The grand debate between the most reverend bishops and the Presbyterian divines appointed by…

And it is as a higher, so a more Reverend thing to speak in Gods name to the people, than in the peoples name to God; and to speak that which we call Gods word, or truth, or message, than that which we call but our own desire: We make God a liar, or corrupt in his words, if we speak a falsehood in his name; we make but our selves liars, if we speak a falsehood to him in our own names; The former therefore is the more heinous and dreadful abuse, and more to be avoided: or if but equally, it shows the tendency of your reason, (for we will not say of your design, as hoping you intend not to make us Russians) We do therefore for the sake of the poor threatened Church, beseech you that you will be pleased to repent of these desires, and not to prosecute them, considering that to avoid a lesser evil (avoidable by safer means) you will bring a far greater evil on the Churches, and such as is like to strip these Nations of the glory in which they have excelled the rest of the world, even a learned, able, holy Ministry, and a people sincere, and serious, and understanding in the matters of their Salvation. For 1. As it is well known that an ignorant man may read a Prayer and Homily as distinctly and laudably as a Learned Divine, and so may do the work of a Minister, if this be it; so it is known that mans nature is so addicted to ease and sensual diversions, as that multitudes will make no better preparations, when they find that no more is necessary, when they are as capable of their places and maintenance if they can but read, and are forced upon no exercise of their parts, which may detect and shame their ignorance, but the same words are to be read by the ablest and ignorantest man; it is certain that this will make multitudes idle in their Academical Studies, and multitudes to spend their time idly all the year, in the course of their Ministry: and when they have no necessity that they are sensible of, of diligent studies, it will let loose their fleshly voluptuous inclinations, and they will spend their time in sports, and drinking, and prating, and idleness, and this will be a Seminary of Lust: or they will follow the world, and drown themselves in Covetousness and Ambition, and their hearts will be like their studies:

And it is as a higher, so a more Reverend thing to speak in Gods name to the people, than in the peoples name to God; and to speak that which we call Gods word, or truth, or message, than that which we call but our own desire: We make God a lyer, or corrupt in his words, if we speak a falshood in his name; we make but our selves lyers, if we speak a falshood to him in our own names; The former therefore is the more heynous and dreadfull abuse, and more to be avoided: or if but equally, it shews the tendency of your reason, (for we will not say of your design, as hoping you intend not to make us Russians) We do therefore for the sake of the poor threatened Church, beseech you that you will be pleased to repent of these desires, and not to prosecute them, considering that to avoid a lesser evil (avoidable by safer means) you will bring a far greater evil on the Churches, and such as is like to strip these Nations of the glory in which they have excelled the rest of the world, even a learned, able, holy Ministry, and a people sincere, and serious, and understanding in the matters of their Salvation. For 1. As it is well known that an ignorant man may read a Prayer and Homily as distinctly and laudably as a Learned Divine, and so may do the work of a Minister, if this be it; so it is known that mans nature is so addicted to ease and sensual diversions, as that multitudes will make no better preparations, when they find that no more is necessary, when they are as capable of their places and maintenance if they can but read, and are forced upon no exercise of their parts, which may detect and shame their ignorance, but the same words are to be read by the ablest and ignorantest man; it is certain that this will make multitudes idle in their Academical Studies, and multitudes to spend their time idly all the year, in the course of their Ministry: and when they have no necessity that they are sensible of, of diligent studies, it will let loose their fleshly voluptuous inclinations, and they will spend their time in sports, and drinking, and prating, and idlenesse, and this will be a Seminary of Lust: or they will follow the world, and drown themselves in Covetousnesse and Ambition, and their hearts will be like their studies: