fessors upon the restitution of Popery; which as it declares their piety, so doth the judicious digesting of these prayers evidence their learning. For therein the scholar may discern close logic, pleasing rhetoric, pure divinity, and the very marrow of the ancient doctrine and discipline; and yet all made so familiar, that the unlearned may safely say Amen. 1 Cor. xiv. 16.

Lastly, all these excellencies have obtained that universal reputation which these prayers enjoy in all the world: so that they are most deservedly admired by the eastern Churches, and had in great esteem by the most eminent Protestants beyond the sea, who are the most impartial judges that can be desired. In short, this Liturgy is honoured by all but the Romanist, whose interest it opposeth, and the Dissenters, whose prejudices will not let them see its lustre. Whence it is that they call that, which the Papists hate because it is Protestant, superstitious and popish. But when we consider that the best things in a bad world have the most enemies, as it doth not lessen its worth, so it must not abate our esteem, because it hath malicious and misguided adversaries.

How endless it is to dispute with these, the little success of the best arguments, managed by the wisest men, do too sadly testify: wherefore we shall endeavour to convince the enemies, by assisting the friends of our Church devotions: and by drawing the veil which the ignorance and indevotion of some, and the passion and prejudice of others, have cast over them, represent the Liturgy in its true and native lustre: which is so lovely and ravishing, that like the purest beauties, it needs no supplement of art and dressing, but conquers by its own attractions, and wins the affections of all but those who do not see it clearly. This will be sufficient to shew, that whoever desires no more than to worship God with zeal and knowledge, spirit and truth, purity and sincerity, may do it by these devout forms. And to this end may the God of peace give us all meck hearts, quiet spirits, and devout affections; and free us from all sloth and prejudice, that we may have full churches, frequent prayers, and fervent charity; that, uniting in our prayers here, we may all join in his praises hereafter, for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Dean Comber.

BEFORE the Reformation the Liturgy was only in Latin, being a collection of prayers, made up partly of some ancient forms used in the primitive Church, and partly of some others of a later original, accommodated to the superstitions which had by various means crept by degrees into the Church of Rome, and were from thence derived to other Churches in communion with it; like what we may see in the present Roman Breviary and Missal. And these being established by the laws of the land, and the canons of the Church, no other could publicly be made use of: so that those of the laity, who had not the advantage of a learned education, could not join with them, or be any otherwise edified by them. And besides, they being mixed with addresses to the saints,

adoration of the host, images, &c. a great part of the worship was in itself idolatrous and profane.

But when the nation in King Henry VIII's time was disposed to a reformation, it was thought necessary to correct and amend these offices; and not only have the service of the Church in the English or vulgar tongue (that men might "pray, not with the spirit only, but with the understanding also ;" and "that he, who occupied the room of the unlearned, might understand that unto which he was to say Amen;" agreeably to the precept of St. Paul, 1 Cor. xiv. 15, 16,) but also to abolish and take away all that was idola trous and superstitious, in order to restore the service of the Church to its primitive purity. For it was not the design of our

Reformers (nor indeed ought it to have been) to introduce a new form of worship into the Church, but to correct and amend the old one; and to purge it from those gross corruptions which had gradually crept into it; and so to render the divine service more agreeable to the Scriptures and to the doctrine and practice of the primitive Church in the best and purest ages of Christianity. In which reformation they proceeded gradually, according as they were able.

And first, the Convocation appointed a committee in the year of our Lord 1537, to compose a book, which was called, "The godly and pious institution of a Christen man" containing a declaration of the Lord's Prayer, the Ave Maria, the Creed, the Ten Commandments, and the Seven Sacraments, &c., which book was again published in the year 1540, and 1543, with corrections and alterations, under the title of "A necessary doctrine and erudition for any Christen man :" and, as it is expressed in that preface, was "set furthe by the King, with the advyse of his Clergy; the Lordes both spirituall and temporall, with the nether house of Parliament, having both sene and lyked it very well."

