28.18 And the reason is plain because they can never be disproved to be Disciples of Christ in one sence or other that are visibly of the Church For the Church is Christ's School and all that are of the Church are Christ's Scholars If they say Infants are no Disciples because they are not in a capacity to learn I answer Although they are not in the properest and nearest capacity to learn yet it doth not therefore follow that they are in no such capacity of it as that they may be called and reputed to be Disciples or Learners The Scripture useth to reckon or impute the doing of things to Children when yet they have been but in as remote a capacity of doing those things themselves as they are of Learning Thus little Children were said to enter into Covenant Deut. 29.11 12. to keep Covenant and to break Covenant Gen. 17 10.14 And the Children of the Kohothites of a moneth old were said to keep the charge of the Sanctuary Numb 3.28 And Levi to pay Tithes in Abraham while he was yet in his Loins Heb. 7.9 10. Doubtless they were said to do these things either because they did them virtually in their Parents as being morally one with them untill they could chuse for themselves Or else because they were under visible Circumstances of being certainly taught by their Parents to do them themselves when they should be in the nearest and properest capacity so to do and to own what their Parents had done on their behalf in the mean time as much as if they had done it in their own Persons But for whether of these reasons or for both or for any other they were said to do such things while but Children for the same reasons may little Children while but such be as truly said to be Disciples or Learners And upon one account or other Children as well as Parents are called Disciples in Act. 15.10 Where somes urging the necessity of the Gentiles being Circumcised after the manner of Moses that is to be proselyted by Circumcision is called a laying a yoak upon the neck of the Disciples Seeing then the manner of Moses was to Circumcise Proselytes both Fathers and Male Children and the pressing the continuance of this among all Gentiles Proselyted to Christianity is called a putting a yoak upon the neck of the Disciples it is impossible to prove but that the Children as well as the Fathers are meant by the Disciples upon whose neck the yoak would have been laid because it is manifest they as well as their Fathers were the Persons whose Circumcision was urged as necessary For these reasons I conclude they will never be able to prove little Children to be no Disciples and if not they can never be able to prove them excluded out of Christ's Commission for Baptizing Disciples 3. They cannot prove that the ends of Baptism are not attained when Administred to Infants of Believing Parents First one great end of Baptism is to signifie to all Men by visible sign and representation the same thing which Gods Covenant in the Gospel doth by Word Baptism conveys to the mind by the sense of seeing the same thing as the word of the Gospel doth by the sense of hearing which is the Covenant of Salvation or the terms on which God hath promised to save Men. Christ's Death Burial and Resurrection as the means by which pardon and Salvation are conditionally obtained for and promised to all Men are signified in Baptism And our dying unto sin and rising to a new Life as the condition upon which that pardon and Salvation are promised are likewise signified in Baptism Hence we are said to be buryed with Christ in Baptism into Death and to be raised with him Rom. 6.3 4 5 6. Col. 2.12 And to be saved as by a figure by Baptism as it signifies the Resurrection of Christ and the answer of a good Conscience 1 Pet. 3.21 And because the substance of the new Covenant is represented in Baptism thence it is that Baptism is called the sign of the Covenant And because it is an institution of God to assure Men that upon the terms signified by it they shall be pardoned and saved thence it is called the Seal of the Covenant as Circumcision for the like reason was For Circumcision was a sign to signifie upon what condition God promised Men to be their God and a Seal to assure them that upon their performing that Condition he would be their God And the Condition signified was Circumcision in the Spirit as St. Paul expounds it Rom. 2.28 29. that is mortification or the change of the heart the same for substance with the new Birth represented in Baptism But then Baptism no more than Circumcision doth signifie that all that have received it have performed the Condition of the promise of Salvation therein signified but to assure them and all others that upon the performance of it the benefits promised shall be conferred For the sign of the Covenant doth not signifie more to Men than the Covenant it self and the Covenant it self doth not signifie to Men that they have performed the Condition of it As to this end then as Circumcision was of a publick and common use to the Females as well as the Males though they were not circumcised themselves so is Baptism much more both to the Persons themselves who are Baptized and to all others as well when it is administred to Children as when to Men of riper years 2. Another end of Baptism is to oblige the Persons Baptized to perform the Condition of the Covenant in being born again of making them new hearts and becoming new Creatures as ever they hope to receive the benefits of pardon and Salvation promised in the Covenant upon that Condition It is from this Obligation that a holy Life