1 62 J.JFF. AXn COh'RKSl'OXDEXCE OJ'' 'J-JIE [l/^S 



and communion, do not call for a review and amendment in sundry 

 particulars? 



1 2th. Whether the calendars and rubrics do not demand a review 

 and better adjustment ; and whether any words and phrases in our 

 common prayer, which are now less intelligible or common, or any way 

 changed in their present acceptation from their original sense, should 

 be retained? And whether others should not be substituted which are 

 more modern, intelligible, and less liable to any misapprehension or 

 misconstruction ? 



13th. Whether the Articles of Religion may not deserve a review; 

 and the subscription to them and the common prayer be contrived after 

 some other manner, less exceptionable than at present ? 



These are the principal matters which have been long held up for public 

 consideration, as still requiring a review in the book of common prayer; 

 and although in the judgment of the Church, there be nothing in it 

 "contrary to the word of God, or to sound doctrine, or which a godly 

 man may not submit unto, or which is not fairly defensible, if allowed 

 such just and favorable construction as in common equity ought to be 

 allowed to all human compositions;" yet, upon the principles already 

 laid down, (namely, "the promoting of peace and unity in the church, 

 the exciting of piety and devoti n, and the removing, as far as possible, 

 of all occasion of cavil or quarrel against the liturgy,") the pious and 

 excellent divines Avho were commissioned in 1689, proceeded to the 

 execution of the great work assigned them. They had before them al'l 

 the exceptions which had, since the act of uniformity, been at any time 

 made against any parts of the church service, which are chiefly set forth 

 in the foregoing queries. They had likewise many propositions and 

 advices, wliich had been offered at several times by some of the most 

 eminent bishops and divines upon the different heads in question. 

 Matters were well considered, freely and calmly debated ; and all was 

 digested into one entire* correction of everything that seemed liable to 



* It will, without doubt, be agreeable to the members of our Church, and those who 

 esteem our liturgy and public service, to have at least a general account of the altera- 

 tions and amendments which were desired and designed by such great and good men 

 as Archbishop Tillotson and others, whose names are in the following account taken 

 from Bishop Burnet, who was also in the commission, and from Dr. Nichols : 



" They began with reviewing the liturgy ; and first they examined the calendar; in 

 which, in the room of the apocryphal lessons, they ordered certain chapters of canon- 

 ical Scripture to be read, that were more for the people's edification. The Athanasian 

 creed being disliked by many persons on account of the damnatory clause, it was left 

 at the minister's choice to use or change it for the Apostles' creed. New collects were 

 drawn up more agreeable to the epistles and gospels, for the whole course of the year, 

 and with a force and beauty of expression capable of affecting and raising the mind in 

 llie strongest manner. The first draught was by Dr. Patrick, who was esteemed to 

 h.ive a peculiar talent for composing jirayers. Dr. Burnet added to ihcm yet further 

 force and spirit. Dr. Stillingfleet then examined every word in them with the exact- 



