CONCERNING THE SERVICE OF THE CHURCH.

reason of the change may easily

appear.

And having thus endeavoured to discharge our duties in this weighty affair, as in the sight of God, and to approve our sincerity therein( so far as lay in us) to the consciences of all men; although we know it impossible( in such variety of ap­prehensions, humours and inter­ests, as are in the world) to please all; nor can expect that men of

factious, peevish, and perverse spirits should be satisfied with any thing that can be done in this kind by any other than themselves: yet we have good hope, that what is here presented, and hath been by the Convocations both Pro­vinces with great diligence exa­mined and approved, will be also well accepted and approved by all sober, peaceable, and truly con­scientious sons of the Church of England.

Concerning the Service of the Church.

never and the wit of man so well devised, or so sure 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 every year; intending there­by, that the Clergy, and especially such as were Ministers in the con­gregation, should( by often read­ing, and meditation in God's word) be stirred up to godliness them­selves, and be more able to exhort others 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) might 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 passed, this godly and decent order of the ancient Fathers hath been so al­

planting in uncertain stories, and legends, with multitude of re­sponds, verses, vain repetitions, commemorations, and synodals; that commonly when any book of the Bible was begun, after 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 like sort were other books of

holy Scripture used. And more­over, whereas St. 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 understand not; so that they have heard with their ears only, and their heart, spirit, and mind, have not been edified thereby. And furthermore, notwithstanding that the ancient Fathers have divided the Psalms into seven portions, whereof every one was called a Nocturn: Now of late time a few of them have been daily said, and the rest utterly omitted. Moreover, the number and hardness of the rules called the Pie, and the manifold changings of the service, was the cause, that to