ACknowledging , with all humility and thankfulness , His Majesties most Princely condescention and indulgence to very many of his Loyall subjects , as well in his Majesties most gracious Declaration , as particularly in this present Commission issued forth in pursuance thereof ; we doubt not but the Right Reverend Bishops , and all the rest of His Majesties Commissioners intrusted in this work , will in imitation of His Majesties most prudent and Christian Moderation and Clemency , judge it their duty ( that we find to be the Apostles own practice ) in a speciall manner to be tender to the Churches peace , to bear with the infirmities of the weak , and not to please themselves , nor to measure the Consciences of other men by the light and latitude of their own , but seriously and readily to consider , and advise of such Expedients as may most conduce to the healing of our breaches , and uniting those that differ .

And albeit we have an high and honourable esteem of those Godly and Learned Bishops , and others , who were the first Compilers of the publick Liturgy , and doe look upon it as an excellent and worthy Work , for that time , when the Church of England made her first step out of such a mist of Popish Ignorance and Superstition , wherein it formerly was involved ; yet considering , that all humane Works do gradually arrive at their maturity and perfection , and this in particular being a Work of that nature , hath already admitted several emendations since the first compiling thereof , It cannot be thought any disparagement , or derogation either to the Work it self , or to the Compilers of it , or to those who have hitherto used it , if after more than one hundred years since its first composure such further emendations be now made therein , as may be judged necessary for satisfying the scruples of a multitude of sober persons , who cannot at all ( or very hardly ) comply with the use of it as now it is , and may best suit with the present times , after so long an enjoyment of the glorious light of the Gospel , and so happy a Reformations especially considering that many godly and learned men , have from the beginning all along desired the alteration of many things therein , and very many of his Majesty's pious peaceable and loyal Subjects , after so long a discontinuance of it , are more averse from it than heretofore ; the satisfying of whom ( as far as may be ) will very much conduce to that Peace and Unity which is so much desired by all good men , and so much endeavoured by His most Excellent Majesty .

And therefore in pursuance of this His Majesty's most gracious Commission for the satisfying of tender Consciences , and the procuring of Peace and Unity amongst our selves , we judge meet to propose ,

I. That all the Prayers , and other Materials of the Liturgy , may consist of nothing doubtful or questioned amongst Pious , Learned and Orthodox Persons , inasmuch as the professed end of composing them is , for the declaring of Unity and consent of all who joyn in the Publick Worship , it being too evident , that the limiting Church-Communion to things of doubtful disputation , hath been in all Ages the ground of Schism and separation , according to the saying of a Learned Man .

To load our Publick Forms with the private Fancies upon which we differ , is the most Sovereign way to perpetuate Schism to the Worlds end . Prayer , Confession , Thanksgiving , reading of the Scriptures , and administration of the Sacraments in the plainest and simplest manner were matter enough to furnish out a sufficient Liturgy , though nothing either of private Opinion , or of Church pomp , of Garments , or prescribed Gestures , of Imagery , of Musick , of matter concerning the dead , of many superfluities which creep into the Church under the name of Order and Decency did interpose it self . To charge Churches or Litnrgies with things unnecessary was the first beginning of all Superstition ; and when scruple of Conscience began to be made , or pretended , then Schisme began to break in . If the speciall Guides and Fathers of the Church would be a little sparing of incumbring Churches with Superfluities , or not over-rigid , either in reviving obsolete Customs , or imposing new , there would be far less cause of Schism , or Superstition , and all the Inconvenience likely to ensue would be but this ; they should in so doing yield a little to the imbecility of their Inferiours , a thing which S. Paul would never have rrefused to doe , mean while , wheresoever false or suspected Opinions are made a piece of Church-Liturgy , he that separates is not the Schismatick ; for , it is alike unlawful to make profession of known or suspected falshood , as to put in practice unlawful or suspected actions .

II. Further , we humbly desire , that it may be seriously considered , that as our first Reformers out of their great wisdome did at that time so compose the Liturgy as to win upon the Papists , and to draw them into their Church-Communion , by varying as little as well they could from the Romish forms before in use ; so whether in the present constitution and state of things amongst us we should not according to the same rule of Prudence and Charity have our Liturgy so composed , as to gain upon the judgement and affections of all those who in the substantials of the Protestant Religion are of the same perswasions with our selves . In as much as a more firm union and consent of all such , as well in Woship as in Doctrine , would greatly strengthen the Protestant Interest against all those dangers and temptations which our intestine Divisions and Animosities do expose us unto from the common Adversary .

III. That the Repetitions and Responsals of the Clerk and People , and the alternate Reading of the Psalms and Hymns with a confused murmure in the Congregation , whereby what is read is less intelligible , and therefore unedifying , may be omitted , the Minister being appointed for the People in all Publick Services appertaining unto God , and the holy Scriptures both of the old and new Testament , intimating the peoples part in publick Prayer , to be only with silence and reverence , to attend thereunto , and to declare their consent in the close , by saying , Amon.

