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It will fhew the Congregation that they change their Pofture out of Neceffity; whereas refting their Bodies upon the Seat in a Pofture of Eafe, looks too much like Sloth and Indolence. But, whatever the Pofture be, whether kneeling, ftanding, or fitting, the Body fhould be upright; not leaning and lolling, in fuch a Manner as would be thought indecent in company with our Betters, or even our Equals, if they be well-bred Perfons: And therefore, in order to judge of the Propriety of our Behaviour at Church, we Thould confider whether we fhould think it decent in any other Place where we meant to fhew Respect. For what is. efteemed Ill-manners towards one another, in any other publick Company, must be highly irreverent in publick Worhip. I mentioned the Inconveniency of having Petes in our Churches, becaufe more People are frequently crouded into them than can poffibly kneel. But another bad Custom is practised by fome Perfons of Fashion (by way of Distinction, I fuppofe) in building their Pews fo very high, that unless they ftand up it is impoffible for the Congregation to fee what Poftures they use. This is deftroying the very Nature of publick Worfhip, for it cannot be publick unless it be visible, nor have the intended Effect; befides that it gives greater Opportunities for Laziness and Leaning. "The lifting up of the Hands, fome-"times folded together, and fometimes apart, "is a very natural Expreffion of our feeking "Help from God... The Elevation of the Eyes "and Hands, is fo much the Dictate of Nature

" in all Acts of Worship wherein we addrefs "God, that the Heathens themfelves frequent

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ly practifed it, as we have an Account in their feveral Writers, as well as we find it "mentioned in holy Scripture as the Practice of "the Saints." See Watts, pag. 82. What the Practice of the Diffenters is, I never had the Opportunity of knowing; but with us it is hardly ever ufed, as far as I have obferved. I have one general Obfervation to make upon bodily Worship in publick, which is this: Our Behaviour ought to be such, that if a deaf Perfon were to be carried into a Church, not knowing it to be a Place of Worship, he might immediately tell, by the Looks and the Gestures of the Congregation, what they were doing. I fhall conclude this Part with a few general Remarks, that may be of Ufe.

I obferved that People are not to fpeak aloud 'fuch Parts of the Service as the Rubricks direct the Congregation to repeat; but there are fome Parts that are improper to be repeated at all by the Congregation, either aloud or foftly. As for Inftance, the Commandaments and the Abfolution, because they are spoken by the Minister in the Name of God to the People, and therefore very improper to be fpoken by the People to themfelves. But, at the Conclufion, they are to fay Amen, i. e. fo be it. There is the fame Abfurdity in the People's repeating after the Minifter the Benediction, because he directs it, in the Name, and by the Authority of God, to them. So likewife it is as to thofe Words which the Minifter

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Minifter pronounces when he confecrates the Elements at the SACRAMENTS, when he chriftens a Perfon, and delivers the Bread and Wine at the Lord's Supper. These are fuch Acts as fuppofe a particular Commiffion, in the Perfon who pronounces them, fo to do, and therefore not to be repeated by the People who have no fuch Commiffion.

Another Practice I have obferved in fome, which tho' it be not fuch an Abfurdity as the other, is an Impropriety, as it is a Disturbance to others who are within hearing; I mean, repeating aloud, after the Minifter, or together with him, the Collects, and fuch other Parts as the Congregation is not directed fo to repeat. This, unless it were done by the whole Congregation, cannot but occafion fome Confufion, and interrupt the Attention of all that hear them.

But what I would most particularly recommend is, the coming to Church before the Service is begun. It is a common Fault in moft, nay all the Congregations that I have ever yet feen, to come after, efpecially in a Morning; infomuch, that let the Hour of Prayer be what it will, there is feldom above half of the Congregation prefent at the Beginning, but they are dropping in during the greatest Part of the Service. This is a moft monftrous Practice, both in refpect to the Perfons themselves, and the reft of the Congregation. In respect to the Perfons themselves, it makes a great Defect in their Prayers, as they lofe fo much of the Service, and the moft material Part of all, the Confeffion. What

Part

Part of our Prayers can be of fo much Confequence, as that which is neceffary to the Succefs of all the reft? How can we expect that our Praises, our Thanksgivings, and Petitions, should be acceptable to God, till we have made our Peace with hina by confeffing our Sins, afking Pardon for them, and promifing Amendment? So much Wisdom did the Compilers of the Liturgy fhew in making that the Beginning of our Prayers; and fo much Folly do they fhew, who lose the Benefit of it by not coming in time. In respect to the rest of the Congregation, it is a very great Indecency and Difturbance, interrupts their Attention, and hinders their Devotion. To come into an Affembly while they are all engaged in any temporal Bufiness of Importance, would be juftly reckoned a very rude and impertinent Disturbance; but, to interrupt the Bufinefs of our Homage to our God, is a very great Affront to the Deity whom we are worshipping, and a great Piece of ill Manners, and Offence to the whole Congregation; and the more fo, because they have not Patience to wait at the Door for the most favourable Opportunity of going into their Pew, and will not be content to take their Seat in order as they come, but oblige People to rife from their Knees, perhaps in the midst of the most folemn Part of their Devotions, that they may get to their Place of Precedency. But how abfurd is it for People to affect Superiority when they are met together in a Capacity that puts us all upon a Level? Not to fhew their Breed

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ing but Devotion. And how fhocking must it be to a pious Soul, to be thus interrupted in its Converfation with its Maker upon Matters of the laft Importance! Only imagine yourself going in fuch a Manner to join with your Fellowfubjects in an humble Petition for the Pardon of fome capital Crime, or the Continuance of certain Privileges upon which the Happiness of your whole Life depends, and then judge whether you would think it prudent to go after Part of the Petition was read, or decent to interrupt the Bufinefs by the Noife that you must make by going in; and to oblige others to rife from their Knees that you might get nearer to the Throne. I cannot fay any thing more convincing and affecting; I wish I could.

I muft fay fomething concerning the right Manner of performing private Worship, and I have done.

i. What has been faid concerning Attention at our Prayers, refpects the Clofet and the Church equally alike, the Nature of the Duty being the fame in both Places, and the Attention of the Mind being neceffary to make it fpeaking to God, or converfing with him. For, if we have been ever fo long upon our Knees in our Closet, and repeated ever fo many Words with our Mouths, unlefs our Hearts at the fame Time were directed to God, we did not pray, because Prayer is an Act of the SOUL Speaking its Thoughts to God.

2. So, likewife, Fervency in Prayer belongs equally to private and publick Prayer. The

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