ance on God for His grace, but likewise oblige and bind ourselves to serve Him; and the same holds in all outward acts of worship.

5th. We must remember that it is in these outward acts that we are more immediately concerned as puhlic worshippers; for we cannot know the inward worship which men pay to God in their minds, but as it appears to us by these outward acts. And generally, when we speak of the public worship of God, we mean this outward; and concerning it, are the great disputes and differences among us; all of us being agreed as to the inward, and of what sort that ought to be.

IV. Having premised these few things, which I hope will be granted by all; I shall proceed directly to my proposed undertaking, and shall, with the greatest fairness and impartiality I can, examine and compare the worship of God whicd is directed and warranted by Scripture, as well with that which is prescribed and practised by our Church, as with that which is practised by such as differ from us.

V. Now, if we consider the ordinary service of God, as prescribed and practised in Scripture, we shall find the main substantial parts of it to be these five, viz :-Praises-Prayers -Hearing-Bodily Worship, and Celebration of the Holy Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ. The method I shall take in discoursing of each of these, shall be first to show what the Holy Scriptures direct concerning them particularly. Secondly, I shall consider the practise of our Church, with relation to those directions and examples, and thirdly, the practice of Protestant Dissenters..

CHAPTER I.

OF PRAISES:

WHAT THE HOLY SCRIPTURES PRESCRIBE CONCERNING

THEM.

I. First then, as to the Praises of God. The Scriptures both of the Old and New Testaments require the use of the Psalms, in offering up praises to God. We find in the Old Testament (2 Chron. xxix. 30.) "Hezekiah the King, and the Princes, commanded the Levites to sing praises to the Lord with the words of David and of Asaph; and they sang with gladness." This command of Hezekiah proceeded from God, and was approved by Him. The same way of praising God continued in the Jewish Church till our Saviour's time; and after that, we have yet a more positive command for the use of them by the Apostle. Ephes. v. 19. Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns, and spiritual songs; and Col. iii. 16. let the words of Christ dwell in you richly, in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns, and spiritual songs; singing and making melody, with grace in your hearts, to the Lord. I think there is no room to doubt, but by the psalms, &c. in these places is meant the Book of Psalms, which the Holy Ghost has left for this purpose to the Church.

II. Though the Scriptures recommend to us singing of psalms, yet in some cases they allow us to say them. I will not insist upon those places of Scripture that seem to require us to do so, such as Psalm cxviii. 2. "Let Israel now say, that His mercy endureth for ever," let the house of Aaron now say, and let them that fear the Lord now say, because these expressions being poetical, may be so interpreted as to mean singing; though there is no necessity of restraining the general command of saying or speaking the praises of God to singing only. We find in Scripture several sacred hymns, particularly of Hannah and the Blessed Virgin, Zacharias and Simeon, and the Saints in Heaven, Rev. vii. 12. which are said to have been said by them respectively; and the circumstances in the story do not make it probable that they were sung. From all which we may reasonably infer, that where people can sing, they are obliged to do it, in obedience to God's command: but where, through any defect of nature or art, they cannot sing decently, they may be dispensed with saying, only people ought not by this indulgence to be encouraged to neglect singing altogether; or to think that God doth not require it of them, when by a little pains or industry they may attain to the art of decently performing it in his service.

III. It is certain, the word of God recommendeth to us psalms and hymns in prose, for our praising God. If we look into the songs of the Blessed Virgin, or of Zacharius, or of Simeon, we shall find them all in prose; and such are the songs of the blessed, which they are represented singing in the Revelations, particularly Chap. v. ix. & xv. 3. as to the Hebrew Psalms, it is evident that they are poetical; but the poetry of them consists rather in the style and manner of expression, than in any certain measures or verses; which those

who have yet searched most narrowly into them, have yet been able to discover, so as to satisfy an indifferent reader. But whatever poetry there may be in them, we cannot find, by any of the antient translations which were made use of by the Church, in our Saviour's or His Apostle's time, or in the ages immediately following, that they or the first Christians did sing anything in verse; but we are sure that they sung hymns in prose. So that we have no certain Scriptural warrant for the use of verse or metre in the praises of God. Perhaps some may fancy that verse or measure was not in use in those countries, and that therefore, they sung their songs in prose; but this is a mistake, poetry and verses were then in those places where the psalms were translated in great request; and at the highest perfection, when the New Testament was penned, and yet we have no example therein of their use in the praises of God. And it is very manifest that this proceeded from choice not necessity: for if the Holy Ghost had thought verse necessary for divine psalms, we may presume He would have inspired some of the Holy men in Scripture, when extraordinary gifts were so common, either to translate the Psalms of the Old Testament into verse, or else to compose some of the other hymns that are recorded in the New, after that way. But neither of these having been done, it is at least a presumption that we may praise God as acceptably in prose as in verse. And there is one thing further to be considered, that the prophets of the heathen, who pretended to be inspired, generally wrote their prophecies and their hymns to their gods in verse; we know not but this may be one reason why the Holy Ghost thought fit that such as were inspired by Him should decline that way of recording their prophecies or praises.

IV. As the Scriptures prescribe to us the use of psalms in

the praises of God, so they encourage us to offer those praises by way of responses or answering. For this, we have the best examples that can be desired, even the blessed angels and glorified saints. So, Isaiah vi. 3. ❝and one cried unto another, Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord of Hosts;" and the Church triumphant, through the whole Revelation, is (I think). constantly represented praising God after this manner. So Rev. vii. 9. where the multitude, that represent the people cried with a loud voice, (verse 10, "salvation to our God, which sitteth upon the throne, and to the Lamb;" and then the angels and elders who represent the clergy perform their part (verse 12) saying, "amen, blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God." They are represented the same way answering one another, Rev. xix. 1. "I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying Hallelujah," this they repeat (verse 3)"then the twenty-four elders," representing as before the clergy, answers (verse 4) "Amen, Hallelujah." Then (verse 5) "a voice came out of the throne saying, praise our God." Upon which, (verse 6) the people resume their part, and answer, "Hallelujah, for the Lord omnipotent reigneth." I make no question, but this is taken by allusion from the manner of the Church's praising God on earth; and there is nothing in it but what is agreeable to St. Paul's command of "teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs," which supposes every one to have share in them, either by turns, or by bearing a part. It is observable, that the psalms contain many excellent instructions and exhortations, as well as praises and prayers, and therefore St. Paul recommends them to Christians for their mutual instruction and admonition. It was common therefore for one to sing, and the rest to hearken for their