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OF THE

TIONS.

Offices.

SUMMARY bread and wine, that he may with decency break the ALTERA bread and take the cup. The rubrics were added, directing the form of consecrating additional bread and wine, if needed; and the remainder of the consecrated elements to be covered with a fair linen cloth. The Order in Council (1552), respecting kneeling at Communion, which had been removed by Q. Elizabeth, was now again placed at the end of the Office, though not printed as a rubric: and the words 'corporal presence were substituted for 'real and essential presence.' Some Baptismal careful amendments were made in the Baptismal Offices; the enquiry of obedience added to the examination of the sponsors; and the declaration which had formed part of the Preface to the Confirmation Service, of the undoubted salvation of baptized infants dying before they commit actual sin, and a reference to the xxxth canon (1604) for the meaning of the sign of the cross, were placed at the end of the Office of Public Baptism. An Office for the Administration of Baptism to such as were of riper years was added. The Catechism was Occasional separated from the Order of Confirmation. The first rubric explaining the end of Confirmation was now appointed to be read as the Preface to the Service, followed, in place of the Catechism, by the enquiry of renewal and ratification of the baptismal vow. A form was now appointed for the publication of Banns of Marriage, and the particular time of Service' to be 'immediately before' the Offertory Sentences. The Order following the last Blessing, 'Then shall begin the Communion,' was omitted: and the final rubric, that the new married persons, the same day of their marriage, must receive the holy Communion,' was altered to a declaration that it is convenient so to do, or at the first

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OF THE

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opportunity after their marriage. In the Order for the SUMMARY Visitation of the Sick, instead of a reference to 'Peter's ALTERAwife's mother, and the captain's servant,' the beautiful petition for the sanctification of sickness was inserted in the prayer before the Exhortation: and the words, 'if he humbly and heartily desire it,' were added to the rubric respecting absolution. The final Benediction, and the Occasional Prayers, were now added. The form of Service for the Communion of the Sick was more clearly directed to begin with the Proper Collect, Epistle, and Gospel, and then to pass to the part of the Public Office, beginning, 'Ye that do truly, &c.' In the Order for Burial, the first rubric, respecting persons unbaptized, or excommunicate, was added. The Psalms and Lesson were appointed to be read in the Church, according to the rubric (1549). The name of the deceased was omitted in the prayer at the grave. In the Churching Service new Psalms were appointed. The Commination was directed to be used on the first day of Lent. Forms of Prayer were supplied to be used at Sea, and for the 30th of January, and the 29th of May, and the Service for the 5th of November was altered'.

of the

Thus the Book remained the same Book of Common Review Prayer, as to all its distinctive features. Some par- alterations. ticulars of small consequence were amended; such as the language, which was made more smooth by verbal changes and slight transpositions; some rubrics were expounded for the direction of ministers to whom the 'customary manner' of former years was unknown; and the selected portions of Scripture were taken from the best translation. Some new Services were also added, which had become necessary from the circumstances of

Cf. Joyce, English Synods, p. 716, note.

OF THE

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SUMMARY the time; such as that for Adult Baptism, to meet the ALTERA case of converts from Anabaptism at home, and from heathenism in the Plantations;' and that for use at Sea, to meet the requirements of the rapidly increasing trade and navy of the country. But while all this was done with scrupulous care, it seems that no regard was paid to the objections of the Puritans'. The use of the Apocrypha at certain times in the Daily Service, the form of the Litany, expressions in the Services for Baptism, Marriage, and Burial, vestments, kneeling at the Communion, the cross at Baptism, the ring at Marriage, the Absolution for the Sick, the declaration touching the salvation of baptized infants2: these were all retained by Convocation, and confirmed by the act of the civil power, which required conforming ministers not only to adopt the new arrangements, but to declare the unlawfulness of their past conduct, and to submit to episcopal ordination3.

1 Some changes were made in order to avoid the appearance of favouring the Presbyterian form of Church-government : thus, 'church,' or 'people,' was substituted for 'congregation,' and 'ministers in' for 'of the congregation;' 'priests and deacons were especially named instead of 'pastors and ministers.' 'It was proposed in their behalf in the House of Lords, that the existing Liturgy should be continued, and all the corrections made in Convocation should be abandoned.' Cardwell, Conferences, p. 388.

