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

I shall now pass by their error who are utterly against public prayers from a habit, as having ⟨p. 177⟩spoken of it at large elsewhere when I had opportunity. I shall now only answer the contrary extreme.

I shall now pass by their errour who are utterly against publike prayers from a habit, as having ⟨p. 177⟩spoken of it at large elsewhere when I had opportunity. I shall now only answer the contrary extreme.

Obj. Where hath God given any men power to prescribe and impose forms for others? or commanded others to obey them?

Answ. First, where ever he hath given any power to teach their inferiors to pray, who cannot do it in a better way. He hath given Parents this power where he hath bid them, Bring up their Children in the nurture, and admonition of the Lord: Is it not by the Law of nature, the Parents duty to teach their children to pray? And is not the learning of the words first, profitable to their learning of the sense? May they not teach their Children the Lords Prayer or a Psalm, though it be a Form? And why not then other words which are agreeable to their State? And he that taught his own Disciples a Form and Rule of Prayer, and telleth us that so John taught his Disciples, and saith to his Apostles, As my Father sent me, so send I you; by making them Teachers to his Church, did allow them to teach either by forms or without, as the cause required. All the Scripture is now to Preachers, a form of Teaching: And when we read a Chapter, we read a prescribed form of Doctrine: And it ha•h many forms of prayer and praise, and forms of Baptizing & administering the Lords Supper.