A41330:867
The questions between the conformist and nonconformist, truly stated, and briefly discussed Dr. Falkner,…
The questions between the conformist and nonconformist, truly stated, and briefly discussed Dr. Falkner, The friendly debate &c., examined and answered : together with a discourse about separation, and some animadversions upon Dr. Stillingfleet's book entitled, The unreasonableness of separation : observations upon Dr. Templars sermon preached at a visitation in Cambridge : a brief vindication of Mr. Stephen Marshal.The questions between the conformist and nonconformist, truly stated, and briefly discussed Dr. Falkner, The friendly debate &c., examined and answered : together with a discourse about separation, and some animadversions upon Dr. Stillingfleet's book entituled, The unreasonableness of separation : observations upon Dr. Templers sermon preached at a visitation in Cambridge : a brief vindication of Mr. Stephen Marshal.
London: printed for Tho. Cockerill, 1681
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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.
As for Dr. Falkner, let but the Question be truly stated, and I do not find one Scripture-argument he hath brought that concludes the Question: for his own humane reasons, I little regard them in divine Worship.
As for private Christians, I know your Clergy look on them as the Pharisees did upon the vulgar, Joh. 7.49. but, Sir, I know more of them than you, or Dr. Falkner; plain Mechanics have I known well Catechised, and humble Christians excellent in practical piety, kept their station, did not aspire to be Preachers, but for gifts of prayer, few Clergy-men must come near them. I profess I fall short of them. I have known some of them when they did keep their Fasts (as they did often) they divided the work of Prayer; the first began with Confession; the second went on with Petition for themselves; the third Petition for ⟨p. 102⟩Church and Kingdom, &c. the fourth. Thanksgiving, every one kept to his own part, and did not meddle with another's part. Such excellent matter so compacted without Tautologies, each of them for a good time, about an hour, if not more apiece, to the wondering of those who joined with them. Such answers of prayer I have known to others, that they have praised God for assurance that he had heard them before they rose off their knees, and at that time it was done; a thing of very great consequence, but heard not of it till two days after. Here was no reading of Liturgies; these were old Jacobs sons, could wrestle and prevail with God; and yet must be punished if they came not to Church, and set above an hour in the cold to hear a Minister read that which their boys could do at home: and blessed be God that England in this dark day hath many thousands of such plain, but praying Christians, however despised and punished.
As for private Christians, I know your Clergy look on them as the Pharisees did upon the vulgar, Joh. 7.49. but, Sir, I know more of them than you, or Dr. Falkner; plain Mechanicks have I known well Catechised, and humble Christians excellent in practical piety, kept their station, did not aspire to be Preachers, but for gifts of prayer, few Clergy-men must come near them. I profess I fall short of them. I have known some of them when they did keep their Fasts (as they did often) they divided the work of Prayer; the first began with Confession; the second went on with Petition for themselves; the third Petition for