be able to read, in the Generality of them, this Intenseness of Thought, and the proper Paffions that ought to be excited at our Devotions? Far otherwife: You may read the utmost Inattention and Unconcernedness. Hypocrites may be able to counterfeit thefe Appearances, and may deceive us, but it is impoffible that we should be deceived where People do not appear to be attentive and devout, becaufe Nature, where there is not a forceable Reftraint put upon it, will fhew itself by these outward Signs. True Piety is naturally modeft, and will offer fome Violence to itself, as to the outward Appearances of it, left the Sincerity of the Heart thould be fufpected. Upon this Head I fhall be beholden to Dr. Watts for another very pertinent Paffage in the fame Page. "But here let us take heed "that we do not expofe ourselves to the Cen"fure of our Saviour, who reproved the Pha"rifees for disfiguring their Faces all that Day "which they set apart for fecret Fafting and "Prayer. While we are engaged in the very "Duty, fome decent Appearances of the Devo"tion of the Mind in the Countenance are very "natural and proper; but at the fame Time it "is beft that those Discoveries, or Characters, " of the Countenance, fall below, and stay be"hind, the inward Affections of the Mind, ra"ther than rife too high, or go before. The "Devotion of our Hearts fhould be warmer and "ftronger than that of our Faces; and we "should have a care of all irregular and difa"greeable Distortions of the Face, which fome

"times

times may tempt our Fellow-worshippers to Difguft; as well as, on the other hand, "avoid Yawning, and an Air of Liftleffness. To lift up the Eyes to Heaven is very natutural, and therefore the Pfalmift very often mentions it; though fometimes, under great Dejection of Spirit and Concern for Sin, it is very decent, with the Publican, to look "down: But, above all, a roving Eye ought to "be avoided in Prayer." Upon this Account he recommends keeping the Eyes closed, left the Objects that occur to the Sight fhould divert the Attention of the Mind. This Rule may be of Use to fome; but in our Worship there is another that may be as ufeful, and that is, looking all the while in the Common-prayer-book.

The next external Token of the inward Devotion of the Mind is, the Tone of the Voice; every Paffion has its peculiar manner of expreffing itfelf; Joy, Grief, and Humility, have their proper Accident, which may be imitated, but cannot be altered where the Paffion is real. A true Penitent will confefs his Sins in a mournful Tone: If his Mind be duly affected with the Sense of his Guilt and Danger, he must speak with the Voice of Sorrow and Fear; when his Mouth praiseth God, he will do it, as David did, with joyful Lips; there will be an Elevation of Voice, as well as of the Soul. To ufe another Expreffion of the Pfalmift, He will praife God luftily, and with a good Courage: The Reafon why there is fuch a Faintnefs and Languor in the Voices of modern Congregations is, because they

they are not inwardly affected, as they ought to be. They who give an Account of the primitive Chriftians at their publick Devotions, tell us, that their Refponfes were like the Voice of many Waters, and their Amen like a Clap of Thunder. There are two Extreams that ought to be avoided; there is a modeft Decorum to be preferved in the Voice, as well as in the Looks; To be too noisy, much louder than the Congre gation, or to speak with an unnatural Tone, looks like Affectation; not to make the Refponfes, and repeat those Parts which the Congregation is directed, by the Rubricks, to repeat, or to fpeak fo low as not to be heard, is not joining in the Service; neither, indeed, is their filent Attenddance publick Worship: And, if they do repeat any Part of the Service with any Degree of inward Fervency, it will appear in the Tone of the Voice. This is unavoidable; it is Nature.

Proper Gestures of the Body come next under Confideration; thefe, in fome measure, depend upon Custom; but Reafon directs us to the Ufe of fuch as are moft expreffive of thofe Difpofitions of the Mind, which ought to accompany our Prayers: We must be careful not to fall fhort of thofe outward Teftimonies of Refpect which we fhew to any of our Fellow-creatures;- PROSTRATION, or falling flat upon the Face, before great Perfonages, was the antient Ufage in the Times of the Patriarchs, and therefore it was the Pofture which pious People then frequently ufed in their Worship: But this Pofture not being the Practice of our Times when we apQ proach

proach the Prefence of earthly Princes, and other great Perfons, it is fufficient for the Purposes of publick Worship if we ufe the highest Tokens of Reverence that are customary on other Occafions. Kneeling is now the Pofture most in use, and Nature feems to have dictated and led Mankind to it, as an Expreffion of Humility, and a Senfe of our Wants, and Dependence upon the Perfon before whom we kneel: This Pofture has been practifed in all Ages and Nations, even where the Light of Revelation never fhined. But, ftanding is a Pofture not unfit for Worthip, (efpecially in our Praifes and Thanksgivings, and in Places where there is not Conveniency for the humbler Gefture of Kneeling) as it is a Token of Efteem and Honour for any Perfon to stand up when we fpeak to him. Both these Poftures are used in our publick Worship, in different Parts of it; but, as far as our bad Custom of having Pews will admit of it, all the Congregation ought to Use the fame Pofture in every Part, in order to make our Worfhip compleatly joint Worship.-But fitting never was in any Age, or Country, ufed as a Posture of Worship, where People's Health and Strength would admit of any other; neither is it admitted in our Churches during any Part of the Prayers, but only while the Leffons are read; though the Indevotion of many People practise it while the Pfalms are finging I would afk fuch People, whether celebrating the Praises of our Creator be not as much an Act of Adoration a sany other Part of our Worship? and whether they

can

can seriously think fitting to be a proper Posture for Adoration. In order to convince them of their irreverent and abfurd Behaviour, I would defire them to go to Court with a complimental Addrefs to his Majefty, and when they come before the Throne to take a Chair and fit down, in a familiar Manner, to deliver it. The Confequence, 1 trow, would be, that they would be immediately ordered to withdraw, and not prefume to approach his Prefence any more till they had learn'd more Manners. And what is God that he fhould be treated with lefs Ceremony than one of his own Creatures? One would hardly think a civilized Perfon capable of fuch grofs Rudeness, where the higheft, the most awful Reverence is due.There are others who, when they are upon their Knees, will lay their Bodies along upon the Seat. I would defire thefe careless Worshippers alfo to fanfy themfelves upon their Knees before the King to beg their Life, or fome very great Favour, or to return him Thanks, would they behave to him in fuch a Manner as they behave to their Maker and Judge? Cafes of Weakness of Body are out of the Question. God will have Mercy and not Sacrifice. But, in fuch a Cafe, when they find themselves in Danger of fainting, or being fick, by kneeling, and must change their Pofture, if I might advise, they should stand till they can recover themfelves; or if they be not able to bear that Pofture neither, in my Opinion they had better fit down a while, and as foon as they can, fall upon their Knees again. My Reafon is this: