I. they had been acquainted with in the temple and syna- CHAP. gogues, to which they so often resorted. Pentecost once past, and they with others endowed with miraculous graces, μετὰ τούτων ἁπάντων, ἦν καὶ εὐχῆς χάρισμα καὶ ὁ τοῦτο ἔχων ὑπὲρ τοῦ πλήθους παντὸς ἤυχετο. i. e. " together with all those graces was the gift of prayer dispensed, and he who had it, prayed for all the people." No marvel then, if whilst this gr ce lasted, there was no form stated. But this with all its confraternity, either expiring, or languishing about the end of the apostolical age, cause there was administered of devising set forms to supply the default of those gifts, and upon that moment of time prescribed forms most probably be fixed. That St. Ignatius's μía πpooeux", "one prayer," had reference to such a form, or Justin Martyr's кowη €3×ǹ, "common prayer," as learned men conceive, I shall not urge, having testimony elsewhere sufficient. Clemens Alexandrinus", giving us the practice of his time, mentions Tò ἄθροισμα τῶν ἐν ταῖς εὐχαῖς ἀνακειμένων μίαν ὡσπὲρ ἔχον φωνὴν τὴν κοινὴν καὶ μίαν γνώμην, i. e. “ the congregation addicted to their prayers, having as it were one mind, and one voice common to all." Now a congregation cannot have one voice in their prayers without a set form for them to join in. Tertullian', sub antistitis manu contestamur nos renunciare diabolo et pompa et angelis ejus; speaking of baptism," while we are under the priest's hand, we profess that we forsake the devil, his pomps and his angels." Origen', Frequenter in oratione dicimus, da omnipotens, da partem cum prophetis, da cum Apostolis Christi tui, tribue ut inveniamur ad vestigia unigeniti tui. "Grant, Almighty God, grant us a lot with Thy prophets, with the Apostles of Thy Christ, give us grace that we may follow the steps of Thy only Son." Cypriank, speaking of an imposture acted by a cheating woman, Baptizabat quoque multos, usitata et legitima verba interrogationis usurpuns: "She baptized many, using the accustomed words of interrogation:" so also, Præfatione præmissa parat fratrum mentes dicendo, sursum corda: "The priest after the preface prepares the hearts of his brethren, saying, Lift up your hearts." I. CHAP. What clearer evidence can there possibly be of set forms, and all these before three hundred years after Christ; and if 20 in times of such persecution when Christianity was in her morning dress, when colebantur religiones pie magis quam magnifice', "religion was more devout than splendid," such expedience there was found of set forms, how much more requisite are they in times of peace and rest? A matter so clear, so convincing, as no Christian society that ever pretended to the name of a Church, did ever think of their abolition before the late compilers of the directory. Men who, "with hands lifted up to the most high God, did swear to endeavour the reformation of religion in this kingdom in worship, &c. according to the word of God, and the example of the best reformed Churches," a pretence fair and specious. But acting as they did, it had been much to our satisfaction had they pleased to produce one example of any Church best reformed which hath not a set form of common prayer: their darling Geneva hath hers, approved by Mr. Calvin; their beloved Belgia hath hers, established by the late synod at Dortm; yea, their dear confederate Scotland hath hers, and are any Churches in their reputation better reformed than these? And administration of the Sacraments.] In the time of the Old Testament nothing relating to their Sacraments, either that of circumcision or the passover, was executed either by the priest, or in the place dedicated to holy assemblies, the killing of the paschal lamb only excepted, Deut. xvi.; 2 Chron. XXXV. 6. This notwithstanding certain forms they had for the administration of both; for circumcision, in the very act thereof the father of the child usually said "Blessed be the Lord God, who hath sanctified us by His precepts, and hath commanded us that we should cause this child to enter into the covenant of Abraham." So for the passover, over the paschal lamb they sung certain hymns; Lucas Burgensis and Grotius persuade they were the Psalms of David, from the 112th to the 119th. In the first times of Christianity, so far as apostolic evidences teach, common prayer never went alone without the celebration of the Eucharist, then notified Liv. Hist. Sessio 178, post decessum exterorum. I. by breaking of bread, Acts ii. 42; xx. 7. And though the CHAP. form of consecrating these elements be not there delivered, yet Jerome", Augustine°, and Gregory P, affirm it was by the Dominical Prayer, and that our Lord gave order to His Apostles so to do; and indeed no prayer was more apt for the service of that Sacrament, especially if by apтov Tòv émiovσLov, bread spiritually mystical and supersubstantial be intended; as many of the fathers understood it. As for the other sacrament of baptism, the practice of those times being immersion and dipping, and