palace, and there providing mansions for us, wherein we shall attend upon Him for ever.

Thus I have given a brief account of the efficacy of Prayer to make us truly good.

Which is so evident a truth that St. Chrysostom confidently saith, "when I see a man neglect this duty of Prayer, or that he hath no love to it, no fervour in it, it is manifest to me that he is owner of nothing worthy or excellent but when I behold a man unwearied in the service of God, and that doth not reckon constant attendance upon God in Prayer, among his greatest losses, I make account he is a steadfast practiser of all virtue, and the very temple of God. For it expels all vile and base thoughts out of the mind; it persuades us to reverence God, and the dignity to which He advanceth us; it teaches us to repel all the enchantments of the evil one; and raises our mind so high, that we look down with despisal and scorn upon pleasure: for this is the only pride that becomes the worshippers of Christ, not to submit to the service of any filthiness; but to preserve the freedom and liberty of

their souls in a pure life. Which it is impossible to do without prayer: for who can exercise any virtue, that doth not come and fall down before Him frequently, who is the giver of it? Who can so much as desire to be sober or just, that doth not delight to converse with Him, who requires these, and far greater things from us?

Part II.

OF PUBLIC PRAYER.

CHAPTER X.

PUBLIC PRAYER MOST NECESSARY OF ALL OTHER.

T is confessed by all who have a sense of

IT

God the author of their being, that they were made to glorify Him. Which, in the Scripture language, is another word for God's worship and service; consisting in those praises, thanksgivings, and petitions, which make up the body of our prayers. By the first of which we acknowledge God to be what He is in Himself, every way most excellently perfect by the second, we acknowledge the

benefits He hath done unto us and by the third, we acknowledge our continual dependence upon Him; which by humble Prayer, we confess to be so entire, that we cannot subsist without Him. From which I have demonstrated, that thus to acknowledge God and our dependence on Him, is a natural duty; unto which we stand bound as we are men, and much more as we are Christians; who are made to know the great love of God in our blessed Saviour; by whom St. Paul ddsires, glory may be given unto Him in the Church throughout all ages, world without end." Ephes. iii. ult.

I shall now proceed to show, that we ought not to content ourselves with the addresses we make unto God in secret, or at home, but look upon ourselves as bound to assemble and meet together for this end; that we may publicly acknowledge Him by our Prayers, Praises, and Thanksgivings. Which I take to be contained in those words of St. Paul now mentioned: wherein he expresses his desire that glory should be given to the Divine Majesty, in the

Church, that is, in the assemblies of Christian people (as I shall show hereafter) and that not only in his days, but in all succeeding times, as long as the sun and moon endure.

Unto this, we ought all to subscribe, and say, Amen, as the apostle there doth; and accordingly join together, with one consent, thus to glorify God in this age, as Christians have done in all the preceding that we may transmit the same practice unto those who come after us in the future generation.

Which is a duty, I shall show as I pass along, much more necessary, and more highly acceptable unto God, than any private action of this kind, which we perform to His Divine Majesty. Unto whom we ought to resort in our most secret retirements, as our Saviour instructs us in those words, "When thou prayest, enter into thy closet." But as this doth not exclude, I have already said, the public worship of God, so we ought not to think it is equal thereunto; but rather much inferior to that divine service, which we perform in our solemn assemblies.