CHAP. when it was at last generally resolved that the saints did inVI. tercede for the universal Church, at the end of this commemoration, there was added a clause of invocation to God, "that He would receive the prayers of the Church, by the intercession of those blessed souls departed," as Cyril tells us in the place before quoted; and this is the first notice given of the intercession of saints in any liturgy or public service, and all this time not a syllable of invocation of, or address to, them. Yea, St. Augustine, who lived much about the same time, is express to the contrary, assuring us that though those holy men, suo loco et ordine nominantur, non tamen a sacerdote qui sacrificat invocantur, "are named in their holy course and order," in the Communion service, "yet are they not invocated, or prayed to, by the priest who officiateth." This passage of this Father, informing us that those saints departed were named in their course and order, leads us to the other dyptic-roll, which was a nomenclator, framed on purpose as a dictamen for the officiating priest, some resemblance whereof is still extant in the canon of the Mass, called by ritualists, litania sanctorum nominum," the litany of the saints' names." This nominal recital, Walafridus Strabo saith, came into practice soon after St. Jerome had composed his Martyrology. General intercession being thus admitted (as what could hinder it?) into the Church, the next step was that of singular saints, for single persons and occasions; yet this not all at once neither, for before any other were thought qualified for the purpose, the Virgin Mary was installed a mediatrix, and she called into aid in several prayers of the Church, which Nicephorus ascribeth to Petrus Gnapheus, as the first author thereof, about the year 500. She once thus admitted, did not only herself keep possession, to the very almost justling out of her Son and Saviour, but did let in all the train of the blessed apostles, martyrs, and others, who by Pope Gregory, about anno 600, were dishonoured with an ora pro nobis, in that his otherwise gallant model of the litany.

We commend unto Thy mercy all other Thy servants.] The v commemorations of the dead, Epiphanius divideth into two ranks or classes, δικαίων καὶ ἁμαρτωλών, “ just men and sin

1 De Civit. Dei, lib. xxii. c. 10.

De Reb. Eccl., c. 28.

Hist. Eccl., lib. xv. c. 28.

VI.

ners," understanding thereby, less perfect Christians. The CHAP. order of the 'just,' was that of the patriarchs, prophets, apostles, evangelists, martyrs, and confessors, mentioned before ; these were supposed directly to go to heaven, without calling in at purgatory, or any other withdrawing room, and therefore thought it a vanity to pray for such, who were conceived already arrived at a perfect state of bliss; nay, more than a vanity, a wrong, injuriam facit martyri qui orat pro martyrei, "he doth injure the martyr, who prayeth for him." The 183 other classes, that of sinners, were conceived by the ancients to be disposed of in some base court, as I may so say, or inferior appurtenance of heaven, which for want of a better name, they called paradise; there they conceived these souls did abide whilst they were in mora resurrectionis, " expecting the general resurrection," did pant and thirst for the beatifical vision of God; and for these they prayed that God would give them some comfortable refreshment to slack that thirst. This is the uttermost of their opinion, so far as their own records inform us, and this scarce came to opinion neither, not a man of them, for the first five hundred years, delivering himself positively, but very staggeringly touching this point. This and the former commemoration our second reformers very judiciously omitted, being loath to retain any thing liable to so just exceptions.

This prayer, according to the primitive mode, was made after the later consecration; for the sacramental elements were twice consecrated; first, when they were in the general mass of all oblations, which were consecrated at large by thanksgiving to God for all those benefits, and invocation of His blessing upon them, as they were provided for bodily refreshment; and again, when they were separated from the residue, and by a particular benediction, deputed for the symbols of the Eucharist, which being thus consecrated, eπ Ts Ovo ías ἐκείνης τοῦ ἱλασμοῦ παρακαλοῦμεν τὸν θεὸν, saith Cyrilk, “we invocate God over that propitiatory host, for the common peace," &c., and what he calleth πаρакаλоûμev, "we entreat," others usually say, πроopéроμev, "we offer unto Thee." All intending thereby, that they offered up their prayers to God for those particulars, by and through the intercession of 1 Aug. Serm. xvii. de verb. Apost. [159.] * Mystag. 5.

