The 1549 Book of Common Prayer: Of Ceremonies, and Certain Notes · The 1549 Book of Common Prayer: Preface

The Book of Common Prayer

	The Book of Common Prayer - 1549

OF CEREMONIES,
WHY SOME BE ABOLISHED AND SOME RETAYNED.
OF suche Ceremonies
as be used in the Church, and have had their beginning by thinstitucion
of man: Some at the first were of godly intent and purpose devised,
and yet at length turned to vanitie and supersticion: Some entred into
the Churche by undiscrete devocion, and suche a zele as was without
knowlage, and for because they were winked at in the beginning, they
grewe dayly to more and more abuses, which not onely for their unprofitablenesse,
but also because they have muche blynded the people, and obscured the
glory of God, are worthy to be cut awaye, and cleane rejected. Other
there be, which although they have been devised by man: yet it is thought
good to reserve them still as well for a decent ordre in the Churche
(for the which they were first devised) as because they pertayne to
edificacion. Wherunto all thynges doen in the Churche (as the Apostle
teacheth) ought to be referred. And although the keping or omytting
of a ceremonie (in itselfe considered) is but a small thyng: Yet the
wilfull and contemptuous transgression, and breakyng of a common ordre,
and disciplyne, is no small offence before God. Let all thynges bee
done emong you (sayeth Sainte Paule) in a semely and due ordre. The
appoyntemente of the whiche ordre pertayneth not to pryvate menne: Therfore
no manne ought to take in hande nor presume to appoynte or alter any
publyke or common ordre in Christes Churche, excepte he be lawfully
called and autorized thereunto. And whereas in this our tyme, the myndes
of menne bee so diverse, that some thynke it a greate matter of conscience
to departe from a peece of the leaste of theyr Ceremonies (they bee
so addicted to their olde customes), and agayne on the other syde, some
bee so newe fangle that they woulde innovate all thyng, and so doe despyse
the olde that nothyng canne lyke them, but that is newe: It was thought
expediente not so muche to have respecte howe to please and satisfie
eyther of these partyes, as howe to please God, and profitte them bothe.
And yet leste any manne should bee offended (whom good reason might
satisfie), here be certayne causes rendered, why some of the accustomed
Ceremonies be put awaye, and some be retayned and kept still.
Some are put awaye, because the great excesse and
multytude of them hathe so encreased in these latter dayes, that the
burden of them was intollerable: wherof saincte Augustine in his tyme
complayned, that they were growen to suche a noumbre: that the state
of christian people was in wurse case (concernyng that matter) then
were the Jewes. And he counsayled that suche yocke and burden should
be taken awaye: as tyme woulde serve quietely to doe it. But what woulde
saincte Augustine have sayed if he hadde seen the Ceremonies of late
dayes used among us? Wherunto the multitude used in his time was not
to bee compared. This our excessive multitude of Ceremonies, was so
great, and many of them so darke: that they dyd more confounde and darken,
then declare and sette forth Christes benefites unto us. And besides
this, Christes Gospell is not a Ceremoniall lawe (as muche of Moses
lawe was), but it is a relygion to serve God, not in bondage of the
figure or shadowe: but in the freedome of spirite, beeyng contente onely
wyth those ceremonyes whyche dooe serve to a decente ordre and godlye
discipline, and suche as bee apte to stirre uppe the dulle mynde of
manne to the remembraunce of his duetie to God, by some notable and
speciall significacion, whereby he myght bee edified.
¶ Furthermore, the most weightye cause of the abolishement
of certayne Ceremonies was, that they were so farre abused, partely
by the supersticious blyndenes of the rude and unlearned, and partelye
by the unsaciable avarice of suche as soughte more theyr owne lucre
than the glorye of God; that the abuses coulde not well bee taken awaye,
the thyng remaynyng styll. But nowe as concernyng those persones, whiche
peradventure will bee offended for that some of the olde Ceremonies
are retayned still: Yf they consyder, that wythoute some Ceremonies
