a language and order as is most easy and And if the Bishop of the Diocese be in plain for the understanding both of the rea- doubt, then he may send for the resolution ders and hearers. It is also more conimo- thereof to the Archbishop. dious, both for the shortness thereof, and for the plainness of the order, and for that the rules be few and easy.

THOUGH it be appointed, that all

things

shall be read and sung in the Church And whereas heretofore there hath been in the English Tongue, to the end that the great diversity in saying, and singing in congregation may be thereby edified; yet it Churches within this Realm; some follow- is not meant, but that when men say Morning Salisbury use, some Hereford use, and ing and Evening Prayer privately, they some the use of Bangor, some of York, some may say the same in any language that of Lincoln ; now from henceforth all the they themselves do understand, whole Realm shall have but one use.

And all Priests and Deacons are to say And forasmuch as nothing can be so daily the Morning and Evening Prayer plainly set forth, but doubts may arise in either privately or openly, not being let by the use and practice of the same; to ap:

sickness, or some other urgent cause. pease all such diversity (if any arise) and for the resolation of all doubts, concerning

And the Curate that ministereth in every the manner how to understand, do, and exe- Parish-Church or Chapel, being at home, cute, the things contained in this Book; the and not being otherwise reasonably hinderparties that go doubt, or diversly take any

ed, shall say the same in the Parish Church thing, shall alway resort to the Bishop of or Chapel where he ministereth, and shall the Diocese, who by his discretion shall take cause à Bell to be tolled thereunto a con. order for the quieting and appeasing of the venient time before he begin, that the peosame; so that the same order be not con- ple may come to hear God's Word, and to trary to any thing contained in this Book. pray with him.

OF CEREMONIES,

WHY SOME BE ABOLISHED, AND SOME RETAINED.

OF.
F such Ceremonies as be used in the be so addicted to their old customs; and

Church, and have had their beginning again on the other side, some be so newby the institution of man, some at the first fangled, that they would innovate all things, were of godly intent and purpose devised, and so despise the old, that nothing can and yet at length turned vanity and su- like them, but that is new: it was thought perstition : some entered into the Church expedient, not so much to have respect how by undivreet devotion, and such a zeal as to please and satisfy either of these parties, was without knowledge; and for because as how to please God, and profit them both they were winked at in the beginning, they And yet lest any man should be offended, grew daily to more and more abuses, which whom good reason might satisfy, here bé not only for their un profitableness, but also certain causes rendered, why some of the because they have much blinded the people, accustomed Ceremonies be put away, and and obscured the glory of God, are worthy some retained and kept still. to be cut away, and clean rejected: other there be, which although they have been Some are put away, because the great devised by man, yet it is thought good to excess and multitude of them hath so in. reserve them still, as well for a decent order creased in these latter days, that the burden in the Church, (for the which they were of them was intolerable; whereof St. Augusfirst devised) as because they pertain to tine in his time complained, that they were edification, whereunto all things done in grown to such a number, that the estate of the Church (as the Apostle teacheth) ought Christian people was in worse case conto be referred.

cerning that matter, than were the Jews.

And he counselled that such yoke and burAnd although the keeping or omitting of den should be taken away, as time would a Ceremony, in itself considered, is but a serve quietly to do it. But what would St. small thing; yet the wilful and contemptu. Augustine have said, if he had seen the ous transgression and breaking of a common Ceremonies of late days used among us; order and discipline is no small offence whereunto the multitude used in his time before God, Let all things be done among was not to be compared? This our excesyou, saith Saint Paul, in a seemly and due sive multitude of Ceremonies was so great, order: the appointment of the which order and many of them so dark, that they did pertaineth not to private men; therefore no more confound and darken, than declare and man ought to take in hand, nor presume to set forth Christ's benefits unto us. And appoint or alter any publick or common besides this, Christ's Gospel is not a Cereorder in Christ's Church, except he be law

monial Law (as much of Moses' Law was) fully called and authorized thereunto. but it is a religion to serve God, not in

bondage of the figure or shadow, but in the And whereas in this our time, the minds freedom of the Spirit; being content only of men are so diverse, that some think it a with those Ceremonies which do serve to a great inatter of conscience to depart from a decent order and godly discipline, and such piece of the least of their Ceremonies, they as be apt to stir up the dull mind of man to the remembrance of his duty to God, new-fangleness, which (as much as may be by some notable and special signification, with true setting forth of Christ's religion) whereby he might be edified. Furthermore, is always to be eschewed. Furthermore, the most weighty cause of the abolishment such shall have no just cause with the of certain Ceremonies was, that they were Ceremonies reserved to be offended. For as so far abused, partly by the superstitious those be taken away which were most blindness of the rude and unlearned, and abused, and did burden men's consciences partly by the ansatiable avarice of such as without any cause ; so the other that re. sought more their own lucre, than the glory main, are retained for a discipline and order, of God, that the abuses could not well be which (upon just causes) may be altered taken away, the thing remaining still. and changed, and therefore are not to be

