' tmiiumttiiiiiiii- iiiiiii. lllililr ilii ; HTilmffinH|H iihiiiiiiiiHlMJUiliiiiiiiiiiikiiilffllMHB !;:/'!: i'l'!!''''!!!! ! in"ii PRINCETON, N. J. JyUa^^^c^^cJi:^^ 'll ^^^ -///J' BV 209 .P36 1841 Patrick, Simon, 1626-1707. A discourse concerning sh prayer SJ) do o- tit- m DISCOURS -o iMOIilSlfllirO PISAYIIM AND THE FREQ,UENTINa DAILY PUBLIC PRAYERS. B Y SYM ON ^PATRICK, D.D. Sometime Lord Bishop of Ely. EDITED BY FRANCIS E. PAGET, M. A. Eector of Elford, and Chaplain to the Lord Bishop of Oxford. N E W . Y O R K : D. APPLETON & Co., 200, BROADWAY. M DCCC XLI. o- -o H. LUDWIO, PRINTER, 72 Veaey-st., N. Y. O o- -o EDITOR'S PR iC2.''^K--- Are tBc2 xrriLEl rFlHE Volume in the Reader's hands, al though complete m itself, may be looked upon as an appropriate companion to a Treatise on Repentance and Fasting, which has been recently pnt forth by the same Publisher. Both works are from the pen of Bishop Patrick ; both were written in support of prin- ciples and practices which, of first-rate import- ance in themselves, were, nevertheless, gradu- ally falling out of sight in his day ; both are characterized by the same dutiful love of the Church, and the same desire to inculcate a -^0 o- -o EDITOR S PREFACE, Strict obedience to lier ordinances ; both are designed to lead men to the " old paths" of Catholic truth, the " good way" of Scripture, and Scriptural antiquity ; and both (if we may judge by the number of former editions) were instruments of recalling God's servants in a former age to the discharge of duties, towards which the popular religion of the time seems to have been indifferent. As regards the former of these treatises, no Churchman, perhaps, will be found to think its republication unnecessary, since if ever there was an age which had need to be reminded of our Lord's exhortations to mortification, self- denial, and the taking up our cross " Ja%," that age must be our own, seeing that in all classes of society, luxury, and self-indulgence, are made the very first objects of existence. But with respect to the latter treatise, — that, namely, before the Reader, some persons may a -o ) o editor's preface. v. be disposed to ask what is the need of adding another to the multitude of books already pub- lished on the subject of Prayer. To such an inquiry the following answer may be given. The popular views on the subject of Prayer can hardly be sound, when a very large propor- tion of our manuals of private devotion, are painful contrasts, both in tone and feeling, in manner and matter, to our Book of Common Prayer ; and when the privilege of public Prayers in our Churches " daily throughout the year," is so little valued among us, that except in our Cathedrals, our Colleges, and in some Churches in our larger towns, the daily service has been wholly discontinued. Sin, whether national or individual, is sure, even in this world, to prove its own punishment. Our forefathers in their zeal for reformation, made such havoc of the houses of God in the O . ^ ^ ^ ^ o o viii. editor's preface. the reader's attention to the fact, that as the daily service enjoined by the Church has been discontinued, men have grown indifferent to the blessings of social v^^orship, — have thought more of themselves as individuals, — and less of the blessings and privileges of Church membership; the houses of God have been more and more neglected ; constantly recurring opportunities of prayer and praise are not rarely spoken of as a burden and a bondage ; and they are few in number who can really enter into the feelings of holy David as he exclaims, " how amiable are thy dwellings. Thou Lord of Ps, Ixxxiv. 1, 2, 4. hosts ! My soul hath a desire and longing to enter into the courts of the Lord. Blessed are they that dwell in Thine house !" What can be done to meet the awful exigen- cies of our Church under all these melancholy and distressing circumstances, it is for her spi- ritual rulers to decide. Without episcopal 6 i c — — — o editor's preface. ix. sanction, we can do nothing as it ought to be done — even in the pious work of restoration, and in reverting to usages which though en- joined by Church authority, have unhappily become obsolete : neither can we hope to secure God's blessing on our exertions however zealous — except in obedience to our chief Pastors. But under the guidance and direction of our Bishops, it is evident that our Church-system may, with God's blessing, be yet rendered equal to the emergencies of the times. One great error of a former age was, that the neglect of ordinances was spoken of as though it were sin of the people only ; but sure- ly we of the clergy ought not to have closed our Churches because there were no congre- gation. — " If our people," said Bishop Fell long ago, " be negligent, we are the more obliged to industry ; if they are indevout, we ought to be more zealous ; if they are licentious, we ought o ^6 o o X. editor's preface. to be more exemplary, nor let any man say, the people will not be prevailed upon. How know we what will be hereafter ? They who resist- ed one attempt, may yield unto another ; or if they yield not to a single instance, they may to many, and more pressing." Certainly all recent experience goes to prove that wherever sound Church-principles are set before the people, and opportunities are offered, they are not slow to avail themselves of them. Now such sound principles with respect to Prayer, public and private, — are exhibited plain- ly, forcibly and convincingly, in Bishop Patrick's Treatise, and for this cause it is now reprinted. May the Reader have grace given him to profit by it, and to feel that it is his bounden duty to inculcate the same principles in all who are within the sphere of his influence. Elford Eectory. Whitsuntide, l&iO. -o r- INTRODUCTION 'he Design of this Book. -O iRAYER is so considerable a part of a Godly life, and so great a means both to work, and to preserve, and increase all man- ner of godliness and virtue in us, that the an- cient Christians doubted not to call " the very top of all good things, the founda- St. Cbrysostom. tion, and the root of a useful life ; the fountain and the parent of inrmmerable bene- fits." Whence it is, that they have left us so many treatises upon this subject ; and that we find it O- -O o o Xii. INTRODUCTION. SO oft repeated in their sermons ; which they tell us they did on purpose, that the souls of their people might receive not merely a light tincture of this doctrine, but as St. Chrj'sos. Horn. Chrysostom's phrase is, be deeply dyed with it. Unto whose pious labours which good men have imitated in all succeeding ages, if mine be now added in a small book upon the same argument, I hope it will not be found alto- gether unprofitable, but contribute something to the growth of Christian piety ; by stirring up this present generation to the serious practice of this part of it. Which is commonly distinguished into secret Prayer, alone by ourselves ; private with our families ; and public with the whole congrega- tion of Christian people, among whom we live. The last of which was first in my design, when I began to think of writing about this matter ; because Common Prayer, which we make all O- -o INTRODUCTION. Xlll. together in one body, unto God, is the most ne- cessary, and the most prevalent, and yet, alas ! the most neglected of all