sxpreffing of fome words for phrafes of ancient ufage.in terms more fuitable to the language of the prefent times, and the clearer explanation of fome other words and phrafes, that were either of doubtful fignification, or other wife liable to milconftruction: Or thirdly, for a more perfect rendring of fuch porti ons of holy Scriptures as are inferted into the Liturgy which, in the Epi. Htlesand Gospels efpecially, and in fundry other places, are now ordered to be read according to the latt Tranflati on: and that it was thought conveniant that fome Prayers and Thankfi vings fitted to fpecial occafions fhould be added in their due places; particularly for thofe at Sea, together with an Office for the Baptifm of fuch as are of riper years; which, although not fo neceflary when the former Book was compiled, yet by the growth of Anabap. tifm through the licentioufnefs of the date times crept in amongst us, is now become neceffary, and may be always nfeful for the Baptizing of Natives in our plantations,and others converted to the Faith. If any man, who fhall defire a more particular account of the leve ral Alterations in any part of the Liturgy, fhall take the pains to compare the prefent Book with the former; we doubt not but the reafon of the change may eafils ar pear. And having thus endeavoured to dif charge our duties in this weighty Affair, as in the fight of God, and to approve our fincerity therein (fo far as lay in us) to the confciences of all men i although we know it impoffible( in fuch variety of apperhenfions, humours, and intereits, as are in the world) to pleafs at; nor can expect that men of facti ous, peevith and perverfe fpirits (hould be latisfied with any thing that can be done in this kind by any other than themfelves: Yet we have good hope that what is here prefented, and hath been by the Convocations of both Provinces with great diligence examined and approved, will be alfo well accepted and approved by a fober peaceable, and truly confeientious fons of the Church of England. ¶ Concerning the Service T Here was never any thing by the wit of man fo web deviled, or fo fure ettablifhed, which, in conticorrupted: As, among other things, it may plainly appear by the Common Prayers in the Church, commonly call ed Divine Service. The firit original and ground whereof, if a man would fearch our by the ancient Fathers,he fhall find, what the fame was not ordained but of good purpose, and for a great ad For they fo Vencement of godliness. ordered the matter, that all the whole Bible, or the greatest part thereof) Should be read over once every years intending hereby, that the Clergy, and pecially fuch as were Minillers in the Congregation, fhould (by often read ing, and meditation in Gods word) be Hirred up to godliness then felves, and be more able to exhort others by whole. bin Doctrine, and to confute them that were adverfaries to the ruth, and fur ther, that the people (by daily hearing of holy Scripture read in the Church) might continually profit more and more in the knowledge of God, and be the more inflamed with the love of his true Religion. But thefe many years paffed,this godly and de:ent Order of the ancient Fathers hath been fo altered, broken and neglected, by planting in uncertain Stories, and Legends, with multitude of Refponds, Verfes, vain Repetitions, Commemorations and Synodals; that commonly when any Book of the Bible was begun, after three or four Chaoters were read out, and the reit were unread. And in this fort, the Book of Ifaiab was be gun in Advent, and the Book of Genefis In Septuagefima; but they were only begun and never read through: After like fort were other Books of holy Scritture ufed. And moreover, whereas St. Paul of the CHURCH. would have fuch language spoken to the people in the Church, as they might underitand, and have profit by hearing the England thefs many years hath been read in Latin to the people, which they underftand not; fo that they have heard with their ears only, and their heart, fpirit and mind have not been edified thereby. And furthermore, notwithftanding that the ancient Fathers have divided the Pfalms into feven portions, whereof every one was called a Nocturn: Now of late time a few of them have been daily faid, and the reit utterly o mitted. Moreover, the number and hardness of the Rules called the Pic,and the manifold changings of the Service, was the caufe, that to turn the Book only was to hard and intricate a matter,that many times there was more bunefs to find out what should be read, than rc read it when it was found out. Thefe inconveniencies therefore con fidered, here is Set forth fuch an Order, whereby the fame that be redreifed.And for a readiness in this matter, here is drawn out a Kalendar for that purpofe, which