An Order for Morning Prayer
Daily Throughout the Year.

All these texts of holy writ premised, are (as it were the bells of Aaron) to stir up devotion, and to toll all into God's house. The whole ring consists of two notes especially,

1. Man's misery.
2. God's mercy.

Of Daily saying of MORNING and EVENING PRAYER. All Priests shall be bound to say Daily the Morning and Evening Prayer. The end of the Preface before the Service, Rubr. 2. So was it of old ordered in the Church of Christ, Saint CHRYS. 6. hom. in 2. cap. 1. ep. ad Tim. and Clem. Const. l. 2. c. 39. And this is agreeable to Gods own Law. Exo. 29. 38. Thou shalt offer upon the Altar Two Lambs of the first year, day by day continually; the one Lamb in the Morning, the other at Evening. Besides the daily private devotions of every pious Soul, and the more solemn Sacrifices upon the three great Feasts of the year; Almighty God requires a daily publick worship, a continual burnt offering, every day, Morning and Evening, teaching us by this, saith Saint CHRYS. That God must be worshipped daily when the day begins and when it ends, and every day must be a kind of holy day. Thus it was commanded under the Law; and certainly we Christians are as much at least, obliged to God, as the Jews were, our grace is greater, our promises clearer, and therefore, our righteousness should every way exceed theirs, our Homage to Almighty God, should be paid as frequently at least. Morning and Evening to be sure, God expects from us as well as from the Jews, a publick worship, a sweet savour, or savour of rest, as it is in the Hebrew, Num. 28. 6. without which God Almighty will not rest satisfied.

This publick Service and worship under the Law was appointed by God himself, both for matter and manner of performance. Exod. 29. 38. but under the Gospel our Lord hath appointed only materials and essentials of his publick worship: In general, Prayers, Thanksgivings, Confessions, Lauds, Hymns, and Eucharistical Sacrifices are commanded to be offered up in the name of Christ, in the virtue and merits of that immaculate Lamb, whereof the other was but a type, and for whose sake alone, that was accepted, but for the manner and order of his publick worship, for the method of offering up Prayers or praises and the like; our Lord hath not so particularly determined now, but hath left that to be ordered and appointed, by those, to whom he said at his departure out of this world. As my Father sent me, so send I you, S. John 20. 21. To govern the Church in his absence. viz. The Apostles and their Successors in the Apostolick Commission. And therefore Acts 2. 42.

The publick prayers of the Church are called the Apostles Prayers. The Disciples are commended there for Continuing in the Apostles Doctrine, fellowship, breaking of bread, and Prayers. And therefore S. Paul writes to Timothy the Bishop and Governour of the Church of Ephesus, to take care that Prayers and Supplications be made for all men, especially for Kings, &c. And 1 Cor. 11. 34. Concerning the manner of celebrating the holy Eucharist, St. Paul gives some directions, and adds, The rest will I set in order when I come. And 1 Cor. 14. 40. Let all things, i.e.("all your publick services, (for of those he treats in the Chapter at large) be done decently, and kata taxin, according to Ecclesiastical Law and Canon."

The Service and worship of God thus prescribed, according to our Lords general rules, by those to whom he hath left a Commission and power to order and govern his Church, is the right publick Service and worship of God, commanded by himself in his Law; for though God hath not immediately and particularly appointed this publick worship, yet he hath in general commanded a publick worship in the second Commandment. For where it is said, Thou shalt not bow down to them, nor worship them, by the rule of contraries, we are Commanded to bow down to God and Worship Him. A publick worship then God must have, by his own Command; and the Governors of the Church, have prescribed this form of worship, for that publick service and worship of God in this Church, which being so prescribed, becomes Gods service and worship by his own Law, as well as the Lamb was his sacrifice, Exod. 29.

For the clearer understanding of this, we must know, that some Laws of Gods, do suppose some humane act of pass and intervene, before they actually bind: which act of man being once passed, they bind immediately. For example, Thou shalt not steal, is Gods Law, which Law cannot bind actually, till men be possest of some goods and property; which property is not usually determined by God himself immediately, but by the Laws of him, to whom he hath given Authority to determine it. God hath given the earth to the children of men, as he gave Canaan to the Israelites in general; but men cannot say this is mine, till humane Laws or acts determine the property, as the Israelites could not claim a property on this or that side Iordan, till Moses had assigned them their several portions: But when their portions were so assigned, they might say, this is mine, by Gods, as well as mans Law; and he that took away their right, sinned not only against mans, but God, Law too, that says, Thou shalt not steal. In like manner; God hath in general commanded a publick worship and service, but hath not, under the Gospel, assigned the particular form and method; That he hath left to his Ministers and Delegates, the Governors of the Church to determine agreeable to his general rules; which being so determin'd, is Gods service and worship not only by humane, but even by divine Law also: and all other publick services whatsoever, made by private men, to whom God hath given no such Commission are strange worship, Lev. 10. 1. Because not Commanded; for example, As under the Law, when God had appointed a Lamb for a burnt-offering, Exod. 29. that alone was the right daily worship, The savour of rest, because Commanded, and all other sacrifices whatsoever, offered up in the place of that, though of far more value and price than a Lamb, suppose 20 Oxen, would have been strange Sacrifice; so now, the publick worship of God prescribed as we have said, by Those to whom he hath given Commission, is the only true and right publick worship, and all other forms and methods offered up in stead of that, though never so exactly drawn, are strange worship, because not Commanded. It is not the elegancy of the phrase, nor the fineness of the Composition that makes it acceptable to God, as his worship and service, but obedience is the thing accepted. Behold to obey is better than sacrifice, or any fat of Rams, 1 Sam. 15. 22.

For, First, it is the service of the whole Church, to which, every man that holds Communion with that Church, hath consented to and said Amen, and agreed, that it should be offered up to God by the Priest in the name of the Church, and, if what any two of you shall agree to ask upon earth, it shall be granted, S. Matt. 18. 19. How much more, what is ask'd of God or offered up to God by the common vote and joynt desire of the whole body of the Church?

Besides, this publick service and worship of God is Commanded by God, (i.e.by those whom he hath impowr'd to command and appoint it) to be offered up to him in the behalf of the Church, and therefore must needs be most acceptable to him, which is so appointed by him: For, what he Commands he accepts most certainly. Private devotions and services of particular men which are offered by themselves, for themselves, are sometimes accepted, sometimes refused by God, according as the persons are affected to vice or virtue; but this publick worship is like that Lamb, Exod. 29. commanded to be offered by the Priest for others, for the Church, and therefore accepted, whatsoever the Priest be that offers it up. And therefore, King David prayes, Psal. 141. 2. Let the lifting up of my hands be an evening Sacrifice, i.e.as surely accepted as that Evening Sacrifice of the Lamb, which no indevotion or sin of the Priest could hinder, but that it was most certainly accepted for the Church, because commanded to be offered for the Church, S. Chrys. Hom. in Psal. 140.

This publick service is accepted of God, not only for those that are present and say Amen to it, but for all those that are absent upon just cause, even for all that do not renounce Communion with it and the Church, for it is the Common service of them all, Commanded to be offered up in the names of them all, and agreed to by all of them to be offered up for them all, and therefore is accepted for all them, though presented to God by the Priest alone (as the Lamb offered up to God, by the Priest, Ex. 29. was the sacrifice of the whole Congregation of the children of Israel,) a sweet smelling savour, a savour of rest, to pacifie God Almighty daily, and to continue his favour to them, and make him dwell with them, Exod. 29. 42, 45.

Good reason therefore it is, that this sweet smelling savour should be daily offered up to God Morning and Evening, whereby God may be pacified and invited to dwell amongst his people. And whatsoever the world think; thus to be the Lords Remembrancers putting him in mind of the peoples wants. Esay 62. Being as it were the Angels of the Lord, interceding for the people, and carrying up the daily prayers of the Church in their behalf, is one of the most useful and principal parts of the Priests office. So S. Paul tells us, who in the 1 Ep. Tim. chap. 2. Exhorts Bishop Timothy, that he should take care, First of all, that this holy service be offered up to God. I exhort first of all, that prayers, and supplications, intercessions and giving of thanks be made for all men. For KINGS, &c.

What is the meaning of this first of all? I will that this holy service be offered up daily, and the faithful know, how we observe this rule of S. Paul, offering up daily this holy sacrifice Morning and Evening. S. Chrys. upon the place.

S. Paul in the first Chapter of this Epistle at the 18. verse, had charged his son Timothy to war a good warfare, to hold faith and a good conscience, and presently adds, I exhort therefore, that first of all prayers &c. be made, as if he had said, you cannot possibly hold faith and a good conscience in your Pastoral office, unless, First of all, you be careful to make and offer up prayers, &c. For this is the first thing to be done and most highly to be regarded by you. Preaching is a very useful part of the Priests office; and S. Paul exhorts Timothy to preach the word, be instant in season, out of season. And the more because He was a Bishop, and to plant and water many Churches in the Infancy of Christianity among many Seducers and Temptations: But yet First of all he exhorts, that this daily office of presenting prayers to the throne of grace in the behalf of the Church, be carefully lookt to.

This charge of S. Paul to Tim. holy Church here laies upon all those that are admitted into that holy office of the Ministery, that they should offer up to God this holy sacrifice of prayers, praises and thanksgivings, this savour of rest, daily, Morning and Evening: And would all those whom it concerns, look well to this part of their office, I should not doubt, but that God would be as gracious and bountiful to us in the performance of this service, as he promised to be to the Jews in the offering of the Lamb Morning and Evening, Exod. 29. 43. 44. He would meet us and speak with us, that is graciously answer our petitions: he would dwell with us, and be our God, and we should know, by comfortable experiments of his great and many blessings, that he is the Lord our God.

A. Morning and evening prayer.] Prayer ought to be made as oft as occasion requireth; as there is daily occasion, so there must be daily prayer. Our daily sins exact a daily confession; our daily wants teach us, as our Saviour prescribed us, to say, "Give us this day our daily bread;" the Lord's mercies are "new every morning," so should our prayers and thanksgivings be; new in practice, though the same in form .

Upon this account were the diurnal sacrifices of the temple: upon this account did the primitive Christians practise it; sacrificia quotidie celebramus, "we daily offer sacrifices to God," saith Cyprian: ἡμέρας ἑκάστης τῷ τοῦτων δεσπότῃ τοὺς ὕμνους προσφέρομεν, saith Theodoret. Yea not only daily, but twice a day, at morning and evening, according to the order of our Church, τούτο ίσασιν οι μύσται, πώς καθ'έκαστην ημέραν γίνεται, και εν εσπέρα και πρωΐα, saith Chrysostom; "all the faithful can bear witness of this," how it is observed in the morning and evening service. And to the same purpose Epiphanius, Εωθινοίτε ύμνοι εν αυτή τη αγία Εκκλησία διηνεκεϊς γίνονται και προσευχαι εωθιναι : Λυχνικοί τε άμα ψαλμοί και προσευχαι. "Morning prayers and hymns are continually used in the holy Church, as also evening prayers and hymns:" what these morning and evening hymns were, shall be seen afterwards. As for the hour of morning prayer with us, it is nine in the forenoon, agreeable to the primitive practice of the Greek Church especially, derived either from the miraculous descent of the Holy Ghost at that hour upon the Apostles, or from the Jewish custom of as sembling for the performance of religious duties at that hour, their third; whereof instances there are enough in Holy Scripture; this in all probability of divine establishment; not So, I conceive, the next or sixth in order of canonical hours, this being added by private devotion: at which hour, after dinner, devout people resorted to the temple to offer up their more peculiar supplications, in reference to their private and proper wants. So "Hannah rose up early after they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had drunk, and went into the temple, and prayed unto the Lord," 1 Sam. i. 9, whence old Eli mistook her to be drunk ἀπὸ τοῦ καιροῦ τῆς ἡμέρας, καὶ yap ἦν τὸ μεσημβρινὸν, saith St. Chrysostom, "from the heat of the day, for it was about noon." So the prophet David, "At morning, and evening, and at high noon-day will I rise up to praise thee." In conformity to which the ancient Christians preserved the same observatio; though satisfied I am not, that it was a universal practice, because Clemens Alexandrinus restrained it to some, τινές ώρας τάκτας απο νέμουσιν ευχή τρίτην, έκτης, και εννάτην, “some allot set hours for prayers, the third, sixth, and ninth.”

The Mattins and Evensong begin with one sentence of holy Scripture, after which follows the Exhortation, declaring to the people, the end of their publick meeting: Namely, [To confess their sins, to render thanks to God, to let forth his praise, to hear his holy Word, and to ask those things that be necessary both for body and soul.] All this is to prepare their hearts (which it does most excellently) to the performance of these holy duties with devotion, according to the counsel of Ecclus. 18. 23. Before thou prayest, prepare thine heart, and be not as one that tempteth God. To which agrees that of Ecclesiastes 5. 1. Be not hasty to utter any thing before God, but consider that he is in Heaven, and thou upon earth.

