that to the most dull and unlearned oâ— Mankind especially if they do but know that we meet together to worship God as observed before 5. That because it may not be possibly for them to mistake the meaning of ouâ— Bowing that action which is the chieâ— cause of offence our Custom is when wâ— bow down especially when it is without words accompanying it and worship to do it towards the place where the Holâ— Table is Now every Man that will buâ— enter into any consideration of this matter must necessarily perceive that in such circumstance if that action be done at all in the place of Publick Worship it cannot be fitly done any other way For Quires where it is most customary especially those I have seen have one entrance at the end against the Communion-Table and two others on the sides over against each other Now if a Man at his entrance at the former should think it better to face quite about and bow towards the Door he camâ— in at than to bow right-forward toward the Table I believe he would make himself ridiculous to all the People because â—â— it could not signifie Worship vt his approaâ—â— to God And so it would be on the samâ—â— account if he prefer bowing towards the People sitting on either side Again if two making their entrance at the Doors on either side should chuse to bow strait before them rather than to turn towards the Altar none can think it would look like an act of Divine Worship but it would seem like their passing a Complement to each other And if it should be done the other way there would be a greater likeness of civil respect to the Company than of Religious Worship And something of like nature would be found in bowing in any way whatever but that in use and that however the entrance into or scituation of Quires be or of any other places of Worship should be So that the only matters to be disputed are whether it be lawful and fit when we first come into the place purposely appointed and presently to be used for the most solemn Exercises of Divine Worship I say whether it be lawful for us then and there to make publick acknowledgment that we are sensible we are come to appear in the special presence of God and that to give him the utmost Worship and Honour we are able 2dly Whether we do not make a fit expression of this by humbly bowing ourselves before him at our coming into the Church s 3dly Whether it be not best that all do 〈◊〉 one way since all come thither to the samâ— end And finally Whether not all thaâ— way where there is something in the veâ—â— place that may help to mind us of Godâ— condescention to be so graciously presenâ— but where is nothing that may so much 〈◊〉 seem to be the Object of our Respect signified thereby but God's invisible presencâ— onely And these are things that seeâ— to me to need no Disputation as I said 〈◊〉 first I know 't is easie to multiply words 〈◊〉 this Subject but my intended Brevity permits no more Therefore I return to what I first began withal to remember those 〈◊〉 write to That it is their Duty so to maâ— age all their secular concerns and world 〈◊〉 business that they may never be habitualy unprepar'd for these sacred Offices 〈◊〉 all are that live a carnal and unrighteoâ—â— life and that they ought at the timâ— when they are presently to approach thâ— special presence of that Almighty GOâ— whose Name is great and dreadful anâ— who will be sanctified by all those thâ—â— approach unto Him in the acts of his solemn Worship I say then especially theâ— ought actually to prepare themselves by 〈◊〉 voluntary composure of their Minds anâ— also by the most serious consideration of the glorious Greatness and aimable Goodness of that God they are going to Worship and of his special Presence in Holy Assemblies and by such Consideration and Prayer stirring up in themselves an earnest desire to express their own and excite the Devotion of others to the Honour of Almighty God and our Blessed Saviour Jesus Christ And I shall add this That as they go into the Church it will be very profitable to think on such sentences of Scriptures as these following Oh how dreadful is this place this is no other but the house of God this is the gate of heaven Lord I have loved the habitation of thy house the place where thine honour dwelleth Oh how amiable are thy tabernacles O Lord of hosts my soul hath a desire and longing to enter into the courts of the Lord my heart and my flesh thirsteth for the living God I will go unto thy house in the multitude of thy mercies in thy fear will I worship towards thy holy temple Blessed are they that dwell in thy house they shall be always praising thee My soul shall be satisfyed as with marrow and fatness whilst my mouth praiseth with joyful lips One day in thy courts is better than a thousand I had rather be a door-keeper in the house of God than to dwell in the tents of wickedness Such Meditations will dispose us to that Reverence and holy Joy in God as is meet to accompany us in the performance of this Service which holy affections as we express by humbly bowing at our first coming into the Church so by falling on our knees at the place oâ— our station secretly to implore God's acceptance of and assistance in the service wâ— are to perform to him And this they are taught by the best oâ— Preachers in his Ecclesiast Chap. 5. v. 