Baxter - BX5207 B3 A2 1696

316 2be I. I FE of the LIB. faith, is not underltood, becaufe we hear not the annexedVerfe, which containeth part of the Senfe. And fo the whole reading Pfalms, are almoft as in Latin to them that cannot read themfelves. And that all this is really Diforder and contrary to Edification, appeareth both in theReafon of the thing, and in that the Prayers mentioned in Scripture are of ano- ther Order ; and in that they are not according to the Method of the Lord's Prayer, which is the perfect Ruleof Prayer in all univerfal Prayers, whichconfills not of occafional Particulars; and in that the mot fenfible experienced praying Chrifians find it by Experience to hinder their Edification (and their Teltimony lltbuld be preferred before that of ignorant,unexperienced,partial, orungodly Men; or at leaf a Courfe taken which is agreeable to both forts, and hindereth the Edifi- cation of neither): And lathy thofe very Men that will not reform any of this Diforder in the Liturgy, do naufeate and condemn thePrayers ofa weak Miriller, or private Chritian, if they have but the fourth part of the very like Diforders, Repetitions, Tautologies, or Defeels as the Liturgy bath. For thefe Reafons a proportionable Reformation is defired. Betides all forementioned, thereis in two months fpaceno lets than one hundred and nine Chapters of the Apocrypha appointed to be read as Leffons, jut in the time, manner, and Title as the Chapter of the holy Scripturesbe; even dteStories of Tobit, andyndithbeing part; andalfoof Bel and the Dragon, and Snfanna, which Protetants hold to be but Fables. But thole Exceptions which we a&uallyoffered to the Bifliops were as follows. The Exception! againfi the Book of Common- Prayer. A Cknowledging with all humility and thankfulnefs, his Majety'smot Princely £] Condefèention and Indulgence, to very many of his Loyal Subjetts, as well in his Majety's mot gracious Declaration, as particularly in this prefent Commit: lion, iffued forth in purfuancethereof; we doubt not but the right Reverend Bi. !hops ; and all she ret of his Majety's Commilftoners intrufted in this Work, will, in imitation of his Majefty's mot prudent and Chrillian Moderation and Clernen. cy, judge it their Duty (what we find to be the Apotles ownPratice) in a fped . al manner to be tender of the Churches Peace, to bear with the Infirmitiesof the weak, and not to pleafe themfelves, nor to meafure the Confciences of other Men the Light and Latitude of their own, but ferioufly and readily to confider and advife of filch Expedients, as may mot conduce to the healing of our Breaches, and uniting thole that differ. And albeit we have an high and honourable eteem of thofe godly and learned Ili'fhops, and others, who were the firft Compilers of the publick Liturgy, and do look upoh it as an excellent and worthy Work, for that time, when the Church of England made her fiat cep out of inch a Mill of Popilla Ignorance and Supertition wherein it formerly was involved; Yet confidering that all human Works do gra dually arrive at their Maturity and Perfeetion; and this in particular being a Work of that Nature, bathalready admitted feveral Emendations finen the fiat compiling thereof. It cannot be thought any Difparagement or Derogationeither to the Work it felf, or to the Compilers of it, or to thofe who have hitherto ufed it, ifafter more than an hundred Years, fnce its fiat compofure, fuch further Emendationsbe now made therein, as may be judged necelfary for fatisfying the Scruples of a multitude of fober Perlons, who cannot at all (or very hardly) comply with the rife of it, as now it is, and may bell fate with the prefent times after fo long an Enjoyment of the glorious light of the Gofpel, and fo happy a Reformation. Efpecially confi- daring that many Godly and learnedMen, have floor the beginning all along ear- nehly defired the Alteration of many things therein, and very many of his Maje- fly's pious, peaceable, and loyal Subje&s, after fo long a difcontinuance of it, are more averle from it than heretofore. The fatisfying of whom (as far as may be) will very much conduce to that Peace and Unity which is fo much defired by all good Men, and fo much endeavouredby his mot excellent Majety. And

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