DISCOURSE III. 591 Do we pray for the assistance of the Holy Spirit ofGod in all our acts of devotion and attendance on his word ? Do we seek to have our minds enlightened, to have our thoughts direct- ed, and our wills made obedient by this blessed Spirit? Do we seek earnestly for the influences of this Spirit, to raise our hearts towards heaven, and to animate and warm all our affectionate powers in religious worship ? Do we depend on him for divine aids, so that we may get nearer to God by every part of the religious services we perform ? Where the Spirit of God is utterly neglected, I fear it will be hard to prove, that the name of God is recorded in that worship. Dowe endeavour to exercise every christian grace, suited to those parts of worship in, which we are engaged ? Do we ap- pear before God, with all holy reverence ofhis majesty ? Do we enter into his courts, even the assemblies of his people, with a religious temper of mind, desirous to see God in his sanctuary ? Do we address him in prayer with holy fervency for what we want, and yet with humble resignation to his wisdom and will ? Do we keep our spirits intent and watchful, in the season of pray- er, or do we let our thoughts wander as they please, to the ends Of the earth ? Do we offer up our souls in sincere praises, and rejoice before the Lord in our holy songs ? Do we attend, on the ministrations of his word with trembling and fear, with hope and desire to profit ? Do we long to learn something further concern- the will ofour God and Father; concerning the characters and offices ofour blessed Jesus, and all the glorious grace which the gospel contains ? Do we receive the precepts of God concerning our duty to God and to our neighbours with all holy submission and obedience, and are none of his commands grievous to us ? Do we relish the joys of his sanctuary, in this lower world, with a delightful expectation and hope ofpaying better worship to him, in a superior state ? Are our souls daily growing up towards a more perfect conformity to the blessedness, and the business of the heavenly world, so far as we are permitted to know it here on earth ? Ifwe find these characters upon ourselves, and on the worship which we perform, we may then reasonably hope that God has recorded his name amongst us, and will come and meet us and bless us.. fl. Another lesson we may learn here, is a direction what we should pray for, especially on this day, together with a strong encouragement for prayer, and expectation of the pre- sence of God with us, and his blessing upon us. He has con- nected our dutywith his promises, and we should encourage our faith, and learn to expect the promises fulfilled, when, upon the sincerest searches of our own hearts, we find them engaged in a proper manner, in his service, and our duty. We are met toge- they this day, to pray that God would be pleased to accomplish
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