Baxter - Houston-Packer Collection BX5151 .B3 1659

Chrifl have done it ? nay how is his Law perfc& elfe that doh omit it ? For example,God bath commanded us to read the word, preach, hear, fang, which mull neceffarily be done in fome time, place, gefture,number of words, &c. But he bathnot command- e I us on what day of the week our I.e&ure (ball be, or at what hour of the day, nor what Chapter I (hall read, nor how many at once, nor what Text I (hall preach on, nor what Pfalm I (hall Gng, nor in what words I (hall pray, whether impofed by others, or not, whether with a book, or foreconceived form, or not ; nor whether I (hall read with fpe&acles or without, or whether I (hall difcern how the time paf eth by an hour-glafs, or by the clock, or by conje lure without them. Thefe there- fore and other Inch like, mull humane Prudence determine of. But with thefe Cautions. í. Thefe are mofllymatters that requirea various determina- tion in feveral places according to the great variety of Circum- fiances ; and therefore it is for the moll part fitter for the parti- cular Pallorof that Church, who is upon the place, and feeth the cafe, to determine them pro re mad, * then for Synods, or * That Sy- dillant Prelates, to do it by general Laws or Canons binding all, nods arenot a. Though upon a fmall mifdetermination of fuch a Circum- abfolutelyne- fiance, the peoplemull obey, yet if it be fo grofly mifdetermi. effarthy inks ( annd ned as to deflroy the duty it felf Circumflantiated, or to be no- of Scripture torioufly againll theend which it is pretended for, then they are Inflitution not toobey it. As if a Pallor would appoint the People to hear but Natural in the night only, or at fuchunfeafonable times that they cannot dire de fee Gret de come, or in many the likecafes. m- perio cap.x. Note all() that it is one thing to prefcribe thefe matters in a per totem.. dire, Regimental Refpe&, and that belongeth tohim upon the Place ; and its another thing to prefcribe them for common 'Union or Concordamong many Churches, and that belongs to Synod, (of which anon. ) And it is mofl certain by fad experience, that fcarceany thing hath broken the unity and peace of the Church more, then un- neceffary determinations pretended to be for its unity and peace. Could men have been content tohave made Gods Laws the cen- ter and touchfloneof the Churches Unity, all had been well . but when they mull make Canons for this Vefture, and that Ge- flure, and the other Ceremony, anddetermine in what words C all

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