F. The priest shall read with a loud voice some one of these sentences.] The first step to repentance the heathen could teach us is, “to know we have offended;” the next is, “to acknowledge it.” By these degrees our Church labours to bring us to our knees, leading us to confession by these excellent sentences, and an exhortation suitable to her purpose; and without an humble and unfeigned confession, it were madness in us to hope for pardon for our transgressions. Homo es, (saith the father,) et vis rogari, ut ignoscas; et putas Deum tibi non roganti ignoscere? “Thou art a contemptible man, yet wilt be entreated before thou forgivest; and shall God remit thine own sins unasked?”

But before I advance further, at this first threshold of our liturgy I stumble upon an objection, and an untoward one it is, I confess; for this first sentence referred by the margin to Ezekiel is not there to be found, ῥητῶς, or expressly, the words of the prophet being these, xviii. 21, 22: “But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all My statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die; all his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him.” Whereby it is evident that this sentence in our liturgy resulteth from the original rather by inference than by translation. Now because many such seeming blemishes will perhaps occur to captious inquirers in the comparing of this old translation with that of the best edition, it will be time well spent to alleviate the burden of this and all other objections emergent upon this account. And, first, we are ready to justify our Church thus far, that she never swerveth from the native verity in any one particular, relating to the fundamentals of either faith or morality; secondly, it will be proper to examine what translation we follow.

The first translation of the Bible into the English tongue, in order to our reformation, was performed by Mr. Tyndal, anno 1530, afterwards martyr. But some bishops had represented to King Henry VIII. that Tyndal was of a seditious spirit, and had dispersed several books tending thereunto, (a most false aspersion, witness that most loyal piece, called “The Obedience of a Christian Man,”) and that his translation was very corrupt ; whereupon it was immediately called in and suppressed. But the pope’s authority about the year 1536 going down, upon the entreaty and petition of the clergy, King Henry issued out an order for a new translation, indulging in the interim to his subjects the use of a Bible then passing under a feigned name of Matthew’s Bible, not much differing from Tyndal’s; the king promising a new and more perfect translation shortly to be published. This translation came forth in the year 1540, and was called the Bible of the great volume, or the Great Bible, and sometimes Coverdale’s translation. And though this Bible was enforced by the aid of a proclamation, yet was both it and all other translations abolished by act of parliament 1542, and the public use of the Bible interdicted in churches without leave from the king or ordinary first had: which interdict lasted all King Henry’s reign. But he not living many years after, and his son Edward succeeding him, the former statute was soon repealed, and the Scriptures made public again according to the translation of Miles Coverdale, which in truth doth not differ much from Tyndal’s. In King Edward’s time was our liturgy compiled, and no translation being then more perfect than this of Coverdale’s, reason good it should follow that. And from that doth our liturgy derive both the translations of the Psalms and other portions of canonical Scripture. But there have been two new and more correct translations since; one in Queen Elizabeth’s reign, called the Bishops’ Bible, it being the labour of some bishops commissionated by the queen, the other in King James’s time, and why was not our liturgy reformed in this particular by those translations? Shall I tell you what I have heard, and from a very credible hand.

A convocation in the queen’s time were once in good earnest upon this very design, but proceeding upon good advice, they thought fit first to examine the gust of the parliament then sitting, by some confidents of theirs; these seriously dissuaded them from further progress in it, declaring that this reformation being not very feasible without dissolving the ancient frame, they had cause to fear it would find so potent enemies in the house (a thing of no great wonder) as it would scarce be allowed to pass again. The case standing thus, it sorted well with Christian prudence to desist. And the same Christian prudence moved the compilers of the Scottish liturgy, who had no other than the royal authority to regard, to reform agreeable to the best translation, not only these sentences, but what else of sacred Scripture was ingredient into the service of that Church.

And paterne Luke 15: want and woe in the leaud son, pity and plenty in the good father, occasioned repentance, never repented. Of the one it is commonly said, Oratio sine malis, est quasi anis, sine alis. Of the other, I will come into thine house even upon the multitude of thy mercy: Psalm 5.7. To thee I will sing, because thou art my refuge, and merciful God. Psal. 59.17. In the vulgar Latin; Deus meus misericordia mea. Whereupon Augustine; O nomen sub quo nemint desperandum est.

Wherefore the Minister out of a due consideration of both, exhorteth his people in an Apostolical style, to confess their sins humbly to the Lord, who is able to hear, because Almighty; and is willing to help, because most merciful.

The Confession of sins. The matter and manner of which Confession all other Liturgies approve, both ancient (as the Liturgies of S. James, of S. Basil, of the Syrians, of the Ethiopians) and modern (as the Scottish, Genevan, English admonitioners set form of common prayer, Italian, Spanish, Dutch) all which allot Confession of sins a place, and this place principally. The reason hereof is taken out of God's own book, Proverbs 18.17. Iustus in exordio sermonis accusator est sui. The just man in the beginning of his speech is an accuser of himself: for so read S. Abrose Ser. 4. upon the 118. Psalm. S. Hierom lib. 1. contra Pelagian, Melancthon in loc. and from the practise of God's own people the Jews: as that noble gentleman Philip Mornai notes in lib. 1. de Missa. cap. 3.

The Priest and the People, being thus prepared, make their CONFESSION which is to be done with [an humble voice,] as it is in the Exhortation. Our Churches direction in this particular, is grave and conform to ancient rules. The sixth Counc. of CONSTAN. Can. 75. forbids all disorderly and rude vociferation in the execution of Holy Services; and S. Cyprian de Orat. Dominica advises thus, [Let our speech and voice in prayer be with Discipline, still and modest: Let us consider that we stand in the presence of God, who is to be pleas'd both with the habit and posture of our body, and manner of our speech: for as it is a part of impudence to be loud and clamorous; so in the contrary, it becomes modesty to pray with an humble voice.]

We begin our Service with Confession of sins, and so was the use in Saint Basils time. Ep. 63. And that very orderly. For before we beg any thing else, or offer up any praise or Lauds to God, it is fit we should confess, and beg pardon of our sins, which hinder Gods acceptation of our Services. Psal. 66. 16. If I regard iniquity with mine heart, the Lord will not hear me.

This Confession is to be said by the whole Congregation, Sayes the Rubr. And good reason. For could there be any thing devised better, than that we all at first access unto God by prayer, should acknowledge meekly our sins, and that not only in heart but with tongue; all that are present being made earwitnesses, even of every mans distinct and deliberate Assent to each particular branch of a Common Indictment drawn against our selves? How were it possible that the Church should any way else with such ease and certainty provide, that none of her children may dissemble that wretchedness, the Penitent Confession whereof is so necessary a preamble especially to Common-Prayer? Hooker.

G. A general confession to be said.] To begin morning prayer with confession of sins, I may call the Catholic custom of the primitive Church. De nocte populus surgens antelucano tempore domum precationis petit, in labore, tribulatione et lachrymis indesinentibus facta ad Deum confessione, saith Basil”. “Early in the morning, at break of day, the people rising, go straight to the house of prayer, making confession of their sins to God, with much sorrow, sobs, and tears.” Which custom, lest it should be thought a peculiar of his own Church, was, he tells us, consonant to all other Churches. Nor is he only a witness for confession, but for confession so qualified as ours, the congregation repeating the words after the minister, suis guisque verbis resipiscentiam profitetur, “every man pronounceth his own confession with his own mouth.”

The Novelists only mislike the Minister's absolution, and therefore in the Conference at Hampton Court, Jan. 14 1603, they gained so much as to have it in a more mild term called, Remission of sins. Herein resembling the people of Bengala, who are so much afraid of Tigers, as that they dare not call them Tigers, but give them other gentle names. Ne si propriam nomenclaturam tribuant, continuo dilacerentur. Concerning absolution, see the Gospel Dominic. 19. post Trin.

Next follows the ABSOLUTION to be pronounced by the Priest alone, standing. For though the Rubrick here does not appoint this posture, yet it is to be supposed in reason, that he is to do it here, as he is to do it in other places of the Service. And in the Rubrick after the general Confession at the Communion, the Bishop or Priest is ordered to pronounce the Absolution, standing. Besides, reason teaches, That Acts of Authority, are not to be done kneeling, but standing rather. And this Absolution is an Act of Authority, by virtue of a [Power and Commandment of God to his Ministers, as it is in the Preface of this Absolution.] And as we read S. John 20. Whosoever sins ye remit, they are remitted. And if our Confession be serious and hearty, this Absolution is effectual, as if God did pronounce it from Heaven. So sayes the Confession of Saxony and Bohemia: and so sayes the Augustan Confession, and which is more, so says S. Chrys. in his fifth Hom. upon Esay. [Heaven waits and expects the Priests sentence here on Earth; the Lord follows the servant, and what the servant rightly binds or looses here on Earth, that the Lord confirms in Heaven.] The same sayes S. Gregory Hom. 26: upon the Gospels. [The Apostles, (and in them all Priests) were made Gods Vicegerents here on earth in his Name and stead to retain or remit sins.] S. Augustine and Cyprian, and generally Antiquity sayes the same; so does our Church in many places, particularly in the form Absolution for the sick: but above all, holy Scripture is clear, S. John 20. 23. Whosesoever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them. Which power of remitting sins was not to end with the Apostles, but is a part of the Ministry of Reconciliation, as necessary now as it was then, and therefore to continue as long as the Ministery of Reconciliation, that is, to the end of the world. Ep. 4. 12, 13. When therefore the Priest absolves, God absolves, if we be truly penitent: Now this remission of sins granted here to the Priest, to which God hath promised a confirmation in heaven, is not the act of Preaching, or Baptizing, or admitting men to the holy Communion. For all these powers were given before this grant was made. As you may see S. Mat. 10. 7. As ye go, preach saying, &c. And S. Iohn 4. 2. Though Jesus baptized not, but his disciples. And 1 Cor. 11. In the same night that he was betrayed, he instituted and delivered the Eucharist, and gave his Apostles authority to do the like, Do this, that I have done, bless the Elements, and distribute them. Which is plainly a power of admitting men to the holy Eucharist. And all these powers were granted before our Saviours Resurrection. But this power of remitting sins, mentioned S. Iohn 20. was not granted (though promised, S. Matt. 16. 19. ) till Now, that is, after the Resurrection. As appears first by the ceremony of Breathing, signifying that then it was given: And secondly, by the word Receive, used in that place, Verse 22. which he could not properly have used, if they had been endued with this power before. Therefore the power of Remitting, which here God authorizes, and promises certain assistance to, is neither Preaching nor Baptizing, but some other way of Remitting, namely, that which the Church calls Absolution. And if it be so, then to doubt of the effect of it (supposing we be truly penitent, and such as God will pardon) is to question the truth of God: and he that under pretence of reverence to God denies or despises this power, does injury to God in slighting his Commission, and is no better than a Novatian, saies S. Ambrose l. 1. de Poenit. cap. 2.

After the Priest hath pronounced the Absolution, the Church seasonably prayes, Wherefore we beseech him to grant us true repentance, and his holy spirit, &c. For as repentance is a necessary disposition to pardon, so as that neither God will, nor man can absolve those that are impenitent; So is it in some parts of it, a necessary consequent of pardon; and he that is pardoned, ought still to repent, as he that seeks a pardon. Repentance, say Divines, out to be continual. For whereas Repentance consists of three parts, as the Church teaches us in the Commination.

1. Contrition or lamenting of our sinful lives.
2. Knowledging and confessing our sins.
3. An endeavour to bring forth fruits worthy of penance, which the Ancients call satisfaction;

There be three several forms of Absolution in the Service. The first is that which is used at Morning Prayer. Almighty God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, &c. And hath given power and commandment to his Ministers to declare and pronounce to his people being penitent, the Absolution and Remission of their sins. He pardoneth and Absolveth.

The second is used at the Visitation of the Sick. Our Lord Jesus Christ who hath left power to his Church to absolve all sinners which truly repent, of his great mercy forgive thee: and by his Authority committed to me, I absolve thee, &c.

The Third is at the Communion. Almighty God our heavenly Father, who of his great mercy hath promised forgiveness of sins to all them that with hearty repentance and true faith turn to him. Have mercy upon you: pardon and forgive you, &c.

