also of the Churches determining controversies of doctrines and matters of belief in a full Council Act. 15. and requiring submission to those determinations from inferiour members The like did the Church afterwards in her general Councils of NICE CONSTANTINOPLE EPHESUS and CHALCEDON And not onely the General Councils have exercised this Authority but particular Churches also in National Councils in the Council of ORANGE MILEVIS and others have used the same power over their children whom they were bound to teach and govern and for whose souls they were to account to God and they did no more then was their right so long as they did it with submission to the general Church to whom they are subject Christ said to the Apostles and by this to all the guides of soules that should succeed them in a lawful Ordination He that heares you heares me and he that despises you despises me St. Cypr. ep 69 From these premises it plainly follows that our dear Mother the Church of England in making these Canons and Articles for determining of controversies in matters of belief which you may see in the ensuing Collection did no more then what was both her right and her duty to do both for the preservation of her peace and the guidance and conduct of the souls committed to her charge and what her care hath been in the exercise of this power for the good of her members ever since the Reformation will evidently to her honour appear by this following Collection made up not without great care and industry of the Publisher By which he hath done our Mother this farther right that now whosoever will may easily see the notorious slander which some of the Roman perswasion have endeavourd to cast upon her That her Reformation hath been altogether Lay and Parliamentary for by the Canons and articles following which were formerly scattered and hard to be seen by every one now gathered together into a body it easily appears to any that will but open their eyes and read that the Reformation of this Church was orderly and Synodical by the Guides and Governours of souls and confirmed by Supream Authority and so in every particular as legal as any reformation could or ought to be Anth. Sparrow Books sold by T. Garthwait THe Works of that Profound Divine Dr. Tho. Jackson president of Corp. Chr. Coll. Oxon. in Folio 3. Volumes The Scholastical History of the Canon of the Scripture by Dr. Cofin Ld. Bp. Duresme in 4o. An Introduction to the Oriental Languages by Dr. Walton Ld. Bp. of Chester in 12o. The English Case exactly set down by Hezekiahs Reformation in a Serm. at Paris before His Majesty by Dr. Steward Dean of Westminster in 12o. A Rationale upon the Book of Com. Prayer by Dr. Sparrow in 12o. A Defence of the Liturgy in answer to the Exceptions of divers Ministers in 12o. The Form of Consecration of a Church by Bp. Andrews Golden Remains of Mr. John Hales of Eton Colledge with His Letters touching rhe Synod of Dort in 4o. Dr. Pierce of the Positive being of sin with a Postscript touching Mr. Baxter in 4o. A Sermon of Lent preacht before his Majesty by Dr. Gunning c. in 4o. Bp. Andrews his Sermons in fol. INJUNCTIONS given by the most excellent Prince EDWARD the Sixt By the grace of God King of England France and Ireland Defender of the Faith and in earth under Christ of the Church of England and Ireland the supreme head To all and singular his loving subjects as well of the Clergy as of the Laitie Imprinted at LONDON by Richard Grafton 1547. Injunctions given by the most excellent Prince Edward the sixt by the grace of God King of England France and Ireland defender of the Faith and in earth under Christ of the Church of England and of Ireland the supreme head To all and singular his loving subjects as well of the Clergy as of the Laity THE Kings most Royal Majestie by the advice of his most dear uncle the Duke of Somerset Lord Protector of all his Realms Dominions and Subiects and Governour of his most royal person and the residue of his most honourable counsel intending the advancement of the true honour of almighty God the suppression of Idolatry and Superstition throughout all his Realms and Dominions and to plant true Religion to the extirpation of all hypocrisy enormities and abuses as to his duty appertaineth doth minister unto his loving subjects these godly Injunctions hereafter following Whereof part were given unto them heretofore by the authority of his most dear beloved father King Henry the viii of most famous memory and part are now ministred and given by his Majesty All which Injunctions his highnesse willeth and commandeth his said loving subjects by his supreme authority obediently to receive and truely to observe and keep every man in their offices degrees and states as they will avoyd his displeasure and the pains in the same Injunctions hereafter expressed 1. The first is that all Deans Archdeacons Parsons Vicars and other Ecclesiastical persons shall faithfully keep and observe and as far as in them may lye shall cause to be observed and kept of other all and singular laws and statutes made as well for the abolishing and extirpation of the Bishop of Rome his pretensed and usurped power and jurisdiction as for the establishment and confirmation of the Kings authority jurisdiction and supremacy of the Church of England and Ireland And furthermore all Ecclesiasticall persons having cure of souls shall to the uttermost of their wit knowledge and learning purely sincerely and without any colour or dissimulation declare manifest and open iiii times every year at the least in their Sermons ond other collations that the Bishop of Romes usurped power and jurisdiction having no establishment nor ground by the laws of God was of most just causes taken away and abolished and that therefore no manner of obedience or subjection whithin his Realms and Dominions is due unto him And that the Kings power within his Realms and Dominions is the highest power under God to whom all men within the same Realms and Dominions by Gods laws owe most loyalty and obedience afore and above all other powers and Potentates in earth Besides this to the intent that all superstition and hypocrisy crept into divers mens hearts may vanish away They shall not set forth or extol any Images Relicks or Miracles for any superstition or lucre nor allure the people by any inticements to the Pilgrimage of any Saint or Image but reproving the same they shall teach that all goodness health and grace ought to be both asked and looked for onely of God as of the very author and giver of the same and of none other Item that they the persons above rehersed shall make or cause to be made in their Churches and every other Cure they have one Sermon every quarter of the year at the least wherein they shall purely and sincerely declare the word
to him COme unto me all that travel and be heavy laden and I shall refresh you So God loved the world that he gave his onely begotten son to the end that all that believe in him should not perish but have life everlasting Heare also what S. Paul saith THis is a true saying and worthy of all men to be embraced and received that Iesus Christ came into this world to save sinners Heare also what St. John saith IF any man sin we have an advocate with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous he it is that obtained grace for our sins Then shall the Priest kneel down and say in the name of all them that shall receive the Communion this prayer following WE do not presume to come to this thy table O merciful Lord trusting in our own righteousnesse but in thy manifold and great mercies we be not worthy so much as to gather up the crombs under thy table but thou art the same Lord whose property is always to have mercy grant us therefore gracious Lord so to eat the flesh of thy dear Son Iesus Christ and to drink his blood in these holy Mysteries that we may continually dwell in him and he in us that our sinful bodies may be made clean by his body and our souls washed through his most pretious blood Amen Then shall the Priest rise the people still reverently kneeling and the Priest shall deliver the Communion first to the Ministers if any be there present that they may be ready to help the Priest and after to the other And when he doth deliver the Sacrament of the body of Christ he shall say to every one these words following THe body of our Lord Iesus Christ which was given for thee preserve thy body unto everlasting