In the next Words, after these, the several main Branches of Worship, following Confeffion, are expreffed. And nearly the fame Or der is observed in the Service, as in the Exhortation. We render Thanks to God and fet forth bis Praife, in the Pfalms and Hymns; hear his moft boly Word, in the Leffons; and afk thofe Things, which are requifite and necessary, in the Prayers.

The Conclufion of this Preface, Wherefore I pray and beseech you, to accompany me with a pure Heart, that is, a fincere one, to the Throne of the heavenly Grace, agrees intirely in Sense, and partly in Words, with that pathetic Declaration of St. Paul: As though God did befeech you by Us, we pray you in Chrift's ftead, Be ye reconciled to God .

The Confeffion is directed to be faid of the whole Congregation, after the Minifter. If this be done by each Perfon, as is alfo directed, with an humble Voice, he will give no Disturbance to others: and every one must experience, that what he faith, on this Occafion, with his own Mouth, is brought more home to his Soul, becomes more perfonal and affecting, than if he had filently afsented to it, when said for him.

f 2 Cor. v. 20.

And

And as it is a very useful, so it is a very old Custom ; revived in our Church, after being laid afide by the Church of Rome; who begin their Service with an Act of Humiliation by the Priest alone, in which the People have no Share.

.

Another Direction is, that the Confeffion be faid, all kneeling. And that Pofture in Prayer, especially in this Part, hath not only ancient Authority, but Nature itfelf, on its Side: and doth fo ftrongly, both express and excite inward Humility, that it should never be omitted wilfully, or negligently, in Favour of Eafe and Indolence: Confiderations, very unworthy of Notice at fuch a Time. Still they, whofe Infirmities will not permit them to be on their Knees without Pain or Hurt, may doubtless allowably stand, or even fit: for God will have Mercy, and not Sacrifice. And further: As in many full Congregations this Rule cannot be observed by every one, without taking up more Room, than can with Convenience be spared; certainly the fuperior Rule, of doing the Things, wherewith one may edify another', binds us rather to be content with ftanding, though a lefs eligible Pofture, than exclude Numbers of Matt. ix. 13. xii. 7. i Rom. xiv. 9.

Bafil, Ep. lxiii.

our

our Fellow-Chriftians from being tolerably accommodated for joining in Worship with us. For kneeling, though greatly preferable, is not prescribed as indifpenfably neceffary. The Children of Ifracl, we read in the Book of Nehemiah, were affembled with Fafting; and, probably for the Reason just mentioned, flood and confeffed their Sins. The penitent Publican did not fail of being accepted, though he food, when he faid, God be merciful to me a Sinner 1. And on fome Days the early Christians did not kneel at all.

In the first Words of the Confeffion, we apply to God, as our Father: the Author of our Being, and therefore intitled to all Honour and Service from us; the Adopter of us, after our Forfeiture, into his Family again through Jefus Christ, and therefore intitled to have it paid him with double Gratitude. We acknowledge him Almighty, either to protect or punish; and therefore to be obeyed from Interest, as well as Duty: we acknowledge him to be most merciful; and therefore, in the higheft Degree, unfit to have been offended, and fit to have Pardon afked of him.

Neh. ix. 1,. 2.

1Luke xviii. 13.

The

The Expreffion, We have erred and frayed from thy Ways, like loft Sheep, is taken from Scripture. I have gone aftray, like a loft Sheep: feek thy Servant". Again: All we, like Sheep, have gone aftray; we have turned every one to bis own Way: and the Lord bath laid on Him, on Chrift, the Iniquity of us all ". But to understand the full Propriety of the Phrase, it must be observed, that both the Likelihood of ftraying was much greater, and the Confequences of it much more fatal, in open Countries, full of wild Beafts, as those of the Eaft were, than in ours. And fuch a great and terrible Wilderness, in the fpiritual Senfe, is this World.

It hath been objected, that our Confeffion is too general. But it comprehends all Sins, both of Omiffion and Commiffion. The Particulars, each Perfon's Confcience, if it be duly tender, will represent to itself, as far as is needful, or well can be, in public. And was every Sin, that Men can fall into, expreffed by Name, the Catalogue would be too long; and such, that many, (it is to be hoped) could not with Truth join in the whole: nor would it be proper, that they who had, and had not, been guilty, should

* Pf. cxix. 176.

" If. liii. 6.

• Deut. i. 19.

confefs

confefs all the fame Things; or that those about us should perceive, which we did confefs.

It hath been further objected, that in our appointed Form, there is no Acknowledgement of the original Corruption of our Nature by the Fall. Nor is there an explicit one, even in the Prayer of our bleffed Lord. But furely when we fay, that we have followed too much the Devices and Defires of our own Hearts, it may well be Part of our Meaning, that they are from the first irregular and depraved.

The Words, and there is no Health in us, besides that they also profefs our inward Frame throughout to be more or lefs difordered, fignify too, that we have no Power of our own, either to cure the fpiritual Difeafes, of which we are already fick, or to prevent the Attacks of future ones. And therefore we apply to God, that he would heal our Souls: whom alfo, in the Conclufion, we implicitely promife, that whatever Amendment fhall be produced in us by the Means which he preferibes, we will give the Glory of it, not to ourselves, but to his holy Name: who hath bleffed us with all Spiritual Bleffings in Chrift, to the Praife of the Glory of his Grace2.

P Pf. xli. 4.

9 Eph. i. 3, 6.

VOL. VI.

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After