repealed; but abstinence was recommended. And an act was passed to take away all positive laws made against the marriage of priests. The compilers of this first form of prayer of King Edward, were: Thomas Cranmer, Archbishop of Canterbury. George Day, Bishop of Chichester. Henry Holbech, alias Randes, Bishop of Lincoln. Nicholas Ridley, Bishop of Rochester, afterwards of London; styled the most learned of the martyrs for the Protestant faith. William May, Dean of St. Paul's, Chancellor and Prebendary of Ely, and President of Queen's College, Cambridge, 1545. John Taylor, Dean of Lincoln, and Master of St. John's College, Cambridge; afterwards Bishop of Lincoln. Simon Heynes, Dean of Exeter, Prebendary of Westminster, and Rector of Stepney. John Redmayne, first Master of Trinity College, Cambridge, and Public Orator. 2 Edward VI. c. 21. Richard Cox, King Edward's Almoner, Chancellor of Oxford, Dean of Christ Church; afterwards Bishop of Ely, 1559. Thomas Robinson, Archdeacon of Leicester; afterwards Dean of Durham. These bishops and divines were deputed to examine and reform the "Missal, after the use of Sarum," which was then the mass-book, in more constant use in England. Their alterations began with an exhortation to be used the day before the communion, a new office of which was now added. After the priest had received the sacrament, he was to turn to the people, and read an exhortation, the same we now use with little variation; then followed a denunciation against sinners, requiring those who had not repented, to withdraw; then a short exhortation, a confession of sins and absolution, the same as we now use. The texts of scripture were now read, which are yet used, followed by the prayer, "We do not presume, &c." After this, the sacrament was to be given in both kinds, with these words "The body-everlasting life;" and "The blood-everlasting life." In this service, auricular confession was set aside. This office, thus altered, a proclamation, on the 8th of March, was published, requiring all persons to receive it in the form set forth and the bishops sent books to the parishes in their diocese, which were received throughout England without opposition. In the Catechism, for the instruction of young persons in the grounds of the Christian Religion, Cranmer, who is supposed to have drawn it up, reckons the first two commandments as one. In compiling the offices of this new liturgy, they began with the morning and evening prayer, which were put in the same form they now are, only there was no confession nor absolution. The office began with the Lord's Prayer. In the Communion Service, the Ten Commandments were not read as they are now, but in other matters it was nearly the same. The offertory was to be made of bread and wine mixed with water. Then the prayer for the state of Christ's church was said. To this, the consecratory prayer, which we now use, was joined; except the words that were afterwards left out, "With thy Holy Spirit vouchsafe to bless, and sanctify, these thy gifts and creatures of bread and wine, that they may be unto us the body and blood of thy most dearly beloved Son, &c." The Prayer of Thanksgiving, now used, was also joined to the Consecration. The Litany, which consisted of short petitions, interrupted by suffrages, was the same which we now use, except, in one petition, the words "To be delivered from the tyranny of the Bishop of Rome, and all his detestable enormities," and the invocation of the "Blessed Virgin, the angels and archangels, and all the holy orders of blessed spirits, all holy patriarchs and prophets, apostles, martyrs, confessors, and virgins, and all the blessed company of heaven." In baptism, besides the form we still retain, a cross at first was made on the child's forehead and breast, with an adjuration of the devil to go out of him. The priest then took the child by the right hand and placed him within the font, where he was to be dipped thrice, but if the child were weak, it was sufficient to sprinkle water on the face. The priest was then to put a chrysom, or white vestment, upon him, in token of innocence, to anoint him on the head, with a prayer for the unction of the Holy Ghost. The Catechism was then the same as it now is, except the addition which it afterwards received, of an Explanation of the Sacraments. In confirmation they were to be catechised. The bishop is then to sign them with the cross, and to lay his hands upon them, and say, "I sign thee with the sign of the Cross, and lay my hands upon thee, in the name of the Father, &c." The sick, who desired to be anointed, might have unction on their forehead, or their breast only; with a prayer, that their body was outwardly anointed with oil, that they might receive the Holy Ghost with health, and victory over sin and death. At the burial service, they recommended the departed soul to God's mercy, and prayed that his sins might be pardoned, that he might be delivered from hell and carried to heaven, and that his body might be raised at the last day. The preface to this Book of Common Prayer, concerning ceremonies, was prefixed, the same as is still before the Common Prayer Book. About the beginning of the year 1551, some objections were made to certain passages in this book, as being too superstitious; and to remove them, Cranmer proposed to review it. He invited to his assistance Martin Bucer and Peter Martyr; for whose use, as they were ignorant of the English language, Latin translations of it were prepared. Alexander Ales, a Scottish divine, translated it for Bucer; and the translation of Sir John Cheke, already published, was used by Martyr. Forty-two articles of religion were prepared; and several corrections were made in the Book of Common Prayer. The addition of the "Sentences," "Exhortation," a serious and plain form of "General Confession," and a "General Absolution," at the beginning of the morning and evening services, was now made. the communion service, the office was to begin In |