6 ARGUMENT FOR SET FORMS OF PRAYER. printed abroad; the first printed in England being Cranmer's Bible in 1540. The Geneva Bible in 1560, with Puritanical notes. Matthew Parker's Bible in 1572. The Rhemish Bible in 1584. By the Roman The Douay Bible in 1609. By the Roman Catholics; in which such Hebrew and Greek expressions, as holocaust,' pasche, azymes, &c. which were used in the Rhemish Bible, were done into English. King James's Bible in 1613. Whence the Lessons, Epistles and Gospels are taken; but the Psalms in the Prayer Book being still taken from the older version, there necessarily arises a verbal difference, between them and the Psalms in the present authorized version, which is King James's Bible. 4. Argument for Set Forms of Prayer.-Such then being the History of our Form of Prayer; before commencing our review of its contents, it may be useful to set forth the argument in favour of a Form of Prayer, as some parties are opposed to a precomposed Liturgy. The grounds upon which we base the use of precomposed prayers, are— 1. Because the Ancient Jews, whose Ecclesias tical Rites were derived from God, used them; ARGUMENT FOR SET FORMS OF PRAYER. 7 as appears from the Song of Moses and the men in Exodus xv. 1-19; and from the testimony of Josephus. 2. Because our Saviour sanctioned such use, by his attendance in the Jewish places of worship, and by teaching the Lord's Prayer to his Disciples. 3. Because the Apostles used precomposed forms; as may be seen from their joining in the use of the Lord's Prayer, and of Psalms and Hymns: As in Acts iv. 24. "When they heard that, they lift up their voice with one accord, and said, Lord, thou art God," &c. Whence we see clearly they could not have sang, oμolvμadòv, with one accord, without having a precomposed form, unless they had been all severally inspired to sing the same words, in the same tune, a supposition not worth consideration. 4. Because the early Christian writers testify to this fact, and because there are Liturgies ascribed to St. Peter, to St. Mark and St. James, and Liturgies for the churches of Jerusalem and Alexandria; from the latter of which Origen, in the third century, quotes an entire collect. In addition to them we have the Liturgies of St. Basil, St. Chrysostom, and St. Ambrose, and a set form recognized at the Council of Chalcedon in 451. CHAPTER II. TITLE, PREFACE, CHOICE OF LESSONS, &c. Title. In some Prayer Books, printed during the present century, the words "United Churches of England and Ireland" are found. These words may or may not have authority; at any rate they involve an absurdity, for the two Prayer Books of the English and Irish Churches are not Common, the latter containing a Prayer for the LordLieutenant of Ireland, which is not to be found in the former. We would recommend all persons studying the Book of Common Prayer to read carefully the Preface, and the remarks concerning the Service of the Church, and on retaining and abolishing of Ceremonies. This preface was added at the last review, and contains a defence of the proceedings of the Bishops and their coadjutors. In the paragraphs concerning the service of the Churches, some words occur which require brief explanation: to wit Legends. Legendary stories to be read on Saints' days. Responds.-Short Anthems intervening in the middle of reading a Chapter, which is not finished till the Respond is done. Commemorations.-The mixing the Service of a lesser Holy Day with that of the Sunday, or of a greater Holy Day. ANTIENT TERMS IN THE PREFACES. 9 Synodals.-The Recitals of the decrees of Provincial Synods in Parish Churches. Nocturn. In the Breviary the Psalter is divided into portions of nine Psalms, each of which is called a Nocturn, from its being originally designed for use at the night Service. Rules called the Pie.-From the Greek word wag, index. The complicated Rules for finding the lessons, &c. in the Romish Books, required copious indices, which were themselves difficult to understand. Invitatories.-Texts of Scripture chosen for the day, and used before the Venite. Verses. The Latin Hymns of the Romish Service Books. Antient Service Books.-We may learn from this place the names of the different Service Books in England before the Reformation; which are The Salisbury use. (Order of Sarum.) Hereford use. Bangor use. York use, Lincoln use. And these consisted of Missals.-Containing the Service of the Mass for the whole year. Brevaries.-Containing the Daily Prayers. Psalteries.-Containing the Psalms. Graduals.-Containing the verses before the Offertory, so called, because sung on the steps of the pulpit. Pontificals.-The offices for ordinations. C Sacramentaries.-Containing the Collects and the Com munion office. Lectionaries. Containing the Lessons. Antiphonaries. Containing the Anthems. Evangelisteria.-Containing the Epistles and Gospels. The Bishop of the Diocese is in this place asserted to be the party, to whom any clergymen is to have recourse, “for the resolution of all doubts concerning the manner how to understand, do, and execute the things contained in this Book." And the following paragraphs allow this Liturgy to be used in any other language beside English, provided it is understood by the persons present; and the daily use of this Service, either in public or in private, is enjoined, though such daily use was not prescribed in the First Book of King Edward. 2. Ceremonies.—That for public worship there must be ceremonial rites, is clear from the necessity of the case; for if two men covenant to worship together, whether they agree to do it in silence or aloud, alternately or together, by singing or saying, the same or different words, it is evident that the observance of such an agreement is a ceremonial act. Nor do such ceremonies need any express command from God, for in the Scriptures we have ceremonies of human institution mentioned always without censure, generally with approbation. We find the following ceremonies in the Sacred Books : 1. Setting apart Places for Worship.-As the Temple itself for which David had no command from God. |