CONCERNING THE SERVICE OF

THE CHURCH.

200

THE HERE was never any thing| ple in the Church, as they might by the wit of man so well understand, and have profit by devised, or so sure established, hearing the same; The Service which in continuance of time in this Church of England these hath not been corrupted: As, a- many years hath been read in mong other things, it may plainly Latin to the people, which they appear by the Common Prayers understand not; so that they have in the Church, commonly called heard with their ears only, and Divine Service. The first original their heart, spirit, and mind, and ground whereof if a man have not been edified thereby. would search out by the ancient And furthermore, notwithstand­Fathers, he shall find, that the ing that the ancient Fathers have same was not ordained but of a divided the Psalms into seven por­good purpose, and for a great ad- tions, whereof every one was call­vancement of godliness. For they ed a Nocturn: Now of late time so ordered the matter, that all a few of them have been daily the whole Bible,( or the greatest said, and the rest utterly omitted. part thereof) should be read over Moreover, the number and hard­once every year; intending there. ness of the Rules called the Pie, by, that the Clergy, and especial- and the manifold changings of ly such as were Ministers in the the Service, was the cause, that Congregation, should( by often to turn the Book only was so hard reading, and meditation in God's and intricate a matter, that many word) be stirred up to godliness times there was more business to themselves, and be more able to find out what should be read, than exhort others by wholesome Doc- to read it when it was found out. trine, 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 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 Saint Paul would have such language spoken to the peo­

These inconveniences therefore considered, here is set forth such an Order, whereby the same shall be redressed. And for a readiness in this matter, here is drawn out a Calendar for that purpose, which is plain and easy to be understood; wherein( so much as may be) the reading of holy Scripture is so set forth, that all things shall be done in order, without breaking one piece from another. For this cause be cut off Anthems, Re­sponds, Invitatories, and such like things as did break the con­tinual course of the reading of the Scripture.

Yet, because there is no remedy, but that of necessity there must be some Rules; therefore certain Rules are here set forth; which, as they are few in number, so they are plain and easy to be under­stood. So that here you have an Order for Prayer, and for the read­ing of the holy Scripture, much a­greeable to the mind and purpose of the old Fathers, and a great deal more profitable and com­modious, than that which of late