must needs be one continued scene of distractions and wanderings, from the beginning to the end of them.

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 Christians of the meanest capacities and attainments. There is nothing fantastical in the expression of them, no vain use of such hard phrases of Scripture as tend rather to amuse and puzzle, than to instruct common hearers; nothing which approaches to that mysterious, unintelligible way of speaking, in which some either deceiving or deceived Christians delight; nothing that savours of singularity, hypocrisy, or enthusiasm. Whatever we meet with there, is plain, simple, natural; and yet at the same time solemn, majestic, moving; significant and full, sound and wholesome: it carries both light and heat in it, and is fitted equally to inform the understandings, and inflame the affections of the wisest and weakest of Christians. I need not say how far this excellence of our service contributes to rouse and inspirit the attention of those who partake of it; especially, if it be considered,

2. That these prayers and praises are offered up in a premeditated form of words, with which every one is before acquainted: for this also I must reckon among the peculiar advantages of our way of worship, towards fastening down the minds of men to that holy duty, wherein they are engaged. I grant indeed, that unpremeditated prayers, uttered with great fluency, with a devout warmth and earnestness, are apt to make strong and awakening impressions 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 curiosity and surprise, than of a real piety and sound devotion. For a good and conscientious man, who is to join in a prayer, with which he was before unacquainted, must needs do it with some little diffidence and fear, lest there should be any thing in the matter or manner of that prayer, improper and unbecoming: he must suspend his

assent to those unknown requests, till he has so far considered them, as to be sure that they are fit for him to agree in. And while he is thus employing his thoughts on one petition or sentence, another succeeds, which will require a like degree of suspense and deliberation: and this cannot but check his devotion, by dividing 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 struggle with; and can, therefore, apply himself directly and vigorously to his holy task, and ask in faith, nothing doubting, James i. 6. He fears not, lest unfitting requests should be made, or fit ones clothed in unsuitable language; and is therefore at leisure to excite all the powers and affections of his soul, and to engage them in that spiritual service. This, say, is a peculiar advantage, which attends the use of precomposed prayers; and if there be many, who do not find and feel this effect of them, it is not, I am persuaded, the fault of set forms, but their own: they want attention and fervency in this way of worship; and they would want it equally, perhaps much more, in any other.

I

3. It is yet a further great advantage which we of this communion enjoy, that our service is not one continued act of devotion, but is interrupted by many little breaks and pauses, and consists of several distinct and entire forms of petition and praise; by which means the mind is eased and relieved from too long and strict an attention; retires a little, and returns as it were, with new strength to its duty. The Collects of our Liturgy are so short, that a devout Christian may, even whilst he is pronouncing his "Amen" at the close, by a sudden glance of thought, recollect every branch of them; and so contract into that single word the whole force of the preceding prayer. Nay, the very force and contrivance of these collects, is highly useful to raise, and to enliven our devotions, inasmuch as they generally begin with the awful mention of some of God's attributes, and always end with reminding us of the blood and intercession of Jesus. And what considerations in religion are there

more operative and more awakening than these, which return so often upon our minds, during the course of our excellent service?

4. Which contributes also to render us attent and devout, by that useful and affecting variety, with which it abounds. There is in it a variety of all sorts of religious duty, in which a creature can apply itself to its Creator. There we confess our sins, and intercede with God for the pardon of them: there we deprecate the divine judgments that may be inflicted, and pray for all the blessings, spiritual and temporal, that can be bestowed on ourselves or others; and there we put up our praises and thanksgivings to God for all the instances of his mercy and goodness towards us. There we hear the holy Scriptures read, and profess our belief of the great articles of faith: and these different parts of divine worship are so happily intermixed, and succeed each other in so beautiful an order, that the mind of the worshipper has always a new and pleasing employment.

As the priest has his share in the performance of these offices, so the people too have theirs; and in a much larger proportion, than belongs to them in any other christian assemblies. Each is employed in stirring up the other into an holy and affectionate emulation of heart and voice; and they do therefore mutually provoke and kindle each other's devotion.

5. I add also, in the last place, that the service of our sanctuary is particularly contrived to promote attention by the decent, orderly, and solemn manner, in which it is performed. For it is neither on the one side so very plain and simple, as not to be able to rouse; nor on the other so splendid and gaudy, as to be apt to distract the mind. It is duly tempered between these extremes, and partakes of either, as far as either is requisite towards creating and cherishing a sound and reasonable, a warm and active devotion. Pictures, indeed, and images, to which the church of Rome in this case has recourse, fix the attention; but it is on a wrong object. A multitude of vain and pompous ceremonies, a variety of rich

habits and ornaments, music framed for delight, without improvement: these things, indeed, may render an assembly attent; but so likewise would a scene in the theatre. The devotion they produce, if indeed they produce any, goes no further than the senses; it is not that of the heart and spirit. But with us all the outside 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 service is performed, and our sacraments administered, in a becoming and reverend manner; our music is always, or always ought to be, grave and solemn. Every part and circumstance of our worship is so ordered, as to inspire us with an holy reverence and awe, and so far to keep the outward senses awake, as their vigilance may be of use to give wings to our devotion, and vigour to our minds.

Since, therefore, we have so many signal helps and advantages towards worshipping God in his sanctuary with an heavenly frame and temper of soul, let us resolve from this moment to make a due use of them; to repair often to the house of God with holy reverence and awe, and to lift up our hearts, together with our hands, whenever we thus approach him, in the beauty of holiness.

"Which that we may all of us do, God of his infinite mercy grant," &c.

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SERMON,

PREACHED ON ST. CECILIA'S DAY, IN THE YEAR

1698.

THE USEFULNESS OF CHURCH MUSIC.

My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed; I will sing, and give praise. Awake up, my glory! awake psaltery and harp! I myself will awake right early. -PSALM lvii. 7, 8.

IT is the man after God's heart whose words these are; and in them he points out to us one of the chief methods by which he became so: even by preparing and qualifying his own heart in the best manner that he could, for the duties of the sanctuary; and by endeavouring, when he assisted at those solemnities, to perform them with the utmost attention, alacrity, and holy warmth of mind, of which he was capable.

He enters not on the divine praises, till he finds himself in such a posture, and under such a composure of mind, as suits with that holy employment; My heart is fired, says he, O God, my heart is fired : then, and then only, it is time for him to go on, and say, I will sing, and give praise. And that he may be sure to preserve, to feed, and to improve the good disposition he is in, he calls to his aid those excellent helps to devotion, which he had so often tried with so good success, vocal and instrumental music; Awake up, my glory, says he, awake, psaltery and harp! By his glory, he means his tongue, the most noble organ of the body of man, especially when employed in celebrating the praise and glory of God. By psaltery and harp, (which alone are mentioned), we must understand