therefore call it, Divine Service; the Holy Ghost himself testifies, where speaking of Anna the Prophetess, he saith, that she departed not from the temple, but served God with fasting and prayer, night and day, Luk. ii! 37., that is, as she constantly kept the fasts of the church, so she as constantly went to the temple at the hour of prayer, both evening and morning; and there performed her devotions. And if we would have the same testimony that she had, even, that we serve God, we must endeavour all we can to follow her pious example, as we see the Apostles in my text did, by going into the Temple, or the House of God, at the hour of prayer.

And, as this is much for the honor of God, so it is also for the honor of Christ, and that holy religion which he hath planted upon earth; which though it be the best, or rather the only true religion professed in the world, yet it cannot appear to be so any other way, than by the lives and actions of those who profess it; and particularly by the frequency of their public devotions to the supreme governor of the world. If they who profess the christian religion come short of

other people in this, it would be a great reflection upon the founder of it. For it would seem to intimate, as if his religion had not that power upon the minds of men as others have, nor answered the end and notion of religion in general, even the glorifying Almighty God, so well as others do. But there are no people upon earth, we know of, who have any sense of religion at all but they do something or other every day, whereby to express it, and to shew the great esteem and respect they have for the God they worship.

The Mahometans, although their religion be grounded upon mere imposture, yet notwithstanding, being obliged by it to pray five times a day, they usually do it, if they can, in their mosques or temples. I know the primitive Christians prayed oftener, and so do many at this day, either in public or private. But the greatest part of those which are called Christians, scarce ever pray, at least as we know of, so much as once a week, unless it be perhaps on the Lord's day. Nay, I fear there are many, who never publicly pray at all, for a whole year together, if in their whole lives. But woe to such Christians

as these, if they may be called so, who thus crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh; putting him to open shame. It will be far more tolerable for Turks and Mahometans, at the day of judgment than for these.

The Jews as I have shewn, had their set hours of prayer, every morning and evening, both at the temple, and in all their synagogues, which were dispersed all over the country. And they

were so constant and punctual in going thither at the hours of prayer, that if any one lived near a synagogue, and did not then go to pray with the congregation, they put a mark upon that man, calling him schakin rang an ill neighbour, as Maimonodes, a learned Jew, assures us in his Tephillah. I wish there were no such neighbours among us, ill neighbours, that seldom or never join with us in our public devotions; and so, as to all outward appearance, live as without God in the world. But what a reproach is this to our holy religion, and to our blessed Saviour himself, the author of it, that Jews and Turks, who are strangers, yea enemies to his religion, should be more constant at their devotions to Almighty God, than they

who profess it?
to their charge.
know that it will.

God grant it may never be laid
But why do I wish that when I

It will most certainly be laid to their charge ere long, except they repent before it be too late; and that too, so as to be as constant for the future at our public prayers, as they have hitherto slighted or neglected them.

This would, in a great measure, retrieve the honor which our religion hath lost by such careless professors of it; for it would cast such a lustre upon it, as would make it outshine all other religions in its outward appearance, as much as it excels them in its inward purity and truth; which would redound very much to the glory of Christ, our ever blessed Redeemer. And therefore, all that have any regard for that, as I hope we all have, cannot but look upon themselves as bound in duty to take all opportunities they can get of performing their public devotions to Almighty God, according as that religion requires which he hath taught, and they profess.

If we would but give ourselves time to look into these things, which I have thus briefly explained, we might easily see, what obligations

lie

upon ministers to read, and people to assist at our public prayers, when and wheresoever they can get an opportunity. It is God's will, and for his glory; and therefore it is our duty, and we are bound to do it, whether we can get anything by it or no. But that great and most gracious God, whom we serve, hath of his infinite goodness so ordered it, that whatsoever is done in obedience to his command, and for the honor of his name, doth ipso facto tend also to our profit and advantage. And this particularly doth so in an high degree.

Prayer itself, in general, is a duty so wellpleasing unto God, that he hath appointed it to be the means whereby to obtain of him all the good things we can want or desire; he hath passed his word, and hath promised to grant them if we ask them as we ought, in the name of Christ, and with faith in his word and promise, Matt. vii. 7. chap. xxi. 22. Mark, xi. 24. Job, xvi. 23, &c. And if the prayers which single persons make in their own private houses or closets be so powerful and prevalent, those are much more so which are made by several persons met toge