Of diuine Seruice and administration of the Sacraments XIII Due celebration of Sundayes and Holy dayes ALl maner of persons within the Church of England shall from henceforth celebrate and keepe the Lords day commonly called Sunday and other Holy dayes according to Gods holy will and pleasure and the Orders of the Church of England prescribed in that behalfe that is in hearing the word of God read and taught in priuate and publike prayers in acknowledging their offences to God and amendement of the same in reconciling themselues charitably to their neighbours where displeasure hath bene in oftentimes receiuing the Communion of the body blood of Christ in visiting of the poore and sicke vsing all godly and sober conuersation XIIII The prescript forme of Diuine Seruice to bee vsed on Sundayes and Holy dayes THe Common prayer shal be said or sung distinctly and reuerently vpon such daies as are appointed to be kept holy by the Booke of Common prayer and their Eeues and at conuenient and vsuall times of those daies and in such place of euery Church as the Bishop of the Diocesse or Ecclesiasticall Ordinary of the place shall thinke meete for the largenesse or straitnesse of the same so as the people may bee most edified All Ministers likewise shall obserue the Orders Rites and Ceremonies prescribed in the Booke of Common prayer aswell in reading the holy Scriptures and saying of prayers as in administration of the Sacraments without either diminishing in regard of preaching or in any other respect or adding any thing in the matter or forme thereof XV. The Letanie to bee read on Wednesdayes and Fridayes THe Letany shal be said or sung when and as it is set downe in the Booke of Common prayer by the Parsons Vicars Ministers or Curats in all Cathedrall Collegiat Parish Churches and Chappels in some conuenient place according to the discretion of the Bishop of the Diocesse or Ecclesiasticall Ordinarie of the place And that wee may speake more particularly vpon Wednesdayes and Fridayes weekely though they bee not Holy dayes the Minister at the accustomed houres of Seruice shall resort to the Church and Chappel and warning being giuen to the people by tolling of a Bell shall say the Letanie prescribed in the Booke of Common prayer whereunto wee wish euery Housholder dwelling within halfe a mile of the Church to come or send one at the least of his Houshold fit to ioyne with the Minister in prayers XVI Colledges to vse the prescript forme of Diuine Seruice IN the whole Diuine Seruice and Administration of the holy Communion in all Colledges and Halles in both Vniuersities the Order Forme and Ceremonies shall be duely obserued as they are set downe and prescribed in the booke of Common prayer without any omission or alteration XVII Students in Colledges to weare Surplisses in time of Diuine Seruice ALl Masters and Fellowes of Colledges or Halles and al the Schollers and Students in either of the Vniuersities shall in their Churches and Chappels vpon all Sundayes Holy dayes and their Eues at the time of Diuine Seruice weare Surplisses according to the order of the Church of England and such as are Graduats shall agreeably were with their Surplisses such Hoods as doe seuerally appertaine to their Degrees XVIII A reuerence and attention to bee vsed within the Church in time of Diuine Seruice IN the time of Diuine Seruice and of euery part thereof all due reuerence is to be vsed For it is according to the Apostles Rule Let all things bee done decently and according to Order Answerable to which Decencie and Order We iudge these our directions following No man shall couer his head in the Church or Chappel in the time of Diuine Seruice except he haue some infirmitie In which case let him weare a Nightcap or Coife All maner of persons then present shall reuerently kneele vpon their knees when the Generall Confession Letanie and other Prayers are read and shall stand vp at the saying of the Beleefe according to the Rules in that behalfe prescribed in the Booke of Common Prayer And likewise when in time of Diuine Seruice the Lord IESVS shal be mentioned due and lowly reuerence shall bee done by all persons present as it hath bene accustomed testifying by these outward Ceremonies and gestures their inward humilitie Christian resolution and due acknowledgement that the Lord Iesus Christ the true and eternal Sonne of God is the onely Sauiour of the world in whom alone all the Mercies Graces and Promises of God to mankinde for this life and the life to come are fully and wholly comprised None either man woman or childe of what calling soeuer shall be otherwise at such times busied in the Church then in quiet attendance to heare marke and vnderstand that which is read preached or ministred Saying in their due places audibly with the Minister the Confession the Lords Prayer and the Creed and making such other answeres to the publique Prayers as are appointed in the Booke of Common prayer neither shall they disturbe the Seruice or Sermon by walking or Talking or any other way nor depart out of the Church during the time of Seruice and Sermon without some vrgent or reasonable cause XIX Loyterers not to bee suffered neere the Church