is frequently pressed upon Christians from their having been Baptized and that it is called the Baptism unto Repentance Rom. 6. Col. 2 and 3 Chap. Mark 1. And Baptism can be no less an Obligation to Repentance and a Holy Life when administred to Infants than Circumcision was in like case and yet St. Paul said that whosoever was Circumcised was bound to keep the Law Gal. 5. And those Baptized in their Infancy if when they come to years of discretion do prove such as make Conscience of their own personal Obligation they usually take themselves to be as much obliged by their Infant-Baptism as they do who are Baptized at years of discretion and discharge it as well All which considered Infant-Baptism cannot be proved a Nullity as to this end neither 3. Another end of Baptism if it be not the same with that before mentioned is a solemn dedication of the person Baptized to the Worship and Service of the Father Son and Holy Spirit called a being Baptized in the Name or into the Name of Father Son and Holy Ghost Mat. 28. And is not such an Act done by Parents as obliging to their Children
A PERSWASIVE TO Peace Unity AMONG CHRISTIANS Notwithstanding their different Apprehensions in lesser things 1 Cor. 1.10 Now I beseech you Brethren by the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ that ye all speak the same thing and that there be no Divisions among you but that ye be perfectly joyned together in the same mind and in the same Judgment Phil. 2.2 Fulfill ye my joy that ye be like minded having the same Love being of one accord of one mind Rom. 14.19 Let us therefore follow after the things which make for Peace and things wherewith one may edifie another LONDON Printed for B. Aylmer at the Three Pigeons in Cornhil near the Poultry 1672. A PERSWASIVE TO Peace and Unity AMONG CHRISTIANS THE deep sense of the very ill effects of our Church-Divisions hath put me as it should do every good Christian upon healing considerations An account of some of which I shall give in the following Discourse which I shall ground on the words of St. Paul Eph. 4.3 Endeavouring to keep the Unity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace Which contain that behaviour in part by which Christians may and ought to walk worthy of that Vocation to which they are called Unto which the Apostle doth with the greatest earnestness exhort and perswade them in this and the two former Verses And the words give us occasion to inquire into two things 1. What is meant by the Unity of the Spirit 2. How this Unity is preserved by Peace and how we are to endeavour so to preserve it 1. What is meant by the Unity of the Spirit The Unity of the Spirit is that One-ness among Christians which the Spirit of God worketh or effecteth by the Gospel which is the Ministration of the Spirit For by the Spirits operation through that Men become one in Faith or Perswasion one in Profession one in Affection and one in Communion And by their Union and agreement in these or the three former of these they become one Body or Spiritual Corporation under Christ the Head of it By one Spirit we are all Baptized into one Body and are made to drink into one Spirit 1 Cor. 12.13 For the work of the Ministry till we all come to the Unity of the Faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God Ephes 4.12 13. 1. They are by the Spirit made one in faith or perswasion touching the great fundamental truths in the Christian Religion such as the Apostle doth instance in in the three following Verses Even as ye were called in one hope of your Calling One Lord one Faith one Baptism one God and Father of all who is above all and through all and in you all First they are all called by the Gospel to embrace Christianity in One Hope of obtaining forgiveness of sins and eternal Life Secondly they all agree in professing Faith in One Lord Jesus Christ as the only Mediator in opposition to the Lords many the many Mediators the Heathen professed to have and to worship 1 Cor. 8.5 6. Thirdly they all agree in the Belief that the Doctrine of the Gospel by Christ and his Apostles contained in the Holy Scriptures is a revelation from God touching what Men ought to believe and how they ought to live called the One Faith and the Common Faith from the Christians unanimous agreement in it Tit. 1.4 Fourthly they all agree and are one in the belief of One God and Father of all in opposition to the many Idol-gods worshipped by others Fifthly there is also One Baptism by which all the Christians with one consent make profession solemnly of their belief in and Dedication to the Worship and Service of the Father Son and Holy Ghost into whose Name they were Baptized and by which as by a sacred Rite they are solemnly declared to be of the one Body the Church By one Spirit are all Baptized into one Body 2. They all agree and are one in the Profession of the Common Faith the fundamental Doctrines of the Gospel the belief of which is of necessity to Salvation Which Profession is called The acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness Tit. 1.1 2 Tim. 2.25 The acknowledgment of the Mystery of God and of the Father and of Christ Col. 2.2 As with the heart they believe unto Righteousness so with the Mouth confession is made unto Salvation Rom. 10.10 3. So far as they are Christians indeed they are all one in affection or Brotherly Love They Love all Men even those that are not Christians with a love of compassion desiring and seeking their good but they love their fellow Christians wish a special kind of love for the appearance