BERM. VT., .SINS AND SORROWS SPREAD BEFORE GOD. 109 is passed into theheavens, .is very near to God, and bath shewn us the way. thither ; Heb. x. 19, 20, 21. Having therefore boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, let us drawnear with a true heart, infull as- surance offaith. O howshoùld we valué our acquaintance with Christ, and pray earnestly for his Spirit ! one makes a way for our coming near to God, and the other actually brings us near. How glorious would churches be, if there .were more of this Spirit poured down upon us ! When an assembly of saints, all joining together in one act of worship, shall at once rise by the same Spirit, and ap- proach to the mercy -seat, and order their cause before God what might not such a worshipping assembly ob- tain at the hands of God ? What beauty would appear in the worship of christians then ? What glory would be found in a society of saints, if this Spirit were but. there ? Christianityhas had these ornaments, and these honours : let us pray that God would restore them again. REFLECTION III. This doctrine will not suffer us to confine ourselves or others, merely to a set prescribed form Of words in prayer. For as the cases and concerns of soul or body, which we spread before God, are almost infinitely vari- ous, so must we express those cases and concerns before God in proper words, and plead for relief with a variety of arguments, as the Spirit of God shall assist us : I would order my own cause before him, says Job, and my mouth should befilled with arguments. It is not possi- ble that a Prayer Book should be drawn up with forms particularly suited to every complaint, and every sor- row, that a holy soul wants to pour out, and spread be- fore the mercy-seat. And the christian, that knows the pleasureof getting near to God in prayer, cannot con- tent himself to wrap up all his special and dearest con- cernments in a few general sentences. " What ! when I am brought so nigh to my God, my, Almighty and compassionate friend; when I am taken, as itwere, by the hand, and led into his secret place; when I have the ear of God so near me, shall I not tell, him my secret and particular grievances? When I feel such a sweet freedom of soul in his presence, shall I
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