attention and kindle an holy flame in the breafts of all fincere worfhippers. I cannot better spend the remaining part of my time, than in pointing out to you the great advantages which we, in this refpect, enjoy, and by that means fhewing you, how inexcufable we are if we neglect to improve them, more inexcufable than the members of any other church, or communion in the Chriftian world. For,

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1. The language, wherein our Service is performed, cannot but be of ufe to fix and keep alive. our attention. Tis our own mother tongue, what all of us are acquainted with; and can therefore liften to with eafe and delight, because we under->› ftand it. There is a church, whofe public prayersTM are put up in a language unknown to the greatest part of those who are to join in them. But how can the heart be affected by the mere found of words, while it is utterly a ftranger to their meaning? The public devotions, therefore, of an unlettered Papist, muft needs be one continued feene of diftractions and wanderings, from the beginning to the end of them.

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"Nor are our offices drawn up only in our own tongue, but in the most easy and plain parts of it, which lie open to Chriftians of the meaneft capa cities and attainments. There is nothing fantafti- ▾ cal in the expreflion of them, no vain ufe of fuch hard phrafes of fcripture as tend rather to amufe and puzzle, than to inftruct common hearers; nothing which approaches to that mysterious, unintelligible way of fpeaking, in which fome either deceiving or deceived Chriftians delight; nothing that favours of fingularity, hypocrify, VOLY IV R.

or

or enthufiafm. Whatever we meet with there, is plain, fimple, natural; and yet at the fame time folemn, majestic, moving; fignificant and full, found and wholefome: It carries both light and heat in it, and is fitted equally to inform the understandings and inflame the affections of the wifeft and weakest of Chriftians. I need not fay how far this excellence of our fervice contributes to roufe and infpirit the attention of thofe who partake of its efpecially, if it be confidered,

2. That these prayers and praifes are offered up in a premeditated form of words, with which every one is before acquainted: For this alfo I must reckon among the peculiar advantages of our way of worship, towards faftening down the minds of men to that holy duty, wherein they are engaged. I grant, indeed, that unpremeditated prayers, attered with great fluency, with a devout warmth and earnestnefs, are apt to make ftrong and awakening impreffions on the minds of the generality of hearers. But it may be doubted, whether the attention thus raised, be that which we are now recommending; whether it be not an attention rather of curiofity and furprize, than of a real piety and found devotion. For a good and confcientious man, who is to join in a prayen, with which he was before unacquainted, muft needs do it with fome little diffidence and fear, left there fhould be any thing in the matter or manner of that prayer, improper and unbecoming: He muft fufpend his affent to those unknown requests, till he has fo far confidered them, as to be fure that they are fit for him to agree in. And while he is thus employing his thoughts on one petition

petition or fentence, another fucceeds, which will require a like degree of fufpence and deliberation And this cannot but check his devotion, by divid ing and breaking the force of his mind. Whereas he, who offers up his requests to God in a known and stated form, has no avocations of this kind to ftruggle with; and can, therefore, apply himfelf directly and vigorously to his holy

and "afk in faith, nothing doubting," James i 6. He fears not, left unfitting requests fhould be made, or fit ones clothed in unfuitable language and is therefore at leifure to excite all the powers and affections of his foul, and to engage them in that spiritual service. This, I fay, is a peculiar advantage, which attends the use of precompofed prayers and if there be many, who do not find and feel this effect of them, it is not, I am perfuaded, the fault of fet forms, but their own! They want attention and fervency in this way of worthip; and they would want it equally, perhaps much more, in any other.

3. It is

yet a further great advantage which we of this communion enjoy, that our fervice is not one continued act of devotion, but is interrupted by many little breaks and paufes, and confifts of feveral diftinct and entire forms of petition and praife; by which means the mind is eafed and relieved from too long and ftrict an attention; retires a little, and returns, as it were, with new ftrength to its duty. The Collects of our Liturgy are to fhort, that a devout Chriftian may, even whilft he is pronouncing his men at the clofe, by a fudden glance of thought, recollect every branch of them; and fo contract into that fingle

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word the whole force of the preceding prayer. Nay, the very frame and contrivance of thefe Collets,is highly useful to raife, and to enliven our devotions, inafmuch as they generally begin with the awful mention of fome of God's attributes, and always end with reminding us of the blood and interceffion of Jefus. And what confiderations in religion are there more operative and more awakening than thefe, which return so often upon our minds, during the courfe of our excellent fervice?

4. Which contributes alfo to render us attent and devout, by that useful and affecting variety, with which it abounds. There is in it a variety of all forts of religious duty, in which a creature can apply itself to its Creator. There we confess our fins, and intercede with God for the pardon of them: There we deprecate the divine judg ments that may be inflicted, and pray for all the bleffings (fpiritual and temporal) that can be beftowed on ourselves, or others; and there we put up our praises and thanksgivings to God for all the inftances of his mercy and goodness towards us. There we hear the holy Scriptures read, and profefs our belief of the great articles of faith; And these diffrent parts of divine worship are fo happily intermixed, and fucceed each other in fo beautiful an order, that the mind of the worshiper has always a new and pleafing employment.

As the priest has his fhare in the performance of thefe offices, fo the people too have theirs; and in a much larger proportion, than belongs to them in any other Chriftian affemblies. Each is employed in ftirring up the other into an holy and

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affectionate emulation of heart and voice; and they do therefore mutually provoke and kindle each other's devotion.

5. I add alfo (in the last place) that the fervice of our fanctuary is particulary contrived to promote attention by the decent, orderly, and folemn manner, in which it is performed. For it is nei ther on the one fide fo very plain and fimple, as not to be able to roufe; nor on the other fo fplendid and gaudy, as to be apt to distract the mind. It is duly tempered between thefe extremes, and partakes of either, as far as either is requifite towards ereating and cherishing a found and reafonable, a warm and active devotion. Pictures indeed, and images, to which the Church of Rome in this cafe has recourse, fix the attention; but it is on a wrong object. A multitude of vain and pompous ceremonies, a variety of of rich habits and ornaments, mufic framed for delight, without improvement: These things, indeed, may render an affembly attent; but fo likewife would a scene in the theatre. The devotion they produce (if indeed they produce any) goes no further than the fenses; it is not that of the heart and fpirit. But with us all the outfide of our worship contributes towards the inward life and reality of it: our churches are decently adorned; they who officiate at our altars, are decently habited; our daily fervice is performed, and our facraments adminiftred, in a becoming and reverend manner; our mufic is always, or always ought to be, grave and folemn. Every part and circumftance of our worship is fo ordered, as to inspire us with an holy reverence and

awe,