The several kinds of prayer distinguished as ORDINARY OR EXTRAORDINARY

           Fourth Distinction.  Solitary and social, pri­vate and public prayer, are either ordinary or extra­ordinary.  For the development of this distinction I shall endeavour to answer these five questions: —First. What extraordinary prayer is.  Second. By whom it is to be performed.  Third. What are the special seasons wherein we are to take it up.  Fourth. Why extraordinary prayer is superadded to ordinary. Fifth. What counsel or direction may be given for the acceptable and suc­cessful performance of this duty.

The nature of extraordinary prayer Question First. What is extraordinary prayer?

           Answer. Prayer may be called extraordinary in a double respect: 1. In regard of the time set apart for the performance of it.  2. In regard of its adjunct.

1. Prayer may be called extraordinary in regard of the time set apart for the performance of it.  Then it is extraordinary when some more than ordinary portion of time is set apart and devoted to this work. Thus we find Jacob wrestling till break of day, Gen. 32, and Joshua with the elders of Israel till eventide; the one probably spending the night, the other the day, in this duty.  And Israel, in their war with Benjamin, ‘wept and sat there before the Lord that day till even,’ Judges 20:26.  We find Daniel many days together in prayer, Dan. 10:12.
2. Prayer may be called extraordinary in regard of its adjunct.  Then prayer is extraordinary when fasting is joined to the duty of prayer.  Now, fasting is a religious abstinence, whereby we forbear the use of all earthly comforts in the time set apart for this duty —so far as necessity and decency will permit—the more to afflict our souls and enforce our prayers; as,

           (1.) A forbearing of food, whether meat or drink, Est. 4:16; Jonah 3:7.  From this the whole action is called a fast, which imports not a sober use of food—for this we are at all times bound to observe—but a total abstinence, if necessity of nature, through some de­bility and infirmity, doth not require otherwise.  For, in this case, the less duty must yield to the greater —the end of fasting being to help us in prayer, which it doth not when nature faints under it; for the soul cannot fly if the wings of our bodily spirits flag.

           (2.) All costly apparel and ornaments of the body.  Gaudy rich clothes on a fast‑day do no better than a light trimming on a mourning suit: ‘They mourned: and no man did put on him his orna­ments,’ Ex. 33:4.  And this was by God’s own com­mand; ‘for the Lord had said unto Moses, Say unto the children of Israel,’ that they ‘put off their orna­ments,’ ver. 5.  In a word, all carnal mirth, music, per­fumes, and whatever might recreate and delight the senses, are to be forborne upon this extraordinary occasion.  See Dan. 6:18; 10:2, 3.  For, though abstinence from food, with the other severities imposed on the outward man, be not in themselves acts of worship, nor intrinsical to the nature of prayer, yet are they required in the extraordinary performance of this duty by way of adjuvancy to it, and they have a reference to spiritual ends.

           (a) By this abstinence we acknowledge our un­worthiness to enjoy such comforts, and that God may justly take from us what for a time we voluntarily deny ourselves of.

           (b) We express by our outward abstinence and fasting, the strength and vehemency of those inward affections which are to be exerted in extraordinary prayer.  Men use to signify the violent passions of their soul by forbearing the repast and delights of the body.  Is it a passion of grief one is oppressed with? you will see him oft forsake his food.  Thus David: ‘My heart is smitten, and withered like grass; so that I forget to eat my bread,’ Ps. 102:4.  Is it fear that pos­sesseth the heart with the apprehension of some great danger impending and approaching? you will have such a one refuse his wonted repast.  So the mariners did in the sea‑storm, Acts 27.  Is it anger that vexeth a man?  Ahab was deep in his passion upon the denial of Naboth’s vineyard, and he throws himself on his bed and will not eat, I Kings 21.  Is it desire of com­passing any great design that the head and heart is taken up and transported with? such a one will not allow himself time for his meal.  ‘Cursed be the man,’ saith Saul, ‘that eateth any food until evening, that I may be avenged on mine enemies,’ I Sam. 14:24.  We find the smith, in the prophet, so earnest in his idola­trous work, that he pincheth himself with hunger, and he will not eat though his strength faileth, nor drink though he be ready to faint, Isa. 44:12.  Now, in extra­ordinary prayer the Christian is to have all these af­fections in a spiritual and holy manner wound up to the highest key possible.  He is to have a deep sorrow for sin, fear and trembling at the judgments of God feared to come for them; a holy anger and indignation against sin, with a vehement desire to be revenged on it for the dishonour it hath cast upon God; and, in a word, a longing desire to make his peace with God and recover his favour, which sin hath unhappily de­prived him of.  Now, because the excess of natural passions discovers itself this way, even to afflict their very bodies, and makes them deny themselves that which nature most craves, therefore God will have his people in their extraordinary humiliations do the same, that nature may not put grace to shame.

