out in the least disordering the more skilful singers, who perform the very useful office of raising and supporting the tune. This in many congregations is done by the organ, the charity children, or both. But then the organ should express the tunes plainly and distinctly, and make very moderate intervals between the lines; the children should be taught to sing in exact time and concert with it; and the whole congregation should accompany them fervently, yet with prudence. Taking this care, though there should still happen to be some little discords, they would be intirely lost in the general chorus: the effect of which would be noble and elevating, if we took rightly into our thoughts the whole of the matter, instead of cavilling at minute particulars.

Consider the nature of a wild multitude, in its original savage state, met together at the call of some vehement ungoverned passion: how alarming the concourse, how frightful and horrid the confused and hideous cries of it must be. Then consider the same multitude, softened and cultivated by the gentle influences of religion, and unanimously assembling at stated seasons, to sing forth the praises of the wise and good parent of all, and echo to each other the precepts of a rational, and mild, and beneficent life here, as the means of obtaining eternal felicity hereafter. Can there be a happier change of scene, a sweeter and more pleasing view? And suppose the harmony made by them were ever so little better, than shouting unto God with the voice of triumph, as the Scripture expresses it, and making a joyful noise unto the rock of their salvation*: yet what worthy and humane and pious heart is there, that would not be charmed with the sound, and zealously join in it?

* Psalm xlvii. 1. xcv. 1.

We are disposed thus on other occasions. Amongst our ancestors, who judged of propriety as discreetly as ourselves, (to say no more,) the very highest joined humbly and cheerfully with the lowest of their fellowChristians in the duty of psalmody, however artlessly performed. And I entreat you to reflect what it is, either to disdain, or be ashamed, or be too indolent, to lift up our voices to the honour of our Maker, when we come into his house professedly to worship him, and he hath commanded that one part of his worship shall be this.

But if we will not employ our lips in the service, we may still fix our minds upon it: at least we should not hinder others from doing either. And particularly we should abstain from giving the bad example, and the offence, of indecently holding conversation at that time: for which surely there cannot be so pressing an occasion, but that it may be very safely deferred till after Church, if not altogether omitted.

In the singing of Psalms, different persons use different postures. The prose Psalms, I believe, are and ever have been repeated by all persons every where, standing. In the verse Psalms we all stand at the doxology. And in what goes before, the reason for doing it is exactly the same, and a very strong one: that the whole is sung to the glory of God, and often directly addressed to God. Accordingly we read in the Old Testament, that not only the Levites were to stand every morning to thank and praise the Lord, and likewise at even*, but that when they waited with instruments of music to praise the Lord, all Israel stood; and again, that they said to the people, stand up, and bless the Lord your God. We read likewise, that in a vision of St. John, in the * 1 Chron. xxii. 30.

+2 Chron. vii. 6.

Neh. ix. 5.

book of Revelation, a great multitude, which no man could number, stood before the throne, and cried with a loud voice, salvation to our God*: and in another, that they who had gotten the victory over the beast, stood and sang the Song of Moses and of the Lamb†. Standing therefore, as it is plainly the fittest posture in itself, is the authorized one also: and were it more uncommon than it is, would be far from a dishonourable singularity. But still, as very many in most congregations, either have by long habit been prejudiced in favour of sitting, or, though they disapprove the custom, feel a difficulty of quitting it, unless every one did: they should not be censured for a practice by which they mean nothing amiss; but kindly encouraged to an alteration in this point, which we may thus hope will gradually become general.

And now I go on to the third morning office, which follows the Psalm; and is called the Communion Service, and read at the Lord's Table where it can with convenience, because the holy communion makes part of it: though a part unhappily, now for many centuries, too often left out in almost all churches, which it never was originally in any. But however the rest is very proper to be used by itself. Anciently, as well as now, they who did not stay to receive the Sacrament, were allowed to join in the beginning of the office: and from the middle age downwards, the beginning hath been used, even where there was no sacrament, for a memorial, which might be useful, of the primitive practice.

The first thing we do in it, is repeating the Lord's Prayer: which peculiarly suits this most solemn act of Christian worship. Then we proceed, in a very

* Rev. vii. 9, 10.

+ Rev. xv. 2, 3.

old and excellent collect, to beg of him, unto whom all hearts be open, so to cleanse the thoughts of ours, by the inspiration of his holy Spirit, by breathing into us with lasting efficacy good inclinations and purposes, that we may as perfectly as our present state admits, love him in our souls, and magnify him in our words and lives. Purity of intention is both in general requisite for approaching God's altar, and more especially for going through the next part of the office aright: in which, after hearing the Ten Commandments rehearsed to us, we pray God to have mercy upon us, and pardon us, so far as we have transgressed either the letter or the spirit of them, as explained by our blessed Redeemer, and incline our hearts to keep each of them better for the future. It doth not appear, that this form of devotion was ever used in any liturgy before our own. But surely, taking the Commandments with the Gospel interpretation of them, it is a very instructive and edifying one. And they, who think the confession in the Morning Prayer not particular enough, have sufficient room here to supply that imagined defect.

Next follows a prayer for the King. The primitive Christians, in every public office, presented a supplication for their Sovereign. Now in this office, unless it were put in the beginning, few in proportion would join in it when the sacrament is administered, considering how many return home without receiving. And therefore it is placed here, just after the Ten Commandments, of which the authority of the magistrate is one main support, as they are of that in return: and we pray the Almighty, that, in mercy to his Church, he will so rule the King's heart, whom in the course of his providence he hath chosen to reign over us, and to be his servant and minister to

us for good*, that he may above all things seek his glory, by maintaining his laws above-mentioned: and will so rule our hearts likewise, and those of all his subjects, that we may faithfully and humbly obey him: in God, that is, in the strength of his grace, and in subordination, not contradiction, to his supreme will; and for God, not only for fear of man's wrath, but for conscience sake also †.

Then we offer up the Collect for the Day, of which I have spoken already and after it, read two portions of Scripture, to which it hath frequently a reference. One of them is usually taken from the Epistles, the other always from the Gospels. The Epistle hath been thus read, certainly for 1300 years, but the Gospel much longer. And the very portions, that we now use, were most of them used on the same days 1200 years ago, and perhaps a great deal earlier. The annual course of them, and of the Collects prefixed to them, began then, as it doth now, not with the civil year, or the entrance of the sun into this or that sign; but from the Advent, the approach of the appearance of Christ, the sun of righteousness‡. And was so contrived, that the former part, from his birth to his ascension, should represent to us the principal articles of his history: the latter, those of our own duty.

At the reading of the Gospel, the people are directed to stand up, in honour of him, whose life and words it relates. And there appears no time, when they did otherwise: or when that acclamation, glory be to thee, O Lord, was not made, which indeed at present is not prescribed, though it was in the first edition of Edward the sixth's liturgy, but omitted afterwards, probably by accident: for there could be

no objection raised against it.

津 Rom. xiii. 4.

+ Rom. xiii. 5.

Mal. iv. 2.