of good in them for their one-ness with them in the Faith called a loving or the Truths sake which is in them 2 John 1.2 And a loving them in the 〈◊〉 Tit. 3.15 By which they become One 〈◊〉 and 〈…〉 togethâ—◠〈◊〉 Love Act. 4.32 Col. 2.2 And hence it is that Faith in our Lord 〈◊〉 Christ and love to all the Saints are frequently joyned together in Scripture 4. All they that rightly be of the Unity of the Spirit are also one in Communion One in their Communion in Grace mutually loving one another and praying one for another One in Communion in Gifts edifying one another as they have opportunity And one in Communion in Ordinances communicating together in Ordinances of Divine Worship Spiritually with all and locally with those among whom they live 1 Cor. 10.17 For we being many are one Bread and one Body for we are all partakers of that one Bread These are the things in which the Unity of the Spirit doth especially consist Not that I limit it to these only for it is the work of the Spirit in the Gospel to be bringing the Believers to speak all the same thing and to be perfectly joyned together in the same mind and in the same judgment in the lesser things of Religion as well as the greater but their actual agreement lyeth mostly in the greater 2. How this Unity is preserved by Peace and how we are to endeavour so to preserve it Unity in the whole community of Christians is preserved by each Member's observing the Laws and Rules made for the Government and good Order of the whole in their carriage towards each other For while every Man Acts his own part only and keeps in his own Rank according to Rule there is no confusion no disturbance no division and peace and confusion or disorder are put in opposition to one another 1 Cor. 14.33 Christ the Head of the Church or Spiritual Corporation hath made several excellent Laws and Rules to govern the Members of his Body in their behaviour one towards another for the common good of the whole and for the Honour of their Religion and of him who is the great Founder of it As that all their things should be done in Charity That they be gentle and courteous humble and condescending in Honour
of which difference of knowledge and grace differences are apt more or less to arise among them The weak are apt to be more scrupulous than the strong as being more in the dark and so apter to stumble Whereupon the strong if they be not restrained by Humility and Charity are apt to despise them when they cannot make them understand what is plain and evident to them themselves And the weak again if they be not restrained by Humility and Charity are apt to judge and censure the strong as if they were not so conscientious because not so scrupulous as themselves And upon this despising and judging one another the bond of peace is broken and a way prepared for dividing For when the weak see themselves neglected slighted not regarded and set at nought by the strong it discourages them and takes off the pleasure of their Society and Communion and makes them weary of it and becomes a temptation to them to forsake it and to follow any opposite party that will head them And when the strong again find themselves judged and censured by the weak as if they were Men of little Conscience they are apt to look upon themselves as being by such prejudice taken up against them put out of a capacity of serving them which becomes a temptation to them to neglect them and somewhat to estrange themselves from them Or however though that temptation should not prevail so far upon them yet all endeavours of the strong to help and cure the weak are by the prejudice which the weak have against them when they once fall to judging them made very much ineffectual so mischievous and baneful to the Churches peace and Unity is proud despising and uncharitable censuring one another This was the case between the believing Jews and Gentiles upon which the first considerable breach we read of brake out in the Christian Church of which we have an account in Act. 15. and Rom. 14. and other places The believing Jews durst not use such liberty in meat as the believing Gentiles did nor did the believing Gentiles think themselves obliged to be circumcised and to observe Jewish Festivals as the believing Jews thought they were Hereupon the believing Gentiles which understood their Liberty despised the believing Jews when they could not make them understand it too And the believing Jews on the other hand fell to judging the believing Gentiles as looser than themselves and as Men of no Conscience because they did not make Conscience of Meats and days of Circumcision as well as themselves And upon this unchristian carriage of one towards another under their different apprehensions in these things great divisions sidings and disturbances among them did ensue Now that all such despising and judging one another and dividing from one another about their difference in lesser matters of doubtful disputation should be forborn by Christians so long as they agree in the essentials of Christianity St. Paul declares upon these two grounds among others 1. Because upon the Common Faith wherein they were both agreed they were at the first received by the Lord into his Church and so into a near Relation to himself And therefore their after-differences which did not destroy that Foundation upon which that Relation was first built were no sufficient ground of despising or judging one another or of dividing or withdrawing one from another This is plainly set down in these words Let him that eateth not