when performed by a true member of Christ's body, that is, by one who attends upon the public assemblies; by which he procures acceptance for his secret and private services. Which are so far from being most acceptable, that we cannot reasonably think, they are acceptable at all, when they are set in opposition to the other, or when the other is constantly neglected. If I knew how to make this plainer, I would do it, because it is a matter of great importance, that we may not be guilty of neglecting the public worship of God, where it may be enjoyed. For so far as we neglect this, we cut ourselves off from the Church; which is the body of Christ. That is, we cease to be Christians, and become bare natural men and women; for Christians are made to worship God together in a body, of which every particular person is a part, which cannot subsist but in conjunction with the rest of the members of that body. Perhaps this will be better understood by considering how we come to be Christians. Which is not barely by belief in Christ, but by receiving baptism; where, professing faith in Him, we are admitted into the Christian society and communion, to partake of those blessings, which are bestowed by Christ upon the Christian fellowship. But then, we must continue therein, by living like Christians; and particularly by assembling together continually for Christian worship; otherwise we renounce our baptism, which admitted us into a society, and not to act separately by ourselves alone. In which society, if any man behave himself so scandalously, that he is thrust out of it, he is denied to have communion with them in their Prayers, all the time he remains so cut off from the Church. Which is a demonstration, that to have a communion with the faithful in Prayer, is the very thing unto which we are admitted by being made Christians! it being the thing of which men are debarred, when they are turned out of the Christian society. For the farther manifestation of which great truth, which I have thus explained in general, I shall in the following chapters offer several CHAPER XV. OUR BLESSED SAVIOUR, THE FOUNDER OF THE CHURCH, TEACHES US THIS DOCTRINE. I. AND first of all I desire it may be con sidered, that our blessed Lord doth plainly suppose this notion of a Church, that is, of religious assemblies, in the very Prayer He taught His disciples. The first words of which being, our Father," not "my father;" are an indication, it was not made for a single person only, but for a company of men, joining together in their petitions to God. Who are put in mind by this expression, when any of them says this Prayer alone by himself, that his Prayer is at that time acceptable; because he is a member of the Church of Christ, and holds communion with the rest of his Christian brethren. There can be no other reason given, why we say, our Father," even in our closets, but that we pray as part of a body, and hope to be heard, because we are in union therewith, and not divided from it, and therefore stand bound, as oft as we have opportunity, to communicate with it in Prayer, and all other holy offices, when it meets together for that purpose. II. And therefore we may farther observe, that Christ most especially promises His blessed presence in such public assemblies, Matt. xviii. 20. "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." That he speaks of their being assembled in His name for Prayer, appears from the foregoing verse, where He saith, "if two of you agree on earth as touching any thing they shall ask, it shall be done," &c. And the word gathered together, shews He speaks of public Prayer; such as used to be in the Synagogues; unto which the word, in the Greek, alludes. And two or three so gathered together, are put for any number whatsoever, but rather mentioned than any other greater number, that Christians might not be discouraged, though they could meet but in very |