Also in the year 1540, a committee of bishops and divines was appointed by King Henry VIII, at the petition of the Convocation, to reform the rituals and office of the Church. And what was done by this committee for reforming the offices was reconsidered by the Convocation itself two or three years afterwards, namely, in February 1542-3. And in the next year the King and his Clergy ordered the prayers for procesanns, and litanies, to be put into English, and to be publicly used. And finally, in the year 1545, the King's Primer came forth, wherein were contained, amongst other things, the Lord's Prayer, Creed, Ten Commandments, Venite, Te Deum, and other hymns and collects in English; and several of them in the same version in which we now use them. And this is all that appears to have been done in relation to liturgical matters in the reign of King Henry VIII.

In the year 1547, the first of King Edward VI, December the second, the Convocation declared the opinion, "nullo reclamante," that the Communion ought to be administered to all persons under "both kind." Whereupon an Act of Parliament was made, ordering the Communion to be so administered. And then a committee of bishops, and other learned divines, was appointed to compose "an uniform order of Communion, according to the rules of Scripture, and the use of the primitive Church." In order to this, the committee repaired to Windsor castle, and in that retirement, within a few days, drew up that form which is printed in Bishop Sparrow's collection. And this being immediately brought into use, the next year the same persons, being impowered by a new commission, prepared themselves to enter upon a yet nobler work; and in a few months' time finished the whole Liturgy, by drawing up public offices not only for sundays and Holidays, but for Baptism, Confirmation, Matrimony, Burial of the Dead, and other special occasions; in which the forementioned office for the holy Communion was inserted, with many alterations and amendments. And the whole book being so framed, was set forth by the common agreement and full assent both of the Parliament and Convocations provincial;" that is the two Convocations of the provinces of Canterbury and York.

The committee appointed to compose this Liturgy were,

1. Thomas Cranmer, Archbishop of Canterbury; who was the chief promoter of our excellent Reformation; and had a principal hand, not only in compiling the Liturgy, but in all the steps made towards it. He died a martyr to the religion of the Reformation, which principally by his means had been established in the Church of England; being burnt at Oxford in the reign of Queen Mary, March 21, 1556.

2. Thomas Goodrich, Bishop of Ely. 3. Henry Holbech, alias Randes, Bishop of Lincoln.

4. George Day, Bishop of Chichester.

5. John Skip, Bishop of Hereford.

6. Thomas Thirlby, Bishop of Westmin

ster.

7. Nicholas Ridley, Bishop of Rochester, and afterwards of London. He was esteemed the ablest man of all that advanced the Reformation, for piety, learning, and solidity of judgment. He died a martyr in Queen Mary's reign, being burnt at Oxford, October 16, 1555.

8. Dr. William May, Dean of St. Paul's, London, and afterwards also Master of Queen's College in Cambridge.

9. Dr. John Taylor, Dean, afterwards. Bishop, of Lincoln. He was deprived in the beginning of Queen Mary's reign, and died soon after.

10. Dr. Simon Heynes, Dean of Exeter. 11. Dr. John Redmayne, Master of Trinity College in Cambridge, and Prebendary of Westminster.

12. Dr. Richard Cox, Dean of Christ Church in Oxford, Almoner and Privy Counsellor to King Edward VI. He was deprived of all his preferments in Queen Mary's reign, and fled to Frankfort; from whence returning in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, he was consecrated Bishop of Ely.

13. Mr. Thomas Robertson, Archdeacon of Leicester.

The commissioners met in May, 1548. Having agreed to change nothing for the sake of change, but merely to endeavour, as far as circumstances would admit, to bring every thing back to the standard of the purer ages of the Gospel, by abolishing the erroneous doctrines, and in particular the unnecessary ceremonies, which Popery had introduced, they proceeded to examine the Breviaries, Missals, and Rituals, together with the books of other offices at that time in use. These they compared with ancient Liturgies, and the writings of the fathers. Whatever they found consonant to the doctrine of Scripture, and the worship of early christian churches, they generally retained, and frequently improved. But they rejected the numerous corruptions, and

superstitious innovations that had been grad ually brought in during the latter ages.

