~tortt~1&~ret~ dO with Qod : therein it's c\ifierent f~om of Gods inftitutedworfhip, which doth ,.;.wa:~oa• ly require C0lllpany; as in preaching of ,ther.e tnuft be hearers; in the.feals of the pant, a~ in ~~ptifm and the Lords-Supl?er, there m l)eafociety, fucb a number as maybe called a Church ' ·· · Hence the latter is called a Comm t Cor.,cr. •6., ~ 7· nion becaufe faith (the ApofHe · ' . . , 'te.ing many are one bread, ~end one body : But it is not tolu~ely ~re[entially requifite toPrayer,that there · fociety ; a;ne man or·woman, by himor her felf al"...""·• may perform this duty9fPrayer as acceptably to God, as if in the company of a thoufand ·Sairits : We deny -fiOtthe publickor privateMeetingsofGods people for Prayer '; but withal affirm, that ,the nature of the duty is fuch., rhat it may be performed folirary and alone:. , · ·. . : · Hence Schoolmen diftinguifu of 1;;, :;. ~~· 1.· ~~· Pra~er, tha~ it is either [ co·mf!Zuni~ , or S4ngidaru] Common or Stngular: Both h:tve their place and uie: ·Though -they lay -1reitt ilrefs uponChrifl s·promife, in Mat. r$. 16. pro.. mifing to be where two or thr~e are tnet in his Nan1e;· whkb ·as we ~eny nor' fo V..re affert the force of this P~~Y~f of a fingle p~rfon according to the Text: We gtve b9th their due, withou t cornparifons,. 2. Prayer c~nno t be fi:~p~ in i'~s- ~fcent td God : All the.perfecutors one~rth,canno_t hinder-a foul's Praying. '!fhis'is demonfirated two wayes. 1-. A Child of G6d banifht otitof all human fociety may 'pray fiil1. Suppofe .aman ,were rejected by metr, ·and ejected ·out of all cqmpanies of men, and were lh ut up in the Clofeft Pri- . , or fhut out in the re~otefi: Wildernefs; 1uppofe · a m~nwere in the Cavesand Dens of the Earth; yet 11 he might prayand behear~, according toSt!l , that, If Gods People were carried captive •• WWI!, 'AIItii.IIU. of theit E~emie~, ~a!· o~ ~~a~; yet ifthey r~
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