meant by Presbyteri consignant in the counterfeit Ambrose F Vnction or Chrism an ancient ceremony belonging to Confirmation why separated at length from it and indulged to Presbyters The Arausican Council diversity of readings Sirmundus his Edition defended Whence two Chrismations in the Church of Rome G Signing with the Cross a companion of unctson H Children when anciently confirmed I Communication of the Eucharist to succeed presently upon Confirmation p. 261. CHAP. X. A. The Matrimonial Office very necessary Marriage ought to be blessed by a Minister Our Saviour and the Primitive Fathers did it Set forms anciently used B. Times prohibited for Marriage upon what Law founded The Directory as guilty of Popery therein as our Church C. Marriage anciently celebrated ad ostium Ecclesiae D Mutual consent of both Parties necessary Espousals what E The giving of the Woman ancient F. The excellence of the English mode in receiving the Wife from the Priest G. The right hand a Symbole of fidelity H. A Ring why given by the man The ancient use of Rings I. Why the Ring is laid upon the Book K. Why the Ring is put upon the 4th singer the usual reason rejected L With my Body I thee worship what meant by it M. The blessing ought to be by imposition of hands N. Why the married couple to communicate O. The visitation of the sick a necessary Office P. A sound faith how necessary Q. Charity very necessary to a dying man R. So also Almes-giving S. Absolution how commendable and comfortable The several kinds of absolution T. Extreme unction why laid aside V. Communion of the sick vindicated Calvin foâ— it W. Reservation of the consecrated Elements anciently very laudable X. The various customs of bearing the Corps to Church Copiatae what Why Hymns sung all along as the corps was born Y. The Resurrection of our bodies ought to be the chief of our Meditations upon funeral occasions Z In sure and certain hopes c. What meant by it AA Prayer for the Dead in the Romish Church implyeth not Purgatory The mind of the Breviary opened Trentals what BB. Communion at Burials ancient why now laid aside The Original of Oblations Doles at Funerals and Mortuaries p. 291 CHAP. XI A The grounds of Thanksgiving after Child-birth why rather for this than other deliverances B Our Church doth not Judaize Difference betwixt our practice and Jewish Purification C What meant by the word Church into which the woman is to come D The woman not enjoined a veil F The 121 Psalm not abused E But deliver us from evil why returned by way of response F Commination how often used in the year G Why read in the Pulpit A discourse of reading-Desks none setled by Rule before the Canons 1603. upon what occasion devised H A Discourse of publick Pennance By whom it was imposed and how long to continue The several motions of it in the Greek Church What meant by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what and what 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Errours noted in the Editions of Zonaras and Balsamon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what Penitential customs in the Western Church Africa most severe and why The ancient mode of Excommunicating of notorious offenders out of Gratian Discourse upon it Adgeniculari charis Dei in Tertullian Penitents when reconciled in the Latine Church The Ancient Discipline commended and Vote for its restauration I What meant by the word Curate in our Liturgy K Homilies whether part of our Churches Service And whether the Doctrine of our Church L Calvins Epistle to the Protector mis-dated in all Editions p. 315 FINIS THE BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER AND Administration of the SACRAMENTS AND Other RITES and CEREMONIES OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND CHAP. I. An Act for the uniformity of Common-Prayer and service in the Church and administration of the Sacraments WHere at the death of our late soveraign Lord King Edward the sixt there remained one uniform order of common service and prayer and of the administration of Sacraments Rites and Ceremonies in the Church of England which was set forth in one book entituled the book of Common-prayer and administration of the sacraments and other rights and ceremonies in the Church of England authorized by act of Parliament holden in the lift and sixt years of our said late soveraign Lord king Edward the sixt entituled an Act for the uniformity of Common-prayer and administration of the Sacraments the which was repealed and taken away by act of Parliament in the first yeer of the raign of our late soveraign Lady Queen Marie to the great decay of the due honour of God and discomfort to the professours of the truth of Christs religion Be it therfore enacted by the authority of this present Parliament that the said statute of repeal and every thing therein contained onely concerning the said book and the service administration of Sacraments rites and ceremonies contained or appointed in or by the said book shall be void and of none effect from and after the feast of the Nativity of Saint John Baptist next coming And that the said book with the order of service and of the administration of Sacraments rites and ceremonies with the alteration and additions therein added and appointed by this statute shall stand and be from and after the said feast of the Nativity of Saint John Baptist in full force and effect according to the tenour and effect of this statute any thing in the aforesaid statute of repeal to the contrary notwithstanding And further be it enacted by the Queens highnesse with the assent of the Lords and Commons of this present Parliament assembled and by the authority of the same that all and singular ministers in any Cathedral or parish Church or other place within this realm of England Walâ—s and the marches of the same or other the Queens dominions shall from and after the feast of the Nativity of saint John Baptist next coming be bounden to say and use the Mattins Even-song celebration of the Lords Supper and administration of each of the sacraments and all other common and open prayer in such order and form as is mentioned in the said book so authorized by Parliament in the said fift and sixt year of the raign of king Edward the sixt with one alteration or addition of certain Lessons to be used on every Sunday in the year and the form of the Letanie altered and corrected and two sentences onely added in the delivery of the Sacrament to the Communicants and none other or otherwise And that if any manner of Parson Uicar or other whatsoever minister that ought or should sing or say common prayer mentioned in the said book or minister the sacraments from and after the feast of the â—ativity of saint John Baptist next coming refuse to use the said common prayers or to minister the sacraments in such Cathedral or parish Church or other places as he should use to minister the same in such order and form as
Testament of more edification it shall be well done of Ministers Ecclesiastical to spend their time to consider of such Chapters before hand which mutation being restrain'd to the Old Testament alone administers probable occasion of conjecture that our Church thereby intended an allowance of declining Apocryphal Lessons on holy-dayes that the history of the Saints might be the better complcated by some expresse Chapters of the New Testament which will be the lesse controverted if it be withal observed that in the sense of our Church the ancient model of both the Canonical and Apocryphal books passe under the complexed notion of the Old Testament That they are at all permitted by our Church is accounted by her adversaries grande nefas and yet they are not ignorant that as Canonical Scripture they are not read that in the Primitive Church they as also Clemens his Epistles to the Corinthians were read that the Belgick Church in her confession grants they may lawfully be read That their own Sermons have as little of the spirit either of infallibility or Sanctification as those books That exclusive Parenthesis of the Directory But none of those which are commonly called Apocrypha had been I must confesse a prudent I say not a necessary Order had the edification of the people been better provided for by certain Lessons of the Canon succenturiated according to the Order of the Scotish Liturgy in their stead but when I perceive not onely a liberty given but a requisitenesse commended by the same Directory in the reading of very many Chapters not onely lesse but not at all edifying to a popular Auditory such are some Chapters in Genesis in Leviticus very many some in the Chronicles c. which are required to be read in their order then will they have just cause to wish either those Apocryphals postliminiated again or others of the Canon to succeed them whereby the Congregation might receive better instruction Nothing can almost be so plainly set forth but doubts may rise It is a rule in the Law Lex positiva non omnia cogitat plura enim sunt negotia quam vocabula Positive Law cannot fore-cast and prevent all questions there being more matters then words to declare them upon which consideration fit it is there should be a power in reserve for the stating of emergent doubts in whom can this power more prud ently be lodged then in Bishops the spiritual Governours of our Church whose experience and discretion must be valued above the rate of ordinary Pastors Ecclesiae salus in summi sacer dotis dignitate pendet cui si non exors quaedam ab omnibus eminens detur potestas tot in Ecclesiis efficientur schismata quot sacerdotes The safety of the Church depends upon the dignity of the Chief Priest to whom unlesse a power be given matchlesse and supereminent above all others there will be soon as many Schismes as Priests But though the Power decretory and deciding be reposed in the Bishop yet it is not indefinite but limited to a non-repugnancy to any thing contained in this Book In the English tongue The work of reformation was not more glorious then difficult being to enterprise upon such habits as many hundred of years continuance seemed to render insuperable so that if it went slowly on at first and got ground but by inches the grand opposition it found is sufficient to excuse it A work it was not for artificers to undertake not for a giddy multitude to order not for any beneath the very Supream Magistrate to meddle with a work it was fit onely for a King and therefore could not be begun until it found a King fit for the work Such a King at length appeared Henry the eight a King of great courage and withal of prudence The first onset he gave in order to this work was the bringing God Almighty and his people acquainted by causing them to understand each other for whilst the people spake to God and he to them they knew not what they did not understand each other nor he them because he onely understands the language of the heart not the babling of the lips for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what vocal words are to us the same is the cogitation of our hearts to God not they him because they understood the Romish Religion better then the Romish tongue therefore to redresse this very great mischief to their souls this Kings first care is to render Divine offices a in tongue their native English familiar to them But this he effected not all at once but by degrees and first he begins with the great essentials of Religion the Pater Noster Creed and Decalogue these were imparted to them in the English tongue by his injunctions Anno 1536. then he proceeded to the communication of the sacred Scripture to them by a Translation of his own authorising Anno 1540. But as yet the publick Service was kept lockt up from them to indulge them therefore his Royal favour in this particular also he caused an extract to be drawn out of the Latin Service containing many of the best and most edifying Prayers which