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V 
 
 Theophilus to Gaius : 
 
 A N 
 
 EPISTLE, 
 
 SHEWING 
 
 The Inexpediency of Forms ; and Reafons 
 for the Ufe of free and unprefcribed Prayer, 
 in the Proteftant DhTenting Churches. 
 
 OCCASIONED 
 
 By an Introductory Letter, in the 
 Specimen of a Liturgy^ See. 
 
 ■ 
 
 But tae will give ourf elves continually to ■prayer^ 
 and to the miniftry of the word. Acls vi. 4. 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 Printed for J. Noon, at the White Hart in 
 Cheapfide ; B. Bourn, under the Royal Ex- 
 change ; andT.SEDDON, at Homer s Head 
 in the Poultry. 1753. Price 6 d. 
 
( 3 ) 
 
 Theophilus toGAius: 
 
 An EPISTLE, &c. 
 
 Worthy Sir, 
 
 rO U are no ftr anger to the method in 
 winch public prayer is performed a- 
 mong/l proteftant-dijjenters. That im- 
 portant branch of the reformed religion has long 
 and happily felt your friendly countenance. — A 
 queftion has of late been agitated, " 'whether 
 free and unprefcribed, or ftated andprefcribed 
 forms of prayer, are mojl conducive to the 
 purpofes of devotion?" 
 
 A pamphlet, you know, has likevoife made 
 its appearance, called, a Specimen of a 
 Liturgy, &c. The introductory Epiflle, 
 has been thought by feme perfens of emi- 
 ?ience in the Eftablifeed Church, to defeerve 
 confideration. With feme afjiduous care I 
 have examined the Epiftle, and inferibe my 
 thought i to you j whoje generous treatment has 
 A 2 given 
 
( 4 ) 
 
 given exijlence to a train of grateful re-, 
 flections. 
 
 An arduous wiih of the long continuance 
 of your health and life, aiding the profperity, 
 and enlivening the joy of a numerous family, and 
 wide acquaintance, mingles with the facred 
 
 faOW'Sy 
 
 of your 
 
 Theofhilus. 
 
 TPiE Author of the Specimen, &c. ob- 
 jects to the manner in which prayer is per- 
 formed in our public affemblies. lie is of 
 opinion, " it has a tendency, in general, to 
 deftroy the very nature of prayer it [elf; 
 confidered as a direct, folemn addrefs to, 
 and immediate intercourse with the al- 
 mighty.- that by leaving this part of the 
 
 public worfhip, entirely to the care and 
 performance of the minifler, it is to be 
 feared our people are too apt to look upon 
 it as his bufinefs, and not conlider it, at 
 leaft, not fo much as they ought, as a duty 
 in which they themfehes are equally con- 
 cerned. Nothing is more common, when 
 our people are making their obfervations 
 upon their minifters, than to hear them 
 ia-v, / have heard j'uch a one, and be prr. 
 
 but 
 
( 5 ) 
 
 but very indifferently j or fitch a one, and he 
 frayed admirably well; but were you to aik 
 thefe very perfons how they themfelves 
 prayed at the fame time, they would pro- 
 bably be furprized at the queftion ; or, at 
 leaft, give but a very indifferent account of 
 the matter." 
 
 I cannot, with this Gentleman, fuppofe 
 an unavoidable inconvenience, that will al- 
 ways take place where focial prayer is not 
 conducted by fome public prefcribed form. 
 One reafon I would offer, is, I know it by 
 experience to be otherwife. My own 
 mind, I am well affured, has been fixed 
 upon the grand object of worfhip ; and the 
 fentiments of reverence, humility, and ado- 
 ration, proper to acts of communion with 
 God, have been preferved, at the time 
 when the attention hung upon the lips of 
 the fpeaker. And I fhould imagine, the 
 thing is not a whit more difficult, than in 
 the ufe of a prefcribed form. 
 
 In our aflemblies, uiefpirit of devotion 
 never ufed to be called in queftion : but has 
 been thought to be both as real and as 
 elevated too, as in any of the churches 
 where forms are in ufe. What mav have 
 raifed the jealoufy ? have our removed Eli- 
 jah'' s taken their mantles along with them : 
 
 is the orefent tafle lb exceedingly nice and 
 
 i . icate, 
 
( 6 ) 
 
 delicate, that nothing will pleafe, mort of aj 
 critical exactnefs j or what has a perfectly 
 methodical arrangement? without this, can- 
 not a man pray ? 
 
 I mould be tempted to invert the quef* 
 tion, by afking, whether impofed, pre- 
 fcribed forms, have not been a manifeft 
 hindrance to a farther reformation ? — whe- 
 ther free prayer has not been very juftly 
 efteemed a farther improvement of the re- 
 formation from popery ? and whether if 
 
 forms mould once again become univerfal, 
 we might not return to that worfe than 
 pagan fuperftition ? 
 
