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and profitable peace and quietness. And although it is every Christian man's duty of his own devotion to pray at all times, yet for that the corrupt nature of man is so slothful and negligent in this his duty ["herein," 1603, to avoid recurrence of his duty"], he hath need by often and sundry means to be stirred up and put in remembrance of his duty."

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We pass over the directions to the clergy about exhorting the people to attend the service, and also the choice of Lessons, and other particulars, to notice an excellent suggestion in" the order for the Wednesdays," which were the fast days, that "after the morning prayer ended, the curates and ministers * should exhort the people assembled, with the homily thereof made, or the like, to give themselves to private prayer and meditations; for which purpose a pause shall be made of one quarter of an hour or more, by the discretion of the curate, during which time such good silence shall be kept as may be." The effect of this must have been very solemn; as we find it to be in the Ordination Service, where, however, it is sometimes abridged to a mere parenthesis of half a minute. The pause concluded, the Litany was to be read, with the addition of certain prayers hereafter noticed. Then the ministration of the holy communion, " with a sermon, if it can be so made by such as be authorised by the metropolitan or bishop of the diocese; and they to treat of such matters especially as be meet for this cause of public prayer; or else, for want of

about "the wholesomeness of the air." Was it because a doubt had arisen whether the malady was epidemic?

* Words change their popular meaning in the course of years, and no word has done so more than the words curate, parson, vicar, and the like. The curate was properly the incumbent, to whom the cure of the parish was committed (as on the continent they still use the words curate and vicar); what we now call the curate was the minister, or helper to him; at least, this use of the terms occurs occasionally, if not uniformly.

such preacher, to read one of the homilies following in succession:" first, a homily concerning the justice of God in punishing impenitent sinners, then newly set forth, composed for the occasion by Nowel, Dean of St. Paul's; second, the eighth homily of the First Book of Homilies, "Of declining from God;" third, the homily " Against the Fear of Death;" fourth, the homily of Fasting; fifth, of Prayer; sixth, of Alms-deeds; seventh, of Repentance. The order for Fridays was the common prayer, with one of the three new collects. The first of these, says Strype, was "somewhat long, being a confession of five sides and above, which I think was that which gave some dislike to the archbishop." His Grace might dislike the length, but he could not dislike the quality. There are passages in it which well embody the idea of "pleading with God," as adopted children, loved, yet chastened, and suing forgiveness. and reconciliation with deep humility, yet with filial confidence. Those of our readers who think with the good archbishop may pass it over; but for the sake of those who have more leisure and patience, long as it is, we will transcribe it. Let the reader judge whether we have improved in prayer-making since the days of Grindal and Elizabeth.

"O Almighty, most just and merciful God! we here acknowledge ourselves most unworthy to lift up our eyes unto heaven: for our conscience doth accuse us, and our sins do reprove us. We know also, that thou, God, being a just Judge, must peeds punish the sins of them which transgress thy laws. And when we consider and examine all our whole life, we find nothing in ourselves that deserveth any other thing but eternal damnation. But because thou, O Lord, of thy unspeakable mercy hast commanded us in all our necessities to call only upon thee, and hast also promised that thou wilt hear our prayers, not for any our desert (which is none), but for the merits. of thy Son, our only Saviour Jesus

