particular Manner they pray for, yet in Mercies, and Bleffings, and Benefits that are much more useful for them, and more befitting their Circumftances. Nay, I doubt not to affirm, that it is as much by our Prayers, as by any other Endeavour, that not only particular Perfons and Families, but alfo Cities, and States, and Kingdoms, are preserved and fupported.

And fo much for this Argument. Confider what you have heard, and the Lord give you Understanding in all Things.

SERMON

154

SERMON VII.

1 TIM. II. 1, 2.

I exhort therefore that first of all Supplications, Prayers, Interceffions, and giving of Thanks be made for all Men: for Kings, and for all that are in Authority.

T

HE Design of this Epiftle is to give Inftructions to Timothy how he ought to execute the Epifcopal

Office, which was committed to him in the Church of Ephefus: And the first Injunction that is given him about that Matter is, that he fhould order publick Supplications, and Prayers, and Interceffions, and Thanksgivings to be made for all Men; for Kings, and all that are in Authority. I fay, that he should order thefe Things publickly to be done; for that thefe Words are to be expounded of the publick Devotions

of

of the Church, was never doubted, that I know of; and may be fully made good from what follows after in this Chapter.

But how comes the Apostle here to make a Difference between Prayers, and Supplications, and those other Things? Why certainly, his Defign was to make a juft Enumeration of all thofe Offices or Parts, of which the publick Worship or Service of the Church is to confift.

And thofe are Four.

First of all, Andes, which we here render Supplications, but may more properly be rendred Deprecations, that is to fay, fuch Prayers as we put up to God for the Pardon of our Sins, and the averting from us all thofe Evils that we deferve upon Account of them.

Secondly, gooxal, or Petitions, by which are meant thofe Prayers we put up for all the Spiritual and Temporal Bleffings we ftand in need of.

Thirdly, 'Evrees, or Interceffions, by which are meant thefe Prayers, that we are to put up for other Men.

And, Laftly, Exagisia, or giving of Thanks, which every Body knows to be meant of that Tribute of Praife and Thankf giving we owe to God Almighty for all his Mercies and Benefits both to our felves and others.

Of these four Things, according to St. Paul, ought the publick Liturgy of the Church to be

be made up. And that Service, where any one of them is wanting, muft confequently be defective.

But this is not the Point I mean now to dwell upon; that which lies uppermoft in my Text, and most obvious to be observed from it, are these three Things; which I fhall therefore make the Heads of my following Difcourfe.

First of all, in general, the Obligation that is upon us to have publick Prayers, and to refort to them. I exhort firft that Supplications and Prayers be made.

Secondly, More particularly the Obligation that is upon us, in our Addreffes to God, to pray for others. for others. I exhort that Supplica- . tions, and Prayers, and Interceffions be made for all Men.

Thirdly, (which more immediate concerns us on this Day) the Obligation that is upon us to pray and give Thanks for Kings efpecially; and that follows in the next Verse, for Kings and all that are in Authority, that under them we may lead quiet and peaceable Lives, in all Godliness and Honefty.

Firft, I begin with the Duty of having and frequenting publick Prayers, which is here recommended to us.

It is the Fault of a great many among us, and even of fome that have otherwise a hearty Senfe of Religion, that we do not fet that Efteem and Value upon the publick Worfhip of God, that in the Nature of the

Thing, and by the Laws of Chrift, it doth call for. If we do but fay our Prayers devoutly in our Clofets, (and I would to God that all of us did but that) we think we have done enough: We have done all that is needful for the Discharge of that Part of our Duty which concerns the Worship of God. The Church-Prayers we may spare well enough, and fo likewife Prayers in our Family. And tho' we do perhaps now and then attend the Publick Worship, yet it is not fo much for the fake of the Prayers, as for the Curiofity of hearing a Sermon, or it may be for the avoiding the Scandal that our Abfence at fuch Times would bring upon us: But certainly this is not a right Notion of the Worship of God; fo far from that, that I muft need fay, it is a very abfurd

one.

We do readily own, that to fèrve God in private is a neceffary Duty; nay, so neceffary, that there is no living a Holy Chriftian Life without it: we acknowledge likewife, that as the Thing is infinitely reafonable in it felf, fo it is attended with manifold Advantages of feveral forts: but then we fay, that publick Prayer, joining with our Brethren in the Service of God, whether it be at Church, or in our own Families, muft needs have the Pre-eminence in abundance of refpects. Give me leave to name a few of the many; Would we take the readieft Courfe to have our Prayers effectual, to obtain from God what we pray

for?