to be admitted Deacons The Bishop TAke heed that the persons whom ye present unto us be apt and meet for their Learning and godly conversation to exercise their Ministry duly to the honour of God and edifying of his Church The Archdeacon shall Answer I Have enquired of them and also examined them and think rhem so to be And the Bishop shall say unto the people BRethren if there be any of you who knoweth any impediment or notable crime in any of these persons presented to be ordered Deacons for the which he ought not to be admitted to the same let him come forth in the Name of God and shew what the crime or impediment is And if any great crime or impediment be objected the Bishop shall surcease from Ordering that person until such time as the party accused shall try himself clear of that crime Then the Bishop commending such as shall be founnd meet to be Ordered to the Prayers of the Congregation with the Clerks and people present shall say or sing the Letany as followeth with the prayers The Litany and Suffrages O God the Father of Heaven have mercy upon us miserable sinners O God the Father of Heaven have mercy upon us miserable sinners O God the Son Redeemer of the Word have mercy upon us miserable sinners O God the Son Redeemer of the World have mercy upon us miserable sinners O God the holy Ghost proceeding from the Father and the Son have mercy upon us miserable sinners O God the holy Ghost proceeding from the Father and the Son have mercy upon us miserable sinners O holy blessed and glorious Trinity three Persons and one God have mercy upon us miserable sinners O holy blessed and glorious Trinity three Persons and one God have mercy upon us miserable sinners Remember not Lord our offences nor the offences of our forefathers neither take thou vengeance of our sins Spare us good Lord spare thy people whom thou hast redeemed with thy mâ—â—t precious blood and be not angry with us for ever Spare us good Lord. From all evil and mischief from sin from the crafts and assaults of the Devil from thy wrath and from everlasting damnation Good Lord deliver us From all blindness of heart from pride vain-glory and hypocrisie from envy hatred and malice and all uncharitableness Good Lord deliver us From fornication and all other deadly sin and from all the deceits of the world the flesh and the Devil Good Lord deliver us From lightning and tempest from plague pestilence and famine from battle and murder and from sudden death Good Lord deliver us From all sedition and privy conspiracy from all false doctrine and heresie from hardness of heart and contempt of thy Word and Commandment Good Lord deliver us By thi mystery of thy holy Incarnation by thy holy Nativity and Circumcision by thy Baptism Fasting and Temptation Good Lord deliver us By thy Agony and bloody Sweat by thy Cross and Passion by thy precious Death and Burial by thy glorious Resurrection and Ascension and by the coming of the holy Ghost Good Lord deliver us In all time of our Tribulation in all time of our Wealth in the hour of Deaâ—h and in the day of Iudgment Good Lord deliver us We sinners do beseech thee hear us O Lord God and that it may please thee to rule and govern thy holy Church universally in the right way We beseech thee to hear us good Lord. That it may please thee to keep and strengthen in the true worshipping of thee in righteousness and holiness of life thy servant CHARLES our most gratious King and Governour We beseech thee to hear us good Lord That it may please thee to rule his heart in thy faith fear and love and that he may ever more have affiance in thee and ever seek thy honour and glory We beseech thee to hear us good Lord. That it may please thee to be his defender and keeper giving him the victory over all his enemies We beseech thee to hear us good Lord. That it may please thee to bless and preserve our gracious Queen Catherine James Duke of York and the rest of the Royal Progeny We beseech thee to hear us good Lord That it may please thee to illuminate all Bishops Pastors and Ministers of the Church with true knowledge and understanding of thy Word and that both by their preaching and living they may set it forth and shew it accordingly We beseech thee to hear us good Lord. That it may please thee to endue the Lords of the Council and all the Nobility with grace wisdom and understanding We beseech thee to hear us good Lord. That it may please thee to bless and keep all the Magistrates giving them grace to execute Iustice and to maintain truth We beseech thee to hear us good Lord. That it may please thee to bless and keep all thy people We beseech thee to hear us good Lord. That it may please thee to give to all Nations unity peace and concord We beseech thee to hear us good Lord. That it may please thee to give us an heart to love and dread thee and diligently to live after thy commandments We beseech thee to hear us good Lord. That it may please thee to give to all thy people increase of grace to hear meekly thy Word and to receive it with pure affection and to bring forth the fruits of the Spirit We beseech thee to hear us good Lord. That it may please thee to bring into the way of truth all such as have erred and are deceived We beseech thee to hear us good Lord. That it may please thee to strengthen such as do stand and to comfort and help the weak hearted and to raise up them that fall and finally to beat down Satan under our feet We beseech thee to hear us good Lord. That it may please thee to succour help and comfort all that be in danger necessity and tribulation We beseech thee to hear us good Lord. That it may please thee to preserve all that travel by Land or by Water all Women labouring of Child all sick persons and young children and to shew thy pity upon all prisoners and captives We beseech thee to hear us good Lord. That it may please thee to defend and provide for the fatherless children and widows and all that be desolate and oppressed We beseech thee to hear us good Lord. That it may please thee to have mercy upon all men We beseech thee to hear us good Lord. That it may please thee to forgive our enemies persecuters and slanderers and to turn their hearts We beseech thee to hear us good Lord. That it may please thee to give and preserve to our use the kindly fruits of the earth so as in due time we may enjoy them We beseech thee to hear us good Lord. That it may please thee to give us true repentance to forgive us all our sins negligences and ignorances and to endue us
Iesus Christ to be our Redeemer and Author of everlasting life who after that he had made perfect our redemption by his death and was ascended into heaven poured down his gifts abundantly upon men making some Apostles some Prophets some Evangelists some Pastors and Doctors to the edifying and making perfect his Congregation grant we beseech thee to this thy servant such grace that he may evermore be ready to spread abroad thy Gospel and glad tidings of reconcilement to God and to use the authority given to him not to destroy but to save not to hurt but to help so that be as a wise and faithful servant giving to thy family meat in due season may at the last be received into joy through Iesu Christ our Lord who with thee and the holy Ghost liveth and raigneth one God world without end Amen Then the Archbishop and Bishops present shall lay their hands upon the head of the elected Bishop the Archbishop saying TAke the holy Ghost and remember that thou stir up the grace of God which is in thee by imposition of hands for God hath not given us the spirit of fear but of power and love and soberness Then the Archbishop shall deliver him the Bible saying GIve heed unto reading exhortation and doctrine Think upon these things contained in this book Be diligent in them that the increase coming thereby may be manifest unto all men Take heed unto thy self and unto teaching and be diligent in doing them for by doing this thou shalt save thy self and them that hear thee Be to the flock of Christ a shepherd not a wolf feed them devour them not hold up the weak heal the sick bind togeâ—her the broken bring again the outcasts seek the lost be so merciful that ye be not too remiss so minister discipline that you forget not mercy that when the Shepherd shall come you may receive the immarcescible Crown of glory through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen Then the Archbishop shall proceed to the Communion with whom the new Consecrated Bishop with other shall also Communicate And for the last Collect immediately before the Benediction shall be said this Prayer MOst merciful Father we beseech thee to send upon this thy servant thy heavenly blessing and so endue him with thy holy Spirit that he preaching thy Word may not only be earnest to reprove beseech and rebuke with all patience and Doctrine but also may be to such as believe an wholsom example in word in conversation in love in faith in chastity and purity that faithfully fulfilling his course at the latter day he may receive the Crown of righteousness laid up by the Lord the righteous Iudge who liveth and reigneth one God with the Father and the holy Ghost world without end Amen AT THE HEALING THE GOSPEL Written in the XVI Chapter of St. MARK beginning at the 14. verse JESUS appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat and cast in their teeth their unbelief and hardness of heart because they believed not them which had seen that he was risen again from the dead And he said unto them Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to all creatures He that believeth and is baptised shall be saved but he that believeth not shall be damned And these tokens shall follow them that believe In my Name they shall cast out devils they shall speak with new tongues they shall drive away serpents and if they drink any deadly thing it shall not hurt them †Here the infirm persons are