upon the Epiflleof J A M B s. 437 ther may engage che wic, and fer it awork; invention followeth ~ffccHon. •fis not enough to make God the object of the prayer, but the endalfo: Duty is exprd1ed fometimes by jerving G'od, at other times ~yfeekjng God; ferving norerh the ob1ea, feekjng noreth the end; in[trving we mufr[et~, &c. The next Point is, That our mds and Aims are 'Wrong in prayer, Obferv. z. when We M/z. blejfrngs for the ufe And encour~tgemmt ofoHr lu(fs. Men fin with reference to the aim of prayer feveral ways. 1. When . the end is groOy carnal and finful ; fome feck God for their fins, and _ would engage the divine bleffing tlpon a revengeful and carnal en– ·cerprife : As the Thief kindled his Torch, that he might freal by at the Lamps of the Altar. Solomoi'~ faith, Prov;zi.Z7· The \vickfd offereeh facrifice with .:m evil mind: Foolith creatures vainly ima– gine, to entice Heaven eo their lure. Balaam buildech Altars out of an hope that God would-curf~ his own people; and wicked men hope by faftsa!ld prayers to draw God imo their quarrel: Others feek a bleffiog upon their thefc, and unjufr practifes. a The aPrcv.7. 14. Whore had her vows andp~ace-ojferings for the profperity of her nnclean trade. This was a thing which Heathens condemned: 'Juvena/ laughed ;ac it in one of his Satyres; P!ato forbiddeth it in his Alcibiades; P/i;gJ derefieth it as a fiupid impudence, to prophane the Religton of the Temples, by m1king it conCcim1s to unclean reqLtefls: fhefe impioas Stories of Prayers,commended to the b See Dt K.i· -Virgin /viary for abldfing upon Thefts and Adulteri~s, b which ntts Apolog~ yet they fay were granted, becaufe of the devoutnefs of che Supp\i- ~r ~h.c ~~rgm canes in the P.fw./ter and R.~{arJ, are worthyall Chrifrians abomina- ea~~~·, ~· ;htion. 2. When men privily ftek to gracifie therr lufl:~, men look bi pn!Ji.n. • -upon God tanquama!iquemmagnum, as fome great Power, that mufi Ce-t:ve their car•al turns; a~ he came to Chrifr,, Lu/z. 12. I 3. -Mafter, fPeak.._to my 6rother,to divide the inheritt'lncc. We would ,ha-ve fomewhat from God,to give ·to luO:: health, and long life, · that wemay live pleafantly; wealth, that we m~y/art delicioufly every day ; etl:ates, that we raife upour name and family ; victory andfuccefs, to excufe our.felvesfrom,.glorifying God by. rutfering, er to wreak our m;1lice.upon the eriemies; Cburch deliverances, out :of afy>irit .of ·wrath imd -re.venge• As they were ready to call for fire fromHuwen,not knowing of what fpirit they were,Luk.:_g.):). 'So feme pray for the affifrance and quickenings of rhe Spirit to fee offthekown_pralfe a-n4:glory, and .pervert the mofl holy things :to - Kk k 3- , common.,,
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