41

43

Chap. VI. at the laft great day will be a ftate of purgation; which they imagined to confift of a probational fire, through which all muft pafs, (even the Prophets and Apoftles, and the Virgin Mary herself not excepted,) and which shall differently affect us, as we shall be differently prepared 41 : and upon this perhaps fome of them might found the prayers they used for the departed faints. Others again. believed that Chrift fhould reign a thousand years upon earth, before the final day of Judgment; and alfo fuppofed that the faints fhould rife to enjoy and partake of this happy ftate, before the general refurrection of the Dead: and therefore they prayed for the fouls of the deceased, that they might not only reft in peace for the prefent, but also obtain part in the first Resurrection 43. However they all agreed in this, that the interval between death and the end of the world is a ftate of expectation and imperfect blifs, in which the fouls of the righteous wait for the completion and perfection of their happiness at the confummation of all things: and therefore, whilft they were praying for the Catholic church, they thought it not improper to add a petition in behalf of that larger and better part of it which had gone before them, that they might all together attain a bleffed and glorious refurrection, and be brought at last to a perfect fruition of happiness in heaven **. By this means they teftified their love and respect to the dead, declared their belief in the Communion of Saints, and kept up in themselves a lively sense of the foul's immortality. And with this intent a

41 Origen. in Exod. xv. Hom. 6. et in Pfalm. xxxvi. Hom. 3. Lactant. Inftitut. 1. 7. c. 21. p. 653. Bafil. in Ifa. iv. 4. tom. i. p. 932. Greg. Nyff. de Mortuis Orat. tom iii. p. 638. Greg. Naz. Orat. 39. tom. i. p. 636. Ambrof. Enarrat. in Pfalm. xxxvi. §. 26. tom. i. col. 789, 790. et in Pfalm. cxviii. Serm. 3. §. 14-17. tom. i. col. 997, 998. et Serm. 20. col. 1225, 1226. Edit. Benedict. Parif. 1686. Hieron. in Mal. iii. tom. iii. col. 1825. et l. 1. adv. Pelag. tom. iv. col. 502. Edit. Benedict. Parif. 1704. Aug. Refponf. ad Quæft. 1. Dulcit. tom, vi. col. 121, 126, 128. et Enchirid. de Fide, Spe, et Charitate, cap. 67, 68, 69. in tom. eod. col. 221, 222. et de Civ. Dei, 1. 20. c. 25. tom. vii. col. 609. Edit. Benedi&t. Parif. 1685. Confule etiam Eftium in 1 Cor. iii. 13.

42 St. Barnabas, c. 15. Juft. Mart. Trypho. p. 306, &c. Irenæus, l. 5. c. 30, 31, 32, &c. Tertul. adv. Marcion. 1. 3. c. 24. Lactant. Inftitut. 1. 7. c. 14, 15, 24, &c.

43 Tertul. de Monogam. c. 10. Ambrof. de Obitu Valentin. ad finem, et in Pfalm. i.

44 Tertul. ut fupra, et de Coron. Mil. c. 3, 4. et Exhortat. ad Caftitat. c. 11. Cypr. Ep. 1, et 55. Eufeb. in Vit. Conftant. 1. 4. c. 71. Arnob, adv. Gentes fub fine, 1. 4. Cyril. Catech. Myftag. 5. Ambrof. ut fupra. Epiphan. Hær. 75. Aerian. n. 7. Chryfoft. de Sacerdot. lib. 6. cap. 4. et in Moral. Hom. 3. in Ep. ad Philip, et Hom. 41. in 1 Cor. Aug. de Curâ pro Mortuis gerendâ, c. 4. et Confeff. 1. 9. c. 13. et Conft. Apoft. 1. 8. c. 41, 42, 43.

petition

petition for the deceafed was continued by our Reformers, Sec. XI. in this very prayer of which we are now difcourfing, in the first Common Prayer-Book of King Edward VI. But this, with a larger thanksgiving for the examples of the Saints*, than what we now use, was left out of the second book, upon the exceptions of Bucers and Calvin 46, and the words, militant here on earth, were added to the exhortation, Let us pray for the whole ftate of Christ's Church, in order to limit the prayer to the living only. The fubstance of the thanksgiving indeed was added again afterwards, first to the Scotch Liturgy, and then to our own at the last review; though that in the Scotch Liturgy † keeps

