104 \ltloftti~~a12er, ./ hut in e·very thin ... e; makeyour reque(ls ~notvn to God, ~nd . unload your caresand fears into the boiomof God: ·bu~ how?Why,by Pr4J'er andSupplieation in Thanksgiving:· lay yopr load on God by Prayer, and;be will bear it; . 5• . W.~uld you not obtain boldne{s in acceis to.' God, ~n~ f~miliarity With,him '?- Oh, go often to God in Clo. fer-Prayer. Princes take tnore fiate upon themwhen con·ve~fing-_\vith th~irfavo.urites beforeoth~rs,but when.· none are pr.'~ient.,tpey op~n their hearts~ m~re famifiarly to them., I . kn.o~ Abr.aham,)aith God,he and I are well acquain"ted, . he is my Friend, he vifirs me often, and jhaU I hicje anything frtJm Abr a ham ? I'll take hitn to a tide, aqd tell hi:n1 m-ywholeheart; fo ·win God to you, b~ will comintmicate 1nuch to you, and you 1nay fay any th!ng to him., you ,are n,Ot' fhangers to him, but mny cotne intq his prefente boldly, · and ·he willtnake _you¥Jelcom,Heb .4.. r6~ On thecontrary.,w~hat a dread– ful thing \vin it ee to .have firange thoughtS' _of God in duty,,or at death ?-- firangenefs be~wixt God and a foul is a fad uf1comfortabJe thing : Wicked men are total ftrangers to God : gracious fouls little itnployed in fe.. cret prayer, are little ac<1uainted with God, and wor..; {hip afar ' off; bnt fincere fouls converRng ·tnuch with: God in fecrer, ·attain to abundance of 'intimacy with· the Lord : and is not.. that ,a mercy worth a \Vorld ? 6. W.ould you n9t have the fins of others to:br,ingi \Vrath and judgment on the place ? Oh then, let your fouls weep and pray in fecret places, as J-eremiah did,– Chap. I 3·17· This is the Iaft and fafeft way to ~be ddi~ vered from th~ guilt of open crying fins ~n the Land, even a mourning for them in praye~ before the Lord : thus did Lot, and David,Paul.,andall Saints: ' Yea Mo ... fcs's folitary prayer interpofed betwixt flamingwrath, and offending Ifrael: thus did he fl:and in the gap, and you may make an attonement for the Nation : a gift in iecret may patifie that wrath that's already broken ~ut
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