All these several Forms, in sence and virtue are the same; For as when a Prince hath granted a Commission to any servant of his, to release out of Prison all penitent offenders whatsoever, it were all one in effect, as to the Prisoners discharge, whether this servant sayes, by virtue of a Commission granted to me, under the Princes hand and seal, which here I shew, I release this prisoner. Or thus, The Prince who hath given me this Commission, He pardons you. Or lastly, The Prince pardon and deliver you; the Prince then standing by and confirming the word of his Servant. So is it here all one as to the remission of sins in the penitent, whether the Priest Absolves him after this form; Almighty God who hath given me and all Priests power to pronounce pardon to the penitent, He pardons you. Or thus, By vertue of a Commission granted to me from God I absolve you. Or lastly; God pardon you, namely, by me his servant according to his promise, whose sins ye remit, they are remitted. All these are but several expressions of the same thing, and are effectual to the penitent by virtue of that Commission mentioned Saint Ioh. 20. Whose sins ye remit, they are remitted. Which Commission in two of these forms is expressed, and in the Last, viz. that at the Communion is sufficiently implyed and supposed. For the Priest is directed, in using this form, to stand up and turn to the people. Rubr. immediately before it. Which behaviour certainly signifies more than a bare prayer for the people (for if it were only a prayer for the people, he should not be directed to stand and turn to the People when he speaks, but to God from the people) this gesture of standing and turning to the people signifies a message of God to the people by the mouth of his Priest, a part of his Ministery of Reconciliation, a solemn application of pardon to the penitent by Gods Minister, and is in sense thus much, Almighty God pardon you by me. Thus the Greek Church, from whom this form is borrowed, uses to express it and explain it. Almighty God pardon you, by me his unworthy Servant, or Lord, pardon him, for thou hast said, whose sins ye remit, they are remitted; sometime expressing, always including Gods Commission: So then in which form soever of these the Absolution be pronounced, it is in substance the same; an act of authority by virtue of Christs Commission, effectual to remission of sins in the penitent.

Of all these Forms, the last, in the Communion-Service was most used in Primitive times by the Greek and Latin Church, and scarce any other form to be found in their Rituals or Eccles. History till about four hundred years since, say some Learned Men. But what then? is another Form unlawful? Hath not the Church power to vary the expression, and to signifie Christs power granted to her, provided the expression and words be agreeable to the sense of that Commission? But it may easily be shown that those other Forms are not novelties. For even of old in the Greek Church, there was used as full a Form as any the Church of England uses: It's true it was not written, nor set down in their Rituals, but delivered from hand to hand down to these times, and constantly used by them in their private Absolutions. For when the Penitent came to the Spiritual Man, (so they call'd their Confessor,) for Absolution, intreating him in their vulgar language. Παρακαλῶ νὰ μοῦ συγχωρήσῃς, I beseech you, Sir, absolve me: The Confessor or Spiritual Man, if he thought him fit for pardon, answered, ἔχω σε συγκεχωρημήνον, I absolve thee. See Arcadius de Sacra Poenit. l. 4. c. 3. & Goar. in Euchol. Graec. where you may find instances of Forms of Absolution as full as any the Church of England uses.

H. The absolution to be pronounced by the minister alone.] Of absolution I shall treat in the communion of the sick. In the interim take this in part, that the Argentine liturgy, used by such protestants as live there in exile, and which liturgy is dedicated to Edward VI, as it begins service with a confession in substantials like to ours, so doth it enjoin absolution to follow presently upon it. As for this it is, you see, appointed to the minister alone to pronounce it, which word ‘alone’ hath here a double import; first, in relation to the public use of the morning service in the Church, where it implieth that the people must not in this, as in their antecedent confession, say after the minister, but leave it to be pronounced by him alone. Its second relation is to the private, for you must know that morning and evening prayer were not in their original designation intended by our reformers as only peculiar to church assemblies, but as well appointed for the service of God in private families; this is evident by ancient primers set forth, which are composed of those services, and were designed to be not only lessons for children to be initiated into letters by, but also as helps for devout people in the performances of family duties, as is evint by the injunction proemial to them. Now lest in the private exercises of piety the people or laity ignorantly should rush into the priestly office, this caveat is entered by the Church, declaring that the minister alone, and no layman, ought then to officiate. I think it also not improper here to acquaint you, that the words “or remission of sins” was added, as also the word priest changed into minister, both here and in divers other places, by the reformers under King James.

The Pater Noster. This Prayer excels all other in many respects, as being the Gospels Epitome, compiled by Wisdom it self, so large for matter, so short for phrase, so sweet for order, as that it deserveth worthily to have both the Best and the Most place in our Liturgy. The First, as a guide to the rest: the Most, as a necessary complement to supply whatsoever is wanting in other: and therefore it is used at the end of the Litany, at the end of the Communion, at the end of Baptism, at the end of other sacred actions: (as one fitly) Tanquam sal omnium diuinorum officiorum.

It hath three parts:

1. A proeme; Our Father, &c.
2. A petition; Hallowed be thy name, &c.
3. A conclusion; For thine is the kingdom, &c.

Then follows the LORDS PRAYER. The Church of Christ did use to begin and end her Services with the Lords Prayer, this being the Foundation upon which all other Prayers should be built, therefore we begin with it; that so the right Foundation being laid, we may justly proceed to our ensuing requests; Tertul. de orat. c. 9. And it being the perfection of all prayer, therefore we conclude our prayers with it. S. Augustine Ep. 59. Let no Man therefore quarrel with the Churches frequent use of the Lords Prayer. For the Church Catholick ever did the same. Besides, if we hope to have our prayers accepted of the Father only for his Sons sake, why should we not hope to have them most speedily accepted, when they are offered up in his Sons own words?

Both in this place and other parts of the Service, where the Lords prayer is appointed to be used, the Doxology, For thine is the Kingdom, &c. is left out. The reason is given by Learned Men, because the Doxology is no part of our Lords Prayer. For though in S. Matt. 6. it be added in our usual Copies, yet in the most ancient Manuscripts it is not to be found, no nor in S. Lukes Copy, S. Luke 11. and therefore is thought to be added by the Greek Church, who indeed use it in their Liturgies (as the Jews before them did,) but divided from the Prayer as if it were no part of it. The Latin Church generally say it as this Church does, without the Doxology following S. Lukes Copy, who setting down our Lords Prayer exactly, with this Introduction, when you pray say, not after this manner, as S. Matthew hath it, but say, Our Father, &c. leaves out the Doxology: and certainly it can be no just matter of offence to any reasonable Man, that the Church uses that Form which S. Luke tells us was exactly the prayer of our Lord.

In some places, especially among those Ejaculations which the Priest and people make in course, the People are to say the last words-- But deliver us from evil, Amen. That so they may not be interrupted from still bearing a part, and especially in so divine a Prayer as this, thereby giving a fuller testification of their Concurrence and Communion.

I. Then shall the minister begin the Lord’s Prayer with a loud voice.] This prayer is appointed to be read with a loud voice for three causes. First, that people ignorantly educated might the sooner learn it. Secondly, that the congregation might the better hear and join with the minister in that most excellent part of holy worship. Thirdly, because it is part of the gospel, which was always pronounced with a loud voice.

K. Amen.] This word being an index of the people’s assent to the preceding prayer, was usually in the primitive Church pronounced by all the people with a loud voice, ad similitudinem celestis tonitrus, Amen: populus reboat, “the people echo out the Amen lke a thunderclap,” saith St. Jerome? Clemens Alexandrinus relateth a mode remarkable in his time at the pronouncing thereof, τοὺς πόδας ἐπεγείρομεν κατὰ τὴν τελυταίαν τῆς εὐχῆς συνεκφώνησιν, “we raise ourselves upon our tip-toes” (for they prayed standing) “at this last acclamation of our prayers;” and he assigneth this reason for it, συναφιστάνειν τῷ λόγῳ τὸ σῶμα τῆς γῆς πειρόμενοι, “as if we desired that word should carry up our bodies as well as our souls to heaven.”

This is a most wise order of the Church in assigning this place to these Verses: namely, before the Psalms, Lesson and Collects: and yet after the Confession and Absolution; insinuating that our mouths are silenced only by sin, and opened only by God; and therefore when we meet together in the Habitation of Gods Honour, the Church, to be thankful to him, and speak good of his Name. We must crave of God Almighty first pardon of our sins, and then that he would put a New Song in our mouths that they may shew forth his praise. And because without Gods Grace we can do nothing, and because the Devil is then most busie to hinder us, when we are most desirously bent to serve God: therefore follow immediately those short and passionate Ejaculations, O Lord open thou our Lips, O God make speed to save us. which verses are a most excellent defence against all Incursions and invasions of the Devil, against all unruly affections of Humane Nature, for it is a Prayer and an earnest one, to God for his help, an humble acknowledgement of our own inability to live without him a minute. O God make haste to help us. If any be ready to faint and sink with sorrow, this raises him, by telling him that God is at hand to help us. If any be apt to be proud of spiritual success, this is fit to humble him, by minding him that he cannot live a moment without him. It is fit for every Man in every state, degree, or condition, sayes Cassian. Col. 10. c. 10.

L. O Lord, open Thou our lips.] These versicles with their responds are pure canonical Scripture, the singular number only changed into the plural. ‘“O Lord, open Thou my lips, and my mouth shall shew forth Thy praise,” Psalm li. 15. “Be pleased to deliver me, O Lord make haste to help me,” Psalm xὶ. 15. Very aptly are they premised to usher in the ensuing doxology. The answers are to be returned by the people, not by the choir, as is the Romish use, direct contrary to the ancient practice, populus cum sacerdote loquitur in precibus, “the people and priest spake one to another in prayers:” conformable is the direction of Bucer, dum sacre preces recitantur nomine totius populi, respondeant ministro, et non tantum Amen, verumetiam omnia alia guecunque ministris solent: ut in litania ac aliis precibus vetusmos obtinet; “whilst devout prayers are made in the behalf of all the people, let them answer the minister; and not only the Amen, but also all other responses which are wont to be returned to the minister, as the ancient wont hath been both in the liturgy and other prayers.”

Glory be to the Father, &c.] Glory is appointed to God alone, His peculiar it is, as He is the King of Glory. “The heavens declare it,” Psalm xix.: the Angels chant it; “Glory be to God on high,” Luke ii. 14: the seraphins resound it; “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of hosts, the whole world is full of His glory,” Isa. vi. 3. Is man less obliged to this duty than these blessed spirits? certainly no. If the celestial choir were so ravished, so transported with joy, as to sing that angelical hymn when they were employed as heralds to proclaim that general peace and reconciliation betwixt heaven and earth, God and us, at the birth of our Saviour, sure much more reason hath man, who is the grand concernment of that peace, to ply God with doxologies; and certainly no place on earth more proper for our hallelujahs than God’s own house, in His temple, “where every man doth speak of His honour.” Every man did so in King David’s time; did they so in ours, the solemn praises of God would take up much more of the Lord’s day than in most places they do, as Master Baxter saith very well.

As for this doxology so often repeated in the service of our Church, cause there is to think it very ancient, and of much older standing than the council of Nice. St. Basil derives it very high, citeth Irenaeus for the use thereof, calleth it antiguam vocem, “a phrase of great antiquity.” And doubtless so it is, for Justint mentions it οὐκ ἀπλῶς ἡ πρὸς τὸν πατέρα, καὶ τὸν υἱὸν καὶ TO ἅγιον πνεῦμα δοξολογία τὴν σωτηρίαν ἡμῖν πορίζει, “glorifying the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost without a sound confession of the Trinity, is not enough to save us.” So also Clemens Alexandrinus, αἰνοῦντες τῷ μόνῳ πατρὶ, καὶ υἱῷ σὺν τῷ ἁγίῳ πνεῦματι, “glorifying the Father only, and the Son with the Holy Ghost.” And in all probability to this had Tertullian regard, where interpreting that of the prophet Malachi, “incense shall be offered and a pure offering,” he gives his sense of it thus, by id est glorie relatio benedictio et hymni, “ the giving glory to God, the blessings and hymns.”

Truth it is, there might in the former times be some small syllabical difference in the rehearsing of it; some thus, “Glory be to the Father, by the Son, in the Holy Ghost;” some thus, “Glory be to the Father, and the Son, with the Holy Ghost,” as Irenaeus in St. Basil; others, as we use it now: in which diversity there was certainly nothing either intended ill towards the truth, or which could be directly drawn into ill construction, but when about the time of the Nicene council, the Arians began to sow their seeds of heresy, touching the inequality of the three Persons, and the better to colour their pretences, sheltered themselves under the protection of the doxology, “the Father, by the Son, in the Holy Ghost,” formerly used, to which they constantly adhered; hereupon the council of Nice, to avoid all occasion of future question, held herself to that form which came nighest to the form of baptism composed by our Saviour, and the doctrine of Christian faith, prescribing it to be punctually observed by all such as were of the orthodox party. So that the Church being then split into two divisions, the οἰκεία δόξα, and form of doxology used by either side, became the κριτήριον and note of distinction from the other. Now whereas it may be urged out of Philostorgius, that Flavianus first brought it into use, if the author may not be questioned as partial, being an Arian, yet may he be interpreted to speak in reference to Antioch only. And whereas St. Jerome hath been currently delivered to be the author and composer of the second verse, “As it was in the beginning,” &c., the story of Leontius’s cunning pronouncing of only the end of that versicle, εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων, i. 6. “ world without end,” in an audible tone, is evidence to the contrary, that Leontius being contemporary with Athanasius, and both long before Jerome.