           (c) By this abstinence, especially from food, we tame and subdue our wanton flesh, and so come to have a greater advantage for mortifying those sensual lusts that receive the fuel which feeds and inflames them from the flesh.  A full body is a mellow soil for such lusts to grow rank in.  Cum carne nutriuntur vita carnis—the lusts of the flesh are nourished when the body is pampered.  If the body be kept high, carnal lusts will not easily be kept low.  What else made Paul to beat down his body by fasting and watching, in which he was often, but that he might have the fuller blow at those lusts that received strength from it?  Nostrum est lasciviens jumentum frænis inediæ subjugare, ut sessorem Spiritum sanctum moderato et composito portet incessu (Hieronymus, Epist. 9)—in­deed a pampered horse is most like to cast his rider; and the Holy Spirit, using the body as well as soul in the work, this bridle of fasting is of excellent use to curb it.

           (d) This abstinence from food is required to sharpen our spirits, and enliven the powers of the soul in this duty, which are pressed down and thick­ened, as I may so say, with the charge of the stomach. A full body makes a heavy eye and drowsy spirits; and what can then be expected but yawning prayers, es­pecially when we are to continue longer than ordinary at the work?

Public or church prayer required by God, and the reasons why 8/8

           Question.  Whether it be lawful to be present at that service, or those prayers in the congregation, that have something faulty in them?

           To the answering of this question, we must first distinguish of faults, all are not of a size.  There are faults in a matter, and faults in the form and method, of a prayer.  And faults in the matter may be either fundamental or of a less nature—such as are not fundamental or bordering thereupon; and those less faults may be generally dispersed through the prayer, that it is soured throughout with them, or only in some particular passages.

           Again, we must distinguish between approving of the faults, defects, and corruptions that are in a prayer, and being present at the service of God where some things are done faultily.  Now I answer, that it is lawful for a Christian to be present at those prayers wherein some things may be supposed to be faulty for outward form, yea, and also in matter, in things not fundamental nor bordering thereupon, and these not dispersed through the whole body of the prayers, but in some passages only.  We may be present where God is present by his grace and favour.  We may follow the Lamb safely wherever he goes.  Now God doth not, for corruptions of doctrine that are remote from the foundation, or of worship in things ritual and of an inferior nature, cast off a church, and with-draw his presence from it; neither ought we.  Indeed, if the foundation of doctrine be destroyed, and the worship becomes idolatrous, in that case God goes before us, and calls all the faithful after him to come out from the communion of such a church.  But, where corruptions in a church are of the former nature, and such laws be not imposed by the church in their communion with it as being a necessity of approving things unlawful, the sin is not in holding communion with it, but in withdrawing from it, and that no little one either.  Many things must be tolerated for maintaining peace and unity, and enjoying the worship of God, when it is not in our power to redress them.  Neither doth our presence at the ordinance carry interpretatively a consent with it of all that is there done.  It is one thing to tolerate and another to approve.  Whoever said that all who are present in an assembly by it show their consent to every impertinent phrase in the minister’s prayer, corrupt gloss, or false interpretation he makes of any text quoted in his sermon?  If this were true, our Saviour led the people into a snare when he bade them beware of the leaven of the Pharisees’ doctrine, yet bade them hear them preach, Matt. 23:3.

           (3.) Of exhortation.