 But we are told, the people with us pray 
 not ! — Surely they mull be little in earneft, 
 and only half-taught in the fervices of reli- 
 gion, who do not coniider themfelves as 
 worfhippers, either in the family, or in the 
 church, when prayer is made, though with- 
 out any prefcribed form. A ftxange pre- 
 ilimption it is, that would create the con- 
 jecture ! 
 
 It will be allowed, " that where the 
 minifter conducts his prayer as a trial of 
 fkill, or as a tefi of orthodoxy," the cafe 
 is truly mocking ! no wonder, if, in fuch 
 cafes, " there fhould be much hcfitation ; 
 lofs of thought ; harm expreffion ; extra- 
 vagant confeffions , and many improprieties 
 
 that 
 
( 7 ) 
 
 that may difturb the devotion/' But does 
 not this Gentleman know, that among pro- 
 teftant-diflenters, prayer, that is public, is 
 ufually conducted upon the more generally 
 received notions of the diftinct focieties ? 
 And is this otherwife in any church in the 
 world, where the forms of prayer are ftated 
 and prefcribed ? what is more evident in 
 the Liturgy of the Church of England % 
 e.g. does not the doctrine of the trinity 
 run through a great deal of that fervice ? 
 and can any teft of orthodoxy rife higher 
 than this, in the vulgar opinion ? and yet, 
 who is he that is able to fay, how the mind 
 can be fixed on the grand object of wor~ 
 {hip ? or, how there can be that total bent 
 and direction of the foul towards God, 
 which is fo very defirable ; nay, fo necef- 
 fary in all acts of real communion with 
 him ? To go over fuch fervices with any 
 underflanding, will certainly make it a work 
 much more of the head than of the heart. 
 Or rather, the mind is too much fettered 
 and tied down to things of which it can 
 have no conceptions ; things that are ab- 
 furd, irreconcileable to reafon and common 
 fenfe ; things far below the dignity of a 
 rational homage. 
 
 But' mould we grant this Writer the ut- 
 moft he could afk, even more than his 
 
 modefty 
 
( 8 ) 
 
 modefly would allow him to expert, $»#« 
 that his Specimen mould be made the 
 very plan of a public Liturgy, — how would 
 he be able to give us any Security againffc 
 the evils of which he complains ? his re- 
 fponfcs, his changings, and choppings be- 
 tween Minifler and People, would incline 
 the latter to fuppofe themfelves quite un- 
 concerned in thofe parts which are ap- 
 pointed for the former. And indeed they 
 are often fo very diStinct, as to make the 
 one feem more properly the prayer of the 
 minifler j and the other more properly the 
 prayer of the people ; as perhaps may be 
 more evident by and by. 
 
 There is reafon of doubt, whether the 
 beil forms that could poffibly be devifed by 
 the befc men in the world, would be able 
 to procure one iingle advantage, not at- 
 tainable by free and unprefcribed prayer, 
 when conducted by a man of true piety, 
 and well acquainted with the fcheme of 
 religion ; as every chriflian minifler ought to 
 be. There is a fellowship, there is a fame- 
 nefs of Spirit among good chriftians. The 
 fentiments of devotion harmonize. All the 
 great lines of piety are familiar with true 
 worshippers. And here we may not Sup- 
 pole, either imagery or language that will 
 di&o$fip6f<gi the devotion of a mind that has" 
 
 its 
 
( 9 ) 
 
 its direction towards God : all the little in- 
 accuracies and inconnections it will eafily 
 drop, or pals over unnoticed in the true 
 fervors of devotion. 
 
 A man who is not capable of conduc- 
 ting the public prayer with decency, who 
 is unfkilled in the methods of addrefs, or 
 in the fpirit of prayer, is, in fact, unqualified 
 for the fervice amongfr. proteftant-diffenters. 
 And whatever may be his erudition, he 
 mould not be admitted to the paftoral care 
 of any church ; the ability is indifpenfible. 
 
 In canvarling the argument, this is, with 
 me, a pojiulatum, viz. the minifcerial abi- 
 lity for prayer, will be the refult of his own 
 acquaintance with the vitals of religion, in 
 which he is daily growing and increasing. 
 
 However, the objector to free prayer, 
 
 obferves, " that a man may be fo anxiouf- 
 ly careful about thoughts and language, as 
 to cramp and fetter his own mind." When- 
 ever this is the cafe, he confelTedly de- 
 fcends too low for the fpirit of prayer. And 
 in fuch a miftaken folicitude, " he may 
 have untimely conceptions half formed, un- 
 suitable phrales, half uttered flips, alfo im- 
 proprieties of fentiment and expreiTion." — 
 This will be granted. But if he keeps up 
 to the fpirit of prayer, all thofe things will 
 then be avoided, " that would have raifed 
 B in 
 
( 10 ) 
 
 In him a confcious blufh ; or have filled 
 him with inward confufion." Thefe dif- 
 compofures are ufually occasioned by turn- 
 ing the eye off from God, and fixing it 
 on man ; by making the people, and not 
 one J s maker the object of addrefs. 
 
