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THE

TWO BOOKS

OF

COMMON PRAYER,

SET FORTH

BY AUTHORITY OF PARLIAMENT

IN THE REIGN OF

KING EDWARD THE SIXTH,

COMPARED WITH EACH OTHER.

OXFORD,

AT THE UNIVERSITY PRESS.

MDCCCXXXVIII.

Clar. Press

1. a. 77.

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PREFACE OF THE EDITOR

THIS Volume contains the two Books of Common Prayer set forth by authority of Parliament in the reign of king Edward VI. They are printed concurrently in such a manner that the reader may easily observe the differences existing in them, and trace the progress which was made at that period in the reformation of religious worship. In the Appendix is added the Order of the communion, which had been published previously by Royal authority, and carried into effect the first measure of a religious character adopted by the legislature in that reign. It will be necessary, by way of preface, to give a short notice of the opinions and occurrences of those times, in order to bring the subject distinctly before the general reader.

The changes which had been made during the reign of Henry VIII. for the establishment of pure religion, were neither many in number, nor in themselves of the first importance. Depending in great measure upon the opinions of that prince, they had their origin, and took their character, from some temper of mind, or some secular design, with which they had no natural connection. They were adopted in the first instance without regard to their relative importance, and were persisted in or abandoned without consideration of their real value. native disposition and acquired habits of Henry's mind gave him a strong inclination in favour of the ancient

The

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