           (a) Make conscience of joining with the church in her public worship.  Do not think thou art left to thy liberty whether thou wilt or not, but bind it upon thy conscience as a duty, for so indeed it is.  You think it is the minister’s duty to dispense ordinances. Surely then it is your duty to attend on them.  He might as well pray for you at home as come to church and not find his people there.  Is there a woe to him if he doth not provide food for your souls, and none for you if you come not to partake of it?  How can you reasonably think so?  And when you come, think not you are time enough there if you get to the sermon, though you miss the prayers, which should prepare you for the word and sanctify the word to you.  It is not the way to profit by one ordinance to neglect another. The minister may preach, but God must teach thee to profit. If God opens not thy understanding to conceive of, and thy heart to conceive by, the word thou hearest, no fruit will come of it.  Now prayer is the key to open God’s heart, as his Spirit the key to open thine.

           (b) Take heed how thou comest to, and behavest thyself, as in other parts of public worship, so espe-cially in prayer.  How thou comest to public worship: take heed thou comest not in thy filthiness, I mean, that thou regard not iniquity in thy heart. Wash and then pray.  So David resolves, “I will wash mine hands in innocency: so will I compass thine altar,’—alluding to the priests, that went to the laver before they approached with their sacrifice to the altar, Ex. 40.  It was counted a great presumption in one that durst come near his prince with a stinking breath.  O what a bold act then is it to draw near to the great God with any sin upon thee!  This is sure to make thy breath in prayer stink, and render thee for it abominable to him.  [2.] How thou behavest thyself in the duty; be sure it be with a holy reverence—with an inward reverence and also an outward reverence.

           We are to believe in the duty of worship with an inward reverence.  God is called ‘the Fear’ of his people, because he is reverenced by them in their approaches to him.  ‘Fear’ is put for the whole worship of God, because no part of it is to be done without a holy trembling.  This, as the quaver to the music, gives a grace and acceptableness both to our prayers and praises also: ‘Serve the Lord with fear, rejoice with trembling.’  Now, to fill thee with awful thoughts of God, labour to set up a right notion of God in thy mind as infinitely glorious in holiness, majesty, and power.  Irreverence is the product of low thoughts we have of a person, which makes it impossible that an ignorant soul should truly reverence God —how humble soever his outward posture is—be-cause he knows not what God is.  A prince in a disguise is not known, and therefore not entertained, when he comes, as when he appears in his royal majesty.  The saints use to awe their hearts into a reverence of God in prayer by revolving his titles of majesty in their thoughts, Ps. 89.6, 7.

           We are to believe in the duty of worship with an outward reverence.  God is a Spirit, yet will have the reverence of our body as well as spirit, for both are his, and especially in the public.  A prince would not like a rude behaviour from his servant in his bedchamber where none besides himself is witness to it, but much less will he bear it in his presence chamber, as he sits on his throne before many of his subjects. Now, the fittest gesture of body in public prayer to express our reverence is kneeling: ‘Come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord,’ Ps. 95:6. So Paul, taking his leave of the elders of Ephesus, kneeled and prayed with them all, Acts 20:36.  And all the Christians at Tyrus, accompanying Paul to the ship with their wives and children, ‘kneeled down on the shore, and prayed,’ Acts 21:5.  Where that cannot be done, they should stand—if debility of nature hinder not.  As for sitting we do not find it commended in Scripture as a praying posture; neither have the churches of Christ judged it so: sedentem orare extra disciplinam est, saith Tertullian—to pray sitting is not according to the church’s order.  As for that, II Sam. 7:18, David ‘sat before the Lord,’ it may be read, he abode or stayed before the Lord.  So the word in other places is taken; as Gen. 27:44; Lev. 14:8; I Sam. 1:22.

           Again, in the duty of worship we are to exercise attention and intention of mind, that we may go along with the minister by our devout affections, and witness our consent t the prayers put up with our hearty amen at the end of them, I Chr. 16:36; Neh. 8:6; I Cor. 14:16. Else indeed, we are as a broken string in a consort, that speaks not with the rest, and thereby discomposeth the harmony.