 Young mimjlers, fometimes, thro' a faulty 
 reverence of man, have been entangled in 
 thefe inconveniencies, and have complain- 
 ed of this ill-timed refpect, difturbing their 
 devotions : but they would do well to make 
 themfelves better acquainted with the na- 
 ture of worfhip ; and fill their minds with 
 a more fixed reverence of God, before they 
 prefume to lead the homage. 
 
 As to the different condition in which the 
 animal fpirits are found, at different times - y 
 this will unavoidably be the cafe, whether 
 the man prays with or without a form. 
 If with a form, he is altogether as likely to 
 read over the prayer without life, and of 
 rendering it a dead, inanimated thing, as if 
 he prayed without a form. It is rather to 
 be expected, the fervice, when conducted 
 with freedom, will have an aptitude in it 
 to make him forget his bodily complaints ; 
 for they are not fuppofed to be iiich as 
 render him incapable of the fervice. But 
 if he can read a form with the fpirit of de- 
 
 . 'ii, lie furelv mav pray with fuch fpirit:. 
 
 If 
 
( M ) 
 
 If any fudden emergency, has, in mch fort, 
 difabled him to pray without a prefcribed 
 form ; under fuch extempore difability, some 
 would plead for the liberty of having one 
 ready, that the congregation may not fuffer 
 in its homage. — And I know of none that 
 would condemn the precaution. 
 
 Any man, with care, may digefl a me- 
 thod of prayer, that mall render him ca- 
 pable of conducting the fervice upon any 
 occafion with decency. And fome method 
 ihould always be found in free prayer. 
 What more reafonable than to expert a 
 minifter, who is ufed to methodize his 
 thoughts upon divine fubjects, ihould v be 
 able to offer up his addreifes with order 
 and propriety ? Yet, in the matter of 
 worldly cares, clouding and difcompoflng 
 the mind, it may be prefumed, thefe will 
 not have admimon in the bread: of a pious 
 man ; and efpeciallv, on the days, and at 
 the places of our public worfhip. I own, I 
 do not know what to think of the minifter, 
 who, without a freedom from fuch anxie- 
 ties, dares, either to read a form, or at- 
 tempt a more free addrefs to his maker. 
 Keep t hy foot -when thou goefl to the honfe of 
 God, — be not rafi with thy mouth ; and let 
 not thine heart be hafiy to litter any thing be- 
 fore God, — have been very antient maxims 
 B 2 pf 
 
( 12 ) 
 
 $f public worihip. Diffracting, worldly 
 carefulnefs, is a real difqualification for 
 sprayer -, which equally affects the man who 
 prays, either with or without a form. 
 And as bodily diftemper alike excufes from 
 the public fervice : thefe luftings and fe?- 
 verim deliriums of the mind apologize for 
 neither j but equally condemn both. 
 
 One conceflion, I feel myfelf inclined to 
 make this Gentleman, if he will accept of 
 it, which is, a minifler is more capable of 
 indulging to the wildneiles of fancy, to the 
 rovings of worldlinefs in reading his form, 
 than he who addrefies his maker by free 
 and conceived prayer. And might one 
 guefs by the air, the mien, the deportment 
 of fome who read the eftablifhed forms, we 
 mould be tempted to conclude, not any 
 thing can be more remote from them than 
 is the fpirit of prayer. They do not feem 
 at all engaged in the fervice : they have no- 
 thing fo little as the air of devotion. In 
 th$ fcale -of impartial judgment, will. not 
 this be more than a counterpoife for fome 
 flips, fome improprieties of expremon , &e. 
 which may be innocently, or inadvertently 
 thrown out in a free and unprefcribed li- 
 turgy r It well deferves to be deliberately 
 coniidered, whether flated, prefcnbed forms 
 do not leavfiithe mind more loofe and dif- 
 
 en^ao-ed. 
 
( '3 ) 
 engaged, than the unprefcribed, mental 
 prayer can do ? 
 
 The true nature of prayer, my worthy 
 Gaius, does not appear to be fo well con- 
 ceived of by the advocate of ftated forms. 
 Yet, all agree, it is the heart which God 
 regards. It is the fpirit of devotion that 
 he approves and accepts. And none have 
 ever been able to mew, that the new teita- 
 ment writings any where recommend a 
 ftated, prefcribed Liturgy. Neither the 
 bleiled Jefus, nor any of his apoffles ever 
 once intimate any fuch thing. Their prac- 
 tice is openly on the fide of free prayer. 
 The riling occurrence, the diverfined con- 
 dition and circumftance always dictated the 
 varied plan. And a vaft number of St, 
 ~PauV% prayers, confirm one in the opinion, 
 that he never fo much as once dreamed of 
 giving chriftians a ftated Liturgy, or the 
 model of an impofed one for the ufe of the 
 churches. 
 