in time of Diuine Seruice THe Churchwardens or Questmen and their assistants shall not suffer any idle persons to abide either in the Churchyard or Church porch during the time of Diuine Seruice or preaching but shall cause them either to come in or to depart XX. Bread and Wine to be prouided against euery Communion THe Churchwardens of euery Parish against the time of euery Communion shal at the charge of the Parish with the aduice and direction of the Minister prouide a sufficient quantitie of fine white Bread and of good and wholesome Wine for the number of Communicants that shall from time to time receiue there which Wine we require to bee brought to the Communion Table in a cleane and sweete standing Pot or Stoope of Pewter if not of purer mettall XXI The Communion to be thrice a yeere receiued IN euery Parish Church and Chappel where Sacraments are to bee administred within this Realme the holy Communion shall bee ministred by the Parson Vicar or Minister so often and at such times as euery Parishioner may Communicate at the least thrise in the yeere whereof the Feast of Easter to bee one according as they are appointed by the booke of Common Prayer Prouided that euery Minister as oft as hee administreth the Communion shall first receiue the Sacrament himselfe Furthermore no Bread or Wine newly brought shal be vsed but first the words of Institution shal be rehearsed when the said Bread and Wine bee present vpon the Communion Table Likewise the Minister shal deliuer both the Bread and the Wine to euery Communicant seuerally XXII Warning to be giuen beforehand for the Communion WHereas euery Lay person is bound to receiue the holy Communion thrice euery
and the practise of the Primitiue Church we do commend to al the true members of the Church of England these our directions obseruations ensuing First it is to be obserued that although the Iewes Ethnicks derided both the Apostles and the rest of the Christians for preaching and beleeuing in him who was crucified vpon the Crosse yet all both Apostles and Christians were so farre from beeing discouraged from their profession by the ignominie of the Crosse as they rather reioyced and triumphed in it Yea the holy Ghost by the mouthes of the Apostles did honour the Name of the Crosse being hatefull among the Iewes so farre that vnder it he comprehended not onely Christ crucified but the force effects and merits of his Death and Passion with all the comforts fruits and promises which wee receiue or expect thereby Secondlly the honour and dignitie of the Name of the Crosse begat a reuerend estimation euen in the Apostles times for ought that is knowen to the contrary of the signe of the Crosse which the Christians shortly after vsed in all their actions thereby making an outward shew profession euen to the astonishment of the Iewes that they were not ashamed to acknowledge him for their Lord and Sauiour who died for them vpon the Crosse And this signe they did not onely vse themselues with a kinde of glory when they met with any Iewes but signed therewith their children when they were Christned to dedicate them by that badge to his seruice whose benefits bestowed vpon them in Baptisme the name of the Crosse did represent And this vse of the signe of the Crosse in Baptisme was held in the Primitiue Church as well by the Greekes as the Latines with one consent and great applause At what time if any had opposed themselues against it they would certainely haue beene censured as enemies of the name of the Crosse consequently of Christs merits the signe whereof they could no better endure This continuall and generall vse of the signe of the Crosse is euident by many testimonies of the ancient Fathers Thirdly it must be confessed that in processe of time the signe of the Crosse was greatly abused in the Church of Rome especially after that corruption of Popery had once possessed it But the abuse of a thing doth not take away the lawfull vse of it Nay so farre was it from the purpose of the Church of England to forsake and reiect the Churches of Italie France Spaine Germany or any such like Churches in all things which they helde and practised that as the Apologie of the Church of England confesseth it doth with reuerence retaine those Ceremonies which doe neither endammage the Church of God nor offende the minds of sober men and onely departed from them in those particular points wherein they were fallen both from themselues in their ancient integritie from the Apostolicall Churches which were their first founders In which respect amongst some other very ancient Ceremonies the signe of the Crosse in Baptisme hath bene retained in this Church both by the iudgement and practise of those reuerend Fathers and great Diuines in the dayes of King Edward the sixth of whom some constantly suffered for the profession of the trueth and others being exiled in the time of Queene Mary did after their returne in the beginning of the Reigne of our late dread Soueraigne continually defend and vse the same This resolution and practise of our Church hath beene allowed and approoued by the censure vpon the Communion Booke in King Edward the sixt his dayes and by the harmonie of