CONCERNING THE SERVICE OF THE CHURCH.

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

CONCERNING THE SERVICE OF

THE CHURCH.

THERE was never any thing

by the wit of man 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 there of) 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 altered, broken, and neglected, by 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

And in this sort the out, were the book of Genesis in Septuage­Isaiah was begun in sima; 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 have not been edified thereby. their heart, spirit, and mind, And furthermore, notwithstand­ing that the ancient Fathers have divided the Psalms into seven portions, whereof every one was called a Nocturn: Now of late daily said, and the rest utterly time a few of them have been omitted. Moreover, the number and hardness of the rules called the Pie, and the manifold chang­ings of the service, was the cause. hard and intricate a matter, that that to turn the book only was so ness to find out what should be many times there was more busi­read, than to read it when it was found out.

book of Advent, and

considered, here is set forth such These inconveniences therefore an order, whereby the same shall be redressed. And for a readiness in this matter, here is drawn out which is plain and easy to be a Calendar for that purpose,