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,…

14. And on this occasion let me say a word to this kind of Religious people: Is it not a shame to you that your worthiest Ministers should be fain to go besides their own judgement in Gods Worship to humour you? And that they must tell the world, We would mix Free-prayer and Forms in public, but the people then will be gone to the Separatists. I say not that they go against their Consciences; For their consciences have directed them to omit what else would have bin fittest, lest crossing your humour, it should drive you away to your own subversion: But how came you to be so much holier and wiser than the Holyest and wisest of your Teachers? Mark, is it not more of the Women and Apprentices that are of this mind, than of the old experienced Christians. Is it not a high degree of Pride for persons of your standing and understanding, to conclude that almost all Christs Churches in the World for these thirteen hundred years at least to this day, have offered such worship unto God, as that you are obliged to avoid it, and all their Communion in it; And that almost all the Catholic Church on earth, this day, is below your Communion for using Forms? And that even Calvin and the Presbyterians, Cartwright, Hildersham, and the old Non-conformists, were unworthy of your Communion: Would you have run away ⟨p. 103⟩from Dod or Perkins, or from Cyprian or Augustine, and said, They are formal Fellows, not to be joined with? Doth God use by Miracle to make self-conceited Women and young Men, so much wiser than the most ancient studious experienced Divines. It is best then to turn Preachers before we grow old, and to avoid study and experience lest it make us more ignorant than we were.

14. And on this occasion let me say a word to this kind of Religious people: Is it not a shame to you that your worthiest Ministers should be fain to go besides their own judgement in Gods Worship to humour you? And that they must tell the world, We would mix Free-prayer and Forms in publick, but the people then will be gone to the Separatists. I say not that they go against their Consciences; For their consciences have directed them to omit what else would have bin fittest, lest crossing your humour, it should drive you away to your own subversion: But how came you to be so much holyer and wiser than the Holyest and wisest of your Teachers? Mark, is it not more of the Women and Apprentices that are of this mind, than of the old experienced Christians. Is it not a high degree of Pride for persons of your standing and understanding, to conclude that allmost all Christs Churches in the World for these thirteen hundred years at least to this day, have offered such worship unto God, as that you are obliged to avoid it, and all their Communion in it; And that allmost all the Catholick Church on earth, this day, is below your Communion for using Forms? And that even Calvin and the Presbyterians, Cartwright, Hildersham, and the old Non-conformists, were unworthy of your Communion: Would you have run away