OF CEREMONIES,

WHY SOME BE ABOLISHED, AND SOME RETAINED.

O such Ceremonies as be used dient, not so much to have re

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 edifi. cation, 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 Saint 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 old customs; and again on the other side, some be so newfangled, that they would innovate all things, and so despise the old, that nothing can like them, but that is new it was thought expe

spect how to please and satisfy either of these parties, as how to please God, and profit them both. And yet lest any man should be offended, whom good reason might satisfy, here be certain causes rendered, why some of the accustomed Ceremonies be put away, and some retained and kept still.

Some are put away, because the great excess and multitude of them hath so increased in these latter days, that the burden of them was intolerable; whereof Saint Augustine in his time complained, that they were grown to such a number, that the estate of Christian people was in worse case concerning that matter, than were the Jews. And he counsel. led that such yoke and burden should be taken away, as time would serve quietly to do it. But what would Saint Augustine have said, if he had seen the Ceremonies of late days used among us; whereunto the multitude used in his time was not to be compared ? This our excessive multitude of Ceremonies was so great, and many of them so dark, that they did more confound and darken, than declare and set forth Christ's benefits unto us. And besides this, Christ's Gospel is not a Ceremonial Law, (as much of Moses' Law was) but it is a Religion to serve God, not in bondage of the figure or shadow, but in the freedom of the Spirit; being content only with those Ceremonies which do serve to a decent Order and godly Discipline, and such as be apt to stir up the dull mind of man to the remembrance of his duty to God, by some notable and special signification, whereby he might be edified. Furthermore, the most weighty cause of the abolishment of certain Cercmonies was, That they were so far abused, partly by the superstitious blindness of the rude and unlearned, and partly by the unsatiable ava rice of such as sought more their own lucre, than the glory of Ged,

OF CEREMONIES.

that the abuses could not well be taken away, the thing remaining

still.

But now as concerning those persons, which peradventure will be offended, for that some of the old Ceremonies are retained still. If they consider that without some Ceremonies it is not possible to keep any Order, or quiet Disclpline in the Church, they shall easily perceive just cause to reform their judgments. And if they think much, that any of the old do remain, and would rather have all devised anew: then such men granting some Ceremonies convenient to be had, surely where the old may be well used, there they cannot reasonably reprove the old only for their age, without bewraying of their own folly. For in such a case they ought rather to have reverence unto them for their antiquity, if they will declare themselves to be more studious of unity and concord, than of innovations and new-fangleness, which (as much as may be with true setting forth of Christ's Religion) is always to be eschewed. Furthermore, such shall have no just cause with the Ceremonies reserved to be offend

TH

ed. For as those be taken away which were most abused, and did burden men's consciences without any cause; so the other that remain, are retained for a discipline and order, which (upon just causes) may be altered and changed, and therefore are not to be esteemed equal with God's Law. And moreover, they be neither dark nor dumb Ceremonies, but are so set forth, that every man may understand what they do mean, and to what use they do serve. So that it is not like that they in time to come should be abused as other have been. And in these our doings we condemn no other Nations, nor prescribe any thing but to our own people only: For we think it convenient that every Country should use such Ceremonies as they shall think best to the setting forth of God's honour and glory, and to the reducing of the people to a most perfect and godly living, without error or superstition; and that they should put away other things, which from time to time they perceive to be most abused, as in men's ordinances it often chanceth diversly in divers countries.

¶ THE ORDER HOW THE PSALTER IS
APPOINTED TO BE READ.

HE Psalter shall be read through once every Month, as it is there appointed, both for Morning and Evening Prayer. But in February it shall be read only to the twenty-eighth, or twenty-ninth day of the month.

And, whereas January, March, May, July, August, October, and December have One-and-thirty days apiece; It is ordered, that the same Psalms shall be read the last day of the said months, which were read the day before: So that the Psalter may begin again the first day of the next month ensuing.

And, whereas the 119th Psalm is divided into twenty-two portions, and is over-long to be read at one time; It is so ordered, that at one time shall not be read above four or five of the said portions.

And at the end of every Psalm, and of every such part of the 119th Psalm, shall be repeated this Hymn,

the Son: and to the Holy Ghost; Glory be to the Father, and to

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be world without end. Amen.

Note, that the Psalter followeth the Division of the Hebrews, and the Translation of the great English Bible, set forth and used In the time of King Henry the Eighth, and Edward the Sixth.

THE ORDER HOW THE REST OF HOLY
SCRIPTURE IS APPOINTED

TO BE READ.

Note also, that the Collect, Epistle, and Gospel appointed for the Sunday shall serve all the week after, where it is not in this Book otherwise ordered.

¶ PROPER LESSONS

TO BE READ AT MORNING AND EVENING PRAYER, ON THE SUNDAYS,

AND OTHER HOLY-DAYS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.

Note That the Lessons appointed in the above Table for the Twentyseventh Sunday after Trinity shall always be read on the Sunday next before Advent.

If there be a third Service on Sundays, the Second Lesson for that Service may be any Chapter from the four Gospels, or any Lesson appointed in the Calendar from the four Gospels, at the discretion of the Minister, except on those Sundays for which alternative Second Lessons are specially appointed in the above Table.

Daniel

xviii.
xxxvii.
- iv. 19
vii. v. 9
ii. v. 21

Σχίν. ν. 15

Daniel

i.

iii. Amos
Micah-

"

vii.

fii.