alterations and additions, and that others were quite left Introduct. out of the Roman Miffals, and entire new ones, relating to their prefent innovations, added in their room; they there fore examined every Collect ftrictly, and where they found any of them corrupted, there they corrected them; where any new ones had been inferted, they reftored the old ones and lastly, at the Reftoration, every Collect was again reviewed, when whatsoever was deficient was fup plied, and all that was but improperly expreffed, rectified. The feveral alterations both then and at the Reformation fhall be noted hereafter in their proper places: in the meanwhile I fhall proceed to give the like general account of the Epiftles and Gofpels. .9 i_1 T §. 3. I have already hinted, that they are thought to The antihave been at first felected by St. Jerom, and put into the quity of the Epiftles and Lectionary by him. It is certain that they were very an- Gofpels. ciently appropriated to the days whereon we now read them; fince they are not only of general ufe throughout the whole Western church, but are alfo commented upon o in the homilies of several ancient fathers, which are faid to have been preached upon thofe very days, to which thefe portions of Scripture are now affixed. So that they of Scripture are no ren have most of them belonged to the fame Sundays and Holy-days Holy days we now ufe them on, for above twelve hundred years; as I might eafily fhew alfo from feveral authorities". 99007 they are §. 4. In all the old Common Prayer-Books, except the In what Scotch one, the Epiftles and Gofpels were taken out of Verfion the Great Bible, neither of the two laft tranflations being ufed. extant when the Common Prayer was firft compiled. But in regard of the many defects which were obferved in that verfion, and upon the petition of the Prefbyterian commiffioners at the Savoy conference, the commiffioners on RECT the church fide concluded that all the Epiftles and Gofpels Thould be ufed according to the laft tranflation. 7 thod. 1.9 $5. The other variations that have been made in Their order them, at and ,at and fince the Reformation, fhall be taken notice and meof as I go along: I fhall only obferve farther in this place, n relation to them in general, in what admirable order and method they are appointed, and what fpecial relation they bear to the feveral days whereon they are read. 219) Vid. Liturg. S. Jacob. S. Clem, S. Bafil. Walefrid. Strab. de Reb. Eccl. C. 22. of the Commiffioners, 1661, page 15, 10 Account of all the Proceedings the Commiflioners, page 129% The Chap. V. The whole year is diftinguished into two parts: the defign of the firft being to commemorate Chrift's living amongst us; the other to inftruct us to live after his example. The former takes in the whole time from Advent to Trinity-Sunday; for the latter are all the Sundays from Trinity to Advent. The first part being converfant about the life of our Saviour, and the myfteries of his divine difpenfation: therefore beginning at Advent, we first celebrate his Incarnation in general, and after that in their order the feveral particulars of it: fuch as were his Nativity, Circumcifion, and Manifeftation to the Gentiles; his Doctrine and Miracles, his Baptifm, Fafting, and Temptation; his Agony and bloody Sweat; his Cross and Paffion; his precious Death and Burial; his glorious Refurrection and Afcenfion; and his fending the Holy Ghoft to comfort us. During all this time the chief end and defign of the Epiftles and Gofpels is to make us remember with thankful hearts what unspeakable benefits we receive from the Father, firft by his Son, and then by his holy Spirit; for which we very aptly end this part of the year with giving praise and glory to the whole bleffed Trinity. The fecond part of the year, (which comprehends all the whole time from Trinity Sunday to Advent,) I observed, is to inftruct us to lead our lives after our Lord's example, For having in the first part of the year learned the myste ries of our religion, we are in the second to practise what is agreeable to the fame. For it concerns us, not only to know that we have no other foundation of our religion, than Chrift Jefus our Lord; but farther alfo to build upon this foundation fuch a life as he requires of us. And therefore as the first part ends with Pentecoft, whereon we commemorate a new law given us in our hearts; fo the fecond is to begin with the practice of that law for which reason fuch Epiftles and Gofpels are appointed, as may most easily and plainly inftruct and lead us in the true paths of Chriftianity; that fo those who are regenerated by Christ, and initiated in his faith, may know what virtues to follow, and what vices to eschew. The Col- §. 6. This I take to be a proper place to speak to the lect, Epiftle, rubric which directs, that the Collect, Epiftle, and Gospel and Gospel for the Sun-appointed for the Sunday fhall ferve all the week after, where day, to ferve it is not in this book otherwife ordered". The principal oc for the week afterwards. 