Chap. XII. The HIS T 0 R Y of the PtrRITANS. f.1ry at this time, to make the terms of communion as large as might be, King that fo a greater number might be brought over, fince by the aCI cl' tole- Wil!iam U and queen ration they might diifent with fafety. Mary. But while thefe matters were debating, the jacobite party took hold of 1689. the occafion, to enflame mens minds againft the government. It was pre- ~. tended the church was ta be pulled down, and preJbytery eftablifhed : The univerfities took fire, and declared again(l: alterations, and againft all who promoted them, as men who intended to undermine the hierarchy. Severe refleCtions were caft on the king himfelf, as not being in the inte– reft of epifcopacy; for the cry of the church's danger was raifed by the enemies of the government, as that under which they thought they might fafely fhelter their evil defigns. Great intereft was made in the choice of convocation men, to whom the determinations of the committee were to be referred, fo that it was quickly vifible, that the laudable defigns of the king, and the ecclefiajtical commiflioners, would prove abortive. However the committee continued their work, till they had finifhed it; Their pro– they had before them all the exceptions that either the puritans before the ceedings. war, or the non-conformilts Gnce the reltoration, had made to the church ~~.rnet, P• fervice. They had alfo many propofitions and adviccs that had been fuggelted at feveral times, by many of our bifhops and divines upon thofe heads ; matters were well confidered, and freely and calmly debated, and all was digeiled into an entire correCtion, of every thing that feemed liable to any juft exception. Dr. Nichols fays, they began with review- Apparatus; ing the liturgy, and firft in examining the calendar; they ordered in the P· 95, 6 6•. room of the apocryJ'halleifons, certain chapters of canonicaljiTipture to be read, that were more to the people's advan tage; Athanajius's.creed being difliked, by reafon of the damnatory claufes, it was left to the minifters choice to ufe it, or change it for the apqfl!es creed. New colleCts were drawn up, more agreeable to the epifiles and gofpels, for the whole courfe of the year, with that elegance and brightnefs of expreffion (fays the doctor), and fuch a flame of devotion, that nothing could more affeCt and excite the hearts of the hearers, and raife up their minds towards God ; they were firfl: prepared by Dr. Patrick ; Dr. Burnet aclded to them farther force and fpirit; Dr. Stillingjleet afterwards examined them with great judgment, carefully weighing every word in them ; and Dr. 'Ti/!otJon had the !aft hand , giving them fame free and mafl:erly fl:rokcs of his 'weet and flowing eloquence. Dr. Kidder made a new vojion if the pfalms, more agreeable to the original. Dr. Tennifon made a collection of the . . d d n· h h · . 'lhezr parttwo: s an expreuwns t roug out the liturgy, wh1ch had heen excepted w/ar amendagamft, and propofed orhers in their room that were clear and plain, and ments. lefs liable to exception -- finging in cathedrals was .to be ]aid afide- Calamy's the apocryphal le.!Jons were to be omitted, together with the lrgendary t~r.iJf p. 5 K z Jaints 453 .
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