life And the Priest delivering the Sacrament of the blood and giving every one to drink once and no more shall say THe blood of our Lord Iesus Christ which was shed for thee preserve thy soul unto everlasting life If there be a Deacon or other Priest then shall he follow with the Chalice and as the Priest Ministreth the bread so shall he for more expedition Minister the wine in form before written Then shall the priest turning him to the people let the people depart with this blessing THe peace of God which passeth all understanding keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God and of his son Iesus Christ our Lord. To the which the people shall answer Amen Note that the bread that shall be consecrated shall be such as heretofore hath been accustomed And every of the said consecrated breads shall be broken into two pieces at the least or more by the discretion of the Minister and so distributed And men must not think lesse to be received in part then in the whole but in each of them the whole body of our Saviour Iesus Christ Note that if it doth so chance that the wine hallowed and consecrate doth not suffice or be enough for them that do take the Communion the Priest after the first Cup or Chalice be emptied may go again to the altar and reverently and devoutly prepare and consecrate an other and so the third or more likewise beginning at these words Simili modo postquam coenatum est and ending at these words qui pro vobis pro multis effundetur in remissionem peccatorum and without any levation or lifting up Articles to be enquired of in visitations to be had within the Diocesse of Canterbury in the second year of the Reign of our Dread Sovereign Lord Edward the 6. by the grace of God King of England France and Ireland defender of the Faith and in earth of the Church of England and also of Ireland the supreme head FIrst Whether Parsons Vicars and Curates and every of them have purely and sincerely without colour or dissimulation four times in the year at the least preached against the usurped power pretensed authority and jurisdiction of the Bishop of Rome Item Whether they have preached declared likewise 4. times of the year at the least that the Kings Majesties power authority and preheminence within his Realms and dominions is the highest power under God Item whether any person hath by writing ciphring preaching or teaching deed or act obstinately holden and stand with to extol set forth maintain or defend the authority jurisdiction or power of the Bishop of Rome or of his sea heretofore claimed and usurped or by any pretense obstinately or maliciously invented any thing for the extolling of the fame or any part thereof Item Whether in their common prayers they use not the Collects made for the King and make not special mention of his Majesties name in the same Item Whether they do not every Sunday and Holy day with the collects of the English procession say the prayer set forth by the Kings Majesty for peace between England and Scotland Item Whether they have not removed taken away and utterly extincted and destroyed in their Churches Chappels and houses all images all shrines coverings of shrines all tables candelsticks trindels or rolles of wax pictures paintings and all other monuments of feigned miracles pilgrimages idolatry and superstition so that there remain no memory of the same in walls glaswindowes or elsewhere Item Whether they have exhorted moved and stirred their parishoners to do the like in every of their houses Item Whether they have declared to their Parishoners the Articles concerning the abrogation of certain superfluous holy dayes and done their indeavour to perswade the said parishioners to keep and observe the same Articles inviolably and whether any of those abrogate dayes hath been kept as holy dayes and by whose occasion they were so kept Item Whether they have diligently duly and reverently ministred the Sacraments in their Cures Item Whether they have preached or caused to be preached purely and sincerely the word of God in every of their Cures every quatter of the year once at the least exhorting their parishioners to the works commanded by Scriptures and not to works devised by mens phantasies besides Scripture as wearing or praying upon beads or such like Item Whether they suffer any Torches Candles Tapers or any other lights to be in your Churches but only two lights upon the high Altar Item Whether they have not every holy day when they have no Sermon immediately after the Gospel openly plainly and distinctly recited to their parishioners in the Pulpit the Pater Noster the Creed and the Ten Commandements in English Item Whether every Lent they examine such persons as come to Confession to them whether they can recite the Pater Noster the Articles of our Faith and the Ten Commandements in English Item Whether they have charged fathers and mothers masters and governours of youth to bring them up in some vertuous study or occupation Item Whether such beneficed men as be lawfully absent from their benefices do leave their Cure to a rude and unlearned
this Realm And also that if there shall happen any contempt or irreverence to be used in the Ceremonies or Rites of the Church by the misusing of the orders appointed in this book the Queens Majesty may by the like advice of the said Commissioners or Metropolitan ordain and publish such farther Ceremonies or Rites as may be most for the advancement of Gods Glory the edifying of his Church and the due reverence of Christs holy mysteries and Sacraments And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforsaid All Lawes Ordinances made for other service shall be void That all Laws statutes and ordinances wherein or whereby any other service administration of Sacraments or Common Prayer is limited established or set forth to be used within this Realm or any other the Queens Dominions or Countryes shall from henceforth be utterly void and of none effect Coke pla fol 352. A Clause Anno 8. Eliz. cap. 1. A confirmation of the Stat. of 1 Eliz. 2. touching the book of Common Prayer Administration of the Sacraments WHerefore for the plain declaration of all the premisses and to the intent that the same may the better be known to every of the Queens Majesties subjects whereby such evil speech as heretofore hath been used against the High state of Prelacy may hereafter cease Be it now declared and enacted by the Authority of this present Parliament that the said Act and Statute made in the first year of the reign of our said Soveraign Lady the Queens Majesty whereby the said book of Common-prayer and the Administration of Sacraments with other Rites and Ceremonies is authorized and allowed to be used shall stand and remain good and perfect to all respects and purposes And that such order and form for the Consecrating of Archbishops A Confirmation of the Stat. of 5. 6. Ed. 6. 1 touching the form of consecrating Archbishops c. and Bishops and for the making of Priests Deacons and Ministers as was set forth in the time of the said late King Edward the sixth and added to the said Book of Common-prayer and authorised by Parliament in the fifth and sixth years of the said late King shall stand and be in full force and effect and shall from henceforth be used and observed in all places within this Realm and other the Queens Majesties Dominions and Countries Anno 13. Eliz. cap. 12. Reformation of Disorders in the Ministers of the Church c. THat the Churches of the Queens Majesties Dominions may be served with Pastors of sound Religion Be it enacted by the Authority of this present Parliament That every person under the degree of a Bishop which doth or shall pretend to be a Priest or Minister of Gods holy Word and Sacraments by reason of any other form of Institution Consecration or ordering than the form set forth by Parliament in the time of the late King of most Worthy Memory King Edward the sixth 3. Edw. 6.12 5. Edw. 6.1 Dyer f. 377. or now used in the Reigne of our most gracious Soveraigne Lady before the Feast of the Nativity of Christ next following shall in the presence of the Bishop or Guardian of the Spiritualities of some one Diocesse where he hath or shall have Ecclesiastical living declare his assent Every Ecclesiastical person shall subscribe to the Articles touching the Confession of the Faith and declare his assent thereunto and subscribe to all the Articles of Religion which only concern the Confession