Baxter - Houston-Packer Collection BT70 .B397 1675

:. their Jeveral parts to a art/bans Comfort. 259 fl. . Mutt we call them from the Tavern, Ale houle, Gaming - houfe, Play - houfe, Whore-houfe, yea, from their lawfuiler imployments that they may hear in feafon ? .and call Martha to choofe M vies part, and thofe that fay, They cannot come betaute of their Oxen, Farms and BuGnefs, to change that mind ? Lib. Tes, no doubt of it : Zaccheus muff he inchriffs way. F. Qsit, q. Muff we not perfwade them to take heed how and what they hear? and to fet their hearts to all Gods Words, and to fee that they defpiíe not him that fpeaketh t but he that hath earsto hear, let him hear and to confider of the truth and weight of all, and to fearch the Scriptures to fee whether the things be fo ? Lib. I deny none of this. r. Qusfl. 5. May we not perfwade them to come and talk andareafon the cafe withFriends or Minifters, that we may convince them ? Lib. res no doubt, as well as to hear in publick. P. .eft. 6. May we not Catechife them, and teach them the Princi- ples ofChriftianity, that they may underhand them? Lib. Tes, as to the Matter; bat to teach them your forms ofWino and Anfwers, is but formality and deceit. P. What e May we not teach them the words ofChriif and Scripture ? How fhall the matterbe underftood without words?And what better words, than the words of Scripture e Lib. Bat a Formof thefamewords is but formality. P. Hath God forbid us to ufe the fame ? Are Children and ignorant people fit to underhand the myfcries of God, if you fpeak them every time in new or other words? or can they fo rememberthem ? And when the ufe of words is to fignifie Things, and the Matter is one and thefame ( for we have but one God,and Chrift,and Gofpel)whatwildwork will you make ofit, ifyoufpeak thefame things everytime inother Words ? Are all thofe words equally fit to fignifie the fame Things? Certainly fome particular words aremore fitted toeach matterthan other : And fhould not thefitteft bemolt ufed ? Dods not Chrift deliver us aformofBaptifm, and a form of theadminiftration of hisTaft Supper, anda form ofPrayer ? Are there not forms prefcribed in Gods Word,of thePriefts Benedietion,andwhat thepeo-' pie fhall fay when they offer Sacrifice? Are not all the Pfalmsforms of. Pray- er and Praife (and were indeed theLiturgieof theJews) ? Doth not Joelput a form of prayer into the mouthsof Penitents e Doth not pawl teach us to ufe Pfalms and Hymns and Spiritual Songs, finging and making melody in our hearts to the Lord ? .Eph. 5. 19. Doubtlefs it is not onlyDavids Pfalms that are meant by thefe three words; but Hymns and Songs: fit- ted to Gofpel Worfbip : And if you would have none of them pre- meditated, nor be twice thefamewords, you would loon make your fell ridiculous to the world. If you fay that this, Precept was for them that could do. fo being filled with the spirit, I anfwer, r . It's true that they had their extraordinary endowments, which made. a difference in the man- ner (as alto in Prayingand Preaching) : But fhall we dream that therefore the fame duties belong not to us to be performed in the bell manner that we can ? a. A manmay from the Spirit pour out his.foul to God in forms ofPrayer and Praife, though thewords were premeditated. In a word, if you would have all forms of Creeds, Prayer,- Praife and adminiftrationofSacraments, and Catechifms caft away, you are an ene- my to Gods true Wprflsip, and the fafety and edification of the Church; yea, youmuff caft away all the Scriptures, which are Gods form.of inftru- Çtion, recorded for the Churches ufe to the end of the. World. L1 a ue .6.

RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=