A26853:372
An account of all the proceedings of the commissioners of both persuasions appointedAn accompt of all the proceedings of the commissioners of both persvvasions appointed
An account of all the proceedings of the commissioners of both persuasions appointed by His Sacred Majesty, according to letters patent, for the review of the Book of common prayer, &c.An accompt of all the proceedings of the commissioners of both persvvasions appointed by His Sacred Majesty, according to letters patent, for the review of the Book of common prayer, &c.
London : s.n., 1661
THE PAPERS That passed between the COMMISSIONERS Appointed by his M… › Preface: PREFACE.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
[The third and fourth Proposals may go together,1 the demand in both being against Respensals, and alternate Readings, in Hymns, and Psalms, and L•t••y, &c. And that upon such reason as doth in truth enforce the necessity of continuing them as they are, namely for edification. They would take these away, because they do not edify, and upon that very reason they should continue, because they do edify: if not by informing of our reasons and understandings, (the Prayers and Hymns were never made for a Catechism) yet by quickening, continuing and uniting our devotion, which is apt to freeze▪ or sleep, •r ••at in a l•ng continued Prayer, or F•rm; it is necessary therefore for the edifying of us therein, to be often called upon and awakened by frequent Amens, to be excited and stirred up by mutual exultations, provocations, petitions, holy contentions and strivin•s, which shall m•st show his •wn,2 and stir up others zeal to the Glory of God. For this purpose alternate Reading, Repetitions and Responsals, are far better than a long tedious Prayer: Nor is this ••r opini•• only, but the Judgement of former ages, as appears by the practise of ancient Christian Churches, and of the Jews also. But it seems they say to be against the Scripture, wherein the Minister is appointed for the people in public Prayers, the peoples part being to attend with silence, and to declare their ⟨p. 29⟩assent in the close, by saying Amen: if they mean that the people in public Services must only say this word Amen, as they can no where prove it in the Scriptures, so it doth certainly seem to them, that it cannot be proved; for they directly practise the contrary in one of their principal parts of Worship, singing of Psalms, where the people bear as great a part as the Minister. If this may be done in Hopkins, why not in Davids Psalms? If in Metre, why not in Prose? if in a Psalm, why not in a Litany?]