity The Fathers of Old were wise and wary and fearful of Innovations in the publick Service And then how the general use of Litanies could be brought into the Church but by such practice as they took to be a safe and authentick Precedent I cannot well understand or imagine 3. The Antiquity of our Litany being thus cleared as to its Form and Contexture next I am to shew its Antiquity as to its matter and substance likewise Now this will easily appear by observing the strain of the Ancient Litanies which though I have already represented in part yet for the further information of the Vulgar sort I shall add that they began and ended as our Litany doth with Lord have mercy They prayed and that many times by the Mercies and Compassions as Lit. S. Basil Lit. S. Chrys we do by the Sufferings Cross Passion c. of our Saviour that God would deliver them from the snares of the Devil from the assaults of enemies from the unclean Spirit of Fornication Can. Vnivers from famine pestilence earthquakes inundations fire sword invasion and civil Wars from all affliction wrath danger and Lit. Basil distress from all sin and wickedness from an untimely end Orat. Lucern and sudden death They prayed that God would keep them Lit. S. Chrys every day in peace and without sin that he would grant them remission of their sins and pardon their transgressions that he Off. Muzar Eucholog Lit. S. Chrys would give them things that were good and beneficial to their souls that they might lead the residue of their lives in peace and repentance that they might persevere in the Faith to the end and that the end of their lives might be Christian and peaceable Lit. S. Jac. without torment and without shame They prayed for the peace Lit. S. Chrys and tranquility of the World and of all Churches for the holy Catholick Church from one end of the earth to the other for Lit. omnes Kings for Bishops Presbyters and Deacons for Virgins Orphans Off. Ambros Missa Christ apud Indos Clem. Consâ— and Widows for such as were in bonds and imprisonment for such as were in want necessity and affliction for married persons and women labouring of child for such as were sick and weak and in their last Agony for banished people and slaves for their enemies and persecuters for persons at Sea and travellers by Land for them that were without and such as erred from the Right way for Infants and young Children and for every Christian soul And to every of these particular supplications the Congregation did answer sometimes Lord Const lib. 8. Lit. S. Chrys have mercy sometimes Grant it us O Lord and sometimes we beseech thee O Lord hear us This was the constant general and most charitable way of praying in the first and purest Ages of Christianity and the way which the Church of England had a careful eye unto at the digestion of our Litany into its Form and Model and whosoever will but compare the most Ancient Litanies with ours will find that this of ours is not only answerable to the best and of the same strain and Spirit with the best but moreover that it contains the very marrow and quintessence of them all And so much touching the Antiquity of our Litany Proceed we now to the Office at the holy Communion which anciently was never Celebrated without premising the Lords Prayer for which reason it is used with us at the beginning of that Service After all the people were dismissed save onely those who intended to Communicate the Primitive Christians presented Offertory their Offerings which by the Minister were reverently laid upon the Lords Table These offerings were so large and liberal that they served to maintain the whole Body of the Clergy and were a good provision for Orphans and Widows for sick persons and such as were in bonds for strangers and for all that were in want This custome of making Offerings before the Sacrament is so Ancient that nothing can be more We find it in all Liturgies Justin M. Apolog. 2. and other Ancient Records as in Origen Tertullian Irenaeus
the whole Congregation and therefore Tertullian calls them very elegantly Petitiones delegatas Petitions that were left to the Minister to offer up in the Name of the rest as the Delegate and Assigne of the whole Congregation so that whereas they did bear a great part in other Prayers these were repeated entirely by him that did officiate Many such Forms we meet with in all the ancient Liturgies and people were wont to get several of them by heart and to use them in their private Devotion And so Tertullian tells us in another place that they all prayed for all Emperours that they might have a long life a safe Empire puissant Tertul. Apol. c. 30. Armies faithful Councils good Subjects and a quiet World I do not doubt but this Ancient Writer had an eye to some Form of Prayer which was then to that purpose and in which all Christians did joyn And such a kind of Collect is still extant in S. Mark 's Liturgy where the Minister exhorts the People to pray for the King and the People having answered Lord have mercy Lord have mercy Lord have mercy the Minister proceedeth thus O Lord of Lords thou God Almighty and Father of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ we pray and beseech thee to keep our King in Peace fortitude and righteousness Subdue O God all his foes and enemies Lay hold of the Shield and Buckler and stand up to help him O God make him victorious that he may apply his mind to those things which tend to our Peace and to the honour of thy holy name that under him we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty through the merits of thine onely begotten Son Amen Such Collects as this the Primitive Christians borrowed of the Church and repeated them by heart even in their retirements And this I take to be the meaning of that passage in Tertullian which hath made such a noise where he saith we pray for our Governours sine Monitore quia de Pectore without a Monitor or Prompter for we pray by heart By a Monitor here very probably he means the Deacon or Minister that was wont in their publick Assemblies to stir them up to pray for the cheif Ruler and to call