A discourse concerning prayer : and the frequenting daily public prayers . the body of Christ, whereof he is onemember, he will never think that what he dothalone is as good as what he performs in fellow-ship, with the rest of the members. No, if hesay the same Prayers, and offer the samePraises in private, which the Church offers inpublic, he cannot reasonably think there is nodifference, nor imagine that both alike areGods service; because what he doth in con-junction with the rest of the body, is mostagreeable to Gods Holy Spirit, by which thisbody is linked together, and every part of itmo
A discourse concerning prayer : and the frequenting daily public prayers . the body of Christ, whereof he is onemember, he will never think that what he dothalone is as good as what he performs in fellow-ship, with the rest of the members. No, if hesay the same Prayers, and offer the samePraises in private, which the Church offers inpublic, he cannot reasonably think there is nodifference, nor imagine that both alike areGods service; because what he doth in con-junction with the rest of the body, is mostagreeable to Gods Holy Spirit, by which thisbody is linked together, and every part of itmoved to act for the good of the whole. I conclude this with the words of ; To imagine that Pray- j^^,. ^^^^^^^ers at home will be as acceptable to ^ ^^God, as those made in the Church with ourbrethren, is as if one should have fanciedthat the incense of the temple, spoken ofPsal. cxli. 1. (which was a compound of seve-ral precious gums) made no other perfume. O- Q -O 218 PUBLIC PRAYERS CONFIRMED. than the spices would have done, had theybeen burnt one by O- -6 o- -o CONSIDERATIONS TO THIS ARGUMENT. 219 CHAPTER XVII. OTHER CONSIDERATIONS TO STRENGTHEN THISARGUMENT. VII. /^ OD hath also appointed a public order^^ of men, to direct and govern Chris-tian assemblies, and to minister therein ; both bygiving Christian instruction, and by offering upthe common Prayers of the Church to God, andblessing the people in His name. This is another convincing argument, boththat Christ designed public assemblies, becauseHe hath appointed public ministers to officiatethere, and that the Prayers made there, are tobe preferred before private devotions, becausethere we partake of the service of Gods minis-ters, the benefit whereof we lose, i£ we con-tent ourselves with what we do at home. There is nothing more apparent in the HolyWritings, than that our Lord would have suchan order of men set apart, for His divine ser- 0- o o- -Q 220 OTHER CONSIDERATIONS TO vice in the Church. Who
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