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the principal Alterations here made from our prefent Liturgy, in Compliance with the first of King Edward VI. fuch as the Omiffion of the ten Commandments in the Communion Service; the anointing with Oil, the trine Immerfion, the fealing with Ointment, and the white Garment, all in Baptifm; the Manner and Forms of the Oblation, Confecration, Participation, Commemoration of, and Prayers for the Saints departed, with the Mixture of Wine and Water, all in the Eucharift; the Anointing with Oil in the Vifitation of the Sick; the Prayers for the Saints departed in the Burial-Office, and the like; all which were then retained in this Church, when yet, in her very Litany, he pray'd to be delivered from the Tyranny of the Bishop of Rome, and all his deteftable Enormities; I dare appeal to all the truly Learned, whether they are not exactly agreeable to the most Primitive State of Christianity. And as to the prefent farther Corrections and Improvements of that Liturgy, fuch as the Forms of Doxology here appointed, the Omiffion of that called the Athanafian, and of feveral Claufes in that called the Nicene Creed; the Reformation of the firft Petitions in the Litany, with the directing the reft to God the Father; the Alterations in Jome Collects; the fingle Repetition of the Lord's Prayer in the fame Affembly for Worship; the joining of Baptifm and Confirmation together as one entire Office, to be all performed by a Priest, in the Absence of

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the Bishop, with the Omiffion of Infant Baptifm, and its Sponfors, and of private Baptifm; the Subftitution of more authentick Collections inftead of our Church Catechism; the Omiffion of the Office for Matrimony, of the Churching of Women, and of the Services for State Days, with fome Things added out of the Apoflolical Conftitutions, and the like; I dare bere alfo folemnly appeal to all the truly Learned and Judicious, whether every individual Alteration be not made in Compliance with the earliest Settlements, Laws, and Liturgick Forms now Extant in the Church: And that in every Thing this Liturgy might be more truly Primitive, and Chriftian, and Compleat, I have procured from many of my learned and pious Friends, of feveral Perfuafions, no small Affiftance in order to its Correction, improvement, and inoffenfive Reception among all good Men. I do not indeed hereby pretend, that this is entirely a new Defign. The very learned Dr. Hicks, at the End of his Chriftian Pr ieftbood, has given the World already the entire Communion Service of the firft Liturgy; with a plain Declaration of his Opinion in Favour of it; in which Opinion he is well known to be Jupported by the concurrent Sentiments of not a few of the most eminent Members of our Church. The Reverend and Pious Mr. Edward Stephens alfo has not only declared himSelf with great Zeal of the fame Opinion, but did actually draw up fever al Years ago an excellent Liturgick Form for its Celebration, in

a great

a great Agreement with that original Liturgy, and its correfpondent Form in the Scotch Liturgy, and did moreover actually put it in Practice, and that openly in London, for many Years together, to his own, and his Congregation's great Comfort and Satisfaction. Nay, the very learned and pious Dr. Grabe was fo great an Admirer of the fame Eucharifical Form, that while he durft not receive the Communion in Publick, on Account of its prefent Deviation from all the Primitive Liturgies in fome Part of that Celebration, he did it, to his great Joy and Satisfaction, with Mr. Stephens in that particular Congregation. And as to the Opinions of the Learned, whether of this, or of other Churches about it, take the fame Mr. Stephens's Account, in these Words:

The Liturgy

Having, fays he, published a Liturgy,
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C fented, as near as well

4 Of Prayers for the Dead, Dedication.

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may be, in English Forms; not much different (only a little more compleat) from that Reftitution of the true English Liturgy attempted by the Scotch, with the Atance of the Principal of the English Bishops, Anno 637. I prefented it to fome of the Principal learned Men, first of the English, who much approved it, and wished • it restored by Law; then of the Lutherans, • who alfo approved it, and declared their Sa⚫tisfaction to communicate in that Form; and

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at laft of the Roman Catholicks, who had no Exception to the Matter or Form of it.