presented to the KING upon their knees and the KING layeth his hands upon them They shall lay their hand on the sick and they shall recover So when the Lord had spoken unto them he was received into Heaven and is on the right hand of God And they went forth and preached every where the Lord working with them and confirming the word with miracles following THE GOSPEL Written in the I. Chapter of St. JOHN beginning at the first verse IN the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and God was the Word The same was in the beginning with God All things were made by it and and without it was made nothing that was made In it was Life and the Life was the Light of men and the Light shined in the darkness and the darkness comprehended it not There was sent from God a man whose name was JOHN The same came as a witness to bear witness of the Light that all men through him might believe He was not that Light but was sent to bear witness of the Light †Here they are again presented unto the KING upon their knees and the KING putteth his Gold about their necks That light was the true light which lighteth every man thâ—t cometh into the world He was in the world and the world was made by him and the world knew him not He came among his own and his own received him not But as many as received him to them gave he power to be made Sons of God even them that believed on his Name which were born not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor yet of the will of man but of God And the same Word became Flesh and dwelt among us and we saw the Glory of it as the Glory of the only Son of the begotten Father full of grace and truth THE PRAYERS Vers Lord have mercy upon us Resp Lord have mercy upon us Vers Christ have mercy upon us Resp Christ have mercy upon us Vers Lord have mercy upon us Resp Lord have mercy upon us OVr Father which art in Heaven hallowed be thy Name Thy Kingdom come Thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heavâ—n Give us this day our daily bread And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil Amen These Answers are to be made by them that come to be healed Vers O Lord save thy servants Resp Which put their trust in thee Vers Send help unto them from above Resp And evermore mightily defend them Vers Help us O God Our Saviour Resp And for the Glory of thy Name deliver us be merciful unto us sinnners for thy Names sake Vers O Lord hear our prayer Resp And let our cry come into thee O Almighty God who art the Giver of all health and the aid of them that seek to Thee for succour we call upon thee for thy help and goodness mercifully to be shewed unto these thy servants that they being healed of their infirmity may give thanks unto thee in thy holy Church through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen THE grace of our Lord Iesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the holy Ghost be with us all evermore Amen A copy of thacte made for thabrogacion of certayne holy-dayes according to the transumpte late sent by the kyngs hyghnes to all biss hops with his
The Seales of ARMES of the Bishops of England Sedes Cantuar Sedes Eboracens Sedes Londi Se Winton Se Dunelin Se Eliensis Se Sarum Se Lincoln Se Wigorn. S Lich et Cov Sed Exon. Se Norvic S Bath Wel Se Hereford Se Roffens S Cicestrens Se Petroburg Se Carliol Se Oxon Se Glocest Se Cestrens Se Bristol Se Meneven Se Landav Se Bangor S S Assaph Se Sodorens Printed For Robert Pawlet at the Bible In Chancery Lane F. H. Van Houe fe A COLLECTION OF ARTICLES Injunctions Canons ORDERS ORDINANCES And Constitutions ECCLESIASTICAL With other PUBLICK RECORDS OF THE Church of England Chiefly in the Times of K. Edward VI. Q. Elizabeth K. James K. Charles I. Published to Vindicate the Church of England and to Promote Uniformity and Peace in the same With a Learned PREFACE By ANTHONY SPARROW D. D. Lord Bishop of NORWICH The Third Impression with Additions And Two TABLES LONDON Printed for Robert Pawlet at the Bible in Chancery-Lane near Fleet-street Anno Domini MDCLXXVI THE Principal Heads Contained in this BOOK Â Page An. D. KIng Edwards Injunctions 1 1547. Order of Communion-Service 13 1547. Archbishop Cranmers Articles of Visitation 25 1548. Bishop Ridleys Artices of Visitation 33 1550. Articles of Religion ageed upon in the Convocation 39 1552. The Latin Edition of hose Articles 53 1552. Queen Elizabeths Iijunctions 65 1559. Articles of Religion agreed on in Convocation c. and compared with Edw. 6. Articles 87 1562. An Act for Vniformity of Prayer c. Anno 1 Eliz. 110 with a Clause Anno 8. Eliz. Cap. 1. Reformation of Disorders in Ministers of the Church Anno 13 Eliz. cap. 12. 118 1559. Advertisements for the due order about Ministers Apparel at the Communion c. 121 1564. The Oaths of Allegiance Supremacy Simony Canonical Obedience Continuâ—l Residence 129 Â A Proclamation declaring the proceedings in Ecclesiastical Courts to be according to the Law of the Land 132 Â A Table of Degrees of Marriages set fort by Bishop Parker 262 1563. The Form and Manner of Making and Consecrating Bishops Priests and Deacons 135 1559. Prayers at the Healing of the Kings Evil 165 Â Of Abrogation of Holy-days in King Hen. 8. time 167 1536. A Proclamation of Queen Eliz. against the Despisers or Breakers of the Orders prescribed in the Book of Common-Prayer 169 1573. A Proclamation against the Sectaries of the Family of Love 171 1580. A Proclamation against Schismatical and Seditious Books and Libels 173 1588. Articles of Visitation in the first year of Queen Elizabeth 175 1559. Articuli pro Clero in Synodo Londin 191 1584. Celebratio Coenae Domini in Funebribus in the second year of Queen Elizabeth 199 1560. Articuli Religionis in Synodo Londin 207 1562. Liber Quorundam Canonum Disciplinae Ecclesiae Anglicanae 223 1571. Capitula sive Constitutiones Ecclesiasticae in Synodo Londin 243 1597. Constitutiones sive Canones Ecclesiastici per Epis Lond. Anno 1603. 1 Jac. 263 1603. Constitutions and Canons Ecclesiastical agreed on n the Convocations at London and York in the Sixteenh year of King Charles the First 335 1640. The Form of Consecration of a Church or Chappel and of the Place of Christian Burial Exemplified by the â— R. Father in God Lancelot Andrews late Lord Bishop of Winchester 171 Â A PREEACE to the Reader OVR great Lord and Master Christ having purchased to himself by his precious Blood a peculiar people his One mystical Body the Church sanctified it with the washing of water by the word that he might present it to himself a glorious Church holy without spot Ephes 5.27 not without all spot there is a spot of Gods Children of sins of frailty and infirmity which the Church as long as she is Militant will never be without but without spot of malice and wicked lewdness such spot and blemishes as were figured by the corporal blemishes forbidden to the Priests and their sacrifices Lev. 21. 22.20 spots that will make the Church as abhorred in the sight of God as those bodily spots made the Priests and their sacrifices unto the eyes of men without such scandalous spots mentioned Gal. 5.9 all the members of this one body may and ought to be That the Church may preserve her self in this purity without spot and in this unity without division and continue one holy Church as it is in our Creed a double power and authority is needful as to all other bodies politick so likewise to this society of believers the Church one of jurisdiction to correct and reform those impure members by spiritual censures whom counsel will not win and if they be incorrigible to cast them out of this holy society lest their leaven should leaven the whole lump 1 Cor. 5.6 Thus to preserve the Churches purity and again to correct and reduce to unity the contentious troublers of the Churches peace if it may be by charitable admonitions if not to stop their mouths Titus 1.11 not by arguments alone for such will never prevail upon absurd unreasonable and obstinate men and such there always will be but by spiritual censure even to the casting them out of the Churches society so to preserve peace and unity Besides this power of Jurisdiction there is necessary also for the obtaining of those two high ends a Legislative power to make Canons and Constitutions upon emergent occasions For though our great Lord hath already given to his Church most holy and wise Rules and Laws for the same purposes yet because they are general not descending to every particularity of time and place and manner of performance which yet are necessary to be determined for the preservation of publick peace and unity and because there may at least through the perversness of men of corrupt minds arise some doubts and controversies about the sense and meaning of those most holy Rules of our Lord for the determining of which we are not now to expect any resolution from Prophet or Oracle or other immediate voice from Heaven it doth hereupon necessarily follow that there must be Authority left to this Church and the Governors thereof to make new Laws upon these emergent occasions to determine these particularities to decide and compose these controversies whereby to preserve the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace Whosoever shall think that all this may be done by friendly persuasion or learned disputes only will find himself deceived as experience of all Ages hath shown and will shew as long as there be men of perverse minds and corrupt affections Without a definitive and Authoritative sentence controversies will be endless and the Churches peace unavoidably disturbed and therefore the voice of God and right Reason hath taught that in matters of Controversie the definitive sentence of Superiors should decide the doubt and whosoever should decline from that sentence and do presumptuously should be put to death that others might hear and fear and do no more presumptuously Deut.
