tiquity, and is spoken of by St Augustine as Epist. 118. being of universal observation, and either founded on an apostolical institution, or on a council of the Church. 'Illa quæ non scripta sed tradita custodimus, quæ quidem toto terrarum orbe servantur, datur intelligi vel ab ipsis apostolis, vel plenariis conciliis, quorum est in Ecclesia saluberrima auctoritas, commendata atque statuta retineri, sicut quod Domini passio, et resurrectio, et adscensio in cœlum, et adventus de cœlo Spiritus Sancti, anniversaria solemnitate celebrantur.'

The proper Psalms for the day contain many expressions appropriate to the ascension of Christ, especially the 24th, which seems to allude so very plainly to that event, that it was said to have been actually sung at his ascension by the choir of angels who attended him. In the first lesson for the morning is recorded the ascent of Moses on mount Sinai to receive the law, which is considered a type of Christ's going up into heaven to send down a new law. The assumption of Elijah is equally suitable as the first lesson in the evening. The rest of the services need no comment.

Pentecost, the fiftieth day from the pass- Whitsunday. over, sometimes called the feast of weeks, was one of the three great Jewish festivals, being

held to commemorate the delivery of the law on mount Sinai, and also to give thanks for the harvest, and to offer the first fruits. It has been observed as a Christian festival from the very first age of Christianity. Being one of the seasons at which baptism was administered, it took the name of Whitsunday, from the chrisomes, or white dresses of the neophytes. The German name Pfingsten is probably a corruption of Pentecost.

The collect for the day is translated from that in the missal:

Deus, qui hodierna die corda fidelium Sancti Spiritus illustratione docuisti; da nobis in eodem Spiritu recta sapere, et de ejus semper consolatione gaudere. Per Dominum in unitate ejusdem. ['in the unity of the same Spirit."]

In the Psalms for the day, the most striking passage in its application to the festival is the 18th verse of the 68th Psalm: Thou art gone up on high, thou hast led captivity captive, and received gifts for men.'

The Whitsun-week was not entirely festival, like that of Easter; the Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday being observed as fasts and days of humiliation and supplication for a blessing upon the work of ordination, which was usually on the next Sunday. But the Monday

and Tuesday were observed after the same manner, and for the same reasons as in Easterweek. Both the epistles relate to the baptism of converts; the gospel for Monday seems to have been allotted for the instruction of the newly baptized; teaching them to believe in Christ, and to become the children of light, (baptism being anciently termed illumination, pwTiouós.) The gospel for Tuesday seems to have reference to the coming ceremony of ordination it shews the difference between those who are lawfully appointed and ordained to the ministry, and those who without any commission arrogate to themselves that sacred office. (Wheatly.)

Sunday.

vii. 160.

The feast of Trinity Sunday is of compara- Trinity tively modern date. It began to be observed in the monasteries in the middle of the 12th century, but was not established in the Roman Church before the beginning of the 15th. Bingham, The particular occasion which led to the institution of this feast is not on record. The doctrine of the Trinity from a much earlier period was celebrated in the doxologies, creeds, and anthems of the Church; but after it had been so often attacked by Arians and other heretics, there was good reason for making it the subject of separate and solemn contemplation.

Sundays after Trinity.

The collect is taken, word for word, from the Sarum missal:

Omnipotens sempiterne Deus, qui dedisti famulis tuis in confessione veræ fidei æternæ Trinitatis gloriam agnoscere, et in potentia majestatis adorare unitatem; quæsumus ut ejusdem fidei firmitate ab omnibus semper muniamur adversis. Per &c.

'In the power of the divine majesty to worship the Unity,' i. e. to worship the three Persons as being one in power and in majesty.

The first lesson for the morning (Gen. i.) seems to speak of a plurality of persons in the Godhead; 'Let us make man in our image.' The first lesson in the evening (Gen. xviii.) relates the appearance of the three to Abraham and by that appearance we may believe that the Trinity of persons was represented. The second lesson for the morning contains one of the most express proofs of this mystery that are to be found in the New Testament. The Son is baptized, the Holy Spirit descends upon him visibly, the Father is heard from heaven.

From Trinity Sunday to Advent the Sunday services have no reference to any particular events or doctrines: the epistles and gospels set before us the life and teaching of our

blessed Lord, and the doctrine of his Apostles, and lead us to meditate and follow the example which is contained in them. The Sundays following Trinity in the Roman calendar are reckoned and named from Pentecost; in the Sarum and most of the German missals, they take their name from Trinity.

The following examples will shew the terse and condensed style in which the collects were originally composed, and the excellent manner in which they were translated or paraphrased by our Reformers.

For the seventh Sunday:

Deus virtutum, cujus est totum quod est optimum; insere pectoribus nostris amorem tui nominis, et præsta in nobis religionis augmentum; ut quæ sunt bona nutrias, ac pietatis studio quæ sunt nutrita custodias. Per &c.

Lord of all power and might, who art the author and giver of all good things; graft in our hearts the love of thy Name, increase in us true religion, nourish us with all goodness, and of thy great mercy keep us in the same, through &c.

For the ninth Sunday:

Largire nobis, Domine, quæsumus, semper spiritum cogitandi quæ recta sunt, propitius, et agendi; ut qui sine te esse non possumus, secundum te vivere valeamus. Per &c.