"
[Footnote: _Idem_, p. 9.] They dwelt with pathos upon those sacred rites
desecrated by these "unsanctified" "young men" in their "miserable
pamphlet." "The Lord is exceedingly glorified, and his people are edified,
by the accounts, which the candidates, of the communion in our churches
give of that self-examination which is by plain institution ... a
qualification, of the communicants. Now these think it not enough to
charge the churches, which require & expect such accounts, with
exceedingly provoking the Lord. But of the tears dropt by holy souls
on those occasions, they say with a scoff, 'whether they be for joy or
grief, we are left in the dark.'" [Footnote: _Collection of Some of the
More Offensive Matters_, p. 6.] But the suffering divines found peace
in knowing that Christ himself would inflict the punishment upon these
abandoned men which the priests would have meted out with holy joy had
they still possessed the power.
"Considering that the things contained in their pamphlet, are a deep
apostasy, in conjunction with such open impiety, and profane scurrility
against the holy wayes in which our fathers walked, in case it become the
sin of the land, (as it will do if not duely testified against) we may
fear that some heavy judgment will come upon the whole land. And will not
the holy Lord Jesus Christ, who walks in the midst of his golden
candlesticks, make all the churches to know .
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