〈◊〉 Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house oâ— God and be more ready to hear than to offeâ— the sacrifice of fools Which place I the rather mention because I have heard it perverted to a contrary sence against this very thing as if Men ought hastily to run into the Church and immediately fix themselves to attend to the Prayer or Sermonâ— and if we thus fall on our Knees to worship and to beg God's gracious acceptance oâ— our Service and his assistance to perform iâ— as we ought this they think is but the Sacrifice of Fools In answer to which I observe that these things must be inferreâ— from the words that they may serve tâ— condemn our practice 1. That the only or chief part of Godâ— Worship was in Solomon's time as it 〈◊〉 with them Hearing of Sermons when indeed we have scarce any notice that in the Temple the House of God in the highest sence there was any Sermons at all 2. That this Custom which they condemn was more antient than these Proverbs as it must be if this was intended to reprove it which it may be they would grant a mistake as being too much for its credit if the whole strength of their Plea from the Text consisted not therein 3. That this was the only or chief thing to which the name of
in all the rest It may not be inconvenient in the Conclusion to offer something that may help us to shew our Devotion in leaving the Church as well as in coming to it and continuing there It is said of the ancient Jews that they went out of the Synagogues backward that they might declare their unwillingness to leave God's House in which holy Men have desired ever to dwell And whatever that way of expressing this may seem to some I am sure there ought to be such affections in us as was thereby signified and nothing we do that is contrary thereunto can seem decent to wise Men and if People's hurrying out of the Church as soon as ever the Sermon or Prayers are ended be not apparently contrary to such affection my conceit deceives me especially when they will not stay to take God's blessing along with them I say God's for though a Man pronounceth it yet it is such a Man as is his Minister and Herald the Steward of his Mysteries whose words as such he will never suffer to fall to the ground but will give them their effect on all that are meet Subjects and therefore to despise that glorious and mysterious Blessing wherewith these holy Offices are concluded shews great Ignorance to Prophaneness and little manners and is an affront to the Blessed Trinity and to the Congregation met to do Worship thereunto POSTSCRIPT ONe thing I have thought fit to add as useful to the design of this Paper which is My humble Request to Ministers and Vestries that they will take care that fit and worthy Persons be put into the Office of Parish-Clerks for that the defects of the People in performing their part of this Service is chiefly imputable to this cause that they have not a Clerk that iâ— able to lead them in the right way of that performance for if the People would but consider that 't is the special work of a Clerk to Guidethem in what they are to say and do in this Service and would make such observation of him as they ought he standing so advantageously for the same it would bring the whole Congregation unto a good performance Some Persons that may offer themselves and that it may be the Parishes interest to chuse may have such natural Defects that they can never be made fit for the place and some are of such a profane Spirit that they will never set themselves to study to do their duty therein Both these are to be rejected whatever advantages the Parish may make by their Election for so sacred a thing as the Worship and Service of Almighty God is not to be subjugated to the secular interests of Men And it is a great reproach to any Parish that to save themselves a little charge in maintaining a poor Family they should employ a Person to be Guide to the People in this most solemn Office of Divine Worship that is in any way a scandal or dishonour thereunto or unfit to perform it as he ought And if any such be already in the place my request is that the Minister and Vestry will use their Authority to reform them and engage them to study the most decent and graceful manner of performance and if that cannot be effected to force them to admit the help of another in that matter though they continue to do the Parish-business in other respects I make this humble Request because I believe that a Clerk that was a devout Man and one that had a good command of his Voice if he would set himself to study to excel in performing what is required of him he would