DIRECTIONS

FOR A

DEVOUT AND DECENT BEHAVIOUR

IN THE

Public Worship of God.

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Ir is grievous to consider how many Christians there are (if such as they deserve the name of Christians) who come not to church at all, or very seldom, to pay that public duty and worship to GoD, which our religion calls for, and which a regard for the welfare of civil society requires. And even of those who do come, we find too many behaving themselves in such a careless manner, as if the worship of God, was either not their business there, or not worth minding. Some sit all the time of prayers; or put themselves into such other lazy and irreverent postures, as show sufficiently they have no sense of what they should be doing, nor any awe or reverence of the glorious Being they came to address. Others lay themselves to sleep, or trifle away their time in thinking of their worldly affairs. Others gaze and stare about upon the congregation, or keep talking and whispering with their neighbors; and this is especially observable while the Lessons are reading; as if the holy scriptures, though given by Inspiration of God, were not always to be heard, marked, learned, and inwardly digested, that so they may answer the ends for which they were written, and become profitable for Doctrine, for Reproof, for Correction, for Instruction in Righteousness;

of, in oue word, good to the Use of Edifying. 1 Tim. iii. 16. With regard to such cold and careless worshippers, we may apply to the church what Jacob said of Bethel; Surely the Lord is in this place and they knew it not. They do not consider, that they are in the immediate presence of GoD, and that by such a behaviour they affront him to his face, while they should be devoutly attending to his word, or praying to him.

Others there are, who do indeed show some inclination to mind the prayers, and all the rest of the service; but they do it with so much ignorance, distraction, or confusion, as discover that they do not rightly understand the difference between one part of the service and another; or consider, that some are Prayers, some Praises and Thanksgivings, some public Professions of the Christian faith, and some no more than Instructions, Commands or Exhortations to the people. We often find them repeating after the minister what he alone should speak, and they should only hearken to. Many there are who neglect to join audibly in the responses, which are the part of the worship assigned expressly to the people, by which neglect, the beauty, the order, and the solemnity of the service are destroyed. Now, that such persons may be taught how to order their devotions better, and to worship God, not only with the Spirit, but with the Understanding too, the following directions are earnestly recommended to their consideration and practice.

First then. Have a conscientious regard to this Advice of Solomon, (to whom God gave a wise and understanding Heart) Keep thy foot when thou goest to the House of GOD; and so look to every step you take in your approach to it, that you come into his more immediate presence with such contemplations, meditations, and reflections in your mind, as will lift up your soul unto him, under an awful and just sense of his divine majesty and perfections; and with that humble and contrite spirit, which dependent creatures, and miser ble sinners ought to have. Remember, that since GoD is a Spirit, your worship of him must be spiritual and reasonable, sincere

and pure. It must flow from a divine and heavenly frame of mind. But yet, as the whole Man consists of Body and Soul together, you must glorify him in both; (1 Cor. vi. 20.) and considering their natural union and sympathy, you must take such heed to every gesture and posture of your body, as that they may be such as will best express your humility, reverence, and earnestness, and keep up suitable thoughts and affections in your soul. Particularly, you will, I believe, hence think, that a kneeling posture is most proper; being that which nature seems to dictate in solemn adorations and humble confessions, without this express call for it from the inspired Psalmist, (Psal. xcv. 6.) O come, let us worship, and fall down, and kneel before the Lord our Maker. But,

Secondly. If you are thus prepared to worship GoD in Spirit and in Truth, you will then be sure to go so early to his house, as to be there at the very beginning of the service; since the same obligation lies upon you to attend every part of his public worship as to come to church at all. For if you miss the beginning of it, you lose the opportunity of confessing your sins, and the comfort of hearing your pardon declared and pronounced to you thereupon. Beside that, by coming late, you disturb the congregation to make way for you. Take care also not to leave the church, without great necessity, till after the minister has given the Blessing that concludes the whole service; for if you go out before, you will seem to despise the Blessing; and if you do so, you cannot expect the Grace and Peace of God should go along with you. But,

Thirdly. Having, as soon as you can, gotten a convenient opportunity after your entrance into the church, full down upon your knees in private prayer to God, for the assistance of his spirit in those solemn duties of religion you come to perform. You will behave as in his sight; you will look upon him as observing what you think, as well as what you say and do: and take care all the while you are at church, that the inward dispositions of your soul and the outward demeanor of your body, be

such as becometh not only the holiness and worship of his house, but his more immediate presence.

In Prayer, you will fix your thoughts wholly upon Gop, who alone heareth Prayer; you will disengage your mind from all worldly concerns; you will keep your eyes from wandering, and your lips from disturbing others in their devotions.

In Thanksgiving, imprint upon your heart a just and lively sense of God's goodness and loving kindness to yourself and to all men; since you will then feel how joyful and pleasant a thing it is to be thankful Psalm cxlvii. 1.

In hearing of God's Word, (whether it be read or preached) be not only attentive to it, but inwardly digest it, by applying to your own conscience its general admonitions, reproofs, or exhortations; and by treasuring up in your memory its precepts and examples, its promises and threatenings, for the constant and right ordering of your conversation.

In Singing Psalms, let your understanding and spirit direct and govern the melody of your voice that so your heart may be no less filled with grace, than your tongue with joy. And,

Lastly. In Receiving the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, remember always the exceeding great love of our master and only Saviour in dying for us, and the innumerable benefits which by his precious bloodshedding he hath obtained for us.-For you will then at all times draw near to receive it with faith, with a penitent and obedient heart, in love and charity with all mankind, and with a determined resolution to forsake those sins which brought him even to the death upon the cross; which will likewise engage you to serve him in true holiness and righteousness all the days of your life.

But beside these general directions for the Public Worship of GoD, there are others, which particularly concern a devout and proper use of the Book of Common Prayer; and which will require your immediate attention to the nature and order of every part in that service.

The Sentences.

Now the first thing done by the Minister, is to read some sentences out of the Holy Scriptures. Hearken diligently to these; and consider them as spoken by the inspiration or command of God himself at first, and now repeated by his Minister, to put you in mind of something which he would have you believe or do. For they are such sentences as not only bring our sins against him to our remembrauce, but also his promises of pardon and forgiveness if we do not repent; so that we may worship him with that reverence and godly fear, which becomes those who are sensible of their own sinfulness and unworthiness to approach his divine Majesty; and likewise with that faith and humble confidence which becomes those who believe that upon our repentance he will pardon and accept us, according to his promises.

The Exhortation.

Then follows a solemn exhortation. Now while this is reading (which is the Minister's part alone, and not to be repeated after him by the congregation,) take particular notice of every word and expression in it, as contrived on purpose to prepare you for the worship of God by possessing your minds with a due sense of his special presence, and of the great end of your coming before him at this time; which will no doubt compose your thoughts for that part of the service which follows next: I mean, an humble confession of your sins.

The Confession.

But here, while you are Confessing to GoD with your mouth, and repeating sentence by sentence after the minister, be sure to do the same in your heart; calling to mind as many as you can of those particular sins which you have been guilty of, either by doing what you