with the Litany all translated into the vulgar tongue under the title of his Primer by injunction bearing date the sixth of May 37. of his Reign he published for the good of his Subjects But King Henry dying not long after he left what he had begun to be compleated by his Son Edward This Prince zealously devoted to the service of Gods Church plied him as fast as the perplexity of the work and little time he lived would well permit The Bible which I told you before King Henry had commended to the use of his people not long after upon reason of State he was enforced to withdraw from them again and the restauration of it was King Edwards first endeavour by injunctions dated July the last 1547. confirming also the use of the other things as Pater Noster Creed Decalogue Primer and Litany But nothing was done yet in reference to the Sacrament of the Altar as they called it then whereof the Clergy had extended and extorted the moity the Cup from the people therefore ful restitution was made in the next and first Parliament to such as did in both kindes desire it And because slender benefit this Act of Grace was like to prove as long as in the service proper to it they understood not a syllable for the Reformation formerly made had not proceeded to the Communion office this consideration drew on another peece of Reformation viz. the forming and collecting of an office in the vulgar tongue sutable to that great ordinance and this was done by the Bishops and others convened by the Kings command at Windsor passing under the Title of The order of the Communion which was a breviate and summary of neer resemblance to that we now have and was published March the 8. 1548. But this was onely an
the same being now by us reduced to a setled form We have occasion to repeat somewhat of that which hath passed And how at our very first entry into the Realm being entertained and importuned with Informations of sundry Ministers complaining of the errors and imperfections of the Church here aswell in matter of Doctrine as of Discipline Although We had no reason to presume that things were so far amisse as was pretended because We had seen the Kingdom under that form of Religion which by Law was established in the dayes of the late Queen of famous memory blessed with a peace and prosperity both extraordinary and of many years continuance a strong evidence that God was therewith wel pleased Yet because the importunity of the Complainers was great their affirmations vehement and the zeal wherewith the same did seem to be accompanied very specious We were mooved thereby to make it Our occasion to discharge that duty which is the chiefest of all Kingly duties that is to settle the affaires of Religion and the Service of God before their own Which while We were in hand to do as the contagion of the sicknesse reigning in our city of London and other places would permit an assembly of persons meet for that purpose Some of those who misliked the state of Religion here established presuming more of Our intents then ever we gave them cause to do and transported with humour began such proceedings as did rather raise a scandal in the Church then take offence away For both they used forms of publick serving of God not here allowed held assemblies without authority and did other things carrying a very apparent shew of Sedition more then of Zeal whom We restrained by a former Proclamation in the month of October last and gave intimation of the conference We intended to be had with as much speed as conveniently could be for the ordering of those things of the Church which accordingly followed in the moneth of January last at Our Honour of Hampton Court where before Our Self and our Privie Councel were assembled many of the gravest Bishops and Prelates of the Realm and many other learned men aswell of those that are conformable to the state of the Church established as of those that dissented Among whom what oâ—r pains were what our patience in hearing and replying and what the indifferency and uprightnesse of Our judgement in determining We leave to the report of those who heard the same contenting our Self with the sincerity of our own heart therein But We cannot conceal that the successe of that Conference was such as happeneth to many other things which moving great expectation before they be entred into in their issue produce small effects For We found mighty and vehement Informations supported with so weak and slender proofs as it appeareth unto Us and Our Councel that there was no cause why any change should have been at all in that which was most impugned the book of Common Prayer containing the form of the Publick Service of God here established neither in the doctrine which appeared to be sincere nor in the Forms Rites which were justified out of the practise of the Primitive Church Notwithstanding we thought meet with consent of the Bishops and other learned men there present That some small things might rather be explained then changed not that the same might not very well have been born with by men who would have made a reasonable construction of them but for that in a matter concerning the Service of God We were nice or rather jealous that the publick Form there of should be free not onely from blame but from suspition so as neither the common Adversary should have advantage to wrest ought therein contained to other sense then the Church of England intendeth nor any troublesome or ignorant person of this Church be able to take the least occasion of cavil aginst it And for that purpose gave forth Our Commission under our great Seal of England to the Archbishop of Canterbury and others according to the form which the Laws of this Realm in like case prescribed to be used to make the said explanation and to cause the whole Book of Common Prayer with the same Explanations to be newly printed Which being now done and established anew after so serious a deliberation although We doubt