Public or church prayer required by God, and the reasons why 7/8

5. I come now to the fifth thing propounded in prosecution of this head of public prayer, and that is some applicatory improvement of this head.

           (1.) This shows what reason the people of God, wherever they live, have to pray for good magistrates, especially kings and princes.  Regna sunt hospitia ecclesiæ—as the inn is to the traveller, so kingdoms are to the church in its pilgrimage here on earth.  As they are, such is its usage in the world, and entertainment that it finds.  ‘Pray for kings,’ saith the apostle, ‘and all in authority; that we may lead quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty,’ I Tim. 2:2. By godliness he means in an especial manner the free profession of the truth and public exercise of God’s pure worship.  No magistrate may hinder the saints living godly as to the embracing of the truth in their hearts and secret performance of prayer.  Daniel would and could pray, do Nebuchadnezzar his worst. But princes carry the keys of the church doors at their girdles, and an shut or open them.  When faithful magistrates sway the sceptre, then the ways of Zion are easy and open. When enemies to the ways and worship of God bear rule, then they mourn; church doors are shut and prison doors opened to the servants of Christ.  Then the woman flees into the wilderness, and the church into private chambers, as we find in the apostles’ days, when the church was met with the door shut to pray for Peter.  O, pray for kings and princes; for, as they carry the keys of the church doors, so God carries the key that opens the doors of their hearts at his pleasure.

           (2.) It reproves those that turn their backs off the public worship.  Now they are of two sorts—the profane atheist, the scrupulous separatist.

           (a) The irreligious atheist—such who, out of a profane spirit, turn their back off the public worship of God.  The Jews have a saying of one of their rabbis much in their mouths, quisquis incolit civitatem in quâ extat synagoga, et inibi non pecatur, is est qui meritò dicitur vicinus malus—he that dwells in a city where there is a synagogue, and comes not to prayers there, he is a person that deserves the name of a bad neighbour.  How many bad neighbours do we, alas! live among, who are seldom seen in the public assembly from one end of the year to the other?  Many live as if they had rent the bond that was sealed at their baptism, and renounced all homage to their Maker, and would tell the world they owe him no worship. Worse brutes these are than the hog in their sty, or horse in their stable.  They were made for our use, and accordingly serve us.  Man was intended for the service of his Maker—a creature made for religion —by which some would define and distinguish the human nature from that of brutes, rather than by his rational faculty.  Indeed, in some brutes there is a sagacity that looks something like man’s discoursive faculty.  But religion is a thing their nature is wholly incapable of, and therefore nothing makes man so truly a brute as irreligion.  The Jewish Talmud propounds this question, Why God made man vesperâ Sabbathi?—on the evening before the Sabbath? and gives this as one reason, ut protinus intraret in præceptum—that is, God made man on the evening just before the Sabbath, that he might forthwith enter upon the observation of the command to sanctify the Sabbath, and begin his life as it were with the worship of God, which is the chief end why it was given him. May we not therefore wonder at the patience of God in suffering these ungodly wretches to live, that by casting this horrid contempt upon his worship, walk contrary to the very end of their creation?  If the bells which call us to the worship of God were to give them notice of a wrestling, foot ball, or drunken wake, O how soon should we have them flock together!  But prayers and sermons they care not for.  What shall we impute this irreligion and atheism of multitudes among us to?  Surely it proceeds from a criminous conscience.  It is said of Cain, ‘He went out from the presence of the Lord,’ Gen. 4:16; that is, say some interpreters, from the place where God had his church and worship, there God is especially present.