IV. That in regard the Letany ( though otherwise containing in it many holy Petitions ) is so framed , that the Petitions , for a great part , are uttered onely by the People , which we think not to be so consonant to Scripture , which makes the Minister the Mouth of the People to God in Prayer , the particulars thereof may be composed into one solemn Prayer to be offered by the Minister unto God for the People .

V. That there may be nothing in the Liturgy which may seem to countenance the observation of Lent , as a Religious Fast , the Example of Christ's fasting forty dayes and nights being no more imitable , nor intended for the imitation of Christians , than any other of his miraculous works were , or than Moses his forty dayes Fast was for the Jewes , and the Act of Parliament 5 Eliz. forbidding abstinence from flesh to be observed upon any other than a politick Consideration , and punishing all those who by Preaching , Teaching , Writing , or open Speech shall notifie , that the forbearing of flesh is of any necessity for the saving of the soul , or that it is the service of God otherwise than as other politick Laws are .

VI. That the Religious observation of Saints dayes appointed to be kept as holy dayes and the Vigils thereof , without any foundations ( as we conceive ) in Scripture , may be omitted , that if any be retained they may be called Festival , and not Holy dayes , nor made equal with the Lords day , nor have any peculiar Service appointed for them , nor that the People be upon such days enforced wholly to abstain from work ; and that the names of all others not inserted in the Callendar , which are not in the first and second Books of Edward the Sixth , may be left out .

VII . That the gift of Prayer being one special qualification for the Work of the Ministery bestowed by Christ in order to the edification of his Church , and to be exercised for the profit and benefit thereof according to its various and emergent necessities .

It is desired that there may be no such Imposition of the Liturgy , as that the exercise of that gift be thereby totally excluded in any part of publick worship ; and further , that considering the great age of some Ministers , and the infirmities of others , and the variety of several services oft time occurring upon the same day , whereby it may be inexpedient to require every Minister at all times to read the whole ; it may be left to the discretion of the Minister to omit it , as occasion shall require , which liberty we find to be allowed even in the first Common Prayer Book of Edward the Sixth .

VIII . That in regard of the many defects which have been observed in that Version of the Scriptures which is used throughout the Liturgy , ( many fold instances whereof may be produced ) as in the Epistle for the first Sunday after Epiphany , taken out of Rom. 12. 1. Be you changed in your shape . And the Epistle for the Sunday next before Easter , taken out of Phil. 2. 5. Found in his apparel as a man ; As also the Epistle for the first Sunday in Lent , taken out of the fourth of the Galatians , Mount Sinai is Agar in Arabia , and bordereth upon the City which is now called Jerusalem . The Epistle for Saint Matthews day being taken out of the second Epistle of the Corinthians and the fourth , We go not out of kind . The Gospel for the second Sunday after Epiphany , taken out of the second of John , When men be drunk . The Gospel for the third Sunday in Lent , taken out of the eleventh of Luke , One house doth fall upon another . The Gospel for the Annunciation , taken out of the first of Luke , This is the sixth month which is called Barren , and many other places ; we therefore desire instead thereof the Translation allowed of by Authority may alone be used .

IX . That in as much as the Holy Scriptures are able to make us wise unto salvation to furnish us thoroughly unto all good works , and contain in them all things necessary either in Doctrine to be believed , or in Duty to be practised ; whereas divers Chapters of the Apocryphal Books appointed to be read , are charged to be in both respects of dubious and uncertain credit : It is therefore desired that nothing be read in the Church for Lessons , but the Holy Scriptures in the Old and New Testament .

X. That the Minister be not required to rehearse any part of the Liturgy at the Communion Table , save onely those parts which properly belong to the Lords Supper , and that at such time onely when the Holy Supper is administrated .

XI . That the word ( Minister ) and not ( Priest ) or ( Curate ) is used in the absolution , and in divers other places ; It may thoroughout the whole Book be used instead of those two words , and that instead of the word ( Sunday ) the word ( Lords day ) may be every where used .

XII . Because singing of Psalms is a considerable part of Publick Worship , we desire that the Version set forth and allowed to be sung in Churches may be amended , or that we may have leave to make use of a purer Version .

XIII . That all obsolete words in the Common Prayer , and such whose use is changed from their first significancy ( as read who smote thee ) used in the Gospels for the Monday and Wednesday before Easter ( Then opened be their witts ) used in the Gospel for Easter Tuesday , &c. may be altered into other words generally received , and better understood .

XIV . That no portions of the Old Testament , or the Acts of the Apostles be called Epistles ; or read as such .

