Mr. Richard Baxter's last legacy in select admonitions and directions to all sober dissenters

§ 2. That which God prescribed is lawful, but God prescribed Forms of Prayer, as the Titles and Matter of many of the Psalms prove, which were daily used in the Jews Synagogues. Christ. Direct. 2d. Edit. p. 139.

Q. 74. Is it lawful to impose Forms on the Congregation in public Worship? Answ. Yes, and more than lawful. It is the Pastors duty so to do; for whether he forethink what to pray, or not, his Prayer is to them a Form of Words, and they are bound to concur with him in Spirit or Desire, and to say, Amen. So that every Minister by Office is daily to impose a Form of Prayer on all the People; only some Men impose the same Form many times over, or every day, and others impose every day a new one. pag. 140. Ibid.

Q. 74. Is it lawful to impose Forms on the Congregation in publick Worship? Answ. Yes, and more than lawful. It is the Pastors duty so to do; for whether he forethink what to pray, or not, his Prayer is to them a Form of Words, and they are bound to concur with him in Spirit or Desire, and to say, Amen. So that every Minister by Office is daily to impose a Form of Prayer on all the People; only some Men impose the same Form many times over, or every day, and others impose every day a new one. pag. 140. Ibid.

Pag. 142, 143. Mr. Baxter shows the conveniences and inconveniences, both of see and prescribed Prayers; and adds, My own judgment is, that somewhat of both ways joined together will best obviate the inconveniences of both, though by this I cross the conceits of prejudiced Men on both extremes; I think I cross not the judgment of the Church of England, which alloweth free Prayers in the Pulpit, and at the Visitation of the Sick—Nor of the Famous Non conformists, Cartwright, ⟨p. 38⟩Hildersham, Greenham, Amisius, Perkins, Bains, &c. Mr. Cartwright all the time that he lived abroad, used the same Form before Sermon and after, and read Prayers in the Church, and concluded with the Lords Prayer.