The means of grace

8. A Pharisee, secondly, (to express his sense in our common way) used all the means of grace. As he fasted often and much, twice in every week, so he attended all the sacrifices. He was constant in public and private prayer, and in reading and hearing the scriptures. Do you go as far as this? Do you fast much and often? Twice in the week? I fear not. Once, at least; “on all Fridays in the year?” (So our church clearly and peremptorily enjoins all her members to do: to observe all these, as well as the vigils and the forty days of lent, as “days of fasting or abstinence.”) Do you fast twice in the year? I am afraid, some among us cannot plead even this!――Do you neglect no opportunity of attending and partaking of the Christian Sacrifice? How many are they, who call themselves Christians, and yet are utterly regardless of it? Yet do not eat of that bread, or drink of that cup, for months, perhaps years, together? Do you every day, either hear the scriptures, or read them and meditate thereon? Do you join in prayer with the great congregation? Daily, if you have opportunity: if not whenever you can, particularly on that day, which you remember, to keep it holy? Do you strive to make opportunities? Are you glad when they say unto you, we will go into the house of the Lord? Are you zealous of, and diligent in private prayer? Do you suffer no day to pass without it? Rather, are not some of you so far, from spending therein (with the Pharisee) several hours in one day, that you think one hour full enough, if not too much? Do you spend an hour in a day, or in a week, in praying to your Father which is in secret? Yea, an hour in a month? Have you spent one hour together in private prayer ever since you was born? Ah poor Christian! Shall not the Pharisee rise up in the judgment against thee and condemn thee? His righteousness is as far above thine, as the heaven is above the earth.