269 dive the Lords Supper; and do you think then that all at uxteen years old, in England, fhould be prefumed to know more of the Lawfulnefs of all your impofitions on them, than I can reach to know at 63 (now near 74.) after the long and hard Study of my life ? If you compel no more Men, , Lads or Women to Communicate, but fuch as really un- derfland theLawfulnefs'of all fuch Impofitions, which I judge unlawful, fure it will make a great change in your Commix; pion and Courts. L. By this talk, you fearn to intimate, that the people muf not be conftrained to obey 3n C rcat,/ftantsals or Little thing, becaufe they may to the be ficntbtfitand that worfhip of God can you perform without . fisqtf rçle CircumFtances ? M. Little or Grear;rrinc, in mercy hath made all Ne- ceffary. things intelligible- and plain : It is the Vnneceffary things that are molt controvertible and doubtful. There are many Circtamftances that are fo Necefary to actions, that they cannot without them be performed'; e. g He that will Preach, must open his mouth ; he must fpeak audibly, he mutt ufe a Language underflood, he muft have force capa- ble Place, and convenient Time ; Pfalms muft be fung in force Tune, &c. force. Clothing, force pofture of Body mull be ufed ; and all men know that to choofe thefe ac- cording to the general Rules of Charity, Edification, Or- der, and Decency, belongs to the Guides of the Affemblies. Amil where do you fee any great division about any fuch things as thefe ; except in cafes of accidental fcandal ? And if any íhould be fo childiíh or ignorant, as to think it unlawful ; e. g. to be uncovered, or to Kneel at Prayer ; due Inftruition, and gentle Rebuke may eafily cure fuch weaknefs, and is meeter than an extirpation. If any were fo filly that they fcrupled ; e. g. finging our Metre or Tunes of Davi''s Psalms, but are only for the Cathedral finging of the Profe it's fitter to let them be filent, or let them go only to Cathedrals, than to Excommunicate or Deflroy them; and if any be fo weak, that they think a Lawful Form or Gesture unlawful, it's fitter, if they can- not be convinced, to let them be filent, or Worship God among themfelves in another Form or Gefure, than to Ex- communicate or Extirpate them.. But ..
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