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Serm. 60. against the Objections of Vigilantius, who endea ap Ripar. Voured to have them abolished. But St. Jerome adver. Vi- declares it unreasonable to impute to the whole

Hieron.

gilan.

Can. 35.

Body the unhappy Mifcarriages of fome unworthy Members among them; because the Irregularities of a few could not prejudice Religion in general, fince they were guilty of the fame Crimes in their own Houses and in their Neighbourhood, the Vigils being neither the Caufe nor the Occafion of these Disorders. The Council of Eliberis, held Anno 305, had forbid the Admiffion of Women, to prevent the ill Confequences of thefe promifcuous Affemblies; but they were not abolished till after St. Jerome's Time, nor, as fome think, till the Beginning of the fixth Century.

Q. Before what Feftivals bath the Church appointed thefe Fafts that are called Vigils?

A. Before the Nativity of our Lord, the Purification and Annunciation of the bleffed Virgin Mary, Eafter-day, Afcenfion-day, Penticoft, St. Matthias, St. John Baptift, St. Peter, St. James, St. Bartholomew, St. Matthew, St. Simon and St. Jude, St. Thomas, St. Andrew, and All-Saints. And if any of these Feafts fall upon a Monday, then the Vigil or Faft-day fhall be kept upon the Saturday, and not upon the Sunday next before it.

Q. Why have not the rest of the Festivals Vigils annexed to them?

A. Because they chiefly fall between Christmas and Epiphany, or between Eafter and Whit-funday, which were always efteemed fuch Seafons for Rejoicing, that the Church did not think fit, but very rarely, to intermingle with them any Days of Fafting and Humiliation. And in the Feast of St. Michael and All-Angels, one Reafon for the Inftitution of Vigils ceases; which was to conform us to the Example of the Saints, who through Sufferings and Mortifications entered into the Joy of their Mafter; but thefe miniftering Spirits were created in the full Poffeffion of Bliss.

Q. What are thofe Acts of public Worship which thefe Vigils were defigned to prepare us for?

A. Joining in thofe Prayers and Praises which are offered up to God by his Minifters upon fuch Occafions. Hearing God's holy Word, and those Explanations of it, and Inftructions from it, which are commonly called Sermons, made by an Order of ́ Men established, among other Ends, to inftruct us in our Duty. Receiving the blessed Sacrament, which is called the Eucharift, becaufe a thankful Acknowledgment of Bleffings received: A very fit Employment for all Festivals, as well as the proper Christian Worship for the Lord's Day.

Q. Where are thofe Acts of public Worship performed?

A. In the Church, the Houfe of God, fo called upon the Account of its peculiar Relation to him, being folemnly dedicated and fet apart for his public Worship and Service, and upon the Account of God's peculiar Prefence, not only by the Adminiftration of his Word and Sacraments, but by reason of the Attendance of his holy Angels to observe our Behaviour and Deportment; it being by the Retinue of these adminiftering Spirits, that the Speciality of God's Prefence is defcribed in the Old and New Gen. Teftament. The Dedication of it to facred Ufes xxviii. 16. makes it his Propriety, and the praying to him, 35. praising him, and celebrating the Holy Myfteries, Gal. iii. with the Attendance of the Holy Angels, are De- Heb. ii. 2. monftrations of his peculiar Prefence.

Q. Did the Apostles and Primitive Chriftians Jet apart particular Places for public Worship?

A. It is plain, that even in the Times of the Apoftles there were Places fet apart for the Performance of Divine Worship, and that the Chriftians did not even then meet promifcuoufly in any Place; and though they were concealed from the Jews and Heathens, being either Part of their own Houses,

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A&ts vii.

Dar. vii.

10.

1

10.

Cor. xi.

1 Cor.

xiv. 34.

ver. 35.

22.

