( 369 ) . Some Miniflers have a People that are fcrupulous of ufing forms, and fome have people that fcruple the difufing them , and force have both forts mixt. 3. Some Churches live under Zvlagiftrates that command a form, or with Churchesthat unanimoufly agree on a form ; and others live in times and places where there is no fuck commands or Agreements, And according to there differences it 'May be one mans duty, and anothers fin toufe force forms. s. Gods work fhould be done in the moll edifying manner. Where Minifters are able to perform the publick prayers ofthe Church in the moll profitable manner without a form, there it is their duty to difufe a form, unlefs Tome other greater acci- dent preponderate. Stillremember that for Pfalms and other fore-excepted parts, I take it for granted that ordinarily a form isneceffary. But our main querion now is of Praying and Preaching, and that efpecially with refped to one 'landing form that is not ufually varied in Prayer , and an impofed form, or cotnpofed by others, in Preaching. It fhould be theordina- rycafe ofthe Church that Minifers fhould be able to do there without á conftant form of words , to the peoples greater edifi- cation. But yet' t is not alway fo. And where it is not, it is better for Minifters toufe a form, then todo worfe,and difho- nour the work of God, and wrong the Church by their errone- ous or over.rude defective management. I know the great obje- dionwill be, that loch menare not fit to be Miniflers, and that its better to have none. But this is fooner faid then proved. I am far from delringany manto undervalue theprecious mer- cy of an able Miniftry, and from wifhing for formalities and reading- Pallors inftead of the learned able guides that we . here enjoy. I htípe I fhould do or futTer as much as another to pre- vent fogreat a Calamity as an ignorant, unable, or negligent Miniftry. But yet I am fully fatisfiedof.it, that its better for the Church to have Readers then none. r. Confider that there have been forcevery LearnedableDi- vines (Donors of Divinity ) that byage , or other decay of Memory, or natural impediments difabling them from extempb rate performances, cannot do any thing in the worfhipof God without the help of Notesor books; or at leaft without prepa- Bbb ration
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