PAR T II. Reverend M. RichardBaxter. z63 the Englilh Language may well be altered, we will appoint fome Learned Digines of different Perfwafions to review the fame, and to make fuch Alterations as thall be thought moli neceffary, and fante filch Additional Prayers as !hall be ' thought fit for emergent Occafrons, and the improvement of Devotion ; the u- . fing of which may be left to the Difcretionof the Minu tera : In the mean tirire; and till this bedone, we do heartily with and delire, that the Minilters in their ' feveral Churches, becaufe they ditlike fome Glades and Expreffons , would not e totally lay afide the ufe of the BookofCommon Prayer,but read chofe Parts againll which there can be no Exception,which would be the belt Inllancé ofdeclining ' thofe Marksof Diftinetion, which we Co much labour and delire to remove. 8. Laftly, Concerning Ceremonies, whichhave adtniniftredfo muchMatter ` of Difference and Contention, and whichhave been introduced by the Wifdona ' and 'Authority of the Church, for Edificationand the Improvement of Piety ; wq ' (hall fay no more, but that we have the more Efteemof all, and Reverence fbr ' many of them, by having been prefent in many of thofe Churches where they, ` are moll abolilhed or difcountenanced, and where we have obferved fo great and `fcandalous indecency, and to our Underltanding fo much abfence of Devotion, ` that we heartily wills that thofe pious Men who think the Church of Englund o- ' verburthened withCeremonies, had fome little Experience, and made fome Ob- fervation in thofe Churches abroadwhich are molt without them. r And we cannot but obferve, That thofe Pious and Learned Men with whom ' we have conferredupon this Argument, and who are molt folicitous for !add- ' genre of this kind, are earnelt for the fame out of Compa(Iìon to the Weaknefs and Tendernefs of the Confidence of their Brethren,not that themfelves who aen very zealous for Order and Decency, do in their Judgments believe the Pra&icc ' ofchore particular Ceremonies which they except againff; to be in it felf unlaw- ' fill ; and it cannot be doubted,,but that as the Univerfal Church cannot introduce ' one Ceremony in theWorlhip of God that is contrary to God's Word expreffed in the Scripture; fo every National. Church ( with the approbation and conferir of the SoveraignPower) may and bath always introduced fuch particular Ce- ' remanies, as in that Conluneture ofTime, arethought moltproper for Edifica- 'tion, and the neceffary improvement of Piety and Devotion in the People's though theneceffary Pra&ice thereof cannót be deduced fromScripture, and that whichbefore was, and in it fell is indifferent, ceafes to be indifferent after it is ' once eftablilhedby Law.: And therefore our prefent Confideration and Work is, to gratifie the privareConlciences of thofe that are grieved with the ufe of forte '. Ceremonies, by indulging co, and difpenfng with their omitting thofe Ceremo- nies, not utterly to abolilh any which are eftablilked by Law (if any are pra- ` &ifed contrary to Law, the fame !hall ceafe) which would be unjult , and of ill Example , and to impofe upon the Confcienceof force ; and we believe much ` Superrour in Number andQuality, for the Satisfa&ion of the Confcience of o- ` thers, which is otherwife provided for; as it would not be reafonable, that Met} Ihouldexpeót, that we Ihould our Pelf decline or enjoyn others to d6 fo, to re- ` ceive the Bleffed Sacrament upon our Knees, which in our Confcience is the molt humble, molt devout, and molt agreeable Pollute for that holy Duty, becaufe force other Men, upon Reafons heft, if not only known to themfelves, choofe ' rather to do it Sitting or Standing : We flail leave all Decifions and Determina- ' Lions of that kind, if they fhall be thought neceffaryfor a perfect and entire U- nity andUniformity throughout the Nation, to the Advice ofa National Synod, which fhall be duly called after a little rime, and a mutual Converfation between Perfons of different Perfwafions, hatli mollified thofe Diflempers, abated thofe `Sharpneffes, and extinguifhed thole Jealoufres which mike Men unfit for chofe ` Conlultations : and upon filch Advice, we fhall ufe our belt endeavour that fuch Laws might be eftablifhed as may heft provide for the Peace of the Church and State. r. In the meantime; out of Compafïìon and Compliance towards thofewho would forbear the Crofs in Baptifm, we are content that no Man fhall be com- e pelted to ufe the fame, or fuffer for not doing it ; But if any Parent delire to ' have his Child Chriflned according to the Form ufed, and the Minifter will not ufe the Sign, it Mall be lawful for the Parent to procure another 'Minifter to da ` te; And if the proper Minifter than refufe to omit that Ceremony of the, Crofs, it ihall be lawful for the Parent who wouldnot havehis Child fo Baptized, to pro- 'cure another Minifter to do it, whowill do it according to' his Delrro. e3344
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=