VI. n

come well off, and are diftafted at the Tau- SER M. tologies, or crude and indigested Petitions that fometimes drop from their Mouths.

This Confideration alone, fuppofing that the Beauty of one uniform Manner of Devotion in all Congregations were to pass for nothing, is fufficient to fhew the expediency of performing the publick Worship by a Form of Prayer, which being deliberately compofed by Men eminent for Knowledge and Abilities, must be a great Relief against the Infufficiency or Imprudence of those who officiate, and being previously known, may readily be joined with by every Chris tian without fear of being mifled by the Minifter.

And I make no doubt but it was for the Reasons abovementioned, that it was found neceffary to introduce Liturgies and fet Forms of publick Prayer into the Church, quickly after the Race of infpired Minifters ceased. And it is for the fame Reasons, they are at this Day generally ufed in the reformed Churches abroad, and univerfally in the Greek Churches.

It has indeed been pleaded against stated Forms of Prayer, that they feem to pre

clude

SER M. clude the Affiftance of the Holy Spirit.

VI.

But furely no Man will say that the Spirit of God may not affist those who compose such Prayers in their Clofets, and those who join with them in the Church, as effectually, as it may those who pray extempore. The Truth is, it is hard to conceive in what Manner, or to what Degree the Spirit of God ordinarily affifts Minifters in the Performance of publick Prayers. One Thing is evident from conftant Observation, which is, that every Man's Prayers bear a just Proportion to his natural or acquired Abilities, and that Men of dull Parts, and perplexed Heads, will always make dull and plexed Prayers.

the

per

I may here likewife obferve, that fince very fame Occafions for publick Prayer do ordinarily return, there can be no good Reafon for departing from a Form once well compofed and adapted to thofe Occafions; for when the Work is once well done, it is odds but a Change will be for the worse, and can be of no other Use than to gratify a kind of fpiritual Wantonness, that must be treated with Variety and Novelty. And I may venture to appeal to those who except against our publick Form, if they

do

VI.

do not meet with something very near to a SER M. Form in their Worship; and if the fame Teacher does not generally fall into the fame Track and Scheme of Prayer, only that it is interlarded with fome new Turns of Phrase and Imagination to fave it from the Cenfure of a fet Form.

It is therefore certain that a Form, either abfolutely or virtually, must naturally follow, where the fame Subjects of Prayer constantly return; unless a Man will go out of his Way to hunt for new Fancies and Conceits to please itching Ears. So that if Men could lay afide the Prejudices of Education and Custom, and weigh the Matter impartially, I am perfuaded they would fee no Cause to except against the Liturgy of our Church for being a set Form of Prayer. And if the Contents of the Prayers are good and devout, I hope they do not ceafe to be fo for having the Sanction of the fupreme Authority. I

come,

2dly, To confider the other great Exception to our publick Worship, which is taken from the Ceremonies prefcribed in our Liturgy, and these are two, viz. The Sign of

the

SER M. the Crofs in Baptifm, and kneeling at the receiving the holy Communion.

VI.

The Unlearned among the Diffenters are made to apprehend, that these may favour too much of Idolatry and Superftition. It looks as if Men were hard put to it to justify their Separation, when they feek out for fuch weak Exceptions as these.

As to making the Sign of the Crofs on the Forehead of the Baptized Person, that Ceremony muft ftand clear of Idolatry and Superstition, because it is not done while any Act of Worship is performing.

And if it be Superftition, which is a Thing hard to be defined, it is a Superstition that was practised in the pure Ages of Christianity, long before Popery had a Beginning. And that it is a Ceremony of just and proper Signification cannot be denied, because it is a very pertinent Sign to denote that the Perfon baptized, is by Baptism admitted a Disciple and Follower of the crucified Jefus. The Sign is proper, and the Thing fignified is good; and I think it requires a very rare Invention to find any Sin in it.

The

VI.

The other Ceremony of kneeling at the SERM holy Communion, is fo clearly explained in the Rubrick of that Office, that there is not the least Colour for charging it with Idolatry, especially as the real Prefence of Chrift in the Elements is utterly difclaimed by our Church. And I hope there is as little Colour for calling it a fuperftitious Ceremofor Chriftians to acknowledge upon ny, their Knees, the infinite Goodness of God in giving his Son to die for them. The Memorials of fuch Goodness, surely ought to be received with the most humble Gratitude; and as the Bread and Wine are dif tributed with a fhort Prayer, in which the Receiver is fuppofed to join, kneeling cannot be called a fuperftitious Ceremony, unlefs it be Superftition to pray to God up

on our Knees.

The short of the Cafe is, that if all Ceremonies in divine Worship are fuperstitious, no Christians of any Denomination whatever are free from the Charge: For a Ceremony in the general Notion of it, is no more than fome corporeal and vifible Action of fpiritual Significancy ufed in divine Worship. To uncover the Head, to stand up, to kneel down, being bodily Actions,

ufed