A41326:21
The liturgical considerator considered, or, A brief view of Dr. Gauden's considerations touching the…
The liturgical considerator considered, or, A brief view of Dr. Gauden's considerations touching the liturgy of the Church of England wherein the reasons by him produced for imposing the said liturgy upon all, are found to be so weak, his defence of things offensive in it so slight, the arguments against the liturgy by himself afforded, are so strong, that some, who upon His Majesties declaration did incline to the liturgy, are now further from it, by reading his wordy discourse about it : also some reasons humbly rendered, why many ministers, as yet cannot conform to that liturgy, but not out of disloyalty, pride, ingratitude, peevishness, nor schismatical petulancy, as the sarcastical pen of this uncharitable doctor hath published ... / by G.F.The liturgical considerator considered, or, A brief view of Dr. Gauden's considerations touching the liturgy of the Church of England wherein the reasons by him produced for imposing the said liturgy upon all, are found to be so weak, his defence of things offensive in it so slight, the arguments against the liturgy by himselfe afforded, are so strong, that some, who upon His Majesties declaration did incline to the liturgy, are now further from it, by reading his wordy discourse about it : also some reasons humbly rendered, why many ministers, as yet cannot conform to that liturgy, but not out of disloyalty, pride, ingratitude, peevishness, nor schismatical petulancy, as the sarcastical pen of this uncharitable doctor hath published ... / by G.F.
London: printed for Ralph Smith, 1661
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.
That St. John the Baptist taught his Disciples to pray, I yield; and that our Saviour teaching his, propounded to them a most perfect prayer, compendious for the manner; but most comprehensive for the matter of the expression, to be their pattern, no serious sober Christian can or will deny; but that they were confined to the only or constant use there of, none do, or dare affirm; or that it should be to them the Dictator of a standing Liturgy, cannot be rationally inferred; because the prescription of it affords no premises to enforce such a conclusion, the Disciples, who learned that they might teach the Church, never improved it to such an end; themselves prayed often and openly in the Church, yet only ⟨image 5⟩in their own expressions (for ought appears to us by holy writ) and the nature and order of prayer, being a serious expression of the hearts sensible conception, doth interfere with such an inference.
That St. John the Baptist taught his Disciples to pray, I yield; and that our Saviour teaching his, propounded to them a most perfect prayer, compendious for the manner; but most comprehensive for the matter of the expression, to be their pattern, no serious sober Christian can or will deny; but that they were confined to the only or constant use there of, none do, or dare affirm; or that it should be to them the Dictator of a standing Liturgy, cannot be rationally inferred; because the prescription of it affords no premifes to enforce such a conclusion, the Disciples, who learned that they might teach the Church, never improved it to such an end; themselves prayed often and openly in the Church, yet only ⟨image 5⟩in their own expressions (for ought appears to us by holy writ) and the nature and order of prayer, being a serious expression of the hearts sensible conception, doth interfer with such an inference.
That Liturgies are of ancient use in the Church, I agree; but Liturgy as Episcopacy primitive, was in nature clearly different from what they are now pleaded to be. Ancient Liturgies were not set and prescribed Forms of public worship: Smectymnus hath asserted,