Repl. 1To what you object (to intimate your suspicion of us) from N. 7. we have before answered: We must profess the abatement of Ceremonies, with the exclusion of all Prayers and Exhortations, besides what's read, will not satisfy us. The Liberty which we desired in all the parts of Worship (not to add to the Liturgy, or take from it, but to interpose upon just occasion, such words of Prayer or Exhortation as are requisite, and not to be tied at every time to read the whole) we are assured will do much to preserve the Liturgy, and bring it into more profitable use, and ⟨p. 69⟩take off much of mens offence: And pardon us while we tell you this certain truth, that if once it be known, that you have a design to work out all Prayers (even those of the Pulpit) except such as you prescribe, it will make many thousand people fearing God, to be averse to that which else they would have submitted to, and to distaste both your endeavours and ours, as if we were about drawing them into so great a snare: And as the Proverb is, you may as well think to make a Coat for the Moon, as to make a Liturgy that shall be sufficiently suited to the variety of places, times, subjects, accidents, without the liberty of intermixing such Prayers or Exhortations, as alterations and diversities require.
Repl. 1To what you object (to intimate your suspicion of us) from N. 7. we have before answered: We must profess the abatement of Ceremonies, with the exclusion of all Prayers and Exhortations, besides what's read, will not satisfie us. The Liberty which we desired in all the parts of Worship (not to add to the Lyturgy, or take from it, but to interpose upon just occasion, such words of Prayer or Exhortation as are requisite, and not to be tyed at every time to read the whole) we are assured will do much to preserve the Lyturgy, and bring it into more profitable use, and ⟨p. 69⟩take off much of mens offence: And pardon us while we tell you this certain truth, that if once it be known, that you have a design to work out all Prayers (even those of the Pulpit) except such as you prescribe, it will make many thousand people fearing God, to be averse to that which else they would have submitted to, and to distaste both your endeavours and ours, as if we were about drawing them into so great a snare: And as the Proverb is, you may as well think to make a Coat for the Moon, as to make a Lyturgy that shall be sufficiently suited to the variety of places, times, subjects, accidents, without the liberty of intermixing such Prayers or Exhortations, as alterations and diversities require.
- 1Rep.
