OF CEREMONIES.

thereof, and for the plainness of the Order, and for that the Rules be few and easy.

And whereas heretofore there hath been great diversity in saying and singing in Churches within this Realm; some follow­ing Salisbury Use, some Hereford Use, and some the Use of Bangor, some of York, some of Lincoln; now from henceforth all the whole Realm shall have but one Use.

And forasmuch as nothing can be so plainly set forth, but doubts may arise in the use and practice of the same; to ap­pease all such diversity( if any arise) and

for the resolution of all doubts, concern­ing the manner how to understand, do, and execute, the things contained in this Book; the parties that so doubt, or di­versly take any thing, shall alway resort to the Bishop of the Diocese, who by his discretion shall take order for the quiet­ing and appeasing of the same; so that the same order be not contrary to any thing contained in this Book. And if the Bishop of the Diocese be in doubt, then he may send for the resolution thereof to the Archbishop.

THO

THOUGH it be appointed, that all things shall be read and sung in the Church in the English Tongue, to the end that the congregation may be thereby edified; yet it is not meant, but that when men say Morning and Evening Prayer privately, they may say the same in any language that they themselves do understand.

And all Priests and Deacons are to say daily the Morning and Evening Prayer either privately or openly, not being let by sickness, or some other urgent cause.

And the Curate that ministereth in every Parish- Church or Chapel, being at home, and not being otherwise reasonably hindered, shall say the same in the Parish- Church or Chapel where he ministereth, and shall cause a Bell to be tolled thereunto a con­venient time before he begin, that the people may come to hear God's Word, and to pray with him.

OF CEREMONIES,

WHY SOME BE ABOLISHED, AND SOME RETAINED.

0

F such Ceremonies as be used in the Church, and have had their begin­ning by the institution of man, some at the first were of godly intent and pur­pose devised, and yet at length turned to vanity and superstition: some entered into the Church by undiscreet devotion, and such a zeal as was without knowledge; and for because they were winked at in the beginning, they grew daily to more and more abuses, which not only for their unprofitableness, but also because they have much blinded the people, and ob­scured the glory of God, are worthy to be cut away, and clean rejected: other there be, which although they have been devised by man, yet it is thought good to reserve them still, as well for a decent order in the Church,( for the which they were first devised) as because they pertain to edifi­cation, whereunto all things done in the

Church( as the Apostle teacheth) ought to be referred.

And although the keeping or omitting of a Ceremony, in itself considered, is but a small thing; yet the wilful and con­temptuous transgression and breaking of a common order and discipline is no small offence before God, Let all things be done among you, saith St. Paul, in a seemly and due order: The appointment of the which order pertaineth not to private men; there­fore no man ought to take in hand, nor presume to appoint or alter any publick or common Order in Christ's Church, ex­cept he be lawfully called and authorized thereunto.

And whereas in this our time, the minds of men are so diverse, that some think it a great matter of conscience to depart from a piece of the least of their Ceremonies, they be so addicted to their