the whole Armour ofGod 347 like might be Paid of all the other graces. Secondly, refleI upon thy felt, and bellow a few ferrous thoughts upon thy own behaviour, what it hath been towards God and man all along the day. Ask thy foul, as Elifha his fervant, Whence cornett thou, 0my foul ? where haft thou been? what haft thou done for God thisiday,and how?andwhen thou goeft about this,look that thou neitherbeeft.taken off from a through fearch,(as Jacob was by Rachel' fpecious excufe) nor be found to cocker thy felt, (as El his tons) when thou fhalt upon enquiry take thy heart tardy in any part of thy duty ; take heed what thou do- eft, for thou judgeft for God, who receives the wrong by thy fin, and thereforewill dohimfelf juftice if thou wilt not. Thirdly, frommeditation go to prayer; indeed a foul in me- t, ditation is onhis way to prayer; that duty leads the Chriftian to this, and this brings help to that; when the Chriftian has done his utmoft bymeditation toexcite his graces, and chafe his fpirit into fome divine heat, he knows all this is but to lay the wood in order. The fire mutt come from above to kindle, and this mutt be fetch's by prayer. They fay,ftars have great- eft influences when they are in conjunction with the Sunnei then lure the graces of a Saint should never work more power- fully then in prayer, for then he is in the neareft conjunftion and communion with God. That Ordinancewhich hath fuch power with God, mutt needs have a mighty influence on our felves, It will not let God reit, but raifeth him up to his peo- ples fuccour, and is it anywonder if it be a means to roufe up and excite the Chriflians grace ? how oft do we fee a dark cloudupon Davids fpirit at the beginning ofhis prayer, which by that time he is a little warme in his work, begins to clear up, and before he ends breaks forth into high aetings of faith and acclamations of praife?Only here (Chriftian)take heed of formal praying, this is asbaneful to grace as not praying. A plaiftersthough proper and of foveraignvertue,yet if it be laid oncold may do more hurt thengood. Fourthly, to all the former joyne fellowfhip and commu- nion with the Saints thou livelt amongir. No wonder to hear a houfe is robb'd that Rands far from neighbours; he that walks in communion of Saints , he travels in company, he dwells in a City where one houfe keeps up another, to which Y y z
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