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Goodness. Every Deliverance enforces the Addrefs, and furnishes fresh Materials for the heavenly Employ. The Man after GOD's own Heart declares, as an inviting Example for our Practice; I will blefs the LORD at all Times: His Praife fhall continually be in my Mouth *: Yea, as long as I have any Being, I will fing Praifes unto my GOD +.-Indeed, when We confider the inexhauftibly rich Bounty of GOD our CREATOR, and the inconceivably tender Mercy of GOD our REDEEMER, it is both ftrange and deplorable, that the Love of GOD is not always prevailing in our Hearts, and the Language of Praife ever flowing from our Lips.

I will not fuppofe our Character fo irreligious, that We have neglected the daily Worship of GOD, either in our Closet, or in our Family. But, have we prayed with that profound reverential Awe, which is due to the HIGH and LOFTY ONE, who inhabiteth Eternity?-Have We made our Supplications with that fervent Importunity, which may in fome meafure correfpond with the extreme Indigence of our State, and the invaluable Worth of the Bleffings We crave?-Have qur Petitions been attended with that steady Affiance, which may glorify the Goodnefs, the Power, the Veracity of the LORD? May evidently declare, That He is rich in Mercy, to All that call upon Him that He is the LORD JEHOVAH, in whom is everlasting_Strength |: that He is the GOD of Truth, and faithful for ever §. We call Him FATHER: but have We trusted in Him, with that unfufpecting, chearful, filial Confidence, which a Child repofes on the Fidelity and Indul

* Pfal. xxxiv. 1.

X. 12.

Ifai. xxvi. 4.

+ Pfal. cxlvi. 2.
§ Deut. xxxii. 4.

Rom.

Indulgence of fuch an earthly Relative? Have We not entertained, too often entertained narrow, difhonourable, beggarly Apprehenfions, concerning the Treasures of his Liberality, and the Bowels of his Pity? Rating them even lower than our Parent's, our Friend's, or our own.

Have we been careful to carry the Spirit of our Prayers into our ordinary Converfation; and waited at the Door, as well as approached to the Throne of Grace?-Amidst the Intervals of our folemn Devo-, tions, have We cultivated an ejaculatory Intercourse with Heaven? How highly would the ambitious, Courtier prize, and how frequently would He ufe a privy Key, which should give Him, at all Hours, free Admittance to his Sovereign. This Key of Admittance, only to an infinitely more exalted POTENTATE, We all poffefs in the Practice of mental Aspirations to GOD.-It is certainly the nobleft Employ, and will be the richest Improvement of our Thoughts, to fend them in fuch fhort Embaffies to the KING of Kings; and to derive, by fuch occafional Sallies of Faith, a renewed Supply from

*

We have, in Scripture, very remarkable Inftances of the Succefs, which has attended ejaculatory Prayer.Obferve Nehemiah: He ftands before Abafuerus, apprehenfive of the Monarch's Difpleafure, yet defirous to folicit Him in Behalf of Jerufalem. To be delivered from his Fears, and to obtain his Defires, what Method does He ufe? The mean and fervile Arts of Flattery? No; but the manly and devout Expedient of Prayer. I prayed, fays the Patriot, to the GOD of Heaven.-We cannot fuppofe, that He fell on His Knees, or spoke with His Lips, while He continued in the royal Prefence. But he darted up his Soul in filent Supplication. Which Supplication pierced the Clouds;" reached the eternal Throne; and returned not again till a Bleffing was fent.

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Such

from the Fountain of all Good. How great a Lofs then must it be to our fpiritual Interefts, and how contemptuous a Difregard of the ever-prefent JEHOVAH,

Such as totally averted the Wrath, He dreaded; and procured Favour and Affiftance, much larger than He expected. Nehem. ii. 4.

When David heard, that Ahitophel, the ableft Politician in his Kingdom, was revolted to Abfalom; fenfible what a Lofs his Affairs had fuftained, and what an Advantage the rebellious Party had acquired, He betook himself to his GOD. He flaid not for an Opportunity of Retirement, but instantly and upon the Spot cried; O LORD, I pray Thee, turn the Counsel of Ahitophel into Foolishness! -A bort Addrefs, but very efficacious. HE, who difappointeth the Devices of the Crafty, fent a Spirit of Infatuation among the Rebels; and inclined them to reject the Advice of that judicious Statesman. Which falfe Step brought upon their horrid Enterprize, the Ruin it deferved; and chagrined the wretched Traitor, even to Rage, Frenzy, and Suicide. 2 Sam. xv. 31. xvii. 23.

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Amynter, at a memorable Period of his Life, was under great Diftrefs of Conscience, and haraffed by violent Temptations. He made his Cafe known to an experienced Friend; who faid, Amyntor, You do not pray.-Surprised at this, He replied; I pray, if fuch a Thing be poffible, too much. I can hardly tell, how many Times "in the Day, I bow my Knee before GOD; almost "to the Omiffion of my other Duties, and the Neglect " of my neceffary Studies."- "You mistake my Mean"ing, dear Amyntor. I do not refer You to the Ceremony of the Knee, but to the Devotion of the Heart. "Which neglects not any Bufinefs, but intermingles

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Prayer with all. Which, in every Place, looks unto "the LORD; and, on every Occafion, lifts up an in"digent longing Soul for the Supply of his Grace. This

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(added He, and fpoke with a peculiar Vehemence) "this is the Prayer which all the Devils in Hell cannot "withstand."-This, I would farther obferve, is the Prayer, which brings down fomewhat of Heaven into the Heart; in which I would myself defire to abound; and would earnestly recommend, to all my Acquaintance, and all my Readers.

HOVAH, to omit entirely, or long to difcontinue, this moft beneficial Practice of habitual Adoration? -Can You, my dear Theron, acquit Yourfelf on this Article of Enquiry? Has not every Day of your Life been a Day of Negligence in this Refpec ? Been a perpetual Difobedience to our SAVIOUR's Injunction; Men ought, in this Manner, always to pray, and not to faint *.

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Have We fanctified the Sabbath? Has the LORD's Day, with all its folemn and facred Offices, been our Delight?-Have We remembered that distinguished Portion of our Time, as Jacob remembered the delightful Interview at Peniel? Have We expected it, as Merchants expect the Arrival of a richly laden Veffel? Have We improved it, as Husbandmen improve the shining Hours of the Harveft?-Have We wholly laid afide every earthly Engagement; not speaking our own Words +, nor allowing Ourselves in any Gratifications, which may interrupt our Communion with the FATHER of Spirits? Has one Day in his Courts been preferable to a Thoufandt, fpent either in the Works of our Calling, or in the Scenes of Recreation?-Have the Memorials of our REDEEMER's dying Merits, and the Seals of his unchangeable Loving-kindness, been relifhed as a Feaft, and prized as a Portion?

Have We honoured GOD's holy Word?-What greater Mark of Difesteem, than to despise a Person's Difcourfe; and not to think his Speech worthy of our Notice? Efpecially, when He addreffes Us with very great Serioufnefs, and with the utmost Affection. In our Bible, the GOD of Glory speaks to his.

Luke xviii. 1. ↑ Ifai. Iviii. 13. lxxxiv. 10.

+ Pfal.

Let. 1. his Creatures; fpeaks with the most perfuafive Energy, and with all the Yearnings of parental Tendernefs. Have We liftened to our CREATOR, with Reverence and Delight; and rejoiced with Trembling at-Thus faith the LORD? *

Have We fearched the Oracles of Truth, not merely as Scholars, but as Sinners; not from a Spirit of Curiofity, or with an Air of Formality, but with a Solicitude and Ardour, becoming Perfons who enquire after the SAVIOUR of their loft Souls! Have We submitted our inmoft Thoughts to their impartial Scrutiny; to receive Conviction of Sin from their awful Remonftrances, and to hear the Sentence of Condemnation at their righteous Bar?Have We been willing to fuffer the Reproach of * confcious Baseness, while they have ripped up the Dif guifes of Falfhood; laid open our fecret Iniquities; and brought all our evil Ways to Remembrance? Thus Jofiah acted. His Heart was tender, and He bumbled Himfelf before the LORD; He rent his Clothes, and wept before the LORD; when He heard the IVords of the Book of the Law *.

Have We hid the glad Tidings of the Gospel, within our Memories, within our Hearts? Have We been diligent to fuck this Honeycomb + of Grace, by concomitant Meditation, and fubfequent Prayer?Have We valued the precious Promises, as Gentlemen of Wealth value the Writings of their private Eftates; or as enfranchifed Bodies efteem the Charter of their public Privileges ?-Have We, like the princely Patriarch, longed for thofe Words of Edification, Exhortation and Comfort, more than for our neceffary

2 Chron. xxxiv. 27.

+ Cant, v. 1.

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