CONCERNING THE SERVICE OF THE CHURCH.

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 of both Provinces England.

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

CONCERNING THE SERVICE OF

THE CHURCH.

THERE was never any thing the

vised, 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.

after three or four Chapters were

And

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 Saint 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 turn the Book only was so hard and intricate a matter, that many times there was more busi­ness to find out what should be read, than to read it when it was found out.

But these many years passed, this godly and decent order of the ancient Fathers hath been so altered, broken, and neglected, These inconveniences therefore by planting in uncertain Stories, considered, here is set forth such and Legends, with multitude of an Order, whereby the same shall Responds, Verses, vain Repeti- be redressed. And for a readiness tions. Commemorations, and Sy- in this matter, here is drawn out nodals; that commonly when any a Calendar for that purpose, Book of the Bible was begun, which is plain and easy to be

vi