Chap. I. The HISTORY of the PURITANS. 33 2 I. " That in time of high mats the epiftle and gofpel fhall be read in Ear Englifh; and that one chapter in the new tament be read at mattins (or Edward VL. in the morning) and one in the oldat even fong. , 23. " No proceflions (hall be ufed about churches or churchyards; but immediately before high mats the litany (hall be faid or lung in Englifh ; and all ringing of, bells (fave one) utterly forborn. 24. " That the holy day, at the fir/t beginning godly inflituted and or- " dained, be wholly given to God, in hearing the word of God read and " taught ; in private and publickprayers; in acknowledging their offences " to God, and promifing amendment; in reconciling themfelves to their ` neighbours, receiving the communion, vifiting the fick, &c. Only it " (hall be lawful in time of harveft to labour upon holy and feffival days, " in order to fave that thing which God bath fent; and that fcrupulofity " to abftain from working on thofe days does grievoufly offend God. 28. " That they take away all fhrines, coverings of fhrines, tables, " candlefticks, trindills, or rolls of wax, pidtures, paintings, and other " monuments of feigned miracles, fo that no memory of them remain in " walls or windows; exhorting the people to do the like in their leverai " houles." The reft of the articles related to the advancement of learning, to the encouragement of preaching, and corredting fome very grofs abufes. The bithops were enjoined to fee the articles put in execution, and to preach themfelves four times a year, unlefs they had a reafonable excufe: They were to give orders to none but fuch as were able to preach, and to recal their licences from others. The injunaions were to be obferved under the pains of excommunication, fequeftration, or deprivation. In bidding of their prayers, they were to remember the king their fupreme Original of head, the queen dowager, the king's two fitters, the lord prote&or and hiddingPray- the council, the nobility, the clergy, and the commons of this realm. ers:; The cuftom of bidding prayer, which is (till in ufe in the church, is a re- lick of popery. Bifhop Burnet has preferved the form, as it was in ufe be- Hff. Refor. fore the reformation, which was this : After the preacher had named andVol. II. opened his text, he called on the people to go to their prayers, telling P' 2Q' them what they were to pray for. Ye flail pray (fays he) for the king, for the pope, for the holy catholick church, &c. After which all the people Paid their beads in a general filence, and the minifter kneeled down likewife and Paid his ; they were to fay a pater nouer, ave maria, deus mifereatur nuri, domine falvum fac regem, gloria patri, &c. and then the fermon proceeded. How fadly this bidding of prayer has been fince abufed by Tome divines, to the entire omiflion of the duty it felf, is too well known to need a remark ! Vor..I. F Moft
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=