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SERMON I.

HISTORY OF THE LITURGY.

PSALM Xcvi. 9.

66 WORSHIP THe lord in THE BEAUTY OF HOLINESS."

It is natural for a person on taking up a book to inquire, Who wrote this book? When was it written? What is the subject of it? If the book be on a matter of importance, such questions are still more needful. If, on the sacred Scripture, or connected with the public worship, or instruction of the Church, inquiry becomes a matter of still greater consequence. True it is, that every one has not the time, or ability for such investigation. And, therefore, the authorized ministers of God's word are bound to bring forward such

topics, as may tend to explain the Scripture, and to promote devotion.

In this point of view, eminently, stands forth the book of Common Prayer-entitled Common, because all the congregation join in it. I would rather say, ought to join for it is one of the marks of coldness in our age, compared with that of the Primitive Christians, that a very large part of the congregation, merely whisper the responses, which, according to the direction of the rubric, it is their duty to utter aloud. And, indeed, if it were not for the appointment of a person, whose office it is to make the responses; and for the voices of the children composing our schools, we should in many places of worship, have no responses at all.

I. I purpose in this discourse, drawing your attention to the history of our Common Prayer. When it pleased God, by a most unexpected train of causes, to remove from this land, the corruptions, which ́had gradually been entwined around the

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