Sure we may as well beforehand know what we pray, as to whom we pray; and in what word, as to what sense; when we desire the same things, what hinders we may not use the same words? our appetite and digestion too may be good, when we use, as we pray for, _our daily bread_. Some men, I hear, are so impatient not to use in all their devotions their own invention and gifts, that they not only disuse (as too many) but wholly cast away and contemn the _Lords Prayer_: whose great guilt is, that it is the warrant and originall patern of all set Liturgies in the Christian Church. I ever thought that the proud ostentation of mens abilities for invention, and the vain affectation of variety for expressions, in publike prayer, or any sacred administrations, merits a greater brand of sin, then that which they call coldness and Barrenness: Nor are men in those novelties less subject to formall and superficiall tempers, (as to their hearts) then in the use of constant Forms, where not the words, but mens hearts are to blame. I make no doubt but a man may be very formall in the most extemporary variety; & very fervently devout in the most wonted expressions: Nor is God more a God of variety, than of constancy: Nor are constant Forms of prayers more likely to flat, and hinder the Spirit of Prayer and Devotion, than an unpremeditated and confused variety, to distract and lose it. Though I am not against a grave, modest, discreet, and humble use of Ministers gifts, even in publique, the better to fit, and excite their owne, and the peoples affections to the present occasions: yet I know no necessity why private and single abilities should quite justle out, & deprive the Church of the joynt abilities and concurrent gifts of many learned and godly men; such as the Composers of the Service-Book were; who may in all reason be thought to have more of gifts & graces enabling them to compose with serious deliberation & concurrent advice, such Forms of prayers, as may best fit the Churches common wants, inform the Hearers understanding, and stir up that fiduciary and fervent application of their spirits (wherein consists the very life and soul of prayer, and that so much pretended Spirit of prayer) then any private man by his solitary abilities, can be presumed to have; which, what they are many times (even there, where they make a great noise and shew) the affectations, emptinesse, impertinency, rudenesse, confusions, flatnesse, levity, obscurity, vain and ridiculous repetitions, the senslesse, and oft-times blasphemous expressions; all these burthened with a most tedious and intolerable length, do sufficiently convince all men, but those who glory in that Pharisaick way. Wherein men must be strangely impudent, and flatterers of themselves, not to have an infinite shame of what they do and say, in things of so sacred a nature, before God and the Church, after so ridiculous, and indeed, profane a manner.