at all times as they shall have leisure they shall hear and read somewhat of holy Scripture or shall occupy themselves with some other honest exercise and that they always do the things which appertain to honesty with endeavor to profit the Commonweal having always in mind that they ought to excel all other in purity of life and should be an example to the people to live well and Christianly Item That they shall in Confessions every Lent examine every person that cometh to Confession to them whether they can recite the Articles of their Faith the Pater Noster and the Ten Commandments in English and hear them say the same particularly wherein if they be not perfect they shall declare then that every Christian person ought to know the said things before they 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 Majesty the Lord Protectors Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury the Archbishop of York in his Province or the Bishop of the Diocess and such as thall be so licensed they shall gladly receive to declare the Word of God without any resistance 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 Candles 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 error and abuse crept into the Church through the sufferance 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 exocution of these the Kings Majesties Injunctions or a fautor of the Bishop of Rome's pretensed power now by the Laws of this Realm justly rejected extripated 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 hall in their Churches and Chappels 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 thall 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 Coffer with two Locks and Keys whereof the one to remain with the Parson Vicar or Curate and the other with the Wardens of every Parish-Church or Chappel 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 Chrisinings and Burials made the whole week before and that done to lay up the Book in the said Coffer 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 days nothing is less seen than the poor to be sustained with the same all Parsons Vicars Pentionaries 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 premises every 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-School 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 Commonweal with their Council and Wisdom Also That the Proprietaries Parsons Vicars and Clerks having Churches Chappels or Mansions within this Deanery shall bestow yearly hereafter upon the same Mansions or Chancels of their Churches being in decay the fifth part of that their Benefices till they be fully repaired and the same so repaired shall always 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 Tythes no man shall by colour of duty omitted by their Curates detain their Tythes and so redub and requite one wrong with another or be his own judge but shall truly 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 find 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 henceforth 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
others I am commanded of God especially to move and exhort you to reconcile your selves to your Neighbors whom you have offended or who hath offended you putting out of your hearts all hatred and malice against them and to be in love and 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 and that of us as a Minister of God and of the Church he may receive comfort and absolution to the satisfaction of his mind and avoiding of all scruple and doubtfulness requiring such as shall be satisfied with a general confession not to be offended with them that do use to their further satisfying the auricular and secret confession to the Priest nor those also which think needful or convenient for the quietness of their own consciences particularly to open their sins to the Priest to be offended with them which are satisfied with their humble confession to God and the general confession to the Church But in all these things do follow and keep the rule of charity and every man to be satisfied with his own conscience not judging other mens minds or acts whereas he hath no warrant of Gods word for the same The time of the Communion shall be immediately after that the Priest himself hath received the Sacrament without the varying of any other Rite or Ceremony in the Mass until other orders shall be provided but as heretofore usually the Priest hath done with the Sacrament of the body to prepare bless and consecrate so much as will serve the people so it shall yet continue still after the same manner and form save that he shall bless and consecrate the biggest Chalice or some fair and convenient Cup or Cups full of Wine with some Water put unto it And that day not drink it up all himself but take one onely sup or draught leave the rest upon the Altar covered and turn to them that are disposed to be partakers of the Communion and shall thus exhort them as followeth DEarly beloved in the Lord ye coming to his holy Communion must consider what St. Paul writeth to the Corinthians how he exhorteth all persons diligently to try and examine themselves or ever they presume to eat of this bread and drink of this Cup for as the benefit is great if with a truly penitent heart and lively faith we receive this holy Sacrament for then we spiritually eat the flesh of Christ and drink his blood then we dwell in Christ and Christ in us we be made one with Christ and Christ with us so is the danger great if we receive the same unworthily for then we become guilty of the body and blood of Christ our Saviour we eat and drink our own d mnation because we make no difference of the Lords body we kindle Gods wrath over us we provoke him to plague us with divers diseases and sundry kinds of death Iudge therefore your selves brethren that ye be not judged of the Lord. Let your mind be without desire to sin Repent you truly for your sins past have an earnest and lively faith in Christ our Saviour be in perfect charity with all men so shall ye be meet partakers of these holy Mysteries But above all things you must give most humble and hearty thanks to God the Father the Son and the holy Ghost for the redemption of the world by the death and passion of our Saviour Christ both God and man who did humble himself even to the death upon the Cross for us miserable sinners lying in darkness and the shadow of death that he might make us the children of God and exalt us to everlasting life And to the end that we should always remember the exceeding love our Master and only Saviour Iesus Christ thus doing for us and the innumerable benefits which by his precious blood-shedding he hath obtained to us he hath left in these holy mysteries as a pledge of his love and a continual remembrance of the same his own blessed body and precious blood for us spiritually to feed upon to our endless comfort and consolation To him therefore with the Father and the holy Ghost let us give as we are most bounden continual thanks submitting our selves wholly to his holy will and pleasure and studying to serve him in true holiness and righteousness all the days of our life Amen Then the Priest shall say to them which be ready to take the Sacrament If any man here be an open blasphemer adulterer in malice or envy or any other notable crime and be not truly sorry therefore and earnestly minded to leave the same vices or that doth not trust himself to be reconciled to Almighty God and in charity with all the world let him yet awhile bewail his sins and not come to this holy Table lest after the taking of this most blessed bread the Devil enter into him as he did into Judas to fulfill in him all iniquity and to bring him to destruction both of body and soul Here the Priest shall pause a while to see if any man will withdraw himself and if he perceive any so to do then let him commune with him privily at convenient leisure and see whether he can with good Exhortation bring him to Grace and after a little pause the Priest shall say You that do truly and earnestly repent you of your sins and offences committed to Almighty God and be in love and charity with your Neighbours and intend to lead a new life and heartily to follow the Commandments of God and to walk from henceforth in his holy ways draw near and take this holy Sacrament to your comfort make your humble confession to Almighty God and to his holy Church here gathered together in his Name meekly kneeling upon your knees Then shall a general confession be made in the name of all those that are minded to receive the holy Communion either by one of them or else by one of the Ministers or by the Priest himself all kneeling humbly upon their knees Almighty God Father of our Lord Iesus Christ Maker of all things Iudge of all men we acknowledge and bewail our manifold sins and wickedness which we from time to time most grievously have committed by thought word and deed against thy Divine Majesty provoking most justly thy wrath and indignation against us We do earnestly repent and be heartily sorry for these our misdoings The remembrance of them is grievous unto us the burthen of them is intollerable have mercy upon us have mercy upon us most merciful Father for thy Son our Lord Iesus Christs sake Forgive us all that is
Trentals Masses satisfactory decking of Images offering of Candles giving to Friers and upon other like blind 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 Sunday 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 hours when they have any Sermon or Homily Item whether they have said or sung any Mass in any Oratory Chappel or any mans house not being hallowed Item whether they have given open monition to their Parishioners that they should not wear Beads nor pray upon them Item whether they have moved their Parishioners lying upon their death-beds or at any other time to bestow any part of their substance upon Trentals Masses satisfactory or any such blind 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 have two husbands living within their Parishes Item whether they have not monished their Parishoners openly that they should not sell give nor otherwise alineate any of their Churches goods Item whether they or any of them do keep more Benefices and other Ecclesiastical promotions than they ought to do not having sufficient license and dispensations thereunto and how many they be and their names Item whether they minister the Communion any other ways 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 Ash-Wednesday or any Palms uyon Palm-Sunday last past Item whether they had upon Good-Friday last past the Sepulchres with their lights having the Sacrament therein tem whether they upon Easter-even last past hallowed the Front 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-Archdeacon or their Officers Item whether you know any person within your Parish or elfewhere 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 for the book of VVedding Christning 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. Johns Gospel ringing of holy Bells or keeping of private holy-days as Taylors Bakers Brewers Smiths Shoomakers and such other Item whether the money coming and rising of any Cattle or other moveable stocks of the Church and money given or bequeathed 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 Diocess 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 hours 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 Errours 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 Bawds and receivers of such evil persons or vehemently suspected of any of the premisses Item whether any be brawlers slanderers chiders scolders and sowers of discord between one person and another Item whether you know any that use Charms Sorcery Enchantments VVitchcraft 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 your own Parish Church do resort to any other Church Item whether any Inholders or Alehouse-keepers 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 privy contracts of matrimony not calling two or more thereunto Item whether they have married solemnly the Banns not first lawfully asked Item whether you know any Executors or Administrators of dead mens goods which do not bestow such of the said goods as were given and bequeathed or appointed to be distributed among the poor people repairing of high-ways 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 DIOCESS of LONDON By the Reverend Father in God NICOLAS BISHOP of LONDON In the fourth year of our Soveraign Lord King Edward the Sixth 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 immediately under our Saviour Christ Imprinted at London by Reynold Wolfe MDL 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 with all long suffering and Doctrine 2 Tim. 4. Articles of Visitation by Bishop Ridley Anno 1550. WHether your Curates and Ministers be of that conversation of living that worthily they can be reprehended of no man Whether your Curates and Ministers do haunt and resort to Taverns or Alehouses 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 hawkers hunters or spending their time idely or coming to their Benefice by Simony Whether your Ministers or any other persons have committed adultery fornication incest bawdry 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 fifth part of the fruits of the Benefice until 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 Deanery or elsewhere whether he doth distribute every year among his poor Parishioners there at the least the forty part of the fruits of the same And likewise yearly spending C.l. whether he doth find one Scholar either at of the Vniversities 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 entitled or where he hath jurisdiction or in some place united or appropriate to the same Whether your Minister having license thereunto doth use to preach or not licensed doth diligently procure other to preach that are licensed or whether he refuseth those offering themselves that are licensed or absenteth himself or causeth other to be away from the Sermon or else admitted any to preach that are not licensed 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 with 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 insurrection 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 money 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 privately 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 Baptism be ministred out of necessity in any other time than on the Sunday or Holy-day or in another Tongue than English Whether any speaketh against Baptism of Infants Whether any be married within degrees prohibited by Gods Law or separate without cause lawful or is married without Banns thrice first asked three several holy-days or Sundays openly in the Church at Service-time Whether any Curate doth marry them of other Parishes without their Curates License and certificate from him of the Banns thrice solemnly asked Whether any saith that the wickedness of the Minister taketh away the effect of Christs Sacraments Whether any saith that Christian men cannot be allowed to repentance if they sin voluntary after Baptism 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 ot manner of Communion Mattens or Evensong Ministration of Sacraments or open prayers than 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 Catechism and whether Parents and Masters do send them thither upon warning given by the Minister Whether any useth to keep abrogate holy-days or private holy-days as Bakers Shoomakers Brewers Smiths and such other Whether any useth to hollow water bread salt bells or candles upon Candlemas-day ashes on Ashwedneday Palms on Palm-Sunday the Font on Easter-even fire on Paschal or whether there was any Sepulchre on Good-fryday Whether the water in the Font be changed every month once and then any other prayers 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 lawfull repara tion and whether their be a comely Pulpit set up in the same and likewise a Coffer for Alms for the poor called the poor mens Box or Chest Whether any Legacies given to the poor amending high-ways or marrying poor maids be undistributed and by whom God save the King ARTICLES Argeed 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 goodness the Maker and Preserver of all things both visible and invisible And in unity of his God-head 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 God-head and Manhood were joyned together into one person never to be
Gods only begotten Son Iesus Christ they walk religiously in good works and at length by Gods mercy they attain to everlasting felicity As the godly consideration of Predestination and our Election in Christ is full of sweet pleasant and unspeakable comfort to godly persons and such as feel in themselves the working of the Spirit of Christ mortifying the works of the flesh and their earthly members and drawing up their mind to high and heavenly things as well because it doth greatly establish and confirm their faith of eternal salvation to be enjoyed through Christ as because it doth fervently kindle their love towards God so for curious and carnal persons lacking the Spirit of Christ to have continually before their eyes the sentence of Gods Predestination is a most dangerous downfall where by the Devil may thurst them either into desperation or into wretchlesness of most unclean living no less perilous than desperation Furthermore although the decrees of Predestination are unknown unto us yet we must receive Gods promises in such wise as they be generally set forth to us in holy Scripture and in our doings that will of God is to be followed which we have expresly declared unto us in the Word of God We must trust to obtain eternal Salvation only by the. Name of Christ They also are to be had accursed and abhorred that presume to say that every man shall be saved by the Law or Sect which he professeth so that he be diligent to frame his life according to that Law and the light of Nature For holy Scripture doth set out unto us only the name of Iesus Christ whereby men must be saved All men are bound to keep the Moral Commandments of the Law THe Law which was given of God by Moses although it bind not Christian men as concerning the Ceremonies and Rites of the same neither is it required that the civil precepts and orders of it should of necessity be received in any Commonweal yet no man be he never so perfect a christian is exempt and loose from the obedience of those Commandments which are called Moral wherefore they are not to be hearkned unto who affirm that holy Scripture is given only to the weak and do boast themselves continually of the Spirit of whom they say they have learned such things as they teach although the same be most eminently repugnant to the holy Scripture Of the Church THe visible Church of Christ is a Congregation of faithful men in which the pure Word of God is preached and the Sacraments be duly ministred according to Christs Ordinance in all those things that of necessity are requisite to the same As the Church of Jerusalem of Alexandria and of Antioch hath erred So also the Church of Rome hath erred not only in their living but also in matters of faith Of the Authority of the Church IT is not lawful for the Church to ordain any thing that is contrary to Gods Word written neither may it so expound one place of Scripture that it be repugnant to another wherefore although the Church be a witness and keeper of holy of VVrit yet as it ought not to decree any thing against the same so beside the same ought not to enforce any thing to be believed for necessity of salvation Of the Authority of General Councils GEneral Councils may not be gathered together without the commandment and will of Princes And when they be gathered forasmuch as they be an Assembly of men whereof all be not governed with the Spirit and Word of God they may erre and sometimes have erred not only in worldly matters but also in things pertaining unto God Wherefore things ordained by them as necessary to salvation have neither strength nor authority unless it may be declared that they be taken out of the holy Scripture Of Purgatory THe Doctrine of School-Authors concerning Purgatory Pardons worshipping and adoration as well of Images as of Relicks and also invocation of Saints is a fond thing vainly feigned and grounded upon no warrant of Scripture but rather repugnant to the Word of God No man may Minister in the Congregation except he be called IT is not lawful for any man to take upon him the office of publick preaching or ministring the Sacraments in the Congregation before he be lawfully called and sent to execute the same And those we ought to judge lawfully called and sent which be chosen and called