May we prom!fe to forbear to preac/, Jo1i1e TrHths ? to have fo much withall of freedome in prayer, as is nccclTuy to its ends , and to all'oid rhe dtadnefs formality, and other incornmodities of forms alone. Though by this opinion I crofs the conc~its of prejudiced men on both c:Xtrcains, I thinl< I crofs ndt the judgcltlent _of t~e Church of Er.gl~nd, which allowcth fur prayer~ in the Pulpir, and at the vifirarion of the fick: And 1 crofs not the opinion of any amient Church that ever I read of, nor of the Fathers and Patlors whofe works arc come to our han~s; nor yet of Luthfr, Me/tSnC/hon, Buctr, ZuingliM Calvin, Bez.J, ZanchiM, and the rcfi of our famous R:formcrs ; nor yet of the famous Non:- J c~nforrnifis ?f ~nglam:l, .Cartwrigbt, Hilderjh~m, Gretnb:Jm? Ptrkj~tJ, B:~ine,"' Ame[tM, &c. And I !a~~;i~pt\~.t~ lcfs fear errmg m all this company, than wtth thofe on cuhcr of the txrreams. Mr. cart- . rvri!,hts in \'hich, having fully proved the {;~1(\iood. of sutlJes (ufpicion tbac_ he w.u :~._cqu~imed with Hacfus project, he anfwereth his chargl", u if he were :tgainfl forms of prayer, that all the y~ars that. he hve_d :u M1da/t!111rg :tnd A11twerp he con!hntly ufed .the r~me for m bt-fore Sermon, ;~nd mofily :tfter Sermon, and alfo dtd re~d prayers m the Church ; ant\ th:u ftnce he feldome concluded but with the Lords Prayer. O!Iefl:. 79· Is it lawful to forbear tlJe preaching ofJome Tmths, upo11 mans pro• : hibition tlJat 1may /Ja)Je liberty to preach the reft : yea, arld to promije bifore · hand t; forbear tlJem? Or to do it for the Churches peace ? . A>t[w. 1 • s· Ome Truths arc of fo great moment and neccffity, that without them you cannot prca<h the Gofpd in a Caving fort. Thefe you may not forbear nor promife to forbear. . 2 • Some Truths are fucb as God at ib11 tinu doth call men eminently to publifh and receive (as againfi fome Hcrclie when ii is in the very height, or the ChuJCh in greatefi danger of it i Or concerning forne Duty which God then fpecially calleth men to perform ( As the duty of Loyalty jufi in the time of a pcrillous Rcbellion,&c.) Such preaching being a Duty, mufi not be forbom, when it can be performed upon lawful terms. . 3. But fame Truths are Controverted among good men; and feme ~ze of a lower nature and ufe.. fulncfs: And concerning thefe I furthq lay, '·That you may not rm&nce them or deny them, nor [Hbforiht to the [rn.Otft 1tHir11th for li· b:rty to preach the grcatell truth. 2. But you may for the time that the Churches benefit requircth it, both fqrbear to preach them, and promife to forbear, both for the ChuJChes peace, and for that Liberty to preach the Gofpel, which you cannot otherwife obtain. The Reafons are : 1. Becauf~ ir is not a duty to preach them at that time: For no duty is a duty at all times : Affirmative Pcecepts bind not ad {emper, bccaufc man cannot alwayts do them. 2. It is a fin to prefer a lc:ffer truth or gootl before a Greater. You cannot fpeak all things at once. When you have all done, fome, yci, a thoufand mufi be by you omitted. Therefore the lcfs {hould be omitted rather than the greater. 3• You have your Office to the Churches Edification. Preaching is made for man, and not rntn for preaching, But the Churches Edification rcquircth you rather to preach the Gofpel, than that epinion or point which you arc required to forbear. Without this the hearers may be faved, but not without the Gofpel. And what a man may do-md-mf# do, he may on good occafion promlft to do. He that thinketh Diocer3ns, or Lirurgies, or Ceremonies tlnlawful , aod yet cannot have leave to preach the Gofpd ( in time of need ) unlcfs he will fqrbr.r, and promife to forbear to preach again!\ them, may and ought fo to do and promife, rather than not to preach the Gofpel. Object. But if men imprijim or binder mt from prtocbing, that is thtir faslt : But if I voluHJarity forbear any dt~ry, it iJ my O'R'H faHlt. A11[w. '· it is to forbear a fin, and not a duoy at that time : lt is no more a duty than reading or finging or praying at Sermon time. 2· When you arc in Prifon, or know in all probability you lhall be there, though by other mens fault, it is your own fault if you will· deny a lawful means ro avoid it : t"or your n01 preaching the Gofpd is then your'""' /in, as well· as other mens : And tneirs ex· cufcth not yours, Q_qqqq a
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