2 This was one of the greatest grievances complained of by the Dissenters, being, as they said, a declaration that that is certain by God's word, which at best can only be proved as a probable deduction from it. Baxter maintained, "That

of the forty sinful terms for a communion with the Church party, if thirty-nine were taken away, and only that rubric, concerning the salvation of infants dying shortly after their baptism, were continued, yet they could not conform." Long's Vox Cleri, an. 1690, p. 18.' Cardwell, p. 383, note.

3 Collier, Eccles. Hist. VIII. 434. The Act of Uniformity required every beneficed person, before the Feast of St. Bartholomew, to read the Prayers according to the amended Book in his church or chapel, and declare his unfeigned assent and consent to all things contained in it; and all succeeding beneficed persons to do this within two months after possession of their benefices: Also every Ecclesiastical person, and every Tutor and Schoolmaster, to make a declaration of

PRAYERIRELAND.

The Irish Convocation (August-November, 1662) THE examined and unanimously approved the Prayer-Book BOOK FOR which had been revised and settled by law in England: and after an interval of four years its use was enjoined, under penalties, by the Irish Parliament in 16661.

the illegality of taking arms against the King, and of conformity to the Liturgy, and during the next twenty years a further declaration that the solemn League and Covenant was an unlawful oath, and of no obligation. It deprived of their benefices every person who was not in Holy Orders by episcopal ordination, unless he was so ordained Priest or Deacon before the Feast of St. Bartholomew. provided for the toleration of aliens of the Foreign Reformed Churches, allowed or to be allowed in England. The Morning and Evening Prayer, and all other prayers and service, might be used in Latin in the chapels of colleges, and in

It

Convocations. All Lecturers and
Preachers to be approved and
licensed by the Archbishop, or
Bishop of the Diocese: Common
Prayer to be read before sermons,
except at the public University
sermon. The Bishops of Hereford,
St. David's, Asaph, Bangor, and
Llandaff, to take order for a true
and exact translation of the book
into the British or Welsh tongue,
before May 1, 1665.

The MS. Book of Common
Prayer, that was attached to the
Irish Act of Uniformity, has been
printed by the Eccles. Hist. So-
ciety. See Stephens's Introd. pp.
lxxxviii. sqq., and clxvi. sqq.

HENSION

APPENDIX.

Historical Notices connected with the Book of Common
Prayer since the last Revision.

SECT. I.—Attempted Revision in the Reign of William III.

COMPRE- SINCE the year 1662, the Book of Common Prayer has remained AND TOLE- in the state to which it was then brought,-the Sealed Books RATION. being preserved, and presenting the exact form of words in which

it was signed by the Members of Convocation, and ratified by Parliament. Attempts have been made to introduce changes in its language; but hitherto it has resisted the efforts both of latitudinarian and of Romanizing innovators.

In 1668, Tillotson and Stillingfleet united with Bates, Manton, and Baxter, in preparing the terms in which a Bill for the Comprehension of Dissenters might be proposed to Parliament, upon the model of the King's Declaration from Breda. But although recommended in the speech from the throne, the Commons utterly refused the project'. In 1673, and again in 1675, motions were made for the relief of Dissenters; and then Tillotson declined making further efforts, which would be a prejudice to himself, and could not effect the object desired. These efforts Proposals of were, however, continued by Stillingfleet, afterwards Bp. of Worlingfleet. cester, who, in 1681, proposed to allow an alteration, or freedom of choice, in such particulars as the surplice, the sign of the cross and sponsors in baptism, kneeling at Communion, Apocryphal lessons, and subscription to thirty-six only of the Articles. But the temper of the times would not allow the Dissenters to accept these condescensions: even toleration in the latter years of Charles II., and throughout the short reign of James II., was suspected, not indeed without reason, of bringing with it an equal toleration of Popery.

Bishop Stil

The declaration issued by William, Prince of Orange, promised 'to endeavour a good agreement between the Church of England 3 Long's Vox Cleri, p. 3, ibid.

1 Cardwell, Conferences, p. 394. 2 Tillotson, Letter to Baxter (April 11, 1675). Cardwell, p. 396.

note.

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