other. But consider- ing that men would be the better disposed to attend upon the public service, if they could be persuaded to accustom their minds, unto devout thoughts of God, and affections towards Him, alone by themselves ; I resolved to premise a short discourse, concerning Prayer in general; with a special respect unto such secret inter- course with the Divine Majesty. As for that which is called private Prayer in our several families, there needs no particular discourse about it ; but it may be sufficiently understood by what I have to say of the other two ; especially of public Prayer, whose place it is to supply, when we cannot have the bene- fit of it. Now this duty of secret converse with God, by humble Prayer to Him, is evidently enjoin- o- -o c — o Xiv. INTRODUCTION. ed in those words of our blessed Saviour, Matth. vi. 6. " But thou when thou pray est, enter into thy closet," &c. In which He doth not exclude public Prayer ; but only forbids os- tentation in it ; and commands us out of love to God, not out of love to popular applause ; that we may be truly good, and not merely thought so, to open our hearts to Him, when nobody sees us, but He alone. That is the thing I intend to evince ; that it is the duty of every Christian to retire himself from business and from company, that he may pray to God. In treating of vvhich, I think it v/ill be useful, if I distinctly shew, first, the na- ture of this duty ; secondly, the necessity of it ; thirdly, the great benefits we may derive from its serious performance. O ■ o o- -o I k ^ ^J. i::i u Li U U i U -&k >Li* /7 TB Editor's Preface, The Introduction, iii. PAPtT I. CHAPTER I. Of the nature of Prayer, CHAPTER II. Of the necessity of Prayer, CHAPTER III. 21 31 The sense of all mankind about this matter, espe- cially of our blessed Saviour, . 43 -o o o Xvi. CONTENTS. CHAPTER IV. Other arguments of the great necessity of Prayer, 53 CHAPTER V. Some reflections upon the foregoing considerations, GO CHAPTER VI. The honour God doth us in admitting us into His presence, ..... 71 CHAPTER VII. The pleasure which springs from the serious per- formance of this duty, ... 83 CHAPTER VIII. The great benefits we receive by serious Prayer to Cod, ...... 97 CHAPTER IX. The three foregoing chapters improved, . 108 PART II. CHAPTER X. Pubhc Prayer the most necessary of all other, 118 o — O — O CONTENTS. Xvii. FCHAPTER XI. God is most honoured by public Prayers, . 123 CHAPTER XII. Public Prayers most advantageous unto us, . 140 CHAPTER XIII. Public Prayers most suitable to the nature of man, 160 CHAPTER XIV. The nature of a Church requires there should be public Prayers, .... 187 CHAPTER XV. Our blessed Saviour, the founder of the Church, teaches us this doctrine, . . .194 CHAPTER XVI. Which is further confirmed by the practice of the Apostles, and the first Christians, . . 203 CHAPTER XVII. Other considerations to strengthen this argument, 219 2 ^ ^ Q o- o CONTEXTS. CHAPTER XVIII. A recapitulation of the four foregoing chapters, with some inferences from thence, . . 232 CHAPTER XIX. Of daily public assemblies, and of hours and ges- tures of Prayer, .... 248 CHAPTER XX. Some objections removed, 270 6- -6 o- -o NCERNING PRATER, a -o o- o DISCOURSE CONCERNING PRAYER. Part I. CHAPTER I. OF THE NATURE OF THIS DUTY. PRAYER, in the strict use of the word, signifies the petitions we make to God, either for the bestowing on us good things, or the averting from us evil. And thus it is dis- tinguished from praises of His divine perfec- tions, from Whom those benefits we ask are derived ; and from thanksgivings for them. O- -6 o 22 OF THE NATURE when they are conferred on us, according to our desires. Which, though they ought to ac- company all our prayers, and it is impossible to pray aright, without such acknowledgments of God's incomparable perfections, and thankful- ness to Him for His benefits ; yet they are not the things which are strictly and properly meant by Prayer. Which is taken sometimes in a stricter sense still ; merely for petitioning for good things : and so is distinguished by St. Paul, (1 Tim. ii. 1.) from Supplications ; which are petitions for the averting evil things from us. In which restrained senses I do not intend to treat of it ; but by Prayer, understand an address of our soul to God, the Author and Fountain of all good, to request of Him those things, which we feel we want, and of which we are desirous. 1. It supposes, therefore, first, that we are in want : for if we were full, we should long for nothing. We want wisdom, and God's Holy Spirit, both the graces and comforts thereof; together with His pardoning and sparing 6 0, o o OF THIS DUTY. 23 mercy ; His gracious protection and safeguard ; provision for all the necessities of our outward man ; besides all the needs of others, espe- cially of God's Church, and of that Church and kingdom in particular, whereof we are now immediate members. A supply of all which we would either receive, or have them pre- served to us, if we already enjoy these bless- ings. That is, we either want the things themselves, or their continuance ; and there- fore we ask them. 2. But further, it necessarily supposes also that we have a sense and feeling of our wants. For if a man be sick or empty, yet if he think himself well, or feel no hunger, he will neither call for his physician, nor for food. Though men be in the very jaws of hell ; though they lie under the power of the devil, and be led captive by him at his will ; though their lusts and passions tyrannize and insult over them ; though sin, as the Apostle speaks hath the dominion in their hearts, and they are so governed and ruled by vicious affections and desires, that they are no better than slaves to o o p 24 OF THE NATURE them ; yet if they think this a state of liberty, and ease, and pleasure, if they have no appre- hension of present or future danger, they will never be at the pains so much as to pray heartily for deliverance. And therefore, if we will pray aright, we must be possessed with as great a sense of our spiritual wants, as we have of our bodily, when we are pinched and pressed with them , We must make our souls feel that there is a God, and that He is our chiefest good, and that in conjunction with Him consists our felicity, and that it cannot be any way attained but by conformity to Him, in obedience to His blessed will : and perceiving how short we are of this, nay, how far, perhaps, we are from God and goodness, how very negligent we have been in our duty to Him, it ought to humble and abase us, to bring us down upon our knees to sue for mercy ; and excite in us earnest de- sires after Him, and after righteousness and true holiness, as that alone which can bring us into His favour. In short, our souls must acquaint us as tho- O o- OF THIS DUTY. 25 roughly with their state and condition, as our bodies tell us when they are ill, or in pain ; or hungry and thirsty; or labouring under any other burthen. 3. Arid then there is supposed a desire to have these wants supplied, as I have already said. Emptiness is troublesome to us, when we feel it ; and it is impossible we should not long to be eased, by getting it filled. If we do but fancy we are in need, there is no rest till we find some satisfaction. We must be either satisfied that we do not need it, or we must have what we are satisfied is needful. And in this consists internal Prayer ; the desire or longin^ of the soul to be filled with all the fulness of God ; to be satisfied with His likeness ; to be reconciled to Him : and to be made daily more conformable to His will and pleasure in every thing. 