despise him that eateth not and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth for God hath received him Rom. 14.3 And this reason is farther backed and urged again Chap. 15.7 Wherefore receivere one another as Christ also received us to the glory of God Those whom God hath received into his Church upon such and such grounds we may not we ought not to discourage or reject by despising or judging or withdrawing so long as that remains in them upon which God at first received them Which holds in all other cases of difference between Christians that agree in the main as these did as well as in this between the believing Jews and Gentiles It is upon the like reason and ground that our Apostle in the words upon which I found my discourse and those following Ephes 4. presseth upon Christians the great duty of endeavouring to keep the Unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace viz. because they were at first incorporated into one Body by a profession and acknowledgment of one God and Father of all of one Lord Jesus Christ of one Holy Spirit of the Father and the Son of one Doctrine of Faith of one Hope of one Baptism Which fundamental points believed and lived to are sufficient to Salvation And if so they are sufficient bonds of Union and boundaries of Communion whatever difference in lesser things may otherwise occur For more in profession cannot be absolutely necessary to Church-Communion then what in reality is absolutely necessary to Salvation For as the one doth constitute the Church as invisible so doth the other the Church as visible And the same thing which constitutes the Church as visible must needs invest the Members thereof in a right to its external priviledges And if the Church had kept this her ground upon which she was first built and not made more conditions of Communion she had never been cut mangled and torn into I know not how many pieces as she hath been and at this day is And I see not any probability of her recovery to her primitive Union and Communion till she return to this her first Foundation of Union and boundary of Communion But a return to this would quickly do it if all Christians would acquiesce therein And why they should not as well as the primitive Christians the best Christians that ever the World saw did I understand not nor ever could hear any good reason to make me understand it 2. St. Pauls other reason why Christians that agree in the main as aforesaid should not despise or judge or withdraw from one another for their differing in lesser things is this because both parties differing but only so are to be presumed in the judgment of Charity to aim at the pleasing of God in what they differently hold and do For Charity according to which we are to guide our selves in all such cases of difference thinketh no evil but believeth and hopeth all things concerning others in the best sence and construction their Actions are capable of This was the case of the believing Jews and Gentiles they both aimed at the pleasing of God even in those things wherein they differed He that regardeeh the day regardeth it to the Lord and he that regardeth not the day to the Lord he doth not regard it He that eateth eateth to the Lord saith he for he giveth God thanks and he that eateth not to the Lord he eateth not and giveth God thanks Rom. 14.6 Both aimed at the approving themselves to God in
had respect to the capacity and temper of the People he preached to them as they were able to bear Mar. 4.33 And did forbear to declare many things to his Disciples which he had to say Because they could not hear them then John 16.12 Christians of all Capacities whether their standing be higher or lower in the Church are to do nothing to one another but what doth well consist with Love The precept is Universal both in respect of Persons and things Let all your things be done with Charity 1. Cor. 16.14 By Love serve one another Gal. 5.13 Forbearing one another in Love Ephes 4.2 The very severities of Excommunication are to proceed from Love to the delinquents soul That the Spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus And therefore nothing should be imposed that savours of want of Love or tenderness No burdening of one anothers Consciences but rather bearing one anothers burthens and so fulfilling the Law of Christ Imitating St. Paul who said I was gentle among you even as a Nurse cherisheth her Children And without doubt this is the best method to preserve and increase Peace Love and Unity and the edification of the Church Eph. 4.16 Edifying it self in Love VII Direction Those that would endeavour to keep the Unity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace as they ought must not so contend on any side for external circumstances about the administration of holy things as thereby to expose the substantials of Christianity Peace Charity and Unity to ruine and destruction For the preservation of that which is most essential to the keeping of the Unity of the Spirit as Peace and Charity are is more to be endeavoured than the retaining what is but circumstantial to it as a more or less convenient mode of Administration is The Unity of the Spirit may be kept in the use of a less convenient mode of Administration when a more convenient cannot be had without the loss of Peace Charity and Unity but the Unity of the Spirit cannot be kept where Peace and Charity are banished Peace Charity and Unity are duties of a higher Nature than circumstances about Administrations that are not absolutely necessary but only more