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.

I am sensible how cross this is to many men's conceits, and how much the contrary opinion hath prevailed, to the great detriment of religion and therefore I shall take the more pains to make this good, that the public service of God, ought, above all other, to be carefully attended: or, that we ought not to satisfy ourselves with the addresses we make to God at home; but make a conscience also, and chiefly, to join in common Prayers and Supplications to His Majesty.

And if the advantages and comforts of Prayer be so great as I have represented, I doubt not to work in the considering reader, the greatest esteem of, and affection for, the public Prayers: whereby those advantages and comforts may be reaped far more plentifully, than by our private devotions alone. This I shall prove from three heads of arguments; under which I shall comprise all that need be said upon this subject.

First, I shall make it apparent, by considering the nature of Prayer.

Secondly, by considering the nature of Man;

Thirdly, the nature of a Church; in which Christian men are joined together, to have fellowship with God, and one with another.

CHAPTER XI.

GOD IS MOST HONOURED BY PUBLIC PRAYERS.

N considering the first of these, viz., the

IN

nature of Prayer, we may either look upon it as an act whereby we honour God; or as an act whereby we seek our own good. And either way the public Prayers, which many offer to God with joint consent, will appear to have the pre-eminence above all other.

First, I say, if we have respect to God in what we perform in this holy duty, it is evident He is much more honoured by our public addresses to Him, than He can be by any thing we do in private; there indeed we may worship Him very acceptably, and find the blessed effects of it, in God's gracious communications of Himself unto us, suitable to our necessities, provided we do not neglect His public worship; which the private ought not to hinder but pro