View of the he New Directory, Title page – Proclamation
A VIEW OF THE NEW DIRECTORIE, AND A VINDICATION OF THE ANCIENT LITURGIE OF THE Church of England. In Anſwer to the Reaſons pretended in the Ordinance and Preface, for the aboliſhing the one, and eſtabliſhing the other. The Third Edition.
OXFORD, Printed by HENRY HALL, Printer to the UNIVERSITY. 1646.
BY THE KING.
A Proclamation Commanding the uſe of the Booke of Common-Prayer according to Law, notwithſtanding the pretended Ordinances for the New Directory.
WHereas by a Printed Paper, dated the third of Ianuary laſt paſt, intituled, An Ordinance of Parliam…t for taking away the Book of Common-Prayer, and for eſtabliſhing and putting in execution of the Directory for the publique worſhip of God; It is ſaid to be ordained among other things, That the Book of Common-Prayer ſhould not remain, or be from thenceforth uſed in any Church, Chappell or place of publique Worſhip within the Kingdome of England or Dominion of Wales; And that the Directory for publique Worſhip in that printed Paper ſet forth, ſhould be from thenceforth uſed, purſued, and obſerved in all exerciſes of publique Worſhip of God in every Congregation, Church, Chappell, and place of publique Worſhip. And by another printed Paper, dated the 23. day of Auguſt laſt paſt, intituled, All Ordinance of the Lords and Commons aſſembled in Parliament, for the more effectuall putting in execution the Directory for publique Worſhip, &c. particular directions are ſet down for the diſperſing, publiſhing, and uſe of the ſaid Directory, in all pariſhes, Chappelries, and Donatives, and for the calling in and ſuppreſſing of all Books of Common-Prayer, under ſeverall forfeitures and penalties to be levyed and impoſed upon conviction before Iuſtices of Aſſize, or of Over and Terminer, and of the Peace, as by the ſaid two printed Papers may appeare. And taking into Our conſideration, that the Book of Common Prayer, which is endeavoured thus to be aboliſhed, was compiled in the times of Reformation, by the moſt learned and pious men of that Age, and defended and confirmed with the Martyrdome of many; and was firſt eſtabliſhed by Act of Parliament in the time of King Edward the ſixth, and never repealed or laid aſide, ſave only in that ſhort time of Queen Maries Reign, upon the returne of Popery and ſuperſtition; and in the firſt yeare of Queen Elizabeth, it was again revived and eſtabliſhed by Act of Parliament, and the repeale of it then declared by the whole Parliament, to have béen to the great decay of the due honour of God, and diſcomfort to the Profeſſors of the truth of Chriſts Religion: and ever ſince it hath béen uſed and obſerved for above foureſcore yeares together, in the beſt times of peace and plenty that ever this Kingdome enjoyed; and that it conteines in it an excellent Forme of Worſhip and Service of God, grounded upon holy Scriptures, and is a ſingular meanes and helpe to devotion in all Congregation, and that, or ſome other of the like Forme, ſimply neceſſary in thoſe many Congregations, which cannot be otherwiſe ſupplyed by learned and able men, and kéeps up an uniformity in the Church of England; And that the Directory, which is ſought to be introduced, is a meanes to open the way, and give the liberty to all ignorant Factious or evill men, to broach their own fancies and conceits, be they never ſo wicked and erroneous; and to miſ, lead People into ſin and Rebellion, and to utter thoſe things, even in that which they make for their Prayer in their Congregations as in Gods preſence, which no conſcientious man can aſſent or ſay Amen to. And be the Miniſter never ſo pious and religious, yet it will breake that uniformity which hitherto hath béen held in Gods ſervice, and be a meanes to raiſe Factions and diviſions in the Church; And thoſe many Congregations in this Kingdome, where able and religious Miniſters cannot be maintained, muſt be left deſtitute of all helpe or meanes for their publique worſhip and ſervice of God: And obſerving likewiſe, that no reaſon is given for this alteration, but only inconvenience alleadged in the generall (and whether pride and avarice be not the ground, whether rebellion and deſtruction of Monarchy be not the intention of ſome, and ſacriledge and the Churches poſſeſſions the aymes and hopes of others, and theſe new Directories, the meanes to prepare and draw the people in for all, Wée leave to him who ſearches and knowes the hearts of men,) And taking into Our further conſideration, that this alteration is introduced by colour of Ordinances of Parliament made without and againſt Our conſent, and againſt an expreſſe Act of Parliament ſtill in force, and the ſame Ordinances made as perpetuall binding Lawes, inflicting penalties and puniſhments, which was never, before theſe times, ſo much as pretended to have been the uſe or power of Ordinances of Parliament, without an expreſſe Act of Parliament, to which Wée are to be parties. Now leſt Our ſilence ſhould be interpreted by ſome as a connivance or indifferency in Us, in a matter ſo highly concerning the Worſhip and Service of God, the Peace and Unity of the Church and State, and the eſtabliſh'd Lawes of the Kingdome, Wée have therefore thought fit to publiſh this Our Proclamation; And Wée do hereby require and command all and ſingular Miniſters in all Cathedrall and Pariſh-Churches, and other places of publique Worſhip, within Our Kingdome of England or Dominion of Wales; and all other to whom it ſhall appertaine, that the ſaid Booke of Common-Prayer be kept and uſed in all Churches, Chappels, and places of publique Worſhip, according to the ſaid Statute made in that behalfe in the ſaid firſt yeare of the ſaid late Quéen Elizabeth; And that the ſaid Directory be in no ſort admitted, received, or uſed, the ſaid pretended Ordinances, or any thing in them conteined to the contrary notwithſtanding. And Wee do hereby let them know, that whenſoever it ſhall pleaſe God to reſtore Us to Peace, and the Lawes to their due courſe (wherein Wée doubt not of his aſſiſtance in his good time) Wée ſhall require a ſtrict account and proſecution againſt the breakers of the ſaid Law, according to the force thereof. And in the meane time, in ſuch places where Wée ſhall come, and find the Booke of Common-Prayer ſuppreſt and laid aſide, and the Directory introduced, Wée ſhall account all thoſe that ſhall be ayders, actors or contrivers therein, to be perſons diſaffected to the Religion and Lawes eſtabliſhed: and this they muſt expect, beſides that greater loſſe which they ſhall ſuſtain by ſuffering themſelves thus to be deprived of the uſe and comfort of the ſaid Booke. Given at Our Court at Oxford this thirteenth day of November, in the one and twentieth yeare of Our Raigne. 1645.
GOD SAUE THE KING.