 Guilt indeed makes men afraid of God.  This makes them {do} what they can to wear off the thoughts of a Deity that are so troublesome to their flagitious consciences.  Now, to do this, they have no other way than to shun those duties which will bring God and their sins to their remembrance.  Herod was soon persuaded to cut off that head whose tongue was so bold to tell him his faults; and profane hearts are easily drawn to cast off those duties which will gall and rub hard upon their sore consciences.  But that man is in a miserable case that knows no way to get ease but by throwing away the plaster that must heal his wound.  Ah, poor wretches! this will not serve your turn.  What though the prisoner stops his ears, and will not hear the judge pronounce the sentence against him, will that save him from the gallows? Surely no; but rather procure his being sent thither the sooner for his contempt of the court, who, had he carried himself better, and humbly begged his life at the judge's hand, might possibly have got the sentence reversed.  Whether sinners will hear the word or no, come to his worship or no, God will proceed in his work.  Flouting against God, and turning thy back on his worship, is not the way to prevent but hasten divine vengeance.  How much better were it to make thy humble supplication to thy judge, and wait at the posts of wisdom!  While men, though bad, wait on ordinances, there is hope, for they are under the means. But when they cast them off, then their ruin hastens.

  (b) The scrupulous separatist—such who do not absent from the public worship out of a profane atheistical spirit, as the former, but from scruples whether they may lawfully be present at the prayers there put up, because there are some maladministrations in the performance of it, or at least {that} which they think to be such.  At these they are distasted, and so withdraw.  May be it is because the duty of prayer is performed with a set form, which they conceive unlawful.  This I shall waive, having spoken already to it.  Or, may be it is not a form, but some passages in the form used, that offends them, and therefore they dare not be present.  So that the question will be—

Public or church prayer required by God, and the reasons why 6/8

As for the excellency of conceived prayer, wherein the devout Christian, out of the abundance of his heart, pours out his requests to God, none but a profane spirit dares open his mouth against it.  But is there no way to magnify the excellency of that but by vilifying and imputing sin to the other?  Alas! the evil is not in a form, but in formality; and that is a disease that may be found in him that prays with a conceived prayer.  A man may pray without a form and yet not pray without formality.  Though I confess he that binds himself constantly to a set form—especially in his private addresses—seems to me to be more in danger of the two, to fall under the power of that lazy distemper.  But to hasten the despatch of this question—for I intend not a full discourse of this point, but would top a few heads only, which you may find more largely insisted on in many worthy treatises on this subject—I would desire those that scruple the lawfulness of all set forms, to look wishly upon those set forms of blessing, prayers, and thanksgiving that are upon scripture record, and were used by the servants of God with his approbation, and then consider whether God would prescribe or accept what is unlawful.  The priests had a form of blessing the people, Num. 6:24.  Moses used, as I hinted, a form of prayer at the remove of the ark, ‘Rise up, Lord, and let thine enemies be scattered; and let them that hate thee flee before thee;’ and when it was set down another form, ‘Return, O Lord, unto the many thousands of Israel,’ Num. 10:36, which very form was continued and used by David, Ps. 68:1.  Asaph and his brethren had set forms of thanksgiving given them to use in their public service, ‘Then on that day David delivered first this psalm to thank the Lord into the hand of Asaph and his brethren,’ I Chr. 16:7.  This was the first appointed to be sung in the public service; the several parts thereof were afterwards much enlarged, as you may see by comparing Ps. 105 with the former part of the song in the place fore quoted, and Ps. 96, with the latter part of it.  At the dedication of the temple, Solomon used the very form of words in praising God which his father had penned, II Chr. 7:6.  Good Hezekiah commands the Levites ‘to sing praise unto the Lord with the words of David,’ II Chr. 29:30.  This holy man no doubt was able to have poured forth extemporary praises, as it is thought he did in that prayer which he on the sudden, put up on the occasion of that railing letter sent him, II Kings 19:14; yet did not think it unlawful to use a form in his public administration.  Yea, our blessed Saviour—an instance beyond all instances—both gave a form of prayer to his disciples, and himself disdained not to pray three several times one after another the very same form of words, ‘He left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words,’ Matt. 26:44.  And that hymn which he sang with his disciples is conceived by the learned to be that portion of psalms which the Jews used at the celebration of the passover.  (See Beza and Gerhard, Harmo, in locum.)

Public or church prayer required by God, and the reasons why 5/8

4. I come to answer a question or two concerning public prayer.

           (1.) The first question is, Whether it be lawful that the public prayers of the church be performed in a language not understood by the people?