to this work by men who have publick Authority given unto them in the Congregation to call and send Ministers in the Lords vineyard Men must speak in the Congregation in such a tongue as the people understandeth IT is most seemly and most agreable to the Word of God that in the Congregation nothing be openly read spoken in a tongue unknown to the people the which thing St. Paul did forbid except some were present that should declare the same Of the Sacraments OVr Lord Iesus Christ hath knit together a company of new people with Sacraments most few in number most easie to be kept most excellent in signification as is Baptism and the Lords Supper The Sacraments were not ordained of Christ to be gazed upon or to be carried about but that we should rightly use them And in such only as worthily receive the same they have a wholsom effect and operation and yet not that of the work wrought as some men speak which word as it is strange and unknown to holy Scripture so it engendreth no godly but a very superstitious sense but they that receive the Sacraments unworthily purchase to themselves damnation as S. Paul saith Sacraments ordained by the Word of God be not only badges and tokens of Christian mens profession but rather they be certain sure witnesses and effectual signs of grace and Gods good will toward us by the which he doth work invisibly in us and doth not only quicken but also strengthen and confirm our faith in him The wickedness of the Ministers doth not take away the effectual operation of Gods Ordinances ALthough in the visible Church the evil be ever mingled with the good and sometime the evil have chief authority in the ministration of the Word and Sacraments yet forasmuch as they do not the same in their own name but do minister by Christs Commission and Authority we may use their Ministry both in hearing the Word of God and in the receiving the Sacraments Neither is the effect of Gods Ordinances taken away by their wickednes nor the grace of Gods gifts diminished from such as by faith rightly receive the Sacraments ministred unto them which be effectual because of Christs institution and promise although they be ministred by evil men Nevertheless it appertaineth to the discipline of the Church that enquiry be made of such and that they be accused by those that have knowledge of their offences and finally being found guilty by just judgment be deposed Of Baptism BAptism is not only a sign of profession and mark
have neither strength nor authority unless it may be declared that they be taken out of holy Scripture 22. Of Purgatory THE Romish Doctrine concerning Purgatory Pardons worshipping and adoration as well of Images as of Relicks and also Invocation of Saints is a fond thing vainly feigned and grounded upon no warrant of Scripture but rather repugnant to the Word of God 23. Of ministring in the Congregation IT is not lawful for any man to take upon him the offic of pulick preaching or ministring the Sacraments in the Congregation before he be lawfully called and sent to execute the same And those we ought to judge lawfully called and sent which be chosen and called to this work by men who have publick Authority given unto them in the Congregation to call and send Ministers into the Lords vineyard 24. Of speaking in the Congregation in such a Tongue as the people understandeth IT is a thing plainly repugnant to the Word of God Haec clausul non habetur in Edvard 9. Ar-Artic and the custom of the Primitive Church to have publick prayer in the Church or to mininster the Sacraments in a tongue not understanded of the pleople 25. Of the Sacraments Dominus noster Jesus Christus Sacramentis numero paucissimis observatu facillimis significatione praestantissimis societatem novi populs colligavit sicut est Baptismus Coena Domini SAcraments ordained of Christ be not only badges or tokens of Christian mens profession but rather they be certain sure witnesses and effectual signs of grace and Gods will towards us by the which he doth work invisibly in us and doth not only quicken but also strengthen and confirm our faith in him There are two Sacraments ordained of Christ our Lord in the Gospel that is to say Baptism the Supper of the Lord. Those five commonly called Sacraments that is to say Confirmation Penance Orders Matrimony and extream Vnction are not to be counted for Sacraments of the Gospel being such as have grown partly of the corrupt following of the Apostles partly are states of life allowed in the Scriptures but yet have not like nature of Sacraments with Baâ—tism and the Lords Supper Haec notata non habentur in Edv. 6. Artic. for that they have not any visible sign or ceremony ordained of God The Sacraments were not ordained of Christ to be gazed upon or to be carried about but that we should duely use them And in such only as woâ—thily receive the same †Idque non ex opere ut quidam loquuntur operato que vox ut peregrina est Sacris literis ignota sic parti sensum minimè pium sed admodum superstitiosum Artic. Edvard 6. they have a wholsom effect or operation but they that receive them unworthily purchase to themselves damnation as S. Paul saith 26. Of the unworthiness of the Ministers which hinder not the effect of the Sacraments ALthough in the visible Church the evil be ever mingled with the good and sometime the evil have chief authority in the ministration of the Word and Sacraments yet forasmuch as they do not the same in their own name but in Christs and do minister by his commission and authority we may use their ministery both in hearing the Word of God and in the receiving the Sacraments Neither is the effect of Christs Ordinance taken away by their wickedness nor the grace of Gods gifts diminished from such as by faith and rightly do receive the Sacraments ministred unto them which be effectual because of Christs institution and promise although they be ministred by evil men Nevertheless it appertaineth to the discipline of the Church that enquiry be made of evil Ministers and that they be accused by those that have knowledge of their offences and finally being found guilty by just judgment be deposed 27. Of Baptism BAptism is not only a sign of profession and mark of difference whereby Christian men are discerned from others that be not Christned but it is also a sign of Regeneration or new birth whereby as by an instrument they that receive Baptism rightly are grafted into the Church the promises of the forgiveness of sin of our adoption to be the sons of God by the holy Ghost are visibly signed and sealed faith is confirmed and grace increased by vertue of prayer unto God The Baptism of young Children is in any wise to be retained in the Church as most agreeable with the institution of Christ 28. Of the Lords Supper THe Supper of the Lord is not only a sign of the love that Christians ought to have among themselves one to another but rather it is a Sacrament of our redemption by Christs death Insomuch that to such as rightly worthily and with faith receive the same the bread which we break is a partaking of the body of Christ and likewise the Cup of blessing is a partaking of the blood of Christ Quum naturae humanae veritas requirat ut unius ejusdemque hominis Corpus in multis locis simul esse non possit sed in uno aliquo definito loco esse oporteat idcirco Christi corpus in multis diversis locis eodem tempore praesens esse non potest Et quoniam ut tradunt sacrae literae Christus in coelum fuit sublatus ibi usque ad finem seculi est permansurus non debet quisquam fidelium carnis ejus sanguinis Realem corporalem ut loquuntur praesentiam in Eucharistia vel credere vel profiteâ—i R. Edv. 6. Artic. Transubstantiation or the change of the substance of bread and wine in the Supper of the Lord cannot be proved by holy Writ but it is repugnant to the plain words of Scripture overthroweth the nature of a Sacrament and hath given occasion to many superstitions The body of Christ is given taken and eaten in the Supper only after an heavenly and spiritual manner Haec nota non habentur in Reg. Edvatd 6. Artic. And the mean whereby the body of Christ is received and eaten in the Supper is Faith The Sacrament of the Lords Supper was not by Christs Ordinance reserved carried about lifted up and worshipped 29. Of the wicked which eat not the body of Christ in the use of the Lords Supper Non habetur hic Artic. in R. Edv. sexti THE wicked and such as be void of a lively faith although they do carnally and visibly press with their teeth as St. Augustine saith the Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ yet in no wise are they partakers of Christ but rather to their condemnation do eat and drink the sign or Sacrament of so great a thing 30. Of both kinds THE Cup of the Lord is not to be denied to the Lay-people For both the parts of the Lords Sacrament by Christs Ordinance and Commandment ought to be ministred to all Christian men alike 31. Of the one Oblation of Christ finished upon the Cross THe offering of
