I.

CHAP. have the same sense of many scandalized by the change of the liturgy to a directory. I must profess myself of those many to be one: upon a solemn day summoned we are by a bell to church, thither we come, what to do? to offer up our prayers and praises in the congregation? it may be, and it may not be so for such prayers may scarce be reputed ours, whereof as we know not a syllable beforehand what they are, so when they are uttered we often hear but little, understand less, and in our judgments consent to least of all: told we are by considerable persons engaged in this change, that the imposition of set forms was introduced into the primitive Church, as a defensiveh "against the Arian and Pelagian heretics, which did convey their poison in their set forms of prayers and hymns:" if so, never times required the practice of set prayers upon that consideration more than these, never 31 was the poison of heterodox opinions more ingredient into the public prayers of the Church than now, where one decries the deity of Christ and His mediatorship, by making no applications to Him, nor to God by Him. Another sets him up too high by omitting of confessions of sins as impertinent in those who are planted into Christ, and being so, as he conceiveth sin not at all; if nothing of unsound belief be uttered, yet how frequent is the venting of several passions upon the private interest of men's factious engagements, even so far, as many have preferred their petitions to God for the destruction of the very presbyterian government, whereof Mr. Edwards giveth several instances. Who cannot justly be offended at such miscarriages in so holy a duty?

Far be it from me to charge the generality of our new ministry with these blemishes: confess I must and will, many, very many of them, are excellently qualified and endowed with gifts proper for this sacred duty, and do exercise those gifts to the great edification of their congregations; but in the mean time, if such miscarriages have actually happened already, or may so hereafter, through the violent passions of other men misprincipled, may it not justly be judged

h Smectymnuus, 1641. [This title is formed of the initial letters of the names of the joint authors of the book referred to Steph. Marshall, Edm. Calamy, Thos. Young, Matthew New

comen, Will. Spurstow.]

i Gangren, Part i. p. 40. ["An Independent minister prayed that the Presbytery might be removed, and God's kingdom be set up."]

I.

a matter of scandal and offence, to such as have a due value CHAP. for that holy ordinance, and consequently may not those worthier men be conceived guilty of the crime, through whose misprovidence these errors have come to pass? How much better were an amicable compliance on both sides, by prescribing set forms for the desk, and allowing conceived prayer for the pulpit, so that neither may possess and engross the whole service to itself, but share and divide it by a friendly agreement: until such an award shall be made by those who assume the power of arbitration in this affair, slender hopes have I to see much of either order or edification in the service of our Church.

CHAP.
II.

THE TABLE AND CALENDAR EXPRESSING THE
PSALMS AND LESSONS

TO BE SAID AT MORNING AND EVENING PRAYER THROUGHOUT THE YEAR,
EXCEPT CERTAIN PROPER FEASTS, AS THE RULES FOLLOWING MORE
PLAINLY DECLARE.

The Order how the Psalter is appointed to be read.

Omitted in

service

book.

CHAPTER II.

Common Prayer.
The Psalter shall be read
through once every month.
And because that some
months be longer than some
other be, it is thought good
to make them even by this

means.

Scotch Liturgy. The Psalter shall be read A through once every month, save February, and in that month so far as the Psalms are appointed for twenty-eight or twenty-nine days in the leapyear.

To every month shall be appointed (as concerning this purpose) just thirty days.

And because January and March hath one day above the said number, and February, which is placed between them both, hath only twenty-eight days, February shall borrow of either of the months of January and March one day and so the Psalter which shall be read in February must begin at the last day of January and end the first day of March.

:

And whereas [Scotch Liturgy, "many months have," &c.] May, July, August, October, and December, have thirtyone 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 months ensuing.

Now to know what Psalms shall be read every day, look the Scotch in the calendar the number that is appointed for the Psalms, and then find the same number in this table, and upon that number shall you see what Psalms shall be said at morning and evening prayer.

34

II.

And where the 119th Psalm is divided into twenty-two CHAP. portions, and is over-long to be read at one time, it is so ordered, that at one time shall not be read above four or five of the said portions, as you shall perceive to be noted in this table following.

And here is also to be noted that in this table, and in all other parts of the service where any Psalms are appointed, the number is expressed after the great English Bible, which, from the 9th Psalm unto the 148th Psalm, following the division of the Hebrews, doth vary in numbers from the common Latin translation.

CHAP.

II.

The word

Sundays

THE ORDER HOW THE REST OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURE, 35
BESIDE THE PSALTER, IS APPOINTED TO BE READ.

THE Old Testament is appointed for the first lessons at morning and evening prayer, and shall be read through every year once, except certain books and chapters which be B least edifying, and might be best spared, and therefore be left unread.

The New Testament is appointed for the second lessons at morning and evening prayer, and shall be read over orderly every year thrice, beside the epistles and gospels, except the Apocalypse, out of the which there be only certain lessons appointed upon divers proper feasts.

And to know what lessons shall be read every day, find the day of the month in the calendar following, and there ye shall perceive the books and chapters that shall be read for the lessons both at morning and evening prayer.

And here is to be noted, that whensoever there be any omitted in proper psalms or lessons appointed for the Sundays, or for the two any feast, moveable or unmoveable, then the psalms and Edw. VI. lessons appointed in the calendar shall be omitted for that

liturgies of

time.

Ye must note also, that the collect, epistle, and gospel, appointed for the Sunday, shall serve all the week after, except there fall some feast that hath his proper lesson.

Common Prayer. When the years of our Lord may be divided into four even parts, which is every fourth year, then the Sunday letter leapeth, and that year the psalms and lessons, which serve for the twenty-third day of February, shall be read again the day following, except it be Sunday, which hath proper lessons of the Old Testament appointed in the table serving for that purpose.

1 and 2 B. of Edw. VI. This is also to be noted concerning the leap year, that the twenty-fifth day of February, which, in leap year, is counted for two days, alter neither psalm nor lesson, but the same psalms and lessons which be said the first day shall also serve for the second.