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Christ, whom thou hast ordained to and punishments, which thou dost be our only Mediator and Inter- now lay upon us in sundry places, cessor; we lay away all confidence do teach us to acknowledge our sins. in man, and do flee to the throne of For seeing, O Lord, that thou art thy only mercy, by the intercession just, yea, even justice itself, thou of thy only Son our Saviour Jesu punishest no people without deChrist. And first of all, we do most sert. Yea, even at this present, O lament and bewail, from the bottom Lord, we see thy hand terribly of our hearts, our unkindness and stretched out to plague us, and unthankfulness towards thee our punish us. But although thou Lord, considering that besides those shouldest punish us more grievously thy benefits which we enjoy as thy than thou hast done, and for one creatures, common with all mankind, plague send a hundred, if thou thou hast bestowed many and special shouldest pour upon us all those benefits upon us, which we are not thy testimonies of thy most just able in heart to conceive, much less wrath, which in times past thou in words worthily to express. Thou pouredst on thine own chosen people hast called us to the knowledge Israel; yet shouldst thou do us of thy Gospel. Thou hast re- no wrong, neither could we deny leased us from the hard servitude but we had justly deserved the of Satan. Thou hast delivered us same. from all horrible and execrable But yet, O merciful Lord, thou idolatry, wherein we were utterly art our God, and we nothing but drowned, and hast brought us into dust and ashes; thou art our Creator, the most clear and comfortable light and we the work of thy hand; thou of thy blessed word, by which we art our Pastor, and we are thy flock; are taught how to serve and honour thou art our Redeemer, and we thy thee, and how to live orderly with people redeemed; thou art our Heaour neighbours, in truth and verity. venly Father, and we are thy chilBut we, most unmindful in times of dren. Wherefore punish us not, prosperity of these thy great benefits, O Lord, in thine anger, but chasten have neglected thy commandments, us in thy mercies. Regard not the have abused the knowledge of thy horror of our sins, but our unfeigned Gospel, and have followed our carnal repentance. Perfect that work which liberty, and served our own lusts, thou hast begun in us, that the whole and through our sinful life have not world may know that thou art our worshipped and honoured thee as we God and merciful Deliverer. Thy ought to have done. And now, O people of Israel oftentimes offended Lord, being even compelled with thy thee, and thou most justly afflictedst correction, we so most humbly con- them; but as oft as they returned fess that we have sinned, and have to thee, thou didst receive them to most grievously offended thee by mercy; and though their sins were many and sundry ways. And if never so great, yet thou always thou, O Lord, wouldest now, being turnedst thy wrath away from them, provoked with our disobedience, so and the punishment prepared for deal with us as thou mightest, and them; and that for thy covenant as we have deserved, there remain- sake, which thou madest with thy eth nothing else to be looked for, servants Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. but universal and continual plagues Thou hast made the same covenant in this world, and hereafter eternal with us, O Heavenly Father; or radeath and damnation, both of our ther a covenant of more excellency bodies and our souls. For if we and efficacy, and that, namely, would excuse ourselves, our own through the mediation of thy Son consciences would accuse us before Jesus Christ our Saviour, with whose Thee, and our own disobedience most precious blood it pleased thee and wickedness would bear witness that this covenant should be, as it against us; yea, even thy plagues were, written, sealed, and confirmed.

Whereupon, O Heavenly Father, we now, casting away all confidence in ourselves, or any other creatures, do flee to this most holy covenant and testament wherein our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ once offered himself a sacrifice for us on the cross, and hath reconciled us to thee for ever. Look, therefore, O merciful Lord, not upon the sins which we continually commit, but upon our Mediator and Peacemaker, Jesus Christ; that by his intercession thy wrath may be pacified, and we again by thy fatherly countenance relieved and comforted. Receive us into thy heavenly defence, and govern us by thy Holy Spirit, to frame in us a newness of life, therein to laud and magnify thy blessed Name for ever; and to live, every one of us, according to the several states of life whereunto thou, Lord, hast ordained us, in godly fear and trembling before thee. And although we are unworthy, O Heavenly Father, by means of our former foul life, to crave any thing of thee, yet because thou hast commanded us to pray for all men, we most humbly, here upon our knees, beseech thee save and defend thy holy church. Be merciful, O Lord, to all common-weals, countries, princes, and magistrates; and especially to this our realm, and to our most gracious queen and governor Elizabeth; increase the number of godly ministers, and endue them with thy grace to be found faithful and prudent in their office. Defend the queen's majesty's council, and all that be in authority under her, or that serve in any place by her commandment in this realm. We commend also to thy fatherly mercy all those that be in poverty, exile, imprisonment, sickness, or any other kind of adversity; and namely (especially), those whom thy hand hath touched with any contagious and dangerous sickness, which we beseech thee, O Lord, of thy mercy, when thy blessed will is, to remove from us : and in the mean time grant us grace and true repentance, stedfast faith, and constant patience, that whether we live or die we may always con

tinue thine, and ever praise thy holy Name; and by thy great mercy be partakers of grace in this life, and eternal glory in the life to come. Grant us these, and all other our humble petitions, O merciful Father, for thy dear Son's sake, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."