N. And from Easter to Trinity Sunday, Allelujah.] The fifty days between Easter and Whit-Sunday were days of excessive joy in the primitive Church in honour of our Saviour’s resurrection, and were in some particulars observed with equal solemnity to the Lord’s day, as in not fasting, not kneeling, and chanting this angelical hallelujah upon these days; which last was retained by our first reformers as a mark of honour fixed upon them. In the Scotch liturgy by way of response is added, “The Lord’s name be praised,” more in compliance to exemplary usage than in advantage of the sense, which is complete enough without it: for the allocution of “praise ye the Lord” hath no implied reference to any such return from the people, but only regardeth the subsequent psalm, for as “let us pray” is usually premised to incite intention to an ensuing prayer, with the same congruity is “praise ye the Lord” assigned as an impressive invitatory to a following hymn, calling upon the people to join not only mentally, but vocally, by way of alternate response, after the priest.

The Psalms follow, which the Church appoints to be read over every Month, oftner than any other part of holy Scripture: So was it of old ordained saith S. Chrys. Hom. 6. de poenit.

All Christians exercise themselves in Davids Psalms oftner than in any other part of the Old or New Testament. Moses the great Lawgiver that saw God face to face, and wrote a Book of the Creation of the World, is scarce read over once a year. The holy Gospels, where the Miracles of Christ are preached, where God converses with Man, where Death is destroyed, the Devils cast out, the Lepers cleansed, the blind restored to sight; where the Thief is placed in Paradise, and the Harlot made purer than the Stars, where the waters of Iordan to the sanctification of Souls, where is the food of immortality, the holy Eucharist, and the words of life, holy precepts and precious promises, those we read over once or twice a Week. What shall I say of blessed Paul, Christs Oratour, the Fisher of World, who by his 14. Epistles, those spiritual Nets, hath caught Men to salvation, who was wrapt into the third Heaven, and heard and saw such Mysteries as are not to be uttered? him we read twice in the week. We get not his Epistles by heart, but only attend to them while they are reading. But for holy Davids Psalms, the grace of the holy Spirit hath so ordered it, that they should be said or sung night and day. In the Churches Vigils, the first, the midst and the last, are Davids Psalms: in the Morning Davids Psalms are sought for, and the first, the midst and the last is David. And Funeral Solemnities the first, the midst and the last is David. In private houses where the Virgins spin, the first, the midst and the last is David: Many that know not a letter, can say Davids Psalms by heart: In the Monasteries, the quires of Heavenly Hosts, the first, the midst and the last is David: In the Deserts, where Men that have crucified the world to themselves converse with God, the first, the midst and the last is David, In the Night when Men are asleep, David awakes them up to sing; and gathering the Servants of God into Angelical troops, turns Earth into Heaven, and makes Angels of Men singing Davids Psalms.

The holy Gospels and Epistles contain indeed the words of eternal life, words by which we must be saved: and therefore should be sweeter to us than Honey or the Honey-comb, more precious than Gold, yea than much fine Gold; but they are not of so continual use as Davids Psalms, which are digested forms of Prayers, Thanksgivings, Praises, Confessions and Adorations, fit for every temper and every time. Here the penitent hath a form of confession; he that hath received a benefit, hath a Thanksgiving; he that is in any kind of need, bodily or ghostly hath a prayer; all have Lauds, and all may adore the several excellencies of Almighty God in Davids forms: and these a Man may safely use, being compos'd by the Spirit of God, which cannot erre: whereas other Books of Prayers and Devotions are, for the most part, compos'd by private men, subject to error and mistake, whose fancies, sometimes wild ones, are commended to us for matter of devotion, and we may be taught to blaspheme, while we intend to adore; or at least, to abuse our devotion when we approach to the throne of grace, and offer up an unclean Beast instead of an holy Sacrifice. May we not think that this amongst others hath been a cause of the decay of right and true devotion in these latter dayes, namely, the neglect of this excellent Book, and preferring Mens fancies before it? I deny not but that Collects and other parts of Devotion which the consentient Testimony and constant practice of the Church have commended to us may, and especially the most divine Prayer of our LORD ought to be used by us in our private devotion, but I would not have Davids Psalms disused, but used frequently and made as they were by Athanasius and S. Ierome, a great, if not the greatest part of our private devotions, which we may offer up to God as with more safety, so with more confidence of acceptation being the inspiration of that holy Spirit of God, who, when we know not what to say, helps our infirmities both with words and affections? Rom. 8. 26. If any man thinks these Psalms too hard for him to understand, and apply to his several needs, let him make trial awhile, and spend that time in them, which he spends in humane compositions, let him study them as earnestly, as he does books of less concernment; let him pray the holy Spirit that made them, to open his eyes, to see the admirable use of them; let him intreat holy and learned guides of Souls to direct him in the use of them, and by the grace of God, in the frequent use of them he may attain to the Primitive fervour, and come to be a Man, as holy David was, after Gods own heart.

S. HIER. in Epitaph. Paulae. [In the Morning, at the third, sixth and ninth hour; in the Evening at midnight Davids Psalms are sung over in order, and no Man is suffered to be ignorant of Davids Psalms.]

These PSALMS we sing or say by course,

The Priest one verse, and the People another; or else one side of the Quire one verse, and the other side another, according to the ancient practice of the Greek and Latin Church. Socrat. Hist. l. 6. c. 8. Theodoret. l. 2. c. 24. Basil. Ep. 63. And according to the pattern set us by the Angels, Esay 6. 3. who sing one to another, Holy, Holy, Holy. These reasons may be given for this manner of Singing by course.

First, that we may thus in a holy emulation contend, who shall serve God most affectionately, which our LORD seeing and hearing, is not a little pleas'd. Ter. l. 2. ad ux.

Secondly, that one relieving another we may not grow weary of our service. S. Aug. l. Conf. 9. C. 7.

When we say or sing these Psalms, we are wont to stand, by the erection of our bodies, expressing the elevation or lifting up of our souls to God, while we are serving him in these holy employments.

At the end of every Psalm, and of all the Hymns, (except TE DEUM, which because it is nothing else almost, but this, Glory be to the Father, &c. enlarg'd, hath not this Doxology added) we say or sing Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the holy Ghost; which was the use of the ancient Church, never quarrel'd at by any till Arius, who, being prest with this usage as an argument against his Heresie of making the Son inferiour to the Father, laboured to corrupt this Versicle, saying [Glory be to the Father by the Son, in the Holy Ghost. Theodoret, Hist. l. 2. c. 24.] The Church on the contrary was careful to maintain the ancient usage, adding on purpose against Arrius, As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, Conc. Vas. can. 7. Now if this joyful Hymn of Glory, have any use in the Church of God, can we place it more fitly, than where it now serves as a close, and conclusion to Psalms and Hymns, whose proper subject and almost only matter, is a dutiful acknowledgment of Gods excellency and glory by occasion of special effects?

As an Hymn of Glory is fit to conclude the Psalms, so especially this Christian Hymn, wherein as Christians (not as Jews and Pagans) we glorifie God the Father, Son, and holy Ghost; by which Christian conclusion of Davids Psalms, we do, as it were, fit this part of the Old Testament for the Service of God under the Gospel, and make them Evangelical Offices.

It is evident, not only by Church history, but also by the Scripture, that Psalms have always taken up a great room in divine service. Mat. 26.30. 1. Cor 14. When you come together, as every one of you hath a Psalm.

Let not any then wonder at our often Psalmody both after, and before the word expounded, and read: and sometimes interlaced between both. A custom continued in all othre reformed Churches of Scotland, France, Flanders, &c.

Above all other Psalms, our Church hath fitly chosen this, as a whetstone to set an edge upon our devotions at the very beginning of public prayers in the Temple: teaching plainly for what matter, and after what manner, it behoveth us to serve God in his Sanctuary. For it consists of two parts:

1. An exhortation ot praise God, in the 1.2.6 verses.
2. An allegation of causes why we should do this, and they be taken either from his
   1. Mercies,
      1. In general; for creating and ruling the whole world: 3.4.5.
      2. In particular, for electing his Church. 7.
   2. Judgments, in the
      1. 8.9.10.11 setting before their eyes a fearful example, and that in their own Fathers, for omitting this excellent duty.

In the first part to points are remarkable: Who must praise; Let us sing, let us come, let us worship. How, where; Before his presence. Whereto; Sing to the Lord. Wherewith; with our voice.

This is an Invitatory Psalm; For herein we do mutually invite and call upon one another being come before His presence, to sing to the Lord, to set forth His praises, to hear His voice, as with joy and chearfulness, so with that reverence that becomes His infinite Majesty, worshipping, falling down, and kneeling before Him, using all humble behaviour in each part of His service and worship prescribed to us by His Church. And needful it is that the Church should call upon us for this duty, for most of us forget the Psalmists counsel, Psal. 69. 7. To ascribe unto the Lord the honour due unto his Name: into his Courts we come, before the presence of the Lord of the whole Earth, and forget to worship him in the beauty of holiness.

Then shall be said or sung this psalm.] Such also was the mode in St. Basil’s time. Ab oratione surgentes ad psalmodiam instituuntur, i.e. “rising from prayers they” (the assembly) “fall to singing of psalms.”

O. O come let us sing, &c.] This is not, to say properly, the invitatory, but the invitatory psalm; so called, because it comprehends the invitatory; for the invitatory itself is only the verse, “O come let us worship and fall down and kneel before the Lord our maker,” which was in the Church of Rome often, no less than six times, repeated by the priest at certain closes and periods of this psalm, and as oft returned by the people: which our reformers judging to be a vain tautology, thought fit to omit it, appointing the venite to be without the invitatory. The original of this invitatory was at first of valuable consideration. For you must know that anciently, (as appeareth out of Chrysostom*,) before the congregation was complete and fully assembled, the usage was to entertain the time with singing of psalms, whereof this was the chief. And Durandus, who lived about four hundred years since, tells us it was then the fashion in some churches for the people, who lay in expectation of the morning service as soon as they heard this psalm once begun, presently they all hasted into the church.

After the Psalms follow two LESSONS; one out of the Old Testament, another out of the New. This was the ancient custome of all the Churches in Egypt, Cassian. l. 2. cap. 4. who sayes it was not taught by men, but from heaven by the ministery of Angels. This choice may be, to shew the harmony of them: for what is the Law but the Gospel foreshewed: what other the Gospel, but the Law fulfilled? That which lies in the Old Testament, as under a shadow, is in the New, brought out into the open Sun: things there prefigured are here perform'd. Thus as the two Seraphims cry one to another, Holy, holy, holy, Esay 6. 3. So the two Testaments Old and New, faithfully agreeing, convince the sacred truth of God. First, one out of the Old Testament, then another out of the New, observing the method of the holy Spirit, who first published the Old, then the New; first the precepts of the Law, then of the Gospel. Which method of their reading either purposely did tend, or at the least wise doth fitly serve, that from smaller things the mind of the hearers may go forward to the knowledge of greater; and by degres climb up from the lowest to the highest things, sayes incomparable Hooker.

A wise constitution of the Church it is, thus to mingle Services of several sorts, to keep us from wearisomness. For whereas devout Prayer is joyned with a vehement intention of the inferior powers of the soul, which cannot therein continue long without pain, therefore holy Church interposes still somewhat for the higher part of the mind, the understanding, to work upon, that both being kept in continual exercise with variety, neither might feel any weariness, and yet each be a spur to other. For Prayer kindles our desire to behold God by speculation; and the mind delighted with that speculation, takes every where new inflammations to pray; the riches of the mysteries of heavenly wisdom continually stirring up in us correspondent desires to them; so that he which prayes in due sort, is thereby made the more attentive to hear, and he which hears, the more earnest to pray.

The Minister that reads the Lessons standing & turning himself so as he may be best heard of all such as are present. Rubr. 2. before Te Deum. Turning himself so as he may best be heard of all, that is, turning towards the people, whereby it appears that immediately before the Lessons he lookt another way from the people, because here he is directed to turn towards them. This was the ancient custom of the Church of England, that the Priest who did officiate, in all those parts of the Service which were directed to the people, turn'd himself towards them, as in the Absolution. See the Rubr. before Absol. at the Communion. Then shall the Priest of Bishop if present, stand and turning himself to the people say, &c. So in the Benediction, reading of the Lessons, and holy Commandments: but in those parts of the office which were directed to God immediately, as Prayers, Hymns, Lauds, Confessions of Faith, or Sins, he turn'd from the people; and for that purpose in many Parish-Churches of late, the Reading-Pew had one Desk for the Bible, looking towards the people to the Body of the Church, another for the Prayer-Book looking towards the East or upper end of the Chancel. And very reasonable was this usage; for when the people were spoken to, it was fit to look towards them; but when God was spoken to, it was fit to turn from the people. And besides, if there be any part of the World more honourable, in the esteem of Men, than another, it is fit to look that way when we pray to God in publick, that the turning of our bodies towards a more honourable place, may mind us of the great honour and majesty of the person we speak to.

