HISTORICAL NOTE.
was ordered to return the thanks of the lords to the bishops and clergy of both provinces, for the great care and industry shewn in the review of it. This may be called, from the reign in which it was finally sanctioned, King Charles's Book.
The chief successive alterations in the Book of Common Prayer, referred to in the notes to this edition, will be best understood by the following chronological order:—
First Book of King Edward, 1549.—Compiled from the ancient service-books of the Church of England, corrected and improved from the Gallican, Spanish, Alexandrian, and Oriental Liturgies. It commenced with the Lord's Prayer.
Second Book of King Edward, 1552.—In the Morning and Evening Services:—the Introductory Sentences, the Exhortation, the General Confession, and the Absolution, prefixed to the Lord's Prayer; the 100th, the 98th, and the 67th Psalms added; the responsive use of the last clause of the Lord's Prayer done away, and the clause added continuously to the prayer; the blessing added at the end of the Litany. In the Communion office:—the Decalogue prefixed, the Exhortations altered and transposed, the words "militant here upon earth" added to the prayer "for the whole state of Christ's Church;" the Commendation of the Departed Faithful to God's mercy, altered; the words of communication entirely changed; the "Invocation of the Holy Ghost," in the consecration of the Eucharist, the prayer of Oblation, and the rubric that ordered water to be mixed with the wine, omitted, and a rubric added to explain the nature of Christ's presence in the Sacrament; the use of oil in Baptism, and Unction of the Sick omitted; with many other minor alterations, omissions, and additions.
Book of Queen Elizabeth, 1559.—The deprecation "from the Bishop of Rome, and all his detestable enormities," in the Litany, omitted. At the end of the Litany a prayer for the Queen, and another for the Clergy, added. In the Eucharist, the words of communication in the First Book of King Edward restored, and both sentences ordered as they now stand; the rubric on Christ's presence omitted.
Book of King James, 1604.—A particular intercession for the Royal Family appointed. Forms of Thanksgivings on several occasions added. The questions and answer on the Sacraments subjoined to the Catechism; and the Administration of Private Baptism confined to a "lawful minister."
Book of King Charles, 1662.—The rubric on Christ's presence in the Eucharist in part restored. Several Lessons in the Calendar changed for others more proper for the days. The "prayers for particular occasions" disjoined from the Litany. The prayers to be used in the ember-weeks, the prayer for the Parliaments, and that "for all conditions of men," and the "General Thanksgiving," added. Several of the Collects altered. The Epistles and Gospels taken out of the last translation of the Bible. The two Psalms prefixed to the Lesson in the Burial Service; and the "Forms of Prayer to be used at Sea," and the forms for the 5th of November, the 30th of January, and the 29th of May (as they originally stood), were added.
Other additions, but which have not received the sanction of the Convocation, have from time to time been made, and the order for them has, in some cases, been renewed at the accession of each successive sovereign. Several other minor alterations, more or less indicating the spirit in, which each revision was undertaken, are not here noticed.
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