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THE PREFACE
THERE
was never anye thynge by the wytte of man so wel devised, or so sure
established, whiche (in continuance of tyme) hath not been corrupted:
as (emong other thynges) it may playnlye appeare by the common prayers
in the Churche commonlye called divine servyce: the firste originall
and grounde whereof yf a manne woulde searche out by auncient fathers,
he shall fynde that the same was not ordayned but of a good purpose,
and for a great advancemente of godlynesse. For they so ordered the
matter, that all the whole Bible (or the greatest part thereof) shoulde
be readde over once in the yeare entendynge thereby, that the clergie
and speciallye suche as were ministers of the congregacion, should (by
often readynge and meditacion of Godde's woorde) be stirred up to godlynesse
themselves, and be more able also to exhorte other by whole some doctrine,
and to confute them that were adversaries to the trueth. And further,
that the people (by dayly hearynge of holye scripture read in the Churche)
should continuallye profyte more and more in the knowledge of God, and
be the more in flamed with the love of hys true religion. But these
manye yeres passed, this godly and decent order of the auncient fathers
hath been so altered, broken, and neglected, by plantinge in uncertayn
Stories, Legendes, Respondes, Verses, vayne repeticions, Commemoracions,
and Sinodalles, that commonlye when anye boke of the Bible was begonne,
before three or foure Chapters were read out, al the rest were unread.
And in thys sorte the boke of Esay [Isaiah] was begonne in Advent,
and the boke of Genesis in Septuagesima: but they were onely begonne,
and never read through. After a lyke sorte were other bokes of holy
scripture used. And moreover, where as Sainct Paule woulde have such
language spoken to the people in the Churche, as thei might understande,
and have profite by hearing the same; the service in this Churche of
Englande (these manye yeres) hath been read in Latyn to the people,
whiche they understode not: so that they have heard with their eares
onely; and their heartes, spirite, and mynde, have not been edified
thereby. And furthermore, notwithstandynge that the auncient fathers
have divided the Psalmes into seven porcions, whereof everye one was
called a Nocturne; nowe of late tyme, a fewe of them have been dayly
sayd (and ofte repeated) and the rest utterlye omitted. Moreover, the
numbre and hardnesse of the rules, called the Pie, and the manyfolde
chaungynges of the servyce, was the cause, that to tourne the boke
onely was so harde and intricate a matter, that manye tymes there was
more busynesse to fynde out what shoulde be read, then to reade it
when it was founde out.
These inconveniences therefore consydered, here is
set furthe suche an order, whereby the same shalbe redressed. And for
a redynesse in thys matter, here is drawen out a kalendar for that purpose,
whiche is playne and easye to be understanden: wherin (so muche as may
be) the readynge of holye scriptures is so set furthe, that all thynges
shalbe doen in order, without breakynge one pyece thereof from another.
For thys cause be cut of Anthemes, Respondes, Invitatories, and suche
lyke thynges, as dyd breake the continuall course of the readynge of
the scripture. Yet because there is no remedye, but that of necessitie
there must be some rules, therefore certayn rules are here sette furth,
whiche as they be fewe in numbre, so they be playn and easie to be understanden.
So that here you have an order for prayer (as touchynge the readynge
of holye scripture) muche agreable to the mynde and purpose of thold
fathers, and a great deale more profitable and commodious, then that
which of late was used. It is more profitable, because here are lefte
out manye thynges, where of some be untrue, some uncertayn, some vayne
and supersticious, and is ordeined nothynge to be read, but the very
pure worde of God, the holye scriptures, or that which is evidentlye
grounded upon the same, and that in such a language and order, as is
most easy and playne for the understandynge bothe of the readers and
hearers. It is also more commodious, bothe for the shortness thereof,
and for the playnnesse of the order, and for that the rules be fewe
and easye. Furthermore, by thys order, the curates shall nede none other
bokes for their publyke service, but thys boke, and the Bible: By the
meanse whereof, the people shall not be at so greate charge for bokes,
as in tyme paste they have been.
And where heretofore there hath been greate diversitie
in sayeng and syngyng in Churches within this realme, some folowynge
Salisbury use, some of Herford use, some the use of Bangor, some of
Yorke, and some of Lincolne. Nowe from hence furthe, all the whole realme
shall have but one use. And yf any woulde judge thys way more painfull,
because that all thynges muste be read upon the booke where as before
by the reason of so often repeticion, they could saye many thynges by
heart; yf those men wyl weygh their laboure, with the profyte and knowledge,
which dayly they shal obtayne by readyng upon the boke, they wyl not
refuse the payne, in consideracion of the great profite that shal ensue
therof.
And for asmuche as nothynge can almoste be so playnly
set furthe, but doubtes may ryse in the use and practisynge of the same:
To appease all suche diversitie (yf any aryse), and for the resolucion
of all doubtes concemynge the maner howe to understande doe and execute
the thynges conteyned in this boke: the partes that so doubt, or diversly
take any thyng, shall alway resorte to the Byshoppe of the Diocesse,
who by hys discrecion shall take order for the quietynge and appeasyng
of the same: so that the same order be not contrarye to anye thynge
conteyned in thys boke. And yf the Byshoppe of the Diocesse be in anye
doubte, then maye he sende for the resolution thereof unto the Archebyshoppe.
Though it be appoynted in the afore wrytten Preface,
that all thynges shalbe read and songe in the Churche in the Englyshe
tongue, to the ende that the congregacion maye be thereby edified: yet
it is not ment, but when menne say Mornyng and Evenynge prayer privatly,
they may saie the same in anye language that they themselves do understande.