greatly assist the People in the well performance of their part and excite them thereunto AN APPLICATION TO THE Clergy and to the People To the CLERGY AND now I most humbly beseech the Reverend Clergy of this Church that they will not despise the Advice of so unworthy a Person If there be not Truth in what I write I desire not to be regarded but if there be Truth is a thing so Divine and Excellent as not for my unworthiness or for any defects in the delivery to be rejected especially when it is Truth of the highest concern that can be imagined that which concerns and that most immediately the glory and honour of the most High God and his Son Jesus Christ our most holy Saviour that which concerns the supream good of the best of earthly Creatures and that with relation to his better part and his eternal state that which much concerns the happiness and well-fare of this flourishing Church and tends to its Unity Sanctity and Glory That which concerns the discharge of your great Duty to God and his Church and is the best Return of the Benefits you partake from both I say when it is Truth of such concern methinks it should be consider'd and that whoever it come from as the Instrument since God himself must be acknowledged the Author The Worship and Service of God hath been esteemed of all wise Men the chief of those things wherein Men or Angels could imploy themselves 'T is the principal End of bringing Men into Holy Orders and of instituting Christian Assemblies the greatest Means of inducing that super-excellent Principle of the Divine Life that Evangelical Spirit which only can overcome our Vices and sublime Moral Vertues into Christian Graces and make our good Works Seeds of eternal Glory This is the Prelibation of and Preparation for the unspeakable Joys above 'T is this for which all our Noble Faculties were given us 'T is this that chiefly distinguisheth us from Beasts and that more then the meer shape of our Bodies or our Natural Reason and gives us the greatest Likeness unto and Communion with the Angels 'T is the Worship of One God that is the greatest Incentive to Love and the strongest Bond of Peace among Men and among Christians it becomes more so when we worship Him in and through One Mediator and Saviour our Lord Jesus Christ The Natural Worship which was offer'd in the State of Innocency the Superstitious Worship of guilty and affrighted Criminals the Typical and Pedaegogical Worship of Mosaical Institution all these had something of Excellency in them nay they were the best thing the World had besides But the Excellency and Glory of Evangelical Worship is above them all it far exceeds whatever else we can do in this Life and is the highest Felicity of the Life to come Angels began it here on Earth Luke 2.13 14 and shall rejoyce to accompany us therein when we are in Heaven A Man that hath the Power of Godliness in his Soul is apt to say when he is at Church as the Disciples when they were on the Holy Mount Lord it is good for us to be here or as David Blessed are they that dwell in thy house and are ever praising thee These Things I have touched that I might introduce this great Consideration That the most learned and highly dignified of
that Man is a Creature capable of two sorts of Pleasure Mental and Carnal and that these do for the most part militate against each other and if carnal Pleasures prevail and get the possession of our Life we are said to be dead in respect of our minds and spiritual part but if the Delights of the Mind once take place and become our Employment then the Body is said to be dead dead by reason of sin as the spirit is life because of righteousness So that it is of mighty avail to cherish these spiritual Pleasures and depress those that are carnal especially in the beginning of our life as that upon which the Happiness of our whole Life depends And this I think may be done by a pious and prudent Instruction in the fore-mentioned Duty and by giving a good Example to encourage the performance I cannot give this matter the explication it requires but I hope a word to the Wise will be sufficient Having hinted these things to rectifie what seem'd to me amiss I shall now briefly sum up all by representing that Behaviour which I judge most decent in the performance of these Sacred Offices First then having a due sence of what you are going about viz. to approach the most glorious and dreadful Presence of the Almighty and having composed your minds to worship him with that Reverence and Devotion you ought and declared this by the solemn manner of your coming into his House and placing yourself in the station wherein you are to perform your part in this holy Exercise you are to fix your eyes on the Reader as the Minister of God the Messenger of the Lord of Hosts sent to call you to Repentance with offers of Peace and Reconciliation that you may escape his dreadful Wrath which none can endure or withstand which Wrath the Host of Heaven and Powers of