           Answer.  All the offices of the church, and duties performed in its worship, are to be done unto edifica-tion.  This is an apostolical canon.  Now, none can be edified by what he understands not, and therefore it must needs be, as Beza calls the popish Latin service, ludibrium Dei at hominis—a mocking of God and man, for to babble such prayers in the church which the people know not what they mean.  ‘If I pray,’ saith the apostle, ‘in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful,’ I Cor. 14:14.  He means, the congregation are not the wiser for his understanding the prayer he puts up, except he could make them understand it also.  We can no more be edified by another’s intellect than be saved by another’s faith.  When God intended to defeat that bold attempt of those sons of pride who would needs build a tower that should vie with the heavens for height, he did no more but confound their languages that they might not understand one another’s speech, and it was done.  Presently their work ceased.  And as they could not build, so neither can he edify the people that understands not his speech in prayer.  A dumb minister may serve the people’s turn as well as he who by his speech is a barbarian to them.  For the minister’s voice is necessary in his public administrations, as Augustine saith, significandæ mentis suæ causâ, non ut Deus sed ut homines audiant, &c., —to signify his meaning, not that God may hear, for he hears those prayers which the tongue is not employed to express, but that the people may hear, and so join their votes with his to God.  As the minister is to pray for them, so they to pray with him; which they are to testify by their hearty amen at the close.  But this they cannot do, if we believe St. Paul, ‘How shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned say amen at thy giving of thanks, seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest?’ I Cor. 14:16.  ‘The heart of the wise teacheth his mouth,’ saith Solomon, Prov. 16:23; that is, he will not, as we say, suffer his tongue to run before his wit, but know what he shall speak before he sends his tongue on his errand.  And surely, above all this, wisdom is to be shown in our prayers, wherein we speak not to man but God.  To say amen to that prayer which we understand not—what is it but to offer the sacrifice of fools?  Holy matter in prayer is the incense to be offered, the tongue is the censer; but the affections of the devout soul bring the fire to the incense before it can ascend as a sweet perfume into the nostrils of God.  Now, if the intellect want light to understand what the matter of the prayer is, the affections must either be cold or wild; and wild fire is unfit to offer up the incense of prayer with.  It is not enough that the praying soul be touched with some devout affections, but that these affections be suitable to the matter of the prayer, yea, arise from the sense it hath thereof.

           (2.) The second question is, Whether a set form of prayer be lawful to be used in the church?

           If it be unlawful, it is because, by the use of a set form in prayer, some command of God is transgres¬sed; for where there is no law there is no transgression.

           Now, it will trouble those who decry all set forms —how holy soever the matter of them be—to show any command upon Scripture record that forbids the praying by a set form, or that disallows its use either in express terms or by necessary consequence.  It will be granted, yea must, that the Scripture is a perfect rule in this particular duty of God’s worship, as well as in other.  But among all the precepts and rules in the book of God, we find none that commands we should pray by a conceived form, and not by a set form.  We are commanded who to pray to, to God, and none other, Ps. 44:20; in whose name we are to pray, I Tim. 2:5; Eph. 5:20; we are bound up to the matter of our prayer, what we are to ask, I John 5:14; and lastly, in what manner we are to pray—we must pray ‘with understanding,’ John 4:22; I Cor. 14:16; Heb. 11:6; ‘in faith,’ James 1:6; Heb. 11:4, with sincere fervency, Jer. 29:12; in a word, which comprehends all in one, we are to pray ‘in the Spirit,’ Eph. 6:18; in the Holy Ghost,’ Jude 20.  Now he that can do all this need not fear but he prays lawfully, and consequently accept-ably.  And we confess this may be done by one that prayeth with a set form, or else we must very boldly charge many eminent saints in scripture for praying unlawfully.  Who dares say that Solomon praised God unlawfully when he used the very form which David his father had penned? or, that Moses did not pray in the Spirit, because he prayed in a constant form at the setting forward of the ark, and at its being set down again?  Thus you have seen what God hath prescribed to our praying acceptably; and if it had been of such dangerous consequence to have prayed by a set form, as to make our prayers abominable, would God have omitted to warn his people of it, especially when he foresaw that his churches generally in their assemblies would make use of them, as they have done for thirteen or fourteen hundred years? But may we not rather, yea undoubtedly we ought to conclude, that seeing the Lord in his word descends not to prescribe what the outward frame and order of our words in prayer should be, whether conceived ex tempore, or cast into a form beforehand—only gives general rules that all things should be done decently, that we be not rash with our mouth, or our heart hasty to utter anything before God, and such like that are applicable to both—I say we should conclude both are lawful and warrantable, the Scripture having determined neither the one way nor the other.  And therefore to put religion in one, so as to condemn the other as unlawful, looks—as a learned holy pen hath it—too like superstition, seeing God himself hath laid no bond upon the conscience either way.