of the true Christian Faith and the Doctrine of the Sacraments comprised in a book imprinted entituled Articles Whereupon it was agreed by the Archbishops and Bishops of both Provinces and the whole Clergy in the Convocation holden at London in the year of our Lord God a thousand five hundred sixty and two according to the computation of the Church of England for the avoiding of the diversities of opinions and for the establishing of consent touching true Religion put forth by the Queens Authority and shall bring from such Bishop or Guardian of Spiritualties in writing under his Seal Authentick a testimonial of such assent and subscription and openly on some Sunday in the time of some publick service afternoon Reading of the Articles testimonial in every Church where by reason of any Ecclesiastical living he ought to attend read both the said testimonial and the said Articles upon pain that every such person which shall not before the said Feast do as is above appointed shall be ipso facto deprived and all his Ecclesiastical promotions shall be void as if he were then naturally dead And that if any person Ecclesiastical or which shall have Ecclesiastical livings shall advisedly maintain or affirm any Doctrine directly contrary or repugnant to any of the said Articles The penaltie of maintaining of Doctrine against the Articles and being convented before the Bishop of the Diocesse or the Ordinary or before the Queens Highnesse Commissioners in causes Ecclesiastical shall persist therein or not revoke his error or after such revocation eftsoones affirm such untrue Doctrine such maintaining or affirming and persisting or such eftsoone affirming shall be just cause to deprive such person of his Ecclesiastical promotions And it shall be lawful to the Bishop of the Diocess or the Ordinary or the said Commissioners to deprive such persons so persisting or lawfully convicted of such eftsoones affirming and upon such sentence of deprivation pronounced he shall be indeed deprived Several things required in him which shall be admitted to a Benefice And that no person shall hereafter be admitted to any Benefice with Cure except he then be of the age of three and twenty years at the least and a Deacon and shall first have subscribed the said Articles in presence of the Ordinary and publickly read the same in the Parish Church of that Benefice with declaration of his unfeigned assent to the same And that every person after the end of this Session of Parliament to be admitted to a Benefice with Cure except that within two moneths after his Induction he do publickly read the said Articles in the same Church whereof he shall have Cure in the time of Common Prayer there with declaration of his unfeigned assent thereto and be admitted to minister the Sacraments within one year after his Induction if he be not so admitted before shall be upon every such default ipso facto immediately deprived And that no person now permitted by any dispensation or otherwise shall retain any Benefice with Cure being under the age of One and Twenty years or not being Deacon at the least or which shall not be admitted as is aforesaid within one year next after the making of this Act or within six moneths after he shall accomplish the age of twenty four years on pain that such his dispensation shall be meerly void The age of a Minister or Preacher and his testimoniall And that none shall be made Minister or admitted to
should receive the blessed Sacrament of the Altar and admonish them to learn the said necessary things more perfectly or else they ought not to presume to come to Gods board without a perfect knowledge and will to observe the same and if they do it is to the great peril of their souls and also to the worldly rebuke that they might incur hereafter by the same Also that they shall admit no man to preach within any their Cures but such as shall appear unto them to be sufficiently licensed thereunto by the Kings Majeste the Lord Protectors grace the Archbishop of Canterbury the Archbishop of York in his Province or the Bishop of the Diocesse and such as shall be so licensed they shall gladly receive to declare the word of God without any resistence or contradiction Also if they have heretofore declared to their parishioners any thing to the extolling or setting forth of pilgrimages relicks or Images or lighting of Candels kissing kneeling decking of the same Images or any such superstition they shall now openly before the same recant and reprove the same shewing them as the truth is that they did the same upon no ground of scripture but were led and seduced by a common errour and abuse crept into the Church through the sufference and avarice of such as felt profit by the same Also if they do or shall know any man within their parish or elsewhere that is a letter of the word of God to be read in English or sincerely preached or of the execution of these the Kings Majesties Injunctions or a fautor of the Bishop of Romes pretensed power now by the laws of this Realm justly reiected extirpated and taken away utterly they shall detect and present the same to the King or his Council or to the Iustice of peace next adjoyning Also that the Parson Vicar or Curate and parishioners of every parish within this Realm shall in their Churches and Chapels keep one Book or Register wherein they shall write the day and year of every wedding Christning and Burial made within their Parish for their time and so every man succeeding them likewise And therein shall write every persons name that shall be so Wedded Christned or Buried And for the safe keeping of the same book the parish shall be bound to provide of their common charges one sure cofer with two locks and keyes whereof the one to remain with the Parson Vicar or Curate the other with the Wardens of every Parish church or chapel wherein the said book shall be laid up which book they shall every Sunday take forth and in the presence of the said Wardens or one of them write and record in the same all the Weddings Christnings and Burials made the whole week before and that done to lay up the book in the said cofer as afore And for every time that the same shall be omitted the party that shall be in the fault thereof shall forfeit to the said Church iii. s. iiii d. to be employed to the poor mens box of that parish Furthermore because the goods of the Church are called the goods of the poor and at these dayes nothing is less seen then the poor to be sustained with the same all Parsons Vicars Pencionaries Prebendaries and other beneficed men within this Deanery not being resident upon their benefices which may dispend yearly xx.l. or above either within this Deanery or elsewhere shall distribute hereafter among their poor parishioners or other inhabitants there in the presence of the Church-wardens or some other honest men of the parish the xl part of the fruits and revenues of their said benefices lest they be worthily noted of ingratitude which reserving so many parts to themselves cannot vouchsafe to impart the xl portion thereof among the poor people of that parish that is so fruitful and profitable unto them And to the intent that learned men may hereafter spring the more for the execution of the premisses ever Parson Vicar Clerk or beneficed man within this Deanery having yearly to dispend in benefices and other promotions of the Church an C.l. shall give competent exhibition to one Scholar and for so many C.l. more as he may dispend to so many Scholars more shall he give like exhibition in the Vniversity of Oxford or Cambridge or some Grammar schole which after they have profited in good learning may be partners of their patrons cure and charge as well in preaching as otherwise in the execution of their offices or may when need shall be otherwise profit the Common weale with their counsail and wisdom Also that the proprietaries Parsons Vicars and Clerks having Churches Chapels or Mansions within this Deanery shall bestow yearly hereafter upon the same Mansions or Chancels of their Churches being in decay the fift part of that their benefices till they be fully repaired and the same so repaired shall alwayes keep and maintain in good estate Also that the said Parsons Vicars and Clerks shall once every quarter of the year read these Injunctions given unto them openly and deliberately before all their parishioners to the intent that both they may be the better admonished of their duty