Chap. VI. Tbe HIS T 0 R Y of the PuRITANS~ 625 majority. May 19 it re-:eived the royal aii'ent, and was to take place King r fi·om the 24th of Auglffl following. This ~C!: .being perfixed to th~ book Ch:~~~.1 · of common-prayer, and lying open to public view, I !hall only give the ~· reader an abfl:raC!: of it. It is entituled " An a{! fir the uniformity if public prayers, and adminijlration of Abjlralf of " fltcraments, and other rites and ceremonies, andfor ej!ablijhing the firms it. " of making, ordaining, and confecrating bifhops, pridfs, and deacom, in " the church of' England. The preamble fets forth, " that from the firfi of queen Elizabeth there " had been one uniform order of common fervice and prayer enjoined to " be ufed by act of parliament, which had been very comfortable to all " good people, till a great number of people in divers parts of the realm, " living without knowledge and the due fear of God, did wilf[IIly and " fchifmatically, refufe to come to their parifh churches, upon fundays, " and other days appointed to be kept as holy days. And whereas, by the " fcandalous negletl: of minifiers in ufing the liturgy during the late " unhappy troubles, many people have been led into factions and fchifms, " to the decay of religion, and the hazard of many fouls; therefore « for preventing the like for time to come, the king had granted a com– " miflion, to review the book of common-prayer, to thofe bifhops and " divines who met at the Savoy; and afterwards his majefl:y required '' the clergy in convocation to revife it again; which alterations and " amendments having been approved by his majefiy, and both houfes " of parliament ; therefore for fettling the peace of the nation, for the " honour of religion, and to the intent that every perfon may know the " rule to which he is to conform in public worfhip, it is enacted by " the king's mofl: excellent majefiy, &c. " That all and fingular minifiers !hall be bound to fay and ufe the " morning prayer, evening prayer, and all other common-prayer$, in " fuch order and form as is mentioned in the book ; and that every " parfon, vicar, or other minifler whatfoever, l11all before the feail: of " St. Bartho!omew which !hall be in the year of ou r Lord 1662, open– " ly and publicly before the congregation aii'embled for religious wor– " fhip, declare his unfeigned a.flent and confent to the ufe of all things " contained and prefcribed in the faid book, in thefe words, and no " other." " I A. B. do hereby declare my wifeigued qjfent and co'!font to_all and eve· " ry thmg contained and prefcribed in and by the book, entitled, the boo.~ qf " common j¥ayer, and adminijlration of' Jacrarnents, and other rites and " ceremomes of the church, according to the qfe of the church of Eng– " land, together with the pfolter, or pja/ms if David, pointed as they VoL. ll. + L " are
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