not but all our Subjects both Ministers and ofâ—ers will receive the same with such reverence as appertaineth and conform themselves thereunto every man in that which him concerneth Yet have We thoâ—ght it necessary to make known by Proclamation Our authorizing of the same And to require and enjoyn all men aswel Ecclesiastical as Temporal to conform themselves unto it and to the practise thereof as the onely publick form of serving of God eâ—â—ablished and allowed to be in this Realm And the rather for that all the learned men who were there present as well of the Bishops as others promised their conformitie in the practise of it onely making suit to Us that some few might be born with for a time Wherefore We require all Archbishops Bishops and all other publick Ministers aswell Ecclesiastical as Civil to do their duties in causing the same to be obeyed and in punishing the offenders according to the Laws of the Realm heretofore established for the authorizing of the said Book of Common prayer And We think it also necessary that the said Arch-Bishops and Bishops do each of them in his Province and Diocesse take order that every parish do procure to themselves within such time as they shall think good to limit one of the said books so explained And last of all We do admonish all men that hereafter they shall not expect nor attempt any further alteration in the Common and publick form of Gods Service from this which is now established for that neither will we give way to any to presume that our own judgement having determiÌ„ed in a matter of this weight shal be swaid to alteration by the frivolous suggestions of any light spirit neither are We ignorant of the inconveniencies that do arise in Government by admitting innovation in things once setled by mature deliberation And how necessary it is to use constancy in the upholding of the publike determinations of States for that such is the unquietnesse and unstedfastnesse of some dispositions affecting every yeer new formes of things as if they should be followed in their unconstancy would make all actions of States ridiculous and contemptible whereas the stedfast maintaining of things by good advice established is the weale of all Common-wealths Given at our Palace of Westminster the 5. day of March in the first year of Our reign of England France and Ireland and of Scotland the seven and thirtieth God save the KING The Preface THere was never any thingby the wit of man so wel devised or so sure established which in continuance of time hath not been corrupted as among other things it may plainly appear
of Common prayer or Divine service as appeareth by the ancient Liturgies of the Greek and Latine Churches This was done as for other great causes so likewise for retaining an uniformity in Gods worship a thing most beseeming them that are of one and the same profession For by the form that is kept in the outward worship of God men commonly judge of Religion If in that there be a diversity strait they are apt to conceive the Religion to be diverse Wherefore it were to be wished that the whole Church of Christ were one as well in form of publick worship as in doctrine And that as it hath but one Lord and one Faith so it had but one heart and one mouth This would prevent many schismes and divisions and serve much to the preserving of unity But since that cannot be hoped for in the whole Catholick Christian Church yet at least in the Churches that are under the protection of one Soveraigne Prince the same ought to be endeavoured It was not the least part of our late Soveraigne King JAMES of blessed memory his care to work this uniformity in all his Dominions but while he was about to do it it pleased God to translate him to a better kingdome His Majestie that now raigneth and long may he raigne over us in all happinesse not suffering his Fathers good purpose to fall to the ground but treading the same path with the like zeal and pious affection gave order soon after his coming to the Crown for the framing of a Book of Common prayer like unto that which is received in the Churches of England and Ireland for the use of this Church After many lets and hindrances the same cometh now to be published to the good we trust of all Gods people and the increase of true piety and sincere devotion amongst them But as there is nothing how good and warrantable soever in it self against which some will not except so it may be that exceptions will be taken against this good and most pious work and perhaps none more pressed then that we have followed the Service book of England But we should desire them that shall take this exception to consider that being as we are by Gods mercie of one true profession and otherwise united by many bonds it had not been fitting to vary much from theirs our especially coming forth after theirs seeing the disturbers of the Church both here and there should by our differences if they had been great taken occasion to work more trouble Therefore did we think meet to adhere to their form even in the festivals and some other rites not as yet received nor observed in our Church rather then by omitting them to give the Adversary to think that we disliked any part of their service Our first Reformers were of the same minde with us as appeareth by the ordinance they made that in all the Parishes of this Realm the Common-prayer should be read weekly on Suâ—daies and other Festival dayes with the Lessons of the old and new Testament conform to the order of the book of Common prayer meaning that of England for it is known that divers years after we had no other order for common prayer This is recorded to have been the first head concluded in a frequent Councel of the Lords and Barons professing Christ Jesus We keep the words of the history Religion was not then placed in rites and gestures nor men taken with the fancie of extemporary prayers Sure the publick worship of God in his Church being the most solemn