Public or church prayer required by God, and the reasons why 4/8

           (3.) For the saints’ safety and defence against their enemies.  Paul rejoiced at the order and steadfastness of the Colossian saints, Col. 2:5.  Order is a military word, and denotes cohortem ordine apto conglobatam—an army compact, and cast into a fit order that every part is helpful to each other for its defence.  And such an army are the saints when they stand in communion together according to divine rule.  Our blessed Saviour, when departing from earth to heaven, what course took he to leave his disciples in a defensive posture after he was gone?  Doth he send them home to look every one to himself?  No, but to Jerusalem, there to stand as it were in a body by joint communion, Acts 1.  The drop is safe in the river, lost when severed from it; the soldier safe when marching with the army, but snapped when he straggles from it.  Cain, looking upon himself as an excommunicated person from the church of God, expected some great evil, as well he might, would befall him. Therefore the gracious soul, meant by the spouse, is brought in asking where the assembly of the faithful is, that joining herself to it she may be protected in a rime of danger: ‘Tell me, O thou whom my soul loveth, where thou feedest, where thou makest thy flock to rest at noon: for why should I be as one that turneth aside by the flocks of thy companions?’ Song 1:7.

           (4.) Because of the great delight he takes in the joint prayers and praises of his people.  We need not detract from the excellency of private devotions, to magnify the public prayers of the church.  Both are necessary, and highly pleasing to God.  Yet it is no wrong to the private devotions of a particular saint, to give the precedency to the public prayers of the church.  God himself tells us he ‘loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob,’ Ps. 87:2. No doubt the prayers which the faithful put up to heaven from under their private roofs were very acceptable unto him; but, if a saint's single voice in prayer be so sweet to God's ear, much more the church choir—his saints' prayers in consort together.  A father is glad to see any one of his children, and makes him welcome when he visits him, but much more when they come together: the greatest feast is when they all meet at his house.  The public praises of the church are the emblem of heaven itself, where all the angels and saints make but one consort.  There is a wonderful prevalency in the joint prayers of his people.  When Peter was in prison, the church meets and prays him out of his enemies’ hands.  A prince will grant a petition subscribed by the hands of a whole city, which may be he would not at the request of a private subject, and yet love him well too.  There is an especial promise to public prayer, Matt. 18:20: ‘Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.’  Non dicit ero, non enim tardat vel cunctatur, sed sum jam illic, invenior præsens gratia et favore singulari, eo quod summopere me delectet hujusmodi concordia—he doth not say, I will, for he makes no delay or demur upon the business: but I am there—let them come as soon as they will—present by my special favour and grace, because this concord in prayer highly pleaseth me.  It is the gloss of Lucas Brugens upon the place.

Public or church prayer required by God, and the reasons why 3/8

3. Why God requires a public worship or a joint service of his people in communion together, and why this particular duty of prayer.