upon them in those Allocutory Forms before-mentioned And Tertullian tells the Heathens that he and his fellow-Christians did this sine Minitore when no Minister was present to prompt them to it they had certain Prayers to this purpose which they used by heart in private so that they ought not to be looked upon as men that flattered their Prince menâ—iti vota ad evadendam scilicet vim pretending to pray for him that they Apol. c. 31 might not be persecuted but this they did heartily and conscientiously in their private as well as publick Devotions at home of themselves as well as in the face of the World by the directions of their Minister This is an easie and fair construction of the words and by the whole strain and tenour of Tertullians discourse it seems to be out of Question what I am now proving that set Forms of Divine Worship were observed in his days But we have one very Ancient Writer more to appeal to who will give us much more light into this matter matter still 't is Justine Martyr who lived about thirty years after the death of the Apostle St. John and as his Writings are unquestionably Authentick so the Age he liv'd in was so pure that what customes prevailed in Christian Churches then must needs make a great impression upon all indifferent persons now and for that reason I shall consider what he tells us the more particularly and largely In his second Apology for the Christians he gives the Heathens a Apol. â— plain account of the usages which were then generally observed in the Churches of Christ Concerning persons which were to be Baptised commonly called the Catechemum he saith that they were taught to pray and with fastings to beg of God remission of their sins and that believers did pray with them and fast with them at their publick Assemblies Then that as many as did believe and were perswaded of the truth of those things which were preached and delivered unto them and did promise and undertake to lead their lives accordingly were bad to the place where the water stood which by the way was at the West end and entrance of the Church and there were Regenerate being Baptiz'd in the name of God the Father Son and Holy Ghost Afterwards he tells us that the persons thus believing thus professing and thus washed were had again to the Congregation of the faithful and that this Congregation did make Common prayers for themselves and for the Baptized Parties and for all men in all places with much earnestness and zeal Further he saith that the day when these things were performed was the Sunday and that on that day Christians that dwelt in City and Country did meet together that the writings of the Prophets and Apostles were read unto them that when the Reader had done the chief Minister made a Sermon and that being ended then all did unanimously rise up and offered up prayers i. e. the Prayers fore-mentioned for themselves for all estates and conditions of men in the World Then that these prayers being ended they saluted one another with an holy kiss and offered Bread and Wine c. which the President or cheif Minister having received at their hands went to the like prayers again and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gave praise and glory to the Father of the Vniverse for his mercies and offered up thanksgivings in a Copious and Large manner and with all his might meaning with all possible Zeal Ardour and Fervency of Spirit and these prayers and thanksgivings being concluded the people jointly cryed out Amen Then followed the distribution of the Elements which saith he was no longer common Bread or common Drink c. Now I confess in all this History of things Justine Martyr doth not tell us in express words that they used prescript and set Forms of Prayer for that was beside his purpose But yet it shall appear that they did For by the whole procedure of the Relation it is clear that they observed a certain constant method in their Ministrations and if we compare the particulars he gives us in with the particulars we find in other very Ancient Records we shall see that Justine Martyr gives us a summary but a pretty fully account of several prescript Forms which were universally used of Old as will evidently appear by taking a view of the particulars 1. He says the Catechumeni were taught to pray the Cogregagation of Believers praying with them And what can we understand by this teaching to pray but those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Allocutory Forms before-mentioned when the Deacons did put words into their mouths and dictated matter to them calling upon them with a loud
voice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pray ye Catechumeni Such Forms we find in all the old Liturgies generally One I have transcribed already and I shall produce another out of Clements Constitutions because that Book though it hath undergone many alterations yet certainly contains the sense and substance of the Churches service in the first Ages There then the lib. 8. Deacon is directed to say Pray ye Catechumeni And let us all pray to God for them that the good God would hear their prayers That he may grant them the desires of their hearts as may be most expedient for them That he may reveal his Gospel to them and enlighten them and make them wise unto salvation that he may instruct them in the knowledge of his will and teach them his Commandments and Judgements That he may plant in them his holy and saving Fear That he may open their hearts tomeditate on his Law day and night That he may confirm them in godliness and number them among the sheep of his Fold That he may vouchsafe them the Laver of Regeneration and the Robe of Immortality which is life indeed That he may deliver them from all wickedness and from the wicked one that he may not approach to hurt them That he may cleanse them from all filthiness of Flesh and Spirit and may dwell in their hearts That he may bless their goings out and their comings in and direct them in the wayes of peace Furthermore let us earnestly pray on their behalf that having obtained forgiveness of their sins by Baptism