be but mortal men, though peculiarly
dedicated to GOD and His service; their behaviour, their condition and
circumstances of life, will necessarily come into our value and esteem of
them. And therefore it is no purpose for men to say "that this need not
be, it being but mere prejudice, humour, and fancy: and that if the man
be but truly in Holy Orders; that is the great matter! and from thence
come blessings, absolution and intercession through CHRIST with GOD. And
that it is not Philosophy, Languages, Ecclesiastical History, Prudence,
Discretion, and Reputation, by which the Minister can help us on towards
heaven."

Notwithstanding this, I say again, that seeing men are men, and seeing
that we are of the Church of England and not of that of Rome, these
things ought to be weighed and considered; and for want of being so, our
Church of England has suffered much.

And I am almost confident that, since the Reformation, nothing has more
hindered people from a just estimation of a _Form of Prayer_ and our holy
_Liturgy_ than employing a company of boys, or old illiterate mumblers, to
read the _Service_. And I do verily believe, that, at this very day,
especially in Cities and Corporations, which make up the third part of
our nation, there is nothing that does more keep back some dissatisfied
people from Church till _Service_ be over, than that it is read by some
L10 or L12 man, with whose parts and education they are so well
acquainted, as to have reason to know that he has but skill enough to
read the _Lessons_ with twice conning over. And though the office of the
Reader be only to read word for word, and neither to invent or expound:
yet people love he should be a person of such worth and knowledge, as it
may be supposed he understands what he reads.

And although for some it were too burdensome a task to read the _Service_
twice a day, and preach as often; yet certainly it were much better if the
people had but one sermon in a fortnight or month, so the _Service_ were
performed by a knowing and valuable person, than to run an unlearned rout
of contemptible people into Holy Orders, on purpose only to say the
_Prayers_ of the Church, who perhaps shall understand very little more
than a hollow pipe made of tin or wainscoat.

Neither do I here at all reflect upon Cathedrals, where the _Prayers_ are
usually read by some grave and worthy person. And as for the unlearned
singers, whether boys or men, there is no complaint to