it is not possible to kepe anye ordre or quyete dyscyplyne in the churche:
they shall easilye perceyve juste cause to refourme theyr judgementes.
And yf they thynke muche that anye of the olde dooe remayne, and woulde
rather have all devised anewe: then such menne (grauntyng some Ceremonyes
conveniente to bee hadde), surelye where the olde maye bee well used:
there they cannot reasonablye reprove the olde (onelye for theyr age)
withoute bewraiyng of theyr owne folye. For in suche a case they oughte
rather to have reverence unto them for theyr antyquitye, yf they wyll
declare themselves to bee more studious of unitie and concorde, then
of innovacions and newe fanglenesse, whiche (as muche as maye bee wyth
the trewe settyng foorthe of Christes religion) is alwayes to bee eschewed.
Furthermore, suche shall have no juste cause wyth the Ceremonies reserved,
to bee offended: for as those bee taken awaye whiche were moste abused,
and dydde burden mennes consciences wythoute any cause: So the other
that remaine are retained for a discipline and ordre, which (upon just
causes) may be altered and chaunged, and therfore are not to be estemed
equal with goddes lawe. And moreover they be neyther darke nor dumme
ceremonies, but are so set forth that every man may understande what
they dooe meane, and to what use they do serve. So that it is not like
that thei, in time to come, shoulde bee abused as the other have been.
And in these all our dooynges wee condemne no other nacions, nor prescribe
anye thyng, but to oure owne people onelye. For we thinke it conveniente
that every countreye should use such ceremonies, as thei shal thynke
beste to the settyng foorth of goddes honor, and glorye: and to the
reducyng of the people to a moste perfecte and Godly living, without
errour or supersticion: and that they shoulde putte awaye other thynges,
which from time to time they perceive to be most abused, as in mennes
ordinaunces it often chaunceth diverselye in diverse countreyes.
	* shall in several printings
CERTAYNE
NOTES
for
the more playne explicacion and
decent
ministracion of thinges, conteined in thys booke.
IN the saying or singing of
Matens and Evensong, Baptizyng and Burying, the minister, in paryshe
churches and chapels annexed to the same, shall use a Surples.
And in all Cathedral churches and Colledges, tharchdeacons, Deanes,
Provestes, Maisters, Prebendaryes, and fellowes, being Graduates,
may use in the quiere, beside the yr Surplesses, such hoodes as
pertaineth to their several degrees, which they have taken in any
universitie within this realme. But in all other places, every
minister shall be at libertie to use any Surples or no. It is also
seemely that Graduates, when they dooe preache, shoulde* use such
hoodes as pertayneth to theyr severall degrees.
¶ And
whensoever the Bushop shall celebrate the holye communion in the
churche, or execute any other publique minystracyon, he shall have
upon hym, besyde his rochette, a Surples or albe, and a cope or vestment,
and also his pastorall staffe in his hande, or elles borne or holden
by his chapeleyne [chaplain].
¶ As touching kneeling, crossing, holding up of handes, knocking upon
the brest, and other gestures: they may be used or left as every mans
devocion serveth without blame.
¶
Also upon Christmas day, Ester day, the Ascension daye, whit-Soonday,
and the feaste of the Trinitie, may bee used anye parte of holye scripture
hereafter to be certaynly limited and appoynted, in the stede of the
Letany.
¶
If there bee a sermone, or for other greate cause, the Curate by his
discretion may leave out the Letanye, Gloria in excelsis, the Crede,
thomely [the
homily], and the exhortation to the communion.
FINIS.
Imprinted
at London in
Fletestrete, at the signe of the Sunne over against
the conduyte, by EdVVarde VVhitchurche.
The seventh daye of Marche, the
yeare of our Lorde,
1549.
The
Kinges Majestie, by
the advyse of his moste deare uncle the Lord Pro-
tector and other his highnes Counsell, streightly
chargeth and commaundeth, that no maner
of person do sell this present booke un-
bounde, above the price of ii. Shyl-
lynges the piece. And the
same bounde in paste or
in boordes, not above
the price of three
shyllynges and
fourepence
the piece.
GOD
SAVE THE KYNG.
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