προσφέρομεν,

VI.

CHAP. Jesus Christ, represented in the signs of that holy mystery: certainly an edifying, and an innocent rite. But the Church of Rome foisting in, under the disguise of this excellent custom, private masses, and in them a pretence of Christ really not mystically sacrificed, and that sacrifice applied and determined to the souls of such persons as the priest shall by his mementos limit; our Reformers, endeavouring to amove all occasion of abetting that wicked practice, transposed and inverted the order of this prayer to the place you see.

THEN SHALL FOLLOW THIS EXHORTATION, AT CERTAIN TIMES WHEN THE CHAP. CURATE SHALL SEE THE PEOPLE NEGLIGENT TO COME TO THE HOLY COMMUNION.

VII. This rubric and

tion omit

ted in 1 B.

of Edw.VI.

We be come together at this time, dearly beloved brethren, exhortato feed at the Lord's Supper, unto the which in God's behalf I bid you all that be here present, and beseech you, for the Lord Jesus Christ's sake, that ye will not refuse to come thereto, being so lovingly called and bidden of God Himself. Ye know how grievous and unkind a thing it is when a man hath prepared a rich feast, decked his table with all kind of probision, so that there lacked nothing but the guests to sit down, and yet they which be called, without any cause, most unthankfully refuse to come. Which of you, in such a case, would not be moved? Who would not think a great injury and wrong done unto him? Wherefore, most dearly beloved in Christ, take ye good heed, lest ye, withdrawing yourselves from this holy supper, provoke God's indignation against you. It is an easy matter for a man to say, I will not communicate, because I am otherwise letted with worldly business: but such excuses be not so easily accepted and allowed before God. If any man say, I am a grievous sinner, and therefore am afraid to come: wherefore then do you not repent and amend? When God calleth you, be you not ashamed to say, you will not come? When you should return to God, will you excuse yourself, and say, that you be not ready? Consider earnestly with yourselves, how little such feigned excuses shall avail before God. They that refused the feast in the Gospel, because they had bought a farm, or would try their yokes of oxen, or because they were married, were not so excused, but counted unworthy of the heavenly feast. E, for my part, am here present, and, according to mine office, I bid you, in the name of God, I call you, in Christ's behalf, I exhort you, as you love your

VII.

CHAP. own salvation, that ye will be partakers of this holy Com munion: and as the Son of God did vouchsafe to yield up His soul by death upon the cross fora your health; even so it is your duty to receive the Communion together in the remembrance of His death', as He Himself commanded. Now, if you will in no wise thus do, consider with yourselves how great injury you do unto God, and how sore punishment hangeth over your heads for the same. And whereas nou offended God so sore in refusing this holy banquet, E admonish, exhort, and beseech you, that unto this unkindness ye will not add any more: which thing ye shall do, if ye stand by as gazers and lookers on them that do communicate, and be no partakers of the same yourselves. For what thing can this 18 be accounted else, than a farther contempt and unkindness unto God? Truly it is a great unthankfulness to say nay when ye be called: but the fault is much greater, when men stand by, and yet will neither eat nor drink this holy Communion with other. I pray you, what can this be else, but eben to have the mysteries of Christ in derision? Et is said unto all, Take ye, and eat; take, and drink ye all of this; Do this in remembrance of tle. With what face then, or with what countenance shall ye hear these words? what will this be else, but a neglecting, a despising and mocking of the testament of Christ? Wherefore, rather than ye should so do, depart you hence, and give place to them that be godly disposed. But when you depart, I beseech you ponder with yourselves from whom you depart: ye depart from the Lord's table, ye depart from your brethren, and from the banquet of most heavenly food. These things if ye earnestly consider, ye shall by God's grace return to a better mind, for the obtaining whereof, we shall make our humble petitions, while we shall receive the holy Communion.