A27014:250
Sacrilegious desertion of the holy ministry rebuked, and tolerated preaching of the gospel vindicated,…Sacrilegious desertion of the holy ministery rebuked, and tolerated preaching of the gospel vindicated,…
Sacrilegious desertion of the holy ministry rebuked, and tolerated preaching of the gospel vindicated, against the reasonings of a confident questionist, in a book called Toleration not abused; with counsel to the nonconformists, and petition to the pious conformists / by one that is consecrated to the sacred ministry, and is resolved not to be a deserter of it ...Sacrilegious desertion of the holy ministery rebuked, and tolerated preaching of the gospel vindicated, against the reasonings of a confident questionist, in a book called Toleration not abused; with counsil to the nonconformists, and petition to the pious conformists / by one that is consecrated to the sacred ministry, and is resolved not to be a deserter of it ...
London : s.n., 1672
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.
13. And I will presume to tell you my opinion, as of a matter, not absolutely necessary, but at this time, of such convenience, as if I were to keep a Church Meeting, I would resolve upon it, as my duty: and that is, that your own practice now show a sound and healing judgement about that Church troubling Controversy of Praying freely, or by Forms; even that now you would seasonably do both. The contention about this hath bin childish, and yet a fire not yet quenched in the Church: while one belieth God, as if he had forbidden ⟨p. 99⟩all FREE Prayer in the Church; and others belie him as if he had forbidden all Forms or Book-prayer: when God hath left both free, to be done as edification most requireth. His understanding is low that thinketh either of them simply unlawful; and he knoweth little in such matters, that knoweth not, that both ways have many and great conveniences, and both have many and great accidental inconveniences, (which having enumerated else where I must not now repeat.) And they that are all for the one only, or the other only, shall have all the inconveniences with the benefits: but he that will seasonably use both, shall have the benefits of both, and the least part of the inconveniences of either; Therefore in the Churches of England, free prayers were allowed in the Pulpits, after the Liturgy.
13. And I will presume to tell you my opinion, as of a matter, not absolutely necessary, but at this time, of such convenience, as if I were to keep a Church Meeting, I would resolve upon it, as my duty: and that is, that your own practice now shew a sound and healing judgement about that Church troubling Controversie of Praying freely, or by Forms; even that now you would seasonably do both. The contention about this hath bin childish, and yet a fire not yet quenched in the Church: while one belyeth God, as if he had forbidden ⟨p. 99⟩all FREE Prayer in the Church; and others belye him as if he had forbidden all Forms or Book-prayer: when God hath left both free, to be done as edification most requireth. His understanding is low that thinketh either of them simply unlawful; and he knoweth little in such matters, that knoweth not, that both ways have many and great conveniences, and both have many and great accidental inconveniences, (which having enumerated else where I must not now repeat.) And they that are all for the one only, or the other only, shall have all the inconveniences with the benefits: but he that will seasonably use both, shall have the benefits of both, and the least part of the inconveniences of either; Therefore in the Churches of England, free prayers were allowed in the Pulpits, after the Liturgy.