Baxter - Houston-Packer Collection BT770 .B39 1670

LifÌ íf' Fsit . 579 with ten tboufands ofbit Saints, *a, Jude v. 14. Many other Scriptures tell us, that we mud not leave out the Saints and Angels, when we look towards Heaven by faith, and when we converfe and walk above. But this isbut as on the by : That which I intend for your fpecial obfervation, is, the thirdPetition of the Lords Prayer, where the annexeddaufe (which feemeth to referr to all the three fiat Petitions) doth let the heavenlyChurch before us, as the Patternoftbat obedience to the will of God, which both we, and all the world mud imitate, and pray to God that we may imitate.[Thy Willbe done on Earth, as it is done in Heaven.] Here Chrid requireth all Chrittians in Prayer, to look up to the HeavenlySociety, and to confider bow they do the Will of God, and tomake it their Pattern, and in theirdaily Prayers, as men that longfor their celetlial perfctrkion, to pray that they maybecome their imitators : even as the Scholars in the loweü form in the fchool, mutt look at thofe in the higheft farm, and defire and endeavour to attain to their degree. You fee then that this is acommanded ordinary duty. Dite% 7. Confider next wherein it is that your converfe with Angels, and theperfetied #irits of the juli' confifleth; that you may neither byyour miftake, neglect it, nor carry it too far. I. Negatively: r.'It is not a Deifying thcm,as the Heathena did their Hero's, and their Divi : They are (till but Gods Mi- niffers, andmud have nothing afcribcd to them of the Divine Prerogative. z. Nor doth it confrd in building Temples and Altars to their honour, which favoureth at kalt of a compliance with Idolatry. 3. Nor doth it at all confeti in praying to them. r. Becaufe, as we know that they arenot omniprefent, or omnifcient ; fo 2. Weknow not átall when they are prefent, and when they do hear us, and when not. 3. Nor do we know whichofthem it is that is at any time prefect with us. 4. Nor have we any precept, prefident, promife, or other encouragement to filch prayers in Gods Word, but rather much to keep us front ir. 4.. Nor yet ie it indefirieg them to pray for us : For that Dd d d z which

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