THERE was never any thing by the wit of man so well devised,
or so sure established, which in continuance of time hath not been corrupted:
As, among other things, it may plainly appear by the Common Prayers in
the Church, commonly called Divine Service. The first original and
ground whereof if a man would search out by the ancient Fathers, he shall
find, that the same was not ordained but of a good purpose, and for a great
advancement of godliness. For they so ordered the matter, that all
the whole Bible (or the greatest part thereof) should be read over once
every year; intending thereby, that the Clergy, and especially such as
were Ministers in the congregation, should (by often reading, and meditation
in God’s word) be stirred up to godliness themselves, and be more able
to exhort others by wholesome doctrine, and to confute them that were adversaries
to the truth; and further, that the people (by daily hearing of holy Scripture
read in the Church) might continually profit more and more in the knowledge
of God, and be the more inflamed with the love of his true Religion.
