PUBLIC WORSHIP
y68
PUBLICAN
Canon 4. "Whosoever shall affirm that the form of God's worship in the I nun b of England, established by law, and contained in the Book of Common Prayer and
Administration ot'Sa< rameuts, is a corrupt, superstitious, or unlaw l'ul worship of God, or containeth anything in it that i- repugnant t<> the Scriptures, let him be excommu- nicated 1/ixn j'K-t': :t ml not restored but by the bishop of ibishopj after bis repentance and public
a of such his wicked errors/' S. " [f any minister, after he hath subscribed to the Book of Common Prayer, shall omit to nse the form of prayer, or any of the orders or ceremonies prescribed
immnnion Bo ik, lei him be suspended: and if after a month be do not reform and submit himself, lei him be excommunicated ; and then if be shall nol submit himself within the space of another mouth, let him be de- posed from the ministry."
Canon IS requires that "no man shall cover bis bead in the church or chapel in the tit >f divine service, ex- cept he have some infirmity, in whicb case let him wear a nightcap or coif. All manner of persons then present shall reverently kneel upon their knees, when the general confession, litany, or other prayers are read; and shall stand up at the saying of the Belief, according to the rules in that behalf prescribed in the Book of Common Prayer. And likewise, when in time of divine service the Lord Je- BUS shall be mentioned, due and lowly reverence shall be done by all persons present, as it bath been aCCUBtomed ; testifying by these outward ceremonies and gestures their
inward humility, Christian resolution, and due acknowl- edgment that the Lord Jesus Christ, tbe true eternal Sou Of God, is the only Saviour of the world, in whom alone all the mercies, -race-, and promises of God to mankind, for this life and the life to come, are fully and wholly comprised. And none, either man, woman, or child, of what calling soever, shall be otherwise at such times busied in the church than in quiet attendance to hear, mark, and understand that which is read, preached, or ministered: savin- in their due places audibly, with the minister, the t 'oiifession. the hold's Prayer, and the < 'reed, and making such other answers to the public prayers as are appointed in the Book of Common Prayer; neither shall they disturb the service or sermon by walking or talking, Or any other way; nor depart out of the church during the time of divine service or sermon without some urgent or reasonable cause."
Canon 14. "Tbe common prayer shall be said or sung distinctly and reverently, upon such days as are appointed to be kept holy by the Book of Common Prayer, and their eves, and at convenient and usual times oftln.se days, and in such places of every church, as the bishop of the dio- cese or ecclesiastical ordinary of the place shall think meet for the largeness or strai'tness of the same, so as the peop e imy be most edified. All ministers likewise shall
observe the orders, rites, and cerei ties prescribed in
the Book of Common Prayer, as well in reading the Holy Scriptures and saying <>f prayers as in the administration of the sacraments, without either diminishing in regard of preaching or in any other respect, or adding anything in the matter or form thereof."
Preface to the Book of Common Prayer: "All priests and deacons are to say daily the morning and evening prayer, either privately or openly, not being let by sick- nesa or some other urgent cause. And the curat.' that ministereth in every parish church or chapel, being at home, and not being otherwise reasonably bindered, Bhall say l hi' same in t be parish church or chapel where he min- istereth ; and shall cause a bell to be tolled thereunto, a convenient time before he begin, that the people may ( to bear t;..d's Word, and to pray with him."
The American reviewers omitted from the Prayer-book the 4.r,th canon of 1832, which enjoins that "every minis- ter shall, before all sermons and lectures, and on all other occasions of public worship, use the Book of Commou Prayer as the same is or may be established by the au- thority of the General Convention of tliis Church. And ill performing said service, no other prayer shall be used than those prescribed by the said book."
The Westminster Directory enacts:
"Lei all enter the assembly, not irreverently, but in a
grave and seemly manner, taking their Beats Or places Without adoration, or bowing themselves towards one In . The coiigre-atioii being assembled, the minister, after solemn calling mi them to the worshipping of the greal name of God, is I" begin With prayer. The
i n shin b.-ing begun, the people are wholly to nt-
11 it, forbeai ing to read anything except what the
minister is then reading or citing ; and abstaining much m all private whisperings, conferences, saluta- tions, or doiu • reverence to any person present, or coming i ;.ll gazing, sleeping, and other indecent behavior which may disturb the minister oi pi
hinder themseh others in the service of God. If any,
through necessity, be hindered from being present at the beginning, they ought not, when they come into the con- . to betake themselves to their private devotions, but reverently I mpose themselves to join with the as- sembly in that ordinance of God which is then in hand." This injunction to begin with prayer lias been univer-