Page:Winding-sheet for the service-book, &c., or, Reasons for which the Book of Common Prayer urged upon Scotland, anno 1637, and now practised in many places in that kingdom, ought to be refused.pdf/4

 feeling or bleſſing, worke upon an unrenewed Heart

Sixthly, It will never ſerve to convince an Heriticke, check a prophane Perſon, or to waken a ſecure Soul; they may long go on, ere ſuch a Service byte upon them; yea, it ſoſters People in a preſumptuous Conceit, that they are well enough if they be preſent, and ſay their Part of Service.

Seventhly, It foſters a laſie Miniſtrie, and makes Way for putting down Preaching; they need take no Paynes, and therefore need no Stipend: Yea, they may come from the Ail-houſe, or a worſe Place, and ſtep to and read their Service, without eyther Check or Preparation.

Eyghtly, It may all be done by a Boy of seven years old and ſo every private Man that can read; yea, a Turk, if he can read, may be ſuch a Miniſter.

Ninthly, It cannot expreſſe the ſeverall Needs of all to God, or deal with them, according to their ſeverall Eſtates that will alter otherwiſe then any preſcript Forme can be applyed to.

Tenthly, If any one ſtinted Liturgie had been good, needfull, no doubt but CHRIST would have ſet One down for us.

VI. Though a perſcript Form of Liturgie were lawfully, there is no Warrand for impoſing One: For might not  Miniſters (at leaſt) make a preſcript Forme, to themſelves which would fit them and their People beſt? But if it were lawfull to impoſe One, then there is One in this countrie already. Ought not that rather be impoſed, than any Other ſeeing it is already eſtabliſhed by Parliament, now of a Time? But now, if a new One ought to be impoſed, then ought to come in by a lawfull Manner; by a General Aſſemblie, and Men choſen to make it, that are known to have  Gift of Prayer themſelves, and not the Maſſe-Book, tranſlated into Engliſh, urged by Antichriſtian-Prelats,  God's People, without Conſent of any Generall Aſſemblie  Parliament, againſt the Will of all Men; and with no  Offence and Scandall to the Minds and Conſciences of ſuch as think all Liturgie unlawfull, that is eyther in the  way, or inconſiſtent with the Practiſe and Peace of the Reformed Churches of Scotland hitherto; and againſt the Heart of ſuch, as know many Things in the Engliſh Liturgie and Canons, which the Practiſe of, neyther hath Warrand  God's Word, nor can bring any ſuch Addition, to the Profit, Honour or Power of the King, that is able to compenſate