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Cant. 3. 1. compared with ver. 4, She fought him in private duties, and found him not; then she went to the publick, and found him whom her Soul loved. Daniel was, certainly, a Man of much prayer, Dan. 6. 10. and no doubt found very frequently, fenfible acceptance with God; but yet it seems God referved the fullest manifestation of his love to him, till, to his daily prayer, he added. extraordinary prayer, with fafting. Dan. 9. 3. compared with verf.23. And it was fo with Cornelius, as ye may fee, A&t. 10.

39.

Thus we fee the encouragement is great to take up every duty in its Seafon. Experience tells us, that the efficacy of co-ordinate means is in conjunction. As for the preservation of bodily health, there must be both Food, and Raiment, and Reft, and the use of Phyfick fometimes, as the matter requireth; no one of thefe is fufficient. So it is here. Let none think, his Soul will profper, though he use this, or that Duty; if any one known to be a Duty, be willingly neglected in the feafon thereof. It is the policy of Satan to feparate one duty from another, that fo we may not be uniform in our endeavours. Few are fo bad, as to use no means at all, and few are fö faithful to God, and their own Souls, as confciencious ly, to ufe All. This half-doing, proves ma

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ny a Souls undoing. Therefore as we deAfire that our Souls fhould profper, we fhould, as Caleb, follow fully after God. And in all, as Pfal. 63, 8, Follow hard after God. As thriving Children do fuck, and draw hard fometimes at one Breast, and sometimes eat another.

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2. As we ought to exercife, our felves in them all; fo we ought to exercife the prin ciples of godliness in them all. A few words to this.

1. In general thus. The principles of godlinefs ought to be exercised in them all, fo far as God's gracious ends, and purposes in, and by them (fo far as they are revealed to us) may be answered, and attained. I fhall inftance in these two.

(1.) This God hath revealed as one great end to be carried on, in and by them all, that this holy and bleffed name may be fan ctified in them all, Lev. 10. 3. This is done, when the inward frame of our hearts is fuch, when we addrefs our felves unto God, as that God himself may thereby fee that we believe him to be a great God,a gracious God, a God in all refpects infinitely glorious. This is due unto him, Pfal. 89.7, God is greatly to be feared in the Affembly of the Saints : and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him. And this David refolves upon, Pfal. 5.7, But as for me, I will come into thy

house,

houfe, in the multitude of thy mercy and in thy fear, will I worship toward thy holy Tem ple. So far as our hearts attain this temper, fo far we answer God's end: This is to ferve him acceptably, Heb. 12. 28.

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(2.) This likewife God hath revealed as his intent, and purpose, that thereby he may communicate unto the people of his choice, thofe fpiritual gifts and graces, whereby they may be enabled, to that work he hath appointed them, and be pre pared for that happiness, he hath promised them. Exod. 20. 24, In all places where I record my Name, I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee. Pfal. 133. 3. For there the Lord commanded the bleffing, and life for The attainment of this end fhould be fo deeply engraven upon our hearts, that as the Bee moves from one flower to another, to gather materials for Honey: So fhould we from one Duty to another, for fupplies of grace, fuitable to our prefent neceffities. This was David's end, Pfal. 63. 1, 2, 3, O God thou art my God, early will I feek thee,&c. For this end, principles of godliness should be exerc.fed to at tain the fore-mentioned end: And if so, v are fo much the more likely to attain this end, the more grace we bring in exercise to a duty, the more grace we are like to receive in; and by that duty, Matth. 25. 29, Unto R 2 every

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every one that hath, shall be given, and he
fhall have abundance. Thus, in general.
2. As we defire our Souls fhould prosper,
principles of
grace fhould be exercised in
all the fore mentioned duties. I will in-
ftance only in one, and that is the duty of
Prayer s both because that is, and ought to
be our every days work: We ought in eve-
ry thing, both great and fmall, to make
known our requests to God, believing his
univerfal Providence; that as there is no-
thing fo great that is above his Power, fo
there is nothing fo little that is below his
Care. This we are injoined, Phil. 4.6, Be
careful for nothing; but in every thing, by
prayer and fupplication, with thanksgiving; let
your requests be made known unto God. And
alfo, because the better this duty is perfor-
med, the better all other duties will be per-
formed: It hath an influence upon them all,
and is often put for the whole worship of
God, Rom. 10. 12, 13, Whosoever shall call
upon the Name of the Lord fhall be faved. And
befides, all the Providences of the day are
fanctified by it, 1 Tim. 4. 5, For it is sancti-
fied by the word of God, and Prayer. But
then we must know this, that if we defire
prayer may be a fanctifying duty to us, our
hearts must be fanctified for it, and grace
must be exercised in it. I fhall not menti-
on now, what graces must be exercised, but

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only in general, fo that the heart may be wrought off from all evil frames, and compofed, and fixed, the inward thought thereof gathered in, and the affections raised, fo as feelingly, and awfully, believingly, fervently and fincerely we may powre out our defires unto God, and be able to fay, as Lam. 2. 18, Their heart cryed unto the Lord. And Pfal. 119. 145, I cryed with my whole heart, hear me, O Lord. This is one thing intended in that expreffion of Praying in the fpirit, Eph. 6. 18. The fpirit of a Man is an active thing, and whatever it doth, good, or bad, it doth to purpose. Such gracious workings of the Soul in prayer, are the very Soul of prayer; and then the Soul profpers by prayer, Jude, verf. 20, And yè, Beloved, building up your Souls in your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghoft. Then are our Souls edified, when we thus pray, in the exercife of the graces of the Holy Ghost.

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This is all I fhall fay to the former of the two laft things propofed. That in order to Soul-profperity, grace ought to be exercifed, in all the External Duties of Religion.

I now proceed to the latter. As ever we defire our Souls fhould profper, the prin ciples of godliness ought to be exercifed in all other things, wherein the vifible part of Religi

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