ther blessings of his mer- the Discretion of the Mi- B OF THE BooK OF COMMON PRAYER, Y the BISHOPS, the CLERGY, and the LAITY of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America, in CONVENTION, this Sixteenth Day of October, in the Year of our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and Eighty-nine: This Convention, having in their present Session, set forth A BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER, AND ADMINISTRATION OF THE SACRAMENTS AND OTHER RITES AND CEREMONIES OF THE CHURCH, do hereby establish the said Book: And they declare it to be the Liturgy of this Church; and require, that it be received as such by all the Members of the same : And this Book shall be in Use from and after the First day of October, in the Year of our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and Ninety. THE PREFACE. Tisamostinvaluable part of that bleffed liberty wherewith CHRIST hath made us free, that in his worship, different forms and usages may without offence be allowed, provided the subitance of the faith be kept entire: and that, in every Church, what cannot be clearly determined to belong to Doctrine must be referred to Difcipline; and therefore, by common consent and authority, may be altered, abridged, enlarged, amended, or otherwise disposed of, as may seem most convenient for the edification of the people, "according to the various exigencies of times and occafions." The CHURCH OF ENGLAND, to which the Proteftant Epifcopal Church in these States is indebted, under GOD, for her first foundation and a long continuance of nurfing care and protection, hath, in the Preface of her Book of Common Prayer, laid it down as a Rule, that "The particular Forms of Divine Worship, and the Rites and Ceremonies appointed to be used therein, being things in their own nature indifferent and alterable, and fo acknowledged, it is but reasonable that, upon weighty and important confiderations, according to the various exigencies of times and occafions, fuch changes and alterations should be made therein, as to those who are in places of authority, should, from time to time, seem either necessary or expedient." The same Church hath not only in her Preface, but likewife in her Articles and Homilies, declared the neceffity and expediency of occafional alterations and amendments in her Forms of Public Worship, and we find accordingly that, feeking to "keep the happy mean between too much stiffness in refusing and too much easiness in admitting variations in things once advisedly established, she hath, in the reign of feveral Princes, since the first compiling of her Liturgy in the time of Edward the Sixth, upon just and weighty confiderations her thereunto moving, yielded to make such alterations in some particulars, as in their refpective pective tines were thought convenient; yet to as that the main body and essential parts of the fame (as well in the chiefeft materials, as in the frame and order thereof) have still been continued firın and unfhaken." 66 Her general aim in these different Reviews and Alterations hath been, as she farther declares in her faid Preface, "to do that which, according to her best understanding, might most tend to the preservation of peace' and unity in the Church, the procuring of reverence, and the exciting of piety and devotion in the worship of God; and, finally, the cutting off occafion, from them that feek occafion, of cavil or quarrel against her Liturgy." And although, according to her judgment, there be not any thing in it contrary to the Word of God, or to found doctrine, or which a godly man may not with a good confcience use and fubmit unto, or which is not fairly defenfible if allowed fuch just and favourable construction, as, in common equity, ought to be allowed to all human writings;" yet upon the principles already laid down, it cannot but be fuppofed, that further alteration would in time be found expedient. Accordingly, a Commiffion for a review was issued in the year 1689: But this great and good work mifcarried at that time; and the Civil Authority has not fince thought proper to revive it by any new Commiffion. But when, in the course of Divine Providence, these American States became independent with respect to Civil Government, their Ecclefiaftical Independence was neceffarily included; and the different religious denominations of Chriftians in these States were left at full and equal liberty to model and organize their respective Churches, and forms of worship, and discipline, in such manner as they might judge most convenient for their future profperity; confiftently with the Constitution and Laws of their Country. The attention of this Church was, in the first place, drawn to those alterations in the Liturgy which became neceflary in the Prayers for our Civil Rulers, in confequence of the Revolution. And the principal care herein was to make them conformable to what ought to be the proper 4 3 proper end of all such prayers, namely, that, "Rulers may have grace, wisdom, and understanding to execute justice, and to maintain truth;" and that the People " may lead quiet and peaceable lives, in all godliness and honesty." But while these alterations were in review before the CONVENTION, they could not but, with gratitude to God, embrace the happy occasion which was offered to them (uninfluenced and unrestrained by any worldly authority whatsoever) to take a further review of the Public - Service, and to establish such other alterations and amendments therein as might be deemed expedient. It seems unnecessary to enumerate all the different alterations and amendments. They will appear, and it is to be hoped, the reasons of them also, upon a comparifon of this with the Book of Common Prayer of the Church of England. In which it will also appear, that this Church is far from intending to depart from the Church of England, in any effential point of doctrine, discipline, or worship; or farther than local circumstances require. And now, this important work being brought to a conclusion, it is hoped the whole will be received and examined by every true Member of our Church, and every fincere Christian, with a meek, candid, and charitable frame of mind; without prejudice or prepoffeffions; seriously confidering what Christianity is, and what the truths of the Gofpel are; and earnestly beseeching Almighty God, to accompany with his blessing every endeavour for promulgating them to mankind in the clearest, plainest, most affecting and majestic manner, for the fake of Jefus Chrift, our bleffed Lord and Saviour. The |