hymns of praife and thanksgiving, profeffions of faith, and exhortations to duty: together with it's inimitable selections of fcriptural Leffons, Epiftles, and Gofpels.

portions in the

But this would

require many more difcourfes than all the reft of my plan taken together; nor would fuch an undertaking be fo fuitable to a fermon as to a treatise; in which form it has already been executed in a mafterly manner by feveral able and learned divines of our Church. And as one of those commentators has in a preface to his work given a most just character and encomium thereof; and as his book, written at the distance of an hundred and twenty, years, is now in few hands I fhall without ceremony take the liberty of concluding this difcourfe in his words; which are much more expreffive than any that I could pretend to fubftitute in their room,

"No Church was ever blefs'd with fo com"prehenfive, fo exact, and fo inoffenfive a Litur

gy, as our own. So judiciously is it contriv'd, "that the wifeft may exercise at once their know

ledge and devotion; fo plain, that the most ig"norant may pray with understanding: fo full, "that nothing is omitted which is fit to be afk'd "in public; fo particular, that it compriseth most

things which we would ask in private; yet fa

short, as not to tire any that hath true devotion. "It's doctrine is pure and primitive, it's ceremo"nies few and innocent; it's method exact and "natural; it's language fignificant and perfpicu

yet

Moft of it's words and phrafes are taken "out of the holy Scriptures; and the reft are the expreffions of the first and pureft ages; so that "whoever takes exception at these, must quarrel "with the language of the Holy Ghoft, and fall "out with the Church in her greatest innocence. "The Scholar may therein difcern clofe Logic, pleafing Rhetoric, pure divinity, and the very marrow of the ancient doctrine and discipline ; all made fo familiar, that the unlearned may fafely fay Amen. It has obtain'd univerfal reputation; is deservedly admir'd by the Eastern "Churches, and had in great esteem by the most "eminent Proteftants beyond fea; who are the "most impartial judges that can be defir'd. And "one of the most eminent and most learned of "these foreign divines, one not only unconnected "with our Church, but alfo under none, not even "the fmalleft obligation thereto, has given his de"cifive opinion, that the English Liturgy comes "fo near to the primitive pattern, that none of the "Reform'd Churches can compare with it."

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To this spirited and strictly just, as well as elegant Encomium, the pious author after a fhort interval, adds the following fentence and prayer; wherewith as he clofes his preface, fo will I close this difcourfe.

"Whoever defires no more than to worship God "with zeal and knowledge, fpirit and truth, purity " and fincerity, may do it by these devout forms. "And to this end, may the God of peace give us all "meek hearts, quiet fpirits, and devout affections; " and free us from all floth and prejudice: that we

may have full churches, frequent prayers, and fer"vent charity that uniting in our prayers here, we

may all join in his praises hereafter, for the fake of Jefus Chrift our Lord: to whom, with the Father, " and the Holy Ghoft, three Perfons and one God, "be all honour and glory for evermore."

AMEN.

SERMON

BEING now to take into confideration the several exceptions made against our Church by those who diffent from us, and who allege thefe as the ground and juftification of their feparation from our communion, my defign is first to examine each objection apart, in order to fhew the futility of each; and fecondly to prove that all of them together are far from fufficient to juftify what I make no fcruple of calling the heinous fin of Schifm. Of these the first is neceffary in order to vindicate my application of the Text; fince otherwife our Church can not be truly characteriz'd as not having fpot or wrinkle; and the fecond may serve to convince you of the folly and danger of that spirit of innovation, which would caft off an old, tried, fer

viceable

viceable garment, on account of a few suppos'd spots or wrinkles, and those scarcely if at all perceptible; and adopt in it's room a flimfy piece of modern texture, without either ftrength, beauty, or conveniency. But there remains still in the way an obstacle, which must be previously remov❜d. For before entering upon the feveral specific objections, I must beg leave to examine the strength and folidity of that fundamental basis which fupports the whole fabric. This I fhall now give you in their own words; and a thorough discussion of this fingle point will furnish ample matter for the prefent discourse.

The grand principle then of Diffenters, in which we are told they all agree, is ftated to be this: that Jefus Chrift is the only Head of his Church; and that no earthly power has a right to prescribe what his difciples are to believe; fince He has taught us to call no man upon earth Mafter, with respect to religious matters; because One is our Master, even Chrift. Now as this fentence is fomewhat perplex'd, I fhall take the liberty to analyse it, and give you a view of it's several component parts, or members. It contains then first the main propofition, or Axiom, that Jefus Chrift is the only Head of his Church. Secondly, an infer

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