esteemned equal with God's law. And moreBat now as concerning those persons, over, they be neither dark nor dumb Cere. which peradventure will be offended, for monies, but are so set forth, that every man that some of the old Ceremonies are retain- may understand what they do mean, and ed still: If they consider that without some to what use they do serve. So that it is Ceremonies it is not possible to keep any not like that they in time to come should order, or quiet discipline in the Church, be abused as other have been. And in these they shall easily perceive just cause to re- our doings we condemn no other nations, form their judgements. And if they think nor prescribe any thing but to our own much, that any of the old do remain, and people only : for we think it convenient would rather have all devised anew: then that every country should use such Ceresuch men granting some Ceremonies con- monies as they shall think best to the setvenient to be had, surely where the old may ting forth of God's honour and glory, and be well used, there they cannot reasonably to the reducing of the people to a most reprove the old only for their age, without perfect and godly living, without error or bewraying of their own folly. For in such superstition; and that they should put away & case they ought rather to have reverence other things, which from time to time they unto them for their antiquity, if they will perceive to be most abused, as in men's or. declare themselves to be more studious dinances it often chanceth diversly in divers unity and concord, than of innovations and countries

THE ORDER HOW THE PSALTER IS APPOINTED

TO BE READ.
THE Psalter shall be read through once to be read at one time; It is so ordered,

every Month, as it is there appointed, that at one time shall not be read above
both for Morning and Evening Prayer. But four or five of the said portions
in February it shall be read only to the And at the end of every Psalm, and of
twenty-eighth, or twenty-ninth day of the every such part of the 119th Psalm, shall
month.

be repeated this Hymn, And, whereas January, March, May,

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son : Jody, August, October, and December have

and to the Holy Ghost ; ege-and-thirty days apiece; It is ordered,

As it toas in the beginning, is noro, and that the same Psalms shall be read the last

ever shall be : world without end. Amen. day of the said months, which were read the day before : so that the Psalter may Note, that the Psalter followeth the divi. begin again the first day of the next month sion of the Hebrews, and the translation of ensuing.

the great English Bible, set forth and used And, whereas the 119th Psalm is divided in the time of King Henry the Eighth, and into twenty-two portions, and is over-long Edward the Sixth.

t

| THE ORDER HOW THE REST OF HOLY SCRIPTURE

IS APPOINTED TO BE READ.
THE 01d Testament is appointed

for the Lessons both at Morning and Evening first Lessons at Morning and Evening Prayer; except only the Moveable Feasts, Prayer; so as the most part thereof will be which are not in the Calendar, and the Imread every year once, as in the Calendar is moveable, where there is a blank left in the appointed

column of Lessons, the Proper Lessons for The New Testament is appointed for the all which days are to be found in the Table second Lessons at Morning and Evening of Proper Lessons. Prayer, and shall be read over orderly every And note, that whensoever Proper Psalms year thrice, besides the Epistles and Gos- or Lessons are appointed; then the Psalms pels; except the Apocalypse, out of which and Lessons of ordinary course appointed in there are only certain Proper Lessons ap- the Psalter and Calendar (if they be differpointed upon divers Feasts.

ent) shall be omitted for that time. And to know what Lessons shall be read Note also, that the Collect, Epistle, and every day, look for the day of the month in Gospel, appointed for the Sunday shall serve the Calendar following, and there ye shall all the week after, where it is not in this find the chapters that shall be read for the Book otherwise ordered.

TO BE READ AT MORNING AND EVENING PRAYER, ON THE SUNDAYS,

AND OTHER HOLY-DAYS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.

| LESSONS PROPER FOR SUNDAYS.

| PROPER PSALMS ON CERTAIN DAYS.

FEBRUARY

MORNING PRAYER. EVENING PRAYER. HATH XXVIII. DAYS, And in every Leap-Year 29 Days. I. Lesson. II. Lesson. I. Lesson. II. Lesson. d

Fast. Exod. 10 Mark 1 Exod. 11 1 Cor. 13 Purific. of V. M...

2

14 Blasius, Bp. & M.

12
3
13

15
14
4
15

16 Agatha, V. & M..

16
5

17 2 Cor.
18
6

19
20
7
21

3
22
8

23
24
9
32

5 10

33
10

34 11

Levit. 18

11 Levit. 19
20
12

86
Num. 11

13 Num. 12
Valentine, Bishop.

13
14
14

10
16
15
17

11 20 16 21

12 22 L. 1. to 39

23

13 24 -1. v. 39

25 Galat. 27 2 30

2 31 3

32 35

36

4 Deuter. 1

5 Deuter. 2
Fast.
3

4
St. Matthias, Ap...

7

Ephes. I
5
8

6
7
9
8

3
9
10
10

4 11 11 12

5 29

13 Matth. 7

14

Rom. 13

123456789wIBU45SH9B%89%95%四%