action of us his poor creatures here below ought to be performed by a Liturgie advisedly set and framed and not according to the sudden and various fancies of men This shall suffice for the present to have said The God of mercy confirm our hearts in his truth and preserve us alike from prophanenesse and superstition Amen Of Ceremonies why some be abolished and some reteined OF such Ceremonies as be used in the Church and have had their beginning by the institution of man some at the first were of godly entent and purpose devised and yet at length turned to vanity and superstition some entred into the Church by undiscreet devotion and such a zeal as was without knowledge and for because they were winked at in the beginning they grew daily to more and more abuses which not only for their unprofitablenesse but also because they have much blinded the people and obscured the glory of God are worthy to be cut away and clean rejected Other there be which although they have been devised by man yet is it thought good to reserve them still as well for a decent order in the Church for the which they were first devised as because they pertein to edification whereunto all things done in the Church as the Apostle teacheth ought to be referred And although the keeping or omitting of a Ceremony in it selfe considered is but a small thing yet the wilfull and contemptuous transgression and breaking of a common order and discipline is no small offence before God Let all things be done among you saith Saint Paul in a seemly and due order The appointment of the which order pertaineth not to private men therefore no man ought to take in hand nor presume to appoint or alter any publick or common order in Christs Church except he be lawfully called and authorized thereunto And whereas in this our time the mindes of men are so divers that some think it a great matter of conscience to depart from a piece of the least of their Ceremonies they be so addicted to their old customes and again on the other side some be so new fangled that they would innovate all things and so despise the old that nothing can like them but that is new It was thought expedient not so much to have respect how to please and satisfie either of these parties as how to please God and profit them both And yet lest any man should be offended whom good reason might satisfie here be certain causes rendred why some of the accustomed Ceremonies be put away and some reteined and kept still Some are put away because the great excesse and multitude of them hath so increased in these latter dayes that the burden of them was intollerable whereof Saint Augustine in his time complained that they were growen to such a number that the state of a Christian people was in worse case concerning the matter then were the Jews And he counselled that such yoke and burden should be taken away as time would serve quietly to do it But what would saint Augustine have said if he had seen the ceremonies of late dayes used among us whereunto the multitude used in his time was not to be compared This our excessive multitude of ceremonies was so great and many of them so dark that they did more confound and darken then declare and set forth Christs benefits unto us And besides this Christs Gospel
is not a ceremonial law as much of Moses law was but it is a religion to serve God not in bondage of the figure or shadow but in the freedom of the spirit being content onely with those ceremonies which do serve to a decent order and godly discipline and such as be apt to stir up the dull minde of man to the remembrance of his duty to God by some notable and special signification whereby he might be edified Furthermore the most waighty cause of the abolishment of certain ceremonies was that they were so far abused partly by the superstitious blindnesse of the rude and unlearned and partly by the unsaciable avarice of such as sought more their own lucre then the glory of God that the abuses could not well be taken away the thing remaining still But now as concerning those persons which peradventure will be offended for that some of the old ceremonies are retained still if they consider that without some ceremonies it is not posible to keep any order or quiet discipline in the Church they shall easily perceive just cause to reform their judgements And if they think much that any of the old do remain and would rather have all devised anew Then such men granting some ceremonies convenient to be had surely where the old may be well used there they cannot reasonably reprove the old onely for their age without bewraying of their own folly For in such a case they ought rather to have reverence unto them for their antiquity if they will declare themselves to be more studious of unity and concord then of innobations and new-fanglenesse which as much as may be with the true setting forth of Christs religion is alwayes to be eschewed Furthermore such shall have no just cause with the ceremonies reserved to be offended For as those be taken away which were most abused and did burden mens consciences without any cause so the other that remain are retained for a discipline and order which upon just causes may be altered and changed and therefore are not to be esteemed equall with Gods law And moreover they be neither dark nor dumb ceremonies but are so set forth that every man may understand what they do mean and to what use they do serve So that it is not like that they in time to come should be abused as the other have been And in these our doings we condemne no other nations nor prescribe any thing but to our own people onely For we think it convenient that every countrey should use such ceremonies as they shall think best to the setting forth of Gods honour and glory and to the reducing of the people to a most perfect and Godly living without errour or superstition And that they should put away other things which from time to time they perceave to be most