, I a ~~~itliau: ~ttt1!.· g,!9 · dlid ·by the King _of Ifraels words ; and if there be but an hinr, ,lay it up, .make much of it,improve it.,praife God f9r it,and hope for rriore: le is the negligence, or unwarrantable modefty · of,fome Chriftians, to think 'that they ·caniXpect no fruit of their Prayers, becattfe of the imperfeCtion of their duties, forgectiog Gods gracious Promife to up_right.hearted fee.kers, by· r_e– meinbring his fbiCt Jufi:ice .to fuch as feek him not in · thedue ~orde(r ·: But firs, you mull: fo be.h.umble7asalfo to believe, fo denyyour own righteoufnefs, as alfo to improve (~·hrift~ interceffion , .,yo~ a,re .ro renounce all con~eirs·of merit in .your felves, · and yet look up fqr mercyfrom God. God hath ~r~cio~fly annexed .his pro.. mife ofacceptance to theperformanceofthecondition; and ifGod h•ve affilted you to pnf.y right for .the _main,you m~y expect his audie~ce ~ · · · for' God is c faithful and m~rciful; . ·'! fj~ .. I· · ~· , ., . both in fi>rgi~ing oUr iniquities, and ' .·· 4· • . ., · .giving .us m~·rcies :l God~sJ anfwers are larg~r than pur 1 askings ·; Inttances of this fort,_ are endlefs: · Tbe~~'s never 3 fince~e prayer loft; God aJVJayes gives.in re 1 turns,orrly we either do not obferve, ·or miftake them~ and :Jofe the comfort of them: An Anfwer of Pr~y.er doth not alwayes come in the way we expect it i w;e Jookfor it a~ th~ ·f?re door,a.nd.jc comes in at the bac~'door,_and while we are ftilJ expecting the frienctwe loo~ for, he is hi the h.euf~ ; ~h~ rpercy we defired is . ·receiverJ, only it comes in a~ wa'y we thought not of; . and are therefore apt to overtook .it: .Therefore take heedof confining God to your way,or limiting him.to your time :: ·- Thac·s the third. · - . > 4~ Communicateyour ~xperiments : And thereby commend t~i• d'uty.to others~ Thu,~ David,come;raith ~e, and I tvi/1a,clare what hi'. bath ·done [1.r my_ ·foul ,; ·Pfo/.66.1~. This pQor mr~n 'ryed, and thl LDr.a heard G 3 him, · ' .
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