4. Which desires we are strongly inclined, even by nature itself, to express in words, which are the interpreters of our minds, and declare what is in our hearts. For all sen- sible creatures we see make their moans by O- -o o o 26 OF THE NATURE audible cries, of several sorts, when their needs are great, and therefore man cannot be the only silent thing ; but is formed by God to implore His help, and beg his relief on all occasions, in such words as are apt significations of his inward desires. And that is the last thing observable. 5. Prayer is an expression of our inward desires unto God, the Author and Fountain of all ffood. For when we are desirous to receive an alms from any person, we always ask it of such as we believe are able, and we hope are willing to bestow it : but never make our ap- plications to those who are as beggarly as our- selves. Now it is God only, who is able to supply all our needs, and hath revealed himself to be willing to bestow what we ask of Him ; nay, hath invited us to come to Him, and as- sured us he will grant our desires : and who alone knows our needs, and can hear the de- sires of all men ; and likewise is the only Judge, whether that be fit for us which we ask, or there be not something better than our own wishes. 6 ■ 6 Q _0 OF THIS DUTY. 27 Upon which account saints and angels are not to be invocated. For as we know not whether they hear us ; nay, it seems impos- sible to us, that they should be able to hear such great numbers of supplicants, as, in seve- ral and very distant places, call upon the same saint or angel : so we know not what power they have to help us, nor what they can do for us, if they could hear us ; but w^e know they cannot be in so many places at once, as they have suitors, to give them their succour and assistance. And besides they have made no promises to us, that they will so much as pre- fer our petitions to God, or do all they can for us ; nor are they wise enough to judge what petitions are fit to be preferred, and what not ; that is, what is most behoveful for us in all conditions and states of life, and in all the par- ticular passages and circumstances thereof. It might be added, that all these petitions must be put up in the name and through the mediation of our blessed Lord and Saviour Christ Jesus, who is our only Advocate with the Father ; but that belongs rather to the o o o — — o 28 OF THE NATURE manner of addressing our prayers unto God : and therefore I here omit it. And shall only observe, for the further explication of it, that there are several parts of Prayer to God : as may be gathered even from that remark, at the conclusion of the seventy-second Psalm, " The Prayers of David the Son of Jesse are ended ;" where the foregoing Psalms are all called Prayers ; though some of them be doleful complaints of the sadness of his condition ; others of them confessions of sin which had brought him into that doleful estate ; others acknowledgments of his entire dependence on God ; others magnify His powerful and wise goodness, and render thanks for benefits re- ceived, and promise dutiful obedience, as well as petition for pardon and deliverance. By which we learn that Prayer unto God is made up of all these ; and that in a sense of His greatness and goodness, of our absolute de- pendence upon Him, and all the benefits we have received from Him, we ought to address ourselves to Him ; confessing how we have offended Him, bewailing the miserable estate 6 O ) o OF THIS DUTY. 29 into which we have thereby brought ourselves, begging His pardon, imploring the grace of His Holy Spirit ; and in the sincerity and up- rightness of our hearts resolving to be wholly His, and to serve Him in newness of life all our days. And the truth is, every one of these is vir- tually a petition to Him. Whether we hear- tily acknowledge what He is, or adore Him, or praise Him, or give Him thanks, or confess our unworthiness, or profess our dependence on Him, or promise fidelity to Him, they all bespeak His grace and favour towards us, and move Him to bestow His mercy upon us. This is a short explication of the nature of Prayer ; which will be something better under- stood, by what follows concerning the neces- sity of it ; though when I have said all that I can, I am sensible it will be defective. For Prayer is so sublime a thing, that the noblest wits have acknowledged, we stand in need " of the Father to enlighten, of His first-begotten Word to teach, and of the Spirit to operate in O O o- -o 30 OF THE NATURE OF THIS DUTY. us" (as Origen^s words are) " that we may be able to think and speak worthily in so great an argmnent.' ' 0- -o — o OF THE NECESSITY OF PRAYER. 31 CHAPTER II. OF THE NECESSITY OF PRAYER. 'V^fT'E shall be the more strongly moved to " ^ study this high and excellent duty, and to labour to perform it aright, when we are made sensible it is so indispensable a part of a godly life, that we cannot so much as pretend to the profession of Christianity, if we do not practice it. Of which there is this general de- monstration, which cannot be gainsaid. That which is founded in our nature, and to which we are bound by virtue of our being creatures ; to that, every Christian is indispen- sably tied : it being the intention of the coming of our Lord Christ not to loosen those obli- gations we have upon us, as men; but to strengthen them, and bind them harder upon us ; to heighten all natural duties, and to make us more deeply sensible of the laws that are written in our very being. o 6 Q 32 OF THE NECESSITY Now such a one is this of Prayer ; which doth not stand upon a mere positive command, as Baptism, and the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper do. That is, it is not our duty merely, because our Lord by His authority hath made it so, but He hath made it so because we are made to it (as I may speak) and formed by God to acknowledge Him in this manner. For it is as natural a thing to pray, as it is to be- lieve there is a God ; and to be persuaded that we were made by Him, and not by our- selves. Hence it is, that you shall not find in the whole law of Moses, any precept for prayer ; of which, what reason can we give but this, that it was so sufficiently known to be a duty by the common light of nature, that there needed no instruction about it ; nor can I ob- serve hitherto any command in the gospel of Christ, barely for Prayer ; but only for the manner of Prayer ? As, intlie place first men- tioned, " When thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and pray to thy Father which is in secret :" and in other places, " Watch and o 6 n _ O OF PRAYER. 