ame of God in PRAYE It. 27'5 will be it for prayer ; and that fhould be our care for to carry our felves , as any hour in theday, or minute in the beim, we might be fit to go to prayer : and that's one meaning of char place in the Theffalonians, Tray continually.; not that every moment we fhould be praying, but that we fhould :keep our hearts in a praying frame : Some of,you when you have let out your paffions, and are in a diftemper, what wil yougo topray- er now? your confcience will tell you chat you are not fir to go to prayer at that time, Certainly ifyou be not fat°pray, you arenot fit to live.: you are in an ill condition at any time if you be not fit to pray and therecan be no excufe whatfoever, that can be fufficient to plead for your felves why you fhould not he fit to pray at any time : there is that continual dependance up- on God for all, and that need you have of the.blefling of God for every thing that there is reafon you fhould be in a fit con- dition for praying at all times : but now when you come to prayer at the fet time, then there fhould be (fa fpecial prepara- tion. Firft. You fhould prepare your felves by getting frefh and powerful apprehenfions of the Glory of God, before whom you go ; prepare by meditation about the glory of chic infinite God that you are now addreffing your felt unto ; poffees your felves with thoughts and meditations of the glory of the great God : That's the licit. Secondly, Labor to get your hearts fenfible of what you go for. I am now going to God.; for what ? for pardon of (hi for affura lice ofhis Love, or for power againft (in, or ror fuch and filchmercies : let me by medication work my heart to be fen- fible of thee things that I am going to God for, to let a due price upon thofe mercies chat I ampraying for, and toget al) heart af- feeted with them. Thirdly I Labor to get your hearts feparated from the world, and from al things that are here below in tr.e. world : and that fhou'A have been a third thing in the courfe of your lives, you fhould never let out your hearts to any treat ure, either to bufi- neffes or pleafures in the world fo, but char you may have com- mand ofyour hearts to call themwhen you will, to call them in to God in prayer ; and then when you come to oraytr. E e there
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