11 See the laft Rubric in the Order how the reft of the holy Scripture is appointed to be read. cafion of which provifion, I fuppofe, was a rubric at the' Introduct. end of the Communion Office, in the first book of King Edward VI, which ordered, that upon Wednefdays and Fridays, though there were none to communicate with the Prieft, yet (after the Litany ended) the Prieft fhould put upon him a plain Alb, or Surplice, with a Cope, and fay all things at the Altar (appointed to be faid at the celebration of the Lord's Supper) until after the Offertory. And that the fame order fhould be used all other days, whenfoever the People accuftomably affembled to pray in the Church, and none dif pofed to communicate with him. But though this custom be now laid afide, yet the direction above mentioned is still of use to us, if either at a Marriage, or at the Churching of a Woman, (at both which times a Communion is prescribed by the rubric as convenient,) or upon any other fuch like occafion, the Sacrament be adminiftered: at which times we are ordered by the rubric I am speaking of, to use the fame Collect, Epiftle, and Gofpel as were used the Sunday before, where it is not otherwife ordered in this book. Before Except the last review it was faid, except there fall fome feaft that fome Holy-day hath its proper, i. e. except there fall fome Holy-day in happens in the week which has a Collect, Epiftle, and Gospel of its the week. own; or, as it is worded in the Scotch Liturgy, except there fall fome feaft that hath its proper Collect, Epistle, and Gofpel; as it is on Afh-Wednesday, and on every day in the holy week next before the Pafch or Eafter: in which cafe the Sunday Collect, Epiftle, and Gofpel, are to give place to the proper Collect, Epiftle, and Gofpel for that day. And this to be fure is part of what is intended by the rubric, as it ftands now. Though the defign I suppose of altering the laft words into, where it is not in this book otherwife ordered, was for a direction alfo at fuch times as a new or fome feafon begins between one Sunday and another, as it hap, begins. pens upon Ah-Wednesday and Afcenfion-day. In which cafe the fervices of thofe days being placed between the fervices for the Sundays immediately before and after; I take that to be an order that the Collect, &c. for the foregoing Sunday fhall be then left off, and the Collect, &c. for the Holy-day fhall fucceed as the fervice for the remaining part of the week. Which is exactly agreeable to an express rubric after the Gospel for Ah-Wednesday in the Scotch Liturgy, which enjoins that from Ah-Wednefday to the first Sunday in Lent, fhall be used the fame Collect, Epifile, and Gospel, which were used on Afh-Wednesday, new season munions Double nions on Chap. V. §. 7. In the firft Common Prayer-Book of King Edward VI. there were two Collects, Epiftles, and Gofpels Two Com- appointed for Chriftias-day and Eafter-day, one to be formerly at uled at the firft Communion, the other at the Jecond: for Chriftmas the churches not affording room enough upon thofe high and Eafter. festivals for all to communicate at once that were willing to come; therefore the Sacrament was ordered to be repeated, and a different fervice appointed for each folemnity. As to a double Communion, the practice is ancient : for we find that Pope Leo, writing to Diofcorus Bishop the fame of Alexandria, advised, that where the churches were too day an an- fmall to admit all that were defirous to communicate at cient praconce ; the Priests should administer two or three Communions in one day, that fo, they who could not get room to offer themselves the first time, might have an opportunity of doing it afterwards. Convinced by this authority, Bucer afterwards retracted an exception she had made against having two Communions in one day "2; though in the fecond review of the Liturgy under King Edward, one of these services was laid afide, not, I fuppofe, with intent to forbid a repetition of the Sacrament, if the Minifter fhould fee occafion to adminifter it twice; but only that, as the congregation at each time is fuppofed to be different, therefore the fame fervice fhould be used for both. tice. Introits, were, and how an VIII. Of Introits in general. 12.. I SHOULD now proceed to give the reafons of the choice of the feveral Collects, Epiftles, and Gospels, and to fhew their fuitableness to the days they belong to. But because to do this it is neceffary I should fhew what particular bleffings the church commemorates at those fe veral times, on which they are prefcribed; I fhall defcend to particulars, and first give a fhort account of the feveral Sundays and Holy-days, as they stand in order, and then thew how thefe portions of Scripture are to be applied to the day. WOM But first I fhall take this opportunity to obferve, that in what they the firft Common Prayer-Book of King Edward VI. before every Collect, Epiftle, and Gofpel, there is a Pfalm printed, which contains fomething prophetical of the Evangelical hiftory ufed upon each Sunday and Holy day, or is fome way or other proper to the day: which cient. 12 Script. Anglican. pag. 465 & 495. A from from its being fung or faid, while the Priest made his en- Introduct. trance within the rails of the Altar, was called Introitus or Introit 13. But in the fecond edition of King Edward's book it it was laid afide; though the reason they had for doing fo is not eafily affigned. For it is very certain that the ufe of introits to begin the Communion-office was not only unexceptionable, but of great antiquity in the church: Durand proving that they were taken into di 13 The Introits for every Sunday and Holy-day throughout the year. Sunday in Advent, Trinity Sunday, Pfalm 67 1. Sunday after Trinity, Part 1 119 201 Pfalmi |