33 pray ; — Pray continually ; — Pray with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit ; — Pray in the Holy Ghost ; — Pray always, and not faint ; — Pray in the name of the Lord Jesus." All which supposes the duty of Prayer ; and only direct how it is to be performed. For the further clearing of which general observation, let these following particulars be considered'. I. That it is natural to every living sensi- ble creature, to look back to its beginning: and to own its dependence upon that, from whence it derives its being. Thus we see the young ones of all sorts of animals open their mouths, and Avait, as it were, for provision from the old ones, while they remain weak and tender ; running also to them for shelter and protection, while they are unable to de- fend themselves. Upon which score. Prayer is as necessary for us, and as natural to us, as it is natural to an infcmt to cry for its mother's breast, or something else equivalent there- unto, that may satisfy its craving desires. Be- cause it is an acknowledgment and owning 3 C-^^ ^ ^^ -.^ ^ ^ o 34 OF THE NECESSITY of God ; as the Original from whom we come, and as the Author of all good ; in Whom we live, and move, and have om' being : and a confession of our own weak- ness, and helpless condition, without His care of us. The very heathens had this notion in them, that mankind being the offspring of God, brought forth by Him into the world, out of the womb of His Almighty goodness, they ought to resort unto Him ; even as the chicken runs under the wing of the hen, by whom it was hatched; or the lamb runs to the teats of her that yeaned it. And this (say Proclus 1 3. in •' ^ "^ T.mcBum. they) we do by Prayer ; which is nothing else but the return of the soul back to God, from whence it sprung: our looking back to Him from whom we come ; a reflec- tion upon the foundation of our being, and of all good ; our turning about to the cause of our being ; a circling, as it were to that point from whence we took our beginning ; that we may be fast knit and united unto God, and never be divided from Him. .r\ o— — — o OF PRAYER. 35 1. And therefore (to explain this more par- ticularly) Prayer is, first, a high Acknow- ledgment, that God is the first cause of all things. We magnify Him hereby as the Root, the Spring, the Fountain of whatsoever we, or any other creatures are, or have. And without Prayer, we do as bad as say, we owe nothing to any higher Being than ourselves. 2. Secondly, we acknowledge also the Sovereignty which He therefore hath over us, and over all things : in that we ascribe unto Him a power to command them all, and to help, and relieve, and supply both us and them, according to our various neces- sities. 3. The Independency also of His Being is herein acknowledged ; in that we ask of Him alone, as having full and absolute power within Himself of giving us help and comfort, without craving it of any else. 4. His Liberty and freedom also ; in that it wholly resides, we confess, in His will and choice what we shall have, and how much, and when ; all as He pleaseth. 6 ^ -o ) Q 36 OF THE NECESSITY 5. His All-sufficiency likewise, to enrich us without impoverishing Himself. 6. Together with His infinite 6?rea^7?e55 and immensity; which is present to all places, and ready to supply the needs of all supplicants. 7. And it is no less an acknowledgment of His Omniscience : which can not only give audience to all petitioners every where ; but exactly know both their necessities, and their sense of them, and the sincerity of their desires ; and also what is convenient for Him to bestow upon them, and will do them most good. 8. His inexhausted Goodness and bounty likewise ; which is still ready and willing to pour out itself to us without any emptiness in the same blessings that He hath bestowed, for so many past ages. And — Lastly, His Eternity and Immutability; in that after so many successions of men in the world. He is still the same unchangeable ful- ness ; unto Whom we resort with the same con- fidence that good men have ever done. In short, it arises out of a sense of all God's glorious attributes and perfections : which are o ' Q . __0 OF PRAYER. 37 every one acknowledged in some part of Prayer or other ; though we should not expressly name them. For in confession of sin we acknow- ledge His unspotted holiness, and that He is of " purer eyes than to behold," that is, approve, " iniquity." In deprecation of His anger, we confess His justice ; in petitioning for pardon, we proclaim His clemency ; in our request for grace and help, we give Him the glory of His power ; and when we recount His gracious providences over us, we acknowledge His in- comparable goodness and bounty. And there- fore, unless we will disclaim God, and have nothing to do with Him, we must perform this duty of Prayer to Him. This is the first con- sideration. H. To which add further, that it is natural for every thing that is in want to desire supply from him that hath ability to fill it. Now such is the state of every man in the world ; we are at the best, weak and feeble, beggarly, and in- digent beings, pressed with many and great necessities ; which we have no power to make up, but only by going unto God. 6- o O Q 38 OF THE NECESSITY Whatsoever is from the first Being, wants something that it hath. Every creature there- fore is imperfect ; and if any of them could be supposed to want nothing, yet it would neces- sarily want the continuance of its being, which it hath received from its Creator : and therefore it is a true observation of one of the ancient -n^eodorusapud. ptiilosophcrs, that all beings pray, Procium. b. except only the first Being, which is God ; Who hath none to pray unto, but hath all of Himself. Prayer is a confession of the true state of our own souls and bodies, as well as of God's most excellent perfections. A declaration that we are poor and needy j that we are crazy and in- sufl[icient of ourselves ; that we are dependent and holden up by another. So that we quite forget ourselves, if we do not pray to God : we renounce all care about our own greatest concernments, if we take no notice of Him, on whom our present and future welfare, both here and for ever entirely depends. HI. As it is natural unto every one in want to ask, so it is natural unto every one that asks, o o ) o OF PRAYER. 39 to put himself into a fitting posture and disposi- tion to receive : that he may appear unto him that gives to be a real object of his charity. Now this we do by Prayer ; which is a natural expression both of our poverty and of our hu- mility, (which very much move compassion) and of the sense we have that we are creatures who have nothing of ourselves which we can properly call our own : and therefore are natu- rally led hereby to think what submission and obedience we ought to pay unto Him, Whose is all that we are and have. Upon this account, as much as any other, Prayer is necessary ; that we may be put into a temper of love, and gratitude, and obedience unto Him Avho is the donor of all good things : and who expects that we should acknowledge the propriety He hath in all the gifts which His bounty bestows upon us. Which we do by Prayer : whereby we are constantly put in mind, in what tenure we hold all the blessings we receive from His hands ; which we may not therefore use as we please, but as He allows and directs. And if we do at any time use c- o o 40 OF THE NECESSITY them otherwise, and thereby give just offence to God, their owner and ours, Prayer both naturally calls such offences to mind ; and makes us more fearful hereafter to offend. For no man comes to ask a benefit of ano- ther (as Mr. Hooker J if I forget not, very per- tinently observes) but if he have given him any offence, he will then unavoidably remember it ; and in the very first place cast himself down at his feet, and beg pardon, with a resolution not willingly to offend him again. Which resolu- tion is maintained and supported by the very same thing which constrained us to make it ; that is, the constant necessity we are in to ask for new benefits. For all men are naturally afraid to offend those, into whose presence they must frequently come to sue for favours. This keeps them in awe, and makes them careful how they behave themselves ; that their suits may not be rejected. We are not fit then to receive, or to enjoy any thing from God, without devout Prayer to Him. And therefore we ought constantly to perform this duty ; because otherwise, we take O ^ ^ 6 OF PRAYER. 