abused as in mens ordinances it often chanceth diversly in divers countries Annotations upon CHAP. I. A The necessity of Common Prayer And of a Book of Common Prayer â—b Arguments for set forms Proved to have been used in the three first centuries after Christ. And approved by Reformed Churches B. Set forms of Administring the Sacraments Proved by Primitive practise C. Rites and Ceremonies fit to be prescribed D. Every Particular Church hath authority to prescribe set forms and Rites The main ground of uniformity E. A necessity of an Act for uniformity F. The present Act a revivor of a former G. The Parliament did onely ratify not make the Alterations H. Antiently Bishops visited in person An uniformity of Articles commended I. The Canons 1603. not repugnant to the Act for uniformity The power of the civil Magistrate in Ecclesiastical matters K. The occasion of the conference at Hampton Court. L. The Proclamation Of King James obligatory to Obedience M. Our service not taken out of the Masse-Book N. The Pye several acceptations of the word O. Apocryphal Lessons lawful to be read The Minister hath Liberty to exchange them for Canonical Scripture They are more edifying then many Chapters of the Canon appointed by the Directory P. The Bishops to interpret in doubtful cases Q. The several degrees of the first Reformation R. What meant by the Minister saying daily prayer either privately or openly S. Ceremonies of humane Institution lawful Proved by the several confessions of Reformed Churches T. Order in the Church of Divine institution Orders to be obeyed not disputed where they are not simply unlawful V. The Churches prudence and moderation in her first Reformation W. significant Ceremonies lawful X. Superstition defined Y Our Ceremonies elder then the Masse-Book Directory a Popish word Z. Scandal no just exception against our Liâ—urgy by the confession of Geneva her self More scandalized and more justly by the Directory then our Common Prayer THE Book of Common Prayer As God is the first principle and Prime efficient of our being so that very being of so supereminent a quality is obligation of the highest importance for us to defer to him the greatest Honour we possibly can That which hath the ordering and disposal of this Honour to him is Religion the most noble the most proper act of Religion is Prayer an act by which we turn Tenants to God and own him as the Donor of every good and perfect gift A duty enforced by our Saviours expresse command Pray alwayes so he Luke 18. 1. Continually so his blessed Apostle 1 Thes. 5. 17. that is Levant and couchant morning and evening sutable to the Diurnal sacrifices in the Temple that at least A duty dignified with the gift of miracles exemplified in Elias Joshua and many more Now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i e. if the solitary prayer of one single supplicant be so operative what would it do in a full Assembly who combining together besiege and beset God with their prayers such a storming of and forceable entry into heaven being most acceptable to him as Tertullian elegantly Such an advantage hath the Publick above the Private the Church above the Closet and hence a necessity of Common Prayer But there may be a necessity of Common Prayer yet no necessity of a Book of Common Prayer that is of a set form The prayers of the Minister in the Congregation for the Congregation are Common Prayers which are Prayers conceived and without book Answer Confest such Prayers may in some sort be called Common Prayers but not so properly as set forms because the Minister who officiateth Publickly is but the Agent the representative of the people in their resort to God Now in arbitrary Prayer he cannot so well be called the mouth of the Assembly or said to send up his prayers on their errand when they are not privy to one syllable he will deliver when he speaks alwayes his own not alwayes their sence in which case the peoples Amen should be as Arbitrary as is his Prayer and if upon some dislike at the either matter or form the people think fit to suspend their
sunt quos dirigit amor i. e. they are the best natured whom love perswades so plures sunt quos corrigit timor they are more numerous whom awe constrains upon which very score necessary it was to call in aid of the civil power which was done here by act of Parliament So that no one order had reason to except against this established form the Clergy were imployed as contrivers of the model The laity from the highest to the lowest all Kings Lords and Commons were interested in the ratification wherby a coercive power in order to conformity was constituted And that the said book with the order of service c. This act is not introductory of a now Liturgy but a reviver of the old that of the fift and sixth of Edward the 6 the remains of which structure are so considerable notwithstanding it hath gone twice to the mending as may worthily give it the denomination of Edward the 6 his Liturgy With one alteration c. It must not be imagined that either the Queen or the Parliament made those alterations for the review of the Liturgy was commited by the Queen to certain Commissioners viz to Mr. Whitehead Doctor Parker after Arch-Byshop of Canterbury Doctor Grindal after Bishop of London Doctor Cox after Bishop of Ely Doctor Pilkinton after Bishop of Durham Doctor May Dean of St. Pauls Doctor Bill Provost of Eaton and Sr. Thomas Smith These adding and expunging where they thought meet presented it to the Parliament who onely established what they had concluded upon As for the several changes Alterations and differences betwixt this Liturgy of ours and that of the 2 of Edward 6. this statute takes not notice of them all but what is defective herein Smectymnuâ—s hath supplyed as shall be observed at their several occurrences To inquire in their visitation c. Diocesan visitations were alwayes of very eminent use in the Ecclesiastical Polity and peculiar of the Episcopal