Names And Titles
The Services of our Church were translated into English in 1549. Many
alterations were made at that time.
The seven Day Hours were combined into two Services--Mattins and
Evensong: the Holy Communion Service was assimilated in some respects
to Eastern Liturgies: the rules of variation for days and seasons were
simplified: interruptions were avoided by the omission of many Verses
and Responds, Antiphons,
c.: better provision was made for continuous
reading of Holy Scripture.
The change from Latin, which had once been a commonly-spoken language,
to the language spoken in England is the alteration which produced the
greatest effect upon congregational worship, and the smallest amount of
difference in the worship itself: for if you understood both languages
it would not matter to you which of them you used.
The Latin prayers had been known by their first words. Just as we now
know a prayer as Our Father, or a doxology as Glory be to the
Father, so formerly they were known as Pater Noster, and Gloria
Patri. Some of these titles have survived. Credo (I believe) has
been shortened into Creed. We use as a Creed the Hymn Quicunque
vult (Whosoever will). The Canticles still are known by their first
words in Latin, Te Deum, Benedicite, &c., and so is the 95th Psalm,
Venite, exultemus Domino.
The Lesser Litany is a name given to the three petitions,
Lord, have mercy upon us.
Christ, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy upon us.
They are used before the Lord's Prayer as an Invocation of the Holy
Trinity.
We proceed to examine the foundation of this order in worship.
The model bequeathed to us by Our Lord is known to us as The Lord's
Prayer, often called "Our Father" from the first words.
Haec sunt septenis propter quae psallimus horis:
Matutina legat Christum qui crimina purgat.
Prima replet sputis. Causam dat Tertia mortis.
Sexta cruci nectit. Latus ejus Nona bipertit.
Vespera deponit. Tumulo Completa reponit;