Mr. Vennings Prayer before Sermon: 211 followingthe 40 ofthe eye, andgratifie ourfettfisalafro I ions. Andwhenwe come to dye, it maybe we would have a Lord ofmercy on us in our mouths, and think it if God fhodd not give us what we ask; oh Lordconvince us now,that we may be willing to be crucified to the world, and to dye to fin 5 Lord we mayflatter with ourfelves,but our heartsdo but abu(e us, while we think there is fuch contentment in the en- (eying of this world5 what is this when we come to dye?Alas ifwe were not befPotted, content islooter gained byfelf- de- vallthen bypleating ourfelves: Canwe thinkw, (hall be at eafe till we come to Cod?is it like to be well with us while our ways are contrary to the wales of God? are not thy ways the ways ofpeace ? oh bow can we be at nit whenour ways are contrary to thine ? oh unlufl us ; we badbetter partfrom our Idols here, than that they fhould"part usfrom Godhereafter. Lord ifthere were no other Hell this is damnation to be a finger,for this is the nature offin to feparate usfr1m od 5 oh help us to account the reproaches of Chrift, the honours of the Crofs of Chrift. better than the Croamofthe world. Ohfewus the finfidnefr offin, and the emptineli of the world,t hat we may take thy counfel,andmind thy Glory, and be ruled by thy will : oh, hippy would it be with us, if cur fouls were brought into filch a frame ! We are Lordas yet great*angers to the life of Gods oh let us know what it is to livefor tbee,and to thee, and with thee, that we mayfly,For us to live is Chrifi, and todye is gain,and that we mayfay, Whom have we in heaven but thee 0 Lord ? we depend upon thee: let thy goodnets. befien ; do not put us ofwith the means ofGrace,but give us grace itfcl ,r, And fecing thou art pleafed to makeofe h o, ,uc ap.,or thiig elf the the preaching oftheGofpel is, andfeeing this is the mea is to bring ourfouls to the eternal life ; oh let it be fo to us, F b a ire may repent from fin, and believe in the Iiihteoufnef:i of the Gofpel; oh Lordthou knorrefi all our frailties, andall cur ne, ceifities5find out them that are dead in finr ' afrni quicken th find out the hardharts &foften them !find ots heproud harts 4 humble themlfled out the formalifiCbr/s. the4,1 pow ge
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