Baxter - BX5207 B3 A2 1696

P A R. T II, Reverend Mr. Richard Baxter. 317 And therefore in purfuance of chis his Majelly's moft gracious Commifíion, for the fatisfaetion of tender Confciences, and the procuring of Peace and Unity among(t our (elves, wejudge meet to propofe, Fit*, Thatall the Prayers, and other Materials ofthe Liturgy mayconfift ofno- thing doubtful or queffisnedamongft pious, learned, and orthodox Perrons, inafmuch as the profeffed end of compofrng them is for the declaringof theUnity andConsnt of all who join in the publick Worfhip ; it being too evident that the limiting of Church -Communion to things of doubtful Diptatian, bath been in all Ages the ground of Schifm and Separation according to the faying ofa learned Perfon. '>To load our publick Forms, with the private Fancies upon which we differ, is Mr. Hu1es: themoft foveraiggn way to perpetuate Schifm to the World's End. Prayer, Con- ' fe(fion, Thanklgiving, reading ofthe Scriptures, and adminiftration of theSacra- ' meets in the plaineft, and fimpleft manner, were matter enough to furnish out a ' fuflicient Liturgy, though nothingeither of private Opinion, or of Church -pomp, . of Garments, or prefcribed Geftures, of Imagery, of Mufick, of matter concern- ' ing the Dead, of manySuperfluitieswhich creep into the Church under the Name of Order, and Decency, did interpofe it felt. To charge Churches and Liturgies ` with things unnecelfary, was the fir(t beginning of all Superftition, and when aScruple ofConfcience began tobe madeor pretended, then Schifmbegan to break ` in. Ifthe fpecial Guides and Fathers of the Churchwould be a little fparingof incumberingChurcheswith Superfluities, or not over -rigid, either in revivingob- `folete Cuftoms, or impofing new, there would be far lets Caufeof Schifm, or Su- ' perffition ; and all the Inconvenience were likely toenfue, would be but this, they 'fhouldin fo doingyield a little to the imbecillity of their Inferiors; a thing ' which Sr. Paul would never have refuted to do : Mean while, wherefoeverfalle 'or fufpeeted Opinions are made a piece of Church-Liturgy ; he that feparates is not theSchifmatick ; for it is alike unlawful to make profeffion of known, or fur pealedFalfhood, as to put in prualice unlawful or fufpeóted A&ion. z. Further, we humbly defirethat it may beferioufly confidered, that as our firft Reformers out of their great Wifdom, did at that time fo compofe the Liturgy, as to win upon thePapills, and to draw them into their Church -Communion, by va- ryingas little as they well could, from the Romsfh Forms before in ufe; fo whether in the prefent Conflitution, and State of Thingsamongft us, we fhould not accor- ding to the fameRule of Prudenceand Charity, have ourLiturgy fo compofed, as to gain upon the Judgments and Affection of all thofe who in the Subflantials of the Proteflant Religion are of the fame Perfuafions with our felves : Inafmuch as a more firmUnion and Confent of all fuch, as well inWorfhip, as in Doárine, would rgreatly ffrengthen the Proteflant Intercft againft all thofe Dangers and Temptationswhich ourinteftineDivifions and Animofities do expofeus unto, from the common Adverfary. '! g. That the Repetitions, andRefponfalsof the Clerk andPeople, and the alter- nate readingof the Pfalms and Hymns whichcaufe a confufed Murmur in theCon- gregation, whereby what is read is lets intelligible, and therefore unedifying, may be omitted : The Minifter being appointed for the People in all publick Ser- vices appertaining untoGod 'and the Holy Scriptures,both ofthe Old and NewTe Rament, intimating the Peoples Part in publick Prayer to be only withSilence and Reverence to attend thereunto, and to declare their Content in theClofe, by fay- ing Amon. q. That in regard the Litany (though otherwife containing in it manyholyPe- titions)) is fo framed, that the Petitionsfor a great part are uttered only by the Peo- ple, whichwe think not to be fo confonant to Scripture, whichmakes'theMiniff:er the Mouth of the People to God in Prayer, the Particulars thereof may be cotn- pofed into one folemn Prayer to be offered by the Minifter unto God for the People. ç. That there be nothing in the Liturgy which may feem tocountenance the Obfervation of Lem, as a Religioni F4' - the Example of Chrift's falling Forty Days and Nights, being no more imitable, nor intended for the Imitation of a Chriftian, than any other of his Miraculous Works were, or than Mafia his forty Days Fall was for the Jews: And the Aft of Parliament, ç Elm. forbidding ab- Rìnence fromFlefh to be obferved upon any other than a Politick Confr ation, and punilhing all thofe who by Preaching, Teaching, Writing, or open Speeches, lAall notifie that the forbearingofFiefh,is ofany necelllty for the laving of the Soul, or that it is the Service of God, otherwifethan as other politickLaws art 6. That

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