the Name of god in Prayer. 277 much as your felves ; the Church is as it were in the rnidit of the Sea, coif up and down, and in a great ftorm ; nowwhy do not you pray as earneftly for the Kingdom of Chrift among his Churches, as for your felves when you are in a form at Sea ? yea, and fpiritual things should be the chief matter of your prayer ; for they are the neareft to the Glory of God : though God hath his Glory from other things, yet fpiritual things are neerett the Glory of God : now in chef; daies of prayer, many will come to pray, that they might be freed from danger, that they might have outward peace , this is good ; but fpiritual things are the chief things : and therefore the frength of your fpicits fkould be thus powred forth to God : Oh that Icould get my heart toGod, and the afinrance of the love of God Oh that I could get the thine of his face ! Oh that I couldger power over fuch and fuch corruptions ! And I befeech you obferve this : Thatfpiritual things may be prayedfor abfolutely ; but outward thing" muff beprayed for conditionally. I may pray ( and never put in any condition at all ) That the Lord would pardon my fins, and helpme againft my corruptions, Sec. But when I pray for the healthofmy body, I ought to pray, if this beaccording to thy will, then reftoreme to the health of my body, or the health of my husband, or the health ofmy wife ; but thou maieft pray, Lord, convert the foul of my husband, or the foul of my wife, without any condition at all : When your elates at Sea are in danger, when you pray for them, you mutt make conditions, Lord, as thou fedi belt for me, fo do thou deal with me ; this thews the excellency that there is in fpiritual things above outward things ; furely fpiritual things are more to be defired , for they are to be prayed for ab- folutely , and the others to be prayed for only conditionally. That's for the firtt, In theSecondplace , We are topray for our own good, God doth give us leave to do fo ; only here comes in a Queftion. gu_eft. Whether it be finful to pray for affliCtions, as fom- times fome will be ready to do ? ainfoo. To that I anfwer. Fiat, Take it abfolutely confide- red, we may not pray, chat God would at i us.5 becaure arils- E e 2, aion
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