they may be partakers of the holy Mysteries and be endued with the perseverance of Saints To all and every of which particulars the people were directed to give their suffrage and consent saying Lord have mercy Now this is that which Justine means by the Praying of Believers for and with the Catechumeni and by the teaching of them to pray viz. the propounding of things to them to pray for and to joyn with the rest in as Constantine Euseb de vit Constant lib. 4. c. 19. the Emperour was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Teacher of supplicatory words when he gave his Souldiers Forms of Prayer to use 2. The next thing we are to note from this Holy Martyrs account is that these Catechumeni did make Profession of their Faith and of their resolutions to live Clem. Const lib 7. c. 42. Et in Tertull Aquam adituri contestamur nos renunciare diabolo pompae Angelis ejus de Cor. Mil. according to their Profession Now this was done in a certain Form too First the party was to say I renounce the Devil together with all the Works Pomps Services Angels and inventions of Satan Then being * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cyril Catech. 2. Clem. Const lib. 7. c. 42. demanded whether he did believe on the name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost he answered I believe and am baptized into one Eternal and True God Almighty the Father of Christ the Creator and Maker of all things and into one Lord Jesus c. repeating the rest of the Articles of the Christian Creed So that all this was according to Form 3. A third thing observable out of this most Primitive Author is that the Baptized persons being brought from the water to the Congregation and Sermon ended all went jointly to prayers for themselves for their new Members and for all men every where Now questionless this account hath a reference to certain prescriptions then because it doth so admirably and exactly agree with that course of Offices which we find in the old Liturgies and particularly in the book of Constitutions where we have after Sermon one particular Form of Prayer for the Baptized 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 another for those who were possessed with evil Spirits another for such as did Penance at the Church doors And then they proceeded to a more general and comprehensive Prayer for the peace of the World for the holy Catholick and Apostolick Church for that particular Diaecess for all Bishops under Heaven for their Bishops N. N. for their Presbyters and Deacons for the Readers Singers Virgins Widows and Orphans for married persons and women labouring of child for all holy chaste and continent persons for their most pious and bountiful Benefactors for their new Baptized brethren for such as were sick and weak for Travellers by Sea and Land for all that were in Mines in Banishment in Imprisonment and Bonds for all that groan'd through slavery for their Enemies and Persecuters for unbelievers and deceived people for christian Infants for one another and for every christian Soul I cannot but admire the exuberant and unlimited Charity of these excellent Christians and by this we may easily see what Justine means by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Common-Prayers viz. Such as were made for all estates and conditions of men and offered up by the whole Congregation For to every of these particulars pronounced by the Deacon the people did subjoyn their usual suffrage 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with a peircing zeal and shrill accents 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Const Ap. lib. 8. of devotion saying Lord have mercy 4. These things being thus dispatcht the holy kiss followed according to Justine and so it did according to S. Cyril and the Author of the Constitutions which several accounts jumping together so fairly we may reasonably conclude that the holy Martyr doth refer to that Form which the Deacon used at this time crying out embrace one another and salute one another with an holy kiss meaning that men should salute men and women women in token of perfect Love amity and friendship 5. After this the Offertory succeeded agreeable also to what we find in other the most Ancient Records Bread and Wine c. being presented by the people to the Deacons and by them to the Bishop or him that did officiate in chief and by him laid upon the Lords Table part of which offerings was sequestred to be the Elements of the Sacrament and the residue was reserved for the use of the Minister and the poor 6. Then the President of the Congregation proceeded to the prayer of Consecration Wherein it is very observable out of Justine Martyr that the Minister gave praise and glory to God that he gave thanks that he fell to the like prayers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prayers like in substance to those which had been offered before and that all this he did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a large manner Now throughout this particular account he doth manifestly point to a certain Form then in use and thence we confidently conclude that Forms of prayers were prescribed in Justine Martyrs days For we meet with this large Form in the book of Constitutions lib. 8. and in other Ancient Liturgies and on this wise it runs by the consent of Antiquity First the Minister mentioneth the infinite perfections and Majesty of God It is very