ye ought to receive the weak and to remember the words of our Lord Iesus how that he said It is more blessed to give than to receive Or else this third Chapter of the first Epistle to Timothy THis is a true saying If a man desire the office of a Bishop This when Deacons and Priests are made both in one day he desireth an honest work A Bishop therefore must be blameless the husband of one wife diligent sober discreet a keeper of hospitality apt to teach not given to overmuch wine no fighter not greedy of filthy lucre gentle abhorring fighting abhoring covetousness one that ruleth well his own house one that hath children in subjection with all reverence For if a man cannot rule his own house how shall he care for the congregation of God He may not be a young Scholar lest he swell and fall into the judgment of the evil speaker He must also have good report of them which are without lest he fall into rebuke and the snare of the evil speaker Likewise must the Ministers be honest not double tongued not given to much wine neither greedy of filthy lucre but holding the mystery of the faith with a pure conscience and let them first be proved and then let them minister so that no man be able to reprove them Even so must their wives be honest not evil speakers but sober and faithful in all things Let the Deacons be the husbands of one wife and such as rule their children well and their own housholds For they that minister well get themselves a good degree and great liberty in the faith which is in Christ Iesus These things write I unto thee trusting to come shortly unto thee but if I tarry long that then thou mayst have yet knowledge how thou oughtest to behave thy self in the house of God which is the congregation of the living God the pillar and ground of truth And without doubt great is that mystery of godliness God was shewed in the flesh was justified in the spirit was seen among the angels was preached unto the Gentiles was believed on in the world and received up in glory After this shall be read for the Gospel a piece of the last Chapter of Matthew as followeth JEsus came and spake unto them saying All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth go ye therefore and teach all nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy Ghost teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you and lo I am with you alway to the end of the world Or else this that followeth out of the tenth Chapter of St. John VErily verily I say unto you He that entreth not in by the door into the sheepfold but climbeth up some other way the same is a thief and a murderer But he that entreth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep to him the porter openeth and the sheep hear his voice and he calleth his own sheep by name and leadeth them out And when he hath sent forth his own sheep he goeth before them and the sheep follow him for they know his voice A stranger they will not follow but will flee from him for they know not the voice of strangers This Proverb spake Iesus unto them but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them Then said Iesus unto them again Verily verily I say unto you I am the door of the sheep and all even as many as came before me are thieves and murderers but the sheep did not hear them I am the door by me if any man enter in he shalle be safe and go in and out and find pasture A thief cometh not but to steal kill and to destroy I am come that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly I am the good shepherd A good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep An hired servant and he which is not the shepherd neither the sheep are his own seeth the wolf coming and leaveth the sheep and fleeth and the wolf catcheth and scattereth the sheep The hired servant fleeth because he is an hired servant and careth not for the sheep I am the good shepherd and know my sheep and am known of mine As my Father knoweth me even so know I also my Father And I give my life for the sheep And other sheep I have which are not of this fold them also must I bring and they shall hear my voice and there shall be one fold and one shepherd Or else this of the twentieth Chapter of John THe same day at night which was the first day of the Sabbaths when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled together for fear of the Iews came Iesus and stood in the midst and said unto them Peace be unto you And when he had so said he shewed unto them his hands and his 〈…〉 Then were the Disciples glad when they saw the Lord. Then said Iesus unto them again Peace be unto you As my Father sent me even so send I you also And when he had said those words he breathed on them and said unto them Receive ye the holy Ghost Whosoever sins ye remit they are remitted unto them and whosoever sins ye retain they are retained When the Gospel is ended then shall be said or sung COme holy Ghost eternal God proceeding from above Both from the Father and the Son the God of peace and love Visit our minds and into us thy heavenly grace inspire That in all truth and godliness we may have true desire Thou art the very Comforter in all wo and distress The heavenly gift of God most high which no tongue can express The fountain and the lively spring of joy celestial The fire so bright the love so clear and unction spiritual Thou in thy gifts art manifold whereby Christs Church doth stand In faithful hearts writing thy Law the finger of Gods hand According to thy promise made thou givest speech of grace That through thy help the praise of God my sound in every place O holy Ghost into our wits send down thy heavenly light Kindle our hearts with fervent love to serve God day and night Strength and stablish all our weakness so feeble and so frail That neither flesh the world nor devil against us do prevail Put back our enemy far from us and grant us to obtain Peace in our hearts with God and man without grudge or disdain And grant O Lord that thou being our leader and our guide We may eschew the snares of sin and from thee never slide To us such plenty of thy grace good Lord grant we thee pray That thou mayst be our Comforter at the last dreadful day Of all strife and dissension O Lord dissolve the hands And make the knots of peace and love throughout all Christian lands Grant us O Lord through thee to know the Father most of might That
necessity to eternal salvation but that you shall be perswaded may be concluded and proved by the Scripture Answer I am so perswaded and have so determined by Gods grace The Bishop WIll you then give your faithful diligence always so to minister the Doctrine and Sacraments and the Discipline of Christ as the Lord hath commanded and as this Realm hath received the same according to the Commandments of God so that you may teach the people committed to your cure and charge with all diligence to keep and observe the same Answer I will do so by the help of the Lord. The Bishop WIll you be ready with all faithful diligence to banish and drive away all erroneous and strange doctrines contrary to Gods Word and to use both publick and private admonitions and exhortations as well to the sick as to the whole within your Cures as need shall require and occasion be given Answer I will the Lord being my helper The Bishop Will you be diligently in prayers and in reading of the holy Scriptures and in such studies as help to the knowledge of the same laying aside the study of the world and the flesh Answer I will endeavor my self so to do the Lord being my helper The Bishop WIll you be diligent to frame and fashion your own selves and your families according to the Doctrine of Christ and to make both your selves and them as much as in you lieth wholsom examples and spectacles to the flock of Christ Answer I will apply my self the Lord being my helper The Bishop WIll you maintain and set forwards as much as in you lieth quietness peace and love among all Christian people and especially among them that are or shall be committed to your charge Answer I will so do the Lord being my helper The Bishop VVIll you reverently obey your Ordinary and other chief Ministers unto whom the government and charge is committed over you following with a glad mind and will their godly admonitions and submitting your selves to their godly judgments Answer I will so do the Lord being my helper Then shall the Bishop say ALmighty God who hath given you this will do all these things grant also unto you strength and power to perform the same that he may accomplish his work which he hath begun in you until the time shall come at the latter day to judge the quick and the dead After this the Congregation shall be desired secretly in their prayers to make humble supplications to God for the foresaid things for the which prayers there shall be a certain space kept in silence That done the Bishop shall pray in this wise ¶ Let us pray ALmighty God and heavenly Father which of thine infinite love and goodness towards us hast given to us thy only and most dearly bloved Son Iesus Christ to be our Redeemer and Author of everlasting life who after he had made perfect our redemption by his death and was ascended into heaven sent abroad into the world his Apostles Prophets Evangelists Doctors and Pastors by whose labour and ministery he gathered together a great flock in all the parts of the World to set forth the eternal praise of thy holy Name For these so great benefits of thy eternal goodness and for that thou hast vouchsafed to call these thy servants here present to the same office and ministry of salvation of mankind we render unto thee most hearty thanks we worship and praise thee and we humbly beseech thee by the same thy Son to grant unto all which either here or elsewhere call upon thy Name that we may shew our selves thankful to thee for these and all other thy benefits and that we may daily increase and go forwards in the knowledge and faith of thee and thy Son by thy holy Spirit So that as well by these thy Ministers as by them to whom they shall be appointed Ministers thy holy Name may be always glorified and thy blessed Kingdom enlarged through the same thy Son our Lord Iesus Christ which liveth and reigneth with thee in the unity of the same holy Spirit world without end Amen When this prayer is done the Bishops with the Priests present shall lay their hands severally upon the head of every one that receiveth Orders the receivers humbly kneeling upon their knees and the Bishop saying REceive the holy Ghost Whose sins thou dost forgive they are forgiven and whose sins thou dost retain they are retained and be thou a faithful dispenser of the Word of God and his holy Sacraments In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy Ghost Amen The Bishop shall deliver to every one of them the Bible in his hand saying TAke thou authority to preach the Word of God and to minister the holy Sacraments in this Congregation where thou shalt be so appointed When this is done the Congregation shall sing the Creed and also they shall go to the Communion which all they that receive Orders shall take together and remain in the same place where the hands were laid upon them until such time as they received the Communion The Communion being done after the last Collect and immediately before the Bendiction shall be said this Collect. MOst merciful Father we beseech thee to send upon these thy Servants thy heavenly blessing that they may be clad about with justice and that thy Word spoken by their mouths may have such success that it may never be spoken in vain Grant also that we may have grace to hear and receive the same as thy most holy Word and the means of our salvation that in all our words and deeds we may seek thy glory and the increase of thy Kingdom through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen And if the Order of Deacons and Priesthood be given both upon one day then shall all things at the holy Communion be used as they are appointed at the ordering of Priests saving that for the Epistle the whole third Chapter of the first to Timothy shall be read as it is set out before in the order of Priests And immediately after the Epistile the Deacons shall be ordered And it shall suffice the Litany to be said once The form of Consecrating of an Arch-Bishop or Bishop ¶ At the Communion The Epistle THis is a true saying If a man desire the office of a Bishop he desireth an honest work A Bishop therefore must be blameless the husband of one wife diligent sober discreet a keeper of hospitality apt to teach not given to overmuch wine no fighter nor greedy of filthy lucre but gentle abhorring fighting abhorring covetousness one that ruleth well his own house one that hath children in subjection with all reverence For if a man cannot rule his own house how thall he care for the congregation of God He may not be a young Scholar lest he swell and fall into the judgment of the evil speaker He must also have a good report of them which are without lest he fall
