Baxter - Houston-Packer Collection BX5151 .B3 1659

( 388) Objea. 2. Obje&. 2. Blot how cats Iyoyn with a Mîniffer in prayer, If I know not before handwhat he will fay, whenfor ought ! know he mayprayblafphemy or herefe ? e.9nfiv. 1. By this objedîon , you take it to be unlawful to joynwith any prayers at all, whether publick or private, but what you know before : And fo it teems you think all prayer but whats by the book, unfit for any but a folitaryperfon. And ifthis be your mïnd,that your Book - Prayers mutt needs !hut out all others, blamenot men fo much to Phut ont your Book, when you fo far provoke them. 2. According to this Objeaionyou mull not fend for the Minifies to pray with you when you are lick, or in trouble, unlefs he tye himfelf to your. Book. And why then may not another do it as well as he , or at leall, the fillyeft man that can read as well as the molt able ? 30 It is the workof the tilinifter,to be thepeoples mouth in prayer to God, and therefore jibe fail in the manner ofhisown work,it is his fin, and not yours, and you may no more refute for that to joyn with him, then fubjeets may refute to obey the foveraign power becaufe offome mifcarriages, yeaor to fight for tbem,anddefend them. 4. Your prefence lignifiethnot your content to all that youhear fromaMinifler : And your Heart is not to follow him in evil,but in good: and therefore feeingyou are at liberty,what caufe offcruple have you ? 5. It is fuppofed that no man is ordinarily admitted, or tolerated in the Miniliry, that will fo abide prayer that men may not lawfully joyn with them. If they are fuch, call them out : If you cannot call them out, if they are Hereticks or Blafphemers, come not neer them.But if theyare men fit for to be tolerated in theMiniliry, you have reafon to truft them fofar in their office, asnot to ex- pe& Heretics or Blafphemies from them,till youhear them: And . ifyou bear them guilty offuch,aftera Fisft and Second admoni- tion avoid them. But let not wickeduncharitablecenfures be en argument againfi theworfhip of God. You know not but a Phyfitian may poifon you, and yet you will choofe the belt youcan, and then truft your lives with him. You may much redo fo bya Minifier,beilaufe you proceed notby fo implicite a faith in the matters ofyour Salvation. You may refufe any evil that the Minifter of ercth. Pbjc a bit . 5, .i r ffony of thecafptak Pfence andimreverest Words,

RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=