130 A GUIbE TO PRAYER'. allusive sense upon the words of scripture, nor use them in our prayers in a signification very different from the truemeaning of them. Not that I would utterly disallow and condemn all such allusive expressions; as for instance, that which is frequently usedwhen we desire mercies for our souls and bodies, to ask the blessings of the upper and the nether springs. There may be some such phrases used pertinently enough : the commonnessof them also makes them something more agreeable ; yet if we affect to shew our wit or ingenuity by seeking pretty phrases of scrip- ture, and using them in an allusive sense, very foreign to the original purpose of them, we shall be in danger of leading our- selves into many mistakes in the interpretation of scripture, and expose ourselves sometimes to the peril of mistaking the true sense of a text, by having frequently fixed a false meaning upon it in our prayers. Another caution, in using scripture language, is this; that we abstain from all those expressions which are of a very dubi- ous sense, and hard to be understood;if we indulge the use oe such dark sentences in our speaking to God, we might as well pray in an unknown tongue, which is so much disapproved by the apostle; 1 Coe.. xiv. 9, 14. Let not therefore the pomp and sound of any hard Hebrew names, or obscure phrases in scrip- tore, allure us to be fond of them in social prayer, even though we. ourselves should know the meaning of them, lest we con- found tire thoughts of our fellow-worshippers. III. He always ready to engage in holy conference, and divine discourse. This will teach us to speak of the things of God. Let it be your delightful practice to recollect and talk over with one another the sermons you have heard, the books of divinityyou have been conversant with, those parts of the word ofGod you have'lately read, andespecially your own experiences of divinethings. Hereby you will gain a large treasure of lan- guage to clotheyour pious thoughts and affections. It is a most profitable practice, after you have heard a sermon, to confer with some fellow'christian that heard it too, and run over all the particulars of it that you can retain in your memory ; then retire, and pray them over again, that is, make them the matter and substance of your address to God ; plead with him to instruct you in the truths that were mentioned, to incline you to perform the duties recommended, to mourn over and mortify the sins that Were reproved, to teach you to trust and live upon thepro - mises and comforts proposed, and towait and hope for the glories revealed in that sermon. Let this bedone frequently afterwards in the saine week, if the sermon be suited to your case and con -. dition of soul. This will furnish you incredibly with riches of matter and expression, for the great duty of prayer. The rea- son why we want expressions in prayer, is many times because
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