An account of all the proceedings of the commissioners of both persuasions appointedAn accompt of all the proceedings of the commissioners of both persvvasions appointed

Sect. 1.

[This makes all the Liturgy void,¹ if every Minister may put in, and leave out at his discretion.]

[This makes all the Lyturgy void,¹ if every Minister may put in, and leave out at his discretion.]

1. 1N. 7. Ans.

Repl. You mistake us;¹ we speak not of putting in, and leaving out of the Liturgy; but of having leave to intermix some Exhortations or Prayers besides, to take off the deadness which will follow, if there be nothing but the stinted Forms; we would avoid both the extreme that would have no Forms, and the contrary extreme that would have nothing but Forms; but if we can have nothing but extremes, there's no remedy; it's not our fault: And this moderation and mixture which we move for, is so far from making all the Liturgy void, that it would do very much to make it attain its end, and would heal much of the distemper which it occasioneth, and consequently would do much to preserve the reputation of it. As for instance, if besides the Forms in the Liturgy, the Minister might, at Baptism, the Lords Supper, Marriage, &c. interpose some suitable Exhortation or Prayer, upon special occasion, when he finds it needful: should you deny this at the visitation of the sick, it would seem strange; and why may it not be granted at other times? It is a matter of far greater trouble to us, that you would deny us and all Ministers the Liberty of using any other Prayers besides the Liturgy, than that you impose these.