All that feems neceffary to be added here by me, is this, that I cannot but earnestly wish, that all thofe learned Perfons who will not be able to disapprove of this Defign in Theory, would be fo Honeft, and fo Chriftian, as with me to endeavour to reduce it to Practice alfo : That fomewhat like this might be introduced into all Diffenting Meetings, as much better; and lefs offenfive to publick Authority, than any of the ufual Extempore Prayers; and into private Families, even the Chapels of Noblemen themselves, where it may be certainly used without the leaft Pretence of Difobedience to fuch publick Authority; and where even the Law allows feveral more than the ordinary Family to be prefent alfo. Nay, I should think it ought to be fo far from any Offence to the good Men of this Church, if it were publickly ufed by any of the Clergy in their Parishes alfo, that they should rather unite zealously for fuch its Introduction, it being nothing but their own eftablished Liturgy made more exactly Chriftian and unexceptionable. I conclude with the remarkable Words of the Prophet Jeremiah v. 16. which are very appofite to my prefent Purpose; and I heartily wish they might make fome Impreffion on the Chriftian World. Thus faith the Lord; ftand ye in the Ways and fee, and afk for the old Paths, where is the good Way, and walk therein, and ye shall find Reft to your Souls. July 12, W. WHISTON. 1750.

THE whole Church in every Place ought to be diftinguished into the Catechumens, the Penitent, and the Faithful.

The proper Perfons to Adminifter in all the falemn Parts of Publick Worship are the Bishops, and in their Abfence, and by their Permiffion, the Prefbyters; and both as miniftred to by the Deacons.

The Pofiure in Prayer is kneeling, on all Days but the Lord'sDays, and between Eafter and Pentecoft; on which it is ftanding; as a memorial of Chrift's Refurrection.

The Hours for fecret Prayer are the Third, Sixth, and Ninth; in Memory of Chrift's Condemnation, Crucifixion, and Death at those Hours; and the Lord's Prayer is ever to be then ufed.

Solemn Days are Festivals, greater and leffer; and Fafts greater and leffer.

The greater Feftivals are Eafter-day, and the Eighth Day after it; the Afcenfion, and Pentecoft; with all Lord's Days.

The leffer Festivals are the Sabbath-Days, or Saturdays; with the 50 Days from Eafter to Pentecoft; befides the Feast of the Nativity, and the Days of the Apofiles, &c.

The great Faft is but one, that of Paffion-Week; efpecially Friday, and Saturday till Day-break; to be celebrated by abftaining from Flesh and Wine, and by extraordinary Devotion and Alms giving.

The leffer Fafts, called alfo Days of Abftinence, or Stations, are all Wednesdays and Fridays; excepting those between Eafter and Pentecoft; with Lent, or the five middle Days before PaffionWeek; to be celebrated, by fafting till the Ninth Hour, or till Evening, and by proper Devotions.

Publick Prayers are to be used Morning and Evening every Day: At noon on Wednesdays and Fridays the Penitential Office or Litany may be added; as on the Lord's Day is the folemn Communion Service to be used, about the fame Time.

The Church is to meet together on Mondays, for the Exercise of Chriftian Difcipline, according to the Laws of the Gospel.

Eafter-day is now the next Lord's day after the 14th Day of the Jewish, or Lunar firft Month; which Month begins with the New-moon juft before, or juft after the vernal Equinox; that fo the 14th Day or full Moon may ever fall into Paffion Week.

The Leffons may be taken from the ufual Tables and Calendars; with fuch Alterations as peculiar Circumftances fhall require; the Prayer of Manaffes, may be read inftead of the Hiftory of Bell and the Dragon.

When any Leffons or Portions of the four Gofpels are read, it is to be done by a Prieft or Deacon; and the Congregation is to ftand up. Other fuitable Colles or Prayers may be added at the Difcretion of the Bishop or Prefbyter that officiates, provided they be facred Forms, or exactly agreeable thereto; or elfe ufed here in other Offices; at leaft in their Compofition unexceptionable.

The Men and Women are to fit feparate in the Publick Affemblies.

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