The cure of church-divisions, or, Directions for weak Christians to keep them from being…

It is a wonder how they that believe the Scriptures, came first to make themselves believe, that God maketh such a matter as they do, of their several words and forms of prayer: That he loveth only extemporary prayer as some think, and hateth all prescribed forms: Or that he loveth only prescribed Forms as others think, and hateth all extemporary prayers by habit? Certainly in Christs time both Liturgies by forms, and also prayers by habit were used? And yet Christ never interposed in the Controversy, so as to condemn the one or the other. He condemneth the Pharisees for making long prayers to cover their devouring widows houses, and for their praying to be seen of men: But whether their prayers were a Liturgy and set form, or whether they were extemporary, he taketh no notice, as telling us that he condemned neither! (And its like the Pharisees long Liturgy, was in many things worse than ours, though the Psalms were a great part of it: And yet Christ and his Apostles oft joined with them, and never condemned them.)

It is a wonder how they that believe the Scriptures, came first to make themselves believe, that God maketh such a matter as they do, of their several words and forms of prayer: That he loveth only extemporary prayer as some think, and hateth all prescribed forms: Or that he loveth only prescribed Forms as others think, and hateth all extemporary prayers by habit? Certainly in Christs time both Liturgies by forms, and also prayers by habit were used? And yet Christ never interposed in the Controversie, so as to condemn the one or the other. He condemneth the Pharisees for making long prayers to cover their devouring widdows houses, and for their praying to be seen of men: But whether their prayers were a Liturgy and set forme, or whether they were extemporary, he taketh no notice, as telling us that he condemned neither! (And its like the Pharisees long Liturgy, was in many things worse than ours, though the Psalms were a great part of it: And yet Christ and his Apostles oft joyned with them, and never condemned them.)

Nay as far as I can find, the Pharisees and other Jews were not in this so blind and quarrelsome as we; nor never made a controversy of it, nor ever presumed to condemn either Liturgies or Prayers by habit.