And this reason S. Augustine gives of the Churches ancient custom of turning to the East in their publick prayers, because the East is the most honourable part of the World, being the Region of Light, whence the glorious Sun arises,

Aug. l. 2. de. Ser. Dom. in Monte c. 5. That this was the constant practice of the Church to turn toward the East in her publick prayers may sufficiently appear by S. Augustin in the place last cited, where he sayes, Cum ad orationes stamus, ad Orientem Convertimur; When we stand at our prayers, we turn towards the East. And by Epiphan. l. 1. haer. 19. c. 19. who there detests the madness of the Impostor Elzaeus, because that amongst other things he forbad praying toward the East. And the Church of England, who professes to conform to the ancient practices, as far as conveniently she can, as may be seen in many passages of her Canons and other places, did observe the same custom in her prayers, as appears by the placing of the Desk for the Prayer-book above mentioned, looking that way, and as may be collected from this Rubrick, which directs the Priest in the reading of the Lessons to turn to the people, which supposes him, at prayer and the Psalms to look quite another way, namely, as in reason may be concluded, that way which the Catholick Church uses to do for divers reasons: and amongst other, for that which S. Augustine hath given, because That was the most worthy part of the World, and therefore most fit to be lookt to when we come to worship God in the Beauty of Holiness. Again, another reason may be given of turning from the people towards the upper end of the Chancel in our Prayers, because it is fit in our prayers to look towards that part of the Church or Chancel, which is the highest and chief, and where God affords his most gracious and mysterious presence, and that is the holy Table and Altar, which anciently was placed towards the upper or East end of the Chancel. This is the highest part of the Chancel, set apart to the highest of Religious Services, the consecration and distribution of the holy Eucharist, here is exhibited the most gracious and mysterious presence of God that in this life we are capable of, the presence of his most holy Body and Blood. And therefore the Altar was usually call'd the Tabernacle of Gods Glory, His Chair of State, the Throne of God, the Type of Heaven, Heaven it self. As therefore the Jews in their Prayers lookt towards the principal part of the Temple, the Mercy-Seat, Psal. 28. 2. So the Christians in their prayers turned towards the principal part of the Church, the Altar, of which the Mercy-Seat is but a type. And as our Lord hath taught us in his Prayer, to look up towards Heaven when we pray, saying, Our Father which art in Heaven; not as if God were there confin'd, for he is every where, in Earth as well as in Heaven, but because Heaven is his Throne, whereas Earth is but his Foot-stool; so holy Church by her practice teaches us in our publick and solemn prayers to turn and look, not towards the inferior and lower parts of the Footstool, but towards that part of the Church which most nearly resembles Heaven, the holy Table or Altar. Correspondent to this practice, was the manner of the Jews of old, for at the reading of the Law and other Scriptures, he that did Minister, turned his face to the people, but he who read the prayers, turned his back to the people, and his face to the Ark. Mr. THORNDYKE of Relig. Assem. pag. 231.

For the choice of these Lessons and their Order, holy Church observes a several course.

For the Ordinary Morning and Evening prayers the observes only this: to begin at the beginning of the year with Genesis for the first Lesson, and S. Matthew for the Second in the Morning: and Genesis again for the First, and S. Paul to the Romans for the Second Lesson at Even, and so continues on till the Books be read over, but yet leaving out some Chapters, either such as have been read already, upon which account she omits the Chronicles, being for the most part the same with the book of Kings which hath been read already; and some particular Chapters in some other Books: having been the same for the most part read either in the same book or some other: or else such as are full of Genealogies, or some other matter, which holy Church counts less profitable for ordinary hearers, Only in this she alters the order of the books, not reading the prophet Esay, till all the rest of the books be done: Because the Prophet Esay being the most Evangelical Prophet, most plainly prophesying of Christ, is reserved to be read a little before ADVENT.

For Sundayes somewhat another course is observed; for then Genesis is begun to be read upon Septuagesima Sunday; because then begins the holy time of penance and mortification, to which Genesis is thought to suit best, because that treats of our misery by the fall of Adam, and of Gods severe judgment upon the world for sin: Then we read forward the books as they lye in order, yet not all the books, but only some choice Lessons out of them. And if any Sunday be, as they call it, a priviledged day; that is, if it hath the history of it expressed in Scripture, such as Easter, Whit sunday, &c. then there are peculiar and proper Lessons appointed for it.

For Saints dayes we observe another order: for upon them (except such of them as are especially recorded in Scripture, and have proper Lessons) the Church appoints Chapters out of the moral books, such as Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Ecclesiasticus and Wisdom, for first Lessons, being excellent instructions of life and conversation, and so fit to be read upon the daies of holy Saints, whose exemplary lives and deaths, are the cause of the Churches Solemn Commemoration of them, and Commendation of them to us. And though some of these books be not, in the strictest sense, Canonical, yet I see no reason, but that they may be read publickly in the Church, with profit and more safety, than Sermons can be ordinarily preacht there. For certainly Sermons are but humane Compositions, and many of them not so wholsome matter, as these which have been viewed and allowed by the judgment of the Church for many ages past to be Ecclesiastical and good, nearest to divine of any writings.

If it be thought dangerous to read them after the same manner and order that Canonical Scripture is read, lest perhaps by this means they should grow into the same credit with Canonical: It is answered, that many Churches have thought it no great hurt, if they should, but our Church hath sufficiently secured us against that danger whatsoever it be, by setting different marks upon them, styling the one Canonical, the other Apocryphal. As for the second Lessons, the Church in them goes on in her ordinary course.

P. Then shall be read two lessons.] In the Romish Church there are usually appointed nine lessons, whereof the three first are commonly out of the epistles, the three next are short extracts out of the homilies and sermons of the fathers, the seventh is almost constantly out of the Gospel, next which followeth a shred of a homily out of the fathers, which supplieth the place of the sermon in more ancient times, and is a short exposition upon the Gospel; then two lessons taken out of some ancient writer. Therefore in the first injunctions of Edward VI., elder by a year than the first liturgy, it is 1547. appointed, that in order to the reading of the epistles and gospels, and one chapter in the New Testament in English, “when nine lessons should be read in the church, three of them shall be omitted and left out with their responds.”

The reading of lessons out of the Old, as also out of the New Testament, is in a punctual imitation of the ancient Church. Τὰ ἀπομνημονεύματα τῶν ᾿Αποστόλων ἢ τὰ συγγράμματα τῶν προφητῶν ἀναγινώσκεται μέχρις ἐγχωρεῖ, saith Justin Martyr, i. 6. “ The commentaries of the Apostles and writings of the prophets are read, as the time permits.”’ These lessons, except before excepted, are not left arbitrary, but either to be appointed by the calendar, or by the table of proper lessons; the first for ordinary and work days, the second for festivals. And such also was the primitive custom. Audistis librum legi Job (saith Ambrose) gui solemni munere est decursus et tempore, “You have heard the book of Job read unto you at its solemn office and peculiar time. And a little after, sequente die (speaking of Good Friday) lectus est de more liber Jonie, “the next day according to the old wont was read the book of Jonas.” His convert St. Augustine to the same purpose: nunc interposita est solemnitas sanctarum dierum, quibus certas ex evangelio lectiones oportet in Ecclesia tractari, que ita sunt annue, ut alie esse non possunt: “now is the solemnity of the holy days” (meaning Easter)“wherein set lessons out of the Gospel are ordered to be read, which are so determined and limited as there can be no other.” And elsewhere: intercesserunt, ut omitteremus textum hujus epistole, quedam pro diebus festis solemnia lectionum, que non potuerunt, nisi legi: “solemn lessons appointed for festival days, which must not be left unread, interposed and caused me to omit awhile the text of this epistle.”

The contents of the chapters were devised as helpful indexes to facilitate the more speedy finding out of the most remarkable passages, being only serviceable for private use; for which reason from the tenth chapter of the Proverbs to the twenty-fifth there are no contents prefixed, these chapters being not as the other, written in method or upon a set subject, but occasionally uttered at several times, and observed by Solomon’s courtiers, who committed them to writing as they occurred to their memories.

Q. And before every lesson the minister shall say thus.] The primitive custom in this particular was surpassing edifying: κοινὸς ἕστηκεν ὁ διάκονος, μέγα βοῶν, πρόσχῳμεν: the deacon stood up, proclaiming aloud, Listen my brethren. Mer ἐκεῖνον ἄρχεται ὁ ἀναγνώστης εἴτα εἰς ἐπήκοον ἐκφωνεὶ λέγων, τάδε λέγει Κύριος: “then the reader begins to read, first inviting his audience to attention by saying these words, Thus saith the Lord.”

That Hymns accurately framed by devout men according to the word, may be sung in the Church with the Psalms of David, and other spiritual songs taken out of the word; we can alleage precept, and example: Precept, Colos. 3.16. Admonish your selves in Psalms and Hymns, &c. Marlorat doth construe this of singing in the Church: and Hayme, that Hymns were godly songs, invented by the Christians of that age. For God's holy Church hath used this custome from the Primitive times, even vnto this present day.

Concerning Te Deum in particular: it is approved by Luther, and held by our Martyrs a good Creed: (as it is thought generally) composed by those two great lights of the Church, Ambrofe who was the most resolute Bishop, and Augustine who was the most judicious Doctor of all the Fathers.

It is reported by Dacius, a reuerend Bishop of Millane, that in his time, who lived Under Justinian, anno 538. this Hymne was received and used in the Church: which argueth it of greater antiquity, than upstart Popery. The Noneist (as Augustine writes of Faustus the Manichee) Vel non intelligendo reprehendit, vel reprehendendo non intelligit: Either too much passion, or else too little knowledge.

After the Lessons are appointed Hymns. The Church observing, S. Pauls Rule, Singing to the Lord in Psalms and Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, every way expressing her thanks to God.

The antiquity of Hymns in the Christian Church, doth sufficiently appear by that of our Saviour, S. Matth 26. When they had sung an Hymn, they went out, upon which place, S. Chrys. sayes, They sung an Hymn, to teach us to do the like. Concerning singing of Psalms and Hymns in the Church, we have both the Precepts and Examples of Christ and his Apostles, S. Aug. Ep. 119. S. Paul ordered it in the Church of Coloss. Singing to your selves in Psalms and Hymns, Col. 3. Which we find presently after practised in the Church of Alexandria, founded by S. Mark, Eus. Hist. l. 2. c. 17. Where Philo reports that the Christians had in every place Monasteries wherein they sang Hymns to God, in several kinds of Meeter and Verse. S. Ambrose brought them into Millaine, to ease the peoples sad minds and to keep them from weariness, who were praying night and day for their persecuted Bishop, and from hence came all Hymns almost to be called Ambrosiani, because that by him they were spread over the Latin Church. With the Morning and Evening Hymns God is delighted, saies S. Hierome: and Possidius in the life of S. Augustine tells us, c. 28. that towards the time of his dissolution, S. Augustine wept abundantly because he saw the Cities destroyed, the Bishops and Priests sequestred, the Churches prophaned, the holy Service and Sacraments neglected, either because few or none desired them, or else because there were scarce any Priests left to administer to them that did desire them; lastly, because the Hymns and Lauds of God were lost out of the Church.

These Hymns are to be said or sung; but most properly to be sung; else they are not so strictly and truly called Hymns, that is, Songs of praise; and not only by the Church of England, but by all Christian Churches of old, was it so practised: and so holy David directs, Psal. 47. 6. O sing praises, sing praises unto our God: O sing praises, sing praises unto our King. The profit of which singing Hymns is much many wayes; especially in this, that they inkindle an holy flame in the minds and affections of the hearers. O how I wept, sayes S. Aug. in the Hymns and holy Canticles, being enforc'd thereunto by the sweet voices of thy Melodious Church: by reason of the proneness of our affections to that which delights, it pleas'd the wisdom of the Spirit to borrow from melody that pleasure, which mingled with heavenly mysteries, causes the smoothness and softness of that which touches the ear, to conveigh as it were by stealth, the treasure of good things into mens minds: to this purpose were those harmonious tunes of Psalms devised. And S. Basil. in Psal. By pleasing thus the affections, and delighting the mind of man, Musick makes the Service of God more easie.

When we sing or say these Hymns, we stand, which is the proper posture for Thanksgivings and Lauds, Psal. 134. Praise the Name of the Lord, standing in the Courts of the Lord. And 2 Chron. 7. 6. The Priests waited on their office, the Levites also with instruments of musick of the Lord, which David the King had made to praise the Lord (with the 136. Psalm,) because his mercy endureth for ever, when David praised by their ministery, and the Priest sounded Trumpets before them, and all Israel STOOD. The erection of the body fitly expresses the lifting up of the heart in joy: whence it is, that rejoycing in Scripture is called the lifting up of the head, S. Luke 21. 28. Lift up your heads, for your redemption draweth nigh; So then, joy being a lifting up of the soul, and praise and Thanksgiving being effects of joy, cannot be more fitly expressed, then by erection and lifting up of the body, Standing in the Courts of the Lord, when we sing praise unto him.

After the Morning first Lesson follows Te Deum, [We praise thee O God,] or [O all ye works of the Lord, &c. called Benedicite.] The first of which [We praise thee O God, &c.] was, as is credibly reported, framed miraculously by S. Ambrose and S. Augustine at his Baptism, and hath been in much esteem in the Church ever since as it deserves, being both a Creed, containing all the mysteries of Faith, and a most solemn Form of Thanksgiving, Praise, Adoration and what not? and so hath that other Canticle [O all ye works of the Lord] in the which the whole Creation praises God together, been received and esteemed universally in the Church. Concil. Toletan. 4. c. 13.