41 things by stealth, and lay hold on the blessings of heaven, without asking Him leave : and we ought to perform it seriously ; because it will not otherwise have the fore -mentioned effect, of making us afraid to offend Him, without which our Prayers are nothing worth, and can obtain nothing from Him. To end this, let us consider, that Ave do not pray, that we may alter the mind of God ; who is always the same, unchangeable goodness, ready to give unto those who are qualified to receive his favours ; but that we may alter and change our own mind for the better ; and thereby become disposed for the good things of which we are desirous. And nothing alters us so much as serious Prayer ; which puts a new mind into us ; and for the present makes us quite another sort of creatures. We are forgetful of God ; lovers of ourselves ; confident in our own strength ; doters upon this present world ; too much wedded to our own will and pleasure ; complainers, murmur- ers, envious, wavering, and inconstant in our good purposes ; unmindful of other men's o o o 42 OF THE Necessity of prayer. miseries ; revengeful and implacable, which are all bars to the obtaining of God's mercy. And therefore Prayer is absolutely necessary to re- move them : that is, to remember us of God ; to keep Him in remembrance, and to maintain an acquaintance with him ; to fill us with love to Him ; to humble and abase us in our own thoughts: to draw our hearts off from this vain world, and to settle our trust in Him alone ; to fix our dependence on him ; and subdue our wills to His ; to give us a taste of spiritual pleasures ; to make us thankful, contented, and well satisfied ; to move our compassion towards others, who stand in need of our help, as we do of the help of God ; to incline us to be pitiful, and to do good, and forgive ; without which we confess, in our very Prayers, that we cannot expect forgiveness from God. This consideration shews, that Prayer is so necessary, that there can be no goodness nor virtue in the world without it ; but mankind will grow strangers unto God, and He unto them ; which will bring all things to confusion. 6 o Q THE SENSE OF ALL MANKIND. 43 CHAPTER III. THE SENSE OF ALL MANKIND ABOUT THIS MATTER] ESPECIALLY OF OUR BLESSED SAVIOUR. IV. TT is truly therefore observed by Origen -■- (in his Book of Prayer, newly come to light) that all people in the world pray, who own a Providence, and set a Governor over the universe : the contrary opinion, that there is no need of Prayer, being the doctrine of those only who are either altogether atheis- tical and deny the being of God ; or of those who own a God in name, but take away His Providence. Which is manifest from hence, that all nations by a strange consent have ever thought it necessary to offer up some sacrifices ; as an acknowledgment of the sovereignty of God, and of the interest He hath in all that we enjoy ; and as a humble supplication of His continued favour unto those who own Him to O O Q 44 THE SENSE OF ALL MANKIND be the Possessor of heaven and earth, by- returning Him some part of those good things which He hath bountifully bestowed upon mankind. This was the nature and meaning of sacrifices from the beginning ; which being all now abolished by the sacrifice of Christ, and yet it being natural' to mankind, to offer some- thing to God, it remains that we present Him continually with the sacrifice of Prayer, together with that of praise and thanksgiving, which are a part or concomitant of Prayer, as we learn from many places of Holy Scripture : where they are scarce distinguished, but used as words of the same signification. They are both joined together in the fiftieth Psalm, v. 14, 15. " Offer unto God thanksgiving, and pay thy vows unto the Most High." And, " Call upon Me in the day of trouble : I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify Me." These Prayers and these thanksgivings, being presented by wor- thy persons, as Justin Martyr tells Trypho Dialog, cum. ^^® J^^' ^^^ the ouly perfect, and ^'^^'^ well pleasing sacrifices unto God. To whom the sacrifice of beasts was never a I Q ABOUT THIS MATTER. 45 acceptable, no not when by Himself appoint- ed; unless they were significations of pious and devout minds, begging pardon, imploring mercy, and rendering thanks for benefits re- ceived. Alms indeed are also called a sacrifice : but they then only are truly so, when we give them as an acknowledgment of God's bounty unto us, with humble Prayer to Him that He would be pleased graciously to accept them. They are often therefore joined together ; particu- larly in the story of Cornelius, to whom the angel said, " thy Prayers, and thy Alms are come up, for a memorial before God." First his Prayers, and then his Alms, which are an offering or sacrifice, when they attend upon Prayer and thanksgiving; whereby they are naturally put in mind of the poor and needy, and stirred up, even by the feeling we have of our own necessities, to relieve and succour them. We pay no homage to God then, if we omit this duty ; we live wholly without God in the world; and give no token, no signification, O — — O Q O 46 THE SENSE OF ALL MANKIND that we own His being. We rank ourselves among Atheists, or Epicureans ; who are men only in name, having lost the common sense of all mankind, which has ever led them to acknowledge God by solemn supplications and thanksgivings to Him. V. Which is a duty so necessary, and so essentially flowing (if I may so speak) from human nature, that Christ our Lord, (it may be in the next place observed,) lived in the constant performance of it. Christ, I say, "in whom dwelt all the ful- ness of the Godhead bodily ;" nay, who was " God blessed for ever ;" who, in that respect needed nothing, and was able to effect all things ; yet, as He was a man, prayed, and made supplication for those things, which as He was God, He already possessed, and could presently communicate to the human nature by His immediate conjunction and intimate union therewith. Notwithstanding this. He asked them of God, and beseeched Him to bestow them, because it was necessary and natural so to do, because it became a creature to own its 6 o o — < ABOUT THIS MATTER. 