XXVII.

The Six Hundred Alterations made in the Book of Common Prayer by Convocation, and adopted by Parliament.— Cardwell's History of Conferences, Oxford, 1849, pp. 380-6.

Or the alterations made at this time in the Prayer Book the following are the most important. The Sentences, the Epistles and Gospels, and other extracts from the Bible (except the Psalter, the Ten Commandments, and other portions of the Communion Service) were taken generally from the version of 1611. The Absolution was ordered to be pronounced by the "priest" alone, instead of the "minister." The book of Bel and the Dragon was re-inserted in the Calendar of Lessons. The prayers for the king, the royal family, the clergy, and people, together with the prayers of St. Chrysostom and the Benediction, were printed in the order both of Morning and Evening Service, instead of being left, as formerly, at the end of the litany. The Evening Service, which previously began with the Lord's prayer, was now opened with the sentences, the exhortation, the confession, and absolution, printed as in the Morning Service. In the litany the words "rebellion" and "schism" were added to the petition respecting "sedition, privy conspiracy," &c. In a subsequent petition the words "bishops, priests, and deacons" were employed instead of "bishops, pastors, and ministers of the church." Among the occasional prayers and thanksgivings were now introduced a second prayer for fair weather, the two prayers for the ember weeks, the prayers for the parliament and for all conditions of men, a thanksgiving for restoring public peace at home, and the general thanksgiving. New collects were appointed for the third Sunday in Advent, and for St. Stephen's day. The Genealogy, which previously made part of the gospel for the Sunday after Christmas, was now omitted. A distinct col

lect, epistle, and gospel, were provided for a sixth Sunday after the Epiphany. The gospels for the Sunday next before Easter and for Good Friday were shortened, having formerly contained within them respectively the second lesson for the day. In several places, as in one of the collects for Good Friday, in those for the fifth and sixteenth Sundays after Trinity, for St. Simon and St. Jude, and in other places, the word "church" was used for "congregation." A distinct collect was supplied for Easter even. The first of the anthems used on Easter day was added. A distinct epistle was provided for the day of the purification. The last clause respecting saints departed was added to the prayer for the church militant. The rubric was added as to "covering what remaineth of the elements with a fair linen cloth." The order in council respecting kneeling at the Lord's supper, which had been introduced in 1552 and removed by queen Elizabeth, was restored, with this alteration; instead of any real and essential presence there being of Christ's natural flesh and blood," it is now read, "any corporal presence of Christ's natural flesh and blood." A new office was appointed for the "baptism of such as are of riper years;" and some alterations made in the other offices of baptism. The preface to confirmation was curtailed, and the clause respecting the undoubted salvation of baptized infants dying before the commission of actual sin, was placed after the office for infant baptism. Some changes were made in the offices for confirmation and matrimony; and in the rubric at the end of the latter, the receiving the communion on the day of marriage was no longer made imperative. In the visitation of the sick the words "if he humbly and heartily desire it" were added to the rubric respecting absolution: the benediction also and the prayers that follow, appear now for the first time. In the order for burial the first rubric respecting persons unbaptized or excommunicate was added. Forms of prayer were supplied to be used at sea: and, lastly, offices were provided for the 30th of January and 29th of May, and the old service for the 5th of November was cor

rected. These and many other minor alterations, amounting, as Dr. Tenison computed, to about six hundred in number, were made in the Book of Common Prayer by the Convocation of 1662, and were finally ratified by the Act of Uniformity.

XXVIII.

The Publication of the Book of Common Prayer.

London, August 6th, [1662.]

In pursuance of the late Act for Uniformity of Publique Prayers in the Church of England, the same itself is now perfectly and exactly printed, and by the great care and prudence of the most Reverend Archbishops and Bishops, books in folio are provided for all churches and chapels in this kingdom; the price of which book (though it contains one hundred and sixty-five sheets) is ordered to be but six shillings ready bound.'

A Certificate given by the Lord Bishop of Peterborough, allowing a lawful impediment for persons not reading the Book of Common Prayer, &c., within the time prescribed by the late Act of Uniformity.

Whereas, by an Act of Parliament, made and printed in this present year, 1662, for the Uniformity of Public Prayer, &c., it is enacted, among other things, &c., and that every such person who shall (without some lawful impediment, to be allowed and approved of by the ordinary of the place,) neglect or refuse to do the same within the time aforesaid, shall ipso facto be deprived of his spiritual promotions.' And forasmuch as the Books of Common Prayer appointed

1 Mercurius Publicus. Published by Authority. From Thursday, July 31st, to Thursday, August 7th, 1662. p. 514.

by the said Act to be read, could not be gotten by the dean and prebendaries of the cathedral church of Peterborough (so that they might read the same in the said cathedral) before the 17th of this instant, August, being the Sunday immediately preceding the Feast of St. Bartholomew, upon which day it is not possible that all the members of the said cathedral church should read the said service in manner and form as is by the said Act directed. We, therefore, by the power given to us by the said Act, do allow and approve of the said impediment, and do hereby declare it so to be for the not reading of the said service as directed, and for not declaring of their contents as required in and by the said Act. Sealed and signed this 17th of August, 1662.

"B. PETERBOROUGH."2

"A complaint was made [says Dr. Calamy in his Life of Mr. Baxter, p. 201] that very few of them [the clergy] could see the book, to all things in which they were to declare their assent and consent before the time limited by the Act expired. For the Common Prayer book with the alterations and amendments (for so they are called, how deservedly I inquire not) made by the Convocation, did not come out of the press till a few days before the 24th of August. So that of the seven thousand ministers in England who kept their livings, few, except those who were in or near London, could possibly have a sight of the book with its alterations, till after they had declared their assent and consent to it.

"Mr. Olliffe, in his 'Defence of Ministerial Conformity,' to take this off, reports, from an aged minister in their parts, that he and his neighbours sent to London, and had the amendments and alterations copied out; and adds, that it is to be hoped, that the charge here brought is groundless against so many thousand ministers, &c.

"The return made by Dr. Calamy, in his Defence of Moderate Nonconformity, part ii, pp. 100, 101, is this, that

2 Kennett's Register and Chronicle, Ecclesiastical and Civil. London, 1728, p. 743.

perhaps that might be a peculiar favour, because I have it under the hand of another worthy ejected minister (who is since dead) that this was true in fact; and that several ministers now in London never read it before they gave their assent and consent, and that in Middlesex few parishes had the book till a week, fortnight, three weeks, or a month after. But as for written copies of the amendments, they were so liable to abuses and mistakes, that 'tis dubious how far they might be safely depended on."

XXIX.

CHARLES R.

The King's Declaration.

As it hath pleased Almighty God so wonderfully to restore us to the throne of our ancestors, and our subjects to happy peace and tranquillity without the least bloodshed by the military sword; so having still earnestly wished that both might be secured and maintained with the least effusion possible of the same by the sword of justice, as desiring much rather to cure the ill intentions of the disaffected by our clemency, than to punish the effects by rigour of law we cannot but express our great grief and trouble, that the unpardonable as well as incurable malignity of some should have carried them anew to such traitorous practices against our person and government, as have necessitated us to make fresh examples by the death of any more of our subjects. But as the publicness of their trial in the ordinary course of law, hath by their conviction sufficiently

3 Kennett's Register and Chronicle, Ecclesiastical and Civil. London, 1728, p. 837.