Justin Martyr Ignatius and other the most Primitive Writers so that without all peradventure this custome is founded upon Apostolical Institution and exactly agreeable to this most Ancient and Christian custome is that Offertory appointed in our English Service-book Next follows the Prayer for the whole state of Christ's Church Militant here in earth which is highly consonant to the practice The Prayer for the Catholick Church of the Vniversal Church in all Ages in respect both of its order and matter For first before the reception of the Sacrament a Prayer of this Nature was ever offered and that saith S. Ambros according to the Rule delivered by S. Paul In some places I Comment on 1 Tim. 2. find that this Prayer was used once before the Consecration of the Elements the Deacon inditing it and the people answering Litanywise Lord have mercy and after Consecration it was repeated Clem. Const lib. 8. S. Cyril Catech 5. Justin Mart. Apol. 2. Ambros de Sac. lib. 4. c. 4. again by him that Ministred in chief the people answering only Amen But never was the Sacrament administred without supplications in the first place for the people for Kings and for the rest as St. Ambrose speaks And to the same purpose St. Cyril tells us that the Spiritual Sacrifice being prepared they went solemnly to prayer for the common peace of the Churches for the tranquillity of the World for Kings for their Armies and Allies for Cyril Catech 5. sick and afflicted people and for all that stood in need of help And of the truth of this all Liturgies extant are an abundant proof 2. Then as touching the particular matter of this excellent and Catholick Prayer it is observable 1. That our Church calleth the things laid upon the Lords Table not only Alms but Oblations and so did the Ancients call Clem. ep ad Cor. p. 52. them even S. Clement himself S. Pauls fellow-labourer For the old Christians conceived themselves obliged to make Offerings of Praise and Thanksgiving under the Gospel as well as Abel did before the Law and the Jews did under the Law The Species of Sacrifice was changed indeed for they offered not Bullocks and Goats but they did not think that all kinds of Offerings were abolisht but that they were bound to present Eucharistical Oblations unto God that they might be found thankful unto the Maker of the Vniverse as Irenaeus speaks So that in lieu of bloudy Sacrifices they presented Bread and Wine Iren. lib. 4. c. 34. V. Mede's Christian Sacrifice and the first fruits of their increase besides sums of money And these were called Oblations gifts whereby they acknowledg'd Gods right and propriety unto all their Possessions that the Earth is the Lords and the fulness thereof not as if he needed these gifts but as humble Thanksgivings unto his Offerimus non quasi indigenti sed gratias agentes dominationi ejus Iren. ut suprá Soveraignty And so they were wont to profess in those days 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lord we restore unto thee some of thine own things 2. Our Church prayeth that God would accept these our Alms and Oblations which is perfectly answerable to the old custome for so the first Christians did beseech God that in mercy Clem. Const lib. 8. he would look upon their offerings and accept them as a sweet Odour through the Intercession of Christ 3. Then our Church goes on praying for the Vniversal Church for Kings Princes and Magistrates for the Clergy and the rest And thus did all the Churches of old pray for the holy Catholick Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from end to end for Kings Id. ibid. and all in Authority that they may be at peace with us and that we living in all quietness and concord may glorifie thee all our days through Jesus Christ for all holy Bishops rightly dividing the word of truth for all Presbyters and Deacons for all thy people and all that are in want and distress c. 4. Last of all it is customary with us at the end of this Prayer to make mention of the Saints departed and so 't was ever customary with all the Churches of old to bless God for their Faith Perseverance and Martyrdomes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clem. Const lib. 8. beseeching that they might be made partakers of their conflicts and with them might have their perfect Consummation and bliss This was the first design of these memorials of the dead In fide morientium devotè memoriam agimus tam illorum refrigerio gaudentes quam etiam nobis piam consummationem in fide postulantes Origen lib. 3. in Job p. 274. Ed. Par. See Bishop Vshers Ans to the Challenge which latter Ages corrupted adding Prayers for the release of souls out of a pretended Purgatory But this conceit and practice was never known in the Ancient and best times And therfore our honest Church resolving to bring things to their first stay threw out of her Prayers this dross and litter and filthy stuff retaining that which was pure and Primitive Among those things which have been corrupted in the old Liturgies as we now have them there are some things which have passed all along untouched As that salutation of the Minister the Dominus Vobiscum Lord be with you and the peoples Answer and with thy Spirit it is every where to be found in the ancientest Monuments And so that other sursum corda lift up your hearts with the return we lift them up unto the Lord we find it in S. Cyprian and S. Cyril and in every Liturgy As also the following exhortation let Cypr. de Orat. Dom. us give thanks unto our Lord God and the subsequent acknowledgement it is meet and right so to do the Minister going on Sursum Corda c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is very meet right and our bounden duty c. these Forms are still entire in all Service-books that they may rationally be concluded to have sprang from Apostolical practice And so the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Therefore with Angels and Archangels and all the company of Heaven c. together with the Trisagium following which was joyntly repeated by the whole Congregation Holy holy holy Lord God of Host c. they are Forms which were very anciently and universally V. Lit. Jacob. Marc. Petri. Aethiop Mosar Christian apud Ind. Clem. Constit cum multis aliis used at this time but somewhat more largely and with a little inconsiderable difference for thus they said of old before thee do stand praising and worshipping thee numberless Hosts of Angels Arch-angels Thrones Dominions Principalities and Powers the Cherubim and the six-winged Scraphim with two wings covering their feet and with two wings covering their faces and with two wings flying and crying continually and incessantly with thousands and thousands of Arch-angels and with myriads and myriads of Angels Holy holy holy Lord God of