Liturgy of the Church.(4) And as to the several variations from the former book, whether by alteration, addition, or otherwise, it shall suffice to give this general account; that most of the alterations were made, either for the better direction of them that are to officiate in any part of Divine Service; which is chiefly done in the calenders and rubrics: or 2dly, for the more proper expressing of some words or phrases of ancient usage, in terms more suitable to the language of the present times, and the clearer explanation of some other words and phrases, that were either of doubtful signification, or otherwise liable to misconstruction: or 3rdly, for a more perfect rendering of such portions of Holy Scripture as are inserted into the Liturgy; which, in the Epistles and Gospels especially, and in sundry other places, are now ordered to be read according to the last translation: and that it was thought convenient, that some Prayers and Thanksgivings fitted to especial occasions, should be added in their due places; particularly for those at sea, together with an office for the baptism of such as are of riper years which, although not so necessary when the former book was compiled, yet by the growth of Anabaptism, through the licentiousness of the late times crept in amongst us, is now become necessary, and may be always useful for the baptizing of natives in our plantations, and others converted to the faith. If any man, who shall desire a more particular account of the several alterations in any part of the Liturgy, shall take the pains to compare the present Book with the former, we doubt not but the reason of the change may easily appear.

And having thus endeavoured to discharge our duties in this weighty affair, as in the sight of God, and to approve our sincerity therein (so far as lay in us) to the consciences of all men; although we know it impossible (in such variety of apprehensions, humours, and interests, as are in the world) to please all; (5) nor can expect that men of factious, peevish, and

(4) See OESERVATION IV. following "Of Ceremonies," &c.

(5) The Church of England should have pared away all the Canon of the Communion if she had mended at the interpretation of the Zuinglians; and all her office of Baptism, if she had mended by the rules of the Anabaptists; and kept up altars still, by the example of the Lutherans; and not have retained decency, by the good will of the Calvinists. Well! upon this, the wisdom of this Church and State saw it necessary to fix, where with advice she had begun, and with counsel she had once mended. And to have altered in things inconsiderable, upon a new design or sullen mislike, had been extreme levity, and apt to have made the men contemptible, and their authority slighted, and the thing ridiculous, especially before adversaries, that watched

perverse spirits should be satisfied with any thing that can be done in this kind by any other than themselves. (6) Yet we have good hope, that what

all opportunities and appearances to have disgraced the Reformation. (Jeremy Taylor-Preface to Forms of Prayer.)

If any party amongst them could have that form of Church-government confirmed by law, which they esteem the most apostolical, it is manifest from reason and experience, that it would be presently opposed by all the rest, with no less violence than ours is; and instead of putting an end to our divisions, would most certainly increase them. (Persuasion to Communion by the Bishop of Chichester. 1 London Case.)

Suppose five dissenting brethren now, should plead the necessity of having separate congregations, on the account of very different scruples of conscience; one of them pleads, that his company scruple the use of an imposed Liturgy; another saith, his people do not scruple that, but they cannot bear the Sign of the Cross, or kneeling at the communion; a third saith, if all these were away, yet if their church be not rightly gathered and constituted, as to matter and form, they must have a congregation of their own; a fourth goes yet farther, and saith, let their congregation be constituted how it will, if they allow Infant Baptism, they can never join with thein; nor, saith a fifth, can we, as long as you allow preaching by set-forms, and your Ministers stint themselves by hour-glasses, and such like human inventions: here are now very different scruples of conscience: but doth the nature of the case vary according to the bare difference of the scruples? One congregation scruples any kind of order as an unreasonable imposition and restraint of the spirit; is separation on that account lawful? No! say all other parties against the Quakers; because their scruples are unreasonable. But it is lawful for a congregation to separate on the account of infant baptism. No! say the Presbyterians and Independents, that is an unreasonable scruple. Is it lawful for men to separate to have greater purity in the frame and order of Churches, although they may occasionally join in the duties of worship? No! say the Presbyterians, this makes way for all manner of schisms and divisions, if mere scruple of conscience be a sufficient ground for separation; and if they can join occasionally with us, they are bound to do it constantly; or else the obligation to peace and unity in the Church signifies little: no man's erroneous conscience can excuse him from schism. (Stilling fleet on Separation, 75.)

(6) This seems levelled against the new prayers drawn up by Mr. Baxter, by appointment of the Presbyterian Commissioners, in the "Reformation of the Liturgy," published together with the " Petition for Peace." Lond. 1661. (Nicholls.)

(7) If the condition of her communion were such as God's laws did not

F

is here presented, and hath been by the Convocation of both Provinces 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 England.(7)

Concerning the Service of the Church.(8)

THERE was never any thing by the wit of man so well devised, 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, (9) 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 greater part thereof,) should be read over once every year;(1) intending thereby, that the Clergy, and especially such as were

allow; you might forsake her that had forsaken him: but since this cannot be objected against her-since she exacts no forbidden thing of you, you ought to strengthen her hands by an unanimous agreement. Since the substantials of religion are the same, let not the circumstances of external order and discipline be any longer an occasion of difference amongst us. And so shall we bring glory to God-a happy peace to a divided Church-a considerable security to the Protestant Religion-and probably defeat the subtle practices of Rome, which now stands gaping after all, and hopes by our distractions to repair the losses she has suffered by the Reformation. May the wisdom of Heaven make all wicked purposes unsuccessful; and the blessed spirit of love heal all our breaches, and prosper the charitable endeavours of those who follow after peace. Amen! (Bennet's Abr. Lond. Cases, concluding paragraph.)