XV. That whereas throughout the severall offices the Phrase is such as presumes all persons ( within the Communion of the Church ) to be regenerated , converted , and in an actuall state of grace , which had Ecclesiasticall Discipline been truly and vigorously executed in the exclusion of scandalous and obstinate sinners might be better supposed ; But that there having been , and still being a confessed want of that ( as in the Liturgy is acknowledged ) it cannot rationally be admitted in the utmost latitude of Charity : we desire that this may be reformed .

XVI . That whereas orderly connexion of Prayers and of particular Petitions and expressions , together with a competent length of the formes used , are tending much to edification , and to gain the reverence of people to them : There appears to us too great neglect of this Order , and of other Just Laws of method particularly .

1. The Collects are generally short , many of them consisting but of one or two Sentences of petition , and those generally usherd in with a repeated mention of the Name and Attributes of God , and presently concluding with the Name and Merits of Christ whence are caused many unnecessary intercessions and abruptions , which when many Petitions are to be offered at the same time , are neither agreeable to scripturall example , nor suted to the gravity and seriousness of that Holy Duty .

2. The Prefaces of many Collects have not any clear and speciall respect to the following Petitions ; and particular petitions are put together , which have not any due order or evident connexion one with another , nor suitable with the occasions upon which they are used , but seem to have fallen in rather casually , than from any orderly codtinuance .

It is desired that instead of these various Collects , there may be one Methodicall and entire form of Prayer composed out of many of them .

XVII . That whereas the Puplick Liturgy of a Church should in reason comprehend the summe of all such sins as are ordinarily in Prayer by the Church to be confessed , and of such Petitions and Thanksgiving as are ordinarily by the Church to be put up to God , and that Puplick Catechismes or Systemes of Doctrine should summarily comprehend all such Doctrines as are necessarily to be believed , and these explicitely set down . The present Liturgy , as to all these seems very defective particularly :

1. There is no preparatory Prayer in your addresses to God for assistance or acceptance ; yet many Collects in the midst of the Worship have little or nothing else .

2. The Confession is very defective , not clearly expressing Originall sin , nor sufficiently enumerating Actuall sins with their aggrivations , but consisting only of generals , whereas Confession being the exercise of repentance ought to be more particular .

3. There is also great defect , as to such Forms of publick prayers and thanksgivings as are suitable to Gospel-worship .

4. The whole body of the Common Prayer also consisteth very much of meer generals , as to have our prayers heard , to be kept from all evil , and from all enemies and all adversities , that we may do Gods will without any mention of the particulars wherein these generals exist .

5. The Catechism is defective as to many necessary Doctrines of our religion , some even of the Essentials of Christianity not mentioned , except in the Creed , and there not so explicite as ought to be in the Catechism .

XVIII . Because this Liturgy containeth the imposition of divers Ceremonies , which from the first Reformation have by sundry Learned and pious men been judged unwarrantable : as ,

1. That publick Worship may not be celebrated by any Minister that dares not wear a Surplice .

2. That none may Baptise , or be Baptised without the transient Image of the Cross , which hath at least the semblance of a Sacrament of humane institution , being used as an engaging sign in our first and solemn Covenanting with Christ , and the Duties whereunto we are really obliged by Baptism , being more expresly affixed to that Aery fign than to the holy Sacrament .

3. That none may receive the Lords Supper that dares not kneel in the act of receiving , but the Minister must exclude all such from the Communion , although such kneeling not only differs from the practice of Christ and of his Apostles ; but ( at least on the Lords daies ) is contrry to the practice of the Catholick Church for many hundred years after , and forbid by the most venerable Councila that ever were in the Christian world . All which Impositions are made yet more grievous by that subscription to their lawfulness , which the Cannon exacts , and by the heavy punishments , upon the non observance of them , which the Act for uniformity inflicts .

And it being doubtfull , whether God hath given power unto men to institute in his worship such mysticall teaching signs , which not being necessary in genere , fall not under the rule of doing all things decently , orderly , and to edification , and which once granted , will upon the same reason open a door to the arbitrary Imposition of numerous Ceremonies of which St. Aug. complained in his dayes , and the things in Controversie being in the Judgement of the Imposers confessed indifferent , who dare not so much as pretend any real goodness in themselves , otherwise than what is derived from their being imposed , and consesequently the Imposition ceasing , that will cease also , and the Worship of God not become indecent without them ; whereas on the other hand in the Judgement of the Opposers , they are by some held sinful and unlawful in themselves , by others very inconvenient and unsuitable to the simplicity of Gospel-Worship , and by all of them very grievous and burdensome , and therefore not at all fit to put in balance with the peace of the Church , which is more likely to be promoted by their removal than continuance , considering also how tender our Lord and Saviour himself is of weak Brethren , declaring it to be much better for a man to have a Milstone to be hanged about his neck , and to be cast into the depth of the Sea , than to offend one of his little ones , and how the Apostle Paul ( who had as great a Legislative power in the Church as any under Christ ) held himself obliged by that common rule of Charity , not to lay a stumbling block , or an occasion of offence before a weak Brother , chusing rather not to cat flesh while the world stands ( though in it self a thing lawful ) than offend his Brother , for whom Christ dyed ; we cannot but desire that these Ceremonies may not be imposed on them who judge such impositions a violation of the Royalty of Christ , and an Impeachment of his Laws as insufficient , and are under the holy Law of that which is written , Deut. 12. 32. VVhat thing soever I command you , observe to do it , thou shalt not adde thereto , nor diminish from it ; but that there may be either a total abolishion of them , or at least such a liberty , that those who are unsatisfied concerning their lawfulness , or expedency , may not be compolled to the practice of them or subscription to them ; but may be permitted to enjoy their Ministerial Functions and Communion with the Church without them .