 It is not the language or form of expref- 
 fion, but the fpirit, the fenfe, the fenti- 
 ment, that conlfitutes the prayer. And 
 fuch language may ever be .expected, as 
 will moft juftiy clothe and convey the fpi- 
 rit or fentiment. A man will as naturallv 
 exprefs his mind to God, and as. intelligi- 
 bly too, as he does to his fellow-creature. 
 
 And 
 
( u ) 
 
 And in fuch a prefence, when the finceri- 
 ty is fo pure and unadulterated, where the 
 franknefs and opennefs is without all dif- 
 guife, as there is lefs art, fo lefs labour is 
 requifite to forming of the language : *in 
 other words, the expreffion will he with 
 more eafe and decency. A lefs eligible 
 image, a lefs elegant expreffion will not 
 difgufr. the mind in its fervors of devotion. 
 
 Repetitions are likewife, very com- 
 monly thrown at us, in bar to free prayer. 
 But with fo little grace, by the defenders of 
 an eftablifhed, impofed Liturgy, that i : 
 will not need any more than the bare men - 
 tion, in our own apology. 
 
 The moft ipecious plea for forms, is, 
 the readinefs of the materials, or furniture. 
 And yet, there is an abundance of thefe ready 
 for the minifter, in the word of God. From 
 thence he may learn, how to exprefs the 
 publick thankfgivings and praifes due to 
 the fource of all confolation and joy — how 
 to exprefs the truffc , confidence, and hope 
 of the christian, upon the power, wifdom, 
 goodiiefs, truth and faithfulnefs of God ; 
 and exhibit the various exercifes of piety. 
 He will alfo carefully inform himfelf in the 
 doubts, difficulties, fears, burdens, ibrrows, 
 diilrefTes and conflicts of human nature ; 
 together with their origin :md fource. He 
 
 will 
 
( i} ) 
 
 Will be acquainted with the wants, weak- 
 neiles, oppofitions and difcouragements 
 Which await the condition of man j toge- 
 ther with the methods in which the divine 
 aids and fuccours are wont to operate. 
 
 A knowledge of human nature, an ac- 
 quaintance with the flate of mankind, muft 
 be owned to be a very effential qualification 
 For a chriftian minirler. And where this is 
 in fome good degree cultivated, the public 
 leadings of fuch Pastors will greatly con- 
 duce to the rational vigors and enlivenings 
 of devotion. But of no manner of advan- 
 tage are fuch talents to this end, in a mi- 
 nifter who is confined to a ftated, impofed 
 Liturgy. His own experience, his ad- 
 vances in piety and goodnefs cannot, at all, 
 benefit the devotion of his people, in read- 
 ing his prayer. 
 
 This is, with me, Gaius, an argument 
 of fo much fignificance, that I defpairof ever 
 feeing any attempts to invalidate its force 
 attended either with evidence, or fuccefs, 
 amon? the thoughtful and ferious. Do but 
 admit prayer to be an important branch of 
 public worfhip ; or, in the language of an 
 advocate for forms, the moft important j 
 very little account needs be made of the 
 minifter's qualification. However illiberal 
 his education, if he can but read diltinctly 
 
 his 
 
( 16 ) 
 
 his native language, he is qualified for 
 the dejk. And do but grant him the far- 
 ther fmall indulgence of taking down Til- 
 lotfon, Clarke^ or any other Divine from his 
 fhelf, he is as well furnifhed for the pulpit. 
 
 What occafiun for fuch mighty noife, 
 
 in the article of univerfity education ? Any 
 unlettered mechanic is as capable of the 
 office, as he. In a word, prefcribed forms 
 of prayer and preaching, render, what is 
 called, the clerical order, ufelefs : and the 
 provifions for the fupport of that order, 
 defencelefs : becaufe the public fervice 
 might as well be done by rotation, in any 
 
 religious anembly. Whereas, in truth, 
 
 the chriftian minifter is expected to be a 
 man who is cordially and diligently devoted 
 to iludy, meditation, and prayer : conti- 
 nually given up to thefe facred employ- 
 ments. And mall he not be able either to 
 pray or to preach, but by forms ? Me- 
 thirfks, his inability lhould not be found 
 in either branch of his fervice. How will 
 he be an example to the believers, in fpirit 
 and purity, if he is not able to expreis his 
 devotion in his own language and fenti- 
 ment ? 
 
