Caryl - Houston-Packer Collection BS1415 .C37 v4

il i06 chap. i r. 4 xpoftion upon the Rook, of JOB. Verf.13. ttóffe of (Thrift is beyond all conjeCture, and is no point at all of faith. To paffe that; there are (1 fay) four fignificancies in it. 1. Stretching out the hands towards God in praier, implieth a refignation of our felves to the will and work ofGod. It is as much as to fay,Thefe hands ofmine,vehich ¡have heretofore iinploi- ed about the workofthe devil, andthe fervice offinne, now, Lord, 1 dedicate them and their work, wholly to thy Pelf. They who give their hearts to God , will not Rick at giving their hands. Holy prayer offers up the whole man to God , and delires him to rake the fpoils of all. A godly man hath not a finger at his own di- fpofe. The hand being the great organ or instrument of aflion, the llretching out of our hands to God, may well imply our rea- dineffe to a6ì wholly at his direction. Thefsre.i way to write our felves fervants to God, is togive him our hands. z. stretching forthof the hands,fignifieth a holy flriving with God in prayer , or the earnellntffe and ftrong intentionofour fpirits in prayer. A man that ftriveth with another,ftretcheth ont fl ratioei de- hishands, and takes hold of him. So did fucob when he wreftied vatiomenusud dean`. with the Angel, he held him fait, and would not let him go, till autem he had prevailed for a blef ing. jégnitia ell a- 3. Stretching out of the stand imports the lifting up of the lienasi c5'cups minde to God in prayer. Prayer is the afcent of the foul to God. Inept`s cogeta- We pray no more then we have communion with God in prayer. aionihttç cum deem depreca- Vntò thee , O Lord (faithdyavid, Pfal. z5 . a .) doe 1 lift upmy ref, quail ft foul. We fhould not leave any thing of our fouls, no nor of our ¡thud good ma- felves here on earth, when we pray to our Father which is in hest. gis debes cogi- ven.We fhould thenlock our hearts againft worldly thoughts,and are gaam fer them open toGod only. Satan is very buhe tobufìe the heart gaud with temptations while the tongue is uttering petitions. Let IOgZt.3Y1> quo- P ) g P. nods to a des hands lifted up be witneffes that the foul is;that it is in the mount, au,d:rt p:/t utas O it of the noife and clutter of this world. How can we beleeve tam to ipfé u©a that God hearethus , when we doe not hear our felves ? or that d`-'s' visetre he fnould be mindful to grant what we ask, when we doe not deutn enemorem tui cum togas q minde what we are asking . cum to ipfe me- 4. Stretching out of the hands faith , that all our hope and ex rust tui non peeation'is in God. We firetch out our hands to him to tell lìs, him that we depend wholly upon him for help, mercy , favour deóratn. Set and pardon , that unleffe he deliver us , weare loft and undone rssinira, for ever. When achilde is in danger of falling, he ftrercheth out his

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