HOW THE PSALTER IS TO BE READ.

still.

and partly by the unsatiable avarice| cause with the Ceremonies re­of such as sought more their own served to be offended. For as lucre, than the glory of God, that those be taken away which were the abuses could not well be most abused, and did burden taken away, the thing remaining men's consciences without any cause; so the other that remain, are retained for a discipline and order, which( upon just causes) may be altered and changed, and therefore are not to be esteemed equal with God's Law. And more­over, they be neither dark nor dumb Ceremonies, but are so set forth, that every man may un­derstand what they do mean, and to what use they do serve. So that it is not like that they in time to come should be abused as other have been. And in these our doings we condemn no other Nations, nor prescribe any thing but to our own people only: For we think it convenient that every Country should use such Ceremo­nies as they shall think best to the setting forth of God's honour and glory, and to the reducing of the people to a most perfect and godly living, without error or su­perstition; and that they should put away other things, which from time to time they perceive to be most abused, as in men's ordi­nances it often chanceth diversly in divers countries.

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 Disci­pline in the Church, they shall easily perceive just cause to re­form their judgements. And if they think much, that any of the old do remain, and would rather have all devised anew: then such men granting some Ceremonies convenient to be had, surely where the old may be well used, there they cannot reasonably reprove the old only for their age, without bewraying of their own folly. For in such a case they ought rather to have reverence unto them for their antiquity, if they will declare themselves to be more studious of unity and concord, than of inno­vations and new- fangleness, which ( as much as may be with the true setting forth of Christ's Religion) is always to be eschewed. Fur­thermore, such shall have no just

THE ORDER HOW THE PSALTER IS

APPOINTED TO BE READ.

THE Psalter shall be read at one time; It is so ordered, through once every Month, that at one time shall not be as it is there appointed, both for read above four or five of the Morning and Evening Prayer. said portions. But in February it shall be read only to the twenty- eighth, or twenty- ninth day of the Month.

And at the end of every Psalm, and of every such part of the 119th Psalm, shall be repeated this Hymn,

And, whereas January, March, May, July, August, October, and December have One- and- thirty days apiece; It is ordered, that the same Psalms shall be read the last day of the said months, which were read the day before: So that the Psalter may begin again the first day of the next month ensuing.

And, whereas the 119th Psalm is divided into twenty- two por­tions, and is over- long to be read

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost;

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be: world without end. Amen.

Note, that the Psalter followeth the Division of the Hebrews, and the Translation of the great Eng­lish Bible, set forth and used in the time of King Henry the Eighth, and Edward the Sixth.

ix- 1