into rebuke and the snare of the evil speaker The Gospel JEsus said to Simon Peter Simon Johanna lovest thou me more than these He said unto him Yea Lord thou knowest that I love thee he said unto him feed my lambs He said to him again the second time Simon Johanna lovest thou me He said to him Yea Lord thou knowest that I love thee he said unto him Feed my sheep He said unto him the third time Simon Johanna lovest thou me Peter was sorry because he said unto him the third time lovest thou me And he said unto him Lord thou knowest all things thou knowest that I love thee Iesus said unto him Feed my sheep Or else out of the tenth Chapter of John as before in the order of Priests After the Gospel and Creed ended first the elected Bishop shall be presented by two Bishops unto the Archbishop of that Province or some other Bishop appointed by his Commission the Bishops that present him saying MOst reverend Father in God we present unto you this godly and well-learned man to be Consecrated Bishop Then shall the Archbishop demand the Kings Mandate for the Consecration and cause it to be read and the Oath touching the Knowledge of the Kings Supremacy shall be ministred to the persons elected as it is set out in the order of Deacons And then shall be ministred the Oath of due obedience unto the Archbishop as followeth The Oath of due obedience to the Archbishop IN the Name of God Amen I. N. chosen Bishop of the Church or See of N. do profess and promise all due reverence and obedience to the Archbishop and to the Metropolitan Church of N. and to their Successors So help me God through Jesus Christ This Oath shall not be made at the Consecration of an Archbishop Then the Archbishop shall move the Congregation present to pray saying thus to them BRethren it is written in the Gospel of St. Luke that our Saviour Christ continued the whole night in prayer or ever that he did chuse and send forth his twelve Apostles It is written also in the Acts of the Apostles that the Disciples which were at Antioch did fast and pray or ever the laid hands upon or sent forth Paul and Barnabas Let us therefore follow the example of our Saviour Christ and his Apostles first fall to prayer or that we admit and send forth this person presented unto us to the work whereunto we trust the holy Ghost hath called him And then shall be said the Litany as afore in the order of Deacons And after this place That it may please thee illuminate all Bishops c. That it may please thee to bless this our brother elected and to send thy grace upon him that he may duly execute the office whereunto he is called to the edifying of the Church and to the honour praise and glory of thy Name Answer We beseech thee to hear us good Lord. Concluding the Letany in the end with this Prayer ALmighty God the giver of all good things which by thy holy Spirit hast appointed divers Orders and Ministers in thy Church mercifully behold this thy servant now called to the work and ministry of a Bishop and replenish him so with the truth of thy Doctrine and innocency of life that both by word and deed he may faithfully serve thee in this office to the glory of thy Name and profit of thy Congregation through the merits of our Saviour Iesus Christ who liveth and reigneth with thee and the holy Ghost world without end Amen Then the Archbishop sitting in a Chair shall say to him that is to be Consecrated BRother forasmuch as holy Scripture and the old Canons commandeth that we should not be hasty in laying on hands and admitting of any person to the government of the Congregation of Christ which he hath purchased with no less price than the effusion of his own blood afore I admit you to this administration whereunto you are called I will examine you in certain Articles to the end the Congregation present may have a trial and bear witness how you be minded to behave your self in the Church of God Are you perswaded that you be truly called to this ministration according to the will of our Lord Iesus Christ and the order of this Realm Answer I am so perswaded The Archbishop ARE you perswaded that the holy Scriptures contain sufficiently all Doctrine required of necessity for eternal salvation through the faith in Iesus Christ And are you determined with the same holy Scriptures to instruct the people committed to your charge and to teach or maintain nothing as required of necessity to eternal salvation but that you shall be perswaded may be concluded and proved by the same Answer I am so perswaded and determined by Gods grace The Achbishop WIll you then faithfully exercise your self in the said holy Scriptures and call upon God by prayer for the true understanding of the same so as ye may be able by them to teach and exhort with wholsome Doctrine and to withstand and convince the gainsayers Answer I will so do by the help of God The Archbishop BE you ready with all faithful diligence to banish and drive away all erroneous and strange Doctrines contrary to Gods Word and both privately and openly to call upon and encourage others to the same Answer I am ready the Lord being my helper The Archbishop WIll you deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts and live soberly righteously and godly in this world that you may shew your self in all things an example of good works unto others that the adversary may be ashamed having nothing to lay against you Answer I will so do the Lord being my helper The Archbishop WIll you maintain and set forwards as much as in you lieth quietness peace and love among all men and such as be unquiet disobedient and criminous within your Diocess correct and punish according to such authority as ye have by Gods Word as to you shall be committed by the ordinance of this Realm Answer I will so do by the help of God The Archbishop WIll you shew your self gentle and be merciful for Christs sake to poor and needy people and to all strangers destitute of help Answer I will so shew my self by Gods help The Archbishop ALmighty God our heavenly Father who hath given you a good will to do all these things grant also unto you strength and power to performe the same that be accomplishing in you the good work which he hath begun ye may be found perfect and irreprehensible at the latter day through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen Then shall be sung or said Come holy Ghost c. As it is set out in the order of Priests That ended the Archbishop shall say Lord hear our prayer Answer And let our cry come unto thee ¶ Let us pray ALmighty God and most merciful Father which of thine infinite goodness hast given thy only and most dear beloved Son
Porta clauditur Prior Sacellanus pergit legendo sententias illas hortatorias ad Eleemosynas interea dum alter Sacellanus singulos Communicaturos adit atque in patinam argenteam oblationes colligit Collecta est summa 4. l. 12 s. 2. d. quam Dominus Episcopus convertandam in Calicem huic Capellae donandum decernit Caeteris rebus ordine gestis demum Episcopus sacram Mensam redit Sacellanis utrisque ad aliquantulum recedentibus lotisque manibus pane fracto vino in Calicem effuso aqua admista stans ait ALmighty God our Heavenly Father c. Eucharistiam ipse primo loco accipit sub utraque specie proximo loco tradit Fundatori quem jam coram sacra Mensa in genua supplicem collocarant dein utrique Sacellano Ad caeteros vero pergentem Episcopum atque panem iis tradentem prior Sacellanus subsequitur Calicem ordine porrigit Cum vinum quod prius effuderat non sufficeret Episcopus de novo in Calicem ex poculo quod in sacra Mensa stabat effundit admistaque aqua recitat clare verba illa consecratoria Finita tandem exhibitione Dominus Episcopus ad Sacrae Mensae Septentrionem in genibus recitante quoque populo ait OUr Father c. O Lord our Heavenly Father c. GLory be to God on high c. Concludit denique cum hac precatione BLessed be thy name O Lord that it hath pleased thee to put into the heart of this thy servant to erect an house to thy worship and service by whose Pains Care and Cost this work was begun and finished Bless O Lord his substance and accept the work of his hands Remember him O our God concerning this wipe not out this kindness of his that he hath shewed for the house of his God and the offices thereof and make them truly thankful to thee that shall injoy the benefit thereof and the ease of it and what is by him well intended make them rightly to use it which will be the best fruit and to God most acceptable Post haec vota populum stans dimitit cum Benedictione hac THe peace of God which passeth all understanding keep your hearts and Minds in the Knowledge and love of God and of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord and the Blessing of God Almighty the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost be amongst you and remain with you always Amen Consecratio COEMETERII STatim à prandio quod in aedibus suis vicinis Fundator Capellae satis lante appararat Domino Episcopo atque convenarum magnae frequentiae ad rem divinam reversis alter Sacellanorum praeit OUr Father c. Post Responsas Psalmus 90. recitatur alternis Post Psalmum Episcopus cum universa multitudine egreditur Capella atque ad Orientalem Coemeterii partem