A Petition for Peace with the Reformation of the Liturgy, Part 2
THE REFORMATION OF THE LITURGY.
Preſented to the Right Reverend Biſhops, by the Divines appointed by His Majeſties Commiſsion to treat with them about the Alteration of it.
Right Reverend,
HAVING already given you our judgement of ſeveral things in the Book of Common-Prayer, and our deſires for the altering of ſome parts of it, leaving the reſt unaltered; wee here tender you ſome of the ſaid Alterations, which in our former Paper wee ſhewed to bee needful, and ſome Additional Forms in Scripture Phraſe (as neer as wee well could) ſuited to the nature of the ſeveral parts of Worſhip. The Texts are cited in the Margin, to juſtifie partly the Matter, and partly the Phraſe. If any be miſ-applied (which wee hope will not bee found) wee ſhall be willing upon Information, to retract ſuch miſ-application. If ſome of the Prayers here offered ſeem of too great a length, the ſubſtance of them being allowed, wee ſhall upon conference and mutual conſideration, endeavour to contract them. And whereas His Majeſties Commiſsion doth impower and authorize us: To take into our Conſideration the ſeveral Directions, Rules and Forms of Prayer, and things contained in the Book of Common-Prayer; And further addeth, When wee ſhall have drawn our Conſultations to any Reſolution and Determination, which wee ſhall agree upon as needful or expedient to bee done for the altering, diminiſhing, or enlarging the Book of Common-Prayer, or any part thereof, &c. Wee have here accordingly added ſome Rules or Directions as requiſite to give light to the whole, ſhewing when and how thoſe ſeveral Prayers ſhall bee uſed. But if any of thoſe Rules or Directions upon debate ſhall bee judged by the Commiſsioners unneceſſary, or over long, wee ſhall bee very ready to ſubmit either to the Alteration, or Omiſsion of them. And ſince wee for our parts do ſo freely profeſs not to inſiſt on any thing now or formerly propoſed, which ſhall bee manifeſted to bee unmeet; ſo wee humbly crave, and hope for your conſent to all the reſt; And that theſe Alterations and Additions now offered, may finde your favourable interpretation and acceptance, and may by our joynt conſent bee preſented to His Majeſty, to the end they may obtain his gracious Approbation; And the ſeveral particulars thereof may bee inſerted into the ſeveral reſpective places of the Liturgy, to which they do belong, and left to the Miniſters choice to uſe the one or the other, according to His Majecties gracious Declaration concerning ECCLESIASTICAL AFFAIRS.