votion. A fameness in any thing foon fatiates and wearies us; and it is as difficult to keep the mind as it is the body, long in one pofture. But by the beautiful intermixture of prayer and praise, of fupplication and thanksgiving, of confeffion and abfolution, of hymns and creeds, of pfalms and leffons, our weariness is relieved, our attention is renewed, and we are led on agreeably from one fubject to another, and by means of the variety are fcarcely fenfible of the length of our fervice. The frame of our liturgy is fomewhat like the frame of the world; 'tis order in variety, and tho' all the parts are different, yet the whole is confiftent and regular.

7. What renders it yet more excellent is it's comprehensiveness, including all that we can want or defire. The exhortation of the Apostle 1 Tim. ii. is religiously observed; and fupplications, prayers, intercessions and giving

I, 2.

of

of thanks are made for all men, for kings and for all that are in authority. Indeed there is nothing that relates either to ourselves or others, nothing that concerns us either as men or members of fociety, nothing that conduces to our happiness in this world or the world to come, but is comprehended in fome or other of the petitions. A form of prayer for general ufe could not well be made more particular; and it is easy, while the minifter is reading it, with a fudden glance of thought to appropriate and apply any paffages to ourselves and our own cafe. A great deal is expreffed, but more is implied; and our devotions in our clofets and in our families we cannot perhaps better express than in the words of our liturgy, it is fo fuited to all ranks and conditions, and adapted to all wants and occafions.

8. The congregation have particular reason to be pleafed, as they

have

have a larger share in our fervice than in any other whatever: and the minifter and people mutually raise and inflame each other's devotion. In the church of Rome the congregation are, fo far from having any hare in the service, that they do no fo much as understand it; but the priest mutters over his Latin prayers to himfelf, and the people every one their particular prayers to themfelves; and fo they depart fome fooner and fome later, juft as they happen to have finifh'd their devotions. And among our proteftant diffenters there is commonly one long-winded tedious extemporary prayer; the people are only hearers, and they muft hear before they can understand, and they must understand before they can approve, and they must approve before they can join in any petition, all which is impoffible to be done in an inftant while one is fpeaking. It is a fingular privilege therefore, that

Our

our people enjoy, of bearing fo large a part in our fervice; and it is this that properly denominates ours, what really none else is, a book of Common Prayer.

In a word our liturgy is in every refpect excellently contrived and fitted to promote true devotion. The language is fo plain as to be level to the capacities of the meaneft, and yet the fenfe fo noble as to raise the conceptions of the greatest. And the manner, in which our service is performed, is worthy of the matter; our churches plain and folemn, neither painted and adorned like a theater on the one hand, nor yet intirely unadorned like a common room on the other; our vestments fuitable and becoming, and the very emblem of holiness, for as St. John faith, the fine linnen clean Rev. xix, and white is the righteousness of faints; our ceremonies neither too many nor too few, fuch as may excite and cherish and not fuch as may diftract and

diffi

8.

diffipate our devotion. All things are done, as the Apostle would have them

1 Cor. xiv. done, decently and in order; and if

40.

our piety is not eminent and confpicuous in proportion to our advantages, it is because we are wanting to ourfelves, not because our church hath been wanting in making proper provifion for us.

As we have therefore fuch an excellent form of prayer, let us reverence it accordingly; refort to it frequently; attend to it devoutly; accompany it not only with our lips but with our hearts; repeat what we are to repeat, and answer where we are to anfwer, but never incroach upon another's office, never repeat the abfolution after the minifter, never fay our prayers aloud to disturb the rest of the congregation; join in every prayer with our mind, and in every amen with our voice, and in all respects behave like those who are in the more immediate prefence of God;

.

and