Baxter - BX5202 B29 1689

( 43 ) But, T. We think it unlawful to Covenant to ufe no eth6; Forms in ;Niblick Prayer, II. And unlawful to fubfcribe 'and declare that it is faultlefs. I. For the firft we have there Reafons. I. The Bifhops themfelves by the King's order, do upon fpecial occafions of failsand Thankfgivings, prefcribe,impofe and ufe other Forms? and we mull not covenant to difobey them. 2. The pub- lick Minifters have and do in the Pulpits before Sermon ufe other Forms : And fo break this Covenant themfelves. 3. It belongs to the office of a Pallor, as well to word his own Prayei s as his own Sermons : And it is finful to renounce fo much of the work of the Office which we are vowed and ordained to. L. Theft infiances are a clear expofition of the Canon, and fbew that by [noother Form] they intended not to exclude other Pulpit- prayers, or other Forms, prefcribed by thePifhops. i. If the whole Church of England here alfo can fpeak no more intelligibly , than by [ no 'other Forms] to mean only [till the Bifhop prefcribe it, and except your own daily Form in the Pulpit] I would they would leave us to God's own Laws, and not take on them to be neceffary interpreters of its great difficulties. Iffuch men forbear thatexpounding, which they for- bid others till they will do it better, the lofs will be the lefs Scripture fpeaketh plainlier than this. 2. But who giveth this expofition ? To expound the Law by a common obligatory Expofition, is proper to the Law- makers : He that maketh the words maketh not a Law if he make not the fenfe ; Judges make not the fenfe but decide particular Cafes by it as they underftand it. The Canons are made by the Convocation, which he that denyeth to be the Reprefentative Church of England , is Excommunicate. The Pulpit Preachers, nor the particular Biihops are not the Convocation, and therefore have not power to expound their Canons,by any Common obligatory expofition ; much lef., con- trary to theexprefs words.Which way molt ofthe Clergywent under Bifhop Parker, Grindal and Abbot is well known : And yet now they are fo far from being taken for the Expofitors of the Churches fenfe, that they are openly learned, as po- pular fautorer of Puritans, and thole oftheir mind called Grin- daliters. G 2 II. But

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