THE PREFACE.

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IT hath been the wisdom of the use of the Liturgy( though en­Church of England, ever since joined by the Laws of the Land, the first compiling of her Publick and those Laws never yet repeal­Liturgy, to keep the mean be- ed) came, during the late unhap­tween the two extremes, of too py confusions, to be discontinued, much stiffness in refusing, and of is too well known to the world, too much easiness in admitting and we are not willing here to any variation from it. For, as on remember. But when, upon His the one side common experience Majesty's happy Restoration, it sheweth, that where a change seemed probable, that, amongst hath been made of things advis- other things, the use of the Li­edly established( no evident ne- turgy would also return of course cessity so requiring) sundry in-( the same having never been le­conveniences have thereupon en- gally abolished) unless some time­sued; and those many times more ly means were used to prevent and greater than the evils, that it; those men who under the late were intended to be remedied by usurped powers had made it a such change: So on the other great part of their business to ren­side, the particular Forms of Di- der the people disaffected there­vine worship, and the Rites and Ceremonies appointed to be used therein, being things in their own nature indifferent, and alterable, and so acknowledged; it is but reasonable, that upon weighty and important considerations, ac­cording to the various exigency of times and occasions, such changes and alterations should be made therein, as to those that are in place of Authority should from time to time seem either ne­cessary or expedient. According­ly we find, that in the Reigns of several Princes of blessed me­mory since the Reformation, the Church, upon just and weigh­ty considerations her thereunto moving, hath yielded to make such alterations in some particu­lars, as in their respective times were thought convenient: Yet so, as that the main Body and Essen­tials of it( as well in the chiefest materials, as in the frame and order thereof) have still conti­nued the same unto this day, and do yet stand firm and unshaken, notwithstanding all the vain at­tempts and impetuous assaults made against it, by such men as are given to change, and have al­ways discovered a greater regard to their own private fancies and interests, than to that duty they owe to the publick.

By what undue means, and for what mischievous purposes the

unto, saw themselves in point of reputation and interest concerned ( unless they would freely acknow­ledge themselves to have erred, which such men are very hardly brought to do) with their utmost endeavours to hinder the restitu­tion thereof. In order whereunto divers Pamphlets were publish­ed against the Book of Common Prayer, the old objections mus­tered up, with the addition of some new ones, more than for­merly had been made, to make the number swell. In fine, great importunities were used to His Sacred Majesty, that the said Book might be revised, and such Alterations therein, and Addi­tions thereunto made, as should be thought requisite for the ease of tender Consciences: whereunto His Majesty, out of his pious in­clination to give satisfaction( so far as could be reasonably ex­pected) to all his subjects of what persuasion soever, did graciously condescend.

In which review we have en­deavoured to observe the like moderation, as we find to have been used in the like case in for­mer times. And therefore of the sundry Alterations proposed unto us, we have rejected all such as were either of dangerous con­sequence( as secretly striking at some established Doctrine, or lau­dable Practice of the Church of

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