speak; eyes, and a power to see, and never open them. VII. It is as considerable also, that He hath appointed His Son to be our Mediator and Intercessor with Him in the heavens. Which supposes both that we will do this, and that it is most necessary to be done. For otherwise, we make void this new office of our blessed Saviour's, which God the Father, in His infinite wisdom, and tenderest compassion, hath erected. We make him an Advocate, without clients; an Intercessor, who hath nothing to do, but waits in vain for our petitions. Good Lord! That men should be so ignorant, or presumptuous, as to account themselves Christians, and never, or seldom lift up their minds and hearts unto Him in the heavens; nor f eelany need of His patronage; nor make use of His most powerful interest, for the obtaining any blessings for them; which they cannot have, unless they address themselves to God for them in His prevailing name, and His alone. VIII. The necessity also of this may be understood by the frequent injunctions we meet withal in Holy Scriptures, for "praying always, praying without ceasing, and with all Prayer and supplication, in the spirit;" as I have before noted. Which declare it to be a business of such importance, that we cannot subsist without it: but must use it as constantly as we do our meat and drink; or rather more constantly, it being of such great concernment that it is as necesssry as our very breath. The incense in the temple, as St. John teaches us, (Rev. viii. 3.) represented the prayers of the Saints. Now it may not be unworthy our observation to note, that whereas the shew-bread (whereby an acknowledgment was made, as some think, that they received all their food from God) was renewed and set upon the holy table in the sanctuary, but once every week; and the lamp in the temple (which signified perhaps the light of God's word) was dressed once every day: the incense (which certainly signified their prayers) was renewed, by God's order, twice every day, and offered upon the altar morning and even ing. Which may suggest unto us, that we ought to be more sensible of the need we have of the word of God and Prayer, than of the need of our daily food: but especially of Prayer. Though we read often, yet we stand in need to pray oftener. IX. For it is our main security, our great safe-guard, our refuge and place of retreat, in all the dangers unto which we are exposed in this present world and therefore it is not only mentioned by the apostle as a part of the Christian armour; but set also in the last place, as that which completes all the rest of the "whole armour of God," Ephes. vi. 18. For," as St. Chrysostom often speaks, "Prayer is a mighty weapon, and powerful defence," without which, no man can be able to stand and Hom. xxx. in 66 maintain his ground against the assaults of temptations, nor overcome his spiritual enemies but by which we lay hold upon the arm of the Almighty for our defence and succour, and of God to engage the power be with us, and assure ourselves, if we rightly manage it, of a certain victory. For herein we employ all the other parts of the "whole armour of God," which the Apostle there requires us to take unto us, and to put on us. We use our knowledge of the Truth; and act our Faith, our Love, and our Hope; and have recourse to the Word of God, particularly to His precious promises; and declare our sincere affection to all righteousness, and our upright intentions to persist and continue therein by the help of God which we implore. So that it is the more necessary, because by Prayer all the graces of God's Holy Spirit are continually exercised and kept in use; the whole armour of God is girt closer to us; and we are made more expedite and ready, on all occasions, to encounter with the enemies of our salvation. X. Whence it was, you may observe in the last place, that holy men, who lived the life of God in this world, could never be persuaded to one instance of this, omit it. I will give but in the prophet Daniel: who, when he had received the command of a great king to forbear praying to his God, for the space of thirty days, durst not consent to a compliance with his will and pleasure. And yet Daniel was a good subject, as well as a wise man ; who was very sensible what ready obedience ought to be paid to kings, and how necessary this obedience was ; where a contrary, antecedent necessity did not lie upon him, to obey God: especially when the thing was enjoined under the penalty of death, and when his sovereign did not require a total forbearance of this duty, but only for a limited time. And yet so it was, he chose rather to lose the favour of his prince, who had been very kind to him, nay to lose his life, as well as his honour; and more than that, to be thrown into the den of lions, there to be torn in pieces and devoured by those ravenous beasts; than to omit his constant devotion to the supreme Lord and Sovereign of heaven and earth. For, saith the history of his admirable piety, "When Daniel knew that this decree was signed," (mark that,) "he went into his house, and his window being open toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees, three times a day, and prayed, |