There can nothing be more fitting for us, as we have said, than having heard the Lessons and the goodness of God therein Preach't unto us, to break out into a Song of Praise and Thanksgiving, and the Church hath appointed two to be used (either of them) after each Lesson, but not so indifferently but that the Former Practice of exemplary Churches and Reason may guide us in the choice: For the Te Deum, Benedictus, Magnificat, and Nunc Dimittis being the most expressive Jubilations and rejoycings for the redemption of the world, may be said more often than the rest, especially on Sundayes and other Festivals of our Lord, excepting in Lent and Advent, which being times of Humiliation, and Meditations on Christ as in expectation, or his sufferings, are not so fitly enlarged with these Songs of highest Festivity, (the custom being for the same reason in many Churches, in Lent, to hide and conceal all the glory of their Altars, covering them with black to comply with the season) and therefore in these times may be rather used the following Psalms than the foregoing Canticles, as at other times also, when the Contents of the Lesson shall give occasion, as when it speaks of the enlargement of the Church by bringing in the Gentiles into the Fold of it, for divers passages of those three psalms import that sense.

R. After the first lesson shall follow Te Deum.] This order of intermixing hymns and psalms with lessons is made in pursuance of that excellent canon of Laodicea, περὶ τοῦ μὴ δεῖν ἐπισυνάπτειν ἐν ταῖς συνάξεσι τοὺς ψαλμοὺς ἀλλὰ διὰ μέσου καθ᾽ ἕκαστον ψαλμὸν γίνεσθαι ἀνάγνωσιν: “it is not meet to sing the psalms in a continued course in the church, “but to interpose a lesson between every psalm.” So ordered, saith Balsamon, “that this might be as a rest in music, and after that the congregation to sing again, that the service might not be thought tedious: and therefore he cons that council many thanks for so discreet a canon. Indeed, breve videbitur tempus, quod tantis operum varietatibus occupatur: “the variety of such changes is an excellent disposing of the time in such employments.” Nothing is certainly more delight-ful, not only to the outward senses of the body, but even to the very soul itself, than variety; this it is which calls up in her her former vigour and vivacity, this that makes her shake off her former lassitude, embracing every new object with a most greedy desire, every change is as it were an unbending of the mind: the very heathen orator found it so, stylus lectione requiescit, et ipsius lectionus tedium vicibus levatur, “the style is refreshed by reading, and reading itself is much relieved by interchanges.” The observation of this rule in other relations hath been motive all-sufficient to God’s people in all ages to frame their divine service so mosaic, of so many pieces, so commodiously disposed to rescue each other from tediousness, as upon every transition and passage from one duty to another, the spirit may still reserve an appetite; whence it is that confessions, prayers, doxologies, psalms, lessons, &c., are assigned their proper vicissitudes, and divide the time allotted for such sacred performances, so as the soul may attend every motion of them.

S. Te Deum Laudamus.] This hymn passeth up and down as the composition of St. Ambrose and St. Augustine jointly, upon occasion of St. Augustine’s conversion and baptism by St. Ambrose. But the very learned primate of Armaghi produceth two very ancient MSS. wherein it is ascribed to Nicetius, and from Menardus) proveth that it is not mentioned by any ancient author before St. Bennet betook himself to a monastic life, which was about the year 500, who speaks of it in his Canonical Rules, or Benedictine Office, in whose time one Nicetius, a bishop, lived, and perhaps the same to whom it is ascribed. But be he the author or be he not, the frame is so excellently modelled, as the Church of human structure could not enjoin a better: and indeed the structure it is alone that is human, the materials being divine, and of sacred derivation, as, for the avoiding of prolixity, I have noted in the margin.

This Canticle is a rhapsody, gathered here and there from diverse Psalms of David, as the marginal notes indicate: cited often by the learned and ancient fathers, and not censured for it by the Lutheran Historiographers. Cent.5. colum. 219.

Imprinted at Midelburgh with the Davidical Psalme in English meter: an honour denied unto the Church Psalter in prose. In a word, I finde this Hymn less martyred then the rest, and therefore dimiss it, as Christ did the woman, John 8. Where be thine accusers? Hath no man condemned thee? no more do I: go thy way.

And for the Canticle Benedicite, [O all ye works of the Lord] it may be used not only in the aforesaid times of Humiliation, but when either the Lessons are out of Daniel, or set before us the wonderful handy-work of God in any of the Creatures, of the use he makes of them either ordinary or miraculous for the good of the Church: Then it will be very seasonable to return this Song, O all ye works of the Lord, bless ye the Lord, praise him, and magnifie him for ever: that is, ye are great occasion of blessing the Lord, who therefore be blessed, praised, and magnified for ever.

T. Or Benedicite.] This is called the hymn of the three children; the first mention of it is in Proclus: he declaring it to be a daily hymn saith πᾶσα ἡ οἰκουμένη καθ᾽ ἐκάστην ἡμέραν Bog Εὐλογεῖτε πάντα τὰ ἔργα Κυρίου τὸν Κύριον, “all the world over every day is resounded, All the works of the Lord bless the Lord.” I find mention of it in the fourth council of Toledo, anno 634, which saith Ecclesia Catholica per totum orbem diffusa celebrat, “the Catholic Church spread over alle the earth doth sing it,” and that juxta antiquam consuetudinem, “agreeable to the ancient custom.”

The Benedicus, Magnificat, and Nunc dimittis, are said in the Church daily, whereas other Psalmes of David, Asaph, Moses, are read but monthly. The reasons hereof are manifest, and manifold; I will only name two:

First, these most excellent Hymns (as gratulations wherewith our Lord and Saviour was joyfully received at His entrance into the world) concern us so much more than the Psalms of David, as the Gospel more than the Law, and the New Testament more than the Old. For the one are but prophecies of Christ to come, whereas the other are plain discoveries of Christ already present.

Secondly, these songs are proper only to Christianity, whereas other Psalms are common to the Jews, as well as to the Christians, wherewith they praise God in their Synagogue, so well as we praise God in our Church. A Jew will sing with Asaph and David that the Messiah of the world shall come, but he cannot, he will not acknowledge with Zacharias and Simeon that He is come. So that the novelties herein misliking the Church's custom, do seem to play the Jew; which I rather ascribe to the lightness of his folly, than to the weight of his malice. Sententiam Ecclesiae non intelligit, sedamat suam, non quia vera est, sed quia sana est.

It is fitly placed after the second Lesson, as an Hymn of praise to magnify God for the comfort we receive by the sweet tidings of the Gospel: Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for visiting and redeeming His people.

It hath two principal parts:

1. Concerning Christ and his kingdom.
2. Touching John the Baptist and his office. v. 76, &c.)

It is very remarkable, that Zacharias who was dumb, v. 20, doth now not only speak, but also prophesy. He was made speechless, because he was faithless: but now believing, his lips are opened, and his mouth doth show forth God's praise: saying, Blessed be the Lord.

Let no man in his affliction despair: for (as Ambrose notes) if we change our manners, Almighty God will alter His mind. Nec solum ablata restituit, sed etsam inferat concedit: He will not only restore that which was taken away, but also give more than we can expect. So He blessed the last days of Job more than the first: for whereas he had but 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, and 500 she-asses, afterward the Lord gave him 14,000 sheep, 6,000 camels, 1,000 yoke of oxen, and 1,000 asses. In the second of Joel, If you will turn to Me (saith the Lord) with all your heart, with fasting, weeping, and mourning, I will render unto you the years which the grasshopper hath eaten, the canker-worm, and the caterpillar. And moreover, I will pour out My spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, &c. In the 9th of Matth., when Christ saw the faith of the palsied man, He did not only cure the sores of his body, but also the sins of his soul: Son, be of good cheer, thy sins are forgiven thee.

In the first part, two points are to be considered especially:

1. Who to be blessed; the Lord God of Israel.
2. Why: first for promising, then for performing redemption unto the world.

After the Second Lesson at Morning Prayer is appointed, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, called Benedictus...

V. Benedictus.] This hymn, with Nunc dimittis, and Magnificat, are faulted, because being made upon occasion of particular benefits they are not applicable to all. To which it is answered, that these hymns are not absolutely commanded, but being joined with others, the rule of our Church is precisely this or that; leaving in the minister a power to make his own election. Again, this argument hath the same force and edge against David’s Psalms, many of which were composed upon private emergencies, and seem as incommodious for public concernments, which yet we dare not upon that account proscribe out of the service of the Church: nor may I pretermit the canon of the Belgic Church, established by the synod of Dort, hymni Marie, Zacharie, Simeonis, cantabuntur, “the hymns of Mary, Zachary, Simeon, shall be sung.”

The Church doth adjoin this Psalm to the Benedictus, as a parallel; and that not unfittingly, for as the one, so the he other is a thanksgiving unto God, enforced with the same reasons and arguments: in so much as Zacharias is nothing else but an expounder of David, or Moses. As Augustine wittily said: The new Testament lies hidden in the old, and the old is unclasped in the new. Lex antiqua novam firmat, veterem nova complet: In veteri spes est, in novitate fides.

... or, O be Joyful in the Lord, called Jubilate.

This Apostolical Creed is pronounced after the Lessons, and the Nicene Confession after the Gospel and Epistle: because faith (as Paul teacheth) is by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. We must first hear, then confess: for which cause the Church of Scotland also doth usually repeat the Creed after the Sermon.

I believe in God, &c. Albeit the Creed be not protocanonical Scripture, yet (as Ambrose speaks) it is the key of the Scriptures: and (as Augustine) a plain, short, absolute sum of all holy faith. Other Confessions, as the Nicene and Athanasian, are received of the Church not as new, but rather as expositions of this old. For as the four Gospels are indeed but one Gospel; so the three Creeds are in substance but one Creed. And therefore I thought good in my passage through the whole Service book to touch upon it a little, giving you rather a brief resolution, than a full absolution thereof.

Observe then in it the:

1. Title: The Creed of the Apostles.
2. Text: I believe in God, &c.

1. Work: Creed.
2. Authors: Apostles.

It is called in English, Creed, of the first word Credo: as the Pater Noster is of the two foremost words, Our Father: in other languages, Symbolum; the which hath three significations:

1. A shot. Because every particular Apostle conferred his particular article to this spiritual banquet, at least the whole doth arise out of their common writings.
2. A badge. For as a soldier is known in the field by his colours and coat to what Captain he doth belong: so the Christian is distinguished by this Creed from all unbelievers, and misbelievers. In token hereof, by good order of the Church, we stand up at the Creed, openly to manifest our faith and allegiance to Christ Jesus our General.
3. A ring. The metal whereof is digged out of the rich mines of the Bible, refined with the fire of God's holy Spirit, and accurately framed by the blessed Apostles. It is the very wedding ring wherewith the Minister in our Baptism married us into Christ, when as in the public congregation Christ for his part solemnly protested by the mouth of his Minister that he would be our God: and we likewise vowed for our part, by Godfathers and Godmothers, that we would be his people. The Creed then ought to be respected as the signet on our right hand, and as the marriage Ring on our Love's finger.

Now for the authors, it is said to be the Apostles (as some think) made by themselves after they had received the Holy Ghost, and that before they departed out of Jerusalem to preach the Gospel unto all nations: Anno Christi 44. Imperatoris Claudi, 2. Juli 15. Others, that it is the Apostles, as being consonant to their doctrine; theirs for the matter, but not for the manner.

All agree that it is the Gospels abridgment, which Christ taught his Apostles, the Apostles the Church, and the Church hath delivered unto us in all ages: and therefore though it be not the scripture of God, yet it is the word and truth of God: of greater authority than other Ecclesiastical traditions, whether they be Confessions of particular Churches, or writings of private men.

The Text. The text hath two parts:

1. Articles.
2. Assent: Amen.

The Creed follows. At ordinary Morning and Evening prayer, and most Sundaies and Holy-daies, the Apostles Creed is appointed; which Creed was made by the Apostles upon this occasion, sayes Russinus in Symb. n. 2. The Apostles, having received a Commandment from our Lord to Teach all Nations, and withal being commanded to tarry at Hierusalem till they should be furnish'd with gifts and graces of the holy Spirit, sufficient for such a charge, tarried patiently, as they were enjoyned, expecting the fulfilling of that promise. In the time of the stay at Hierusalem, they agreed upon this Creed as a Rule of Faith, according to the analogy of which, they and all others should teach, and as a word of distinction, by which they should know friends from foes. For as the Gileadites distinguished their own men from the Benjamites, by the word Shibboleth, Iudges 12. 6. And as Souldiers know their own side from the Enemy by their Word, so the Apostles and the Church should know who were the Churches friends, and who were enemies; who were right believers, who false, by this word of Faith: for all that walkt according to this Rule, and profest this faith, she acknowledged for hers, and gave them her peace: but all others that went contrary to this rule and word, she accounted Enemies, Tertul. de praescrip. led by false spirits. For he that hears not us, is not of God; hereby know we the Spirit of truth, and the spirit of error, 1 John 4. 6.