and their said Parishioners the more moved to follow the same for their part Also for as much as by a law established every man is bound to pay his tithes no man shall by colour of duty omitted by their Curates detain their tithes and so redubbe and requite one wrong with another or be his own judge but shall truely pay the same as he hath been accustomed to their Parsons Vicars and Curates without any restraint or diminution And such lack and default as they can justly finde in their Parsons and Curates to call for reformation thereof at their ordinaries and other superiours hands who upon complaint and due proof thereof shall reform the same accordingly Also that no person shall from hence forth alter or change the order and manner of any fasting day that is commanded or of Common prayer or divine service otherwise then is specified in these Injunctions until such time as the same shall be otherwise ordered and transposed by the Kings authority Also that every Parson Vicar Curate Chauntery priest and Stipendary being under the degree of a Bacheler of Divinity shall provide and have of his own within three moneths after this visitation the New Testament both in Latine and in English with the Paraphrase upon the same of Erasmus and diligently study the same conferring the one with the other And the Bishops and other ordinaries by themselves or their officers in their Synods and visitations shall examine the said Ecclesiastical persons how they have profited in the studie of holy Scripture Also in the time of high Masse within every Church he that saith or singeth the same shall read or cause to be read the Epistle and Gospel of that Masse in English and not in Latine in the Pulpit or in such convenient place as the people
Majesty hath appointed for the due execution of the same shall be seen convenient charging and commanding them to see these Injunctions observed and kept of all persons being under their jurisdiction as they will answer to his Majesty for the contrary and his Majesties pleasure is that every Iustice of peace being required shall assist the Ordinaries and every of them for the due execution of the said Injunctions THE ORDER OF THE COMMUNION Imprinted at LONDON by Richard Grafton 1547. The Proclamation EDward by the grace of God King of England France and Ireland defender of the faith and of the Church of England and Ireland in earth the supreme head To all and singular our loving subjects Greeting For so much as in our high Court of Parliament lately holden at Westminster it was by us with the consent of the Lords spiritual and temporal and Commons there assembled most godly and agreeably to Christs holy institution enacted that the most blessed Sacrament of the body and blood of our Saviour Christ should from thenceforth be commonly delivered and ministred unto all persons within our Realm of England and Ireland and other our dominions under both kinds that is to say of bread and wine except necessity other wayes require least any man phansying and devising a sundry way by himself in the use of this most blessed Sacrament of unity there might thereby arise any unseemly and ungodly diversity Our pleasure is by the advice of our most deare Vncle the Duke of Somerset governour of our person and Protector of all our Realms Dominions and Subjects and other of our privie Councel that the said blessed Sacrament be ministred unto our people onely after such form and manner as hereafter by our authority with the advice before mentioned is set forth and declared willing every man with due reverence and Christian behaviour to come to this holy Sacrament and most blessed Communion lest by the unworthy receiving of so high mysteries they become guilty of the body and blood of the Lord and so eat and drink their own damnation but rather diligently trying themselves that they may so come to this holy table of Christ so be partakers of this holy Communion that they may dwell in Christ and have Christ dwelling in them And allso with such obedience and conformity to receive this our ordinance and most godly direction that we may be encouraged from time to time further to travel for the reformation and setting forth of such godly orders as may be most to Gods glory the edifying of our subjects and for the advancement of true Religion Which thing we by the help of God most earnestly intend to bring to effect willing all our loving subjects in the mean time to stay and quiet themselves with this our direction as men content to follow authority according to the bounden duty of subjects and not enterprising to run afore and so by their rashnesse become the greatest hinderers of such things as they more arrogantly then godly would seem by their own private authority most hotly to set forward We would not have our subjects so much to mislike our Iudgement so much to mistrust our zeal as though we either could not discern what were to be done or would not do all things in due time God be praised we know both what by his word is meet to be redressed and have an earnest minde by the advice of our most dear uncle and other of our privie Councel with all diligence and convenient speed so to set forth the same as it may most stand with Gods glory and edifying quietness of our people which we doubt not but all our obedient and loving subjects will quietly and reverently tarry for God save the KING The Order of the Communion First the Parson Vicar or Curate the next Sunday or holy day or at the least one day before he shall minister the Communion shall give warning to his parishioners or those which be present that they prepare themselves thereto saying to them openly and plainly as hereafter followeth or such like DEar friends and you especially upon whose souls I have cure charge upon day next I do intend by Gods grace to offer to all such as shall be there Godly disposed the most comfortable Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ to be taken of them in the remembrance of his most fruitful and glorious passion By the which passion we have obtained remission of our sins and be made partakers of the kingdom of heaven wherof we be assured and ascertained if we come to the said Sacrament with hearty repentance for our offences stedfast faith in Gods mercy and earnest minds to obey Gods will and to offend no more wherefore our duty is to come to these holy mysteries with most hearty thanks to be given to Almighty God for his infinite mercy and benefits given and bestowed upon us his unworthy servants for whom he hath not onely given his body to death and shed his blood but also doth vouchsafe in a Sacrament and mystery to give us his said body and blood spiritually to feed and drink upon The which Sacrament being so divine and holy a thing and so comfortable to them which receive it worthily and so dangerous to them that will presume to take the same unworthily my duty is to exhort you in the mean season to consider the greatness of the thing and to search and examine your own consciences and that not lightly nor after the manner of dissemblers with God But as they which should come to a most godly and heavenly banket not to come but in the marriage garment required of God in Scripture that you may so much as lyeth in you be found worthy to come to such a table the wayes and means thereto is First that you be truly repentant of your former evil life and that you confesse with an unfeigned heart to almighty God your sins and unkindnesse towards his Majesty committed either by will word or deed infirmity or ignorance and that with inward sorrow and tears you bewaile your offences and require of almighty God mercy and pardon promising to him from the bottom of your hearts the amendment of your former life And amongst all others I am commanded of God especially to move and exhort you to reconcile your selves to your neighbours whom you have offended or who hath offended you putting out of your hearts all hatred and malice against them to be in love charity with all the world and to forgive other as you would that God should forgive you And if there be any of you whose conscience is troubled and grieved at any thing lacking comfort or counsel let him come to me or to some other discreet and learned Priest taught in the law of God and confess and open his sin and grief secretly that he may receive such ghostly counsel advice and comfort that his conscience may be relieved that of us as
