Watts - Houston-Packer Collection BX5207.W3 S4x 1805 v.1

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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