stans denuo sciscitatur Captain Smith for what have you called us hither again Ille schedulam ut prius humillime porrigit quam praefatus à Registris recitat in haec verba IN the name of Richard Smith of Peer-tree in the County of Southampton Esquire R. Reverend Father in God I present unto you the state of the Village of Weston c. ut prius usque ad the River cannot be passed whereby it often cometh to pass that they have been constrained to bury their dead in the open fields the water not being passable or if they durst venture over yet the dead body was followed with so little Company as was no way seemly And thus much formerly having been presented to your Predecessor the R.R.F. in God James late Bishop of Winton and Petition to him made to give and to grant leave unto the said Richard Smith to enclose a piece of ground for a Burial-place on the east side of the said River he favorably gave licence and granted power unto the said Richard Smith so to do as may appear by an instrument under his Episcopal Seal bearing date the 23 of February in the year of our Lord God according to the Computation of the Church of England 1617. Which place of Burial being now enclosed with a decent Rail of Timber at the only proper cost and charges of him the said Richard Smith with intent and purpose that it might be dedicated and consecrated only and wholly for Christian burial for him the said Richard Smith and his Family and the said inhabitants and none other In which respect I beseech God to accept of this sincere intent and purpose and both he and they are together humble Suiters to your Lordship as Gods Minister the Bishop and Ordinary of this Diocess in Gods stead to accept this his free-will offering and to decree this ground severed from all former common and profane uses and to sever it as by the Word of God and prayer and other special Religious duties to dedicate and consecrate it to be a Coemeterie or place of christian burial as aforesaid wherein their bodies may be laid up until the day of general Resurrection promising that they will ever so hold it for holy ground and use it accordingly applying it to no other use but that only and that they will from time to time and ever hereafter as need shall be see it conveniently repaired and fenced in such sort as a Coemetery or Burying-place ought to be Hoc ipsum vero ab Episcopo paucis interrogatis viva voce confirmant Fundator qui è vicinia Lectio prima desumitur è 23. Gen. Secunda Lectio destinabatur è prima Epist ad Cor. cap. 15. à vers 15. ad finem propter angustias temporis omissa Tum Dominus Episcopus in genua ibi submissus precatur O Lord God thou hast been pleased to teach us in thy holy Word as to put a difference between the soul of a Beast and the spirit of a Man for the soul of a Beast goes down to the earth from whence it came and the spirit of a Man returneth unto God that gave it so to make diverse accompts of the Bodies of Mankind and the Bodies of other living creatures in so much as the Body of Adam was resolved on and afterwards the workmanship of thine own hands and endued with a soul from thine own breath But much more since the second Adam thy blessed Son by taking upon him our nature exalted this flesh of ours to be flesh of his flesh whose flesh thou sufferedst not to see Corruption so that the Body returns to the earth and the soul to him that gave it It shall from thence return again it is but a rest and a rest in hope as saith the Psalmist for it is a righteous thing with God that the Body which was partaker with the soul both in doing and suffering should be raised again from the Earth to be partaker also with the soul of the reward or punishment which God in Mercy or Justice shall reward not to one of them alone but joyntly to them both There being then so
with the grace of thy holy Spirit to amend our lives according to thy holy Word We beseech thee to hear us good Lord. Son of God we beseech the to hear us Son of God we beseech the to hear us O Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the world Grant us thy peace O Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the world Have mercy upon us O Christ hear us O Christ hear us Lord have mercy upon us Lord have mercy upon us Christ have mercy upon us Christ have mercy upon us Lord have mercy upon us Lord have mercy upon us Our Father which art in heaven c. And lead us not into temptation But deliver us from evil Amen The Versicle O Lord deal not with us after our sins Answer Neither reward us after our iniquities ¶ Let us pray Ood merciful Father that despisest not the sighing of a contrite heart nor the desire of such as be sorrowful mercifully assist our prayers that we make before thee in all our troubles and adversities whensoever they oppress us and graciously hear us that those evils which the craft and subtilty of the devil or man worketh against us be brought to nought and by the providence of thy goodness they may be dispersed thar we thy servants being hurt by no persecutions may evermore give thanks unto thee in thy holy Church through Iesus Christ our Lord. O Lord arise help us and deliver us for thy names sake O God we have heard with our ears and our fathers have declared unto us the noble works that thou didst in their days and in the old time before them O Lord arise help us and deliver us for thine honour Glory be to the Father and to the Son c. As it was in the beginning is now c. From our Enemies defend us O Christ Graciously look upon our afflictions Pitifully behold the sorrows of our hearts Mercifully forgive the sins of thy people Favourably with mercy hear our prayers O Son of David have mercy upon us Both now and ever vouchsafe to hear us O Christ Graciously hear us O Christ graciously hear us O Lord Christ The Versicle O Lord let thy mercy be shewed upon us Answer As we do put our trust in thee Let us pray WE humbly beseech thee O Father mercifully to look upon our infirmities and for the glory of thy Names sake turn from us all those evils that we most righteously have deserved and grant that in all our troubles we may put our whole trust and confidence in thy mercy and evermore serve thee in holiness and pureness of living to thy honour and glory through our only Mediator and Advocate Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen ALmighty God which hast given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplications unto thee and dost promis that when two or three be gathered together in thy Name thou wile grant their requests fulfil now O Lord the desires and petitions of thy servanta as may be most expedient for them granting us in this world knowledge of thy truth and in the world to come life everlasting Amen ¶ Then shall be said also this that followeth ALmighty God which by thy divine providence hast appointed divers Orders of Ministers in the Church and didst inspire thine holy Apostles to chuse unto this Order of Deacons the first Martyr St. Stephen with other mercifully behold these thy servants now called to the like office and administration replenish them so with the truth of thy Doctrine and innocency of life that both by word and good example they may faithfully serve thee in this office to the glory of thy Name and profit of the Congregation through the merits of our Saviour Iesu Christ who liveth and reigneth with thee and the holy Ghost now and for ever Amen Then shall be sung or said the Communion of the day saving the Epistle shall be read out of Timothy as followeth LIkewise must the Ministers be honest not double-tongued not given unto much wine neither greedy of filthy lucre but holding the mystery of the faith with a pure conscience and let them first be proved and then let them minister so that no man be able to reprove them Even so must theâ—r wives be honest not evil speakers but sober and faithful in all things Let the Deacons be the husbands of one wife and such as rule their children well and their own housholds for they that minister well get themselves a good degree and a great liberty in the faith which is in Christ Iesu These things write I unto thee trusting to come shortly unto thee but and if I tarry long that then thou mayest yet have knowledge how thou oughest to behave thy self in the house of God which is the congregation of the living God the pillar and ground of truth And without doubt great is that mystery of godliness God was shewed in the flesh was justified in the spirit was seen among the angels was preached unto the Gentiles was believed in on the world and received up into glory Or else this out of the sixth of the Acts. THen the twelve called the multitude of the disciples together and said It is not meet that we should leave the word of God and serve tables wherefore brethren look you out among you seven men of honest report and full of the holy Ghost and wisdom to whom we may commit this business but we will give our selves continually to prayer and to the administration of the word And that saying pleased the whole multitude And they chose Stephen a man full of faith and full of the holy Ghost and Philip and Brochorus and Nicanor and Timon and Parmenas and Nicholas a convert of Antioch These they set before the Apostles and when they had prayed they laid their hands on them And the word of God increased and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly and a great number of the Priests were obedient unto the faith And before the Gospel the Bishop setting in a chair shall cause the Oath of the Kings Supremacy and against the power and authority of all foreign Potentates to be ministred unto every of them that are to be ordered ¶ The Oath of the Kings Soveraignty I A. B. do utterly testifie and declare in my conscience that the Kings Highness is the only supreme Governour of this Realm and of all other his Highness Dominions and Countries as well in all spiritual or Ecclesiastical things or causes as temporal and that no foreign Prince Person Prelate State or Potentate hath or ought to have any jurisdiction power superiority pre-eminence or authority Ecclesiastical or spiritual within this Realm and therefore I do utterly renounce and forsake all foreign jurisdictions powers superiorities and au horities and do promise that from henceforth I shall bear faith and true Allegiance to the Kings Highness his heirs and lawful successours and to my power shall assist and