Angels, but to Men. Indeed, every Attribute of the divine Nature, every Inftance of his Power and Wisdom, every Difpenfation of his Providence, every Act of his Goodnefs, deferves to be admired and adored by all his Creatures. Let us therefore praise the Lord: for it is good to fing Praises unto our God; for it is pleafant, and Praife is comely. Let us make it our frequent Employment and Delight here on Earth, as it will be our conftant Employment, and conftitute the principal Part of our Happiness hereafter in Heaven 3dly. We come "to hear his most holy Word" read to us in the Leffons, and other Portions of Scripture (moft judiciously chofen for our Edification) and expounded in the Sermon. Among the many Bleffings we of this Nation enjoy, it is none of the leaft, that we have free Access to the facred Oracles of God, can read them ourfelves, as well as hear them explained by our Teachers; a Privilege denied to the Members of the Church of Rome, by their Clergy, who, with no lefs Policy than Wickedness, keep the People in profound Ignorance, loving Darkness rather than Light, because their

Deeds

1

Deeds are evil! But let us always remember, that it will be of no Ufe to us, to have the Word of God open to us, unless we read and hear it with the most diligent Care and Attention, and endeavour to improve by it, by informing our Understandings, and regulats ing our Lives and Actions by that unerring Rule of Faith and Practice. How careful fhould the Clergy be to inftruct their Flock from thefe Treafures of true Knowledge and Wisdom, and how attentive ought the People to be to their Inftructions ! The laft End of our coming to Church is, "to afk those Things which are requifite and neceffary as well for the Body as the Soul;" not to inform God of our Wants (for He knoweth what Things we have Need of before we afk Him) but to exprefs our Senfe of our intire Dependance on Him, who giveth us all Things richly to enjoy and who has promifed, that if we afk, it fhall be given us; if we feek, we fshall find; "if we knock, it shall be opened unto us. Only we 'must ask in Faith, nothing wavering; being af fured that God will grant our Petitions, fo far as He fees needful both for our Souls and Bodies provided alfo, that we lift up clean Hands

and a pure Heart; always remembering, that the fervent Prayer of a RIGHTEOUS Man (but of no other) availeth much. How admirably our Liturgy is contrived to answer this particular End of Supplication, as well as the other Ends of our affembling together before fpecified, I hope to make appear in the Sequel. The Exhortation concludes with the following Direction: "Wherefore I pray and befeech you, as many as are here prefent," (and furely no good Chriftian would now be abfent)" to accompany me, with a pure Heart, and humble Voice, unto the Throne of the heavenly Grace, faying after me."-Though the Purity of the Heart is doubtless the first and principal Thing to be regarded in all our Addreffes to the Almighty, yet the proper Regulation of the Voice is by no means to be neglected. Indeed an humble, lowly Heart will naturally produce a low and humble Voice; fuch as becomes finful Creatures, when confeffing their Sins, or offering up their Prayers to their great Creator. How fhockingly indecent then (to fay no worse) is that Custom, too common amongst us, of bawling and roaring

out

out the Confeffion, and other Parts of the Service, as if we thought we should be heard

*

for our loud speaking! As our Minds and Voices, fo the Pofture of our Bodies likewife, fhould be as humble and lowly as poffible; and none certainly can be fo proper, both in the Confeffion and in all our Prayers, as what our Church prescribes, that of kneeling. We fcruple not to use this Pofture to our earthly Princes and Governors, when we have offended them, and fue for Pardon how then dare we refufe it to the Majefty of Heaven, against whom we have all rebelled, when we fupplicate his Mercy and Forgivenefs, on which our everlasting Happiness intirely depends?

A Arange Cuftom prevails in many of our CountryChurches, especially where the new Mode of Pfalm-finging has been introduced, of making the Refponfes in a Sort of chanting Tone; which is not only very improper in itself (where there is no Choir) but greatly confounds the reft of the Congregation, and diftreffes the Minifter, who must either make a long Pause after every Sentence, or else begin the next, before the Mock-Chanters have finished their Part. What a Pity it is that our Clergy do not put a Stop to this indecent Piece of Affectation!

Age

A general Confeffion to be faid of the whole Congregation after the Minifter, all kneeling.

Almighty and moft merciful Father !" Of all the Attributes of God, there are none fo proper for our Contemplation, when we are about to confefs our Sins unto Him, as his Omnipotence and Goodness. The former fills us with a reverential Awe and holy Fear; the latter with a filial Love, a reviving Hope, and humble Confidence. For as his Power, so his Goodness, is infinite. As He is able to inflict on us the Punishment which our Sins deferve, fo He is no lefs willing to fave, and ready to forgive us, if by hearty Repentance and true Faith we become fit, Objects of his Mercy. We also invoke Him by the endearing Appellation of Father (according to the Direction given us by our Lord in his Prayer) thereby confidering Him d as the Author and Preferver of our Being, and above all as our Father by Redemption, having begotten us again unto a lively Hope in a Christ Jefus, and made us accepted in the Be

2

"

loved.