The grand debate between the most reverend bishops and the Presbyterian divines appointed by His Sacred Majesty as commissioners for the review and alteration of the Book of common prayer, &c. : being an exact account of their whole proceedings : the most perfect copy.

Repl. If general words be its perfection, its very culpable in tediousnesse and vain repetitions; For what need you more than (Lord be merciful to us sinners.) There's together a general confession of Sin, and a general Prayer for mercy, which com∣prehend all the particulars of the peoples Sins, and wants. We gave you our reason, which you answer not; Confession is the exercise of Repentance, and also the helper of it; And it is noe true repentance which is not particular, but only general. If you say that you repent that you have sinned, and know not where, or do not repent of any particular sin, you do not indeed repent, for Sin is not existent but in the Individuals: And if you ask for grace, and know nor what grace, or desire no particular graces; indeed you desire not grace at all: We know there is time and use for general Confessions, and Requests; But still as implying particulars, as having gone before, or following, or at least it must be supposed, that the people understand the particulars included and have inward confessions and desires of them: Which can∣not here be supposed, when they are not all mentioned, not can the people generally be supposed to have such quick and compre∣hensive

minds, nor is there leisure to exercise such particular re∣pentance or desire, while a general is named: And we beseech you let Scripture be Judge, whether the Confessions and Pray∣ers of the Servants of God have not been particular; As to your objection or reason, we answer; 1. There are general Prayers with the particular, or without them. 2, There are particular Confessions and Prayers proper to some few Christians, and there are others common to all; It is these that we expect, and not the former. 3. The Churches Prayers must be suited to the body of the Assembly, though perhaps some one, or few may be in a state not fit for such expressions: What a lamentable Li∣turgy will you have, if you have nothing in it, but what every one in the Congregation may say as true of and suitable to them∣selves? Then you must leave out all Thanksgiving for our Justi∣fication and forgivenesse of sin, and adoption, and title to glo∣ry, &c. because many in the Assembly are Hipocrites, and have no such mercies, and many more that are sincere, are mistaken in their own condition, and know not that they have the mercies which they have, and therefore dare not give thanks for them, lest they speak an untruth: Then the Liturgy that now speaks as in the persons of the Sanctified must be changed, that the two fore-mentioned sorts, (or the latter at least) may consent; and when you have done, it will be unsuitable to those that are in a better state, and have the knowledge of their Justification. This is the Argument which the Sectaries used against singing of Davids Psalms in the Congregations, because there is much in them, that many cannot truly say of themselves. But the Church must not go out of that way of worship prescribed by God, and suired to the state of the ordinary sort of the spiritual Worship∣pers, because of the distempers, or the super-eminent excellen∣cies of some few: It were easy to go over Davids Psalms and your own Liturgy, and shew you very much that by this Ar∣gument must be cast out: He that finds any passage unsuitable to himself, is not to speak it of himself.