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take care most seasonably to provide all things for thee.

But for fpiritual b'effings, fuch as mercy and grace, to ftrengthen thy foul against fin and Satan; thefe thou muft afk for with the utmost importunity, and take no denial; yea, thou canst not be fo ready to afk, as GoD is to give these bleffings to thee: For it is the will of God, even our fan&tification†; and for these things he hath commanded us to come boldly to the throne of his grace by JESUS CHRIST. But beware that thou doft not limit the Holy One, nor fix a time for GOD to remove from thee the dif quieting and painful fenfe of Satan's affaults, and of thy own rebellious lufts, left thou shouldst be tempted to murmur, or be discouraged; but cast thy burden on the LORD, and wait patiently upon him: I, faith the Pfalmift, waited patiently for the LORD, and he inclined unto me, and heard my calling.GOD in his own time, which is always the best, will remove these burdens, and give reft to thy foul, after that (which perhaps he intends to work in thee by them) he hath taught thee felf-abafement, bumbleness of mind, and patience: For tribulation worketh patience. There is none like unto the LORD our GOD, who knoweth how to bring a clean thing out of an unclean, light out of darkness, peace out of trouble, and good out of evil. If there were not a needs be for Ff3

ti Theff. iv. 3.

it,

it, thou wouldft not be in heavinefs thro' manifold temptations, nor would they be of long continuance; therefore tarry the LORD's leifure:-It is enough that he hath faid, all things fhall work together for good to them that love God; and that he hath promised fin fhall not have the dominion: And again, he faith, God is faithful, who will not fuffer thee to be tempted above that thou art able; but will with the temptation also make a way for thee to escape, that thou mayeft be able to bear it +.Thus when Paul befought the LORD that the meffenger of Satan might depart from him; he anfwered him, My grace is fufficient for thee, for my Strength is made perfect in weakness‡.

GOD often fuffers his people to fall into many fore evils and temptations, as Paul did; that he may humble them, and magnify his grace and power in them, and fo do them good in their latter end. After this manner he dealt with Job; and not with Job only, but with his faints in general: As it is written; Thou, O God, haft proved us thou haft tried us, as filver is tried: Thou broughteft us into the net, thou laidft affliction upon our loins: Thou baft caused men to ride over our heads; we went thro

+ 1 Cor. 2. 13.

2 Cor. xii. 9.

thro' fire and thro' water: but thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place .

Again; he exhorts us to pray always; that is, in every time of need: Whenfoever we are fenfibly affaulted by fin, the world, or Satan; we then more especially feel the war that is against us, and our inability to deliver our own fouls; at which time it behoves us, in a more fervent manner to cry for help, and to pray the more earnestly. -Thus when Jacob heard that his brother Efau was coming to meet him with four hundred men, he was greatly afraid, and distressed; and began to pray to GOD, with great earnestness and fervency:→→ O God, faith he, of my father Abraham, and God of my father Ifaac, the Lord which faidft unto me, Return unto thy country, and to thy kindred, and I will deal well with thee: I am not worthy of the leaft of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which thou baft fhewed unto thy fervant; for with my staff I paffed over this Jordan, and now I am become two bands. Deliver me, I pray thee, from the band of my brother, from the hand of Efau : for I fear him, left he will come and fmite me, and the mother with the chil dren. And thou faidft, I will furely do thee good," and make thy feed as the fand of the sea, not be numbred for multitude†.—

F f 4

Pfal. Ixiv.10, 11, 12.

which can-Thus JeboShaphat

+ Gen. xxxii. 9-12.

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Shaphat alfo, in a great ftrait, cried unto the Lord faying; we have no might against this great company that cometh against us; neither know we what to do, but our eyes are upon thee t-In like manner, when Peter was in prifon, earnest prayer was made of the church unto God for him, without ceafing Even CHRIST himself had fpecial feafons of temptation and prayer; and when he was in that great conflict in the garden, being in an agony, it is faid, be prayed the more earnestly \\.

Thus, in peculiar times of trouble and temptation, we have need of praying more earnestly than at others: Paul therefore directs us to come boldly unto the throne of grace, by JESUS CHRIST, that we may obtain mercy, und find grace to help IN TIME OF NEED §.There is indeed no time when a Chriftian doth not ftand in need of being upheld and protected by the power of GOD: But he is not always feelingly fenfible of his own wants and weakneffes; nor is he at all feafons vexed alike, and ftrongly affaulted by fin and Satan: Therefore at thofe times especially it behoves him to ftrive, and fervently labour in prayer to the God of his falvation.

† 2 Chron. XX, 12. § Heb. iv. 16.

It

↑ A&s xii, 5. | Luke xxii. 44.

It is the wisdom of a Chriftian to know when it is moft meet and feasonable for him to mourn, or to rejoice; to pray, and to give thanks: Wherefore James faith, if any be afflicted, let him pray; and if any be merry, let him fing pfalms*. But whereas the Chriftian foldier will be called upon both to pray and give thanks, in some respect or other, as long as he continues in the field of battle, wearing the Chriftian armour; it behoves him continually to watch, and stir up himself to pray without ceafing, and rejoice evermore; that feasonably, on all occafions, he may be ever ready, and babitually difpofed to prayer and thanksgiving; doing all in the name of our Lord Jefus Chrift.

4. The Apostle here teacheth us to pray in the fpirit; praying with all prayer and fupplication in the fpirit.

Prayer in the spirit is here opposed to that which is only with the mouth: As he faith of the Jews; this people draweth nigh to me with their mouth, and bonoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. Wherefore, to pray in the spirit, is to have our hearts engaged in prayer; which cannot be without an attention of mind and understanding.

• James v. 13.

† Matt. xv. 8.

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