A defence of the principles of love, which are necessary to the unity and…

Answ. I love you the better for your¹ zeal for the honour of Prayer, though I had rather knowledge and truth had guided it. Reader, I entreat thee to peruse my book, and if thou find there what he saith, condemn me more than he doth, and spare not. I tell those men that will do nothing for knowledge but ask for it, that [God hath not promised you true understanding upon your prayers alone, without all the rest of his appointed mea•s; Nor that you shall attain it by those means as soon as you desire and seek it; For then prayer would be a pretence for laziness, &c. That praying is but one of the means which God hath appointed you to come to knowledge by; Diligent reading hearing, and meditation and Counsel of the wisest is another.] And will any Christian deny the truth of this except the Enthusiasts? Or should any Godly Minister rise up against it? Is any of this true? 1. That I have here one word of Comparing prayer and study? 2. Or that I prefer study or reading, or other means before prayer? 3. Or that I speak lightly of prayer in Comparison of the other? 4. Or that I make prayer it self an easy thing? Is not this, that I ⟨p. 48⟩call his 13th. Untruth, composed of many? When it is visible, that I put prayer first, that I only say that it is but one means, and not all; and that others must be added, and that praying alone without other labour is too easy a way? What should one answer to such dealing as this? I beseech you, brother, preach not the contrary whatever you think, lest you justify the silencers, while you blame them?

Answ. I love you the better for your¹ zeal for the honour of Prayer, though I had rather knowledge and truth had guided it. Reader, I intreat thee to peruse my book, and if thou find there what he saith, condemn me more than he doth, and spare not. I tell those men that will do nothing for knowledge but ask for it, that [God hath not promised you true understanding upon your prayers alone, without all the rest of his appointed mea•s; Nor that you shall attain it by those means as soon as you desire and seek it; For then prayer would be a pretence for laziness, &c. That praying is but one of the means which God hath appointed you to come to knowledge by; Diligent reading hearing, and meditation and Counsel of the wisest is another.] And will any Christian deny the truth of this except the Enthusiasts? Or should any Godly Minister rise up against it? Is any of this true? 1. That I have here one word of Comparing prayer and study? 2. Or that I prefer study or reading, or other means before prayer? 3. Or that I speak lightly of prayer in Comparison of the other? 4. Or that I make prayer it self an easie thing? Is not this, that I