Years ago; corrupted indeed afterwards, by intreating God to turn from us all Evils for the Sake of the Interceffion of his Saints; but reformed in our Liturgy, not only by leaving out that Addition, but by inferting for completer Security a new Clause: Grant, that in all our Troubles we may put our whole Trust and Confidence in thy Mercy. And thus it is, that we borrow from the Church of Rome. By this Prayer, fo amended, we humbly confefs our Infirmities and Unworthiness: yet beg, that notwithstanding both, we may, if God fees it proper, escape the Afflictions, which we fear: but if not, that being ftill affured of his Goodnefs to us, we may, with Job, though he flay us, trust in him: and that for Proof of this, we may as faithfully do our Duty under the heaviest Preffures, as the highest Exaltation; and evermore ferve him in Holinefs and Pureness of Living, to his Honour and Glory; faying with Job again, shall we receive Good at the Hand of God, and shall we not receive Evil? The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away: bleed be the Name of the Lord.

What remains of the Litany is the fame with the Conclufion of the Morning and Evening

Prayer and therefore needs no feparate Explanation. May God give us Grace to use these and all our Devotions in fo right a Manner, that from praying to him amidst the Troubles and Sorrows of this World, we may be taken, in his good Time, to praise him for ever amidst the Joys of the next, through Jefus Chrift our Lord. Amen.

SER

SERMON XI.

I COR. xiv. 15.

-I will pray with the Spirit, and I will pray with the Understanding alfo: I will fing with the Spirit, and I will fing with the UnderStanding alfo.

NCE more I intreat your Attention to

the Subject, on which I have so often difcourfed from these Words. The Part of it, which remains, is the Communion Service. But as that Service is almost every where separated, and very properly, from the preceding one, by the Singing of a Pfalm, I would firft fay a little concerning that much difregarded Branch of Worship.

As Singing is capable of expreffing strongly every State, in which the Mind can be, towards every Object; fo there never was perhaps any

one

one Nation upon Earth, civilized or barbarous, that did not make this a Part of the Honour paid by them to the God, whom they adored. We find in the Old Teftament, it was practised by the Jews, before their Law was given, as well as after. The Book of Pfalms confifts wholly of religious Songs: and directs the Saints of the Lord, to fing unto him, and give Thanks for a Remembrance of his Holiness: to fing unto the Honour of his Name, and make his Praise glorious; to fing Praifes unto our God, while we have our Being. The Prophets foretell, that, in the Gospel Times, Men fhall fing for the Majefty of the Lord: and, which brings the Prediction home to Us, they shall cry aloud, and glorify God, in the Ifles of the Sea. Accordingly St. Paul, not only himself with Silas, even in Prison, fang Praifes unto God; but appoints, that all Chriftians fhould speak to themselves, and admonish one another, in Pfalms and Hymns and Spiritual Songs, making Melody with Grace in their Hearts to the Lord. And St. James prefcribes, Is any one merry? in a joyful Frame on Account of Bleffings received, (for the Word,

a Exod xv. 1, &c. ₫ Pf. cxlvi. 2.

24, 25.

Pf. xxx. 4•

e If. xxiv. 14, 15. Eph. v. 19. Col. iii. 16.

• Pf. Ixvi, f Acts xvi. 23,

Mirth, comprehended anciently the most serious Kinds of Gladness) let him fing Pfalms".

In Pursuance of thefe Rules, the firft Chriftians made Singing a constant Part of their Worfhip as, befides the Ecclefiaftical Writers, even a Heathen informs us. And the whole Congregation joined in it. Afterwards indeed

the Singers by Profeffion, who had been prudently appointed to lead and direct them, by Degrees ufurped the whole Performance *. But at the Reformation the People were restored to their Rights and it made a much quicker Progrefs for the Pleasure and Comfort, which they found in this Practice: a Circumftance, that ought to endear it to confiderate Perfons not a little. And as the only Way of finging known in commmon parochial Churches is by the Metre Pfalms; unless we join in that, we intirely omit this Branch of our Duty.

It is very true, the Verfe Translation of the Pfalms, generally used, is void of Ornament: and hath Expreffions, often low and flat, fometimes obfolete. And I wish a better were fubftituted in its Place. But ftill in many other Cafes, ancient folemn Forms of Words are * Bingham iii.

h James v. 13.

i Plin. 1. x. Ep. 97. k

7.2.

3

thought