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CHURCH,

According to the Use of the

Church of England;

TOGETHER

With the PSALTER OF PSALMS of
DAVID, Pointed as they are to be

Sung or Sad CURCHES.

LONDON

to the Kings moft Ex-

Printed by John Basket

cellent Majefty, And by the Afligns of Thomas New-

comb, and Henry Hills, deceas'd. 1718.

CUM PRIVILEGIO.

7 hath bee, the wildom of the Church of gland, ever fince the firit compiling of Her Publick Liturgy to keep the mean between the tre extremes, of too much tifineis in refuting, and of too much eafineis in admitting any variation from it. For:as on the one lide comraon experience. fheweth that where a change hath been made of things advitedly eltablished (no evident neceffity to requiring). fundry inconveniencias have thereupon enfged; and thofe many times moze and greater than the evils that wera in tended to be remedied by fuch change: So on the other fide, the particular forms of Divine Worship, and the Bites and Ceremonies appointed to be afed therein, being maings in their own narure indifferent, and alterable, and fa acknowledged; it is but reafonable, that upon weighty and important confiderations, according to the various exigncy of times and occations, fuch changes and alterations fhould be made therein, as to thofe that are in place of Authority faould from time to time feem either neceffary or expedient. Accordingly we find, that in the Reigns of feveral Princes of bleffed memory fince the Reformation, the Church, upon jut and weights confiderations Her thereunto moving, hath vielded to make fuch alterations in fome particulars, as In their refpective times were thought convenient: Yet fo, as that the main Body and Effentials of it (as well in the chiefeft materials, as in the frame and order thereof) have itill continued the fame unto this day, and do vet itand firm and unfhaken, norwithitanding ell the vain attempts and impetuous alfaults made against it, by fuch mẹn, as are given to change, and have always difcovered a greater regard to their own private fancies and interelts than to that duty they owe to the publick. By what undue means, and for what aifchievous purposes the afe of the L turgy though enjoyned by the Laws of the Land, and thofe Laws never ver rePaled) came, during the late unhappy confufion, to be difeontinued, is too well known to the world, and we are not willing here to remember. But when upon His Majeltics happy Reftau#ation it feemed probable that amongit other things, the ufe of the Liturgy al o would return of courfe the fame having never been legally abolished) unless fo ne timely means were ufed to prevent it; thofe men who under the late ufurped powers had made it a great part of their bufinefs to reader the people difaffected thereunto, faw themselves in point of reputation and interelt concerned (unless they would freely acknowledge themfelves to have erred, which fuch men are very hardly brought to do) with their utmoft endeavours to hinder the reftitution thereof. In order whereunto divers Pamphlets were publihed against the Book of Common Prayer the old Objections mufterad up,

with the addition of fome new onese more than formerly had been made, t make the number (well. In fine, great importunities were led to His Sacred Majesty, that the faid Book might ba reviled and fuch Alterations, therein and Additions hereunto wade, fhould be thought requiige for the eafs of tender Confciences: hereunto Fis Majelty, out of His pious inclination to give fatisfaction (fo far as could, ba resfonably expected) to a His Subjects of what pe wafion foever, did gracioully condefcend.

in which Keview we have endeavour ed to oblerve the like moderation, as we find to have been used in the lika cafe in former times. And therefore of the fundry alterations propofed unto us, we have rejected at fuch as were ei ther of dangerous confequence (as fecretly (triking at fome eltablished Doctrine, or laudable practice of the Church of England, or indeed of the whole Catholick Church of Christ) or elfe of no confequeue at all, but ur terly frivolous sad vein. But fuch iterations as were tendred to us ( by what perfons,lunder what pretences, or to what purpose foever fo tendred) as feemed to us in any degree requifire of expedient, we have willingly, and of our Own accord aflented onto not enforced fo to do by any ltrength of Argument, convincing us of the neceflity of waking the faid Alterations: For we are fully perfwaded in our judgments (and where profefs it to the work)that the Book as it stood before etablifhed by Law, dom nor contain in it an thing contrary to the word of God, or to found Doctrine, or which a godly man may not with a good Confcience ule and fubmit unto, or which is not fairly defenfible againit any that that oppofe the fame; if it fhall be allowed fuch juft and favourable conitruction as in Cosanion Equity ought to be allowed to a Humane Writings, efpecially fuch as are fet forth by Authority, and even to the very belt Tranilations of the holy Scripture it feff.

Our general aim therefore in this andertaking was net to gratifie this or that party in any their unreasonable demands; but to do that which, to our belt un 'erlandings, we conceived right mot tend to the prefervation of Peace and Unity in the Church; the procuring of Reverence, and exciting of Piery, and Devotion in the publick Worship of God; and the cutting off occafion from them that feek occation of cavil, or quarrel againti the Liturgy of the Church. And as to the feveral variations from the former Book, whether by Alteration, Addition, or other wife, it fha fuffice to give his general account, That mott of the Alterations were made, either firit, for the better direction of them that are to officiate in any part of Divine Services which is chiefly done in the Kalendars and Ru. bricks: or fecondly for the more proven A 4

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