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 God will be worshipped in spirit and truth, and more regardeth the f•ame of the heart, then the comeliness of expression; we have no reason to be taken with any thing that pretends to help the tongue, while we are sure it ordinarily hurts the heart: And it is not the affirmations of any men in the world, persuading us of the harmlessness of such a course, that can so far un-man us, as to make us dis-believe both our own experience, and common observation of the effects on others. Yet we confess that some Forms have their laudable use, to cure that error and vice that lieth on the other extreme. And might we but sometimes have the liberty to interpose such words as are needful to call home and quicken attention and affection, we should think that a convenient conjunction of both might be a well-tempered means to the common constitutions of most. But still we see the world will run into extremes, whatever be said or done to hinder it. It is but lately that we were put to it, against one extreme, to defend the lawfulness of a Form of Liturgy; now the other extreme it troubleth us, that we are forced against you, even such as you, to defend the use of such Prayers of the Pastors of the Churches, as are necessarily varied according to subjects and occasions, while you would have no Prayer at all in the Church, but such prescribed Forms. And why may we not add, That whoever maketh the Forms imposed on us, if he use them, is guilty as well as we of praying according to his private Conceptions? And that we never said it proved from Scripture, that Christ appointed any to such an Office, as to make Prayers for other Pastors and Churches to offer up to God: and that this being none of the work of the Apostolical, or common Ministerial Office in the Primitive Church, is no work of any Office of Divine Institution.

and God will be worshipped in spirit and truth, and more regardeth the f•ame of the heart, then the comeliness of expression; we have no reason to be taken with any thing that pretends to help the tongue, while we are sure it ordinarily hurts the heart: And it is not the affirmations of any men in the world, perswading us of the harmlessness of such a course, that can so far un-man us, as to make us dis-believe both our own experience, and common observation of the effects on others. Yet we confess that some Forms have their laudable use, to cure that errour and vice that lyeth on the other extream. And might we but sometimes have the liberty to interpose such words as are needful to call home and quicken attention and affection, we should think that a convenient conjunction of both might be a well-tempered means to the common constitutions of most. But still we see the world will run into extreams, whatever be said or done to hinder it. It is but lately that we were put to it, against one extream, to defend the lawfulness of a Form of Liturgie; now the other extream it troubleth us, that we are forced against you, even such as you, to defend the use of such Prayers of the Pastors of the Churches, as are necessarily varied according to subjects and occasions, while you would have no Prayer at all in the Church, but such prescribed Forms. And why may we not adde, That whoever maketh the Forms imposed on us, if he use them, is guilty as well as we of praying accordig to his private Conceptions? And that we never said it proved from Scripture, that Christ appointed any to such an Office, as to make Prayers for other Pastors and Churches to offer up to God: and that this being none of the work of the Apostolical, or common Ministerial Office in the Primitive Church, is no work of any Office of Divine Institution.