This Creed is said Daily twice, Morning and Evening. So it was of old. Aug. l. 1. de Symb. ad Catech. cap. 1. Take the Rule of Faith, which is call'd the Symbol or Creed, say it daily, in the Morning before you go forth; at Night before you sleep. And l. 50. Hom. 42. Say your Creed daily Morning and Evening.

Rehearse your Creed to God; say not, I said it yesterday, I have said it to day already, say it again, say it every day: guard your selves with your Faith: And if the Adversary assault you, let the redeemed know, that he ought to meet him, with the Banner of the Cross and the shield of Faith, above all taking the shield of Faith, Ephes. 6. Faith is rightly called a Shield, S. Chrys. in loc. For as a Shield is carried before the body, as a wall to defend it, so is faith to the soul; for all things yield to that: This is our victory whereby we overcome the world, even our Faith. Therefore we had need look well to our faith, and be careful to keep that entire; and for that purpose it is not amiss to rehearse it often, and guard our soul with it.

Cum horromus aliquid recurrendum est ad Symbolum: When we are affrighted, run we to the Creed, and say, I believe in God the Father Almighty, this will guard your soul from fear: If you be tempted to despair, guard your soul with the Creed, say, I believe in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord, who was crucified, &c. for us men and our salvation; that may secure your soul from despair: If you be tempted to Pride, run to the Creed, and a sight of Christs hanging upon the Cross, will humble you: If to Lust or uncleanness, to the Creed, and see the wounds of Christ, and the remembrance of them, if any thing will quench that fiery dart: If we be tempted to presume and grow careless, take up again this shield of Faith, see Christ in the Creed coming to judgment, and this terrour of the Lords, will perswade men. In a word, the Creed is a guard (gap: 1 letter) and defence against all temptations of the world, all the fiery darts of the Devil, all the filthy lusts of the flesh: Therefore, above all, take the shield of Faith, saith S. Paul, and be sure to guard your soul Morning and Evening with the Creed, thy symbol of the most holy Faith. Besides, This solemn rehearsing of our Creed, is a plighting of our faith and fidelity to God, before Devils, Angels, and Men; an engaging and devoting of our souls in the principal faculties and powers of it, our reason and understanding and will, wholly to God the Father, Son, and holy Ghost, to believe in the ever blessed Trinity, whatsoever flesh and blood shall tempt to the contrary; which is an high piece of loyalty to God; and cannot be too often perform'd. It is that kind of Confession, that S. Paul says is necessary to salvation, as well as believing, Rom. 10. 10. For it is there said Verse 9. If we confess with our mouth, as well as, if we believe with the heart, we shall be saved; it is that kind of Confession that our Lord Christ speaks of, S. Matt. 10. 32. Whosoever shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in Heaven. And therefore since it is a service so acceptable, it cannot be thought unreasonable for the Church to require it Morning and Evening. The Creed follows soon after the Lessons and very seasonably; for in the Creed we confess that Faith, that the Holy Lessons teach.

The Creed is to be said not by the Priest alone, but by the Priest and people together. Rubr. before the Creed. For since Confession of Faith in publick before God, Angels and men is so acceptable a service to God, as is shewn; Fit it is that every man as well as the Priest, should bear his part in it, since every man may do it for himself as well, nay, better than the Priest can do it for him, for as every man knows best what himself believes, so it is fittest to confess it for himself, and evidence to the Church his sound Belief, by expresly repeating of that Creed and every particular thereof, which is and alwayes hath been accounted the Mark and Character, whereby to distinguish a True Believer from an Heretick or Infidel.

We are required to say the Creed standing, by this Gesture signifying our Readiness to Profess, and our Resolution to adhere and stand to this holy Faith.

W. Then shall be said the Creed. The Creed, neither this nor any other, was never any part of the liturgy, or public office, either in the Greek or in the Latin Church, until nigh upon six hundred years after Christ: the only and constant use thereof in public, was the prescribing it as the great lesson for the catechumens to learn and rehearse in public in order to their baptism. So, for this Creed, Ruffinus tells us it was the Roman mode, gui gratiam baptismi suscepturi sunt, fidelium populo audiente symbolum reddunt: “ they who are about to receive the grace of baptism, rehearse the Creed in the hearing of all the faithful.” And being himself about to expound upon it, he first premiseth, that he intends to tie himself to the order and form, guem in Aquileiensi Ecclesia per lavacri gratiam suscepimus, “ which in the Church of Aquileia we received, when we were admitted to the laver of regeneration.” So for the Hierosolymitan Creed, Cyril’s Catecheses are explications upon it, for the instruction of the catechumens: so for the Nicene, or rather the Constantinopolitan Creed, Epiphanius tells us that ἕκαστος τῶν κατηχουμένων τῶν μελλόντων τῷ ἁγίῳ λουτρῷ προσίεναι, “every catechumen who intended to come to the blessed laver, was first to learn it:” not a man of them, nor any other author of reputation, giving the least hint of it as any parcel of the liturgy.

As to the ancient names by which it was called, there occur, first, regula fidei, “the rule of faith” used by Tertullian; then symbolum fidei, “the symbol of faith,”’ as Cyprian very often; sometimes confessio fidei, “the confession of faith.” The creed here inserted passeth under the title of the Apostles’ Creed, supposed by many to have been composed by the Apostles when they were about to disperse themselves into their several walks, to be the summary of their faith, every Apostle collating one article, his share, to the frame. But our Church did not confide in this relation, and therefore hath delivered herself very sparingly in these saving terms, Symbolum, quod vulgo Apostolorum dicitur, “the Creed which is vulgarly denominated from the Apostles.” And learned Vossius hath evidently proved it is a vulgar error, and that really the Apostles made no such creed. His arguments are: First, there is not the least syllable witnessing any such creed made by them, neither in the Acts of the Apostles nor in their Epistles. Secondly, amongst all the ecclesiastical writers not a man mentions it. Thirdly, that if any such creed had been made by the Apostles, the ancient fathers of the Church would never have presumed, or attempted to contrive so many several confessions, but would have acquiesced in this. Fourthly, if this creed had been delivered, totidem verbis, by the Apostles, there would not have appeared in several Churches such variety of confessions, with such additions, such omissions of articles, as the year 400 represents, many instances whereof he gives in comparing the three creeds of Rome, Aquileia, and the East, as Ruffinus renders them.

But whereas that judicious man takes exception against the word Catholic in the article of the Holy Catholic Church, and yields this reason, Apostolorum etate nondum obtinebat consuetudo ut Christiani dicerentur Catholici?, “in the Apostolic age custom had not yet prevailed to call Christians Catholics;” that assertion being negative, is tenant only by courtesy, and were it precisely true, yet can it not be rationally deduced from thence, that the word Catholic was not in that age applied to the Church, especially there being record extant to the contrary. For Ignatius who συνεγένετο τοῖς ᾿Αποστόλοις γνησίως, “conversed familiarly with the Apostles,” tells us ὅπου ἂν ἢ Χριστὸς ᾿Ιησοῦς, ἐκεῖ ἡ καθολικὴ ἐκκλησίαν, “where Jesus Christ is, there is also the Catholic Church.” In the right he is, confident I am, Catholice nomen apponi cepit, ut Ecclesia que toto orbe obtineret, distingueretur a conventiculis hereticorum: “the word Catholic began to be annexed, that the Church overspreading all the earth, might be severed from the conventicles of heretics.” And so Clemens Alexandrinus, a hundred and twenty years before the Nicene council, clearly applieth it; for, speaking of those heretics ofthe primitive times, he saith, μεταγενεστέρας τῆς καθολικῆς ἐκκλησίας τὰς ἀνθρωπίνας συνηλύσεις πεποιήκασιν, “all their conventicles were juniors to the Catholic Church;” which having demonstrated by evident reasons, at length he concludes, κατ᾽ ἐξοχὴν, μόνην εἴναι φαμὲν τὴν ἀρχαίαν καὶ καθολικὴν ἐκκλησίαν, “supereminently, and by way of excellence, we say, the primitive and Catholic Church is one;” to which perhaps that article of the Constantinopolitan Creed alluded, “I believe one Catholic and Apostolic Church,” for apostolic and primitive are in that application convertibles. If then the word Catholic entered upon this account, viz. as a mark of difference to separate the true Church from the conventicles of heretics, and such conventicles there were (whereof there is no doubt) in the Apostles’ days, the inference is spontaneously consequent, that in that early age it might be entertained.

But to return to the Creed; if it was not framed by the Apostles, how came it to derive denomination from them? My answer is, because it is an excellent epitome of their doctrine, and contrived in a near resemblance to their own language; or rather, because a great part of it was probably digested by the Apostolic Church, though some articles were added by after times. So the great Creed is called the Nicene, though many things were affixed to it by the council of Constantinople, and some things since. For, certain it is, the primitive Church not far distant from the Apostolic age, had a creed resembling this of the Apostles, as to most particulars, and the substance of the articles, though with some syllabical variations, as it is evident by Tertullian’s Regula fidei, which he renders thus:

“A belief in one God Almighty Creator of the world, and His Son Jesus Christ, born of the Virgin Mary, crucified under Pontius Pilate, raised again the third day, received up into heaven, sitting there now at the right hand of His Father, who shall come again to judge both the quick and the dead, at the resurrection of their flesh.”

Where the articles concerning the Holy Ghost and the Church, being omitted, they are to be supplied from the form of the catechizing then in use, which was in truth a creed; so Cyprian, si aliquis illud opponit, eandem legem Novatianum tenere quam Catholica Ecclesia tenet, eodem quo et nos symbolo baptizare: “but some will say Novatian holds the same rule of faith with the Catholic Church, baptizeth with the profession of the same Creed.” With the rehearsal then of the Creed they were baptized; sub-tribus nominibus testatio fidei pignoratur, “the testification of our faith is made under three sacred names,” saith the same Tertullian, and thence inferreth, necessario adjicitur Ecclesie mentio, quoniam uli tres, id est, Pater, et Filius et Spiritus Sanctus, ibi Ecclesia que trium corpus est: “of necessity the mention of the Church must follow, for where these three are, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, there is the Church the body of all three.” Which perhaps was Ignatius’s meaning when he said, “where Jesus Christ is, there is the Catholic Church.” This is also further made out by Cyprian, who lived not long after Tertullian, and an African too; for mentioning a form of interrogation taken out of the baptismal symbol, he renders it thus, Credis in vitam eternam, et remissionem peccatorum per sanctam Ecclesiam? 1. 6. “ Dost thou believe eternal life, and forgiveness of sins by the holy Church?” where there is not only mention of the holy Church, and of forgiveness of sins, but also of life everlasting, which learned Vossius will have to be an additional article after Ruffinus’s time. True it is, what he saith out of Jerome: omne Christiant dogmatis sacramentum carnis resurrectione concluditur: “all the mysteries of the Christian faith were then terminated in the resurrection of the flesh,” and so Tertullian concludeth his rule of faith; but yet, that notwithstanding, that the article of life everlasting might be, as by St. Cyprian it is clear it was not, no new addition, but represented in a different order.

So that to draw to an end, uniting these African parcels together, we have found a creed, as to the essentials, very conformable to this of the Apostles, and for the verbal diversity, it is the less to be wondered at, when they who are conversant in the ancient fathers know their manner was in citing even canonical Scripture, not always to consult the originals, but often to deliver it in such words as their memories suggested, provided they preserved the sense entire. Probably from the same liberty, practised in those accounts they give of the confessions of their faith, might arise this diversity.

This and the other creeds in the offices of our Church, are always appointed to be said after the reading of some part of canonical Scripture; because “ faith comes by hearing,” Rom. x. 17, first hearing, and then faith: it is ordered to be read standing, for three reasons. First, because it is, as to the substantials thereof, taken out of the Gospels, which were to be rehearsed standing. Secondly, because the stationary posture is most significant, and importeth a resolution to defend and maintain the faith we profess; when we assert any thing with much earnestness, we usually say, This is truth, and we will stand to it. Thirdly, in imitation of the order of the catechumens, who did rehearse it in a stationary posture. St. Augustine relating one Victorinus’s deportment in this case speaks thus, ut ventum est ad horam profitende fidei, que verbis certis, conceptis retentisque memoriter de loco eminentiore in conspectu populi fidelis reddi solet ; “as soon as the time came for him to make profession of his faith, which was used to be done in a set form of words, got by heart, and from a high place of ascent, so as all the faithful might behold, the presbyters offered him, that if he would, he should rehearse it in private” (as some others did, for fear of being daunted with so great an audience); “he refused it, saying he would do it in the presence of the whole congregation, and presently he mounted up.” From which story very inferrible it is, that as the eminence of the place was regularly required for the greater evidence of the fact, so was the posture erect as most serviceable to that end, although St. Augustine saith it not αὐτολεξεὶ, in direct terms.

