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the blessed Innocents; — glorified in them which, knowing him as St. Stephen, had the sight of that before death, whereinto such acceptable death doth lead-glorified in those sages of the East, that came from far to adore him, and were conducted by strange light :-glorified in the second Elias of the world, sent before him to prepare his way :-glorified in every of those Apostles, whom it pleased him to use as founders of his kingdom here:-glorified in the angels as in St. Michael :-glorified in all those happy souls already possest of bliss.-(Sparrow's Rationale, 66.)

In the Injunctions of king Henry VIII., and the Convocation of the Clergy, A.D. 1536, it was ordered, That all the people might freely go to their work upon all holidays usually before kept, which fell either in the time of harvest, (counted from the 1st day of July, to the 29th of September) or in any time of the four terms, when the king's judges sat at Westminster. But these holidays (in our book mentioned) are specially excepted, and commanded to be kept holy by every man.—(Cosins's Notes.)

By Statute 5 and 6 Edward VI. ch. 3—it was provided that it should be "lawful for every husbandman, labourer, fisherman, and every other "person of what estate, degree or condition they be, upon the holidays "aforesaid, in harvest, or at any other time in the year when necessity “shall require, to labour, ride, fish, or work any kind of work, at their free "wills and pleasure." This was repealed by queen Mary, but revived by James I.-Queen Elizabeth, in the mean while, however, declared in her "Injunctions," that the people might "with a safe and quiet con"science, after their common prayer" (which was then at an early hour) "in the time of harvest, labour upon the holy and festival days, and save "that thing which God hath sent."

All Sundays, &c.] For the different statutes as to the due observance of the Lord's day, see ante, p. 12, note (5); and INDEX, "SUNDAY.” Apostle.] (aroseλλw—to send—therefore "Apostle," one sent). The names and descriptions of the TWELVE APOSTLES as they are enumerated, Matthew, x. 2-4; Mark, iii. 14-19; Luke, vi. 13-16, and John, i. 40-43, are as follow,-1, SIMON, the son of Jona, surnamed by our Lord "Cephas" (plural D5, Job, xxx, 6, &c.) Knpäs, or Пérpos, " Petrus,” a rock, or Peter.-John, i. 42-2, ANDREW, his brother; both of Bethsaida. -3, JAMES, the greater, or the elder, the son of Zebedee.-4, JOHN, the beloved disciple, and Evangelist, his brother; these two were surnamed "Boanerges," or the Sons of Thunder.-5, PHILIP of Bethsaida.6, BARTHOLOMEW, supposed by some to be Nathaniel.-7, THOMAS, called Didymus (diduμos a twin).-8, MATTHEW, or Levi, the Publican and Evangelist.-9, JAMES, son of Alpheus, the brother, or kinsman of our Lord,-Gal, i. 19-called the Less-Mark, xv. 40-either as a distinction

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from the former James, or perhaps on account of his low stature.10, LEBBEUS, surnamed Thaddeus, and also called Judas, or Jude, the brother of James, and the author of the Epistle of St. Jude.-11, SIMON, the Canaanite, so named, either from the place of his birth, or from p kana, meaning the same as "Zelotes," or the Zealot.-12, Judas Iscariot, so called, either from "Secharjut” a bag, because he carried the bag— John, xii. 6-or by anticipation, from a word meaning " to be strangled."

Of these 12 Apostles, it may be remarked, that our Lord altered the name of onee-Simon-and added to the name of two others, James and John. That out of the twelve, there were three pair of brothers-Simon, and Andrew-James the Greater, and John-and James the Less, and Lebbeus.-That four of the Apostles-Simon, Andrew, James the Greater, and John, were fishermen ;-two-Matthew, and, according to some, James the Less, were Publicans; and probably the other six were fishermen also. After the Ascension of Christ, MATTHIAS was chosen by lot instead of Judas Iscariot, and was numbered with the other eleven. Apostles,-Acts, i. 26.-To these were added PAUL, appointed also by our Lord,― Acts, ix. 15—Gal. i. I—and BARNABUS,—Acts, xiii, 2.

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The number twelve, of the Apostles, seems evidently to have had a reference to the twelve sons of Jacob, the heads of the twelve tribes of Israel; and as it occurs very early in Holy Scripture, so it is found even to the very end.-There were twelve pillars erected by Moses;—twelve precious stones in the High Priest's breastplate ;-offerings of twelve cakes, twelve oxen, bullocks, he-goats, rams, and lambs.-twelve chargers, silver bowls, and spoons,-twelve spies,-twelve stones taken out of Jordan, Solomon appointed twelve officers over Israel, and had twelve lions on his throne,-and the brazen sea was supported by twelve oxen;Elijah built his altar with twelve stones,-Ezekiel's altar was twelve cubits square.-Our Lord promises to his Apostles that they should sit on twelve thrones. The woman in the Revelations had a crown with twelve stars,— and the walls of the new Jerusalem had twelve foundations, with twelve gates, at which were twelve angels. And in fine, the Tree of Life bare twelve manner of Fruits,-Revelations, xxii. 2.

Monday and Tuesday in Easter Week, &c.] The custom of extending a festival to the subsequent days is taken from the Jews, some of whose greater festivals continued seven, and one-the feast of Tabernacleseight days,-Lev. xxiii. 36-and the Primitive Christian Church therefore lengthened out their higher festivals in conformity with this.

For a description of the other days, see ante " Calendar."

