420 APPENDIX. Prayer, and of Ordaining Bithops, Priefgs, and Deacons, containeth nothing in it contrary to the ' Word of God; and that it may be lawfully ufed ; and that they themfelves would ufe the Form in the ' faid Books prefcribed in Publick Prayer, and Ad- ' minUtration of the Sacraments, and no other. ' That the Acî of Uniformity required, that this ' Declaration fhould be publickly made by word of mouth, by all that would keep their Places, ' on fome Lord's -day, before ilugufl 24, 1662, &c. ' and the Subfcription was as peremptorily required ' as the Declaration. But they could not herein ' concur, for two grand Realons. tft, Becaufe ' very few of them could fee the Book, to all ' Things in which, they were to declare their Af- ' fent and Confent, before the Time limited by ' the AEI was expired. For the Common Prayer ' Book, with the Alterations and Amendments (for fo they are called, how defervedly, I know ' not) made by the Convocation, did not come out ' of the Preis, till a few days before the 24th of ' flugufl. So that of feven thoufand Minifters in England who kept their Livings, few, except ' thole who were in or near London, could poffibly ' have a fight of the Book, with its Alterations, ' till after they had declared their Affent and Con- ' fent to it. Many of the Nonconformifis warmly ' complain'd of it, in their PartingSermons, when they took their Farewel of their People, at the ' time of their Ejection. And whatever it might feem then, when Perfons were in a manifeft Heat, ' at a diftance it appears fuch a Hardfhip, as that ' it is rather to be wonder'd at, that fo many could ' a& in fo weighty a Matter, upon an implicit Faith, than that fuch a number fhguld in fuch Circumftances Rand out.' This is the Objeetion in its full force, as made by a late eminent Di enter; and was it really true
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