The rather because these Ceremonies have for above an hundred years been the fountain of manifold evils in this Church and Nation , occasioning sad Divisions between Ministers and Ministers , and also between Ministers and people , exposing many orthodox , pious , and peaceable Ministers to the displeasure of their Rulers , casting them upon the edge of the penal Statutes , to the loss not only of their Livings and liberties , but also of their opportunities for the service of Christ and his Church , and forcing people either to worship God in such a manner as their own consciences condemn , or doubt of , or else to forsake our Assemblies , as thousands have done , and no better fruits than these can be lookt for from the retaining and imposing these Ceremonies . unless we could presume that all his Majesties Subjects should have the same subtilty of Judgement to discern even to a Ceremony how farr the Power extends in the things of God . which is not to be expected , or should yeeld obedience to all the Impositions of men concerning them , without enquiring into the will of God , which is not to be desired .

We do therefore most earnestly intreat the Right Reverend Fathers and Brethren , to whom these Papers are delivered , as they tender the Glory of God , the Honour of Religion , the Peace of the Church , the Service of His Majesty in the accomplishment of that happy Union which his Majesty hath so abundantly testified his desires of , to joyn with us in importuning His most Excellent Majesty that His most gracious Indulgence , as to these Ceremonies granted in His Royall Declaration , may be comfirmed and continued to us , and our posterities , and extended to such as do not yet enjoy the benefit thereof .

XIX . As to that Passage in His Majesties Commission , wherein we are authorized and required to compare the Present Liturgy with the most ancient Liturgy , which have been used in the Church in the purest and most Primitive Times ; we have in obedience to His Majesties Commission made Inquiry , but cannot find any Records of known Credit concerning any entire Forms of Liturgies within the first 300 years , which are confessed to be as the most Primitive , so the purest Ages of the Church ; nor any Imposition of Liturgies upon any National Church ; for some hundred years after we find indeed Liturgical Forms fathered upon St. Basil , St. Chrysostome , and St. Ambrose ; but we have not seen any Copies of them , but such as give us sufficient evidence to conclude them either wholly spurious , or so interpolated , that we cannot make a Judgement what in them hath any Primitive Authority .

Having thus in general expressed our desire , we come to particulars , which we find numerous , and of a various nature ; some we grant are of an inferiour consideration , verbal rather than material , which were they not in she Publick Liturgy of so Famous a Church , we should not have mentioned ; others dubions and disputable , as not having a clear foundation in Scripture for their warrant ; but some there be that seem to be corrupt , and to carry in them a repugnancy to the rule of the Gospel , and therefore have administred just matter of exception and offence to many truly religious and peaceable , not of a private station only , but Learned & Judicious Divines , aswel of other Reformed Churches , as of the Church of England , ever since the Reformation .

We know much hath been spoken and written by way of Apology in answer to many things that have been obiected , but yet the doubts and scuples of tender consciences still continue , or rather are increased : We do therefore humbly conceive it therefore a Work worthy of those Wonders of Salvation which God hath wrought for his Majesty , now on the Throne , and for the whole Kingdome , and exceedingly becoming the Ministers of the Gospel of Peace , with all holy moderation and tenderness to endeavour the removal of every thing out of the Worship of God , which may justly offend or grieve the spirits of sober and godly people ; the things themselves that we desire to be removed , not being of the foundation of Religion , nor the Essentials of Publick Worship , nor the removal of them any way tending to the prejudice of the Church or State ; therefore their continuance and rigorous Imposition can no ways be able to countervail the laying aside of so many pious and able Ministers , and the unconceivable grief that will arise to multitudes of His Majesties most Loyal and peaceable Subjects , who upon all accasions are ready to serve him with their Prayers , Estates , and Lives : For the preventing of which evils , we humbly desire that these particulars following may be taken into serious and tender consideration .