confessions of latter yeeres because in deede the vse of this signe in Baptisme was euer accompanied here with such sufficient cautions and exceptions against all Popish Superstition and errour as in the like cases are either fit or conuenient First the Church of England since the abolishing of Poperie hath euer held and taught and so doth hold and teach still that the signe of the Crosse vsed in Baptisme is no part of the substance of that Sacrament For when the Minister dipping the Infant in Water or laying Water vpon the face of it as the maner also is hath pronounced these wordes I baptize thee in the Name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost the Infant is fully and perfectly baptized So as the signe of the Crosse being afterwards vsed doeth neither adde any thing to the vertue or perfection of Baptisme nor being omitted doeth detract any thing from the effect and substance of it Secondly it is apparant in the Communion Booke that the Infant baptized is by vertue of Baptisme before it be signed with the signe of the Crosse receiued into the Congregation of Christs flocke as a perfect member thereof and not by any power ascribed vnto the signe of the Crosse So that for the very remembrance of the Crosse which is very precious to all them that rightly beleeue in Iesu Christ and in the other respects mentioned the Church of England hath reteined still the signe of it in Baptisme following therein the Primitiue and Apostolicall Churches accounting it a lawful outward Ceremony honourable Badge whereby the Infant is dedicated to the seruice of him that died vpon the Crosse as by the words vsed in the Booke of Common prayer it may appeare Lastly the vse of the signe of the Crosse in Baptisme beeing thus purged from all Popish superstition and errour and reduced in the Church of England to the primary Institution of it vpon those true rules of Doctrine concerning things indifferent which are consonant to the word of God and the iudgements of all the ancient Fathers Wee hold it the part of euery priuate man both Minister and other reuerently to reteine the true vse of it prescribed by publike Authoritie considering that things of themselues indifferent doe in some sort alter their natures when they are either commanded or forbidden by a lawfull Magistrate and may not be omitted at euery mans pleasure contrary to the Law when they bee cōmanded nor vsed when they are prohibited ¶ Ministers their Ordination function and charge XXXI Foure solemne times appointed for the making of Ministers FOrasmuch as the ancient Fathers of the Church led by example of the Apostles appointed Prayers and Fasts to bee vsed at the solemne ordering of Ministers to that purpose allotted certaine times in which onely sacred Orders might be giuen or conferred We following their holy and Religious example doe constitute decree That no Deacons or Ministers be made and ordained but onely vpon the Sundayes immediatly following Ieiunia quatuor temporum commonly called Ember weekes appointed in ancient time for Prayer and Fasting purposely for this cause at their first Institution and so continued at this day in the Church of England and that this bee done in the Cathedrall or Parish Church where the Bishop resideth and in the time of diuine Seruice in the presence not onely of the
persons hauing cure of soules and all other Preachers and Readers of Diuinitie lectures shall to the vttermost of their wit knowledge and learning purely and sincerely without any colour or dissimulation teach manifest open and declare foure times euery yeere at the least in their Sermons and other Collations and lectures That all vsurped and forren power forasmuch as the same hath no establishment nor ground by the law of God is for most iust causes taken away and abolished and that therefore no maner of obedience or subiection within his Maiesties Realmes and Dominions is due vnto any such forren power but that the Kings power within his Realmes of England Scotland and Ireland and all other his Dominions and Countreys is the highest power vnder God to whom all men aswell inhabitants as borne within the same do by Gods Lawes owe most loyalty and obedience afore and aboue all other Powers and Potentates in earth II. Impugners of the Kings supremacie censured WHosoeuer shal hereafter affirme that the Kings Maiesty hath not the same authority in causes Ecclesiastical that the godly Kings had amongst the Iewes and Christian Emperors in the Primitiue Church or impeach in any part his Regall supremacie in the said causes restored to the Crowne and by the Lawes of this Realme therein established let him bee excommunicated ipso facto and not restored but only by the Archbishop after his repentance and publike reuocation of those his wicked errours III. The Church of England a true and Apostolicall Church WHosoeuer shall hereafter affirme that the Church of England by Lawe established vnder the Kings Maiestie is not a true and an Apostolical Church teaching maintaining the doctrine of the Apostles let him be excommunicated ipso facto and not restored but onely by the Archbishop after his repentance and publike reuocation of this his wicked errour