47 dependence on a higher cause, to give to the Creator the honour due unto his name, and to testify by this action. His submission and obedi- ence, His humility and love, and that how highly soever advanced, (as the human nature of Christ was to the utmost degree of honour,) due acknowledgment ought to bej made by it unto the Most High, who is the fountain of glory and honour. And here I take it to be very remarkable, that there is no kind of Prayer whereof we have not an example in our Lord Christ. Of secret Prayer we read Luke v. 16, where it is said, " he withdrew Himself into the wilder- ness, and prayed :" spent that retirement from company and other employments, in thoughts of God, and acknowledgments of the honour He had done Him, and in Prayer for His con- stant presence with Him. Of private Prayer with His disciples, that passage seems to be meant, Luke ix. 18. " And it came to pass, as He was alone praying. His disciples were with Him : and he asked them, saying, whom say the people that I am ?" i. e. in His retirement -O ) ■ ■ o 48 THE SENSE OF ALL MANKIND from the multitude, attended only by His dis- ciples, He first prayed, and then began, by way of inquiry and asking questions, to instruct them in His religion. As for public Prayer, we read often of His going into the temple, the house of prayer at Jerusalem, and of His frequenting the synagogues, which were places for religious assemblies all over the country. We read also how He prayed for others, as well as for Himself. For Peter, Luke xxii. 31. that " his faith might not fail ;" for all His apostles, that His " joy might be fulfilled in them," and that God would " keep them from the evil of the world," and that " they might be sanctified through the truth." John xvii, 13, 15, 19. For His whole chm-ch, "that they may all be one, as He and the Father are one." ver. 21. And on the cross He prayed for His bitterest enemies, as before for His friends, Luke xxiii. 34. And after all we read, that it was His custom thus to pray to God, Luke xxii. 39. " And He came out, and went as He was wont, to the Mount of Olives, and His dis- ciples also followed Him : and when He was at -o 9 q) ABOUT THIS MATTER. 49 the place, He said unto them, Pray, that ye enter not into temptation. And He was with- drawn from them about a stone's cast, and He kneeled down and prayed, saying. Father, if thou be willing," &c. And as He prayed, so He gave thanks ; par- ticularly at the raising of Lazarus out of his grave, John xi. 41. And He acknowledged and praised God, for revealing His will, not to the wise and prudent, but unto babes ; whom He employed to be the ministers of the gospel of His kingdom, Matt. xi. 25. And as we have examples in Him of all sorts of Prayer, so it is further observable, that He has left us the like examples of the times and of the manner of Prayer. For times of Prayer ; we read in Mark i. 35. of His morning Prayer. " And in the morn- ing, rising up a great while before day. He went out, and departed into a solitary place, and prayed." And in Mark vi. we read of His evening Prayer : for when the day was far spent, (ver. 35.) He fed a great multitude mi- raculously, and then constrained his disciples 4 ^ Q —

o- o 1 GREAT NECESSITY OF PRAYER. 53 CHAPTER IV. OTHER ARGU3IEXTS OF THE GREAT NECESSITY^ OF PRAYER. YI. XT may be useful to us, farther to consider -*- that God hath appointed His Holy Spirit to us in this duty ; which is a convincing de- monstration of its great necessity ; if we will judge of things, according to the account which God makes of them. Who, lest this duty should not be well done, lends us His power to perform it acceptably unto Him. And shall we suffer the Holy Spirit to wait upon us to no purpose ? Nay, shall it follow us continually, and urge us to have recourse to God, inspiring us with good thoughts, and exciting pious desires, and we refuse to be led and conducted by its holy motions ? This is as unnatural, as for a man to have a soul, and never think; to have a tongue, and never ^ —6 o- -Q 54 OTHER ARGUMENTS OF THE 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 igno- rant, 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 ob- taining 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 o- -Q o o NECESSITY OF PRAYER. 55 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 un- worthy 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 in- cense (which certainly signified their prayers) was renewed, by God's order, twice every day, and offered upon the altar morning and even- 6 — Q o- Q 56 OTHER i^RGUMENTS OF THE ing. Whicli, may suggest unto us, that we ought to be more sensible of the need we have 6f 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 Chris- tian 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 Mom. XXX. in Gen. chap. xi. j^^intain his ground against the as- saults 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 engage the power of God to be with us, and assure ourselves, if we rightly manage it, of a certain victory. -O M . p o NECESSITY OF PRAYER. 57 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 sin- cere affection to all righteousness, and our up- right 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 continu- ally exercised and kept in use ; the whole ar- mour of God is girt closer to us ; and we are made more expedite and ready, on all occa- sions, 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 omit it. I will give but one instance of this, in the prophet Daniel : who, when he had re- ceived the command of a great king to forbear praying to his God, for the space of thirty 6- ■ ■ 6 O ■ Q 58 OTHER ARGUMENTS OF THE 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 obedi- ence was ; where a contrary, antecedent neces- sity did not lie upon him, to obey God : especi- ally 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, i o o o NECESSITY OF PRAYER. 59 and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime." Dan. vi. 10. Which shows that, in his opinion, it is more necessary to pray and give thanks to God, than it is to live: and that there is a necessity also of the frequent returns of this duty. For three times a day (as often as he did eat or drink) he continued, nothwithstanding the great hazard he run therein, " to pray and give thanks before hisG od." O— ■ -O o 60 SOME REFLECTIONS UPON THE CHAPTER V. SOME REFLECTIONS UPON THE FOREGOING CON- SIDERATIONS. ~P>EFORE I proceed to lay before you the -^-^ great advantages we have, by the seri- ous performance of this part of our Christian duty ; it may be useful here to rest awhile, and only look back upon what hath been already discoursed. Which, if the reader will please to do with a composed mind and atten- tive thoughts, he may soon know what to think of his condition, if he never set himself to this holy employment, or rather heavenly privilege, of making devout addresses to God, by Prayer and Supplication, with Thanksgiving for all the benefits of which we are desirous, or He hath already conferred on us. Such men are without God in the world ; estranged from the Father of their being, con- O o o FOREGOING CONSIDERATIONS. 