Spiritual Perfegion. 389 toHeaven for fpeedy relief, and God-api pear'd in Arms for his defence: I frail add for our Dire}ion and Comj fort, that the Love and Providence of God is often as vifible to the inlightned Mind, in denying forne Petitions of his Children, as in granting others. Some- tonOA times they pray for temporal things, un- ''ta,na ora, z1 eft, ea yxz becoming their alliance with God, and fxnr æterna, their intereft in his fpecial Favour. 'Tis non quecadu- .recorded of that Wife Theban,' D ta De''urn xonkts that when a Friend, greatly in pervenit, non his Efteem, requefteci his Favour to rep axait dignu Deium ,nil yunl leafe a mean Fellow, imprifoned for a Lit fxísbenei Crime, he denyed him ; and afterward fici Amb6 releafed him at the delre of a defpicable Ferfon ; and gave this Reafon, That ma not a Favour in proportion to the Dignity of Pelopidas, but fuitable to th realityof the other Petitioner. Thus the Children of this World, who believe no other Happinefs, but the enjoyment of tem- poral things, fometimes obtain their De- fires ; but the Children of Light are not heard in their Prayers for them ; they being unfuitable to their Heavenly Dig- nity , and not the fure figns of God's Favour. Sometimes, by mif;akes, they pray for things prejudicial to their Salvation ; and it would be a fevere Judgment, if . God fliould beftow them. We read of t lie
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