SERM. 1 Since therefore the fupreme Magistrate in every Country is vefted with a Power over the external Parts of publick Worship, and the Legislature of this Kingdom has established a certain Uniformity to be observed by all its Subjects, it follows that every Subject is bound in Confcience to submit and conform to the fame, by Virtue of the Precept in my Text, unless it can be plainly proved that he cannot obey the Law without Sin: I fay plainly proved to a Man's own Conviction, because if it be only Matter of Sufpicion and Uncertainty, the fafeft Side is to obey the Law, That being a plain Duty. And if the Questions between us and the Proteftant Diffenters be put upon this Iffue, I am perfuaded they will find it hard to prove that any of the Obfervances required in the established Worship of our Church are finful. I fhall bring the chief Points in Dispute to this Teft, and these are with regard to to the Laity. ift, Our prescribed Form of publick Prayers in the Liturgy. 2dly, The Ceremonies enjoyned and tifed in our Church. any With Respect to the prescribed Form of Prayer to be used in our publick Worship, whatever may have been advanced in Times of Bigottry and high Prepoffeffion, yet in this more enlightened and unprejudiced Age, I question if any Man of common Understanding will affirm that there is Thing contrary to the holy Scriptures, or the Nature of true Devotion in the whole Compofition. And one would be apt to think that it fhould be no fmall Recommendation of the Work, that many of the first Compilers of it suffered as Martyrs, or Confeffors for the Proteftant Faith. The chief Exception at present made to the Use of it, is not fo much upon Account of the Matter or Contents of the Prayers in the Liturgy, as against its being a particular and fpecifick Form, established and imposed by Law, in Oppofition to extempore Prayers at the Difcretion of every particular Minifter. And confequently the fame Exception must lye against any precompofed Form whatever. N 3 This SERM. This Question confifts of two Parts, the ift is, whether it be lawful in Point of Religion, to enjoin any particular Form of Prayer to be used in publick Worship. And 2dly, if it be more ufeful and expedient than extempore Prayers. As to the Lawfulness of the Thing in Point of Religion, I think we need no better Proof than the Practice of our bleffed Saviour and his Apoftles, who joined in the publick Worship of the Jews: And it has been plainly proved by Men skilled in the Jewish Learning, that fet Forms of Prayer were used in their publick Worship*. And it is no less evident from the Writings of the Fathers, that precompofed Forms of Prayer were used very early in the Christian Church. The Lord's Prayer has been used in all Ages and Churches as a fet and standing Form of Prayer; and the Manner of its being prefcribed plainly fhews that it was intended to be fuch, for John the Baptift having in Conformity to the Practice of that * Prideaux Connect. Part 1. lib. 6. Lightfoot Temple Service. ch. 9. §. 4. Page 108. Bingham Antiqu. lib. 13. ch. 5. + Conft. Ap. Collelerii, lib. 8. ch. 13. Age, VI. Age, taught his Difciples a Form of Pray- SER M. er, which without doubt was calculated for the coming of Chrift, whose Forerunner or Harbinger he was, our Saviour's Difciples applied to him to give them a Form of Prayer for their particular Ufe in like Manner as John had done. Whereupon he dictated that Form which is called the Lord's Prayer. As religious Men in all Ages knew very well how in general to address their own Prayers to God, it is not at all probable that either John's Difciples, or our Saviour's wanted Inftruction in this Point, and therefore what they required must have been a particular and exprefs Form. St. Matthew indeed in relating this Fact, makes our Saviour to use those Words, After this Man-Math. 6. 9 ner therefore pray ye, from whence the Diffenters understand it to be rather a Model of Prayer, than a prescribed Form; but this is no certain Confequence, because the original Word is often used in a restrained Senfe in the Bible. But St. Luke in his Account, determines it to an exprefs Form, in those Words of our Saviour, When ye Luke 11. 4. pray, Jay, Our Father which art in Hea ven, &c. VI. SERM. As to the Expediency of precompofed Forms of Prayer for publick Worship, whether enjoined by Authority or not, the Reasons for it are evident, because very few are capable of performing extempore Prayer well. For if a Man be not happy in a Quickness of Conception, a clear and methodical Chain of Thoughts, a Readiness of Recollection, and Propriety as well as Fluency of Expreffion, his Prayers will be flat, empty, perplexed, and tedious: Or if his Imagination be stronger than his Knowledge and Judgment, it will be apt to carry him into extravagant Flights and Singularities unbecoming the Solemnity of Devotion, and offenfive to all Men of serious Minds and found Judgments. And as the Minifter is the Mouth of the whole Congregation to God, and they have not Time to weigh and confider, to choose and reject, but must join in all that he pours out, and turn it inftantly into their Prayer, be it fit or unfit, it is too great a Truft to be reposed in any Man's private Abilities, to give him the abfolute Conduct of their Devotion. And I queftion not, but Men of Sense among the Diffenters, are often in Pain left young Adventurers in Prayer fhould not come |