THE PREFACE.

Thath been the wisdom of the Church of England, ever since the first compiling of her Publick Liturgy, to keep the mean be­tween the two extremes, of too much stiffness in refusing, and of too much easiness in admitting any variation from it. For, as on the one side common experience sheweth, that where a change hath been made of things advis­edly established( no evident ne­cessity so requiring) sundry in­conveniences have thereupon en­sued; and those many times more and greater than the evils, that were intended to be remedied by such change: So on the other side, the particular Forms of Di­vine 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

use of the Liturgy( though en­joined by the Laws of the Land, and those Laws never yet repeal­ed) came, during the late unhap­py confusions, to be discontinued, is too well known to the world, and we are not willing here to remember. But when, upon His Majesty's happy Restoration, it seemed probable, that, amongst other things, the use of the Li­turgy would also return of course ( the same having never been le­gally abolished) unless some time­ly means were used to prevent it; those men who under the late usurped powers had made it a great part of their business to ren­der the people disaffected there­unto, 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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