The Answerer in his Preface tells the world a ridiculous Story, That deluded People broke into the Church Erected in Boston, for Worship according to the Church of England, to search for the Images which they supposed Church of England Men Worshipped. He that begins with such a Falsehood as this, tis easy to guess what Truth he is like to Furnish us with. Tis no wonder that he goes on to Charge the Discourse, he attempts to Answer, with Untruths; in affirming that the Apocrypha Chapters are to be Read on the greatest Holy-days. But does not the Common-Prayer Book appoint them to be Read on Whit-sunday, Candlemas, Saint Peter's Saint Michael, and all Saints? which by some are accounted among the greatest Holy-days; and in some Places the greatest Concourse of People uses to be on those Days, as they who ⟨p. 3⟩should know it have informed me. And has not the Liturgy ordered the abominable Magical Prescriptions, and Corrupt Doctrine taught in the Apocrypha, to be Read as if it were agreeable to Scripture? And does it not appoint some Apocrypha Chapters twice, nay, thrice in the Year to be Read? A respect not put upon a great part of the Canonical Scripture. And does it not Ordain; that when on an Holy-day, in which one of them is to be Read, falls on such a Day as on which the Calendar has appointed a Canonical Chapter, that the Canonical shall give way to the Apocryphal? The Answerer then has no reason to Complain of the Discourse, for saying that the Liturgy does advance the Apocrypha above the Scriptures. Tis plain by what has been mentioned. The Preface asserts, That 'tis the Opinion of the Author of the Discourse, that all Forms of Prayer are Unlawful. That's a notorious Slander; like a great deal more in the Answer. There are many Witnesses, who can testify that he has Publicly declared the Contrary. Only he judges, the imposition of Forms (which is more than the bare use of them) to be Unlawful. The Preface hath another Untruth with the former, viz. That the Author of the Discourse is against Reading of the Scripture in Public ⟨p. 4⟩Congregations. He wishes it were Read more there: Yet concurs with Didoclavius, Mr. Weems, Mr. Rutherford, and other Divines in Scotland, that it would be most for Edification, that Public Readings should be attended with Expositions or an Exhortation: Ezra •.3.2 Chron. 17.9. Luke 4.16, 21. Act. 13.15.
The Answerer in his Preface tells the world a ridiculous Story, That deluded People broke into the Church Erected in Boston, for Worship according to the Church of England, to search for the Images which they supposed Church of England Men Worshipped. He that begins with such a Falshood as this, tis easy to guess what Truth he is like to Furnish us with. Tis no wonder that he goes on to Charge the Discourse, he attempts to Answer, with Untruths; in affirming that the Apocrypha Chapters are to be Read on the greatest Holy-days. But does not the Common-Prayer Book appoint them to be Read on Whit-sunday, Candlemas, Saint Peter's Saint Michael, and all Saints? which by some are accounted among the greatest Holy-days; and in some Places the greatest Concourse of People uses to be on those Days, as they who ⟨p. 3⟩should know it have informed me. And has not the Liturgy ordered the abominable Magical Prescriptions, and Corrupt Doctrine taught in the Apocrypha, to be Read as if it were agreeable to Scripture? And does it not appoint some Apocrypha Chapters twice, nay, thrice in the Year to be Read? A respect not put upon a great part of the Canonical Scripture. And does it not Ordain; that when on an Holy-day, in which one of them is to be Read, falls on such a Day as on which the Calender has appointed a Canonical Chapter, that the Canonical shall give way to the Apocryphal? The Answerer then has no reason to Complain of the Discourse, for saying that the Liturgy does advance the Apocrypha above the Scriptures. Tis plain by what has been mentioned. The Preface asserts, That 'tis the Opinion of the Author of the Discourse, that all Forms of Prayer are Vnlawful. That's a notorious Slander; like a great deal more in the Answer. There are many Witnesses, who can testify that he has Publickly declared the Contrary. Only he judges, the imposition of Forms (which is more than the bare use of them) to be Unlawful. The Preface hath another Untruth with the former, viz. That the Author of the Discourse is against Reading of the Scripture in Publick ⟨p. 4⟩Congregations. He wishes it were Read more there: Yet concurs with Didoclavius, Mr. Weems, Mr. Rutherford, and other Divines in Scotland, that it would be most for Edification, that Publick Readings should be attended with Expositions or an Exhortation: Ezra •.3.2 Chron. 17.9. Luke 4.16, 21. Act. 13.15.
