4. Or to tell you how unable I have •ound back-biters, to prove their accusations in doctrinals to my face? 5. Or to tell you, that some (even Independents) persuaded me, when I was silenced to write sermons for some of the weaker Conformists (such as are too many youths from the University) to preach? Where lieth the pride of these expressions? Is it in supposing that there are any Conformists weaker than my self? Whether, think you, this brother or I, think meanlier of them? Or set our selves at the greater distance from them? 6. When I plead against charging forms with [Idolatry] I say, that for my self [it is twenty times harder to me to remember a form of words, than to express what is in my mind without them.] If this be not true, why did you not question the truth of it? If it be, why is it pride to utter it, as a proof that I plead for Love, and not for my own interest? Is it pride to confess so openly the weakness of my memory? I never learnt a Sermon without book in my life: I think I could not learn an hours speech, sufficiently to utter the very words by memory in a fortnights time. And is it pride for a man to say that he can easier speak what is in his mind? Truly brother, I was so far from intending it as a boast, that I meant it as a ⟨p. 23⟩diminution of the over-valued honour of present extemporary expression, and to tell you, that I take it to be so far from proving that your prayers only are accepted of God, before a form, as signifying more grace,1 that I take it to be an easier thing for an accustomed man that hath not a diseased hesitancy to speak extempore what is in his mind, than to learn a form without book; And that they tha• do this, do serve God with as much labour and cost as you do? Do I boast, or do I not speak the common case of most Ministers, when I truly say, That when I take most pains for a Sermon, I write every word: when I take a little pains I write the heads; but when business hindereth me from taking any pains, I do neither, but speak what is in my mind; which I suppose others as well as I, could do all the day and week together, if weariness did not interrupt them. I seek by these words but to abate their pride that think themselves spiritual, because they can pray or preach without book;
4. Or to tell you how unable I have •ound back-biters, to prove their accusations in doctrinals to my face? 5. Or to tell you, that some (even Independents) perswaded me, when I was silenced to write sermons for some of the weaker Conformists (such as are too many youths from the University) to preach? Where lieth the pride of these expressions? Is it in supposing that there are any Conformists weaker than my self? Whether, think you, this brother or I, think meanlier of them? Or set our selves at the greater distance from them? 6. When I plead against charging forms with [Idolatry] I say, that for my self [it is twenty times harder to me to remember a form of words, than to express what is in my mind without them.] If this be not true, why did you not question the truth of it? If it be, why is it pride to utter it, as a proof that I plead for Love, and not for my own interest? Is it pride to confess so openly the weakness of my memory? I never learnt a Sermon without book in my life: I think I could not learn an hours speech, sufficiently to utter the very words by memory in a fortnights time. And is it pride for a man to say that he can easier speak what is in his mind? Truly brother, I was so far from intending it as a boast, that I meant it as a ⟨p. 23⟩dimin•tion of the over-valued honour of present extemporary expression, and to tell you, that I take it to be so far from proving that your prayers only are accepted of God, before a form, as signifying more grace,1 that I take it to be an easier thing for an accustomed man that hath not a diseased hesitancy to speak extempore what is in his mind, than to learn a form without book; And that they tha• do this, do serve God with as much labour and cost as you do? Do I boast, or do I not speak the common case of most Ministers, when I truly say, That when I take most pains for a Sermon, I write every word: when I take a little pains I write the heads; but when business hindereth me from taking any pains, I do neither, but speak what is in my mind; which I suppose others as well as I, could do all the day and week together, if weariness did not interrupt them. I seek by these words but to abate their pride that think themselves spiritual, because they can pray or preach without book;
