repay thee." (St. Matthew, vi. 5, 6.) By these words our Lord does not forbid us praying in a public place, for He himself prayed publicly before he raised Lazarus. But He forbids public prayer when it is done that we may be seen praying by many, and this through vain-dory: other wise we may pray in the temple, and there find a " chamber" for our heart, and in it pray to God "in secret," The words "will repay thee," signify the merit; for, as He said of the Pharisee, " he has received his reward," that is, human praise; so of one who prays in the chamber of his heart, and who looks to God alone, we must under stand that to him will be given a reward by his Father "who seeth in secret." Respecting satisfaction for past sins, we all know the practice of the Church, by which when satisfaction is enjoined, prayer is united with fasting and almsdeeds; nay, very often almsdeeds and fasting are omit ted, and prayer alone commanded.
In fine, that prayer can obtain many gifts, St. John Chrysostom beautifully teaches us in his " two books" on Prayer, in which he employs the comparison of the human hands. For as man is born naked and helpless, and in want of all things, and vet cannot complain of his Creator, because He has given him hands, which are the organ of organs, and by which he is enabled to provide for himself food, garments, house, &c.; so also the spiritual man can
