A trial of the new-church way in New-England and in old ... by that…A tryall of the nevv-church vvay in New-England and in old ... by that…

Fifthly, if this and such like scruples make it unlawful to join in the ordinance of worship, we must hold communion with no society under heaven. For may not the brethren which hold all stinted, Liturgies, and set forms unlawful say with like strength of reason, It is unlawful to join in conceived prayer with others, if either they give too little honour to it, as deeming the other lawful, or sinfully limiting, or suffering themselves to be limited to one stinted form, though conceived at first by them selves? And may not the brethren who hold a stinted form lawful in like manner object? It is unlawful to join in prayer with them because they attribute too much honour to conceived prayer, as making their device and method ⟨p. 16⟩the worship of God? And may not the Brethren which hold it lawful to use some selected prayers according to the forms among us, upon the same grounds condemn communion with both sorts? and all of them one with another, because they either limit themselves too much, or too little? You say in the exposition of the first position, many Preachers constantly use a set form of prayer of their own making before their Sermons, must you not say upon this ground, that it is unlawful to join with them, because they sinfully stint themselves? In probability a Christian may presume, that in the public worship of God, there will be through humane ignorance & infirmity somewhat amiss for matter, or manner, or both, & that upon this ground, he must join with no society in any part of Gods worship at all.

Fistly, if this and such like scruples make it unlawfull to joyn in the ordenance of worship, we must hold communion with no society under heaven. For may not the brethren which hold all stinted, Liturgies, and set forms unlawfull say with like strength of reason, It is unlawfull to joyn in conceived prayer with others, if either they give too little honour to it, as deeming the other lawfull, or sinfully limiting, or suffering themselves to be limited to one stinted forme, though conceived at first by them selves? And may not the brethren who hold a stinted forme lawfull in like manner object? It is unlawfull to joyn in prayer with them because they attribute too much honour to conceived prayer, as making their device and method ⟨p. 16⟩the worship of God? And may not the Brethren which hold it lawfull to use some selected prayers according to the forms among us, upon the same grounds condemne communion with both sorts? and all of them one with another, because they either limit themselves too much, or too little? You say in the exposition of the first position, many Preachers constantly use a set form of prayer of their own making before their Sermons, must you not say upon this ground, that it is unlawfull to joyn with them, because they sinfully stint themselves? In probability a Christian may presume, that in the publike worship of God, there will be through humane ignorance & infirmity somwhat amiss for matter, or manner, or both, & that upon this ground, he must joyn with no society in any part of Gods worshipat all.