GOD: For GOD is Light, fays the Apostle St. John. John the Baptift was a Burning and a Shining Light. And therefore in fome Places it is customary to carry Torches on St. John the Baptift's Eve, to represent St. John Baptift himself, who was a Burning and a Shining Light, and a Preparer of the Way for the True Light, that lighteneth every Man that cometh into the World. The Apostles were the Light of the World; and as our Saviour was frequently called Light, fo was his Coming into the World fignified, and pointed out by the Emblems of Light: "It was then (fays our Country-man Gregory) the longest Night "in all the Year; and it was the midst of that, "and yet there was Day where he was: For

a glorious and betokening Light fhined "round about this Holy Child. So fays Tra"dition, and fo the Mafters defcribe the "Night Piece of the Nativity." If this be called in Question, as being only Tradition, it is out of Difpute, that the Light which illuminated the Fields of Bethlehem, and fhone round about the Shepherds as they were watching their Flocks, was an Emblem of that Light, which was then come

Feruntur quoque brandæ feu faces ardentes, & fiunt ignes, qui fignificant fanctum Joannem, qui fuit Jumen & lucerna ardens, & præcedens & præcurfor veræ lucis, quæ illuminat omnem hominem venientem in hunc mundum. Durand. Rational. Lib. 7. Cap. 14. Nu. 12.

into the World. What can be the meaning, fays venerable Bede, that this Apparition of Angels was furrounded with that heavenly Light, which is a Thing we never meet with in all the Old Testament? For tho' Angels have appeared to Prophets and holy. Men, yet we never read of their Appearing in fuch Glory and Splendor before. It must furely be, because this Privilege was referved for the Dignity of this Time. For when the true Light of the World, was born in the World, it was very proper that the Proclaimer of his Nativity, fhould appear in the Eyes of Men, in fuch an heavenly Light, as was before unfeen in the World. And that fupernatural Star, which was the Guide of the Eastern Magi, was a Figure of that Star, which was rifen out of Jacob; of that Light which should lighten the Gentiles. "GOD, fays Bishop

66

Taylor, fent a miraculous Star, to invite "and lead them to a new and more glorious Light, the Light of Grace and Glory,"

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In Imitation of this, as Gregory tells us, the Church went on with the Ceremony: And

* Quid eft quod apparenti angelo divinæ quoque claritatis fplendor eos circumdedit, quod nunquam in tota teftamenti veteris ferie & reperimus, cum tam innumeris vicibus angeli prophetis & juftis apparuerunt, nufquam eos fulgore divinæ lucis homines circumdediffe legimus; nifi quod hoc privilegi um recte hujus temporis dignitati fervatum eft? &c. Bed. Hyem. de Sanct. in Gal. Cant.

hencè

hence it was, that for the three or four First Centuries, the whole Eaftern Church, called the Day, which they obferved for our Saviour's Nativity, the Epiphany or Manifestation of the Light. And Caffian tells ut, That it was a Custom in Egypt, handed down by 'Tradition, as foon as the Epiphany, or Day of Light was over, &c. Hence alfo came that ancient Custom of the fame Church, taken Notice of by St. Jerome, of † lighting up Candles at the Reading of the Gospel, even at Noon-Day; and that, not to drive away the Darkness, but to speak their Joy for the good Tidings of the Gofpel, and be an Emblem of that Light, which the Pfalmist fays, was a Lamp unto his Feet, and a Light unto his Paths.

Light therefore having been an Emblem of fo many Things, and particularly of our LORD JESUS CHRIST, both in the facred Hiftory, and in the Practice of the Church; it is no way improbable, that after their Converfion, the Saxons used it as an Emblem of him, who that Night came into the World,

* Intra Egypti Regionem mos ifte traditione antiqua fervatur, ut peracto epiphaniorum die, &c. Caffian, Coll. io. C. 20.

+ Abfque martyrum reliquiis per totas orientis ecclefias, quum legendum eft evangelium, accenduntur luminaria jam fole rutilante, non utique ad fugandas tenebras, fed ad fignum lætitiæ demonftrandum, &c. Jerom, Cont. Vigil Cap. 2.

M

and

In the City of

and was the Light thereof. Conftantinople, on the Eve of Eafter, there was a Custom practifed, much like this of ours on Christmas-Eve. For then the whole City was illuminated with Tapers and Torches, which continued all the Night, turning the Night into Day, till almost the Day appeared. The Reafon of this Cuftom, was to reprefent that Light which the next Day arose upon the World. The Difference between these two Customs, is that of the Time, the Reafon of their Obfervation is much the fame. The one illuminated the Eve of Eafter, that there might be an Emblem of the Sun of Righteoufnefs, who the next Day arofe upon the World; the other, the Eve of Yule, to give an Emblem of that Light which was the Day Spring from on High. Nay, this Eve of Yule, as Gregory tells was illuminated with fo many Tapors among the Ancients, as to give to the Vigil the Name of Vigilia Lumiпит; and the Ancients, fays he, did well "to fend Lights one to another, whatever "fome think of the Christmas-Candle."

σε

us,

* Euf. Vit. Conftan. Cap. 22. Lib. 5.

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OBSERVATIONS

O N

CHAPTER

MR.

XIII.

R. Bourne omits the Yule-Dough, (or Dow) a Kind of Baby or little Image of Pafte, which our Bakers used formerly to bake at this Seafon, and prefent to their Customers, in the fame Manner as the Chandlers gave Christmas Candles. They are called rule-Cakes in the county of Durham. I find in the antient Calendar of the Romish Church*, that at Rome, on the Vigil of the Nativity, Sweetmeats were prefented to the Fathers in the Vatican, and that all Kinds of little Images (no doubt of Paste) were to be found at the Confectioners' Shops.

There is the greatest Probability that we have had from hence both our rule-Doughs + and Mince Pies, the latter of which are ftill in common Ufe at this Seafon. The Tule-Dough has perhaps been intended for an Image of the Child Jefus. It is now, if I mistake not, pretty generally laid aside, or at most retained only by Children.

* In Vaticano-Dulcia Patribus exhibentur.

In Cupidinariorum menfis, omnium generum Imaguncule. Vide Librum rariffimum, cui titulus Ephemeris, five Diarium Hiftoricum: &c. Francofurti. 1596. Quarto.

+ Dough or Dow is vulgarly ufed in the North for a little Cake, though it properly fignifies a Mafs of Flour tempered with Water, Salt, Yeaft, and kneaded fit for baking. It is derived, as Junius tells us, from the Dutch Deeg, which comes from the Theotifcan, thihen, to grow bigger, or rife, as (if I mistake not) the Bakers

term it.