S. Aug.

Houses, or within the Compafs of them; yet they were fufficiently known to the Faithful. St. Paul gives Directions for our Behaviour in fuch Places; Let the Women keep Silence in the Church: and it is evident that he understands this not only of the Company met together, but of the Place where they met, by the Diftinction he puts between this and other Places; If they will learn any Thing, let them afk their Hufbands at Home; for it is a Shame for Women to Speak in the Church. It appears from the fame Apostle, that the Chriftians at Corinth had a Place fet apart only for holy Purposes; for that Apostle reprehends the Corinthians for taking 1 Cor. xi. their own Supper in an holy Place; Have ye not Houfes, faith he, to eat and to drink in, or defpife ye the Houfe of God? From whence it follows, that the Place where they affembled was not for common eating and drinking, and therefore not for ordinary and private Ufes; nay, the employing it to Quef. 57. fuch Purposes was profaning it, as is plainly implied in the Word defpifing. And therefore every private House was different from the Church, their Houfes being oppofed to facred Places fet apart for Theodo. religious Ufes. And in this Senfe is this Text unin locum. derftood by many of the Fathers. And this is farther proved, from that fingular Character given to fome above others in the Apoftles' Salutations as their Rom. xvi. peculiar. Salute fuch an one, and the Church in bis Houfe. Which must be neceffarily underftood of fome certain Place fet apart where Chriftians were Col. iv. 15 wont to affemble for the Performance of divine Worship. And thofe faluted must be fuch as in their feveral Cities had dedicated fome Place within their Dwellings, moft probably their upper Room, Rom. xvi. for Chriftian Worship. And that this Salutation is 2 Tim. iv. not used because their Families were Chriftians, appears from other Salutations, where Ariftobulus and Narciffus are faluted with their Houfhold. Q. Hor

in Levit.

Bafil.

Mor.

S. Chrif.

3.5.

1 Cor.xvi.

19.

Philem.

ver. 1, 2.

10, 11, 14.

How ought we to reverence holy Places? A. By building and erecting fuch Places where they are wanting, and furnishing them with all imaginable Decency for the Worfhip of God: By repairing and adorning them, when Time, or the Iniquity of an Age hath made them ruinous: By keeping them from all profane and common Ufage, and applying them wholly to the Business of Religion: By offering up our Prayers in them with Fervour and Frequency; by hearing God's Word with Attention and Refolutions of obeying it; and by celebrating the holy Mysteries with Humility and Devotion: By using all fuch outward Teftimonies of Refpect as the Church enjoins, and are eftablished by the Custom of the Age we live in as Marks of Honour and Reverence. This bodily Worship is recommended by Solomon, when he charges us to look to our Feet when we go into the Eccl. v. 1. Houfe of God, being an Allufion in particular to Exod. iii. that Rite of pulling off the Shoes, used by the Jews, Josh. v.15. and other Nations of the Eaft, when they came into facred Places, and is as binding upon us to look to our Heads by uncovering them, and giving all other external Teftimonies which exprefs Reverence and Devotion: And above all, by governing our whole Behaviour in fuch Places with a due Regard to thofe Ends and Purposes for which they were dedicated and fet apart: This will correct any Whispering or Talking about worldly Affairs, any negligent or light Carriage: This will fupprefs any Provocations to Laughter, or any critical and nice Obfervation of others.

Q. With what Difpofition of Mind ought we lo peform thefe Acts of public Worship?

A. With fincere Intentions of glorifying God, and making his Honour and Praise known among Men; acknowledging hereby our entire Dependance upon his Bounty, both for what we enjoy,

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and what we farther expect. And with hearty Endeavours of performing his bleffed Will, and of being that in our Lives and Actions, which we beg to be made in our Prayers, which we are enjoined in his holy Word, and which we folemnly promife in the holy Sacrament.

Q. With what Reverence of our Bodies ought we to perform thefe Acts of public Worship?

A. Though in our private Devotions we are left, I think, at Liberty to chufe fuch Poftures as may moft tend to the fixing of our Minds; yet in public we are obliged to govern our outward Behaviour by fuch Measures as the Church prefcribes, viz. to kneel, ftand, bow, or fit, as the Rubric hath enjoined. Neither do I think it is fit to deviate from fome devout Cuftoms, though not commanded, that are established by ancient and general Practice, which in Time come to have the Force of a Law. It is by thefe Rules that a beautiful Uniformity is created in our Deportment, as well as in our Petitions. All these different Poftures ought to be used with fuch Gravity and Seriousness, as may demonftrate how intent we are when engaged in the Worship of God, and yet without fuch Affectations and Particularities as are apt to disturb those that are near us, and to give Occafion to others to fufpect us, as acting a formal hypocritical Part. If we come to Church before the Service begins, which we fhould always endeavour to do, after we have performed our private Devotions, we fhould in Silence recollect ourselves, and difpofe our Minds by ferious Thoughts to a due Difcharge of the enfuing Duties; for the Difcourfes of News and Bufinefs are. very improper upon fuch Occafions. God's House being not defigned for the Scene of Conversation. And it is ftill much more unbecoming, while we are at our Prayers, nicely to obferve all thofe Rules of Ceremony,

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