is plain and safe to be underftood; wherein (fo much as may be) the reading of holy Scripture is fo fet forth that all things fhall be done in order, without breaking one piece from ano ther. For this caufe be cut of Anthems, elponds, Invitatories, and fuch like things as did break the continual courfe of the reading of the Scripture. Yet, becaufe there is no remedy, but that of neceffity there mult be fome Rules; therefore certain Rules are here fet forth which, as they are few in number, fo they are plain and eafie to beunderitood. So that here you have an Order for Fraver, and for the reading of the holy Scripture, much agreeable to the mind and Parpole of the old Fathers, Fathers, and a great deal more profit- fhall alway refort to the Bishop of the able and commodions, than that which Diocefas who by his discretion fha of late was afed. It is more profitable, take order for the quieting and ap becaufe bere are left sut many things, peafing of the fame; fo that the fame whereof fome are untrue, fome uncer order be not contrary to any thing tain, fome vain and fuperftitious; and contained in this Book. And if the Binothing is ordained to be read, but the fhop of the Diocele be in doubt, then very pure Word of God, the holy Scri- ba may fend for the relolution thereof ptures, or that which is agreeable to to the Archbishop. the fame; and that in fuch a Language and Order as is moft eafie and plain for the understanding both of the readers and hearers. It is alfo more commodious, both for the fhortnefs thereof, and for the plainnefs of the Order, and for that the Rules thereof be few and esfie. And whereas heretofore there, hath been great diverfity in faying and finging in Churches within this Realm fome following Salisbury Ufe, fome Hereford Ufe, and fore the Ufe of Han gor, fome of York, fome of Lincoln now from henceforth all the whole Realm Shall have but one Ufe. And forafmuch as nothing can be fo plainly fet forth, but doubts may arife in the ufe and practice of the fame; to appease all fuch diverfity (if any arife) and for the refolution of all doubts Concerning the manner how to underHtand, do, and execute the things contained in this Book; the parties that fo doubts or diverfly take any thing, Things shall be read and fung in "Hough it be appointed, That all the Church in the Engli Tongue, to the end that the Congregation may be thereby edified; yet it is not meant but that when men fay Morning and Evening Prayer privately, they may fay the fame in any language that they themfelves do underitand And all Prietts and Deacons are to fay daily the Morning and Evening Prayer either privately or openly, not being let by fickness, or fome other urgent caufe. And the Curate that miniitreth in every Farifh-Church or Chapel, being at home and not being otherwife reas fonably hindred, fhall fay the fame in the Parish-Church or Chapel where he miniftret, and fhall caufe a Bet to be tolled thereanto a convenient uwe be fore ha begin, that the people may come to hear Gods Word, and to pray with him. Of Ceremonies, Why some are abolished, and some retained. O F fuch Ceremonies as be used in the Church, and have had their beginning by the inftitution of man, fome at the firit were of godly intent and purpofe davifed, and yer at length turned to vanity and fuperftition Sose entred into the Church by undifcreet Devotion, and fuch a zeal as was without knowledge and for because they were winked at in the be; ginning, they grew daily to more and mors Abuses, not only for their unprofitableness, but also because they have much blinded the people, and obfcured the Glory of God, which are worthy to be put away, and clean rejected: Other there be, which although they have been devifed by man, yet it is thought good to referve them Hit,as we for a decent Order in the Chur h (for the which they were firft deviled (as becaufe they pertain to edification, whereunto a things done in the Church (as the AFotle teacheth) ought to be referred. And although the keeping or omit ting of a Ceremony, in it felf confi. dered, is but a small thing; yet the wilful and contemptuous tranfgreffi n and breaking of a com on Order and Difcipline, is no fmall offence before God. Let all things be done among you, faith Saint Paul, in a feemly and due or der The appointment of the which Order pertaineth not to private men, therefore no map ought to take in hand, or prefume to appoint or alter any winds of men are so diverss, that fome think it a great matter of Conference to depart from a piece of the leait of the ir Ceremonies, they be fo addicted to their old custom; and again on the other fide, fome be fo new fangled, that they would innovate all things, and fo defife the old, that nothing can like them, but that is new: it was thought expedient not fo much to have refpect how to pleafe, and fatisfie either of thefe parties, as how to pleafe God, and profit them both. And yet left any man fhould be offended, whom good reason might fetishe, here be certain caufes readred, why fome of the accuftomed Ceremonies be put away, and fome retained and kept till. Some are put away, because the great excess and multitude of them hath fo increafed in thefe latter days, that the burden of them was intolerable; where of saint Auguftine in his time complained. that they were grown to fuch a num ber, that the eltate of Christian people was in worfe cafe concerning datat ter, than were the Jews And he counfelled that fuch yoke and burden fhould be taken away,as time would farve quietiy to do it But what would Saint Au gustine have faid, if he had feen the Ce remonies of late days ufed among us, whereunto the multitude ufed in bis time was not to be compared? This ous exceffive multitude of Ceremonies was fo great and many of them fo dark, that publick or common Order in Chrifts/they did more confound and darken, Church, except he be lawfully called than declare and fet forth Chrifts beand authorized there unto nefits unto us. And befides this, Chriits And whereas in this our time, the 'Gofpel is not a Ceremonial Law Cas much The Order bow the Pfalter, &c. is appointed to be read, Rigion to terve God, not in rondage of the figure or fhadow,but in the freedom of the Spirit; being content only with thole Ceremonies, which do ferve to a decent Order and godly Difcipline, and fuch as be apt to ftit up the dull ind of man to the te nembrance of his duty to God, by fore notable and fpecial figai fication, whereby he might be edified. Furthermore, the moit weighty caufe of the abolishment of certain Ceremonies was, That they were fo fat shufed, partly by the fuperftitious blindness of the rude and unlearned, and partly by the unfatiable avarice of fuch as fought more their own lucre, than the Glory of God, that the abules could not well be taken away, the thing remaining in. much of Mofes Law was ) but it is a Re-quity, if they will declare themselves to be more tedious of Unity and Concord, than of Innovations and Newfangleness, which (as much as may be with true fetting forth of Christs Religion) is alway to be efchewed. Furthermore, fuch fhall have no jutt caufe with the Ceremonies referved to be offended. For as thofe be taken awzy which were moft abufed, and did bur den mens Confciences without any Caufe; fo the other that remain, are retained for a Difcipline and Order, which (upon jalt Causes) may be al tered and changed, and therefore cre not to be elteemed equal with Gods Law. And moreover, they be nuther dark nor dumb Ceremonies, but are fo fet forth, that everyman may underftand what they do man, and to what ufe they do ferve. So that it is not like that they in time to come fhould be a buted as other have bean. And in tele our doings we condemn no other Nations, aor prefcribe any thing but to our own People only: for we think it convenient that every Country fhould ufe fuch Ceremonies as they hall think belt to the fetting forth of Gods Honour and Glory, and to the reducing of the people to a molt perfect and godly living, without Error of Superitition; and that they fhould put a way other things, which from time to time they perceive to be most abused, as in mens Ordinances it often ehaneeth diverily in divers Couatries. But now as concerning thofe, Perfons which peradventure will be offended, for that fome of the old Cere nonies are retained itil:If they confider that with out fome Ceremonies it is not poffible to keep any Order, or quiet Dilcipline in the Church,they the eafily perceive jult cause to reform their judgments. And if they think much that any of the old do remain, and would rather have a deviled anew: then fuch men grant ing fore Ceremonies convenient to be had, furely where the old may be well afed, there they cannot reafonably reProve the old only for their age, with out bewraving of their own folly. For in fuch a cafe they ought rather to have te erence unto them for their Anti T The Order bow the Pfalter is appointed to be read. HE Pfalter fall read be through. out every Month, as it is there appointed,both for Morning and Evening Prayer. But in February it hat be read only to the Twenty eighth or twenty ninth day of the Month. And whereas Fanuary, March, May, July, August, October, and December have One a thirty day apiece: It is Order ed, that the fame Pfalms that be read the la: day of the faid Months, which Were read the day before: So that the Pfalter may begin gin the first day of the next Month enfuing. And whereas the CXIX Pfalm is divided into XXII. Portions, and is over T The Order bow the rest of the boly HE Old Teftament is appointed for the first Leftons at Morning and Evening Prayer; fo as the most part thereof will be tead every year ofice, as in the Kalenda: is pointed. long to be read at one time; it is fo or dered, that at one time fhall not be read above four or five of the faig Portions. And at the end of every Plain, and of every fuch part of the CXIX Pfalm, that be repeated this Hymn. The New Teftament is appointed for the fecond Leffons at Morning and Evening Prayer, and fhall be read over orderly every year thrice, befides the Epiltles and Gofnels; Except the Apocalyps, out of which there are only certain proper Leffons appointed upon divers Feafts. Scripture is appointed to be read. fhall be read for: the Leffons both at Morning and Evening Prayer; except only the Moveable Fealts, which ate not in the Kalendar, and the Immoveable, where there is a blank left in the Column of Leffons; the proper Leftons for all which days are to be found in the Table of proper Leffons. And note, That whenfoever proper Plaims or Leffons are appointed; then the Plaims and Leffons of ordinary conrfe appointed in the Pfalter and Kalender (if they be different) fhall be omitted for that time. Note alfo, That the Collect, Epiltle and Gofpel appointed for the Sunday, fhall ferve all the Week after, where it is not in this Book otherwife ordered. TABLES Glory be to the Faber, and to the Son and to the Holy Ghot: As it was in be beginning, is now, and ever fall be: world without end. Amens And to know what Leffons fall. be read every day, look for the day of the Month in the Kalendar following, and there ye fhall find the Chapters that Nore, That the Pfilter followeth the Divifion of the He rews,and the Tranfletion of the great Engli & Bible, fee forth and fed in the time of King Henry the Eighth and Edward the Sixth. TABLES and RULES, for the Moveable and Immoveable Feaffs Toge ther with the days of Fafting and Abftinence, through the whole Year. Rules to know when the Moveable Feafts and AT..ble of the Vigils, Fafts and Days of iMoly-days begin. Abftinence to be obferved in the Year. After-day on which the reft depend)te Evens or Vigils before the Nalfication of the Bleiled Virgin Mary. Be fore the Annunciation of the Bleffed Virgin. Before Eatter-day. Before Af cenfion-day. Before Pentecoft. Before S. Matthias. Before S. John Baptift. Before S. Peter. Before S. James.Before S. Bartholomew.Before S.Matthew.Before S. Simon andS. Jude. Before S. Andrew. Septuagefima 258 weeks be- Before S. Thomas. Before All Saints. Quinquagefime fore Lafter. Note, That if any of thefe Featt-days fall upon a Munday, then the Vigil or Faft-day fhall be kept upon the Saturday, and not upon the Sunday next hefore it. frit full Moon, which happens next after the one and twentieth day of March. And if the full Moon happens upon Sunday, Eafter-day is the Sunday after. Advent-Sundag is always the nearett Sunday to the Feaft of S. Andrew, whether before or after. Rogation Sunday Afcenfion-day Whitsunday Trinity-Sunaag A Table of all the Feasts that are to be ob. Served in the Church of England through the Year. cition of our Lord Jefus Chrift. Of the Epiphany. Of the Convertion of S. Paul. Of the Purification of the bleffed Virgin. Of S. Matthias the Apoftle. Of the Annunciation of the bleffed Virgin. Of 8 Mark the Evangelift. Of S. Philip and Jacob the Apostles. Of the Afcenfion of our Lord Jefus Chrift. Of S. Barnabas. Of the Nativity of S.John Baptift. Of S. Peter the Apoitle. Ofs. James the Apuftle Off Bartholomew the Apoftle. Of S. Sundays of 1 3 :3 chael and all Angels. Of S. Luke the Evangelift. Ofs. Simon and S. Jude the Apofties, Ofall Saints. Of S. Andrew the A oftle. Of S. Thomas the Apoftle. Of the Nativity of our Lord. Ofs. Stephen the Martyr. Of S. John the Evangelift. Of the holy Innocents. Sundaysafter Christ TRST. Munday and Tuesday in Eafter-week. दुई Sund. after the Apiph, 1 Proper LESSONS to be read at Morning and Evening Prayer on the Sundays and other Holy days throughout the Year. Lent. af Leeans Proper for Sundays. Mat.ons. Sweeks after Septuages. Gen. z. Suriday.1.9.10.1.30 27 Days of Fafting or Abftinence. The Ember-days at the four He fealons, being the Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday after the first Sunday in ber 14. December 13 of Pentecoft. Septem the Munday, Tuesday, and WednelIII. The three Rogation days, being day before Holy Thuriday, of the Af cenfion of our Lord. IV. All the Fridays in the year, except Christmas-day. Certain Solemn days for which particular Ill. The Nine and twentieth day of May, being the day of the Reftora tion of the King and Royal Family. IV. The First day of August, being the day on which His Majetty began His Happy Reign. 34 |