           (1.) As a free and open acknowledgment of their dependence on and allegiance to God.  It is most reasonable we should own the God we serve, even in the face of the world, and not, like Nicodemites, carry our religion in a dark lantern.  He is unworthy of his master’s service that is ashamed to wear his livery, and follow him in the street with it on his back.  ‘Thou hast avouched,’ saith Moses to Israel, ‘the Lord this day to be thy God, and to walk in his ways, and to keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his judgments, and to hearken unto his voice.  And the Lord hath avouched thee this day to be his peculiar people,’ Deut. 26:17, 18.  Even heathens understand this much, that they owe a free profession and public service to the god they vouch: ‘All people will walk every one in the name of his god, and we will walk in the name of the Lord our God for ever and ever,’ Micah 4:5.  Now by walking in the name of God, they mean they will invocate his name, and vouch him by a public worship, as you may see by ver. 1, 2, of that chapter.  And this is a gospel prophecy concerning the last days; where, by the way, we may take notice of the folly and pride of those that cast off public ordinances, and private also, from a pretence of their high attainments, leaving these duties of religion as strings for those that are yet children to be led by.  This is horrible pride and ignorance to have such a high opinion of themselves.  But were they so perfect as they falsely imagine themselves, and needed not any further teaching, yet ought they still to vouch God by worshipping of him?  The ground from which divine worship becomes due to God, is his own infinite perfections, and our dependence on him as the author of our beings and fountain of our bliss.  Hence it is, that angels and saints in heaven worship him, though in a way suitable to their glorified state.  Some ordinances, indeed, fitted to the church militant on earth, shall there cease.  But a worship remains: yea, it is their constant employment.  Saints on earth serve God always, but cannot always worship, therefore they have stated times appointed them.  Now to cast off the worship of God is to renounce God himself, and communion with his church both on earth and in heaven. ‘But ye are they that forsake the Lord, that forget my holy mountain,’ Isa. 65:11.  They did not give him his public worship, and he interprets this as a casting him off from being their God.  Sometimes, I confess, the church doors are shut by persecutors, and, when this flood is up, the ways to Zion mourn; yet then we are to lament after the Lord and his ark.  Holy David was no stranger to private devotions, yet could not but bewail his banishment from the public: ‘My flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is; to see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary,’ Ps. 63:1, 2.

           (2.) To preserve love and unity in the church. God is one, and dearly loves oneness and unity among his people.  The reason he gives why he would have the curtains of the tabernacle coupled together, that it might be ‘one’ tabernacle, Ex. 36:13-18.  The fastening of these curtains so lovingly together for this end, that the tent might be one, signified the knitting and clasping together of the saints in love.  Now, though this be effected principally by the inward operation of the Holy Spirit upon their hearts, for he alone can knit souls and knead them into one lump; yet he useth their joint communion in ordinances as a happy means through which he may convey and de-rive his grace that fastens them in love together. These are the ligaments that tie one member to another in this mystical body.  And do we not see that Christians, like members of the natural body, take care for, and sympathize with, one another, so long as they are united in one communion?  But when these ligaments are cut, communion in worship is broke; then we see one member drops from another, and little care for or love to each other is to be found among them.  The apostle saw good reason to join both these in one exhortation: ‘Let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together,’ Heb. 10:24, 25.  As if he had said, If you cannot agree to worship God one with another, you will have little love one for another.  When the Jews’ staff of ‘beauty’ was cut asunder, the staff of ‘bands’ did not last long unbroken, Zech. 11:10.  Religion hath its name â religando —from binding back; it is a strong binder.  Break the beautified order of church communion, and a people will soon fall all to pieces.  It is observable how endearing conversation and communion is in things of an inferior nature.  Scholars that go to school together, those that board in the same house, collactanei—that suck the same milk, twins that lie together in the same belly, they have a mutual endearment of affection each to another.  How influential then must church communion needs be where all these meet? —when they shall consider they go to the same public school of the ministry, sit at the same table of the sacrament, suck the same breasts of the ordinances, and lie together in the bosom, yea womb, of the same church.  This was admirably seen in the primitive Christians, who, by fellowship in ordinances, were inspired with such a wonderful love to one another, that they could hardly find their hearts in their own breasts: ‘All that believed were together, and had all things common; and continuing with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,’ Acts 2:44, 46.  But when a breach was made in the church’s communion, then love caught her cold, and grew upon Christians as divisions increased.  Now one would think the cause of our disease, being so easily known, the cure should not be so hard, as, alas! at this day we find it.