person and not an honest well learned and expert Curate which can and will teach you wholsome doctrine Item Whether in every Cure they have they have provided one book of the whole Bible of the largest volumn in English and the Paraphrasis of Eras mus also in English upon the Gospels and set up the same in some convenient place in the Church where their parishioners may most commodiously resort to the same Item Whether they have discouraged any person from reading of any part of the Bible either in Latine or in English but rather comforted and exhorted every person to read the same as the very lively word of God and the special food of mans soul Item Whether Parsons Vicars Curates and other Priests be common haunters resorters to Taverns or Alehouses giving themselves to drinking rioting or playing at unlawful games and do not occupie themselves in the reading or hearing of some part of holy Scripture or in some other godly exercise Item Whether they have admitted any man to preach in their cures not being lawfully licensed thereunto or have refused or denied such to preach as have been licensed accordingly Item Whether they which have heretofore declared to their parishioners any thing to the extolling or setting forth of Pilgrimages relicks or Images or lighting of candles kissing kneeling decking of the same Images or any such superstition have not openly recanted and reproved the same Item Whether they have one book or register safely kept wherein they write the day of every Wedding Christening and Burying Item Whether they have exhorted the people to obedience to the Kings Majesty and his Ministers and to Charity and love one to another Item Whether they have admonished their Parishioners that they ought not to presume to receive the Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ before they can perfectly rehearse the Pater noster the Articles of the faith and the ten Commandments in English Item Whether they have declared and to their wits and power have perswaded the people that the manner and kinde of fasting in Lent and other dayes in the year is but a meer positive law and that therefore all persons having just cause of sickness or other necessity or being licensed by the Kings Majesty may moderately eat all kinde of meats without grudge or scruple of conscience Item Whether they be resident upon their benefices and keep hospitality or no and if they be absent or keep no hospitality whether they do make due distributions among the poor parishioners or not Item Whether Parsons Vicars Clerks and other beneficed men having yearly to dispend an hundred pound do not finde competently one Scholar in the university of Cambridg or Oxford or Some Grammar schoole and for as many hundred pounds as every of them may dispend so many Scholars like wise to be found by them and what be their names that they so finde Item Whether Proprietaries Parsons Vicars and Clerks having Churches Chapels or Mansions do keep their Chancels Rectories Vicarages and all other houses appertaining to them in due reparations Item Whether they have councelled or moved their Parishioners rather to pray in a tongue not known then in English or to put their trust in any prescribed number of prayers as in saying over a number of beads or other like Item Whether they have read the Kings Majesties Injunctions every quarter of the year the first holy day of the same quarter Item Whether the Parsons Vicars Curates and other Priests being under the degree of a Bachelar of Divinity have of their own the new Testament both in Latine and in English and the paraphrase of Erasmus upon the same Item Whether within every Church he that Ministreth hath read or cause to be read the Epistle and Gospel in English and not in Latine either in the Pulpit or some other meet place so as the people may hear the same Item Whether every Sunday and holy day at Matiues they have read or cause to be read plainly and distinctly in the said place one Chapter of the new Testament in English immediatly after the Lessons and at Evensong after Magnificat one Chapter of the old testament Item Whether they have not at Matius omitted three lessons when ix should have been read in the Church and at Evensong the Responds with all the Memories Item Whether they have declared to their parishioners that Saint Marks day and the evens of the abrogate holy dayes should not be fasted Item Whether they have the Procession book in English and have said or song the said Litany in any other place but upon their knees in the middest of their Church and whether they use any other procession or omit the said Litany at any time or say it or sing it in such sort as the people cannot understand the same Item Whether they have put out of their Church-books this word Papa and the name and service of Thomas Bequet and prayers having rubrics containing pardons or indulgences and all other superstitious legends and prayers Item Whether they bid not the beades according to the order appointed by the Kings Majesty Item Whether they have opened and declared unto you the true use of Ceremonies that is to say that they be no workers nor workes of salvation but onely outward signes and tokens to put us in remembrance of things of higher perfection Item Whether they have taught and declared to their parishioners that they may with a safe and quiet conscience in the time of Harvest labour upon the holy and festival dayes and if supersticiously they abstain from working upon those dayes that then they do greivously offend and displease God Item Whether they have admitted any persons to the Communion being openly known to be out of charity with their neighbours Item Whether the Deanes Archdeacons Masters of Hospitals and Prebendaries have preached by themselves personally twice every year at the least Item whether they have provided and have a strong Chest for the poor mens Box and set and fastned the same neer to the high altar Item Whether they have diligently called upon exhorted and moved their parishioners and specially when they make their Testaments to give to the said poor mens Box and to bestow that upon the poor Chest which they were wont to bestow upon Pardons Pilgrimages Trentalles Masses satisfactory decking of Images offering of Candles giving to Friers and upon other like blinde devotions Item Whether they have denied to Visit the sick or bury the dead being brought to the Church Item Whether they have bought their benefices or come to them by fraud or deceit Item Whether they have every Sonday when the people be most gathered read one of the Homilies in order as they stand in the book set forth by the Kings Majesty Item Whether they do not omit prime and houres when they have any Sermon or Homily Item Whether they have said or sung any Masse in any Oratory Chappel or any mans house not
being hallowed Item Whether they have given open monition to their Parishoners that they should not wear beads nor pray upon them Item Whether they have moved their Parishoners lying upon their death-beds or at any other time to bestow any part of their substance upon Trentals Masses Satisfactory or any such blinde devotions Item Whether they take any Trentals or other Masses Satisfactory to say or sing for the quick or the dead Item Whether they have given open monition to their parishioners to detect and present to their Ordinary all adulterers and fornicators and such men as have two wives living and such women as haue two husbands living within their parishes Item Whether they haue not monished their Parishoners openly that they should not sell giue nor otherwise alienate any of their Churche goods Item Whether they or any of them do keep more benefices and other Ecclesiastical promotions then they ought to do not having sufficient licence and dispensations thereunto and how many they be and their names Item Whether they minister the Communion any otherwise then only after such form and manner as is set forth by the Kings Majesty in the book of the Communion Item Whether they hallowed and delivered to the people any Candles upon Candlemas-day and Ashes upon Ashe-Wednesday or any Palms upon Palm Sunday last past Item Whether they had upon Good-Friday last-past the Sepulchres with their lights having the Sacrament therein Item Whether they upon Easier-Even last past hallowed the Font Fire or Paschal or had any Paschal set up or burning in their Churches Item Whether your Parsons and Vicars have admitted