And it is worth observing, that we conclude these short Suffrages, as we began: for as in the first we desire the Lord to be with us and our spirit, so likewise in the last, that he would not take his holy spirit from us, but accompany the whole Church unto the end and in the end. I am occasioned in this place justly to defend the people's answering the Minister aloud in the Church. The beginning of which interlocutory passages is ascribed by Platina to Damasus, Bishop of Rome; by Theodoret to Diodorus, Bishop of Antioch; by Walafridus Strabo to S. Ambrose, Bishop of Milan: all of which lived 1100 years before the Church was acquainted with any French fashions. And yet Basil, Epist. 63, alleges that the Churches of Egypt, Libya, Thebes, Palestine, Phoenicia, Syrians, Mesopotamians, used it long before. Socrates and Strabo write that Ignatius, a scholar unto Christ’s own scholars, is thought to be the first author hereof. If any shall expect greater antiquity and authority, we can fetch this order even from the choir of heaven: I saw the Lord (said Isaiah) set on a high throne, the Seraphim stood upon it, and one cried to another saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of hosts, all the world is full of his glory.

Blessed spirits in praising God answer one another interchangeably: though unhappy scornful spirits unmannersly term this custom, Tossing of service. But it may be said of them, as Jerome wrote of Helvidius: Exisitmant loquacitatem mess: facundiam, & maledicere omnibus bonae conscientiae signum arbitrantur.

AFTER the Lords Prayer follow short Versicles and Answers taken out of Holy Scripture, Psal. 85. 7. Psalm 20. 10. Psal. 132. 9. Psal. 28. 10. 2 Kings 20. 19. Psalm 51. 10, 11.

The Priest beginning and the people Answering, contending in an holy Emulation who shall be most devout in these short, but pithy Ejaculations, or Darts cast up to Heaven. Such short Ejaculations were much used by the devout Brethren, which S. Augustine commends as the most piercing kind of prayer, Ep. 121. Such as these were, that of the Leper, S. Matth. 8. 1. Lord, if thou wilt thou canst make me clean: and that of the Disciples, S. Matth. 8. 24. Master save us, we perish. Short, but powerful, as you may see by our Saviours gracious acceptance of them.

And here I must further commend the Order of ANSWERS of the PEOPLE in all places of the Service where it stands. It refresheth their attention, it teaches them their part at publick prayers; not to stand by and censure how well the Priest playes the mouth of the Congregation. Lastly, it unites the affections of them altogether, and helps to keep them in a league of perpetual amity. For if the Prophet David did think that the very meeting of men together in the house of God, should make the bond of their love indissoluble, Psalm 55. 15. How much more may we judge it reasonable to hope that the like effects may grow in each of the people toward other, in them all towards the Priest, and in the Priest towards them; between whom there daily and interchangeably pass, in the hearing of God himself, and in the presence of his holy Angels, so many heavenly Acclamations, Exultations, Provocations, Petitions, Songs of comfort, Psalms of praise and thanksgiving, in all which particulars, as when the Priest makes their suits, and they with one voice say, Amen. Or when he joyfully begins, and they with like alacrity follow, deviding betwixt them the Sentences, wherewith they strive which shall most shew his own, and stir up others zeal to the glory of God, as in the Psalms and Hymns; Or when they mutually pray for each other, the Priest for the people, and the people for him, as in the Versicles immediately before the morning Collects. Or when the Priest proposes to God the peoples necessities, and they their own requests for relief in every of them, as in the Litany: Or when he proclaims the Law of God to them as in the Ten Commandments: they adjoyning an humble acknowledgement of their common imbecillity to the several branches thereof, together with the lowly requests for Grace to perform the things commanded, as in the Kyries or Lord have mercy upon us, &c. at the end of each Commandment. All these Interlocutory Forms of Speech, what are they but most effectual, partly testifications, partly inflammations of all piety?

The Priest when he begins these short prayers is directed by the Rubrick to STAND.

It is noted that the Priest in the holy offices is sometimes appointed to kneel, sometimes to stand. The Reason of this we shall here once for all enquire.

The Priest or Minister being a man of like infirmities with the rest of the Congregation, a sinner, and so standing in need of grace and pardon, as well as the rest, in all confessions of sins, and penitential prayers, such as the Litany is, is directed to beg his pardon and grace upon his knees. He being moreover a Priest or Minister of the most high God, that hath received from him an office and authority, sometimes stands, to signifie that his office and authority: which office of his may be considered, either in relation to God, or the people. As it relates to God, so he is Gods Embassador. 2 Cor. 5. 20. to whom is committed the Ministery of Reconciliation, in which respect he is to Teach, Baptize, Consecrate the holy Eucharist, Bless and Absolve the penitent; and in all these acts of Authority, which he does in the name and person of Christ, he is to stand.

As his office relates to the people, so he is in their stead, for them appointed by God to offer up gifts and sacrifices to God, particularly the sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving, together with their prayers; so we read, Heb. 5. 1. Every high priest or priest (so the words are promiscuously used, Heb. 8. 3. 4.) taken from among men, is ordained for men, or in their stead, in things pertaining to God, to offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins. Which definition of a Priest, belongs not only to a Priest of the Law, but also to a Priest or Minister of the Gospel. For S. Paul from this definition proves that our Lord Christ, who was after the order of Melchisedeck, not of Aaron, a Priest of the Gospel, not of the Law, ought not call himself, v. 5. but was appointed by God, and moreover, that he ought to have gifts and sacrifices to offer, Heb. 8. 3. because every high Priest, or Priest, is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices. These arguments of S: Paul drawn from this definition are fallacious and unconcluding, unless this be the definition of a Gospel-Priest as well as a Legal. Seeing then that we must not conclude. S. Pauls arguments to be unconcluding, we must grant, that the Ministers of the Gospel are appointed by God to offer up the sacrifices of prayers and praises of the Church for the people, thus to stand betwixt God and them and to shew this his office, in these services he is directed to stand. By this we may see what advantage it is to the people, that their prayers are offered up by a Priest. For God having appointed him to this office, will certainly assist and accept his own constitution: and though the Minister be wicked, or undevout in his prayers, yet God, that will punish this neglect in himself, will certainly accept of his office for the people. Upon this ground probably it was that God sent Abimelech to Abraham to pray for him, for he was a Prophet, Gen. 20. 7.

AA. O Lord shew Thy mercy upon us.] These versicles, with their answers, are of divine derivation. “Shew us Thy mercy, O Lord, and grant us Thy salvation,” Psalm lxxxv. 7. “God save the king,” 1 Sam. x. 24. “Hear me, O Lord, when I call,” Psalm iv. 1. “Let Thy priests be clothed with righteousness, and let Thy saints sing with joyfulness,” Psalm exxxii. 9. “O Lord, save Thy people, and bless Thine inheritance,” Psalm xxviii. 9. “Shall it not be good if peace be in my days,” 2 Kings xx. 19. “There is no strength in us, but our eyes are towards Thee,” 2 Chron. xx. 12. “Create in me a clean heart, and take not Thy holy Spirit from me,” Psalm li. 10,11. And in regard they are for the major part taken out of the Psalms of David, the priest is ordered to stand up.

The Collects follow, which are thought by divers to be so called, either because they were made by the Priest, super collectam populi, over, or in behalf of the Congregation, meeting, or collection of the people; or rather, because the Priest doth herein Collect the Devotions of the people, and offer them up to God; for though it hath been the constant practice from the beginning, for the people to bear a vocal part by their Suffrages and Answers in the publick service of God (which for that very reason was by the Ancients called Common Prayer, as may be gathered out of Iustin Martyr. Apol. 2. S. Aug. Epist. 118. and others:) yet for the more renewing and strengthning of their earnestness, importunity, and as it were wrestling with God, and hope of prevailing, they desired that themselves and their devotions should in the close be recommended to God by the Priest, they all joyning their assent and saying Amen to it. And that is the reason why in many of the Collects, God is desired to hear the petitions of the people (to wit, those that the people had then made before the Collect) that they come in at the end of other devotions, and were by some of old called Missae, that is to say, Dismissions, the people being dismissed upon the pronouncing of them and the Blessing, the Collects themselves being by some of the Ancients called Blessings, and also Sacramenta, either for that their chief use was at the Communion, or because they were uttered Per Sacerdotem, by one consecrated to holy Offices.

But it will not be amiss to enquire more particularly what may be said for these very Collects which we use, they being of so frequent use and so considerable a part of the Devotion of our Church.

And first concerning their Authors and Antiquity, we may observe, that our Church endeavouring to preserve, not only the Spirit, but the very Forms (as much as may be, and in a known tongue) of ancient Primitive Devotion, hath retained these very Collects (the most of them) among other precious Remains of it: for we find by ancient testimony that they were composed or ordered, either by S. Ambrose, Gelasius, or Gregory the Great, those holy Bishops and Fathers of the Church; and therefore having daily ascended up to Heaven like Incense from the hearts and mouths of so many Saints in the Ages since their times, they cannot but be very venerable, and relish well with us, unless our hearts and affections be of a contrary temper.

Secondly, for the object of these Collects, they are directed to God in the Name of Jesus Christ our Lord, for so usually they conclude, and very fitly: For Christ is indeed the Altar upon which all our prayers are to be offered, that they may be acceptable; Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my Name he will give it you, S. Iohn 16. 23. And so it was the custome of old: Itaque Orationes nostras vitam & Sacrificia, & omnia nostra offerimus tibi Pater assiduè per Dominum nostrum Iesum Christum, &c. Bernard. de Amore Dei cap. 8. But yet we may observe that a few Collects are directed to Christ, and in the Litany some supplications to the holy Ghost, beside that precatory Hymn of Veni Creator in the Book of Ordination, and that some Collects, especially for great Festivals conclude with this acknowledgement, that Christ with the Father and the holy Ghost, liveth and reigneth one God world without end. And this seems to be done to testifie what the Scripture warrants, that although for more congruity we in the general course of our prayers go to the Father by the Son, yet that we may also invocate both the Son and the Holy Ghost, and that while we call upon one, we equally worship and glorifie all Three together. Quia dum ad solius Patris personam honoris sermo dirigitur, bene credentis fide tota Trinitas honoratur, saith Fulgentius, lib. 2. ad Monimum.

Thirdly for their Form and Proportion, as they are not one long continued prayer, but divers short ones, they have many Advantages to gain esteem: The Practice of the Jews of old, in whose prescribed Devotions we find a certain number of several prayers or Collects to be said together, the example of our Lord in prescribing a short form; the judgement and practice of the Ancient Christians in their Liturgies, and S. Chrysostome among others commends highly short and frequent Prayers with little distances between, Hom. 2. of Hanna, so doth Cassian also, and from the judgment of others that were much exercised therein. 2. Lib. cap. 10. de Institut. Coenob. And lastly, as they are most convenient for keeping away coldness, distraction and illusions from our devotion, for what we elsewhere say in praise of short Ejaculations is true also concerning Collects, and that not only in respect of the Minister, but the people also, whose minds and affections become hereby more erect, close and earnest by the oftner breathing out their hearty concurrence, and saying all of them Amen together at the end of each Collect.

Fourthly, the Matter of them is most Excellent and remarkable: It consists usually of two parts: An humble acknowledgement of the Adorable Perfection and Goodness of God, and a congruous petition for some benefit from him. The first is seen not only in the Collects for Special Festivals or benefits; but in those also that are more general; for even in such what find we in the beginning of them but some or other of these and the like acknowledgements? That God is Almighty, everlasting, Full of Goodness and Pity, the Strength, Refuge and Protector of all that trust in him, without whom nothing is strong nothing is Holy, no continuing in safety or Being, that such is our weakness and frailty that we have no power of our selves to help our selves, to do any good, to stand upright, cannot but fall; That we put no trust in any thing that we do, but lean only upon the help of his heavenly Grace, That he is the Author and giver of all good things, from whom it comes that we have an hearty desire to pray or do him any true or laudable Service, That he is alwayes more ready to hear than we to pray, and to give more than we desire or deserve, having prepared for them that love him such good things as pass mans understanding.

These, and the like expressions can be no other than the breathings of the Primitive Christians, who with all self-denial made the grace of God their Hope, Refuge, Protection, Petition, and Profession against all proud Hereticks and Enemies of it: And the Petitions which follow these humble and pious acknowledgements and praises are very proper, holy and good, which will better appear, if we consider the matter of each Collect apart.

The first in order among the Collects is that for the day. Now as on every day or season there is something more particularly commended to our meditations by the Church, so the first Collect reflects chiefly upon that, though sometimes more generally upon the whole matter of the Epistle and Gospel, desiring inspiration, strength and protection from God Almighty, in the practice and pursuance, of what is set before us. But concerning the matter of the Collects for the day, is spoken afterward in the particular account that is given of each Epistle, Gospel and Collect.

ΒΒ. Collects.] Collects are so called, either because many petitions are contracted and collected into one body, or because they are gathered from several portions of Scripture, especially from those appointed for the epistles and gospels of the days. As well those here next following, as others appropriated to days of solemn celebration, or dispersed abroad in the several offices of our Church, are for the greater part borrowed from the Sacramentary of Gregory the Great; and where others are omitted, it is upon this account, because they contained something edifying towards the invocation of saints.