Serm. that the People should repeat the words of the VI. Prayers after the Minister, but only as the directs, that at the end of each they fhould

ANEWER, and fay, *Amen. Now to whom fhould the People Anfwer? Not to themselves; for that is an abfurdity: No, but to the Minifter, who hath alone offer'd up the Prayer for them, and which they make their own by fealing it with an Amen. If they fay Amen, they have no need to repeat the Prayer: or if they will repeat the Prayer, they have no need to fay Amen: for what is this, but to make Answer to themselves?

Rubrick after Abfolution.

Amen is used at the end of the Prayers, Creeds, and in the Commination: and has accordingly different Senfes.

After a prayer it is requefting, o be it, or this is my defire. After the Creed it is affirming join'd with confeffion So it is, or this is my belief. After the Curfes in the Com mination it is barely affirming, namely, that thefe Curfes are due to fuch Tranfgreffors; but without any act of wishing or requesting, that it may fall upon them. The words are, “Curfed is he that, &c. and not curfed be he.

It is to be faid by the People (not the Clerk alone) as the * Hieron. Rubrick after the Abfolution directs. * St. Jerome fays, that in 2. Pro- it was pronounced in fuch a manner by all the People, that am.Com. it refembled the found of Thunder. In the African Church, in Gal.

Clem.

Alexand.

Stromat.

1. 7.

where they prayed ftanding, at pronouncing Amen they raised themselves on tip-toe, to express their earneftness. But whatever our pofture or voice be, let it be always faid with an earneft heart, and that by all.

This too general custom of repeating the Serm. Prayers after the Minifter hath not the leaft IV. apology for itself, but that it is a custom: it is doubtless a differvice to the worshipper, as well as a diforder to the worship. Sure I am, it rather weakens than helps the intention of the mind: it runs out fometimes into a work of the lips, (as 'tis objected) and not of the heart, too vifible among the ignorant fort, and therefore more excufable; I wish it were only among them, fome haftening on before, some coming after, others falling in together, with a promifcuous uncertainty; infomuch that St. Paul's reproof to the Corinthians in a like diforder, might be very applicable to many of our Congregations; fhould thofe come in, that are unlearned or unbelievers, hearing all speak together, would they not fay, that ye are mad? The complaint of this disorder being often made by you your felves, may the better be born from us. For we do not say these things to caft a fare upon any, nor to entangle or hinder any person's devotion; but only for that which is comely, and that you may attend upon the Lord without this ufual distraction. What rule then, my Beloved, would you defire for your behaviour in the Church? The best, the only rule is to obferve

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Serm.
IV.

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themselves with their presence at that Ser"vice, and their lip-labour in bearing a part "in it, they harden themselves in their ignorance; yet let our People themselves glory in it as their high privilege, and hold it faft as their bleffed advantage: and if in this thing be their ignorance, may they be more and more harden'd in their ignorance. However let those inftructors of the ignorant be instructed in one thing; that this way of the People's bearing a part in the Service was not only used by the * Ancients, but that for this very reason the Service itself was called Common-prayer.

But then, my Brethren, fince ye are fo highly favoured and honoured in our publick worship; furely as this fhould induce you to love, honour, and esteem it; fo fhould you study to express this your acknowledgment by joining only in those parts, which are appointed you; and by no means intrenching upon the parts appropriated to the Minifter: which I fhall again recite to you, to fix them upon your memories.

First, Such are the pronouncing the ABSOLUTION and the BLESSING: these belong to the Prieft alone: they are effential to his Office:

* Justin Martyr. Apol. 2. St. Aug. Epist. 118.

and

and no man can take to himself the honour Serm. of pronouncing thefe, any more than of the IV. Office itself. Wherefore when the Prieft standing up pronounces thefe, I entreat above all things that the whole Congregation, being upon their knees, would attend and receive them with filence; and not declare the grofs ignorance of the heart by the least motion of the lips.

In the like manner when he readeth the ExHORTATION what an abfurdity is it for the People to repeat it after him? For are all Priests? Where then is the Congregation? Or do all Exhort? Who then are to liften to the Exhortation?

It were much to be wilhed, that not only in these cases of abfurdity, but that even in the prayers, where the People are bound to accompany the Minifter with the heart, they would not do it also with the lips; and this not because of any corruption, but only because it breeds confufion. For this reason in the Confeffion of fin, where they are to ac company the Minifter, the Rubric directs them to do it only with an humble voice: Why? left the found of all should turn it into the noise of a Multitude, and not the voice of a Congregation. 'Tis evident from the Rubric, that the Church never intended

Serm. obferve the rules laid down in her Rubrics, IV. not to go beyond them in doing more or less,

not to intrench upon the Pricft's Office by improper repetitions, nor to neglect your own by a flothful filence; but conforming in all things to her orders, in time, in voice, and in gestures, ye fhall not fail to worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.

And now what remains, but that we rejoice and joy together in our exceeding great happiness, and that in the best of things, our Religious Worship, an happiness far fuperior to what other Churches or Sects enjoy, or rather fancy they enjoy. As to Popery, from which we reformed, tho' its worship be fo adorned and beautify'd with variety, yet it is fadly ftain'd with errors and idolatry; befides it is faid in an unknown tongue: but however were it clear'd from these objections, yet the frame of it, as laid out in the Roman Breviary, is fo broken, perplexed, and obfcured, that it is fcarce an intelligible, how then a reasonable Service? And as to the whole body of the Dissenters among us, befides their foundation in Schifm, no trivial fin, what can be faid In vindication of their Worship, when confidered in its own meannefs; much less when compared with the excellency of ours? Where

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