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Spirit; of this Way of ferving God they did not then Dream; much lefs that the appointing of Forms of Prayer was an Encroachment on the Kingly Office of Chrift; but thought,

whatever praying in the Spirit might "have been in the Apoftles Time "(where yet every Man brought his "Pfalms, which are a fort of Prayers,

as well as Praises, and these look "like fome written Compofures, as "St. Paul expreffes it) that now to

pray with warm Affection and fincere "Devotion was fpiritual Worship; and "that where it was the fame thing "that was to be daily asked of God, "the ufing the fame Expreffions was

the Sign of a steady Devotion that

was fixed on the thing pray'd for; whereas the Heat that new Words cc raised, look'd rather like a Warmth in the Fancy. Nor could it agree "with the Principles of a Reformation, "that was to diveft the Churchmen of

that unlimited Authority which they "had formerly exercifed over Mens "Confciences, to leave them at Liber

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ty to make the People pray after "them, as they pleased; this being as great a Refignation of the People, when their Devotion depend"ed on the fudden Heats of their

"Paftors,

"Paftors, as the former Superftition had "made of their Faith and Confcience to "them. So it being refolved to bring "the whole Worship of God under "fet Forms; they fet one general "Rule to themselves (which they af"terwards declared) of changing nothing for Novelty Sake, or meerly because it had been formerly used. They refolved to retain fuch Things as the primitive Church had practifed, cutting off fuch Abufes as the latter Ages had grafted on them, Сс and to continue the Ufe of fuch other "Things, which, tho' they had been

brought in not fo early, yet were of "good Ufe to beget Devotion; and « were fo much recommended to the People by the Practice of them, that "the laying thefe afide would perhaps "have alienated them from the other Changes they made; and, therefore, they refolved to make no Change, without very good and weighty Rea"fon. In which they confider'd the is Practice of our Saviour; who did

not only comply with the Rites of Judaifm himself, but even the Prayer he gave to his Difciples was fram"ed according to their Forms; and "his two great Inftitutions of Baptifm "and the Eucharift, did confift of Rites

"that

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that had been used among the Jews; and fince he who was delivering a cc new Religion, and was authorized in the higheft Manner that ever any was, did yet fo far comply with received Practices, as from them to take those which he fanctified for the

Ufe of his Church; it feemed much "fitter for thofe who had no fuch extraordinary Warrant to give them Authority in what they did, when they were reforming Abufes, to let "the World fee, they did it not from "the wanton Defire of Change, or any Affectation of Novelty, and with

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thofe Refolutions they enter'd on "their Work.". A great deal of Noife has been made with this Objection, that fome of the Prayers in the Liturgy were taken out of the Mafs Book. The Lawfulness of publick Forms is agreed on all Hands, and it can hardly be fuppofed that every Thing employed in the Popish Service was thereby render'd unfit for Chriftian Ufe. How many impious Tricks did they play with Water: Muft we therefore never Baptize with Water? or because they with many Fopperies confecrated Bells, must we lose an ufeful Method of calling People to Church by the Sound of them? because they used the Apostles

Creed,

Creed, the Lord's Prayer, and many Portions of Scripture mixt with odious Superftitions, is it unlawful for us to ufe the fame, FREE from thofe Superftitions? Can any Man of Senfe think it finful to offer up the following Petitions in the English Tongue, only becaufe a Popish Priest used a Latin Prayer to the fame Purpose: "Lord "of all Power and Might, who art the "Author and Giver of all good Things,

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graft in our Hearts the Love of thy CC Name; encrease in us true Religion; "nourish us with all Goodness, and "of thy great Mercy keep us in the fame, thro' Jefus Chrift our Lord. Or this Prayer: "O Lord, who hast taught us, that all our Doings without Charity are nothing worth, send thy Holy Ghoft, and pour into our Hearts that most excellent Gift of "Charity, the very Bond of Peace and "of all Virtues, without which, who"foever liveth is counted dead before "thee. Grant this for thine only Son "Jefus Chrift's Sake. The true and only Question for a peaceable Christian, is not who has used a Prayer, but what the Prayer is? If this be suitable to his Condition, and every Way proper for him to offer; it is not incumbent upon him to enquire further, nor fhou'd he

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throw it afide, tho' he knew that an Enthufiaft or a Drunkard, or even an Idolater, or a Murderer had used the fame Words. Those Parts of Scripture are not the worse, nor ought to be the lefs regarded, which Blafphemers or the Devil himfelf has quoted.

There is one Thing more that Mr. N. often mentions, and lays great Stress upon. "The Puritans (fays he) did N's Hift. not object to prescribed Forms ofl. 595. Prayer, provided a Latitude was in

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dulged the Minifter to alter or vary "fome Expreffions; and fo make Use "of a Prayer of his own Conception, before and after Sermon. What! the Popish, Lutheran and Calvinistic Clergy to alter the publick Prayers as any of them thought proper! Each had the fame Right, and each was intitled to the fame Liberty. By this hopeful Scheme, when Minifters were forbid preaching against each other, they had a fure Way of continuing Diffentions, expreffing their Diflike, and forming of Parties by their Prayers. This had been an effectual Way to throw the Nation into great Confufion, and give the Papists fuch Advantage as would have enabled them to fubvert the Eftablished Proteftant Religion. The Church of England was too great a Friend

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