any Curates to serve their Cures which were not first examined and allowed either by my Lord of Canterbury Master Arch-Deacon or their officers Item Whether you know any person within your parish or else where that is a letter of the word of God to be read in English or sincerely preached or of the execution of the Kings Majesties Injunctions or other his Majesties proceedings in matters of religion Item Whether every parish have provided a Chest with two locks and keyes for the book of Wedding Christining and Burying Item Whether in the time of the Letany or any other Common prayer in the time of the Sermon or Homily and when the Priest readeth the Scripture to the parishioners any person have departed out of the Church without a just and necessary cause Item Whether any bells have been knowled or rung at the time of the premisses Item Whether any person hath abused the Ceremonies as in casting holy water upon his bed or bearing about him holy bread St. Iohns Gospel ringing of holy bells or keeping of private holy dayes as Taylors Bakers Brewers Smithes Shoomakers and such other Item Whether the money coming and rising of any cattle or other movable stocks of the Church and mony given or bequethed to the finding of Torches lights tapers or lamps not paid out of any lands have not been employed to the poor mens Chest Item Who hath the said stocks and money in their hands and what be their names Item Whether any undiscreet persons do uncharitably contemn and abuse Priests and Ministers of the Church Item Whether they that understand not the Latine do pray upon any Primer but the English Primer set forth by the Kings Majesties authority and whether they that understand Latine do use any other then the Latine Primer set forth by like authority Item Whether there be any other Grammar taught in any other school within this Diocesse then that which is set forth by the Kings Majesty Item Whether any person keep their Church holy day and the dedication day any otherwise or at any other time then is appointed by the Kings Majesty Item Whether the service in the Church be done at due and convenient houres Item Whether any have used to commune jangle and talk in the Church in the time of the Common prayer reading of the Homily Preaching Reading or declaring of the Scripture Item Whether any have wilfully maintained and defended any Heresies Errors or false opinions contrary to the faith of Christ and holy Scripture Item Whether any be common drunkards swearers or blasphemers of the name of God Item Whether any have committed adultery fornication or incest or be common bands and receivers of such evil persons or vehemently suspected of any of the premises Item Whether any be braulers slanderers chiders scolders and sowers of discord between one person and another Item Whether you know any that use Charmes Sorcery Enchantments Witchcraft Southsaying or any like craft invented by the Devil Item Whether the Churches Pulpits and other necessaries appertaining to the same be sufficiently repaired Item Whether you know any that in contempt of their own Parish Church do resort to any other Church Item Whether any Inholders or Alehousekeepers do use commonly to sell meat and drink in the time of Common prayer Preaching or Reading of the Homilies or Scripture Item Whether you know any to be married within the degrees prohibited by the Laws of God or that be separated or divorced without a just cause allowed by the Law of God and whether any such have married again Item Whether you know any to have made privie contratts of matrimony not calling two or more thereunto Item Whether they have married solemnly the banes not first lawfully asked Item Whether you know any Executors or Administrators of dead mens goods which do not duely bestow such of the said goods as were given and bequeathed or appointed to be distributed among the poor people repairing of high wayes finding of poor Scholars or marrying of poor Maids or such other like charitable deeds Item Whether any do contemn married Priests and for that they be married will not receive the Communion or other Sacraments at their hands Item Whether you know any that keep in their houses undefaced any abused or feigned Images any Tables Pictures Paintings or other monuments of feigned miracles Pilgrimages Idolatry or Superstition ARTICLES to be enquired of IN THE VISITATION OF THE DIOCES of LONDON By the reverend Father in God NICOLAS BISHOP of LONDON In the fourth year of our Soveraign Lord King Edward the 6. by the Grace of God King of England France and Ireland defender of the faith and in earth of the Church of England and also of Ireland the supreme head next and immediatly under our Saviour CHRIST Imprinted at LONDON by Reynold Wolfe M.DL St. PAUL I Testifie therefore before God and before the Lord Jesus Christ which shall judge the quick and dead at his appearing in his Kingdom preach thou the word be fervent in season or out of season Improve rebuke exhort withal long suffering and Doctrine 2. Tim. 4. Articles of Visitation by Bishop Ridley Anno 1550. WHether your Curates and ministers be of that cdnversation of living that worthily they can be reprehended of no man Whether your Curates and Ministers do haunt and resort to Taverus or Alesouses
otherwise then for their honest necessity there to drink and riot or to play at unlawful games Whether your Ministers be common brawlers sowers of discord rather then charity among their parishioners haukers hunters or spending their time idlely or coming to their benefice by Simony Whether your Ministers or any other persons have committed adultery fornication incest baudry or to be vehemently suspected of the same common drunkards scolds or be common swearers and blasphemers of Gods holy name Whether your Parsons and Vicars do maintain their houses and Chancels in sufficient reparation or if their houses be in decay whether they bestow yearly the fift part of the fruits of the benefice untill the same be repaired Whether your Parsons and Vicars absent from their benefice do leave their Cure to an able Minister And if he may dispend yearly xx.l. or above in this Deanry or else where whether he doth distribute every year among his poor parishioners there at the least the fourty part of the fruits of the same And likewise spending yearly C.l. Whether he doth finde one scholar at either of the universities or some grammar School and so for every other hundred pound one Scholar Whether every Dean Archdeacon and Prebendary being Priest doth personally by himself Preach twice every year at the least either where he is intitled or where he hath jurisdiction or in some place united or appropriate to the same Whether your Minister having licence thereunto doth use to preach or not licenced doth diligently procure other to preach that are licenced or whether he refuseth those offering themselves that are licenced or absenteth himself or causeth other to be away from the Sermon or else admitteth any to preach that are not licenced Whether any by preaching writing word or deed hath or doth maintain the usurped power of the Bishop of Rome Whether any be a letter of the word of God to be preached or read in the English tongue Whether any do preach declare or speak any thing in derogation of the book of Common prayer or any thing therein contained or any part thereof Whether any do preach and defend that private persons may make insurrections stir sedition or compel men to give them their goods Whether the Curate doth admit any to the Communion before he be confirmed or any that ken not the Pater Noster the articles of the faith and ten Commandments in English Whether Curates do Minister the Communion for mony or use to have trentals of Communions Whether any of the Anabaptists sect or other use notoriously any unlawful or private conventicles wherein they do use Doctrine or administration of Sacraments separating themselves from the rest of the parish Whether there be any that privatly in their private house have their Masses contrary to the form and order of the book of Communion Whether any minister doth refuse to use the Common prayers or minister Sacraments in that order and form as is set forth in the book of Common prayer Whether baptisme be ministred out of necessity in any other time then on the Sunday or holy day or in an other tongue then english Whether any speaketh against baptisme of Infants Whether any be married within