III. "A TABLE of the Vigils, Fasts, and Days of Absti-"

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"Note, that if any of these Feast-Days fall upon a Monday, then the" "Vigil, or Fast-Day shall be kept upon the Saturday, and not upon" "the Sunday next before it."

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"3. The Three Rogatim-Days, being the Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, before Holy Thursday, or the Ascension of our LORD. "4. All the Fridays in the Year, except CHRISTMAS-DAY.”

N. B. This Table was added at the last review, and comprehends all the days, previous to which the word "Fast" occurs in the Calendar, as before remarked, p. 171.

Vigils.] This term originated in a custom of the early Christians, who fasted and watched the whole night previous to any great festival; hence "Vigilia," Vigils, or watchings, from "vigilo," to watch.-As a military custom this was most ancient. The Jews seem originally to have divided the night into three watches; but in the New Testament we read of "the fourth watch of the night,”—Mark, vi. 48—and—xiii. 45, a custom perhaps introduced by their conquerors, the Romans, who divided their night into four Vigils.-The primitive Christians might have been inclined to this custom from various references to it in the Gospel; particularly in the close of the parable of the ten virgins; though it is not improbable that the secrecy with which they were obliged to meet, "for fear of the

Jews," John, xx. 19-and other persecutors, went far towards establishing it. This, like many other innocent, or necessary ceremonies, having been at length abused, about the year 420 the nocturnal vigils were abolished, and turned into evening fasts, preparatory to the principal festival. But it appears that a vigil was observed on All Hallows-day, by watching and ringing of bells all night long, even till the year 1545, when Henry VIII., in his letter to Cranmer, as to "creeping to the cross," &c., desired it might be abolished.

It has been given as a reason why the other holidays have no vigils before them, that they generally happened between Christmas and the Purification, or between Easter and Whitsuntide, seasons of joy which the Church did not think fit to break into by fasting, and humiliation. (See fully on this subject, Wheatley's Illustration, 201.)

Note, that if any of these feast days, &c.] For a long discussion on this note, see Wheatley, 201-204. See also, post, rubric before the "Collects, Epistles, and Gospels."

Fasts and Days of Abstinence.] The custom of fasting, or abstaining from food, as an indication of repentance, seems a suggestion of nature itself, and it prevailed from the earliest times.-The first instance recorded is in the case of Moses, who fasted miraculously forty days on receiving the two tables in Horeb,-Exod. xxxiv. 28-as Elijah did, in the same place in after times, — 1 Kings, xix. 8- and our Saviour in the Wilderness;-Matt. iv. 2-and it is probable, that when Moses decreed that the children of Israel should "afflict their souls," this was done by fasting, and abstaining from all pleasures.-Joshua probably fasted when he laid on the earth before the ark, "until the even-tide,"—Joshua, vii. 6—as the Israelites did when they were defeated before Gibeah,-Judges, xx. 26,and from that time the custom is frequently referred to in Holy Scripture, as in the cases of David, Daniel, Anna, Cornelius, &c.-The Jews, in times of public calamity, appear to have made children at the breast fast,-Joel, ii. 15, 16-and the Heathen king of Nineveh, at the preach. ing and threatening of Jonah, included even beasts.—Our Lord, though he does not expressly direct the custom, yet seems to allude to it,-Luke, v. 35-guarding only against a hypocritical pretence of sorrow,-Matt. vi. 16. -The ceremony of laying hands on Saul, and Barnabas, was preceded by fasting; and St. Paul mentions his "fastings often," and directs the practice to the Corinthians,- 1 Cor. vii. 5-and-2 Cor. vi. 1-5.

The primitive Christians observed both weekly, and annual fasts.—The former were kept on Wednesdays and Fridays; on the one, because our Lord was betrayed on that day, and on the other, because he was then crucified. Our Church directs fasting on five Wednesdays only, in the

year, viz. in the four Ember weeks, and in Rogation week; but on all Fridays in the year, except the Nativity of our Lord should happen on that day (see above in this table); and the practice of performing divine service on Wednesdays and Fridays, as directed by the 15th canon, seems referable to this ancient custom. The annual fast was in Lent, sometimes called a quadragesimal fast, either as being of forty hours-from Friday, the time of the Crucifixion, till Sunday, the time of the Resurrection; or of forty days, to which it was afterwards extended.-The last, or " Great week," since called " Passion-week," was kept with peculiar abstinence and devotion. See post," ASH-WEDNESDAY."

IV. "Certain Solemn Days for which particular Services" are appointed."

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"1. The Fifth Day of November, being the Day kept in Memory of the "Papists' Conspiracy.

"2. The Thirtieth Day of January, being the Day kept in Memory of "the Martyrdom of King Charles the First.

"3. The Nine and twentieth Day of May, being the Day kept in Memory "of the Birth and Return of King Charle the Second.

"4. The Twenty-fifth' Day of October, being the Day on which His Majesty began his happy Reign.

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N. B. For an account of each of these days, see ante, in "THE "CALENDAR."

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V. " A TABLE TO FIND EASTER DAY, "from the present Time till the Year 1899 inclusive, "according to the foregoing Calendar."

VI. "ANOTHER TABLE TO FIND EASTER
"till the Year 1899 inclusive."

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OBSERVATION. When the long agitated question as to the time of keeping Easter had been settled by the Council of Nice, A. D. 325, a cycle of 84 years was first formed at Rome, and was generally received by the Western Churches. In the year 457, Victorius, an eminent French

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