66 fied, whereunto such times and days are sanctified "and hallowed, that is to say, separated from all profane uses, and dedicated and appointed not "unto any saint or creature, but only unto God and his true worship; neither is it to be thought, that "there is any certain time or definite number of days prescribed in Holy Scripture, but that the appointment both of the time and also of the num"ber of days, is left by the authority of God's word "to the liberty of Christ's Church, to be determined " and assigned orderly in every country, by the "discretion of the rulers and ministers thereof, as they shall judge most expedient to the true setting forth of God's glory, and the edification of their people *. It is therefore enacted, that all the days hereafter mentioned shall be kept and commanded to "be kept holidays, and none other; that is to say, "all Sundays in the year, the days of the feast of the "Circumcision of our Lord Jesus Christ, of the Epi phany, of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin, of "St. Matthew the Apostle, of the Annunciation of the "Blessed Virgin, of St. Mark the Evangelist, of St. rr Philip and Jacob the Apostles, of the Ascension of "our Lord Jesus Christ, of the Nativity of St. John "the Baptist, of St. Peter the Apostle, of St. James "the Apostle, of St. Bartholomew the Apostle, of St. * Opinions widely different from what is here delivered have unfortunately followed the too general introduction of Sabbatarian doctrines. They, however, have not been sanctioned by any au thority whatever, except that of the individuals who hold them. "Matthew "Matthew the Apostle, of St. Michael the Archangel, " of St. Luke the Evangelist, of St. Simon and Jude "the Apostles, of all Saints, of St. Andrew the Apos 66 tle, of St. Thomas the Apostle, of the Nativity of our Lord, of St. Stephen the Martyr, of St. John "the Evangelist, of the Holy Innocents, Monday and Tuesday in Easter week, and Monday and Tuesday in Whitsun week; and that none other day "shall be kept and commanded to be kept holy, or to "abstain from lawful bodily labour. 66 "Provided, that it shall be lawful for every hus"bandman, labourer, fisherman, and every other person of what estate degree or condition they be, upon the holidays aforesaid, in harvest, or at any "other time in the year when necessity shall require, "to labour, ride, fish, or work any kind of work at "their free wills and pleasure." Though this statute was repealed by MARY, and continued so through the long reign of ELIZABETH, probably from the well known dislike of that princess to her Parliament's interfering in ecclesiastical affairs, yet at the accession of JAMES it was revived. In the interim were published the Queen's Injunctions, and the table of all the feasts that are to be observed in the Church of England throughout the year. These give no peculiar distinction to Sundays above the other holidays. By the injunctions, labour on Sundays, in some particular cases, is not only permitted, but it is positively enjoined. "All the Queen's faithful and loving subjects shall from henceforth celebrate and 66 1 keep fied, whereunto such times and days are sanctified "and hallowed, that is to say, separated from all profane uses, and dedicated and appointed not "unto any saint or creature, but only unto God and his true worship; neither is it to be thought, that "there is any certain time or definite number of days prescribed in Holy Scripture, but that the appointment both of the time and also of the num"ber of days, is left by the authority of God's word "to the liberty of Christ's Church, to be determined "and assigned orderly in every country, by the "discretion of the rulers and ministers thereof, as they shall judge most expedient to the true setting forth of God's glory, and the edification of their people*. 66 66 "It is therefore enacted, that all the days here after mentioned shall be kept and commanded to "be kept holidays, and none other; that is to say, "all Sundays in the year, the days of the feast of the "Circumcision of our Lord Jesus Christ, of the Epi"phany, of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin, of "St. Matthew the Apostle, of the Annunciation of the "Blessed Virgin, of St. Mark the Evangelist, of St. Philip and Jacob the Apostles, of the Ascension of "our Lord Jesus Christ, of the Nativity of St. John "the Baptist, of St. Peter the Apostle, of St. James "the Apostle, of St. Bartholomew the Apostle, of St. * Opinions widely different from what is here delivered have unfortunately followed the too general introduction of Sabbatarian doctrines. They, however, have not been sanctioned by any au thority whatever, except that of the individuals who hold them. "Matthew to be kept as holidays," under pains and penalties which the statute specifies. Neither do the canons of JAMES make any distinction between "the Lord's day, commonly called Sunday, and the other holidays; they require both "to be kept, according to God's holy will and plea"sure, and the laws of the Church of England." The performance of works of piety and charity is prescribed as the proper way of celebrating the Sunday and the other holidays *. However, statutes made in reigns subsequent to the times, of which I have hitherto been speaking, require a stricter observance of the Lord's day than of most of the other holidays. On it, travelling, executing civil processes, and exercising other worldly callings, are expressly prohibited; all of which seem to be allowed on such other holidays, as are not specified in the several statutes, to which I now refer. Hence I conclude, that in England the Lord's day is, by the laws of the realm, principally distinguished from the other holidays, by being constituted both an ecclesiastical and civil festival; while the rest are purely ecclesiastical, that is, days of more solemn religious observation, but not entirely days of vacation from secular affairs. * Canon 13. OF OF THE COLLECTS, EPISTLES, AND GOSPELS, TO BE USED THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. In EDWARD's first book the title was "The Introits, "Collects, Epistles, and Gospels, to be used at the "Celebration of the Lord's Supper and Holy Com"munion through the Year, with proper Psalms or "Lessons for diverse Feasts and Days." In this book, wherever proper Psalms or Lessons are appointed, those for the morning are placed before the Introit for the day, and the Introit itself before the Collect; and those for the evening after the Gospel. The Lessons I found, upon examination, to corres⚫ pond with those appointed in the Calendar: and the only reason I can discover for inserting them again in the Communion Office, was to direct the minister, when the whole, and when only a part of a chapter was to be read, which was not done by the Calendar. For instance, I find in the Calendar, that the first lesson at Mattins for All Saints Day is Sap. III. and the second Heb. XI. 12. without any further direction, but the following is the form in the Communion Office. PROPER LESSONS AT MATTINS. The first Lesson, Sap. III. unto, Blessed is rather the barren. The second Heb. XI. XII. Saints by faith subdued, unto, If ye endure chastening. For |