convenient To love our Neighbour as our selves is the Royal Law Jam. 2.10 one of the two great Commandments Mat. 22.39 the fulfilling of the Law Rom. 13.10 the more excellent way 1 Cor. 12.31 greater than Faith or Hope 1 Cor. 13. last ver And so Peace is that in which together with Righteousness and Joy in the Holy Ghost the Kingdome of God consists Rom. 14.17 and which is to Rule in our hearts and to over-rule in many cases Col. 3.15 Charity and Peace are great Moral duties in which much of the Christian Religion in the power of it doth consist as being that wherein a Man most resembles God and by which God dwells in him and he in God 1 Joh. 4.16 And when these fall into competition with circumstances relating not to the being but only to the better constitution of Churches and Ministry and the Administration of Ordinances in a better mode and to the better exercise of discipline and government they are to give place to Peace Love and Unity and not Peace Love and Unity to them 1. Because those are but means subordinate and subservient to these as their end and the means as such are no farther useful than they are serviceable to their end Which may be the reason why washing of Saints feet the gifts of Charity the annointing the Sick with Oyl in the Name of the Lord have been dis-used though otherwise once enjoyned 2. Those controverted points about the betterness of wayes and modes of Administration on which side soever the Truth falls are not things wherein the glory of God the Honour and success of Religion and the good and Salvation of Men are so much concerned as they are in the great duties of Love Peace and Unity and what depends upon these and therefore it must needs be a duty of a higher Nature and of greater obligation to secure and promote Love Peace and Unity which are the greater than the betterness of Modes of Administration which are but the less And a Man's duty in the less is to be pleaded only in subordination to his duty in the greater but never in opposition to it And therefore well might St. Paul say above all these things put on Charity which is the bond of perfectness Col. 3.14 And St. Peter likewise above all things have fervent Charity among your selves 1 Pet. 4.12 And if above all things then above the circumstances relating to the constitution of Churches to Ministry Administration of Holy things and discipline I might both amplifie and exemplifie this and over-prove it in shewing how that duties which become so only by institution are alwayes to give way to Moral duties when they come in competition I will have Mercy and not Sacrifice Hos 6.6 Mat. 9.13 and 12.7 Go and be first reconciled to thy Brother and then come and offer thy gift Mat. 5.24 Circumcision waited upon and was suspended upon a Moral necessity forty years in the Wilderness being intermitted so long Josh 5. Now then if positive precepts themselves are superseded by Moral when they come into competition then so are those things much more which are but circumstances relating to institutions and such circumstances too as that it is matter of dispute among Wise and good Men on both sides which whether these or those do best agree with the Nature and ends of those institutions Now that our dividing separating and running into parties upon the account of the lesser things fore-mentioned does tend to the decay and destruction of Love as well as Peace and Unity is a thing too apparent in our own experience to need proof That which is an occasion of separation will certainly lessen if it do not quite destroy Love The Law of Commandments contained in Ordinances which was a Wall of Separation or partition between Jews and Gentiles is called the Enmity Ephes 2.15 Because as it did separate them it was the cause of enmity and laid waste Charity as all separation upon a Religious account ever hath done more or less And to deny this whatever one of late hath said to the contrary is to contradict the general sense and experience of Men. And therefore what is our dividing upon the terms before described but a Method of seeking to purchase little things in Religion with the loss of great Of securing Circumstances with the loss of substance of obtaining supposed conveniencies with the loss of what is certainly and absolutely necessary it is as if they should have Robbed the Temple to build a Synagogue And I fear this will be found an ill way of trading with our Master's Talents and such as will turn but to a bad account when profit and loss is computed The want of a due care to prefer Charity before things less
to the true God only and only in the Name and Mediation of the only Mediatour Christ Jesus 2. Nor secondly in respect of the matter of which they do consist I know no Prayer in the Lyturgie appointed for the ordinary publick Worship but what refers either to confession of sin or petition for pardon or for the assistance of God's grace and Holy Spirit or for some temporal or other spiritual or eternal Blessings or for the averting of the contrary evils or to thanksgiving to God for benefits relating to this Life or that which is to come and all this in the behalf of our selves and others And if there be nothing but what is of this Nature the matter of the Prayers to be sure cannot be proved to be unlawful 3. They cannot prove Communion in those Prayers unlawful upon account of the words and phrase by which the substantial matter of the Worship is expressed They are not made in an unknown tongue or Language not understood by the people Nor will they ever be able to prove but