Pelves before God, purfuing ourfelves, as if we were pleading for God againtt ourfelves ; and hereby endea- vourng a compofed and fixed divine frame of fpirit, as being in a fpecial way before him, whofe deputy the Confcience is ; and in fuch a frame reviewing our heart and way. It will not be every frame, nor any common frame of fpirit, that will fit and difpofe to go rightly about this bufinefs. idly, We would be frequent in this duty, and would not fuffer reckonings to run long on for, if they do, it maketh the work the more diffi- cult : And thus, alas ! it is with many ; they have been fo long a effaying of it, and fo little in it, that they think it a defperate bufinefs to fet about it now ; where- as, if men were weekly, daily, and on the back of eve- ry duty or aftion, Elating and putting by their accounts) it would be a great deal more eafy. It is with many.. as to this, as it is with thefe who have a multitude of bufineífes on their hand ravelled, confufed and through- other ; or, as, it is with thefe who have fuffered their ac- counts to ly long over unfitted : Whereas he that is dai- ly in his work, is like a man that, every day fitting and jutting his accounts, doth it eafily, and with little pains_ And therefore the d.ire &ion in thorn is, That thefe who would have their fpiritual accounts eafy, would not fuf fer them to run long on. 4thly, We would be much in prayer, begin it with prayer, and carry prayer along with it ; and as the heart flarts out from it, by a looks by a darted -up blink, or ejaculation to God, bring it back again, and arrett it, as it were, and fix it before the Lord : Becaufe the heart cannot pofiìhly be kept any the leaft moment in God's company, if it be left to itielf ; there would be a frequently renewed looking up to him, to fix it ; /win (faith the Lord, Zech. 12, io.) pour upon the houfe of David, and inhabitants of Jeru- falem, the Spirit of grace and fupplication ; they (hall look upon him whom they have pierced, and /hall mourn. Chriflians are then tenderea when looking to God) and fo fitteft for this duty, and would therefore be much in it. 5th/y, We would not only look on it as a duty, but as a mean exceedingly contributive to our fpiritual good, to the preventing of f n to the prdmo- p z. vin ,.
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