61 temners of His most excellent Majesty ; usur- pers of His Sovereignty ; that set up for them- selves, and live as if they were the Original of all things ; who stand in no need to be beholden to any one higher and greater than themselves. Guilty they are of the highest treason, because they refuse to pay the most natural and neces- sary acknowledgment unto the most High. They will not own Him as their Lord ; nor make any significations of their dependence on Him; but use Him as if he were only a name ; to Whom we owe a slight respect, but no solemn, constant, reverence and service. Lay this to heart, I beseech you, whosoever you be, that do not make it one of the most serious businesses of your life to pray unto God. Consider what you are ; in what relation you stand to Him ; and what a bold disowning of Him this is : that you may be humbled for it, and come and bow down yourselves, and kneel before the Lord your Maker ; to beg His pardon for this contempt, to beseech His grace, and assure Him hereafte-r of your faith- ful service. o- o o 62 SOME REFLECTIONS UPON THE 2. And that you may do so, learn from the foregoing instructions, to pray to God ; not merely because you think He will have this acknowledgment or else be very angry : but because He ought to have it, as we are His creatures ; who cannot be happy without a due respect to the Father of our being, the Foun- tain of all bliss. If you think this duty might have been left undone, had not God exacted it by some positive law, it may make you less forwardly inclined unto it ; nay apt, perhaps, to grumble sometime at the burthen (as you may be prone to account it) and too willing to find pretences, that may seem equitable and fit to be allowed for the omitting it. But if you look upon it as enacted in the very laws of our nature ; as standing upon no weaker ground than our very beings .; which we de- riving from God, are bound thereby to acknow- ledge Him; you will not desire to be excused from it, nor be backward to it ; but please yourselves, as well as Him, in this most de- lightful employment. Remember, you ought to look up unto God c- -o o- -o FOREGOING CONSIDERATIONS. 63 in prayer and praises, because it is a natural duty ; and that your nature strongly inclines you to it, because you are weak and in want ; and that you should make it your choice, be- cause it is a most noble privilege to be ad- mitted into God's presence ; and that you should choose to do it frequently, because you will be so much the more happy ; by having Him oft in your thoughts, and by being much in His blessed presence, Who is able to impart everlasting felicity to his devout and faithful worshippers. 3. Of which happiness let us not deprive ourselves, by forgetting God our Maker ; but be moved by the many arguments, whereby I have enforced it, to the solemn practice of this duty : unto which we are formed by na- ture, and mightily excited and assisted by grace. Never rise out of your bed, but before you go about any thing else, make a tendry of your most hearty service unto God ; implore His blessing ; let Him know that you intend to be faithful to Him all that day ; that you remem- ber your obligations to Him, and are resolved o- -o Q 64 SOME REFLECTIONS UPON THE to make good your promises : and so beseech Him to go along with you, and to " prevent you in all your doings with His most gracious favour, and further you with His continual help : and that in all your works, begun, con- tinued, and ended in Him, you may glorify His holy name, and finally by His mercy ob- tain everlasting life." And do not offer to put a bit of bread into your mouths till you have acknowledged God who spreads your table for you, and beseeched Him to bless the gifts of His goodness to you, and to give you grace to use the strength you receive from them in His service. In like manner, rise not from your meat without a renewal of your thankful acknow- ledgments for your refreshment : with such seriousness that it may be truly a grace, and not merely so called. That is, a hearty ex- pression of your gratitude to Him ; and of your desires to have grace, to be as dutiful to Him, as He is bountiful to you, in these and all other benefits He constantly bestows upon you. 6 b ■ o FOREGOING CONSIDERATIONS. 65 And never think of putting off your clothes to go to sleep, before you have commended yourselves, and all yours unto His merciful Protection ; and reflected on His goodness, and thanked him for his mercies past ; and expressed your humble confidence in Him, for the time to come ; and beseeched Him to make you fit, and willing to die, and to be for ever with Him. Business, I know, is the pretended impedi- ment to all this. But is there any business of such moment, as that which we have with God 1 Or can any other business be likely to succeed without His blessing? Or have we the foolish confidence, to expect His blessing, and never ask it ? Who is there that can say, his affairs in this world have suffered, by spend- ing some time, in commending himself and them unto God ? Nay, what business is there that doth not go on the more cheerfully and prosperously, when we have reason to think that God is with us. According to that whole- some saying, " Robbery never enriches ; Alms never impoverish ; and Prayer hinders no 5 O ^ -O o o 66 SOME REFLECTIONS UPON THE work." Observe it ; as no man hath the more in this world, for what he gets dishonestly, by theft or cheating j nor any man the less, for what he gives away, out of love to God and his poor brethren : so no man gains time for his business, by that which he robs God of, in not praying to Him ; nor loses he any time by that which he spends with God in this holy duty. Therefore let none of us, upon any account, neglect it : but think we do ourselves right, as well as God, by the serious and solemn per- formance of it. Our own wants, one would think, should stimulate us sufficiently unto it. Or, if we could be supposed to want nothing, yet, the sense we have that we hold all we call ours by the mere mercy of God, should power- fully move us to acknowledge Him, and to pay Him our homage of thanks and praise, and humble ourselves before His Majesty, as no- thing without Him. Yea, it is an honour, and singular favour, we should think, to be admit- ted into His sacred presence : as I am sure, we should esteem it, did we enjoy the same privilege with earthly princes. Into whose -O c— — -o FOREGOING CONSIDERATIONS. 67 presence we should not think we could come too oft, if they would permit it : but we should be ambitious always to stand in their sight ; and look upon ourselves as highly dignified, if they would be pleased to make us their familiars. Let us not then be so perverse, as to live, as if we thought the Lord of heaven and earth doth us an injury, or lays a heavy burthen on us when He requires us to attend Him : that is, when He bids us come to Him, and first ask, and then receive His blessing. Look upon our blessed Saviour, and observe how constant and unwearied He was in this holy duty : how frequently He went alone by Himself, to give thanks to God, and to implore His continued presence with Him: how dili- gently He went to the temple when He was at Jerusalem ; and to the synagogues, when He was in the country : how He acknowledged God in the most common benefits : how much time He spent publicly and privately in His company : with what strong cries He called upon Him in the days of His flesh : with what submission ; with what reverence : with what o ■ — o 68 SOME REFLECTIONS UPON THE repeated importimities : and then think with yourselves ; are you in less want of the help of God, than our blessed Saviour was ? Can you live well enough without praying to Him, when His only begotten Son could not 1 Why do you not then go to Him, with fervent desires ? why do you not imitate the Son of God in the frequency of your addresses ? To what purpose hath God given you His Holy Spirit, if you will not obey its motions ? To what end is the Lord Jesus appointed to be your Intercessor ; if you will send up no pray- ers, to be presented by Him in the court of hea- ven ? Why doth He call upon you to " pray alway," if you need not pray at all ? Consider all these arguments over again ; how naked you are without this Divine Armour to defend you ; how all God's graces languish and die, if this do not continually maintain them ; how good men have thought it better not to live, than not to pray and give thanks to the God of their life : and they will prevail with you not to be strangers unto this heavenly employment. An employment, wherein you will find much 6 6 o o FOREGOIXG CONSIDERATIONS. 