The Lancashire Levite rebuk'd, or, a farther vindication of the dissenters from popery, superstition, ignorance and knavery; unjustly charged on them, by Mr. Zachary Taylor, in his two books about the Surey demoniack. In a second letter to himself.

  • Carrington, John, -1701.
Date:
1698
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The Lancashire Levite rebuk'd, or, a farther vindication of the dissenters from popery, superstition, ignorance and knavery; unjustly charged on them, by Mr. Zachary Taylor, in his two books about the Surey demoniack. In a second letter to himself. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    cc foam out their own Shame, and yet are not afhamed- to entitle it to, u but will needs have God admit it, for the Groans of his Spirit. P.15. Anfw.. 1. If you mean by Sober, a Grave and Serious Form of Prayer, if any Perfon do> Compofe a Form in apt and pertinent, intelli¬ gible Words, fit to exprefs the Lawful Defires of the Heart, and to raifo their Affe&ions of Hope and Confidence in God, I would highly com¬ mend them. But if they fhould be fo in love with their own Prayer, as to tye all others to their very Words, and none other; elpecially if they mix with their Form uncommanded Rites and Ceremonies, under a pretence of Decency •, I would fay they are proud and conceited, and affume an Authority that doth not belong to them. Anfw. 2.. I did never hear any fuch Prayer9, as you fpeak of; nor any affirm, that what comes next Tongue s-end, or that foam out their Shame and call them, the Groans of the Spirit. But I doubt too many fay and read their Prayers, only at their Tongues-end * that have no more to think of, but how to Turn-over their Book-leaves, and Read right. Anfw. 3. If any Minifter in Publick conceive a Prayer, and fpeak it in apt Words, (elpecially in Scripture-Words) with Humility and Re¬ verence •, and the Matter be Lawful, and in the Name of Chrift offered up to the Throne of Grace, I would very heartily fay Amen to it; and believe God will gracioufly accept it from an honeft Heart. And’tis ftrange, that Minifters fhould be difcouraged from Improving their Gifts, either in Compofing or Conceiving fuch Prayers, as (I think) have been found by Experience, fo much tending to Edification and Con- folation ^ and (I fuppofe) fo efteemed formerly, by the moft foriousMen of the C. of E. who,’till of late, conftantly ufod them in the Pulpit. And fome B s put it into their Articles of Enquiry,at their Vifitations: Do you know of any Parfon, Vicar, or Curate, that never Pray before their Sermons ? The refraining of which, or difcouraging at leaf, is thought by fome one Occafion of fo many raw Divines, weak and ignorant, while they need no other Qualification to perform their Office, than to be able ’ ^^t chief Work. And for Preaching.,the Reading ol Homilies and other Mens Sermons ^recommended by a R.R.B. to Young Ones,with a Grace, or with the Spirit of Confidence, (as a Dignitary ufod to Pray, in a compofod Form) is fufficient. Tho’ this is by others thought a Difoouragement to Indufry,and an Occafion of'Sloth, Idlenefs, and worfo, Obj.. 4 The Fourth Arguments? Tfifienters vvas this;, Lev.p.j?. Some oj them think it no lefs than Sacnledge, to transfer the Ends of God's Sa¬ craments to their own Appointments: For they think we are Baptized in token, hereafter we Jhall not be afhamed, &c. And that Baptifm is ?the Honourable Badge, whereby the Infant is Dedicated to the Service of Him that Died ok tbeCrofs and fhould not be attributed to the Sign of the Lrojs. What fay you to this Argument of Dijfenters ? : Anfw. 2.