reproach, saying, as the Prophet speaks, that He hath no delight in us; because we have dishonoured His holy name, and take no delight in His divine service.

CHAPTER XII.

PUBLIC PRAYERS MOST ADVANTAGEOUS UNTO US.

LET us now proceed to consider the second

part of this argument; which hath respect unto Prayer as an act whereby we seek our own good; and it will appear as plainly, that the public Prayers contribute most unto it. If we had no other reason to assert this, but that now named, it were sufficient, that God is hereby most honoured. For whatsoever doth Him most honour, will certainly do us most good, according to His own maxim; "him that honoureth Me, I will honour: but he that despiseth Me, shall be lightly esteemed," 1 Sam. ii. 30. But we have other reasons also, to demonstrate that if we have respect to ourselves in our Prayers, and the good we derive thereby upon our souls and bodies, and all our concerns, it leads us to the public Prayers, as likely to be most prevalent.

I. For first, we may pray there with much more confidence, than we can in those private petitions we put up to God; both because the things we ask publicly are approved as needful and good in the judgment of all; and are also sought for and desired by a common consent. And therefore we may be the more assured, they are good for us, and being so, shall be bestowed upon us.

This is a thing of very great moment in Prayer, to have a confidence of being heard, which we cannot have, as St. John teaches us, unless we not only "keep God's commandments, and do those things which are pleasing in His sight," 1 John, iii. 22. but also “ask according to His will," ver. 14. Now the matter of our Prayers cannot be so well warranted to be" according to God's will," when they are only of private conception, as it is when they have the stamp of public authority: and therefore in our single devotions, we must needs fall short of that degree of confidence, which we may have when we join in Prayer with all our Christian brethren; who agree to

ask the same thing, with a settled belief that it is agreeable to His will.

Common reason, and much more Christian humility, teaches us to suspect our own private understanding which cannot give us such assurance that a thing is good, and wholesome, and necessary for us, as the universal opinion of all our brethren about it, doth work in us. Which is one advantage of joining in public Prayers, wherein all agree, as being formed by the public judgment of the governors of the Church, and accepted by the generality of God's people, and found, by long observation, to contain nothing but what is fit to be asked of the Almighty goodness.

II. There are some things indeed, which every one may be assured, are undoubtedly according to God's will; and there are those who fancy that authorized Prayers may as well be put up to God at home, as in the church. But it is farther to be considered, that the united force of a great many persons who join in a petition, is far stronger and more prevalent, than the address of a single supplicant. All

mankind are of this opinion, in the addresses they make to earthly princes; from whom they hope more easily to obtain their suit, when they come in a body, and present the petition of a multitude, than when one or two make the same request unto them. An example of which, I remember St. Chrysostom presses his people withal, while it was fresh in their memories, to make them understand the mighty power of that Prayer which is made, with the common consent of all. "About ten years ago, (saith he,) you know their were several persons apprehended, who affected empire, and conspired to subvert the present government. One of whom, who was of great eminence, being led forth to execution, with a rope in his mouth, the whole city ran into the circus where the Emperor then was, and by their common cries pacified his anger, and obtained a pardon for him, who deserved none. And if to appease the wrath of an earthly prince, you all run forth with wives and children to deprecate his displeasure; why do you not all concur to obtain mercy of the King of heaven, not for