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The Contents of this Book.

1. A Preface.

2. A Table and Kalendar for Psalms and Lessons, with necessary rules pertaining to the same.

3. The Order for Matins and Evensong, throughout the year. 4. The Introits, Collects, Epistles and Gospels, to be used at the celebration of the Lord's Supper, and holy Communion through the year, with proper Psalms and Lessons, for divers feasts and days.

5. The Supper of the Lord and holy Communion, commonly called the Mass.

6. The Litany and Suffrages.

7. Of Baptism, both public and private.

8. Of Confirmation, where also is a Catechism for children.

9. Of Matrimony.

10. Of Visitation of the Sick, and

Communion of the same.

11. Of Burial.

12. The purification of women. 13. A declaration of Scripture, with certain prayers to be used the first day of Lent, commonly called Ash Wednesday.

14. Of Ceremonies omitted or retained.

15. Certain notes for the more plain

explication and decent ministratration of things contained in this book.

The Contents of this Book. I. A Preface.

2. Of Ceremonies, why some be abolished and some retained. 3. The order how the Psalter is appointed to be read.

4. The Table for the order of the Psalms to be said at Morning and Evening Prayer.

5. The order how the rest of holy Scripture is appointed to be read. 6. Proper Psalms and Lessons at Morning and Evening Prayer, for certain feasts and days.

7. An Almanack.

8. The Table and Kalendar for Psalms and Lessons, with necessary rules appertaining to the

same.

9. The order for Morning Prayer and Evening Prayer, throughout the year.

10. The Litany.

11. The Collects, Epistles, and Gospels, to be used at the ministration of the holy Communion, throughout the year.

12. The order of the ministration of the holy Communion. 13. Baptism, both public and pri

vate.

14. Confirmation, where also is a Catechism for children.

15. Matrimony.

16. Visitation of the Sick.

17. The Communion of the Sick. 18. Burial.

19. The Thanksgiving of Women

after Childbirth.

20. A Commination against sinners, with certain Prayers to be used divers times in the year.

21. The form and manner of making and consecrating of Bishops, Priests, and Deacons.

THE PREFACE.

THERE was never any thing by the wit of man so well devised, or so a surely established, which (in continuance of time) hath not been corrupted: as (among other things) it may plainly appear by the Common Prayers in the Church, commonly called Divine Service: the first original and ground whereof, if a man would search out by the ancient Fathers, he shall find that the same was not ordained, but of a good purpose, and for a great advancement of godliness: for they so ordered the matter, that all the whole Bible (or the greatest part thereof) should be read over once in the year, intending thereby, that the Clergy, and specially such as were ministers of the congregation, should (by often reading and meditation of God's word) be stirred up to godliness themselves, and be more able also to exhort other by wholesome doctrine, and to confute them that were adversaries to the truth. And further, that the people (by daily hearing of holy scripture read in the church) should continually profit more and more in the knowledge of God, and be the more inflamed with the love of his true religion. But these many years past, this godly and decent order of the ancient Fathers hath been so altored, broken, and neglected, by planting in uncertain stories, legends, responds, verses, vain repetitions, commemorations, and synodals, that commonly when any book of the Bible was begun, before three or four chapters were read out, all the rest were unread. And in this sort, the book of Isaiah was begun in Advent, and the book of Genesis in Septuagesima: but they were only begun, and never read through. After a like sort were other books of holy scripture used. And moreover, whereas S. Paul would have such language spoken to the people in the church, as they might understand and have profit by hearing the same: the service in this Church of England (these many years) hath been read in Latin to the people, which they understood not, so that they have heard with their ears only: and their hearts, spirit, and mind, have not been edified thereby. And furthermore, notwithstanding that the ancient Fathers had divided the Psalms into seven portions; whereof every one was called a

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this way more painful, because that all things must be read upon the book, whereas before, by the reason of so often repetition, they could say many things by heart: if those men will weigh their labour with the profit din knowledge which daily they shall obtain by reading upon the book, they will not refuse the pain, in consideration of the great profit that shall ensue thereof.

And forsomuch as nothing can almost be so plainly set forth, but doubts may rise in the use and practising of the same: to appease all such diversity, (if any arise,) and for the resolution of all doubts, concerning the manner how to understand, do, and execute the things contained in this book, the parties that so doubt, or diversly take any thing, shall always resort to the bishop of the diocese, who by his discretion shall take order for the quieting and appeasing of the same: so that the same order be not contrary to any thing con

tained in this book.

not contrary to any thing contained in this book. And if the bishop of the diocese be in any doubt, then may he send for the resolution thereof unto the archbishop.

Though it be appointed in the afore written Preface, that all things shall be read and sung in the church, in the English tongue, to the end that the congregation may be thereby edified: yet it is not meant, but when men say Matins and Evensong privately, they may say the same in any language that they themselves do understand.

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And all priests and deacons shall be bound to say daily the Morning and Evening Prayer, either privately or openly, except they be letted by preaching, studying of divinity, or by some other urgent cause.

And the curate that ministereth in every parish church or chapel, being at home and not being otherwise reasonably letted, shall say the same in the parish church or chapel where

f Morning and Evening Prayer 1552.

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