With forcibly do they excite our warmest Gratitude, and most devout Adoration! a View to illustrate these Points, and to lead Men to a serious and profitable Attention to our Church-Service, I have drawn up the following short Commentary on that Part of it, which is commonly used on Sundays: in which I have avoided all useless Criticifms and Speculations, that tend rather to amuse, than instruct; neither have I so much regarded Elegance of Language, Correctness of Stile, or Regularity of Method, as Clearness and Perfpicuity, and the Promotion of ufeful Knowledge, and practical Improvement. To answer this Purpose the more effectually, I shall now address myself to the several Bodies of Men, for whose Ufe this Work is intended: first, to the Members of the established Church; secondly, to the orthodox Dissenters; and lastly, to the People called Methodists. As for you, my Brethren, who are not only Protestants, but Members of the purest and best conftituted Church in Christendom, let me entreat you often and feriously to reflect on the great Privileges and Happiness you enjoy. Look on one Side
upon the thick Darkness that overspreads a upon a a I hope these Strictures will not be thought too severe upon the Quakers; who, in other Refpects, shew much good - Sense and Sagacity, and are in general eminent for their Sobriety, and for their quiet, peaceable Disposition. That such sensible Men should run into so excessive a Degree of Folly and Stupidity in their public Worship, is really astonishing. tion, J tion, and anxious Suspence, not knowing what they are next to join in. Go into fome of these Places, and you will be entertained with the Refinements of Deism, or shocked with downright Heresy. In others you will hear strange incoherent Discourses, full of Zeal without Knowledge; calculated rather to raise the Paffions, than to reform the Heart; and tending more to confound, than instruct, the ignorant and bigotted Hearers. And, what is very amazing, you will hear in none of these Meetings any Portions of the Scriptures read (as is constantly practifed among us) by Men who profess themselves most strongly attached to them. Compare now these various Modes of Worship with that established in our Church; and you cannot furely help seeing, and gratefully acknowledging, the great Advantages you enjoy in being Members of it. -But, my dear Friends, what will all these avail us, unless we make the proper Ufe of them? To WHOM MUCH IS GIVEN, OF THEM WILL BE MUCH RE QUIRED. This divine Rule of Equity will hold univerfally, and can in no Cafe be more justly applied than to Us, whom Providence has has diftinguished with such peculiar Blessings, and Privileges. If the Light of the glorious Gofpel of CHRIST shines so brightly amongst us, how studious should we be to walk as Children of Light? to shew the Orthodoxy of our Faith by the Purity of our Manners ? If we have every Help and Incitement to a rational Piety and Devotion that can be wished or defired, how great is our Obligation to be truly and cordially pious and devout? If our Service is in every Respect so edifying, so clear, and excellent, how inexcusable are we, if we do not attentively and fervently join in it? if we do not pray with the Spirit, and pray with the Understanding alfo? In this we should take Pattern from the Sectaries, who in general fhew a far greater Regard and Attention to their public Worship, than we do to our's. It has, I know, been objected, that the frequent Repetition of the fame Service casts a Damp upon the Mind, and takes off that Vigour and Earnestness of Devotion, which attends new and extemporary Praying. But I am certain that a fincere Heart, a steady Faith, and an honest Defire and Endeavour 1 to : |