degrees prohibited by Gods law or separate without cause lawful or is married without banes thrice first asked 3. several holy dayes or Sundayes openly in the Church at service time Whether any curate doth marry them of other parishes without that curates licence and certificate from him of the banes thrice solemnly asked Whether any saith that the wickedesse of the Minister taketh away the effect of Christs Sacraments Whether any saith that Christian men cannot be allowed to repentance if they sin voluntarily after baptisme Whether your Curates be ready to Minister the Sacraments visit the sick and bury the dead being brought to the Church Whether any minister useth wilfully and obstinately any other Right Ceremony Order Form or manner of Communion Mattens or Evensong Ministration of Sacraments or open prayers then is set forth in the Book of Common prayer Whether your Curate once in six weeks at the least upon some Sunday or holy day before Even-song do openly in the Church instruct and examine children not confirmed in some part of the Catechisme and whether Parents and Masters do send them thither upon warning given by the Minister Whether any useth to keep abrogate holy dayes or private holy dayes as bakers shoomakers brewers smiths and such other Whether any useth to hallow water bread salt bells or candles upon Candlemas day ashes on Ashwenesday Palms on Palmsunday the Font on the Easter even fire on paschal or whether there was any sepulchre on Good-Fryday Whether the water in the Font be changed every moneth once and then any other praiers said then is in the book of Common prayer appointed Whether there be any images in your Church Tabernacles Shrines or covering of Shrines candles or trindels of wax or feigned Miracles in your Churches or private houses Whether your Church be kept in due and lawful reparation and whether there be a comly pulpit set up in the same and likewise a coffer for almes for the poor called the poor mans box or chest Whether any legacies given to the poor amending high wayes or marrying poor maides be undistributed and by whom God save the King ARTICLES agreed upon by the BISHOPS and other Learned and Godly men In the Last CONVOCATION at LONDON In the year of our Lord 1552. to root out the discord of Opinions and establish the Agreement of true Religion Published by the Kings Majesties Authority 1553. Imprinted at LONDON by John Day ARTICLES agreed upon in the CONVOCATION and published by the KINGS MAJESTY Of Faith in the holy Trinity THere is but one living and true God and he is everlasting without body parts or passions of infinite power wisdom and goodnesse the maker and preserver of all things both visible and invisible And in unity of this Godhead there be three persons of one substance power and eternity the Father the Son and the holy Ghost That the word or Son of God was made very man THe Son which is the word of the Father took mans nature in the womb of the blessed Virgin Mary of her substance so that two whole and perfect natures that is to say the Godhead and manhood were joyned together into one person never to be divided whereof is one Christ very God and very man who truely suffered was crucified dead and buried to reconcile his Father to us and to be a sacrifice for all sin of man both original and actual Of the going down of Christ into hell AS Christ died and was buried for us so also it is to be believed that he went down into hell for the body lay in the Sepulchre until the Resurrection but his Ghost departing from him was with the Ghosts that were in prison or in Hell and did preach to the same as the place of St.
the Seas or on the other side because the diversity of them is great and that there needeth good consideration to be had of the particularities thereof her Majesty referreth the prohibition or remission thereof to the order which her said Commissioners within the City of London shall take and notifie According to the which her Majesty straightly chargeth and commandeth all manner of her Subjects and especially the Wardens and Company of Stationers to be obedient Provided that these orders do not extend to any prophane Authors and Workes in any Language that have been heretofore commonly received or allowed in any of the Vniversities and Schools but the same may be printed and used as by good order they were accustomed 52. Item Reverence of Prayers Although Almighty God is al times to be honoured withal manner of reverence that may be devised yet of all other times in time of Common prayer the same is most to be regarded Therefore it is to be necessarily received that in time of the Letanie and all other Collects and common Supplications to Almighty God all manner of people shall devoutly and humbly kneel upon their knees and give ear thereunto and that whensoever the name of Iesus shall be in any Lesson Sermon Honour to the name of Iesus or other wise in the Church pronounced that due reverence be made of all persons young and old with lownesse of courtesie and uncovering of heads of the menkinde as thereunto doth necessarily belong and heretofore hath been accustomed 53. Item That all Ministers and Readers of publick Prayers Curates to read distinctly Chapters and Homilies shall be charged to read leasurely plainly and distinctly and also such as are but mean Readers shall peruse over before once or twice the Chapters and homilies to the intent they may read to the better understanding of the people and the more encouragement of godlinesse An Admonition to simple men deceived by malitious THE Queens Majesty being informed that in certain places of the Realm sundry of her native Subjects being called to Ecclesiastical Ministery of the Church be by sinister perswasion and perverse construction induced to finde some scruple in the form of an Oath which by an Act of the last Parliament is prescribed to be required of divers persons for the recognition of their Allegeance to her Majesty which certainly never was ever meant nor by any equity of words or good sense can be thereof gathered would that all her loving Subjects should understand that nothing was is or shall be meant or intended by the same Oath to have any other duty allegeance or bond required by the same Oath then was acknowledged to be due to the most noble Kings of famous memory K. Henry the 8. her Majesties Father or K. Edward the sixt her Majesties Brother And further her Majesty forbiddeth all manner her Subjects to give ear or credit to such perverse and malicious persons which most sinisterly and maliciously labour to notifie to her loving Subjects how by words of the said Oath it may be collected that the Kings or Queens of this Realm possessors of the Crown may challenge authority and power of Ministery of divine service in the Church wherein her said Subjects be much abused by such evil disposed persons For certainly her Majesty â—…n either doth nor ever will challenge any authority then that was challenged and lately used by the said noble Kings of famous memory K. Henry the 8. and K. Edward the sixt which is and was of ancient time due to the Imperial Crown of this Realm that is under God to have the Soveraignty and rule over all manner of persons born within these her Realms Dominions and Countries of what estate either Ecclesiastical or Temporal soever they be so as no other forraign power shall or ought to have any superiority over them And if any person that hath conceived any other sence of the form of the said Oath shall accept the same Oath with this interpretation sense or meaning her Majesty is well pleased to accept every such in that behalf as her good and obedient Subjects and shall acquit them of all manner of penalties contained in the said Act against such as shall peremptorily or obstinately take the same Oath For Tables in the Church WHereas her Majesty understandeth that in many and sundry parts of the Realm the Altars of the Churches be removed and Tables placed for the administration of the holy Sacrament according to the form of the Law therefore provided And in some other places the Altars be not yet removed upon opinion conceived of some other order therein to be taken by her Majesties Visitors In the other whereof saving for an uniformity there seemeth no matter of great moment so that the Sacrament be duely and reverently ministred Yet for observation of one uniformity through the whole Realm and for the better imitation of the Law