The Protestant religion truly stated and justified by the late Reverend Mr. Richard BaxterThe Protestant religion truely stated and justified by the late Reverend Mr. Richard Baxter

And the man here professedly calls the Priests solitary action, the public Service, which is for the people, and not by them, and therefore they need not understand; and all the peoples Prayers are private and should be understood; so that (the Mystery opened,) either the Priest is all the Church, or else they have no public Church Service, if they must meet, that every one may ⟨p. 180⟩have a secret Prayer of his own, and may only see the Priests Service called public. And by this he pretends that he answereth Paul, 1 Cor. 14. Adding most shamelessly, 1. That it seemeth there by the Text, that the common Service of the Church, was not then in a Tongue commonly understood. 2. Because there was one to supply the place of the Idiots, to say Amen, where he saith, that the Geneva men, most deceitfully and maliciously Translated, [He that is an Idiot, how shall he say Amen?] And raileth at them for putting [So be it.] O! what is man, and how incredible is the pretended infallible Clergy, that can expect that all men trust their Souls on such palpable deceit! When St. Paul spent a great part of the Chapter to dissuade those that by Inspiration, could speak strange Languages, that they should not use them in the Church, as being unedifying, or at least not without an Interpreter; this man gathers, that the common Service was in an unknown Tongue? As if this dissuaded use of some Prophets gift, were the common Service. 2. And when he dissuadeth them from Praying in an unknown Tongue, or giving thanks in it, saying, else how can he that occupieth the Room of the unlearned say Amen, ⟨p. 181⟩this man feigneth, that yet they were to give thanks in an unknown Tongue, and one was to supply the place of the Idiot or unlearned, in saying Amen, (See vers. 23.) Paul would have all say Amen, this man says one was to do it for them: Paul argueth that therefore they must speak to the understanding of the unlearned: This man turneth his own words against him: Doth his Supplier of the Idiots place himself, understand or not? If not, Paul saith, How can he say Amen? If he do, how doth he supply the place of the Idiots, that are supposed should say Amen, and cannot?

And the man here professedly calls the Priests solitary action, the publick Service, which is for the people, and not by them, and therefore they need not understand; and all the peoples Prayers are private and should be understood; so that (the Mystery opened,) either the Priest is all the Church, or else they have no publick Church Service, if they must meet, that every one may