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presence we should not think we could come too oft, if they would permit it: but we should be ambitious always to stand in their sight; and look upon ourselves as highly dignified, if they would be pleased to make us their familiars. Let us not then be so perverse, as to live, as if we thought the Lord of heaven and earth doth us an injury, or lays a heavy burthen on us when He requires us to attend Him: that is, when He bids us come to Him, and first ask, and then receive His blessing.

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Look upon our blessed Saviour, and observe how constant and unwearied He was in this holy duty how frequently He went alone by Himself, to give thanks to God, and to implore His continued presence with Him: how diligently He went to the temple when He was at Jerusalem; and to the synagogues, when He was in the country: how He acknowledged God in the most common benefits: how much time He spent publicly and privately in His company with what strong cries He called upon Him in the days of His flesh with what submission; with what reverence: with what

repeated importunities and then think with yourselves; are you in less want of the help of God, than our blessed Saviour was? Can you live well enough without praying to Him, when His only begotten Son could not? Why do you not then go to Him, with fervent desires? why do you not imitate the Son of God in the frequency of your addresses?

To what purpose hath God given you His Holy Spirit, if you will not obey its motions? To what end is the Lord Jesus appointed to be your Intercessor; if you will send up no prayers, to be presented by Him in the court of heaven? Why doth He call upon you to "pray alway," if you need not pray at all? Consider all these arguments over again; how naked you are without this Divine Armour to defend you; how all God's graces languish and die, if this do not continually maintain them; how good men have thought it better not to live, than not to pray and give thanks to the God of their life and they will prevail with you not to be strangers unto this heavenly employment. An employment, wherein you will find much

comfort and no less success; if you do not negligently discharge it. For God hath a love to souls; and greatly desires their improvement. He would have them advance even unto His likeness; in righteousness, and goodness, and true holiness: else He would not so invite them and call upon them, as He doth, to fix their eyes upon Him; He would not have given them such help and assistance, and discovered such a wonderful love unto them, as He hath manifested in the Son of His love, Christ Jesus.

The heathen thought it sufficient to desire God to hear them; out of the love He bears to immortal spirits when they cry unto Him. So I find one praying, in an ancient Greek poet, whose words are these, "Hearken unto me, O Father, Thou great wonder of mankind : who takest a special care of an ever-living soul."

But we have a great deal more to build our hopes upon; and "Hear us,

may say:

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Father of our Lord Jesus Christ; who hast

astonished us with the wonders of Thy love in

Him: hear us, out of the love Thou bearest unto the Son of Thy love: hear us, for His sake; who laid down His life, to redeem our immortal souls who lives for ever to make intercession for us. Thou, who hast bestowed already so surprising a gift without our asking, hear us, and give us what we ask of Thee, when we ask it in His name, who gave Himself for us, and hath assured us, that with Him, Thou wilt give us all things."

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CHAPTER VI.

THE HONOUR GOD DOTH US IN ADMITTING US INTO HIS PRESENCE.

AMONG other false conceits which men

have of this duty of Prayer to God, these

two are very prejudicial to its performance. First, they look upon it only as a duty laid upon them by God's mere will and pleasure: which might be spared, there being no real need of it, if it were not for this; that God will have it, and hath ordained it.

Secondly, they imagine thereupon, that He is beholden to them for what they do; and that they have performed such a great piece. of service to Him, when they have prayed awhile, that they thereby obtain a dispensation to do their own will, when they have satisfied His.

To rectify the first of these mistakes, I have

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