Concerning the Unlawfulness of Common Prayer Worship, Title page – To the reader
A Brief DISCOURSE Concerning the UNLAWFULNESS of the Common-Prayer-WORSHIP; AND OF Laying the HAND on AND Kissing the BOOK IN SVVEARING.
By a Reverend and Learned Divine.
The Second Impression.
2 Kings 18. 4.
He removed the high places, and brake the Images, and cut down the Groves, and brake in pieces the brasen Serpent that Moses had made; for unto those dayes the Children of Israel did burn Incense to it; and he called it Nehushtan.
Reprinted at London in the Year 1689.
TO THE READER.
THE following Discourse falling into my hands, my Affection to the labouring Truths therein argued for, and my concernedness for the Information of them, that I am every way bound to be a Well-wisher to, quickly made me sensible, that to keep it in a private hand would be a more culpable Concealment of a Treasure, than to bury Gold; especially since the Golden mouth'd Ancient hath long since convinced, that to conceal the Truth is to betray it. That this Lamp of the Sanctuary then may give Light unto the whole House, the Press hath been imployed to Communicate it; blessed be GOD for the Advantage which the Church now Enjoys above former Ages, in so diffusive an Instrument of all Knowledge and Goodness, as that of Printing is become. I shall forbear to declare unto the World the Name of that worthy Person unto whom we are beholden for this Elaborate Composure, only that it hath for its Author a Learned and Pious Minister: I should be loth to occasion him any trouble; and shall entreat the Reverend Author to pardon my not asking his Consent in thus disposing of his Manuscript, and I am sure he will not be offended with me, when he shall hear that many hundreds have been thereby Established in the present Truth.
T. P.
SIR,
MUltiplicity of Occasions and Diversions will not permit me to return an Elaborate Answer to every one that shall send Questions to me. But as for your self, I have peculiar Cause to respect, and endeavour your Satisfaction. And inasmuch as the Enquiries which you have Communicated to me, are both Weighty and Seasonable, I have thought it Operae pretium, to spend some hours in Searching into the Controverted Subjects, being also ready (as in Duty I am bound) to give a Reason of my Perswasion to such as shall in Seriousness demand it of me.
Your first Question is thus Proposed,