Baxter - BX5207 B3 A2 1696

P A RT II. Reverend Mr. Richard Baxter. 30 with in It were Tedious tonumber the half of its on iflions. And it is exceeding difòrderly, following no juft Rules of method : Having begged pardonof our fins, and deprecated vengeance, itproceedethto Evilin general, and force fewSins na particular, and thence to a more particular enumeration of `fadgments; and thence to the recitation of the parts of that Work ofour Redemption, and thence to the de- precation of yudgments again, andthence to Prayers for the King and Magiftrates, andthen for all Nations, and thenfor Love and Obedience, and then for tèveralftates ofmen, and then for allmen, and for Enemies, and then for the Fruits of the Earth , and then for Repentance, Forgiveneiland Grace again, and then turneth toRepetitions of the fame Petitionsfor Pardon andMercy, andafier the Lord's Prayer, returneth to the fame requeft again. Next this, in the midft of Prayer,it repeateth.[Letus pray]. Next is a Prayer againft Adverfisy and Perfecutions , which was done before : and both here and through the reft of the. Prayers, thedeprecation'ofbodilyWiring hath very much too-large a proportion, while fdrituals are toogenerally and brieflytouch= ed ; which is unbefeeming the Chords of Chrift, which mindech not the things of the'flefh but ofthe e:rit, Rom.ß.s,6,7. Next folidwetha reduplicate Petitionthat God would [arife and help no and deliver us] with an interpofed Argument from his AncientWorks : which comes in with- out any reafòn or order,and is the fame that was before petitioned ; andfeems to be fined to force fpecial diftrefsor dangerof the Church, and yet mentioneth not that diftrefs or danger ; and is to be ufed equally in the profperity of the Church. Next this followeth the Doxology, as if we were concluding and thenwe go on to the fame Re_quefts fo oft beforerepeated, for deliverance from [efiffions and for- rows1, though perhaps itbe not a time of Adliaîion with us, butof Joy : and fo it proceeds to ask forgivenefl, fo often asked, and then four time repeats the Pe- tition for Audience, when we draw near an end, andtwice repeats the general Pe- "e tition for Mercy. Next this, while weare praying, we again fay; Let us pray. And then again pray againtt deferved Evils, and for Holinefs in general, all out of any order, and oft repeated, while abundance of molt weighty Particulars are never mentioned. Next this the Prayer for the King and the Royal Family is again re- peated, which went before : If that were the due place, whyMould not our Pe- titions have been there put in together for them ?but the minds of the Churchare thus tolled up and down like theWaves of the Sea, from one thing to another and then to the fluff again , without any regardto order,in the prefenceof the God of Order. Next this, the Bifhops andCurates are prayed for without the Pariflo Incumbent, Presbyters, or elfe it's intimated that they arebut the Bifhops Curates , or elfe they arc called Bithops themfelves; and no Man can tell certainly which of thefe is the fence : And thePreface would intimate to the People, that it is Tome fpecial great marvel for Bithops andCurates to have Grace: And after all this , there areno par- ticularpetitions for them, according to the nature and neceiiìty of their Work, or of their Congregation, but only thisone General Requeft, that they may have God's Grace and Blefling to pleafe him. Laftly (before the Bleiliing) is Chryftfo- floor's Prayer, meerly for the grantingof our Requefts, with two Petitions,one for Knowledge, the other for Life Eternal. The following Prayers and Thankfgivingson particularextraordinary Occafrons, are (with theConfeflion , the Prayers for the King, and the Church Militant) the belt compofed of all the daily Common Prayers : But that thefe Prayers and Thankl ivings areall placed after the Benedi- &ion, is diforderly. And though it's molt probable that yet it was intended they lhould go before it inufe, there is no filch thing expreffed in the Book. And thus we fee how unlike theLitany is to the Lord's Prayer, andhow farfromall juftOrder, which is a deformity that Tech Holy Works lhould nbt beguilty o£ r;. The like defettiveneßand diforder is in the Communion Collebls for the Day. That for the fiat Sunday in Advent, bath no Petition for any thing in this Life, but the Generals [ Te Galt away the Works of Darkneß and put on the Armour o Light. Thatforthe fecond Sunday in Advent is a very good Prayer, ( viz. to learn and obey the Scripture) : but there is nomore reafon why it lhould beappropriate to that day than another, or rather bea Common Petition for alldays. The fame is trueof that for the third Sunday in Advent, which begs no more but [bearing oarprayers and lightning our darkneß]. As little reafon is there for the appropriatingthat for the fourth Sunday in Advent to that day : which is a GeneraFKequeft, that Godwould come among Viandfaccow a

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