Of Ceremonies. more studious of unity and concord, than of innovations and new-fangle. ness, 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 offended. For as those be taken a way 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 mcan, 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 na tions, 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 appointed, both for Morning and Evening Prayer. But in February it shall be read only to the twentyeighth, or twenty-ninth day of the month. and is over-long to be read at one 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, 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, Glory be to the Father, and to the Son: and to the Holy Ghost; 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. HE Old Testament is appointed at Morning and Evening Prayer; Tfor the first Lessons at Morning except only the Moveable Feasts, and Evening Prayer; so as the most part thereof will be read every year once, as in the Calendar is appointed. The New Testament is appointed for the second Lessons at Morning and Evening Prayer, and shall be read over orderly every year thrice, besides the Epistles and Gospels; except the Apocalypse, out of which there are only certain Proper Lessons appointed upon divers Feasts. And to know what Lessons shall be read every day, look for the day of the month in the Calendar following, and there ye shall find the chapters that shall be read for the Lessons both which are not in the Calendar, and the Immoveable, where there is a blank left in the column of Lessons, the Proper Lessons for all which days are to be found in the Table of Proper Lessons. And note, that whensoever Proper Psalms or Lessons are appointed; then the Psalms and Lessons of ordinary course appointed in the Psalter and Calendar (if they be different) shall be omitted for that time. 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. A 5 T PROPER LESSONS To be read at Morning and Evening Prayer, on the Sundays, and other Holy-days throughout the Year. |