that of persons of full growth, a river or pond was necessarily required, and by consequence the place of holy meetings not capable of it. And yet for all this, even before fonts or Koλvußn@pai, diving cisterns, were brought to the church, set forms were ordained for the celebration thereof, as appeareth manifestly enough by Tertullian; Aquam adituri, ibidem, sed et aliquanto prius in ecclesia sub antistitis manu contestamur nos renunciare diabolo, &c., i. e. "being to step into the water, there also, what we formerly did in the church, the priest laying his hand of benediction upon us, we declare that we forsake the devil, his pomps and angels." A thing so fit in the opinion of men not miscarried by bias, as Calving himself enforceth the use thereof with an Oportet. Statam esse oportet Sacramentorum celebrationem, publicam item precum formulam. "There is no other remedy, an established form in celebrating the Sacraments there must be, and so also of common prayers." C And other rites and ceremonies.] Besides common prayer and administration of the Sacraments, there ever were other divine offices for several occasions, which in respect they were executed in the holy assemblies were also thought convenient to have their prescript forms assigned them, the Church conceiving it to be Christian prudence to leave little arbitrary in sacred exercises. 21 Of the Church of England.] Τὸ τῆς ἐκκλησίας ὄνομα, οὐ χωρισμοῦ, ἀλλὰ ἑνώσεως καὶ συμφωνίας ἐστὶν ὄνομα*. “The D n Opera, tom. iv. p. 513. Tom. v. p. 96. His verbis (dimitte nobis) ad altare accedamus. P Ep. vii. 63. [Mihi inconveniens visum est ut precem quam scholasticus composuerat super oblationem dicere mus, et ipsam traditionem quam Re- r Chrysost. in 1 Cor. c. i. Hom. i. I. CHAP. word Church is not a name of separation and division, but of unity and concord:" good reason therefore had the Apostle to decree that in it all things should be done "decently and in order;" and order there cannot be, where there is no unanimity. And because it is impossible to devise one uniform order for the Catholic Church in point of ceremonies, men's minds being as various as is the difference of climates, therefore it hath been the Catholic practice for every national Church, as it is cantonized from others, to frame such models of services, with rites and ceremonies appendant to them, as best suit the temper and disposition of such as are to render obedience to them; upon this account, in the first and purest times, the Churches of the East and West differed much in their ecclesiastical customs, and not only so, but even under the same patriarchate, many subordinate Churches took liberty to vary each from other, and sometime from the mother Church; so the Church of Milan under St. Ambrose, had offices differing from that of Rome, and so had the Gallican Churches also in the days of Gregory the Great, who took so little offence thereat, as he saids, In una fide nil officit Ecclesia sanctæ consuetudo diversa, i. e. "provided the unity of faith be preserved, customary differences do not put the holy Church to any detriment." So then if the Church of England hath her set forms of sacred offices peculiar to herself, she assumeth no greater privilege than others have done before her; and as she is in this particular vindicated from singularity, so hath she proceeded with semblable prudence in enjoying one common form to all such as call her mother, that she may appear to be all of a piece for the worship publicly performed and in parochial assemblies is not to be reputed the worship peculiar of those congregations, but common to the whole national Church whereof they are limbs, in which service the spirit of that mystical body, being in her subordinate members (as the soul in the natural, tota in qualibet parte) is exercised. This service being then the service of the whole national Church, why should she not strictly enjoin to her several members the frame and model thercof, lest any should in her name present to God a service she would not own, and that the uniformity of her worship Gregor. Epist. i. 41. Leandro. S I. in her distinct members (as more prevalent with the divine CHA P. E An Act for Uniformity, &c.] To what end a book of G With one alteration, &c.] It must not be imagined that 22 either the queen or the parliament made those alterations, for the review of the liturgy was committed by the queen to certain commissioners, viz. to Mr. Whitehead, Dr. Parker, after archbishop of Canterbury; Dr. Grindal, after bishop of London; Dr. Cox, after bishop of Ely; Dr. Pilkinton, after bishop of Durham; Dr. May, dean of St. Paul's; Dr. Bill, provost of Eton; and Sir Thomas Smith. These adding and expunging where they thought meet, presented it to the parliament, who only established what they had concluded upon. As for the several changes, alterations, and differences betwixt this liturgy of ours, and that of 2 of Edward VI., this statute takes not notice of them all, but what is defect Augustine. |