Such was this long, but truly admirable prayer, the whole, or parts of which were used on subsequent occasions. The other two are shorter; but we need not quote further after this ample extract.

The "order for the general fast," which follows, acknowledges it as a national sin that there had been no fast hitherto during the queen's reign, and the present solemnity was intended to be the beginning of a more godly course. As the doctrine applies to our own times quite as much as to the day of Elizabeth, we copy the passage.

"It is most evident to them that read the Scriptures, that both in the old church under the Law, and in the primitive church under the Gospel, the people of God had alway used general fasting, both in times of common calamities, as war, famine, pestilence, &c., and also when any weighty matter touching the estate of the church or the commonwealth was begun or intended. And it cannot be denied but that in this our time wherein many things have been reformed according to the doctrine and examples of God's word and the primitive church, this part of fasting and abstinence being always in the Scriptures as a necessary companion joined to fervent prayer, hath been too much neglected. Wherefore, for some beginning of redress therein, it hath been thought meet to the queen's majesty that in this contagious time of sickness and other troubles and unquietness, according to the examples of the godly king Josaphat and the king of Nineveh, with others, a general fast should be joined with general prayer throughout her whole realm, and to be observed of all her godly subjects in manner and form following." Then follow the directions to the following effect.

"All persons between the age of sixteen years and sixty (sick folks and labourers in harvest, or other great labours, only excepted) shall eat but one only competent and moderate meal upon every Wednesday. In which said meal shall be used very sober and spare diet, without variety of kinds of meat, dishes, spices, confections, or wines, but only such as may serve for necessity, comeliness, and health. Item, in that meal it shall be indifferent to eat flesh or fish, so that the quantity be small and no variety or delicacy be sought. Wherein every man hath to answer to God if he in such godly exercises contemn public order, or dissemble with God, pretending abstinence and doing nothing less. Item, those that be of wealth and hability, ought that day to abate and diminish the costliness and variety of their fare, and increase therewith their liberality and alms towards the poor, that the same poor, which either indeed lack food, or else that which they have is unseasonable and cause of sickness, may thereby be relieved and charitably succoured, to be maintained in health. Last of all, this day being in this manner appointed for a day of general prayer and fasting, ought to be bestowed by them which may forbear from bodily labour in prayer, study, reading or hearing of the Scriptures, or good exhortations, &c. And when any dulness or weariness shall arise, then to be occupied in other godly exercises; but no part thereof to be spent in plays, pastimes, or idleness, much less in lewd, wicked, or wanton behaviour."

A homily was composed for the occasion, entitled " An Homily concerning the Justice of God in punishing of impenitent Sinners, and of his Mercies towards all such as in their Afflictions unfeignedly turn unto Him. Appointed to be read in the time of sickness." This we presume was the identical homily drawn up by Dean Nowel. We subjoin a portion of it :

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"The most righteous God, and

the same our most merciful Father, abhorring all wickedness and impiety, and delighting in all righteousness and innocence, and willing that we his people and children should herein be conformed and become like to our God and heavenly Father, that we might be also partakers of his inheritance and everlasting kingdom; in his Holy Scriptures containing the perfect rule of righteousness, and written for our learning and direction towards his said kingdom, both by great threatenings doth continually fear us from all impiety and wickedness so displeasant to him, and also by most large and gentle promises, like a loving Father doth provoke and entice to righteousness and holiness so acceptable to him; and so leaveth nothing unessayed, no way unproved whereby he may save us from perpetual destruction, and bring us to life everlasting. To this end all those threatenings of temporal punishments and plagues, whereof the Scriptures are so full, are to be referred, that we for fear of temporal punishments, refraining from all unrighteousness, might also escape eternal damnation, whereunto it would finally bring us if we should not by repentance turn from the same, and turn unto our God and most merciful Father, who would not the destruction and death of sinners, but rather that they should convert and be saved. But when he perceiveth that neither gentleness can win us as his loving children, neither fear and threatening can amend us, as being most stubborn and rebellious servants; at the last he performeth in deed, that which he hath so often threatened, and of fatherly sufferance and mercy so long, upon hope of amendment, deferred, his longanimity and pa tience being now overcome with our stony hardness and obstinate impenitency. After this sort, we shall find by the Holy Scriptures, and histories ecclesiastical, that he hath dealt with his people of all ages; namely, the Israelites, whom in sundry places

