and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime." Dan. vi. 10.

Which shows that, in his opinion, it is more necessary to pray and give thanks to God, than it is to live: and that there is a necessity also of the frequent returns of this duty. For three times a day (as often as he did eat or drink) he continued, nothwithstanding the great hazard he run therein, " to pray and give thanks before his God."

CHAPTER V.

SOME REFLECTIONS UPON THE FOREGOING CON

SIDERATIONS.

BEFORE I proceed to lay before you the

great advantages we have, by the serious performance of this part of our Christian duty; it may be useful here to rest awhile, and only look back upon what hath been already discoursed. Which, if the reader will please to do with a composed mind and attentive thoughts, he may soon know what to think of his condition, if he never set himself to this holy employment, or rather heavenly privilege, of making devout addresses to God, by Prayer and Supplication, with Thanksgiving for all the benefits of which we are desirous, or He hath already conferred on us.

Such men are without God in the world; estranged from the Father of their being, con

temners of His most excellent Majesty; usurpers of His Sovereignty; that set up for themselves, and live as if they were the Original of all things; who stand in no need to be beholden to any one higher and greater than themselves. Guilty they are of the highest treason, because they refuse to pay the most natural and necessary acknowledgment unto the most High. They will not own Him as their Lord; nor make any significations of their dependence on Him; but use Him as if he were only a name ; to Whom we owe a slight respect, but no solemn, constant, reverence and service.

Lay this to heart, I beseech you, whosoever you be, that do not make it one of the most serious businesses of your life to pray unto God. Consider what you are; in what relation you stand to Him; and what a bold disowning of Him this is: that you may be humbled for it, and come and bow down yourselves, and kneel before the Lord your Maker; to beg His pardon for this contempt, to beseech His grace, and assure Him hereafter of your faith

ful service.

2. And that you may do so, learn from the foregoing instructions, to pray to God; not merely because you think He will have this acknowledgment or else be very angry but because He ought to have it, as we are His creatures; who cannot be happy without a due respect to the Father of our being, the Fountain of all bliss. If you think this duty might have been left undone, had not God exacted it by some positive law, it may make you less forwardly inclined unto it; nay apt, perhaps, to grumble sometime at the burthen (as you may be prone to account it) and too willing to find pretences, that may seem equitable and fit to be allowed for the omitting it. But if you look upon it as enacted in the very laws of our nature; as standing upon no weaker ground than our very beings; which we deriving from God, are bound thereby to acknowledge Him; you will not desire to be excused from it, nor be backward to it; but please yourselves, as well as Him, in this most delightful employment.

Remember, you ought to look up unto God

in prayer and praises, because it is a natural duty; and that your nature strongly inclines you to it, because you are weak and in want; and that you should make it your choice, because it is a most noble privilege to be admitted into God's presence; and that you should choose to do it frequently, because you will be so much the more happy; by having Him oft in your thoughts, and by being much in His blessed presence, Who is able to impart everlasting felicity to his devout and faithful worshippers.

3. Of which happiness let us not deprive ourselves, by forgetting God our Maker; but be moved by the many arguments, whereby I have enforced it, to the solemn practice of this duty unto which we are formed by nature, and mightily excited and assisted by grace.

Never rise out of your bed, but before you go about any thing else, make a tendry of your most hearty service unto God; implore His blessing; let Him know that you intend to be faithful to Him all that day; that you remember your obligations to Him, and are resolved