in the Chriftian World; That it en-SER M.
joys this Advantage, as in feveral VIII.
other Refpects, fo particularly in
Relation to a folemn and decent
Ufe of Church Musick.

Which three Points being made out,
I fhall close with a Fourth, where-
in I shall briefly, but earnestly ex-
hort you to make your Devotion
exemplary, in Proportion to those
Advantages, which you above all
others enjoy.

I. I am to fhew you, that the great Thing which recommends our publick Devotions to God, is, our performing them with an awakened, fixed, and lively Attention of Mind.

Our Worship is compofed, as we our felves are, of a Body, and a Soul; the Body, is the outward ceremonious Part; the Devotion of the Lips, of the Hands, and of the Knees, all that lies open to the Sense and Obfervation of others; but the Life and Soul of the Duty confifts in those inward Acts of Adoration

and

SERM. and Love, Interceffion and ThanksgiIX. ving, Submiffion and Truft, whereof

God, and we our felves only are conscious. This unfeen Homage is that, which animates and fanctifies what is visible; and without this, all the outward Shew, and Form of Devotion, is of no Acceptance, no Value; a lifeless, and an useless Performance.

Indeed under the Jewish Difpenfation a Regard was had to the mere Externals of Religion: From a grofs and carnal People tied down to earthly Expectations, and fenfible Objects, God was pleased, in fome Measure, to accept a grofs and carnal Service, and to hinder them by that Means, from falling into downright Idolatry, a mighty Propension to which they had contracted during their Stay in Egypt. They were to be distinguished and kept separate from all other Nations, by a peculiar Body of Rites and Ceremonies; and thefe Rites and Ceremonies therefore being useful to this End, derived fome Value alfo from it; especial

ly

ly, being all of them fuch, as had aSERM. typical Reference to more vital and IX. fubftantial Duties, and were Shadows and Emblems of good Things to come: The Virtue of which, they, by the divine Appointment, did not only reprefent, but impart alfo to fuch as performed them. But this typical State being at an End, a more pure and perfect Inftitution fucceeded; a more refined and fpiritual Worship was fet up, in which the Mind is all, and does all; and in which outward Obfervances have no otherwise a Place, than as they serve, either to testify the inward Affections of our Hearts to others, or to excite and improve them in our felves. A Worship every Way proportioned to the Nature of God, who is to receive it; and to the Nature of Man who is to pay it; and to the End and Use alfo of fuch religious Duties, which is, not merely to express our Homage to God, or to procure a Return from him; but also to work in our Minds all those good Difpofitions and Graces, which

SERM. We are so earnest to obtain; and to be IX. at once a neceffary Condition, and a pro

per and natural Means alfo of fpiritual Improvement. And this is remarkably the Cafe of fuch Prayers as are put up with Application of Mind, with Zeal and Fervency: Our very asking in fuch a Manner fits and qualifies us for receiving; makes us refigned, fubmiffive, dependent; affects us with a deep Senfe of our own Infufficiency and Unworthiness, and of the divine Boun. ty and Goodness; fufpends the evil Motions and Defires of our Hearts for a Time, and puts us every Way into that holy and humble Frame of Mind, which God delights in, and delights to reward.

A great deal more might be faid, to fhew, how requifite it is, to approach God in his Worship, with an awakened, fixed and lively Attention of Soul: If either this were a Point, which any good and pious Man doubted of, or were intended to be dwelt on in this Difcourfe any further, than as it leads

the

the Way to those which follow. next of which is,

TheSER M.

II. That therefore all fuch piousHelps and Expedients as conduce to this great End, are to be laid hold of; particularly those which the Text points out to us, vocal and inftrumental Harmony: The Ufe of thefe in divine Service I shall now recommend and juftify, from this Confideration; that they do, when wifely employed and managed, contribute extremely to awaken the Attention, and enliven the Devotion of all ferious and fincere Chriftians; and their Usefulness to this End will ap pear on a double Account, as they remove the ordinary Hinderances of Devotion, and as they fupply us further with special Helps and Advantages towards quickening and improving it.

By the melodious Harmony of the Church, the ordinary Hinderances of Devotion are removed, particularly thefe three; that Engagement of Thought which we often bring with us into the Church from what we laft converfed with; thofe accidental Distractions that VOL. II. may

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IX.