LITURGIE RECUSE EXEMPLAR. THE Prayer Book as it Might Be : OR, FORMULARIES OLD, REVISED, AND NEW, SUGGESTING A RECONSTRUCTED AND AMPLIFIED LITURGY. BY RICHARD BINGHAM, M.A., INCUMBENT OF QUEENBOROUGH, KENT, Author of "Liturgia Recusa; or, Suggestions for Revising and Reconstructing the ruatior quidem, accuratior, plenior, brevior, ex potest, et debet, fieri. ARCHBISHOP SEOKER LONDON; WERTHEIM, MACINTOSH, & HUNT IT hath been the wisdom of the Church of England, ever since the first compiling of her public Liturgy, to keep the mean between the two extremes, of too much stiffness in refusing, and of too much easiness in admitting any variation from it. For, as on the one side common experience showeth, that where a change hath been made of things advisedly established (no evident necessity so requiring) sundry inconveniences have thereupon ensued, and those many times more and greater than 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 used therein, being things in their own nature indifferent, and alterable, and so acknowledged, it is but reasonable, that upon weighty 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.-From the Preface to the Book of Common Prayer. OTHECA BODL |