THE BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER, AND ADMINISTRATION OF THE SACRAMENTS, AND OTHER RITES AND CEREMONIES OF THE CHURCH, ACCORDING TO THE USE OF Ebe Protestant Episcopal Churcb, li. IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. TOGETHER WITH THE PSALTER, OR PSALMS OF DAVID. PHILADELPHIA: CORNER OF FIFTH AND CHESTNUT STREETS, FOR THE BISHOP WHITE PRAYER-BOOK SOCIETI. Stereotyped by L. Johnson--King & Baird, Printer Philadelphia, 10th February, 1836. I do hereby certify, that this Edition of the Book of Common Prayer, and Administration of the Sacraments, &c. is permitted to be published as an Edition duly compared and corrected, by a suitable person appointed for that purpose, as the Canon directs. WILLIAM WHITE, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania TABLE OF CONTENTS. I The Ratification of the Book of Com. as are of Riper Years, and able to answer for theinselves. 17 A Catechism; that is to say, an In. 3 The Order how the Psalter is ap struction to be learned by every person before he be brought to be 4 The Order how the rest of the Holy confirmed by the Bishop. Scripture is appointed to be read. 18 The Order of Confirmation, or Lay: 5 Tables of Lessons of Holy Scripture, ing on of Hands upon those that are to be read at Morning and Evening baptized and come to Years of Dis 19 The Form of Solemnization of Matri 7 Tables and Rules for the Moveable and Immoveable Feasts, together 20 The Order for the Visitation of the with the Days of Fasting and Absti Sick. nence throughout the Year. 21 The Communion of the Sick. 8 Tables for finding the Holydays. 22 The Order for the Burial of the Dead. 9 The Order for Daily Morning Prayer. 23 The Thanksgiving of Women after 20 The Order for Daily Evening Prayer. Child-birth, commonly called the 11 Prayers and Thanksgivings upon Churching of Women. several Occasions, to be used before 24 Forms of Prayer to be used at Sea the two final Prayers of Morning and A Form of Prayer for the Visitation 12 The Collects, Epistles, and Gospels, 26 A Form of Prayer and Thanksgiving to be used throughout the Year. to Almighty God, for the Fruits of 13 The Order for the Administration the Earth, and all the other Bless of the Lord's Supper, or Holy Com. ings of his merciful Providence. 27 Forms of Prayer to be used in A The Ministration of Public Baptism Families. of Infants, to be used in the Church. 28 Selections of Psalms, to be used 15 The Ministration of Private Baptism instead of the Psalms for the day, at the Discretion of the Minister. 16 The Ministration of Baptism to such |29 The Psalter, or Psalms of David. THE KATIFICATION OF THE BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER. By the Bishops, the Clergy, and the Laity of the Protestant Episcopo Church in the United States of America, in Convention, this 16th day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty nine THIS Itovoption, having in their present Session set forth A Book of Com. mon Prayer, and Administration of the Sacraments, and other Rites and Ceremonies of the Church, do hereby establish the said Book: And they declara it to be tlie: Liturgy of this Church; and require, that it be received as such by all the Meiobers of the same: And this Book shall be in Use from and after the first lay of October, in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety PREFACE. T is a most invaluable part of that blessed liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, that in his worship, different forms and usages may, without offence, be allowed, provided the substance of the faith be kept entire; and that, in every Church, what cannot be clearly determined to belong to Doctrine must be referred to Discipline; and therefore, by common consent and authority, may be altered, abridged, enlarged, amended, or otherwise disposed of, as may seem most con. venient for the edification of the people, “according to the various exigencies of times and occasions.” The Church of England, to which the Protestant Episcopal Church in these States is indebted, under GOD, for her first foundation and a long continuance of nursing care and protection, hath, in the Preface of her Book of Common Prayer, laid it down as a Rule, that “The Particular Forms of Divine Worship, and the Rites and Ceremonies appointed to be used therein, being things in their own nature indif. ferent and alterable, and so acknowledged, it is but reasonable that, upon weighty and important considerations, according to the various exigencies of times and occasions, such changes and alterations should be made therein, as to those who are in places of thority should, from time to time, seem either necessary or expedient.", The same Church hath not only in her Preface, but likewise in her Articles and Homilies, declared the necessity and expediency of occa. sional alterations and amendments in her Forms of Public Worship; and we find accordingly, that, seeking to “ keep the happy mean between 100 much stiffness in refusing, and too much easiness in admitting variations in things once advisedly established, she hath, in the reign of several Princes, since the first compiling of her Liturgy in the time of Edward the Sixth, upon just and weighty considerations her thereunto moving, yielded to make such alterations in some particulars, as in their respective times were thought convenient; yet so as that the main body and essential parts of the same (as well in the chiefest materials, as in the frame and order thereof) have still been continued firm and uit shaken.” Her general aim in these different Reviews and Alterations hath been, as she further declares in her said Preface, “to do that which, according to her best understanding, might most tend to the preservation of peace and unity in the Church; the procuring of reverence, and the exciting of piety and devotion in the worship of God; and, finally, the cutting off occasion, from them that seek occasion, of cavil or quarrel against her Liturgy.” And although, according to her judgment, there be not “any thing in it contrary to the Word of God, or to sound doctrine, O. which a godly man may not with a good conscience use and submit unto, or which is not fairly defensible, ifallowed such just and favoura ble construction, as, in common equity ought to be allowed to all human |