214 VenninP's FrAyer.' td, or the Grace that we beg to be granted. Andifwe do beg to be pardoned, where are the fouls that defire to be surged ! if thou jhouldft let us have our wills, 0 Sher we fisonld think thou wert agoodGod where as it is thygreat love that thou deft deny us our wills : we poor wretches, we are up and down as the things of this world do come into us andgo from PM. IfGodgive usgreat things, thenwe think tifffelves inPareedife, and ifGod take from ES, thenwe fall out with God himfelf. Ohhow illdo we take: it at thy hands, if thoudeft not give to what we would, or takefrom us what we would I The Doarine of felf-denyal is a weer riddle to us ; we wouldfainfpend thefirength ofouryouth in fol- lowing the Infoof the eye, andgratifie cur fent-gal affinicns. Andwhen we come to dye, it may 6e we -amid have a Lordhave mercy on us inour mouths, andthinkitflrange ifGodfhould not give us what we ask; Oh Lordconvince us new, that we may be willing to be crucifiy ed to the world, and todye tofin ; Lordwe may flatter with cur f Ives, but our hearts do but abufe us, while we thinkthere isfuck contentment in the enjoying of this world, what is this when we come to dye ? we were not befotted, content is fooner gained byfelf-denials than by pleaf- ing ourfelves.. Canwe think we fhallbe at cafe till we come to Cod ? is it like to k well with us, while our waies are contrary to the wales of God ? are not thy wales the waies ofpeace ? oh how can we be at rill when our waies are contrary to thine ? oh un-luft us, we hadbetter part from our idols here, than that they fhouldpart us fromGod hereafter. Lord, if there were i no other Hell, th s isdamnation to be afinner, for this is the nature of fin to fiparate s from God; Oh help us to account the reproaches of Chrift, the honours of the Croile of Chrift, better than the Crown of the we,r1d. Oh )(bow us thefinfulneffe of lin, and the emptynefe of the world, that we may take thy counfel, and mind thy Glory, and be ruled by thy will ;, Oh, how happj would it be with us, if our fouls werebrought intofilch 4 'raze .4. We are, Lord, as yet, great flrangers to die-life of God ; oh let us know what it is to live for thee, and to thee, andwith thee, that we may fay, For us to live is C114, and to die is gain, and that we may fay Whom tave we in Heaven but thee, 0 Lord ? we depend upon thee, lot thy goodwille Teen, do not put us off with the means of Grace, but give us G.-ace itfeef. Andfe:ing thou art pleafed to make tele of filch a poor thing its the preaching of the Gofpel is?, aldfeeing th is the means to bring our fouls hieternal life 3 oh let it i!efo to to) that we may repent from fin, and be- lieve
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