69 comfort and no less success ; if you do not negligently discharge it. For God hath a love to souls ; and greatly desires their improve- ment. He would have them advance even unto His likeness ; in righteousness, and good- ness, and true holiness : else He would not so invite them and call upon them, as He doth, to fix their eyes upon Him ; He would not have given them such help and assistance, and dis- covered such a wonderful love unto them, as He hath manifested in the Son of His love, Christ Jesus. The heathen thought it sufficient to desire God to hear them ; out of the love He bears to immortal spirits when they cry unto Him. So I find one praying, in an ancient Greek poet, whose words are these, " Hearken unto me, Father, Thou great wonder of mankind : who takest a special care of an ever-living soul." But we have a great deal more to build our hopes upon ; and may say : " Hear us, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ ; who hast astonished us with the wonders of Thy love in o- o o- o 70 SOME REFLECTIONS. Him : hear us, out of the love Thou bearest unto the Son of Thy love : hear us, for His sake ; who laid down His life, to redeem our immortal souls : who lives for ever to make intercession for us. Thou, who hast bestowed already so surprising a gift without our asking, hear us, and give us what we ask of Thee, when we ask it in His name, who gave Him- self for us, and hath assured us, that with Him, Thou wilt give us all things.' ' O o ^ THE HONOUR GOD DOTH US. 71 CHAPTER VI. THE HONOUR GOD DOTH US IN ADMITTING US INTO HIS PRESENCE. AMONG Other false conceits which men have of this duty of Prayer to God, these two are very prejudicial to its performance. First, they look upon it only as a duty laid upon them by God's mere will and pleasure : which might be spared, there being no real need of it, if it were not for this ; that God will have it, and hath ordained it. Secondly, they imagine thereupon, that He is beholden to them for what they do ; and that they have performed such a great piece of service to Him, when they have prayed awhile, that they thereby obtain a dispensa- tion to do their own will, when they have sat- isfied His. To rectify the first of these mistakes, I have O — ■ O C Q 72 THE HONOUR OF BEING shewn this to be a natural duty, and not mere- ly bound upon us by a positive law : a duty supposed by our Lord and Saviour, rather than commanded : for it arises from our being- God's creatures ; who are therefore bound to acknowledge Him, and to wait upon Him continually for the supply of our necessities, from His bounty. And now I shall proceed to correct the second mistake ; and thereby also farther confirm what I have said concern- ing the necessity of this duty : by shewing that this is so far from being a burthen laid upon us by His mere will and pleasure, or any such service whereby we oblige Him, or procure an indulgence, or connivance at what we do contrary to His will in other things ; that in truth the service is done entirely to our- selves, whose righteousness cannot profit Him. Who intends hereby to make us really good? nay, excellent creatures ; whose duty it is to look upon ourselves as infinitely beholden to Him, that He will suffer us to come into His presence, upon all occasions, and call Him " Our Father." o -o o o IN god's presence. 73 This I shall demonstrate, by representing first how honourable and excellent an employ- ment this is : secondly, how comfortable and truly delightful, when performed as it ought ; thirdly, how beneficial, both to make and pre- serve us, such as we ought to desire above all things to be. Of the first of these I shall give a brief ac- count in this chapter : wherein I shall endea- vour to make the reader sensible, that this duty, which our own necessities call for and exact of us, is in itself a most noble and excel- lent employment. For it is the assent of our mind to God (as the ancient Christians describe it) a familiar converse, a holy discourse with the Lord of all : the withdrawing of our minds from this world, and all things in it; above which it raises our thoughts, and lifts them up unto the first and chiefest good : into Whose company it brings us, and sets us in His blessed presence ; that He may lift up the light of His countenance upon us. For though it be the expression of our deepest humility ; yet thereby we are lifted up above the highest top of O ^ ^O Q O 74 THE HONOUR OF BEING heaven, and passing by angels, present our- selves before the royal throne itself: as St. Chrysostom^s words are upon this subject. From whence we may learn, by the way, that they little thought in those days of addressing themselves to any of the ministers of the hea- venly court, though never so high ; whom they passed by, and went directly to the Divine Majesty, as we may now, and ought to do. This he represents in an excellent discourse of his upon another subject, as the highest dig- nity of Christians, of which the angels them- selves are spectators, and very much admire Uipi 'Ouoaa-ia, *^^^ ^^® honour is done us. " For Tom. 1. p. 372. ^g jf ^^ ^^le prcscnce of a great army, before the captains, and great officers, and consuls, an ordinary person be admitted to the speech of the king, it fixes all eyes upon him, and renders him the more illustrious and venerable : so it is with those that pray to God. For think with thyself, what a great thing it is, for thee who art but a man, in the presence of the angels, the arch-angels, the seraphim, the cherubim, and all the rest of the heavenly host O- _- — <5 IN god's presence. 75 standing by, to be permitted to approach with much confidence, and to speak with the King of those powers. What honour is there that can equal this ?" Nor were the better sort of Pagans without this notion of Prayer ; that it is our conductor unto God, brings us into His Divine light; sets us in His presence ; draws Him to us by a divine persuasive rhetoric, and powerful sym- pathy with Him : nay, knits and unites us unto the first Being; and moves His p^odus m piat. bountiful goodness to communicate '^'^'^'"^■^■^■ all good things to us : it being the opening of our souls to God, that He may fill us. To this effect Proclus discourses. And is not this the most incomparable hon- our that can be done us, to be made thus familiar with God? The higher any persons are, the more we think ourselves ennobled, when we are admitted into their society ; especially if we may at all times have recourse unto them, and be kindly received by them. By which we may judge what account to make of the honour to which we are preferred, by being o —