Page:The Book of Common Prayer.djvu/27

16 There was never any thing by the wit of man so well devised, or so sure established, which in continuance of time hath not been corrupted: as, among other things it may plainly appear by the Common Prayers in the Church, commonly called divine service. The first original and ground whereof if a man would search out by the ancient Fathers he shall find that the same was not ordeined, but of a good purpose, and for a great advancement of godliness. For they so ordered the matter, that all the whole Bible (or the greatest part thereof) should be read over once every year: intending thereby, that the Clergie, and especially such as were Ministers in the Congregation should (by often reading and meditation in Gods word) be stirred vp to godliness themselves, and be more able to exhort others by wholesom doctrine, and to confute them that were Adversaries to the Truth. And further that the people (by daily hearing of holy Scripture read in the Church) might continually profit more and more in the knowledge of God and be the more inflamed with the love of his true Religion.

But these many years passed this godly and decent order of the ancient Fathers hath been so altered, broken, and neglected by planting in vncertein Stories and Legends, with multitude of Responds, Verses, vain repetitions, Commemorations, and Synodals; that commonly when any book of the bible was begun, after three or four chapters were read out, all the rest were vnread. And in this sort, the book of Esay was begun in Advent, and the book of Genesis in septuagesima: but they were only begun, and never read through. After like sort were other books of holy scripture vsed.

And moreover, whereas Saint Paul would have such language spoken to the people in the church, as they might vnderstand, and have profit by hearing the same: the service in this churche of England these many years hath been read in latine to the people,