his countrymen. With the reverent love for the past, which could appropriate its excellencies, he could feel at the same time the necessity for change. While he could no longer regard the sacraments with a superstitious idolatry, he saw in them ordinances divinely appointed, and therefore especially, if inexplicably, sacred.
In this temper, for the most part, the English Church services had now, after patient labour, been at length completed by him, and were about to be laid before Parliament. They had grown slowly. First had come the primers of Henry VIII.; then the Litany was added; and then the first Communion-book. The next step was the Prayer-book of 1549; and now at last the complete Liturgy, which survives after three hundred years. In a few sentences only, inserted apparently under the influence of Ridley, doctrinal theories were pressed beyond the point to which opinion was legitimately gravitating. The priest was converted absolutely into a minister, the altar into a table, the eucharist into a commemoration, and a commemoration only. But these peculiarities were uncongenial with the rest of the Liturgy, with which they refuse to harmonize; and on the final establishment of the Church of England, were dropped or modified.[1] They were, in
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The priest shall first receive the communion in both kinds, and next deliver it to other ministers, if any be there present, that they may be ready to help the chief minister, and after to the people. And when he delivereth the sacrament of the body of Christ, he shall say to every one—
Prayer-book of 1549.
The body of our Lord Jesus Christ preserve thy body and soul to everlasting life.
And the minister delivering the sacrament of the blood, and giving every one to drink once, and no more, shall say—
The blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, which was shed for thee, preserve thy body and soul to everlasting life.
Then shall the minister first receive the communion in both kinds himself; and next deliver it to other ministers, if there be any present, that they may help the chief minister; and after to the people in their hands, kneeling. And when he delivereth the bread, he shall say—Prayer-book of 1552.
Take and eat this in remembrance that Christ died for thee, and feed on him in thy heart by faith with thanksgiving.
And the minister that delivereth the cup shall say—
Drink this in remembrance that Christ's blood was shed for thee, and be thankful.
Then shall the minister first receive the communion in both kinds himself; and then proceed to deliver the same to the bishops, priests, and deacons in like manner, if any be present; and after that to the people also in their hands, all meekly kneeling. And when he delivereth the bread to any one, he shall say—Prayer-book of Elizabeth.
The body of our Lord Christ Jesus Christ, which was given for thee, preserve thy body and soul to everlasting life. Take and eat this in remembrance that Christ died for thee, and feed on him in thy heart by faith with thanksgiving.
And the minister that delivereth the cup to any one shall say—
The blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, which was shed for thee, preserve thy body and soul to everlasting life. Drink this in remembrance that Christ's blood was shed for thee and be thankful.