function Indeed none â—o fit to make the scrutiny and lustration as he who is to pronounce the censure upon this account Primitive Bishops held themselves obliged as no disparagement to their Grandure to perform the office in their own persons St. Augustine plead it in bar to Celer's action of unkindnesse against him for not writing sooner Quâ—niam visitandarum Ecclesiarum ad meam Curam pertinentium necessitate profectus sum i. e. Because saith he I was gone a broad upon abusinesse of necessity the visiting of such Churches as were within my cure So the Mareotick Clergy in the defence of Athanasius Bishop of Alexandria against a calumny of his adversaries make mention of his visitation in person and not onely so but also that they themselves were of his train when he went upon that service In after times their work encreasing so as they could not well attend it themselves they had their Periodeutae and Itinerary Vicars to go the circuit for them these acting still agreeable to a series of Articles enjoyned by their Bishops In the beginning of the Reformation when it much concerned the Civil power to act as we say of natural agents ad extremum Potentiae to the utmost of its politick hability King Henry the eighth and Edward the sixt and Queen Elizabeth though I presume upon consultation had with the Clergy assumed and exercised the Authority of framing and imposing a body of Articles for Episcopal visitations which had certainly this very commendable property that they preserved uniformity whereas the leaving them to every arbitrary fancy and the exercise of that liberty by some Bishops of later memoray was in my opinion a probable way of erecting Altar against Altar and creating Schisme in the Church The Queens Majesty may by the like advice c. There was in the Act premised a prohibition with a penalty annext to it that no Parson Vicar or other whatsoever Minister shall use any other rite ceremony order form c. then is mentioned in the Book of Common prayer against this constitution a caveat is entred here whereby the Queen may by the advice of her Commissioners or metropolitan ordain and publish such farther Ceremonies or Rites as may be most for the advancement of Gods glory c. So that upon the entertainment of this exception the rule is corroborated as to all particulars not so exempted and consequently that none might innovate any Rite not expressly enjoyned in the book of Common Prayer then established or Book of Canons legally to be framed afterwards Which clause of reserve was no impowring nor enabling the Queen with any new and upstart authority but onely a declaration of what was resident in her before as inseparably incident to the supream Dominion vested in the Crown Agreeable to which She Anno. 1597. authorised the Clergy then met in Convocation to make and publish certain Canons which she after confirmed under the great Seal of England Other Canons there were made Anno 1571. But being not ratified with royal Authority I suppose they were not obligatory enough to constrain obedience and as concerning these of 1597. the formal words of her heires and successors being omitted in those Ratifications they were supposed onely obligatory during her Reign and that they together with her self breathed their last Whereupon King James in the first year of his reign issued forth a new Commission by his letters Patents to the Convocation then assembled therein giving them full power and Authority to consult and agree upon such Canons c. as they should think necessary which being concluded upon by the Clergy and presented to his Majesty He did for himself his heires and lawful successors confirm them with his royal assent as may be seen more at large in that Ratification Indeed the supremacy of the Civil Magistrate as to confirmation and a cogency of external obedience in Religious and Ecclesiastical affaires is no usurpation upon the Churches right as the Romish party contend against us but hath been approved of in the purest times and therefore whereas they seem to presse us with the objection That our Religion is Parliamentary because some concernments thereof have been Ratified by Act of Parliament Our answer is that Parliaments Enact not without the Royal assent This is onely this that vital spirit which regularly animates those establishments and from such assent the two first general Councels not to insist upon Nationals received their confirmation Eminent is that of Socrates 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. I therefore so often mention the Emperours in the series of my History though Ecclesiastical because that from the very first of their becoming Christians all Church matters depended upon their pleasure so as the greatest and Oecumenical Councels were then and are still convented by their order and summons As concerning these Canons of our Church Regal assent it was alone which firmed them the Parliament though then sitting not being resorted to nor interposing their Authority an unhappy disjunctive
devotum Deo obsequium Eucharistia resolvit an magis obligat nonne solemnior erit statio tua si ad aram Dei steteris Accepto corpore Domini reservato utrumque salvum est participatio beneficii executio officii So also of dayes of Station many think they must then forbear to come to the prayers of the sacrifices because the station is to be dissolved by the receiving of the body of the Lord what then doth the Eucharist countermand the duty due to God doth it not rather oblige us to it Shall not thy station be the more solemn if performed before Gods Altar the Body of our Lord being taken and reserved both are secured the participation of his blessed Son and the discharge of the duty Here I say some understand by Stations those dayes viz. All Sundayes of the year and all the interval between Easter and Pentecost on which according to primitive custome it was not permitted to kneel at prayers and these dayes were noted as of