The Grand Debate Between Bishops and Presbyterian Divines, Title page – Regal commission
THE GRAND DEBATE BETWEEN The moſt Reverend the BISHOPS, AND The PRESBYTERIAN Divines, Appointed by His Sacred MAJESTY, AS COMMISSIONERS FOR The Review and Alteration OF THE BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER, &c.
BEING An Exact Account of their whole Proceedings.
The moſt perfect Copy.
London, Printed 1661.
A Copy of His Majeſties Commiſſion.
CHARLES the ſecond by the Grace of God King of England, Scotland, France & Ireland, Defender of the Faith, &c. To our Truſty and wel-beloved, the moſt Reverend Father in God, Accepted Arch-biſhop of York, The right reverend Fathers in God, Gilbert Biſhop of London, John Biſhop of Durham, John Biſhop of Rocheſter, Humphrey Biſhop of Sarum, George Biſhop of Worceſter, Robert Biſhop of Lincoln, Benjamin Biſhop of Peterborough, Brian Biſhop of Cheſter, Richard Biſhop of Carlile, John Biſhop of Exeter, Edward Biſhop of Norwich, & to our truſty and wel-beloved, the Reverend Anthony Tuckney D. D. John Conant D. D. William Spurſtow D. D. John Wallis D. D. Thomas Manton, D. D. Edmund Calamy B. D. Richard Baxter Clerke, Arthur Juckson, Tho. Caſe, Samuel Clarke, Matthew Newcomen, Clerkes; and to our truſty and wel-beloved Dr. Earle Dean of Weſtminſter, Peter Heylin, D. D. Joh. Hacket, D. D. Joh. Berwick D. D. Peter Gunning D. D. John Pearſon D. D. Tho. Pierce D. D. Anthony Sparrow, Herbert Thorndike D. D. Thomas Horton D. D. Thomas Jacomb, D. D. William Bate, John Rawlinſon, William Cooper, Clerkes, D. John Light- foot, D. John Collings, D. Benjamin Woodbridg; and VVilliam Drake Clerke, Greeting. Whereas by our Declaration of the 25 of October laſt concerning Eccleſiaſticall affaires, we did (amongſt other things) expreſs our eſteem of the Liturgy of the Church of England, contained in the Book of Common prayer; and yet ſince we find exceptions made againſt ſeveral things therein, we did by our ſaid Declaration declare we would appoint an equal number of learned Divines, of both perſwaſions, to review the ſame: we therefore in accompliſhment of our ſaid wil and intent, and of our continued and conſtant care and ſtudy for the peace and unity of the Churches within our dominions, & for removal of all exceptions and differences, and the occaſions of ſuch differences, and exceptions from among our good ſubjects, for or concerning the ſaid Book of Common prayer, or any thing therein contained, doe by theſe our Letters patents require, authorize, conſtitute, and appoint you the ſaid, &c. to adviſe upon and review the ſaid Book of Common prayer, comparing the ſame with the moſt ancient Liturgies which have been uſed in the Church in the primitive and pureſt times. And to that end to aſſemble and meet together, from time to time, and at ſuch time within the ſpace of foure Calendar moneths now next enſuing, in the Maſters lodging in the Savoy in the Strand in the County of Middleſex, or in ſuch other place or places as to you ſhall be thought fit and convenient, to take into your ſerious and grave conſiderations the ſeveral directions and rules, forms of prayer, and things in the ſaid Book of Common prayer contained, and to adviſe, conſult upon, and about the ſame, and the ſeveral objections and exceptions, which ſhall now be raiſed againſt the ſame, and (if occaſion be) to make ſuch reaſonable and neceſſary alterations, corrections and amendments therein as by and between you the ſaid Arch-biſhop, Biſhops, Doctors, and Perſons hereby required and authorized to meet and adviſe as aforeſaid, ſhall be agreed upon to be needfull and expedient, for the giving ſatisfaction to tender conſciences, and the reſtoring and continuance of peace and unity in the Churches under our protection and Government; but avoyding (as much as may be) all unneceſſary abreviations of the Forms and Liturgy wherewith the people are altogether acquainted, and have ſo long received in the Church of England. And our will and pleaſure is, that when you the ſaid Arch-biſhop, Biſhops, Doctours, and perſons authorized and appointed by theſe our Letters patents to meet, adviſe, and conſult upon and about the premiſes, as aforeſaid, ſhall have drawn your conſultations to any reſolution and determination which you ſhall agree upon as needfull or expedient to be done for the altering, diminiſhing, or inlarging, the ſaid Book of Common prayer, or any part thereof, that then forthwith you certifie and preſent to us in writing under your ſeverall hands the matters and things whereupon you ſhall ſo determine, for our approbation, and to the end the ſame or ſo much thereof as ſhall be approved by us, may be eſtabliſhed, and for as much as the ſaid Archbiſhop & Biſhops have ſeverall great Charges to attend, which we would not diſpenſe with, or that the ſame ſhould be neglected upon any great occaſion whatſoever, and ſome of them being of great age and infirmities, may not be able conſtantly to attend the execution of the ſervice and authority hereby given and required by us, in the meeting and conſultation aforeſaid; We will therefore and hereby require you the ſaid Dr. Earles, &c. to ſupply the place and places of ſuch of the Arch-biſhop and Biſhops (other then the ſaid Edward Biſhop of Norwich) as ſhall by age, ſickneſs, infirmity, or other occaſion be hindred from attending the ſaid meeting or conſultation (that is to ſay) that one of you the ſaid Dr. Earles, &c. ſhall from time to time ſupply the place of each one of them, the ſaid Arch-biſhop and Biſhops (other then the ſaid Edward Biſhop of Norwich) which ſhall happen to be hindred or to be abſent from the ſaid meetings, or conſultations, and ſhall and may adviſe, conſult and determine, and alſo certifie and execute all and ſingular the powers and authorities before mentioned in and about the premiſes, as fully and abſolutely as ſuch Arch-biſhop and Biſhops which ſhal ſo happen to be abſent ſhould or might doe by vertue of theſe our Letters patents, or any thing herein contained, in caſe he or they were perſonally preſent. And whereas in regard of the diſtance of ſome, the infirmity of others, the multitude of conſtant imployment, and other incidental impediments, ſome of you the ſaid Edward Biſhop of Norwich, &c. may be hindred from the conſtant attendance in the execution of the ſervice aforeſaid, We therefore wil and doe hereby require and authorize you the ſaid Thomas Horton, &c. to ſupply the place or places of ſuch the Commiſſioners laſt before mentioned, as ſhal by the means aforeſaid or any other occaſion be hindred from the ſaid meeting and conſultations that one of you, the ſaid Thomas Horton, &c. ſhal from time to time ſupply the places of each one of the ſaid Commiſſioners laſt mentioned, which ſhal happen to be hindered or abſent from the ſaid meeting and conſultations: and ſhal and may adviſe conſult and determine, and alſo certifie and execute all and ſingular the powers and authorities before mentioned in and about the premiſes as fully and abſolutely as ſuch of the ſaid laſt mentioned Commiſſioners, which ſhall ſo happen to be abſent, ſhould or might doe by vertue of theſe our Letters patents or any thing therein contained, in caſe he or they were perſonally preſent. In witneſs whereof we have cauſed theſe our Letters to be made patents, witneſs our ſelf at VVeſtminſter the 25 day of March in the thirteenth year of our Reign.
Per ipſum Regem. Barker.