 There is another argument in favour of 
 fr&Q and unpreicribed prayer, taken from 
 the very make of man. He is a creature, 
 
 in 
 
( '7 ) 
 in whom curiosity is one of the ftrong- 
 eft and mofh lafting appetites implanted : 
 and admiration is one of the moft pleaf- 
 ing of all his paffions : fo that variety 
 ieems neceflary to his entertainment. And 
 truly, the beautiful is conftituted of 'varie- 
 ty with harmony. Nature feems to have 
 treated man, in her accommodations of 
 him, as a creature of this cafl j me has 
 bountifully confulted his pleafure in the 
 vaft variety of her productions. It therefore 
 appears quite unnatural to tie him down to 
 rigidly unvaried forms of addrefs, in his de- 
 votions. The conception and expremon 
 mould furely be left free. Where it is not, 
 the beaten track of forms, will be foon apt 
 to pall upon the mind : as the man's neck- 
 verfe is faid to have done, tho' his life was 
 concerned. A perpetual repetition of the 
 fame fett of phrafe and fentiment will foon 
 grow vapid, and lofe all its fpirit. The 
 mental tafte will be much more difgufted, 
 than with little difcordancies, or with fome 
 harfhnerTes in the variety of an unconfined 
 liturgy. iC There will be a fuperior 
 delight, when the words drop with more 
 fweetnefs than the honey-comb ; when the 
 variety and turn of thought, when the pro- 
 priety of expremon and copioufnefs of lan- 
 C guage r 
 
( '3 ) 
 
 guage, are enlivened with all the fpirit and 
 flame of devotion." 
 
 Who can do lefs than pray under fuch a 
 
 leading ? The human pamons catch the 
 
 facred fire ! The power of numbers, by 
 an appulfe that is fpiritual, refrefheth the 
 nervous fyftem, as it inftantly fpreads 
 throughout the foul the pleafing harmo- 
 ny. For whilft we admire and are de- 
 lighted with the divine contemplation, the 
 canal of intercourfe with the parent mind, 
 we, together become o?ie fpirit. If it is 
 not fo, the defect mould not be attributed 
 to the free and unprefcribed liturgy ; but 
 it muft be owing to our felves, if the fer- 
 vice be dull, iniipid, and unentertaining. 
 Our own inattention, indifpofition, or va- 
 nity mould receive the charge. We all 
 are apt to excufe ourfelves in the difguft, 
 if there be any approaches to the formali- 
 ty of addrefs, in the fermons we hear : If 
 the Minijler continues in any beaten path, 
 and removes not from a round of fenti- 
 ment and expreffion. Ho??iilies would not 
 have energy enough to keep the attention 
 wakeful and earneft. 
 
 But it is faid, the folemnity of prayer 
 
 far exceeds that of preaching. In what ? 
 
 — in the object of addrefs ? True ; the 
 
 objedt 
 
( '9 ) 
 
 object, God, infinitely exceeds the object, 
 man. But enquire we into the moral end 
 of both praying and preaching ; and it will 
 be found nothing lefs than the improve- 
 ment of mans piety and virtue. Preaching 
 is intended to inform the judgment and 
 engage the heart of an audience, in the 
 buiinefs of religion : and by the quantity 
 of its influence, a fpirit of prayer is culti- 
 vated. And, reciprocally, the fpirit of de- 
 votion will difpofe the public attention to 
 an inveftigation of truth and its evidence. 
 Preaching reports the nature and ufe of 
 moral obligation > and exhibits arguments 
 to convince and perfuade of its importance. 
 Praying, is the expreffion of that convic- 
 tion and perfuafion, in humble confeflions, 
 in earner!: fupplications, and in thankful 
 acknowledgments folemnly directed to the 
 creator. In the one fervice, we religiouf-. 
 ly examine, try, and judge of an argu- 
 ment, or chain of reafoning. In the other, 
 we fpeak our fenfe and apprehenfion, and 
 avow our fincere and holy attachments. 
 In the one, we experience the benefit of 
 his labors of love, who would recommend 
 to us the various obligations of reafonable 
 nature. In the other, we devoutly own 
 the force of thofe obligations. Such are 
 C 2 the 
 
( 20 ) 
 
 the connections between public prayer and 
 preaching. 
 
