[ontemplationi. Lu.V. dmh it not nowfor miraculous operation, but for incouragcmen~. A Forwhen the Ifraelites fhouldcall: up their eyes to the Hill,and fee Mofs and. his Rpd,(the man aodthemeanes that had wrought fo powerfully for thetn)they could not but take !teart to rhomfdves, and think, There 'is the man that delivered us from tbeEgypt}An, Whynot now from thev!m•ltkite?There is theRod which turned waters ro bloud,.and brought varieties of plagnes upnn Egypt, Why not now on J...4P1Mltk? .. ~ , r;;: 1 Nothingdn num:he•rren our faith, thanthe view ofthomonuments of Gods favour: ifevenvc have found any word oract of God cordiall to us, it is good to li:tch it forrh oft to the eye. The renewing ofour fenfe, and remernbhlnce, makes .every gift ofGod perpetually btndiciall. If uluj<s had received a~ornmand,that Rod which fetcht water from theRock, B could as well h;tvi: fetcht the blond of thev!m•lekites out oftheir bodies!.God will not work miracks alwaies ; neither mull: we expect themunbidden. Nor as 3 StandJrd-beater fo much as a fupplianr dothMoftslift up his hand:The gefture of the body Jhould both exprdfeand further the piety of the ll>u!e. This fle(h ofours is not a iJOOd.lbrvanr tinlelfe'it help us in the belt offices: The God of Spirits dotb moll reipe& tt\e fdule ofour devotion ; yet it is borh unmannerly and irreligious t6 bemifgeflured io.our Prayers.Thecareldfeand uncomcly cal'!Ugeof the body hcl.pshot.lno Jigni5c<mdmake" prophane foule. The hand arid the Rod'Oi'LJJfpfts never moved in vaine;Though tbe Rod did not frtike <.Am'li<k, as it had done the Rock: yer it fmor.eHeaven, andfe.tcht downe vidory. And that the Ifraelires mi!!hr fee, the h:md of.f!ofs had agreaterfuoke in 0 the fight than alhbetrs,1hefU!:ce~mufiJtfeand fallwttlitt:4N•I<* rcift:,andJ(r4tl , I ftl! w~h his 11~~~ iallil:tg a,..d',•ltHdl,and I{rul rifes,with his handraifed.Ohme wondro.us p~~gf.thPt>ra~r~'Of faith! All heaven~ favours·are deri~cd to us fr~m.thls c<haqMll oftgr:tcd:.Tolhefe arc we beholden far our peace, pit{(tVa!i- / ons, ancl all the rich mercies of God whichwe enjoy. We could not wabt if we caulll aske, · " ,• .,,,, ,. · I E·very mans ban9·would,nllt lntv~dooe this ,but thehand Qf a N•Jis,A faithk[e manmay as well ~Id bis haod"''ld toDgllll.flill; he may babble,but praycs QO!; .he prayes inelfedua\ly,and rect:)!rqKJlQt: Onely.the prayer of the Righteous ~vallc:th much; aod onely the beleeveris.rigbteous. / There can be no merir,norecmnpencc an(werableroagood mans praier;for hea- P ven and the ear;c: 9f God is open tohim;1b!lf tbe fonnall d!!JI'otions of.an ignorant, and fairhlelfe man,are not worth that cruft ofhfQd which he askes: y.,a, it is prefumption in him!df; howlhould it bebeoefioall toothers ~ , it propbanes the name ofGod,in ll:e•d ofadoring it. But how jutrly ~ the fervency oftheprayeradded to !he righteoufnelfe of the perfofl ~ When (.}'l(ojis han.;l llackned, Amaitk prevailed. No tM•fts c;m bave his band ever up 1 It isa1ide prop~:~~0 God,tbat !}is bands ~re frrq1chod outftill :whe- &hcr~o mercy.or vong<;~Dce. Ourjnfirrrurj(Jvilli)Ot fuffet i!ny'long inr.eotion, cither ofbody or minde.LoJigprayetsc~n.barc(Ly )l)aimainerpeir vigour; osintall.bodies rh,e·fpirits aredilfuf~d. J"h.e ll:rong<>ft handwilllangui01,Wi\h lo.11g exren<ting: And ~vhel) our devptiQnt~ires, it is •fee~ in·tho [uQ:elfe.; tbenlfir~ight our .4"'4/tk J're- i vail~.~pirittHlllvic~edno!l'<s are mafretecfby vehemetl~prayer; and by .heartkfn<lfe in prayer overcome us. Mofts knd two help~, A 'ftonr .to,!ir OP ,'!Jld.~n,hand to Qjfo his : Aod his fitting and holpen h&nd IS no whitlc(fe ee'cduall. Ev~n in our prayers will God allowus to refpeCl ourowne infirmities.1n cafes of aur lll:cdlity, be tcgards not tihe poll.ure ofbody, bur the atfea ions Qftbef011le. • I Doubtldfc Arl•m ~nd ""'did no1 op~ly raifi: their hands, but theirmiodc;·}vilh his: Themore cor!ls thee ;fier dw;ghr,JI'l"!lfl was broth..to.M•Jis: There<:aonot he a more \Jrothcrly office,th~n to .btl,ponl'1!norherinour pra(ers,and to excite our mur.uall devotions. No Chril\ian may think ic enough to pray alone 1 He .is no true Ifr4t/ite, that will no~ be readytP life upthe.weary bandsof .Gods Saints: All
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