Chap. IV. The .H I-STORY of the PURITANS. z 15 of the miniffer to change the chapters, to be read in courfe, for fome-.,ueen others that were more for edification ; andeven after this new regulation, Ehztir' the bishops recommended it; for in the preface to the fecond book of homilies, publifhed in the year 5564. there is a ferious admonition to all minifters ecclefiaflical, to be diligent and faithful in their high fun lions; in which, among others, is this remarkable infìruEiion to the curates or minifters, " If one or other chapter of theold teflament falls in order Lifeof Par- " to be read on fundays or holidays, it fhall be well done to fpend your ker, P. 84. " time to confider well of fome other chapter in the new teflament, of " more edification, for which it may be changed. By this, your pru- " dence and diligence in your office will appear, fo that your people may " have caufe to glorify God for you, and be the readier to embrace your " labours." If this indulgence had been continued, one confiderable difficulty to the puritans had been removed, (viz) their obligation to read the apochrypha leffons; and furely there could be no great danger in this, when the minifter was confined within the canon of fcripture. But this liberty was not long allowed, though the admonition being strype's in- never legally reverfed, archbifhop Abbot was of opinion, that it was in pals, P. 1,7. force in bis time, and ought to have been indulged the clergy through out the courfe of this reign. His words are thefe, in his book entitu- led, Hill's reafons unmafked, p. 357. " It is not only permitted to the " minifler, but recommended to him, if wifely and quietly he do read " canonical fcripture, where the apochrypha upon good judgment feem- " eth not fo fit, or any chapter of the canonical, may be conceived not " to have in it fo much edification before the fimple, as fome other " parts of the fame canonical fcriptures may be thought to have." But the governing bishops were of another mind, they would trufl nothing to the difcretion of the minìfter, nor vary a tittle from the at of uni- formity. Hitherto there were few or no peculiar leffons for holidays and particu- Appo=nemene lar fundays, but the chapters of the old and new teftament were read in of lepòns for oxide, without any interruption or variation; fu fo it is in the common honliddaays y . and prayer book of 5549. Fol. In the fecond edition of that book under Life of Par- king Edward VI. there were proper leffons for fome few holidays, but kcr, P. 83, none for fundays ; but now there was a table of proper leffons for the whole year, thus entituled, proper lepòns to be readfor theftr/I leJon, both at morning and evening prayer, on thefundays throughout theyears; andfor force alfo the fecond lons. It begins with the fundays of Advent, and appoints Ifa. i. for mattens, and Ifa. ii. for even fong. There is another table for proper leffons on holidays, beginning with St. Andrew; and a third table for proper pfalms on certain days, as Chriflmas, Eater, Afcen- fon, Whitfunday, &c. At the end of this common prayer book, printed 22 by
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