The Year that we go by, confifting of three Hundred fixty five Days, and about fix Hours, thefe laft Hours were referved and put together every fourth Year, in order to make up what is called the intercalary Day; and as this Day was inferted at the latter End of February, upon the Account of its retrograde Calculation from the fixth of the Calends of March, and reckoned twice then, it was therefore called, Bilfextile. The Word Leap might be added to it, from the Rubrick in Queen Elizabeth's Common-Prayer Book. When the Year of our Lord (i. e. when the Number of Years from the Birth of Chrift) may be divided into four even Parts, then the Sunday Letter leapeth. We have it again from the great Bible in the Order, How the reft of the Holy Scripture (befides the Pfalter) is appointed to be read.---When the Years of our Lord may be divided into four even Parts, which is every fourth Year, then the Sunday Letter leapeth.

Archbishop Sancroft was one of the Reviewers, that fettled the Celebration of this Feaft upon the twenty-fourth for ever. As he excelled in this Kind of Knowledge, he was principally concerned, in revifing this Kalendar. He was appointed one of the Supervisors of the Prefs, when the Act of Uniformity pass'd.

What

Whatever Provifion, Order, or Alteration was then made, as well as whatever else is in our Common-Prayer, lays a positive Obligation upon all that have engaged themselves to regard it, fo as to execute whatever is directed; as every Thing there is allowed and confirmed by Parliament and Convocation.

However, for all this Rule was thus establish'd, yet were there not wanting fome, who out of Inconfideration or Contempt, obferved this Day in the Leap Year still upon the twenty-fifth; which confufed and unwarrantable Practice caused the Archbishop to publifh his Injunction or Order, requiring all Parfons, Vicars and Curates to take Notice, that the Feaft of St. Matthias is to be celebrated (not upon the 25th of February, as the common Almanacks boldly and erroneously fet it, but) upon the 24th of February for ever, whether it be Leap Year or not; as the Kalendar in the Liturgy, confirmed by the Act of Uniformity, appoints and injoins.

Given at Lambeth House, Feb. 5. A. D. 1683. W. Cant.

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"What Force this Order might have had (had it been legally grounded) during the "Government of that Archbishop, I fhall not difpute; fays the Author of a Commentary on the Book of Common-Prayer: But, I think, I

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"it

"it can have little now, especially if we con"fider that it is an Order contrary to the Law "of the Land, to the Canons of the Church, "and the immemorial Practice thereof; to all "the Rules of Ecclefiaftical Chronology, and even to the very Kalendar of the Liturgy " which it vouches in its Behalf."

After fuch a round Paragraph, upon the Archbishop's Order, the Doctor could do no lefs than examine a little the Truth of this Affertion; for if this fails, fays he again, our Archiepifcopal Order muft fall to the

Ground.

We have thought it advisable to refer to the Examination itself, that every one may judge wherein the Affertion fails, and how the Order falls to the Ground. What we are to obferve here is, that the Vigil or Eve is placed against 23 of the firft Column:---That St. Matthias Apoft. and M. ftands against 24: That the Title of the Month is, February hath 28 Days: That 29 in the first Column, is to be underftood only of Leap Year: ---That there are two firft Leffons from Deut. against it, and Mat. vii. and Rom. xii. against them, to be read in the Biffextile according to the Order, How the Reft of the Holy Scripture is appointed to be read.

Some

Some have thought that these second Leffons were felected, upon their being fo full of fhort Sentences of Advice, fo ufeful for Life.

And to know what Leffon fhall be read every Day, look for the Day of the Month in the Kalendar following; (The Title of the Kalendar in general before January is, The Kalendar with the Table of Leffons :) And there ye fhall find the Chapters that shall be read for the Leffons both at Morning and Evening Prayer, except only the moveable Feasts, which are not in the Kalendar; and the immoveable (as this) where there is a Blank left in the Column of Leffons: The proper Leffons for all which Days, are to be found in the Table of

Leffons.

proper

In, Concerning the Service of the Church, we learn too, that forafmuch as nothing can be fo plainly fet forth, but Doubts may arife, in the Use and Practice of the fame; to appease all fuch Diversity (if any arife) and, for the Refolution of all Doubts, concerning the Manner how to understand, do, and execute the Things contained in this Book; the Parties that fo doubt, or diverfly take any Thing, shall alway refort to the Bishop of the Diocese, who by his Difcretion fhall take Order for the quieting and appeafing of the fame; fo that the fame Order be not contrary to any Thing conI 2 tained

tained in this Book. And if the Bishop of the Diocese be in doubt, then he may fend for the Refolution thereof to the Archbishop.

It may from hence be pretty fairly furmised, that it is the Duty of the Clergy however, to conform to the Celebration of this Feaft upon the 24th, as it is prescribed by Authority, and as the faid Authority injoins him to fubfcribe in the following Form to the Act of Uniformity, under no less a Penalty, if he does not do it, than Deprivation, ipfo facto. I do here declare my unfeigned Affent and Confent, to all and every Thing, contained and prescribed in, and by the Book, intitled, The Book of Common-Prayer; And as he likewife makes this publick Declaration, in the Church, of his future Behaviour, in thefe Words: I do declare that I will conform to the Liturgy of the Church of England, as it is now by Law established.

Rogation Sunday, or the fifth Sunday after Eafter, bears its Name as being the Head of a Seafon fet apart for more than ordinary Prayers and Supplications unto God. We are told, that the Calamities of a particular Church begun the Ufage, but that the Picty of the univerfal, thought fit to continue it, as well to deprecate the like Calamities, as alfo to implore more inftantly the fpiritual Prefence of Chrift with his Church, at the fame time when we contemplate

his