 But it feems, our language and fenti-r 
 ments fhould be more correct and me- 
 thodical in an addrefs to Deity, than in 
 
 one to our fellow-creatures.— On what 
 
 foundation does the opinion fupport ? Is 
 it becaufe the object, God, will be lefs 
 candid and indulgent than the object, man ? 
 Or is it becaufe the former will judge with 
 lefs impartiality on the intention of the ad- 
 drefs ?— Here lies the unhappinefs ; 
 
 men will not refer the prayer made to 
 God, fo much to the judgment of his eye, 
 as they will criticife upon it by their own. 
 And inftead of being cordially engaged in 
 the homage, they will be captionjly em- 
 ployed about the grammar, the rhetoric, 
 the figure, the language, to the utter ne- 
 glect of the fentiment and fpirit of prayer. 
 This, of itfelf, will be more than enough 
 in rendering vain and ufelefs any prayer ; 
 whether in a prefcribed or an unprefcribed 
 liturgy. The attention is taken up with 
 the draper) 7 , and not with the life of the 
 piece. Whereas an heart aceuftomed to 
 freedoms with its maker, when engaged 
 in public acts of devotion, will, without 
 •iifcomppfure, correct or pais over an in- 
 accuracy, 
 
( 21 ) 
 
 accuracy, a harfhnefs, difcordancy, or fomc 
 little want of connection. 
 
 In the converfations we have with our 
 friends, the generous mind is apt to cover, 
 to palliate, or to connive at a lapfus of the 
 tongue, or at a cloudinefs, and imperfec- 
 tion in the fentiment. And with as much 
 eafe is this done in the article of a religious 
 
 addrefs. Here I would notice, what 
 
 has often aftonifhed me ; namely, " the 
 difficulty, fome would fancy there is, in 
 praying without a form ; becaufe we know 
 not, in what method the minifter will con- 
 duct the prayer." But is there any more 
 
 difficulty in the arTent, than there is in apiece 
 of converfation, in the varied flections of 
 thought, occafioned by an inveftigation of the 
 topic we argue upon ? — There are no parts 
 of prayer, which are with any judgment 
 exprerted, and by a perfon acquainted with 
 devotion, but the mind can readily enter 
 into its meaning and fpirit.- — The periods. 
 are, ufually, fo far from being long and 
 tedious ; that they are fhort, and rather 
 fententious. Some one fentiment is con- 
 fpicuous and conveyed with perfpicuity : 
 whether it be of admiration, of humiliation, 
 of gratitude, of confidence, or of hope. — 
 I mould be inclined to think the objector a 
 
 per- 
 
( « ) 
 
 perfect Itranger, difufed to pray without a 
 form, which has occafioned the difficulty. 
 And in return, fhouid teil him, " I have 
 tried to pray with prefcribed forms, but 
 have found it exceedingly difficult to enter 
 thereby into the fpirit of devotion, and pre- 
 ferve it in the ufe of them." 
 
 Another thing may be faid in favour of 
 free and unprefcribed prayer ; and that is, 
 fuch addrefs needs not be attended with 
 the inconvenience which ufually may be 
 attributed to the undue length of forms > 
 they ordinarily take up too much of the 
 time allotted for public worfhip. They 
 
 are tedious. " So is the ritual of the 
 
 Greek Church : fo is the popifh mafs : 
 thefe exclude fermons, and inftruclive 
 moral difcourfes, and thereby produce and 
 cherifh much ignorance and debauchery." 
 The length of the public, eftabliihed forms, 
 has a tendency to propagate a contempt of 
 preaching j whilft the fermons are thruft 
 into thofe fmall portions of time, which 
 are only fit to give the people a breath- 
 
 ing. 
 
 The character of a chriftian minifler, is, 
 sifter all, of vail moment, either in pro- 
 moting or in damping the fpirit of devo- 
 tion. What ? Is a prophage fwearer fit 
 
 to 
 
( * 3 ) 
 
 to read that prohibition, Thou fi:alt not take 
 the name of the Lord thy God in vain> for 
 the Lord ivill not hold him guiltlefe, who 
 taketh his Name in vain ? Is the whore- 
 monger better qualified ? Thou Jhalt not 
 
 commit adultery. Is the covetous world- 
 ling, a man fit to infpire his flock with the 
 fpirit of devotion ? can he, with any coun- 
 tenance, read, Thou fijalt Imve no other gods 
 
 but me? Or can the difhoneft, the un- 
 
 juft, the opprefiive man lead ufefully the 
 prayer ? — Thou fijalt neither fieal ; nor covet. 
 ** Even the laborer, who had ufed to receive 
 his coarfe food with thankfgivings, could 
 not lift up his eyes to heaven, nor afk the 
 blefiing, when he knew the food was 
 brought home by the felonious hand. 
 Confcious of his own guilt, the attempt 
 produced a flood of briny tears ! he wept ; 
 
 he fobbed ; he owned his fin." Either 
 
 can the proud and furious bigot, who 
 knows nothing of the fpirit of benevolence, 
 put up this petition, for the people to fign 
 and feal after him, From pride, vain glory ; 
 from envy, hatred, and all un charitableness ; 
 
 How can people have their devotions 
 
 enlivened by an immoral, wicked minifter 
 reading the forms of prayer ? So far the 
 defign of the ferious addrefs to all fiber 
 
 chriftians, 
 
( '-4 ) 
 
 chrljiians, &c. has my concurrence,- And 
 very little good can be expected, till greater 
 care is taken of the moral character of the 
 minifter. Amongft the proteftant-dirTent- 
 ers, he ought to be a man of undirTembled 
 piety ; he lhould well underftand the fpirit 
 of prayer ■, who is to be the mouth of the 
 
 people in their religious fupplications. 
 