* In the Common Prayer of 1549, the words, all Chriftian Kings, Princes, and Governors, were not inferted, nor the words, and efpecially to this Congregation bere prefent. But after the Petition for those that are in trouble, forrow, need, fickness, or any other adverfity, the prayer went on thus: And efpecially we commend unto tby merciful goodness, the Congregation which is bere affembled in thy name, to celebrate the commemoration of the most glorious death of thy Son. And bere we do give unto thee moft bigh praife and bearty thanks, for the wonderful grace and virtue declared in all thy Saints, from the beginning of the world, and chiefly in the glorious and moft bleffed Virgin Mary, Mother of thy Son Jefus Christ our Lord and God, and in the boly Patriarchs, Propbets, Apoftles, and Martyrs, whofe examples (O Lord) and ftedfaftness in thy faith, and keeping thy boly Commandments, grant us to follow. We commend unto thy mercy, O Lord, all other thy fervants which are departed bence from us, with the fign of faith, and now do reft in the fleep of peace: Grant unto them, we beseech thee, thy mercy and everlasting peace, and that at the day of the general Refurrection, we and all they which be of the mystical body of thy Son, may altogether be fet on bis right hand, and bear that bis moft joyful voice, Come unto me, O ye that be blessed of my Father, and poffefs the kingdom which is prepared for you from the beginning of the world. Grant this, O Father, for Jefus Chriff's fake, our nly Mediator and Advocate.

munion,

And to all thy people give thy heavenly grace, that with meek When there beart and due reverence, they may bear and receive thy boly word, is no Comtruly ferving thee in bolinefs and righteoufnefs all the days of their life. thefe words. [And we commend efpecially unto thy merciful goodness the congre- thus engation which is bere affembled in thy name, to celebrate the commemo- clofed [] ration of the most precious death of thy Son, and our Saviour Jefus are to be Chrift. Then the petition for all in adverfity: after which as follows:

45 Script. Anglican. p. 467, 468.

46 Epiftola ad Bucerum, as cited in A Coal from the Altar, page 38.

left out.

Chap. VI. keeps clofeft to the words in the firft book of King Edward. And though the direct petition for the faithful departed is ftill difcontinued, yet, were it not for the reftriction of the words, militant here on earth, they might be supposed to be implied in our present form, when we beg of God that we WITH THEM may be partakers of his heavenly kingdom.

Due prepa

ing the Sa

crament.

SECT. XII. Of the Exhortations on the Sunday or Holy-day before the Communion.

GREAT mysteries ought to be ushered in with the fo

ration ne- lemnities of a great preparation : God gave the Ifraelites ceffary to three days warning of his defign to publish the Law 47 the receivand ordered their feftivals to be proclaimed by the found of a trumpet fome time before 48. The Pafchal Lamb (the type of Chrift in this Sacrament) was to be chofen and kept by them four days, to put them in mind of preparing for the celebration of the Paffover 49: and Chriftians, having more and higher duties to do in order to this holy feaft, ought not to have lefs time or shorter warning. Wherefore, as good Hezekiah published, by particular expreffes, his intended Paffover long before 50 ; fo hath our church prudently ordered timely notice to be given, that none might pretend to ftay away out of ignorance of the time, or unfitness for the duty, but that all might come, and with due preparation.

Why there

were no Exhorta

tions in the

church.

§. 2. The ancient church indeed had no fuch exhortations for their daily, or at least weekly Communions,

primitive follows: And we alfo blefs thy boly name for all thofe thy fervants, who having finished their courfe in faith do now reft from their labours. And we yield unto thee most high praise and hearty thanks for the wonderful grace and virtue declared in all thy fervants, who have been the choice veffels of thy grace, and the lights of the world in their feveral generations: moft bumbly befeecbing thee, that we may have grace to follow the example of their ftedfaftnefs in thy faith, and obedience to thy boly Commandments, that at the day of the general Refurrection, we, and all they which are of the mystical body of thy Son, may be fet on bis right band, and bear that bis moft joyful voice, Come ye bleffed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. Grant this, O Father, for Jefus Chrift's fake, our only Mediator and Advocate. Amen.

47 Exod. xix. 15.

48 Lev. xxv. 9. Numb. x. 2.

49 Exod. xii. 3, 6.

50 2 Chron. xxx.

made

made it known that there was then no folemn affembly of Sect. XII. Christians without it; and every one (not under cenfure) was expected to communicate. But now, when the time is fomewhat uncertain, and our long omiffions have made fome of us ignorant, and others forgetful of this duty; most of us unwilling, and all of us more or lefs indifpofed for it; it was thought both prudent and neceffary to provide thefe exhortations, to be read when the Minister gives warning of the Communion, which he is always to do, upon the Sunday or fome Holy-day immediately preceding.

pofures.

