P A R. T II. Reverend Mr. Richard Baxter. 24.5 I. For Matter agreeable to theWord of God, which we and all other lawful Minifters within the Church ofEngland, have, or by the Laws ought to have at- tefted by our Pèrfonal Subfcription. :. Fitly Inked to the Natureof the feveral Ordinances, and the Neceíftties of the Church. 3. Nor too tedious in thewhole. It's well known that foie Mens Prayers be- fore and after Sermon, have been ufually not much Ihorter , and ffometimes much longer than the wholeChurch Service. 4. Nor the Prayers too Ihort. The Wifdorn of the Church , both in ancient and latter times, hath`thought it a fitter means for relieving the Infirmities of the meanerfort .of People ( which are the major part of moll Congregations) to con- trive feveral Petitions into fundry thorter Colfe&s or Prayers,than tocomprehend them altogether in a continued lilt, or without interruption. g. Nor the Repetitions unmeet. There are Examplespf the like Repetition fre- quent in the Pfalnhsand other partsof Scripture. Not to mention the unhandfome Tautologies that oftentimes happen, and can fcarce be avoided in the Extempo. rary and 'undigefted Prayers that are made ; efpecially by Perfons of meaner Gifts. 6. Nor the Refponfals. Which ifimpartially confidered, are pious Ejaculations fit to flit up Devotion, and good Symbols of Conformity betwixt the sMinifter and the People, and have been of very ancient pra&ife and continuance in the Church. 7. Nor too diffonant frdtn the Liturgies of other Reformed Churches. The nearer both their Forms and ours come to the Liturgy of the Ancient Greek and Latin Churches, the tels are they liable to the Objed ions of the Common Enemy ; To which Liturgies,' iftheForm pled in ourChurch be more agreeable than chofe ofother Reformed Churches, and that it were at all needful to make a Change in either, it feemeth to be much more reafonable that their Form Ihould be endea- coated to be brought to a nearer Conformity with ours, than ours with theirs : Efpecially the Form of our Liturgy having been fo fignally approved by fundry of the moll Learned Divinesof the Reformed Churches abroad, as by very many Teftimonies in their Writingsmay appear. And force of the Compilers thereof have Sealed the Protelant Religion with their Blood, and have been by the molt Eminent Perlonsof thole Churches eleemedas Martyrsfor thefame. § t9. As for that which followeth: Neither can we think that too rigorouly poled which is impofed by Law, and that with no more rigour than is neceffary to make the Impofition effedtual (otherwife it could be of no ufe but to beget and nourifh £s kions). Nor are Minifters denied the ufe and exercife of their Gifts in prayingbefore and after Sermon. Although fuch praying be but the continuance of a Cullom of no great Antiquity, and grown into Common ufe by Sufferance only without any other Foundation in the Laws or Canons, and ought therefore to he ufed by all fober and godly Men with thegreatel inoffenfwvenefs and mode- ration poflibir. 1 20 If any thing in the Eftablifhed Liturgy thall be made appear to be jully olenlive to lober Perkins, we are not at all unwilling that the fame fhould be changed. The.difcontinuance thereof, weare fume was not our Fault. But we find by experience that theufe of it is very much defired, where it is not; and the Peo. ple generally are very well fatisfied with it where it is tiled which we believe to bea great Gonfervatory of the chief Heads of Chriftian Religion, and of Piety, Charityand Loyalty in the Hearts of the People. We believe that the difufe thereof for fundry late years hath been one of the great Caufes of the fad Divifions in the Church ; and that the reftoring the fame, will be by (by God's bluffing) a fpecial means ofmaking up the Breach. There being (as we havegreat caulk to believe) many Thoufands more in the Nation that delire it, than dilike it. Neverrhelefs we arenot againl reviling of the Liturgy by filch difkreet Perfons as his Majefty (hall think fit to imploy thejain.
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