 What will the foft cadence, the flowing 
 numbers, the fmooth period, the graceful 
 gefture avail ; if I can fuppofe the man, fo 
 praying, an enemy of God and goodnefs ? 
 
 And if thefe accidejits are pleaded as 
 
 of fuch importance, to help, and heighten 
 devotion j the want of any of them as what 
 would be an imperfection : the confequence 
 would then be, that a voice, either un^- 
 mufical, or ill-managed ; a carelefs gefture ; 
 an unperfonable appearance, will fpoil, as 
 well an impofed and prefcribed, as a free 
 and conceived prayer. A wrong cadence, 
 an unjufl emphafis, a reft ill-timed, would 
 be able to difturb and marr the mechanical 
 devotion. Whereas, in ooint of elegance and 
 fublimity of flyle and expreffion, in a public 
 liturgy, the devotion of fome may be there- 
 by raifed, whilft that of others will be de- 
 prerTed. The fafeft way would certainly 
 be, to attempt the ftandard of common 
 
 fenle 
 
( 25 ) 
 
 fenfe and of common understanding, In a 
 public liturgy. And we mould never, in 
 the leaft, recede from this principle, viz. 
 " that moral fenfe, or moral fentimentj is 
 the life and foul of homage." 
 
 Upon a review of the argument, do not 
 you think, Gaius, that the Gentleman 
 muft own his refpo?ifes unfit to aflift devo- 
 tion ? I will turn you to his Specime?z, 
 p. 29. Here the mi f after and people are to'- 
 gether engaged. 
 
 <c The Father of an infinite majefty. 
 Likewife thine honourable , true, and on- 
 ly Son ; 
 Alfo, the Holy Ghoft : the comforter. 
 Thou art the King of Glory : O Chrift. 
 
 and at/>. 30. We worfhip thy name : ever, 
 world without end." 
 
 N. B. This fupreme homage is given 
 to ChrifL 
 
 And yet, ^.31. " Minifter. Truly my 
 foal waiteth upon God j from him cometh 
 my falvation." 
 
 What fort of ideas can be had in fach 
 
 fort of addrefs ? Is it all one for minifter 
 
 D and 
 
( 26 ) 
 
 and people to make the felf fame adoration 
 to Jefus, that they do to God ? 
 
 For, p. 32. The people fay, " O come, 
 let us worfhip, and bow down ; let us 
 kneel before the Lord our maker. 
 
 Minifier. Almighty God, the father of our 
 Lord Jefus Chrift, through whom we have 
 accefs by one fpirit unto thee." 
 
 Now, we worfhip Chrift., as the King 
 of Glory : we worfhip his name, ever 
 world without end : we worfhip him as 
 an infinite majefty ! anon, we worfhip the 
 Almighty, the Father of Jefus Chrift the 
 object. Is this the fpirit of order ? or, is it 
 that of confufion ? 
 
 Did the Pagans batalogize, by load- 
 ing their Deities with repetitions f 
 
 1 Kings xviii. 26. 
 
 See p. 43. " People. We befeech thee to 
 hear us good Lord. 
 
 Mini/ier. O God, our heavenly Father, we 
 befeech thee to hear us. 
 
 People. Gracioufly hear us, O father, gra- 
 cioufly hear us, O God, our heavenly fa- 
 ther." 
 
 Sometimes 
 
( 27 ) 
 
 Sometimes the miniller exhorts the- 
 people in his prayer, and they make him 
 anfwers. 
 
 So p. 53. Minijler. fC Return, ye back- 
 Hiding children, and I will heal your back- 
 ilidings. 
 
 People, Behold we come unto thee, for 
 thou art the Lord our God." 
 
 There is another ill tendency in the con- 
 verfation-forms, of, Lord have mercy upon 
 us I Chriji have mercy upon us ! The fami- 
 liarity of the phrafeology is very apt to breed 
 contempt j and it becomes incorporate with 
 the common language of the people. They 
 are accuflomed to thefe, and to an, Lord! 
 and Chrift ! upon every trifling occur- 
 rence. Thefe even diftinguifh a Clergy, 
 
 verfed in the eftablifhed forms. Their 
 J'peech bewrayeth them. 
 
 The Gentleman however is, in his Letter, 
 exceedingly refpectful to the proteftant- 
 dhTenting intereil: : " he would recommend 
 Forms, as having a tendency to fupport that 
 intereft with reputation ; and take off not 
 only the moft popular, but perhaps the moil: 
 reasonable objections to our way of wormip." 
 He likewife declares himfelf of no party in 
 D 2 religion. 
 
