lefs apt to promote the knowledge and fenfe of religion, than free prayer. • We mean not to affert, fays he, that ferious practical religion must neceffarily fink and perifh under a form of prayer. It is fufficient to our purpose, if free prayer hath in this respect the advantage of forms; and to be convinced that it has fo, let us attend a little to the nature and tendency of the mode in itfelf, and to fact and obfervation. As to the former, free prayer does in its own nature tend to increase the furniture of the mind, and warm the affections of the heart, whether we lead the public devotions in the free way, or join in them. If we lead the public devotions in this way, all the furniture of the mind is on feveral occafions brought into use, and a close attention is neceffary to its being used in a proper and becoming manner. Our minds muft labour after an acquaintance with fpiritual and divine things, to lay in furniture for the duty; and when furnished in any good measure for it, cannot without diligent ferious attention engage in the performance of it to advantage. If we join the public devotions in this way, we cannot in any meafure fulfil our duty, without giving a close, ferious, and fixed attention to his words, who is our mouth to God, nor can we, while hanging as it were upon the lips of the speaker, fo eafily let down or relax our attention, as if we were hearing or repeating a form, the cuftomarinefs whereof, might difpofe us to pafs over it with a superficial glance of thought, juft as in reviewing a book, we have often read before, we are prone to run haftily over the pages, and attend to the general contents of every chapter only, without that particular attention we might be inclined to bestow upon it at first reading. As without attention, there can be no devotion; fo that, which is a means to help us in our attention, is certainly ferviceable to promote our devotion; and that conceived prayer is a means to engage our attention, we know by our own experience. Now the great things of religion, which we make the matter of our prayers, do greatly need to be better attended to, in order to their being more powerfully felt and practically improved; and confequently that mode of devotion must be beft, and moft conducive to ferious practical religion, which tends moft to excite and fix the attention. Besides, are there not charms in novelty and variety, that at once please and affect the human mind, and fo far as free prayer admits thefe charms, it is much more likely to please and affect than forms. Human nature is the fame in prayer as in other things; and it is to no purpose to say, we fhould never be weary of a good thing, merely because it is not new, or not different from what ve had feen or known before; for, though we may not be fo Feary as to loath it, if it be good in itself, yet it cannot invite or or engage the fame degree of attention, nor yield the fame relish of delight. On the whole, if attention and affection are of any importance in religion, or are proper to advance and promote it, free prayer, as tending to engage them, is of great advantage to the caufe and intereft of practical piety in the world.' As the first part of this treatise was drawn up with a view to the case of introducing liturgies amongst diffenters, the Author clofes it, with addreffing the following queries to the minifters and people of that denomination : 1. Whether ferious vital religion is more likely to flourish among diffenters by introducing liturgic worship, than in the way of free prayer? 2. Whether the diffenters of the prefent age have not loft much of the serious spirit and character, which is fo effential to the grace, and fo helpful to the gift of prayer, and therefore seek refuge in forms? 3. Whether the neglect of family-religion now too common among them, be not one evidence of the decay of ferious piety? 4. Whether forms did not take place in the Chriftian church, after the primitive spirit was departed from it, and whether they were not followed by numberless corruptions? 5. Whether the plainnefs and fimplicity of divine worship can be long maintained in the univerfal ufe of forms, or whether various ceremonies of human device, have not generally gone along with them, or in due time followed, as a proper appendage to them? up 6. Whether the credit of the miniftry is likely to be kept in the use of forms; and whether those who are thought unfit to lead the public devotions without a form of other men's devifing, have not loft much ground in the esteem of the people? 7. Whether the old diffenters will not dwindle more and more under the ufe of forms, while the methodists in the use of free prayer will draw greater numbers from their congregations, than they have ever yet done? 8. Whether a liturgical worship will not difunite diffenters more and more; and as it is morally certain, they will not all join in one form; whether a variety of forms will not cause odious comparisons, and fplit them into as many parties as there are different forms compofed in ufum Londini, Eboraci, Mancunii, Leverpolia, &c.? 6 9. Whether a diffenting liturgy, ftanding as a rival to that by law established, will not be more offenfive to their neighbours than free prayer, and rather hinder than promote the coalition of church and diffenters ?' We have now given a pretty full view of what is contained in the first part of the treatife now before us, and must refer such of lefs apt to promote the knowledge and fenfe of religion, than free prayer. • We mean not to affert, fays he, that ferious practical religion must neceffarily fink and perifh under a form of prayer. It is fufficient to our purpofe, if free prayer hath in this respect the advantage of forms; and to be convinced that it has fo, let us attend a little to the nature and tendency of the mode in itfelf, and to fact and obfervation. As to the former, free prayer does in its own nature tend to increase the furniture of the mind, and warm the affections of the heart, whether we lead the public devotions in the free way, or join in them. If we lead the public devotions in this way, all the furniture of the mind is on feveral occafions brought into ufe, and a clofe attention is neceffary to its being used in a proper and becoming manner. Our minds muft labour after an acquaintance with fpiritual and divine things, to lay in furniture for the duty; and when furnished in any good measure for it, cannot without diligent ferious attention engage in the performance of it to advantage. If we join the public devotions in this way, we cannot in any meafure fulfil our duty, without giving a clofe, ferious, and fixed attention to his words, who is our mouth to God, nor can we, while