IIII. Impugners of the publike worship of God established in the Church of England censured WHosoeuer shall herafter affirme that the forme of Gods worship in the Church of England established by Law and conteined in the booke of Common Prayer and administration of Sacraments is a corrupt superstitious or vnlawfull worship of God or containeth any thing in it that is repugnant to the Scriptures let him be excommunicated ipso facto and not restored but by the Bishop of the place or Archbishop after his repentance and publike reuocation of such his wicked errors V. Impugners of the Articles of Religion established in the Church of England censured WHosoeuer shall hereafter affirme that any of the nine and thirtie Articles agreed vpon by the Archbishops and Bishops of both Prouinces and the whole Cleargy in the Conuocation holden at LONDON in the yeere of our Lorde God one thousand fiue hundred sixty two for the auoiding of diuersities of opinions and for the establishing of consent touching true Religion are in any part superstitious or erroneous or such as hee may not with a good conscience subscribe vnto let him bee excommunicated ipso facto and not restored but onely by the Archbishop after his repentance and publike reuocation of such his wicked errors VI. Impugners of the Rites and Ceremonies established in the Church of England censured WHosoeuer shal hereafter affirme that the Rites and Ceremonies of the Church of England by Law established are wicked Antichristian or superstitious or such as beeing commanded by lawfull authoritie men who are zealously and godly affected may not with any good conscience approue them vse them or as occasion requireth subscribe vnto them let him bee excommunicated ipso facto and not restored vntill he repent and publikely reuoke such his wicked errours VII Impugners of the gouernment of the Church of England by Archbishops Bishops c. censured WHosoeuer shal hereafter affirme that the gouernement of the Church of England vnder his Maiesty by Archbishops Bishops Deanes Archdeacons and the rest that beare office in the same is Antichristian or repugnant to the word of God let him be excommunicated ipso facto and so continue vntill he repent and publikely reuoke such his wicked errors VIII Impugners of the forme of consecrating and ordering Archbishops Bishops c. in the Church of England censured WHosoeuer shall hereafter affirme or teach that the fourme and maner of making and consecrating Bishops Priests or Deacons conteineth any thing in it that is repugnant to the word of God or that they who are made Bishops Priestes or Deacons in that forme are not lawfully made nor ought to be accounted either by themselues or by others to be truly either Bishops Priests or Deacons vntil they haue some other calling to those diuine Offices let him bee excommunicated ipso facto not to bee restored vntill he repent and publikely reuoke such his wicked errours IX Authours of Schisme in the Church of England censured WHosoeuer shall hereafter separate themselues from the Communion of Saints as it is approoued by the Apostles rules in the Church of England combine themselues together in a new brotherhood accounting the Christians who are conformable to the Doctrine Gouernment Rites and Ceremonies of the Church of England to be prophane and vnmeete for them to ioyne with in Christian profession let them bee excommunicated ipso facto and not restored but by the Archbishop after their repentance and publike reuocation of such their wicked errors X. Maintainers of Schismatickes in the Church of England censured WHosoeuer shall heerafter affirme That such Ministers as refuse to subscribe to the forme and maner of Gods worship in the Church of England prescribed in the Communion Booke and their adherents may truly take vnto them the name of another Church not established by Lawe and dare presume to publish it that this their pretended Church hath of long time groaned vnder the burden of certaine grieuances imposed vpon it and vpon the members thereof before mentioned by the Church of England and the Orders and Constitutions therein by Law established Let them be excommunicated and not restored vntill they repent and publikely reuoke such their wicked errors XI Maintainers of Conuenticles censured WHosoeuer shall hereafter affirme or maintaine That there are within this Realme other meetings assemblies or congregations of the Kings borne Subiects then such as by the lawes of this land are held and allowed which may rightly challenge to themselues the name of true and lawful Churches let him be excommunicated and not restored but by the Archbishop after his repentance and publike reuocation of such his wicked errors XII Maintainers of Constitutions made in Conuenticles censured WHosoeuer shal hereafter affirme that it is lawfull for any sort of Ministers and Lay persons or either of them to ioyne together and make Rules Orders or Constitutions in causes Ecclesiasticall without the Kings authoritie and shall submit themselues to be ruled and gouerned by them let them be excommunicated ipso facto and not be restored vntill they repent and publikely reuoke those their wicked and Anabaptisticall errors