A discourse concerning liturgies, and their imposition

should not they have pulled out their single Talent, and fallen to Trading with it, that it might have increased under their care? Was not this the Remedy and Cure of the breach made by them, that God and man expected from them? Was it just then and according to the mind of Christ, that instead of an humble returnal unto an holy Evangelical dependence on himself, they should invent an expedient to support them in the condition wherein they were, and so make all such returnal for hereafter needless? Yet this they did in the invention of Liturgies, they found out a way to justify themselves in their spiritual negligence and sloth, and to render a dependence on the Lord Christ for supplies of his Spirit to enable them unto Gospel Administrations altogether needless, they had now provided themselves with an ability they could keep in the Church, so that he might keep the furniture of his Spirit unto himself. And this quickly became the most poisonous ingredient in the Apostasy of the latter Times.

should not they have pulled out their single Talent, and fallen to Trading with it, that it might have increased under their care? Was not this the Remedy and Cure of the breach made by them, that God and man expected from them? Was it just then and according to the minde of Christ, that instead of an humble returnal unto an holy Evangelical dependance on himself, they should invent an expedient to support them in the condition wherein they were, and so make all such returnal for hereafter needless? Yet this they did in the invention of Liturgies, they found out a way to justifie themselves in their spiritual negligence and sloth, and to render a dependance on the Lord Christ for supplies of his Spirit to enable them unto Gospel Administrations altogether needless, they had now provided themselves with an ability they could keep in the Church, so that he might keep the furniture of his Spirit unto himself. And this quickly became the most poysonous ingredient in the Apostacy of the latter Times.

Nor is there any sufficient warrant for this Invention in the Second Pretence. There were many Antichrists in the Apostles time, yet they never thought of this Engine for their discovery or exclusion out of the Church, Confessions of Faith, or acknowledged Forms of wholesome Words with the care of the Disciples of Christ, or his Churches, which are enabled by him to judge and discern of Truth and Error, are the preservations against the danger intimated, that the Gospel hath provided.