CHAP. V. THE COMPLETE ANGLER. 187 



Is, all, alike to him that prays, 

 In's heart, what with his mouth he lays. 



They that in private, by themselves alone, 

 Do pray ; may take 

 What liberty they please, 

 In chusing of the ways 



Wherein to make 



Their soul's most intimate affections known 

 To Him that sees in secret, when 

 Th' are most conceal'd from other men. 



But he, that unto others leads the way, 

 In public prayer j 

 Should do it, so, 

 As all that hear, may know 



They need not fear 



To tune their hearts unto his tongue and say 

 Amen ; not doubt they were betray'd 

 To blaspheme, when they meant to have pray'd. 



Devotion will add life unto the letter : 



And why should not 

 That which authority 

 Prescribes, esteemed be 



Advantage got ? 



If th' prayer be good, the commoner the better. 

 Prayer in the Church's WORDS as well 

 As SENSE, of all prayers bear the bell*, 



CH. EAR VIE. 



* These verses were written at or near the time when the Liturgy wa 

 abolished by an ordinance of parliament, and while it was agitating, as a 

 theological question, Whether, of the two, preconceived or extemporary 

 prayer, be most agreeable to the sense of acripture ? in favour of the 

 former, I have heard it asserted by a very eloquent person, and one of the 

 abkst writers both in prose and verse now living, that he never without 

 premeditation could adress his Maker in terms suited to his conceptions ; 

 and that of all written composition he had found that of prayer to be the 

 most difficult. Of the same opinion, is a very eminent prelate of this day ; 

 who, (being himself an excellent judge of literature,) in a conversation on 

 the subject, declared it to me, at the same time saying, that, excepting 

 those in the Liturgy, he looked on the prayers of Dr. Jeremy Taylor, 

 that occur in the course of his works, as by far the most eloquent and 

 energetic of any in our language. 