( »■ ) 
 
 religion. I embrace him j but cannot be 
 with him in his opinion of forms anfwer- 
 ing his friendly intention. Under a civil 
 eftablifhment of religion, they will gene- 
 rally have forms, more or lefs ; though 
 North-Britain may be allowed an except 
 tion. In proportion to the fpread of ftated 
 forms will ordinarily be the formality of de- 
 votion. Ye?:, if fuch forms were at all 
 conducive to the fpirit of worfhip, they 
 mould certainly be free from thofe breaks, 
 choppings, interchangings of voices, the 
 dramatic appearance, in which diftinct 
 
 parts feern to be acted.- To an ob^ 
 
 fcrving eve, the Priest and people are 
 kept at fuch diftance as will politically 
 ferve the ends of an afpiring clergy. He, 
 the pri?/?, has a mahifeift elevation given 
 him, much above the rank of worfhippers 
 about him. 
 
 fee p. 26. M mfter. t: Who is a God 
 like unto dice, that pardoneth iniquity, 
 :nd paiTtth by the tranlgreilion of thine 
 heritage : he retained! not his anger for 
 ever, becatife he deHghieth in mercy. 
 
 People. Lo, this is our God, we have 
 waited for him, and he will fave us j 
 this i: the Lord, W.e have waited for 
 
 him, 
 
( 29 ) 
 
 him, we will be glad and rejoice in his 
 falvation. 
 
 p. 28. Minifter. For the Lord is a great 
 God, and a great King above all gods. 
 
 People. He is our God -, and we are the 
 people of his pafture, and the lheep of his 
 hand. 
 
 £.32. Minifter. Truft in him at all times 
 ye people, and pour out your hearts before 
 him 
 
 People. O come, let us worfhip, and bow 
 down, let us kneel before the Lord our 
 maker." 
 
 A public leading in religion, may be al- 
 lowed to be both ufeful and necerTary to a 
 people. But by no means can we allow 
 that the natural paiTion of Efithufiafm mould 
 be reduced to one fpecies, and brought 
 under one modification. And yet, whilft 
 men indulge the fire and ipirit of devotion, 
 there will be light, they will pray with un- 
 derstanding . The prayer will be with pro- 
 priety, with method, and decency. The 
 prayer is a divine meditation on God and 
 cur concern with him : wherein we take 
 
 fome 
 
( 3° ) 
 
 Ibme furvey of thefe obligations which 
 truth and mercy lay upon us to an habitual 
 active piety and virtue. So it is, that in 
 the contemplation of his perfections, we 
 inculcate on our own fpirits a reverence of 
 the Majefty we adore ! and bind down the 
 holy reiblution of devotednefs to his fear : 
 becaufe it is a principle that bell guards the 
 foul againft the evil influence of tempta- 
 tion y and incites to the fuppremon of all 
 irregular delires or aversions. A princi- 
 ple, which is found, of all others, the mofc 
 ufeful to man ; becaufe it operates as well 
 in darknefs, as in the light ; as well when 
 unobferved by the human eye, as in the 
 view of the world. 
 
 Prayer thus becomes a reafonable fer- 
 vice, a Jjrjl expremon of our morality : 
 inafmuch as all facial virtue will have its. 
 being and energy in the fincdrity and life 
 of our devotions : e. g. the religious fear 
 of God, corrects that fear of man which 
 bringeth a fnare. A religious love of God, 
 as it is fupreme, moderates and keeps in 
 decorum the paffion to other objects. And 
 the exercifes of hope and joy in him, re- 
 concile to the unavoidable evils and infir- 
 mities of this mortal condition of man. — 
 One might greatly enlarge on the duty of 
 graver, icred, either as fecial, or pri- 
 
 vate. 
 
< 3i ) 
 
 vate. But whilft we are debating the forms, 
 the duty is taken for granted. And I have 
 neither inclination, nor room to fay more 
 on the duty. 
 
 Thefe remarks, my efteemed Gaius, 
 &re wrote off with freedom, and put down 
 in the order they had birth given them. 
 And however they may have weight, or 
 appear trifling in the eye of the unknown 
 Author of the Specimen, they kifs his hand, 
 as they are the offspring of benevolence, 
 conceived by a love of truth, and now caft 
 under the eye and upon the hand of the 
 public: and left, either to be nourished, 
 or expofed, as fhall feem moft meet to its 
 wifdom and judgment. 
 
 But, with a well eftablilhed confidence 
 in your candour, they give you the firft 
 falutation, as they are the fentiments, o£ 
 
 Tour devoted 
 
 Theophilus.' 
 
 FINIS 
 
 '. «