Baxter - BV669 B3 1681

128) -called to which experience tells us children will do likeParrots, without underltanding what they fay t And we mutt not ask them any other quelti- ons. It is true alfo that they who are confirmed by the Bifhop (hould bring a Certificate from the Minifterthat theycan fay the Creed, Lords prayer, Com- mandments, &c. But theymay choofe, andnot one ofmany doth it. I went my felfat thirteen years ofage or fourteen, to the worthy Bifhop Morton with the reft of the School-boyes withoutany Certificate, and without anyexami- nation he haftily faid as he paffed on three or four lines of a prayer over us, when! knew not what he faid : And after this, no Miniftercan refute any one at agethe Sacrament.The Rubrick faith5They fhould openly own their Baptifm, &c. Tut few do it, and none can be refufed for not doing it. And fo the tranfition from the number of Infant members into the number of the adult, is made without, the Minifters Confent Ë Though the Kings Declaration once yielded to the contrary) And Communicants croud upon him in utter ig- norance, becaufe they were Baptized in Infancy: Nay few in a Parifh ( not one ofmany hundred of my acquaintance) is ever confirmed by the Bifhop at all, fo much as ceremonioufly, or regard it. 5. They have no power to cbóofe what Chapter they will read to the Church inpublick (thougha word beforethe Homilies lib. 2. feemed once to allow it them) But every day in the year even week-days and Holidays they are tyed up to theChapters impofed on them,though Bell and the Tragon,Jùdith, Sufanna, Tobit, and other Apocryphal writings be appointed for Leffons, even about ro6 Chapters of the Apocrypha in two months : And though any fcandal or other occafion in his Church would direft him, to choofe fome other fubjeec for thepeoples good. 6. Hehath no power to choofe what words to ufe in his publick prayers to God no not to ufe any that are not written for him to read out ofthe book. Andthough cuftom hath fo ufed Minifters to pray without book in the pulpit, yet this is but connived at becaufe it cannot eafily be remedied : One ofthem wrote a book againft it, as anfwering that part of our Savoy Reply 166o : Dr. Heylin hath largely laboured to prove that it is contrary to the Canon, which indeeddoth Teem exprefs againft it : And that's not all ; However their. Confciences digeft it, all the Confòrmilts in Englanddo fubfcribe as ex animo acovenant or proinife [ that they will ufe the form in the faid book prefcribed in publickprayer and adminitration of the Sacraments, and no other:=] Canon. 36. Mark, No other : And the Bithops that endure this are forced to fay, that thefe Pulpitprayers are not the Churches prayers but (Mr own : But yet they are [ Publiekprayers ] and therefore I doubt a breach of the Canon-Co- venant. 7. A Presbyter as fuch hath no power to preach the Gofpel. The words of his Ordination do but give him power to preach when he (hall be lawfully called : yea his Prefentation, Inftitution, Induetion and poifeilion of a Pafto- -sal Charge, do not all-make up this Lawful call , nor may he preach one Sermon

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