: Chap. V. All-Saints, which was then celebrated upon the first of May afterwards, by an order of Gregory IV. it was removed to the first of November, A. D. 834, where it hath ftood ever fince. And our Reformers having laid afide the celebration of a great many Martyrs' days, which had grown too numerous and cumbersome to the church, thought fit to retain this day, whereon the church, by a general commemoration, returns her thanks to God for them all. The Lef fons, Collects, Epi ftles, and Gospels. * §. 11. The Leffons, Collects, Epiftles, and Gofpels for all thefe and the other holy-days, are either fuch as bear a particular relation to the fubject of the festival, or are at least suitable to the season, as containing excellent inftructions for holy and exemplary lives, it being (as I have already noted, page 187, &c.) the defign of the church to excite us to emulate thofe bleffed faints, by fetting their examples fo often before us. They are most of them taken from ancient Liturgies, but fome were (for good reasons) altered and changed at the Reformation t. It would not have been foreign to the defign of these fheets, to have added in this place a fhort account of the lives of the Apostles and other faints, commemorated by our church: but confidering that this is done in several * In all the old Common Prayer-Books, the Epiftle for the Purification was ordered to be the fame that was appointed for the Sunday, and the Gospel for the fame day ended in the middle of the twenty-feventh verfe of the chapter, whereas now it is continued to the end of the fortieth. + The present Colle& for St. Andrew's day was first inserted in the second book of King Edward VI. That which was in his first book was this that follows. Almighty God, which baft given fuch grace to thy Apoftle St. Andrew, that be counted the Sharp and painful death of the Crofs to be an high bonour and great glory; grant us to take and esteem all troubles and adverfities which shall come unto us for tby fake, as things profitable for us towards the obtaining of everlafting life, through Jefus Christ our Lord. The Collect for the converfion of St. Paul in all the old books was this. God, which baft taught all the world through the preaching of thy bleffed Apoftle St. Paul, grant, we beseech thee, that we, which bave bis wonderful Converfion in remembrance, may follow and fulfil the holy doctrine that be taught, through Jefus Chrift our Lord. In the Collect for the festival of St. Philip and St. James, after the way, the truth, and the life, in the fame books followed, as thou baft taught St. Philip and other the Apostles, through Jefus Chrift our Lord. other other books already published, I fhall wave the doing it Sect. in this, being not willing to fwell the bulk of it with any XXVIII. thing that is better fupplied by other hands. If the reader be as yet deftitute of any thing of this nature, he cannot better provide himself than with the late learned and moft excellent Mr. Nelfon's Companion for the Feftivals and Fafts: in which he may not only fatisfy his curiofity as to the remains we have in history concerning thofe bleffed Saints, whofe virtues we commemorate; but he will also be supplied with proper meditations and devotions for each day: a book which, next to the Bible and Common Prayer, and the whole Duty of Man, I would heartily recommend as the most useful one I know, to all fincere members of the church of England. CHAP. VI. Of the Order for the Adminiftration of the LORD's The INTRODUCTION. WHATEVER benefits we now enjoy, or hope hereafter The virtue to receive from Almighty God, they are all purchased of the Eu. by the death, and must be obtained through the in- charift. terceffion of the holy JESUS. We are therefore not only taught to mention his name continually in our prayers; but are alfo commanded, by vifible figns, to reprefent and set forth to his heavenly Father his all-fufficient and meritorious Death and Sacrifice, as a more powerful way of interceding and obtaining the divine acceptSo that what we more compendiously exprefs in that general conclufion of our prayers, through Jefus Chrift our Lord, we more fully and forcibly reprefent in the celebration of the holy Eucharift: wherein we intercede on earth, in conjunction with the great interceffion of our high priest in heaven, and plead in the virtue and merits of the fame facrifice here, which he is continually urging for us there. And because of this near alliance between ance. * The Title of this Office in the first book of King Edward was, The Supper of the Lord, and the Holy Communion, commonly called the Mafs. praying Chap. VI. praying and communicating, we find the Eucharist was always, in the pureft ages of the church, a daily part of the Common Prayer. And therefore, though the shameful neglect of religion with us has made the imitation of this example to be rather wifhed for than expected; yet it fhews us, what excellent reafon our church had to annex fo much of this office to the usual service on all folemin days. ftration dif various. The primi-§. 2. As to the primitive and original form of Admitive forms niftration; fince it does not appear that our Saviour preof Admini- fcribed any particular method, most churches took the liferent and berty to compofe Liturgies for themselves; which perhaps being only the forms used by the founders of each church, a little altered and enlarged, were, in honour of those founders, diftinguished by their names. For thus the Liturgies of Jerufalem, Alexandria, and Rome, have been always called St. James's, St. Mark's, and St. Clement's. But however none of these being received as of divine institution; therefore St. Bafil and St. Chryfoftom, St. Ambrofe and St. Gregory, in after-ages, each of them compofed a Liturgy of their own. And fo the excellent compilers of our Common Prayer, following their example, no otherwise confined themselves to the Liturgies that were before them, than out of them all to extract an office for themselves and which indeed they performed with fo exact a judgment and happy fuccefs, that it is hard to determine whether they more endeavoured the advancement of devotion, or the imitation of pure antiquity. The Com But Bucer being called in (as I have obferved elfewhere) to give his opinion of it, this momentous and principal office of our Liturgy had the misfortune to fuffer very great alterations. Some amendment in the method it might poffibly have borne; but the practice of foreign churches, and not primitive Liturgies, being always with him the standard of Reformation, the most ancient forms and primitive rites were forced to give way to modern fancies. It is true, fome of these were again restored at the last review: but it is ftill much lamented by learned men, that fome other additions were not made at that time, that fo every thing might have been restored which was proper or decent, as well as every thing left out that was fuperftitious or offenfive. §. 