that in respect of the words and phrase that mode of Prayer is of the common Nature of any right mode of Prayer whatsoever The best mode of publick Prayer is but a medium of conveying the substantial matter of Prayer to the understanding and affection of them that pray and from thence to God It is necessary indeed in this respect that the words and phrase should be significant and expressive of the import of the matter and substance of which the Prayer doth consist As when God is to be magnified for the glory of his perfections and marvellous doings and when we would be humbled for the pravity and degenerateness of our Nature and miscarriages towards him and when in the sense thereof and of God's declared goodness through Christ we would beg forgiveness of sin and the assistance of his grace for amendment and eternal Life in the issue or any temporal Blessing it is necessary that these things be expressed in words and phrases that have some aptness in them to fill the Soul with apprehensions and affections suitable to the respective matter of the parts of Prayer to which they do relate The general Nature of all right modes of Prayer consists in this whether with or without the use of a Book whether uttered in a set Form of words or from the present invention and conception of the mind And it cannot with any colour of reason or truth be denyed but that the Lyturgical mode of Prayer is of this Nature The words and phrase are intelligibly significant of the matter and substance of Prayer to which they relate and so serve for publick edification according to the Rule 1 Cor. 14.9.14 15. And if so then we may if the fault be not in our selves and if a heart be not wanting seriously and devoutly present our necessary Confessions Petitions and Thanksgivings unto God in that mode It is too gross an apprehension of God to think that a greater variety of words and phrases as such do delight him but it is Humilite Reverence sense of wants fervent desires of supply and faith of acceptance through Christ concurring with words significant of such things whether pronounced out of a Book or otherwise that he is pleased with Nor is it comely for us to think that it is the repetition of the same words every day as in the Lord's Prayer that doth displease the Lord but it is the irreverent rash careless and customary pouring out words before him without any due sense of what they import that doth offend him If Men be but attentive and careful to engage their hearts to go along with the matter signified by the words and to be duly affected with the import thereof it is not their being read out of a Book that will make these Prayers unacceptable or ineffectual As on the other hand if Men are careless and unconscionable therein it is not its proceeding from a gift of him that utters the Prayer that will make it acceptable and effectual how excellent soever the matter and words may be I conclude then that the mode of Prayer in our English Lyturgie doth in the general Nature and quality of it agree with all right modes of publick Prayer whatsoever and with the general Rule by which all right modes of Prayer are to be squared The question is not whether it be the best but whether it is so competently useful as to render Communion in Prayer by it lawful 4. They cannot prove Communion in the Prayers of the Lyturgie unlawful in respect of the method repetitions abruptions responses or conclamations thereby used For so long as the Scriptures in which the duty of Prayer is enjoyned have not determined whether it shall be with the help of a Book or without or whether longer or shorter or whether all the publick Prayer meet for the Assembly shall be put up to God in two or three Prayers or more or whether all shall be pronounced by the Minister only or part by the People also or whether kneeling or standing I cannot see how it will be proved unlawful to do it any of these wayes as circumstances in the case may be For the question before us is not at all which is most convenient where Men are at Liberty to chuse but only what is Lawful or which is to be chosen under a necessity of either using such a mode or of separating It is not unlawful for all the People in a Congregation to pray to God or praise him together with one voyce in singing of Psalms and how then it will be proved unlawful for them to do it in another way of praying I know not We read of many that by their conjunction of voyces were as one to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the Lord 2 Chron. 5.13 They may perhaps think such repetitions of the same Prayer as are used by the Lyturgie may be forbidden by our Saviour when he said when ye Pray use not vain repetitions as the Heathen do Mat. 6. But they will hardly prove it if they do but consider what the vain repetitions which the Heathen used were For there seems to be no likeness or proportion between the repetitions in the Lyturgie and those of the Heathen For they repeated the very same words it may be a hundred times over and more in a little time as they in 1 Kings 18.26 who from Morning untill Noon cryed O Baal hear us O Baal hear us The very same words are used twenty six times in Psal 136. and often in many other Psalms and yet I dare not say they are a vain repetion and I suppose nor they neither * If accompanied with suitable affection without expectation of acceptance meerly for much speaking which makes repetition vain It is said of our Saviour that again he went away and prayed and spake the same words Mark 14.39 5. Although they should be able