singlar contrariety to Humiliation The custom is acknowledged and so also is it that statio properly signifieth standing but both these concessions will be improved no further but onely to render their interpretation a specious fallacy For to my reading statio is never by any Author of those early ages applied in reference to that custom not in Tertullian I am certain no not withstanding his ad aram Dei steterts For not to reinforce the absurdity of one word denoting in the same Author two things so contradictory as fasting and feasting Tertullian tells us statio is of military extraction de miluari exemplo nomen accipit it borroweth its name from military example if so then not derived from the pretended custome of standing Now the military mode was this so many Souldiers were ordered to be upon the respctive guards there were they to continue compleatly armed and on horse-back ready to receive any impression of an assaulting enemy in that posture were they to abide anciently from morning to night until Paulus Aemylius observing it to be to great a burthen both for horse and man appointed these gards should at noon be relieved with fresh both men and horses Now because according to the martial discipline none was permitted to depart the gard until the time presixt Christians who on the dayes of Humiliation tied themselves as strictly to Religious duty did aptly enough impose upon those dayes the name of Stations And this will conclude sufficiently for the figurative against the proper sense of Stations Further to illustrate Tertullian by Tertullian elsewhere remonstrating the mischievous consequences of unequal yokes where a Christian woman marcheth with an Infidel â—e delivereth himself thus Si statio facienda sit maritus eo Die conducat ad Balnea si jejunia observanda sunt maritus cadem die convivium exerceat If a station be to be kept the husband may the same day lead her to the Baths If a solemn fast must be observed the husband may the same day make a feast where statio must necessarily denote a day of Humiliation For Tertullians designe is to shew that the Church and the Husband may be at crosse purposes and to command things contrary to each other And the Bath being as the mode was then applied to Luxury was as opposite to humiliation as a feast to a fast But here it seemes say some Tertullian did not consider both these under a real identity but as different things for else one instance would have served To which I answer true it is Tertullian doth somewhat distinguish them the difference being this that stations signified the lesse and jejunia the more solemn fasts these continued from morning to night and they onely to the ninth hour or three in the after-noon whence it is that Tertullian calls them in a scoff stationum semi-jejunia Half-fasted stations Having thus I hope made a clear prospect into Tertullians dark minde in reference to these stations the construction of the former passage is very facile viz. That whereas many were scrupulous of coming to the Eucharist upon wednesdayes and Fridays lest the receiving of the Elements should prove a breaking of their Fasts which were to be continued untill three in the after-noon Tertullian tells them they were in the wrong and that the Eucharist is so far from dissolving the duty of Fasting as it makes the work more valuable in Gods sight But if they would not credit him then there is another expedient will salve both sores viz. The taking of the Body and reservation of it to be eaten at home ante omnem cibum Fasting as he in the same book doth hint whereby neither the Fast will be interrupted nor the other duty neglected To forgive our enemies c. Amongst all the inordinate lusts of our corrupt nature no one is so unreformable so obstinate so stubborn as hatred and therefore our Saviour at his Sermon upon the mount that excellent summary of Christian institution administreth more expressly towards the mortification of this immortal passion Blesse them that curse you a precept whereby the keen edge of revenge is not onely blunted but turned the contrary way A precept by way of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and additional explication of the fift Petition of the Lords prayer For lest we should imagin the whole duty of charity towards our neighbour lodged in a bare remission of the injury and an indisposition to revenge he extends his discipline to an higher pitch commanding us not onely to forgive our enemies but to love them yea to blesse i. e. to wish all the good we can to those which curse us for seeing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are put heare as termes contradistinct as Grotiâ—s hath noted aright and seeing that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 never doth nor considering the simples whereof it is composed can import any malediction but what is attended with imprecation and cursing I cannot conceive so meanly of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this place to think with this learned man it implieth no more but benignis verbis compellare to Speak our Execrators fair but that it intendeth a serious praying for an accumulation of all blessings upon them so I am sure did the Primitive Fathers understand it For in the prayer for all states which was their Litany and very neer resembleth ours one Petition was for those that hate us and persecute us as is evident by the Constitutions ascribed to Clemens which I the more confidently rely upon because Justin martyr tells Trypho the Jew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For you and all men whatsoever who are maliciously minded against us we send forth our Prayers This I cannot but note in recommendation of our Churches Charity in this Petition towards the great enemies of her Religion she Praying in this excellent and solemn form even for those who do as solemnly curse her The Jews first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Execrating