OF CEREMONIES.

within this Realm; some following Salisbury use, some Hereford use, and some the use of Bangor, some of York, some of Lincoln; now from henceforth all the whole Realm shall have but one use.

And forasmuch as nothing can be so plainly set forth, but doubts may arise in the use and practice 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 diversely take any thing, shall alway resort to the Bishop of the Diocese, who by his discre­tion shall take order for the quieting and ap­pessing of the same; so that the same order be not contrary to any thing contained in this Book. And if the Bishop of the Diocese be in doubt, then he may send for the resolution thereof to the Archbishop.

OP such Ceremonies as be used in the Church,

and have had by insti­tution of man, some at the first were of godly intent and purpose devised, and yet at length turned to vanity and superstition: some entered into the Church by undiscreet devotion, and such a zeal as was without knowledge; and for be­cause they were winked at in the beginning, they grew daily to more and more abuses, which not only for their unprofitableness, but also because they have much blinded the people, and obscured the glory of God. are worthy to be cut away, and clean rejected: other there be, which although they have been devised by man, yet it is thought good to reserve them still, as well for a decent order in the Church,( for the which they were first devised) as because they pertain to edification, whereunto all things done in the Church( as the Apostle teacheth) ought to be referred.

And although the keeping or omitting of a Ceremony, in itself considered, is but a small thing; yet the wilful and contemptuous trans­gression and breaking of a common order and discipline is no small offence before God, Let all things be done among you. saith Saint Paul, in a seemly and due order: the appoint­ment of the which order pertaineth not to pri­vate men; therefore no man ought to take in hand. nor presume to appoint or alter any publick or common order in Christ's Church, except he be lawfully called and authorized thereunto.

THOUGH it be appointed, 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 that when men say Morning and Evening Prayer privately, they may say the same in any language that they themselves do understand.

OF CEREMONIES,

WHY SOME BE ABOLISHED, AND SOME RETAINED.

And whereas in this our time, the minds of men are so diverse, that some think it a great matter of conscience to depart from a piece of the least of their Ceremonies, they be so addict­ed to their old customs; and again on the other side, some be so new- fangled, that they would innovate all things, and so despise the old, that nothing can like them, but that is new: it was thought expedient not so much to have respect how to please and satisfy either of these parties, how to please God, and profit them both. And yet lest any man should be offended, whom good reason might satisfy, here be certain causes

And all Priests and Deacons are to say daily the Morning and Evening Prayer either prí­vately or openly, not being let by sickness, or some other urgent cause.

And the Curate that ministereth in every Parish Church or Chapel. being at home, and not being otherwise reasonably hindered, ahall say the same in the Parish Church or Chapel where he ministereth, and shall cause a Bell to be tolled thereunto a convenient time before he begin. that the people may come to hear God's Word, and to pray with him.

rendered, why some of the accustomed Cere­kept still.

away, and some retained aud

Some are put away, because the great excess and multitude of them hath so increased in these latter days, that the burden of them was in­tolerable; whereof Saint Augustine in his time complained, that they were grown to such a number that the estate of Christian people was in worse case concerning that matter than were the Jews. And he counselled that such yoke and burden should be taken away, as time would serve quietly to do it. But what would Saint Augustine have said, if he had seen the Ceremonies of late days used among us; where­unto the multitude used in his time was not to be compared? This our excessive multitude of Ceremonies was so great, and many of them sc dark, that they did more confound and darken, than declare and set forth Christ's benefits unto us. And besides this, Christ's Gospel is not a Ceremonial Law( as much of Moses' Law was, but it is a religion to serve God, not in bondage of the figure or shadow, but in the freedom of the Spirit; being content only with those Cere­monies which do serve to a decent order and godly discipline, and such as be apt to stir up the dull mind of man to the remembrance of his duty to God, by some notable and special signification, whereby he might be edified. Furthermore, the most weighty cause of the abolishment of certain Ceremonies was, that they were so far abused, partly by the supersti tious blindness of the rude and unlearned, and partly by the unsatiab e avarice of such as sought more their own lucre, than the glory of God, that the abuses could not well be taken away, the thing remaining still.

But now as concerning those persons, which peradventure will be offended. for that some of the old Ceremonies are retained still: If they consider that without some Ceremonies it is not possible to keep any order, or quiet diecipline in the Church, they shall easily perceive just cause to reform their judgemento. And if they think much, that any of the old