§. 3. As to the compofures themselves, they are fo ex- The usefultraordinary fuitable, that if every communicant would nefs of duly weigh and confider them, they would be no fmall thefe comhelp towards a due preparation. The firft contains proper exhortations and inftructions how to prepare ourfelves: the latter is more urgent, and applicable to those who generally turn their backs upon thofe holy myste ries, and fhews the danger of thofe vain and frivolous excuses which men frequently make for their staying away. For which reafon it is appointed by the rubric to be used instead of the former, whenever the Minister shall obferve that the people are negligent to come*.

§. 4.

* In the Common Prayer of 1549, only the first of these exhortations was inserted, and that pretty different from our present one in words, though much the fame in sense: it was a little enlarged towards the conclufion in relation to auricular and secret Confeffions, which I shall have another occasion to take notice of hereafter 51. And in that book it was defigned, as now, to be read on fome day before the Communion to which the people were to be exhorted. The fecond exhortation was not added till 1552. And then it was appointed to be used at the Communiontime (immediately after the prayer for the whole state of Chrift's Church) at certain times when the Curate should see the people negligent to come to the holy Communion. And therefore it began, We be come together at this time (dearly beloved brethren) to feed at the Lord's Supper; unto the which, in God's behalf, I bid you all that are bere prefent, and fo on as in the present form, till after the words-bow fevere punifoment bangeth over your beads for the fame-it went on thus, to reprove a cuftom, which it seems then prevailed, of fome people's ftanding gazing in the church (whilft others communicated) without receiving. And whereas ye offend God fo fore in refufing this boly banquet, I admonifb, exbort and befeech you, that unto

this

51 Chap. XI. Sect. IV, V.

Chap. VI.

§. 4. How the rubric that orders thefe exhortations to be read after the Sermon or Homily is ended, may be reconHow this ciled to the rubric that orders the Minifter to give notice of rubric is to the Communion before Sermon, I have already shewed upon that place.

be recon

ciled with

that after

the Nicene Creed.

of it.

SECT. XIII. Of the Exhortation at the Communion.

The defign THE former exhortations are defigned to increase the numbers of the Communicants, and this to rectify their difpofitions; that fo they may be not only many but good. In the ancient Greek church, befides all other preparatory matters, when the congregation were all placed in order to receive the Sacrament; the Priest, even

this unkindness ye will not add any more. Which thing ye fball do, if ye ftand by as gazers and lookers on them that communicate, and be not partakers of the fame yourselves. For what thing can this be accounted elfe, than a farther contempt and unkindness unto God? Truly it is a great unthankfulness to fay, Nay, when ye be called; but the fault is much greater when men ftand by, and yet will neither eat nor drink the holy Communion with others. I pray you, what can this be elfe, but even to bave the mysteries of Chrift in derifion? It is faid unto all, Take ye and eat; take and drink ye all of this, do this in remembrance of me. With what face then, or with what countenance fball ye bear these words? What will this be elfe but a neglecting, a defpif ing and mocking of the Teftament of Christ? W berefore rather than ye fhould do fo, depart ye bence, and give place to them that be godly dif pofed. But when you depart, I beseech you, ponder with yourselves from whence ye depart. Ye depart from the Lord's Table, ye depart from your brethren, and from the banquet of most heavenly food. Thefe things if ye earnestly confider, ye fball by God's grace return to a better mind; for the obtaining whereof we fball make our bumble petitions while we fball receive the holy Communion. And thus ftood this form till the Reftoration of King Charles II. during all which time that which is in our present book the first exhortation, stood the second in the old books, as being fometimes alfo to be faid at the difcretion of the Curate. But in 1662, they were both somewhat altered and transposed, and adapted to be used upon a Sunday or Holy-day before the Communion, which occafioned the first sentence to that which is at present our firft exhortation to be then added. Though indeed they are now all of them so altered in the expreffion, and tranfpofed in their order, that the more curious reader, that thinks the difference worth examining, must look into the originals; there being no way of giving him an exact account of them here, but by tranfcribing them at length, which will take up more room than I know how to allow.

then