Hell as well as the Creatures here on Earth are ready to minister against all impenitent and prophane Wretches You are to stand up and attend seriously to the reading of those Scripture-Sentences wherewith he begins this Service wherein are declared in the very words of God himself the necessity of Repentance and the certainty of Pardon and of his gracious acceptance of all that truly perform it You are also well to consider the inforcement of those Sentences by his reading the Exhortation following in the mean time reflecting on yourself with a due remembrance of your particular sins that you may be the better prepared to accompany him with a pure Heart and humble Voice in the General Confession following And this Confession as it is ordered we should make in the most humble posture which according to the use and custom of this Country is kneeling on our Knees and this none are to omit except hindred by bodily infirmity or such inconveniences as are sometimes occasioned by Crowds of People and in such case they must take care to supply that defect by other expressions of humble Reverence And we ought so to speak in repeating the same after the Minister that we thereby express that we verily believe ourselves to be guilty in many particular instances of many sins contained under the several Heads there mentioned and that we are heartily sorry for the same and earnestly implore pardoning Mercy and Forbearance and to be restored to God's Grace and Favour trusting to his Promises made to us in Christ and with no less earnestness desire the assistance of God's Grace to inable us to live better for the future This faithful endeavour to appear as humble Penitents before God and the Congregation will suppress the workings of Pride and Self-conceit the Parent of all Vice and strengthen Humility the Nurse of all Vertues and beget that brotherly Love which is founded in true Piety and Humility In attending in the same posture while the Minister as God's Herald pronounceth Absolution and Pardon to the truly penitent that unfeignedly believe the Gospel we ought to express a great Reverence of the Almighty from whom he speaks and also the most humble Thankfulness and holy Joy for his rich Grace which Grace is communicated to us by the Stewards of his Mysteries and cannot be received in the contempt of their Administrations whom he hath impowred to dispence the same And withal earnestly begging according to his Exhortation that our Faith and Repentance may be assisted by Divine Cooperation that we never fail of the same Grace for want of meet dispositions to receive it nor neglect the improvement thereof when bestowed either at present or for the future When we have thus prepared ourselves we ought with heavenly Joy and great Fervency to joyn with the Minister and Congregation in repeating that Divine Prayer which our Saviour taught The beginning whereof being Eucharistical containing such Petitions as are for the immediate honour and glory of God it is fit that we lift up our hands and eyes to Heaven when with our voices we declare our joy in God and exultancy in his Praises In the rest we supplicate things necessary for ourselves therefore we should express greatest humility in bowing our Heads and Bodies towards the Earth as unworthy to ask so great things of so great a Majesty and speak we should also with more lowly and humble Voices in repeating the same Until returning in the Doxology to the acknowledgment of his Paternal Government which inclines him of his Power which enables him and of his Glory which engages him to be so good to his Creatures and especially to his Children we again lift up our hearts and hands to Heaven and repeat the same chearful Voices After this we pass to that high and heavenly work of praising God in the Psalms and Hymns following Now tho' it were the work for which chiefly we were made and the excellent power of Speech given us and that to which while we continued innocent and happy our mouth was still opened and we had freedom and power to perform the same yet now sin and sorrow guilt and fear cares and vexations have even made us dumb to God's Praises and disabled us for due celebration hereof Therefore in this respect we ought most devoutly to joyn with the Minister in the Response following the Lord's Prayer Lord open thou our Mouths And our Lips shall shew forth thy praise O God make speed to save us O Lord make hast to help us And while we seek his Grace we should use our own endeavours to open our own Mouths and lift up our voices while we sing his Praises and to awaken all our powers to a cheerful performance of this Service The Gloria Patri follows at the repetition whereof we are required to stand a posture most fit in all manner of Psalmody and when ever we speak or sing praise and glory to God but especially in the Publick Assemblies convened chiefly for that purpose And in pronouncing these words of Glory it would be very indecent to do it in