Downame - BV209_D69_G6_1640_v1

Duties which ought to he perf ormed in prayer. 367 faith, and perfeverance. That we may pray in fer- vency, we muff have both a true fenfe of our wants, and earneft defire to have the fame fupplyed. The wants which we are to bewail are, i . our ma- nifold finnes and transgreffions, for which we are to be grieved that we have by them difpleafed and dis- honoured God. And to increafe this godly forrow Meditations in us, we are Firff,to confider and meditate of Gods to increafe manifold benefits undeferveclly beftowed upon us our rorrite, ow for fin and our unthankful! behaviour towards him, &c. Secondly, we are to defire the Lord that he would poure upon us the fpirit of deprecation, that we may with bitterneffe bewail our finnes, whereby we have fo violated the juffice of God that nothing could be found fufficient to appeafe or to fatisfie the fame but the death of Chriff, whom we by our fins have pierced, Zech. i 2.10. Thirdly, we are to con- fider the mifery whereunto our finnes make us fub- jeEf both in this life and in the world to come. In all which refpeìs we muff effeem our finnes as a molt heavy burden, and being weary thereof we are by prayer to come unto the Lord that we may be eafed thereof, Matth. i i . 28. Neither are we tobewail our fumes alone ; but as we are to pray for the par- don of other mens finnes, fo are we alfo to mourn for the iniquities of the place and time wherein we live, Ezek. 9.8. Pfal. 119. 136, 158. 2. We are to bewail the hardnefl'e of our hearts, that we cannot fo bewail our finnes as we ought. 3. Our want of faith and affurance of the remifïion of our finnes. The graces which we defire, are 1. Remiffion of The graces finnes and juffiñcation,viz.that G 9 would cancell which we the defire.