The compilers, it is generally said, began with the morning Prayer. I do not know that any one, either of our ritualists, or commentators on the Liturgy, has described the office of Mattins, or Morning Prayer, as this service was performed in the Church of England prior to the reformation. A general and summary account of it may therefore gratify curiosity, where easy access cannot be had to the books in which it is ordained. Such an account will illustrate the principles upon which the leaders of our reformation proceeded: and a comparison of ancient mattins, with the mattins in Edward's first book, will prove, that the object of the compilers of our Liturgy, was, according to their own account, "neither to please those who were so addicted to their old customs, that they thought it a great matter of conscience to depart from a piece of the least of their ceremonies," nor, "on the other hand, those who would innovate all things, and liked nothing that was not new." They attempted "not so much to satisfy either of these parties, as to please God, and profit them both."

Mattins, at this time, began with the Lord's Prayer, Hail Mary, and the Creed, which were said with a low voice, or privately, by the priest and people, all kneeling. Then, all standing up, the four versicles, which in our office follow the Lord's Prayer, are said with a loud voice by the priest and people alternately. When the priest pronounces the first versicle, "O Lord, open thou my lips," he is directed by the rubric, with his thumb to sign his mouth with the sign of the cross; and at the third versicle, “O God, make speed to save me," he is, with his right hand, to cross himself from his forehead to his breast in one direction, and in a transverse line from the left shoulder to the right. After the versicles, follow Gloria Patri, and in general, Allelujah. Between Allelujah, and the invitatory psalm, or Venite exultemus, comes the Invitatory, which varies according to the season, or day. After Venite, follows a metrical hymn. Then psalms are recited, and les

Thus was our excellent Liturgy compiled by martyrs and confessors, together with divers other learned bishops and divines; and being revised and appicved by the archbishops, bishops, and clergy of both the provinces of Canterbury and York, was then confirmed by the King and the three Estates in Parliament, in the year 1548, who gave it this just encomium, namely, "which at this time BY THE AID OF THE HOLY GHOST with uniform agreement is of them concluded, set forth, &c." This Common Prayer Book is frequently called the first Book of Edward the Sixth; or the Book of the second year of Edward the Sixth.

But about the end of the year 1550, or the beginning of 1551, some exceptions were taken at some things in this book, which were thought to savour too much of superstition. To remove these objections therefore, Archbishop Cranmer proposed to review it and to this end called in the assistance of Martin Bucer, and Peter Martyr, two foreigners, whom he had invited over from the troubles in Germany: who, not understanding the English tongue, had Latin versions prepared for them: one Allesse, a Scotch divine, translating it on purpose for the use of Bucer; and Martyr being furnished with the version of Sir John Cheke, who had also formerly translated it into Latin. The following were the most considerable additions and alterations that were then made; some of which must be allowed to be good namely, the addition of the Sentences, Exhortation, Confession, and Absolution, at the beginning of the morning and evening services, which in the first Common Prayer Book began with the Lord's Prayer. The other changes were the removing of some rites and ceremonies retained in the former book; such as the use of "oil in baptism;" the "unction of the sick;" "prayers for souls departed," both in the Communion office and in that for the Burial of the Dead; the leaving out of the "invocation of the Holy Ghost" in the consecration of the eucha

used to follow it; the omitting of the rubric, that ordered "water" to be mixed with wine, with several other less material variations. The "habits" also, that were prescribed by the former book, were ordered by this to be laid aside; and, lastly, a rubric was added at the end of the Communion office to explain the reason of "kneeling," at the Sacrament. The book thus revised and altered was again confirmed in Parliament in the year 1551. It is frequently called the second Book of Edward the Sixth, or the Book of the fifth year of Edward the Sixth; and is very near the same with that which we now But both this, and the former Act made in 1548, were repealed in the first year of Queen Mary, as not being agreeable to the Romish superstition, which she was resolved

use.

to restore.

