An account of all the proceedings of the commissioners of both persuasions appointedAn accompt of all the proceedings of the commissioners of both persvvasions appointed

And we must add, That whatsoever can be expected duly to affect the heart, must keep the intellect, and all the faculties awake in diligent attention and exercise: And in the use of a Form, which we have frequently heard and read, the faculties are not so necessitated and urged to attention, and serious exercise, as they be when from our own understanding we are set about the natural work of representing to others what we discern and feel. Mans mind is naturally slothful, and will take its ease, and remit its seriousness longer then it is urged by necessity, or drawn out by delight: When we know beforehand, that we have no more to do, but read a Prayer or Homily, we shall ordinarily be in danger of letting our minds go another way, and think of other matters, and be senseless of the work in hand. Though he is but an Hypocrite that is carried on by no greater motive then mans observation and approbation; yet is it a help not to be despised, when even a necessity of avoiding just shame with men, shall necessarily awake our invention, and all our faculties to the work, and be a concurrent help with spiritual motives. And common experience tells us, That the best are apt to loose a great deal of their affection by the constant use of the same words or forms. Let the same Sermon be preached an hundred times over, and try whether an hundred for one will not be much less moved by it, then they were at first. It is not only the common corruption of our nature, but somewhat of innocent infirmity that is the cause of this. And man must cease to be man, or to be mortal, before it will be otherwise. So that the nature of the thing, and the common experience of our own dispositions, and of ⟨p. 24⟩the effect on others, assureth us, that understanding serious Godliness, is like to be extinguished, if only Forms be allowed in the Church, on pretence of extinguishing errors and divisions: And though we have concurred to offer you our more corrected Nepent•es, yet must we before God and me•, protest against the dose of Opium which you here prescribe or wish for, as that which plainly tendeth to cure the disease by the extinguishing of life, and to unite us all in a dead Religion. And when the Prayers that avail must be effectual and serve •t, Jam 5. 16.

And we must adde, That whatsoever can be expected duely to affect the heart, must keep the intellect, and all the faculties awake in diligent attention and exercise: And in the use of a Form, which we have frequently heard and read, the faculties are not so necessitated and urged to attention, and serious exercise, as they be when from our own understanding we are set about the natural work of representing to others what we discern and feel. Mans minde is naturally sloathful, and will take its ease, and remit its seriousness longer then it is urged by necessity, or drawn out by delight: When we know beforehand, that we have no more to do, but read a Prayer or Homily, we shall ordinarily be in danger of letting our minds go another way, and think of other matters, and be senceless of the work in hand. Though he is but an Hypocrite that is carried on by no greater motive then mans observation and approbation; yet is it a help not to be despised, when even a necessity of avoiding just shame with men, shall necessarily awake our invention, and all our faculties to the work, and be a concurrent help with spiritual motives. And common experience tells us, That the best are apt to loose a great deal of their affection by the constant use of the same words or forms. Let the same Sermon be preached an hundred times over, and try whether an hundred for one will not be much less moved by it, then they were at first. It is not onely the common corruption of our nature, but somewhat of innocent infirmity that is the cause of this. And man must cease to be man, or to be mortal, before it will be otherwise. So that the nature of the thing, and the common experience of our own dispositions, and of