Houston-Packer Collection BV4253 .B85 1649 .B85 1649

Opened, and applied fromCHRIS Ts Prieftly.Office.- dours,interceflionswith it, although it be but a figh, and agroane. The Apoftleupon this account, makes this ufe ofit ; having fpoken of Chrift our High- Prieft ; There- fore (faith he) let 14$ come with boldaef? vnto theThrone ofgrace. Heb.4.16 The word fignifies, to (peak all ones mind ; let us come #eaking all. Having fuch an High-Prieft indeed, as will carry all into the pretenceof God the Father, for accep- tance, every figh, and every groan ; then, who would not be much in prayer ? fpeak all to Chrift, be free with Chrift, come with boldnefs'? There's many a poor foul, that is much difcouraged, and he dares not go to prayer, many times, afraid to go to the Throne of grace. The reafon is, becaufe he looks upon his Prayer, or Duty, as it lies upon his own heart, or as it comes from himfelf. Whereas, my beloved, 'tis with your Prayers, and Duties, as it is with fire : Your kitchin fire is troubled with abundance of fmoake, and there is filth about it; fire upon the hearth hath much fmoake : but fire above, in the Element of fire, there's no fmoke. So, your Prayer, when it lies upon your own hearth (as I may lay) there's a great deal of finoke ; but when it gets once into the hands ofJefusChrift, there's it's Element, and it is freed from all it's frnoke. Cr as it is with a mans Body : fo long as he lives here upon theearth, he is feeble, and weak, and many times fickly : afroon as he iscome into Heaven , all his weaknefs is taken away, and his body being inHeaven, 'tisprefently glorified, and ftrength put upon it, and all his clifeafes aregone. So 'tis withour Prayers : So longas they are here below, in our own boforns, they are full of weaknefs; but affoon as our Prayer is out ofour mouth, 'tis in the hand ofChrift, 'tie in Heaven, 'tis glorified, the weaknefs is now clone away ; Oh ! 'tis a glorified Prayer; when 'ds gone;fromyou, 'tis in thehand ofChrift. And therefore, this is amighty incouragementunto all thofe that are godly, tobe, not on- ly inPrayer, but tobe much in Prayer, come with bold- ' nefs unto the Throne ofgrace. Again, ifye be Godly ; yea, ifypbe Ungodly': Here I fee

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