hanging as it were upon the lips of the fpeaker, fo eafily let down or relax our attention, as if we were hearing or repeating a form, the customarinefs whereof, might difpofe us to pafs over it with a fuperficial glance of thought, juft as in reviewing a book, we have often read before, we are prone to run haftily over the pages, and attend to the general contents of every chapter only, without that particular attention we might be inclined to bestow upon it at first reading. As without attention, there can be no devotion; fo that, which is a means to help us in our attention, is certainly ferviceable to promote our devotion; and that conceived prayer is a means to engage our attention, we know by our own experience. Now the great things of religion, which we make the matter of our prayers, do greatly need to be better attended to, in order to their being more powerfully felt and practically improved; and confequently that mode of devotion must be beft, and moft conducive to ferious practical religion, which tends most to excite and fix the attention. Besides, are there not charms in novelty and variety, that at once please and affect the human mind, and fo far as free prayer admits thefe charms, it is much more likely to please and affect than forms. Human nature is the fame in prayer as in other things; and it is to no purpose to say, we fhould never be weary of a good thing, merely because it is not new, or not different from what we had feen or known before; for, though we may not be fo weary as to loath it, if it be good in itself, yet it cannot invite or or engage the fame degree of attention, nor yield the fame relish of delight. On the whole, if attention and affection are of any importance in religion, or are proper to advance and promote it, free prayer, as tending to engage them, is of great advantage to the caufe and intereft of practical piety in the world.' As the first part of this treatife was drawn up with a view to the cafe of introducing liturgies amongst diffenters, the Author closes it, with addreffing the following queries to the minifters and people of that denomination: 1. Whether ferious vital religion is more likely to flourish among diffenters by introducing liturgic worship, than in the of free prayer? way 2. Whether the diffenters of the prefent age have not loft much of the serious spirit and character, which is fo effential to the grace, and fo helpful to the gift of prayer, and therefore feek refuge in forms? 3. Whether the neglect of family-religion now too common among them, be not one evidence of the decay of ferious piety? Whether forms did not take place in the Chriftian church, after the primitive spirit was departed from it, and whether they were not followed by numberless corruptions? 5. Whether the plainnefs and fimplicity of divine worship can be long maintained in the univerfal use of forms, or whether various ceremonies of human device, have not generally gone along with them, or in due time followed, as a proper appendage to them? 6. Whether the credit of the miniftry is likely to be kept up in the use of forms; and whether those who are thought unfit to lead the public devotions without a form of other men's devifing, have not loft much ground in the efteem of the people? 7. Whether the old diffenters will not dwindle more and more under the use of forms, while the methodists in the use of free prayer will draw greater numbers from their congregations, than they have ever yet done? 8. Whether a liturgical worship will not difunite diffenters more and more; and as it is morally certain, they will not all join in one form; whether a variety of forms will not cause odious comparisons, and fplit them into as many parties as there are different forms compofed in ufum Londini, Eboraci, Mancunii, Leverpolia, &c.? 9. Whether a diffenting liturgy, ftanding as a rival to that by law established, will not be more offenfive to their neighbours than free prayer, and rather hinder than promote the coalition of church and diffenters ?' We have now given a pretty full view of what is contained in the first part of the treatife now before us, and must refer such of of our Readers as have any defire of knowing what is advanced in the fecond, to the work itself. The Morality of the Eaft; extracted from the Koran of Mohammed: digefted under alphabetical Heads. With an Introduction, and occafional Remarks. Small Svo. 2 s. fewed. Nicoll. E VER fince the publication of the late learned Mr. Sale's edition of the Koran, in this country. it hath been a kind of fashion with men of a certain turn of sentiment, to cry up, and recommend, the Mohammedan difpenfation. Their view in doing this, is obvious enough; and therefore wc, as Chriftians, fhould be cautious how we liften to their fpecious infinuations, in favour of other schemes of religion or morality, to the diminution of that honour or that zeal which are due to the. fuperior worth and unparalelled excellence of our own.-Candour, nevertheless, muft allow, that there is much truth and propriety in the observation with which the Compiler of this little fynopfis of the Mohammedan fyftem begins his introductory 'difcourfe : In order, fays he, to form a proper judgment of men and things, it will be incumbent on us to generalize our ideas, to extend them beyond the contemplation of our own countrymen, the profeffors of the fame religious principles, and beyond local modes of thinking: to mankind collectively, and fubjects abstractedly; overlooking the feveral denominations by which. humankind are broken into independent communities, and feparate brotherhoods; whether by the barriers of nature, the policy of governments, or mere obftinate tenacity of particular opinions.' As it seems to be no part of our Editor's defign, to convert us to the Mohammedan faith, but merely to prefent us with a compendium of Eastern morality, of a more modern date than the Bible, in order to enlarge our Ideas, and extend our candour and charity to different perfuafions; fo he previously remarks, that, to form an impartial eftimate of the intrinfic merits of any religion, it may be neceffary to pafs over all the fupernaturals wherewith it is embellifhed, and recommended to the veneration of its votaries; and to examine the tendency of thofe practical duties enjoined for the conduct of man toward man: this is the infallible teft, the golden rule, laid down by our Meffiah, and brought home to the apprchenfions of thofe to whom it is addreffed, by a familiar and most happy ailufion. We are not only invited to judge for ourselves what is right; but are referred to a fruit tree as a guide to our judgment: Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even fo every good tree |