A26912:386
A defence of the principles of love, which are necessary to the unity and…
A defence of the principles of love, which are necessary to the unity and concord of Christians and are delivered in a book called The cure of church-divisions ... / by Richard Baxter ...
London: printed for Nevil Simmons, 1671
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
If you would make your reader think ⟨p. 66⟩that I make God indifferent to all modes and words in prayer, you would abuse him: For though I never heard a man swear in prayer, I think you curse in prayer a little before; and I have heard many rail in prayer, and traduce men for truth and duty, and vent their own errors. But I beseech you promote superstition no more, and feign no Divine Laws which you cannot show us? And teach not this unhappy age to feign things necessary that are not, and paint out the most holy gracious God, as the patron of every one of their fancies.
If you would make your reader think ⟨p. 66⟩that I make God indifferent to all modes and words in prayer, you would abuse him: For though I never heard a man swear in prayer, I think you curse in prayer a little before; and I have heard many rail in prayer, and traduce men for truth and duty, and vent their own errors. But I beseech you promote superstition no more, and feign no Divine Laws which you cannot shew us? And teach not this unhappy age to feign things necessary that are not, and paint out the most holy gracious God, as the patron of every one of their fancies.
Your words [Doth not God regard the manner of our addressing our selves to him? Must we not pray in the spirit?] Do still make me pray, that you may know your spirit. Do you well to intimate that I say the contrary? When I maintain that God so far accepteth them that worship him in spirit and truth, that he will accept their prayers, with a form or without, and hateth neither; yea; hath left both indifferent, to be varied as mens occasions and use for either vary, as he hath done a form or notes in preaching. It is an easy thing to turn formalist either way, by thinking God loveth our prayers either because they are in the same words, or in various words.
Your words [Doth not God regard the manner of our addressing our selves to him? Must we not pray in the spirit?] Do still make me pray, that you may know your spirit. Do you well to intimate that I say the contrary? When I maintain that God so far accepteth them that worship him in spirit and truth, that he will accept their prayers, with a form or without, and hateth neither; yea; hath left both indifferent, to be varied as mens occasions and use for either vary, as he hath done a form or notes in preaching. It is an easie thing to turn formalist either way, by thinking God loveth our prayers either because they are in the same words, or in various words.