in that behalf it is ordered that no Altar be taken down but by oversight of the Curate of the Church and the Church-wardens or one of them at the least wherein no riotous or disordered manner to be used And that the holy Table in every Church he decently made and set in the place where the Altar stood and there commonly Covered as thereto belongeth and as shall vs appointed by the Visitors and so to stand saving when the Communion of the Sacrament is to be distributed at which time the same shall be so placed in good sort within the Chancel as whereby the Minister may be more conveniently heard of the Communicants in his prayer and ministration and the Communicants also more conveniently and in more number Communicate with the said Minister And after the Communion done from time to time the same holy Table to be placed where it stood before Item The Sacramental bread Where also it was in the time of K. Edward the sixt used to have the Sacramental bread of common fine bread it is ordered for the more reverence to be given to this holy Mysteries being the Sacraments of the body and Blood of our Saviour Iesus Christ that the same Sacramental bread be made and formed plain without any figure thereupon of the same finenesse and fashion round though somewhat bigger in compasse and thicknesse as the usuall bread and water heretofore named singing Cakes which served for the use of the private Masse The form of bidding the prayers to be used generally in this uniform sort YE shall pray for Christs holy Catholick Church that is for the whole Congregation of Christian people dispersed throughout the whole world and specially for the Church of England and Ireland And herein I require you most specially to pray for the Queens most excellent Majesty our soveraign Lady Elizabeth Queen of England France and Ireland defender of the Faith and Supreme governour of this Realm as well in Causes Ecclesiastical as Temporal You shall also pray for the Ministers of Gods holy word and
faith and charity so it be done according to the Prophets teaching in justice judgement and truth R. Edv. 6. Art 39. Resurrectio mortuorum nondum est facta REsurrectio mortuorum non adhuc facta est quasi tantum ad animum pertineat qui per Christi gratiam à morte peccatorum excitetur sed extremo die quoad omnes qui obieruut expectanda est tunc enim vita defunctis ut scripturae manifestissime testantur propria corpora carnes ossa restitnentur ut hemo integer prout vel recte vel perdite vixerit juxta sua opera sive praemia sive poenas reportet Art R. Ed. 6. R. Ed. 6. Art 40. Defunctorum animae neque cum corporibus intereunt neque otiose dormiunt QUi animas defunctorum praedicant usque ad diem judieii absque omni sensu dormire aut illas asserunt una cum corporibut mori et extrema die cum illis excitandas ab orthodoxa fide quae nobis in sacris literis traditur prorsus dissentiunt R. Edv. 6. Art 41. Millenarii QUi Millenariorum fabulam revocare conantur sacris literis adversantur in Judaica deliramenta sese praecipitant R. Edv. Art 42. Non omnes tandem servandi sunt HIi quoque damnatione digni sunt qui conantur hodie perniciosam opinionem instaurare quod omnes quantum vis impii servandi sunt tandem cum definito tempore à justitia divina poenas de admissis flagitiis luerunt The Ratification THis Book of Articles before rehearsed is again approved and allowed to be holden and executed within the Realm by the assent and consent of our Soveraign Lady Elizabeth by the grace of God of England France and Ireland Queen Defender of the Faith c. Which Articles were deliberately read and confirmed again by the subscription of the hand of the Arch-Bishop and Bishops of the upper House and by the subscription of the whole Cleargie in the neither house in their Convocation in the year of our Lord 1571. THE TABLE 1 OF faith in the Trinity 2 Of Christ the Son of God 3 Of his going down into hell 4 Of his Resurrection 5 Of the holy Ghost 6 Of the sufficiency of the Scripture 7 Of the old Testament 8 Of the three Creeds 9 Of the original sin 10 Of free-will 11 Of Iustification 12 Of good works 13 Of works before justification 14 Of works of supererogation 15 Of Christ alone without sin 16 Of sin after Baptisme 17 Of Predestination and Election 18 Of obtaining salvation by Christ 19 Of the Church 20 Of the authority of the Church 21 Of the authority of the General councels 22 Of purgatory 23 Of ministring in the Congregation 24 Of speaking in the Congregation 25 Of the Sacraments 26. Of the worthinesse of Ministers 27 Of Baptisme 28 Of the Lords Supper 29 Of the wicked which eat not the body of Christ 30 Of both kindes 31 Of Christs one oblation 32 Of the marriage of Priests 33 Of excommunicate Persons 34 Of traditions of the Church 35 Of Homilies 36 Of consecration of Ministers 37 Of civil Magistrates 38 Of Christian mens goods 39 Of a Christian mans oath 40 Of the Ratification Anno primo Reginae Eliz. cap. 2. There shall be Uniformity of Prayer and Administration of Sacraments WHere at the death of our late Soveraign Lord King Edward the 6th there remained one uniform Order of Common Service and Prayer and of the Administration of Sacraments Rights and Ceremonies in the Church of England which was set forth in one Book entituled The Book of Common Prayer Administration of Sacraments and other Rites and Ceremonies in the Church of England authorized by Act of Parliament holden in the 5th and 6th years of our said late Sovereign Lord King Edward the 6th entituled An Act for the Uniformity of Common Prayer Stat. 5. 6. Ed. 6. 1. and Administration of the Sacraments the which was repealed and taken away by Act of Parliament in the first year of the reign of our late Soveraign Lady Queen Mary to the great decay of the due honour of God Stat. 1. M. 2. and discomfort to the professors of the truth of Christs Religion A Repeal of the Statute 1 M. 2. the book of Common Prayer shall be of effect Be it therefore enacted by the Authority of this present Parliament That the said Statute of repeal and every thing therein contained only concerning the said Book and the Service Administration of the Sacraments Rites and Ceremonies contained or appointed in or by the said Book shall be void and of none effect from and after the feast of the Nativity of St. John Baptist next coming And that the said Book with the Order of Service and of the administration of Sacraments Rites and Ceremonies with the Alteration and Additions therein added and appointed by this Estatute shall stand and be from and after the said feast of the Nativity of St John Baptist in full force and effect according to the Tenour and effect of this Estatute any thing in the foresaid Estatute of repeal to the contrary notwithstanding And be it further enacted by the Queens Highnesse with the assent of the Lords and Commons in this present Parliament assembled and by the Authority of the same That all and singular Ministers in any Cathedral or Parish or Church or other place within this Realm of England The Book of Common Prayer shall be used 8. Eliz. Wales the Marches of the same or other the Queens Dominions shall from and after the feast of the Nativity of St. John Baptist next coming be bounden to say and use the Mattens Evensong Celebration of the Lords Supper and Administration of each of the Sacraments and all the Common and open Prayer in such order and form as is mentioned in the said Book so authorized by Parliament in the said 5. and 6. years of the reign of King Edward the 6th with one alteration or addition of certain Lessons The alteration of the book set forth 5 6. Ed. 6.1 to be used on every Sunday in the year and the form of the Letanie altered and corrected and two sentences onely added in the delivery of the Sacrament to the Communicants and none other or otherwise The forfeiture of those which use any other Service than the Book of Common Prayer And that if any manner of Parson Vicar or other whatsoever Minister that ought or should sing or say Common Prayer mentioned in the said Book or Minister the Sacraments from and after the feast of the Nativity of St. John Baptist next coming refuse to use the said Common Prayer or to Minister the Sacraments in such Cathedral or Parish Church or other places as he should use to minister the same in such order or form as they be mentioned and set forth in the said Book or shall wilfully or obstinately standing in the same use any other Rite Ceremony Order