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in the xxvi th of Leviticus, and xxviiith of Deuteronomy, as well by fair promises as by menaces, he laboureth to bring to due obedience of his law, which is perfect righteousness. If (saith he) thou hear the voice of the Lord thy God, and keep his commandments, all these shall come upon thee: Thou shalt be blessed in the city and in the field; the seed of thy body, the fruit of the earth, the increase of thy cattle (Lev. xxvi.) shall be blessed, &c.' Thou shalt have seasonable weather, fruitful ground, victory of the enemies, and after quiet peace in thy coasts; and I will be thy loving Lord and God, thy aid and defender, and thou shalt be my beloved people: but if thou wilt not hear the voice of the Lord thy God, nor keep his commandments, but despise his laws, &c., all these curses shall come upon thee: Thou shalt be cursed in the city and in the field; thy barns, all thy storehouses shall be cursed, the fruit of thy body, of thy cattle, and of thy ground shall be cursed; thou shalt be cursed going out and coming in; the Lord shall send thee famine and necessity: He shall strike thee with agues, heats and colds, with pestilences and all other evil diseases, yea, and with all the botches and plagues of Egypt: He shall make heaven over thee as it were of brass, and the earth which thou treadest on as it were of iron: He shall send thee unseasonable weather, &c., wars, and overthrow thee at thine enemies' hands, and thy carrion shall be a prey to the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth, and there shall be no man to drive them away' and so forth, many more most horrible evils and mischiefs written at large in those two chapters, where we may see how lovingly on the one part he promiseth to the obedient, and how terribly on the other part he threateneth the disobedient, and how largely and at length he prosecuteth the matter, especially in the threatenings and menaces, most meet for the Jews, a people ever stiff-necked

and rebellious; and indeed the whole writings of the prophets, and universally of all the Scriptures, be nothing else but like callings to true obedience, and to repentance from our transgressions by like promises and threatenings, yea, and greater also, as by promise of life everlasting to the faithful, obedient, penitent, and contrarily of everlasting damnation and death to the stubborn, rebellious, and impenitent sinners. And to prosecute this matter, when the Jews were monished, remonished, prayed, threatened so oft by so many prophets, and all in vain, did not the Lord at the last bring upon them all those evils which he had threatened? namely, famine, war, and pestilence, as we may read at large in the Books of Judges, Kings, and Chronicles; in the Lamentations of Jeremiah, namely, the iid, ivth, and vth chapters. And in other places of the prophets and the Old Testament, containing the description of extreme famines, horrible wars and captivities, and dreadful plagues, whereby God punished and afflicted his people for their sins and rebellion against him most sharply; yea, and when all this could not amend them but that they waxed worse under the rod and correction, did he not at the last, which is most horrible, utterly destroy them with famine, war, and pestilence?"

We here take leave of this interesting service, to which we have devoted a greater space than we shall do to others, both because it was the first form issued in the reign of Elizabeth, and because it served as a basis for various forms on similar occasions for more than a century afterwards; not excepting the long prayer at which the good archbishop was so much alarmed, but which with much pleasure we observe copied into the forms for 1635, 1636, and perhaps some others.

"The secretary Cecil," says Strype, "prevailed with the Queen to send her letters to the Archbishop of York, to enjoin him to cause the form to be used there." What need there was

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