A Christian Directory

10. And it is a great difficulty to many Ministers to learn and say a form without book; so that they that can all day speak what they know, can scarce recite a form of words one quarter of an hour, the memory more depending upon the body and its temper, than the exercise of the understanding doth. He that is tied just to these words and no other, is put upon double difficulties (like him that on height must walk on a narrow plank, where the fear of falling will make him fall) But he that may express the just desires of his soul in what words occur that are apt and decent, is like one that hath a field to walk in: For my own part, it is easier to me to pray or preach six hours in freedom, about things which I understand, than to pray or preach the tenth part of an hour in the fetters of a form of words which I must not vary. And so the necessity of a Book coming in, doth bring down the reputation of the Ministers abilities, in the peoples eyes.

10. And it is a great difficulty to many Ministers to learn and say a form without book; so that they that can all day speak what they know, can scarce recite a form of words one quarter of an hour, the memory more depending upon the body and its temper, than the exercise of the understanding doth. He that is tyed just to these words and no other, is put upon double difficulties (like him that on height must walk on a narrow plank, where the fear of falling will make him fall) But he that may express the just desires of his soul in what words occur that are apt and decent, is like one that hath a field to walk in: For my own part, it is easier to me to pray or preach six hours in freedome, about things which I understand, than to pray or preach the tenth part of an hour in the fetters of a form of words which I must not vary. And so the necessity of a Book coming in, doth bring down the reputation of the Ministers abilities, in the peoples eyes.

11. But the grand incommodity greater than all the rest is, that it usually occasioneth carelessness, deadness, formality and heartless lip-labour in our prayers to God; whilst the free way of present prayer tendeth to excite our Cogitation• to consider what we say. And it is not only the multitude of dead-hearted hypocrites in the Church, that are thus tempted to persevere in their lip-labour and hypocrisy, and to draw near to God with their lips when their hearts are far from him, and are gratified in their self-deceit, whilst Parrot-like they speak the words which they regard not, and their tongues do overgo their hearts: But even better men are greatly tempted to dead remissness: I mean both the speakers and the hearers: For, 1. It is natural to mans mind to have a slothful weariness as well as his body; and to do no more than he findeth a necessity of doing: And though Gods presence alone should suffice to engage all the powers of our souls, yet sad experience telleth us, that Gods eye and mans together will do more with almost all men, than one alone. And therefore no mens Thoughts are so accurately governed as their words. Therefore when a Minister knoweth before hand that, as to mans approbation, he hath no more to do, but to Read that which he seeth before him, he is apt to let his Thoughts fly abroad, and his affections lye down, because no man taketh account of these. But in extemporate diversified prayer, a man cannot do it without an excitation of his understanding to think (to the utmost) what to say; and an excitation of his Affections, to speak with life, or else the hearers will perceive his coldness. And though all this may be Counterfeit and hypocritically affected, yet it is a great help to seriousness and sincerity, to have the faculties all awake: And it is a great help to awaken them, to be under such a constant necessity even from man. As those that are apt to sleep at prayer, will do it less when they know men observe them, than at another time.