And all Priestes and Deacons shalbe bounde to say
dayly the Mornynge and Evenyng prayer, either privatly or openly, excepte
they be letted by preaching, studeing of divinityie, or by some other
urgent cause.
And the Curate that ministreth in every Parish Churche
or Chapell, beyng at home, and not beyng otherwise reasonably letted
[prevented], shall say the
same in the Parishe Churche or Chapell where he ministreth, and shall
tolle a belle thereto, a convenient tyme before he begyn, that suche
as be disposed maye come to heare Goddes worde, and to praie with hym.
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[In
several copies the Act of Uniformity is printed before this Preface] |
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OF
CEREMONIES,
WHY
SOME BE ABOLISHED, AND SOME RETEINED.
OF suche ceremonies
as be used in the church, and have had their beginning by ye institution
of man: some at the first were of Godly entent and purpose devised,
and yet at length turned to vanitie and superstition: some entred into
the church by undiscrete devotion, and such a zeale as was without knowledge:
and for because thei were winked at in the beginning, thei grewe daily
to more and more abuses: whiche not onely for their unprofit ablenesse,
but also because thei have much blinded the people, and obscured the
glory of God, are worthy to be cut awaie, and clene rejected. Other
there be, which although thei have been devised by man, yet it is thought
good to reserve them still, aswel for a decent order in the churche
(for the whiche thei were first devised) as because thei pertein to
edification: whereunto all thynges doen in the churche (as the Apostle
teacheth) ought to be referred. And although the kepyng or omittyng
of a ceremonie (in it self considered) is but a small thynge: yet the
wilful and contempteous transgression, and breakynge of a common order
and discipline, is no small offence before God.
Let al thynges be doen emonge you (saith S. Paule)
in a semely and due order. The appointment of the which order, perteineth
not to private men: therefore no man ought to take in hand, nor presume
to appoynt or alter any publique or common order in Christes church,
except he be lawfully called and authorized thereunto.
And whereas as in this our tyme, the mindes of menne
are so diverse, that some thynke it a greate matter of conscience to
departe from a pece of the least of their Ceremonies (thei be so addicted
to their old customs:) and again on the other side, some be so new fangled,
that thei would innovate all thyng, and so do despise the old, that
nothyng can like them, but that is new: it was thought expedient, not
so much to have respect how to please and satisfie either of these parties,
as how to please God, and profyte them both. And yet lest any man should
be offended (whom good reasone might satisfie) here be certain causes
rendred why some of the accustomed Ceremonies be put away, and some
retayned and kept styll.
Some are put away, because the great excess and multitude
of them hath so encreased in these latter daies, that the burthen of
them was intolerable: whereof S. Augustine in his tyme complayned, that
they were growen to such a numbre, that the state of Christian people
was in worse case (concernyng that matter) then were the Jewes. And
he counsayled yt such yoke and burthen should be taken away, as tyme
woulde serve quietly to doe it.
But what would S. Augustine have sayed, if he had
seen the ceremonies of late daies used among us? whereunto the multitude
used in his time was not to be compared. This oure excessive multitude
of Ceremonies was so great, and many of them so darke: that they did
more confounde and darken, then declare and set furth Christes benefites
unto us.
And besides thys, Christes Gospell is not a Ceremonial
lawe (as much of Moses lawe was) but it is a religion to serve God,
not in bondage of the figure or shadowe but in the fredome of spirite
beynge content only with those Ceremonies, which do serve to a decent
ordre and godly discipline, and such as be apte to stirre up the dull
mynde of man, to the remembraunce of his duety to God, by some not able
and speciall significacion, whereby he myght be edified.
Furthermore, the most weightie cause of thabolishement
of certayn Ceremonies was, that thei were so farre abused, partly by
the supersticious blyndnes of the rude and unlearned, and partly by
the unsaciable avarice of suche as sought more their owne lucre, then
the glory of God; that the abuses could not well be taken away, the
thing remayning stil. But now as concerning those persones, which peradventure
wylbe offended, for that some of thold ceremonies are reteyned styl:
if they consider, that without some Ceremonies it is not possible to
kepe any ordre or quiete discipline in the churche, they shal easely
perceyve just cause to reforme their judgementes. And yf thei thinke
much that any of thold do remain, and would rather have all devised
anewe. Then suche men graunting some ceremonies convenient to be had,
surely where the old may be well used, there thei cannot reasonably
reprove the old only for their age without bewraying of their owne foly.
For in suche a case, they ought rather to have reverence unto them for
their antiquitie, if they wyl declare themselves to be more studious
of unitie and concord, then of innovacions and newe fanglenes, which
(asmuche as may be with the true setting furth of Christes Religion)
is alwayes to be eschewed. Furthermore, such shall have no just cause
with the ceremonies reserved to be offended: For as those be taken away,
which were moste abused, and dyd burthen men's consciences without any
cause: so the other that remain are retayned for a Discipline and order,
whiche (upon just causes) may be altered and chaunged, and therefore
are not to be estemed equal with god's law. And moreover they be neither
darke nor dombe ceremonies: but are so sette forth, that every man may
understand what they doe mean, and to what use thei do serve. So that
it is not like that thei in time to come, should be abused as the other
have been. And in these our doinges, we condemne no other nacions, nor
prescribe any thing, but to our owne people only. For we think it convenient
that every country should use such ceremonies, as they shal think best
to the settyng furth of Goddes honour or glory, and to the reducyng
of the people to a most perfecte and godly lyvyng, without errour or
Supersticion. And that they shoulde put awaye other thynges, whiche
from tyme to tyme they perceyve to be moste abused, as in mennes
ordinances it often chaunceth diversely in diverse countreyes.
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