Page:The Book of Common Prayer.djvu/23

12 Jt hath been the wisdom of the Church of England, ever since the first compiling of her publick Liturgie, to keep the meane between the two extreams ; of too much stiffness in refusing, and of too much easiness in admitting any variation from it. ffor as on the one side common experience sheweth, that where a change hath been made of things advisedly established, no evident necessity so requiring, sundry inconveniences have therevpon ensued, and those many times more, and greater, then the evils that were intended to be remedied by such change : So on the other side, the particular Forms of divine Worship, and the Rites and Ceremonies appointed to be vsed therein, being things in their own nature indifferent, and alterable, and so acknowledged ; it is but reasonable that vpon waighty and important considerations, according to the various exigency of times and occasions, such changes and alterations should be made therein as to those that are in place of Authority, should from time to time seem either necessary or expedient Accordingly we find that in the Reignes of severall Princes of blessed memory since the reformation, the Church vpon iust and weighty considerations her therevnto moving, hath yeilded to make such alterations in some particulars, as in their respective times were thought convenient Yet so as that the main body and essentials of it (as well in the chiefest materials, as in the frame and order thereof) have still continued the same vnto this day; and do yet stand firm and vnshaken, notwithstanding all the vain attempts, and impetuous assaults made against it by such men as are given to change, and have alwayes discovered a greater regard to their own private fancies and interests, then to that duty they ow to the publick.

By what vndue means, and for what mischievous purposes the vse of the Liturgy (though inioyned by the Lawes of the land, and those laws never yet repealed) came, during the late vnhappy confusions to be discontinued, is too well-known to the world,