(8) This part was composed by the original compilers of the Common Prayer, but the two last paragraphs are not in the first book of Edw. VI. (Nicholls.)

(9) Here our Church refutes the vulgar error of her seduced children that our service had its original from the Mass Book. Her resort is to the ancient fathers. (L'Estrange, 24.) The idea or form of our Reformation, was neither taken from Luther nor Calvin (as the Romanists love to speak of us) nor from any other, but from the Holy Scripture, according to the use of the Primitive Church. (Puller Mod. Church of England, 427.) The Latin service, which had been defiled by the mixture of Popish errors, retained in it, notwithstanding, many ancient forms, received in the Church in the best times. (Nicholls.) (1) It is no inconsiderable advantage, that our ritual contains within itself

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 the Holy Scripture read in the Church) might continually profit more in the knowledge of God, (2) and be the more inflamed with the love of his true religion.

But these many years passed, this godly and decent order (3) of the an. cient fathers hath been so altered, broken, and neglected, by planting in uncertain stories, and legends, (4) with multitude of responds, (5) verses,(6)

a course of scriptural and evangelical instruction, perfectly independent of sermons. The solemn reading of God's most holy word forms a large part of our public service: and I hestitate not to say, that on this account, as well as others, it is a national blessing, maintaining and propagating truth, no less than promoting devotion. I most cordially join with the venerable Hooker, "We dare not admit any such form of Liturgy, as either appointeth no Scrip"ture at all, or very little, to be read in the Church." (Robinson's serious Call to Attendance on the Service of the Church.)

(2) The Church of England commends unto all of her communion, even to the vulgar, a diligent hearing and reading the Holy Scriptures: as appears in sundry places of the Homilies, more particularly in the first. That man (saith the Homily) is ashamed to be called a lawyer, astronomer, physician, philosopher, that is ignorant in the books of law, astronomy, physic, philosophy; and how can any man then say, that he professeth Christ and his religion, if he will not apply himself to read, hear, and know the books of Christian doctrine. And though the people by daily hearing of Holy Scripture read in the Church, should continually more and more increase in Christian knowledge; yet it is required and intended, that especially, the Clergy and God's Ministers in the congregation, should be often reading and meditating on God's word, be stirred up to godliness themselves, and be more able to exhort others, and confute the adversaries of the truth. (Puller Mod. Ch. of England, 63.) Josephus said of the Jews that by hearing Moses read so often in their Synagogues they became as perfect in their laws as a man is in telling his own (Cosins.)

name.

(3) In every grand or main public duty which God requires at the hands of his Church, there is, besides the matter and form wherein the essence thereof consists, a certain outward fashion, whereby the same is in decent sort administered. (Overall.)

(4) These are chiefly read upon the Saints days; but almost every day in the year being dedicated to some Saint there is hardly a day free from haring

vain repetitions, commemorations,(7) and synodals; (8) that commonly when any book of the Bible was begun, after 3 or 4 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 St. 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,

some of these idle tales mixed in the service. And this not only in the lessons upon modern Saints days, but even upon the festivals of the Apostles themselves. (Nicholls.) See Index, "Legend."

(5) A respond is a short anthem brought into the middle of a chapter. (See post note 4, p. 60.) This is called the short response. The long responses are used at the close of a Lesson. (Nicholls.)

(6) Either the versicle which follows after the respond, in the Roman breviary; or those hymns which are proper to every Sunday and holiday. (Nicholls.)

(7) The mixing the service of some holiday of lesser note, with the service of a Sunday, or holiday of greater eminency, when they fall together. It suffices that the hymn, verses, &c. and some other part of the lesser holiday, as appointed by the general rubric, be read. (Nicholls) The recital of the names of famous Martyrs, and Confessors, Patriarchs, Bishops, Kings, great orthodox writers, munificent benefactors, &c.; which recitation at the altar took up much time, and those names were anciently wont to be read out of diptychs, or folded tables; and tedious quarrels have been anciently, about dispunging some names out of the diptychs, which have run into schisms. (Sparrow.)

(8) The publication of the Provincial Constitutions in the Parish Churches; for after the conclusion of every Provincial Synod, the Canons thereof were read in the Churches, and the tenor declared to the people. Whether the Canons of all the Provincial Synods were annually thus published, is uncertain. Those of the Council of Oxford, held under Stephen, Archbishop of Canterbury, A. D. 1222, were so. And also those of the Council of London, held under Archbishop Chichely, A. D. 1417. (Nicholls.)

SYNODALS. Synodical Constitutions, such as in Lindwood;-wont to be read on Sundays, in time of Service, to the great waste of time. Our Canons of A. D. 1604, are appointed to be read, at least once a year in all Churches, Alee ante note 1, p. 8. (Sparrow.)