3. What these particulars are, fhall be fhewn heremunion of- after in their proper places. In the mean time I fhall fice defignhere observe, that the office originally was defigned to be ed to be diftinct, Morning diftinct, and to be introduced with the Litany, as I have Introduct. obferved before 32, and confequently to be ufed at a dif- ufed at a ferent time from Morning Prayer: for in all the Common different Prayer-Books before the laft, fo many as intended to be par- time from takers of the holy Communion, were to fignify their names to Prayer. the Curate over night, or else in the morning before the beginning of morning prayer, or immediately after. The defign of which rubric was partly that the minifter (by this means knowing the number of his communicants) might the better judge how to provide the elements of Bread and Wine fufficient for the occafion; but chiefly (as appears from the following rubrics) that he might have time to inform himself of the parties who intended to receive, that so if there were any among them not duly qualified, he might perfuade them to abstain of their own accords; or, if they obftinately offered themfelves, absolutely reject them. Now the rubric supposing, that this might be done immediately after morning prayer, as well as before it began, we muft neceffarily infer, that there was fufficient time defigned to be allowed between the two services, for the Curate not only to provide the elements, but also to confer with and advife his Communicants. I know indeed that Aleffe, in his tranflation of the Liturgy for the use of Bucer, applies the word after to the beginning of morning prayer, tranflating the rubric (though without either reafon or authority) after this manner: Quotquot cupiunt participes fieri facræ Communionis, indicabunt nomina fua Paftori pridie, aut mane, priufquam inchoentur Matutinae, vel immediate poft principium: which another Latin tranflation published in Queen Elizabeth's time expreffes plainer, vel immediate poft principium matutinarum precum. But how is it poffible that the Curate could either take their names, or confer with thofe that came, whilft he was otherwise employed in reading morning prayers? The words immediately after therefore must plainly refer to the ending of morning prayers; after which, thofe who had not offered themfelves before, were required to come and fignify their names, that fo the Curate might know what fort of perfons he fhould have to communicate with him, before he proceeded to the Communion-Office. This rubric indeed was altered at the last review; fo that now all that intend to communicate, are required to fignify their names at least fome time the day before. But then the design of Chap. VI. this alteration was not that both offices fhould be united in one, but that the Curate might have a more competent time to inquire of, and confult with, thofe that offered themselves to communicate 53, The offices are ftill as diftinct as ever, and ought ftill to be read at different times. A cuftom which Bishop Overall fays was observed in his time in York and Chichefter 54; and the fame practice, Mr. Johnfon tells us, prevailed at Canterbury long fince the Restoration, as it did very lately, if it does not ftill, at the cathedral of Worcester 55. It is certain that the Communion-Office ftill every where retains the old name of the Second Service; and Bishop Overall, just now mentioned, imputes it to the negligence of minifters, and the careleffness of people, that they are ever huddled together into one office. Rubric 1. fters to be SECT. I. Of the Rubrics before the Communion-Office. FROM what has been faid juft now above, the defign The Mini- of the firft Rubric fufficiently appears, vix. That the judges of Curate, by knowing, at least fome time the day before, the the fitness names of all that intend to be partakers of the holy Communion, may judge what quantity of Bread and Wine will be fufficient, and alfo may have time enough to learn, whether thofe that offer themselves to the Communion are fit to receive. For, of their Communi cants. pel fcanda lous of fenders. Rubric 2.3. §. 2. If any of thofe be an open or notorious evil liver, or And have have done any wrong to his neighbours by word or deed, fo power to re- that the Congregation be thereby offended; the Curate, having knowledge thereof, fhall call him and advertise him, that in any wife he prefume not to come to the Lord's table until he hath openly declared himself to have truly repented, and amended his former naughty life, that the Congregation may thereby be fatisfied, which before were offended; and that he hath recompenfed the parties to whom he hath done wrong, or at leaft declare himself to be in full purpose fo to do, as foon as he conveniently may. The fame Order hall the Curate ufe with thofe between whom he perceiveth malice and hatred to reign; not fuffering them to be partakers of the Lord's table, until he know them to be reconciled. And if any one of the parties fo at variance be content to forgive, from the bottom of his heart, all that the 53 See the Account of all the Proceedings of the Commiffioners 1661, page 15, and the Papers that paffed between the Commiffioners, p. 129. 54 See Dr. Nichols's additional Notes, page 36. 55 Clergyman's Vade Mecum, p. 12, third edition. other |