When we consider the purity and excellence of this Liturgy, and its favourable reception, we are naturally led, to reflect upon the satisfaction and pleasure, with which its venerable authors must have contemplated the successful issue of their labours; and to indulge a secret wish that they had been permitted to enjoy upon earth a protracted sense of so sublime a gratifica tion.-But scarce was this salutary work completed, when the premature death of Edward made way for the elevation of Mary to the thorne, and the re-establishment of po pery in this kingdom.

Though we must lament the fate of such men, as Cranmer, Ridley, and Latimer, and execrate the memory of Mary for bringing to the stake, prelates, to whom the reformation is so essentially indebted, yet we have reason to rejoice, that her reign was not of sufficient duration to destroy the fruits of their pious industry, and to restore the superstition, and tyranny of the church of Rome, which were now so justly dreaded and abhorred.

But upon the accession of Queen Elizabeth, the Act of repeal was reversed; and, in order to the restoring of the English service, several learned divines were appointed

Liturgies, and to frame from them both a book for the use of the Church of England. The names of those who, Mr. Cambden says, were employed, are these that follow: Dr. Matthew Parker, afterwards Archbishop of Canterbury.

Dr. Richard Cox, afterwards Bishop of

Ely.

Dr. May. Dr. Bill.

mities," which was a part of the last deprecation in both the books of King Edward; and the adding of those words to the first petition for the Queen, "strengthen in the true worshipping of thee, in righteousness and holiness of life," which were not in before. The two sentences added in the delivery of the Sacrament were these, "the body of our Lord Jesus Christ, which was given for thee;" or "the blood of our Lord

Sir Thomas Smith.

Mr. David Whitehead.

Mr. Edmund Grindall, afterwards Bishop of London, and then Archbishop of Canterbury.

To these, Mr. Strype says, were added Dr. Edwin Sandys, afterwards Bishop of Worcester, and Mr. Edward Guest, a very learned man, who was afterwards Archdeacon of Canterbury, Almoner to the Queen, and Bishop of Rochester, and afterwards of Salisbury. And this last person, Mr. Strype thinks, had the main care of the whole business; being as he supposes, recommended by Parker to supply his absence. It was debated at first, which of the two books of King Edward should be received; and Secretary Cecil sent several queries to Guest, concerning the reception of some particulars in the first book; as prayers for the dead, the prayer of consecration, the delivery of the sacrament into the mouth of the communicant, &c. But however, the second book of King Edward was pitched upon as the book to be proposed to the Parliament to be established, who accordingly passed and commanded it to be used, "with one alteration or addition of certain lessons to be used on every Sunday in the year, and the form of the Litany altered and corrected, and two sentences added in the delivery of the sacrament to the communicants, and none other, or otherwise."

The alteration in the Litany here mentioned was the leaving out of a rough expression, namely, " From the tyranny of the

serve thy body and soul to everlasting life :" which were taken out of King Edward's first book, and were the whole forms then used whereas in the second book of that King, these sentences were left out, and in the room of them were used, "take, eat," or "drink" this, with what follows; but now in Queen Elizabeth's book both these forms were united.

Though, besides these here mentioned, there are some other variations in this book from the second of King Edward: namely, the first rubric, concerning the situation of the chancel and the proper place of reading divine service, was altered; the habits enjoined by the first book of King Edward, and forbid by the second, were now restored. At the end of the Litany was added a prayer for the Queen, and another for the Clergy. And lastly, the rubric that was added at the end of the Communion office, in the second book of King Edward VI, against the notion of our Lord's "real" and "essential " presence in the holy Sacrament, was left out of this. For it being the Queen's design to unite the nation in one faith, it was recommended to the divines to see that there should be no definition made against the aforesaid notion, but that it should remain as a speculative opinion, in which every one was left to the freedom of his own mind.

And in this state the Liturgy continued without any farther alterations, till the first year of King James I; when the Puritans, who were now a numerous body, having petitioned for a reform of what they termed abuses, the King appointed a conference to