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12. We must pray for grace to fit us for heaven, and that we may at length be put in possession of eternal life.

Lord, make us meet to partake of the inheritance of the saints in light ja let God himself work us to the self-same thing, and give us the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.b

O that we may now have our conversation in heaven, that we may from thence with comfort look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus,c who shall change our vile bodies, that they may be fashioned like unto his glorious body.d

O that we may set our affections on things that are above, and that our life may be hid with Christ in God, that when Christ, who is our life, shall appear, we also may appear with him in glory ;e that when he shall ap-. pear, we may be like him, may see him as he is,g may behold his face in righteousness, and when we awake may be satisfied with his likeness.h

When we fail, let us be received into everlasting habitations, in the city that hath habitations, whose builder and maker is God, that we may be together for ever with the Lord,k to see as we are seen, and know as we are known./

And in the mean time help us to comfort ourselves and one another with these words; and having this hope in us, to purify ourselves, even as Christ is pure.m

And now, our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, who hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace, comfort our hearts, and stablish us in every good word and work.n

5. We must pray for the good things of life, with an humble submission to the will of God.

Lord, thou hast told us that godliness hath the promise of the life that now is, as well as of that which is to come ; and that if we seek first the kingdom of God and the righteousness thereof, other things shall be

a Col. 1. 12.

d Gal. 3.2, 3, 4.
h Psalm 17. 15.
11 Thess. 4. 17. 18.
⚫11 imothy 4, 8,

b 2 Cor. 5. 5.
e Col. 3. 2, 3, 4.
i Luke 16. 9.
m 1 John 3. 3.

c Phil. 3. 30,21. g 1 John 3. 2. k Heb. 11. 10. n 2 Thess. 2. 16, 17,

added to us :a and therefore we cast all our care about these things upon thee,b who carest for us; for our heavenly Father knows that we have need of all these things.c

1. We must pray to be preserved from the calamities to which we are exposed.

Thou, Lord, art our refuge and our fortress, and under thy wings will we trust, thy truth shall be our shield and buckler: let us therefore not be afraid for the terror by night nor for the arrow that flieth by day. Having made the Lord our refuge, and the Most High our habitation, let no evil befal us nor any plague come nigh our dwelling.d

Let the Lord be our keeper even he that keepeth Israel, aud neither slumbers nor sleeps. Let the Lord be our shade on

smite us by dayght hand, that the sun may not

the moon by night; let the Lord preserve us from all evil; the Lord preserve our souls: the Lord preserve our going out and coming in, from this time forth, and even for evermore.e

Lord, make a hedge about us, about our houses, and about all that we have round about ;g and take sickness away from the midst of us./

2. We must pray to be supplied with the comforts and supports we daily stand in need of

O that the beauty of the Lord our God may be upon us; prosper thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish thou it :i save now, we beseech thee, O Lord; O Lord, we beseech thee, send now prosperity.k

Let our sons be as as plants grown up in their youth, and our daughters as corner stones polished after the similitude of a palace.? Let our garners be full, affording all manner of store; and let there be no breaking in or going out, no complaining in our streets: happy is the people that is in such a case, yea rather, happy is the people whose God is the Lord.

a Matt.6. 32.
d Psalm 91. 2, 4, 9, 10.
h Exod. 23. 25.
/ Psal. 144. 12. 13, 15.

b 1 Pet. 5. 7.

e Psal. 121. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8.
i Psal. 90. 17.

c Matt. 6. 32: g Job 1. 10. Psal. 118. 25.

Let us be blessed in the city, and blessed in the field, let our basket and our store be blessed, let us be blessed when we come in, and when we go out.a

Let thy good providence so order all events concerning us, that they may be made to work for good to us, as thou hast promised they shall to all that love thee, and are called according to thy purpose.b

Give us to trust in the Lord, and do good, and then we shall dwell in the land, and verily we shall be fed ; and be thou pleased to bring forth our righteousness as the light, and our judgment as the noon-day.c

Let us be hid from the scourge of the tongue, and not be afraid of destruction when it cometh; let us be in league with the stones of the field, and let the beasts of the field be at peace with us; let us know that our tabernacle is in peace, and let us visit our habitation and not sin.d

And if God will be with us, and will keep us in the way that we go, during our pilgrimage in this world, and will give us bread to eat, and raiment to put on, so that we may come to our heavenly Father's house in peace, then the Lord shall be our God,e

6. We must plead the promises of God for the enforcing of all our petitions, put these promises in suit, and refer ourselves to them.

Lord thou hast given us many exceeding great and precious promises,g which are all yea and amen in Christ.h Now be it unto thy servants according to the word which thou hast spoken.i

Give us to draw water with joy out of these wells of salvation, to suck and be satisfied from those breasts of consolation; and now, O Lord God, let the word which thou hast spoken concerning thy servants be established for ever, and do as thou hast said.m

Deal with us according to the tenor of the everlasting covenant, which is well ordered in all things and sure, and which is all our salvation, and all our desire.n

a Deut. 28, 3, 5, 6.
d Job 5. 21, 2324.
h2 Cor. 1. 20,
Isa. 66. 11,

b Rom. 8. 28.

e Gen. 28. 20, 21.
i Luke 1. 38.
m2 Sam. 7. 25.

c Psal. 37, 3, f.
g 2 Peter 1. 4.
k Isa. 12. 3.
n 2 Sam. 26, 5.

Look upon us, and be merciful to us, as thou usest to do unto those that love thy name,a and do more for us than we are able to ask or think,b and supply all our needs according to thy riches in glory by Christ Jesus.c

CHAP. IV,

Of the fourth part of PRAYER, which is Thanksgivings for the Mercies we have received from God, and the many Favours of his we are interested in, and have and hope for benefit by.

OUR errand at the throne of grace is not only to seek the favour of God, but to give unto him the glory due unto his name, and that not only by an awful adoration of his infinite perfections, but by a grateful acknowledgment of his goodness to us which cannot indeed add any thing to his glory, but he is pleased to accept of it, and to reckon himself glorified by it, if it come from a heart that is humbly sensible of its own unworthiness to receive, any favor from God, that values the gifts, and loves the giver of them.

1. We must stir up ourselves to praise God with the consideration both of the reason and of the encouragement we have to praise him.

Unto thee, O God, do we give thanks, unto thee do we give thanks; for that thy name is near, thy wondrous works declare.d

Let our souls bless the Lord, and let all that is within us bless his holy name; yea, let our souls bless the Lord, and not forget any of his benefits.e

We will praise the Lord, for it is good, it is pleasant, and praise is comely for the upright, yea, it is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord,g and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High; and to show forth thy

a Psalm 119. 132, d Psalm 75. 1.

6 Eph. 3. 20. c Phil. 4. 19.
e Psalm 103. 1, 2. g Ps. 147. 11

loving kindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night.a

We will extol thee, our God, O King, and will bless thy name for ever and ever; every day will we bless thee, and will praise thy name for ever and ever; will abundantly utter the memory of thy great goodness, and sing of thy righteousness.b

we

We will sing unto the Lord a new song, and his praise in the congregation of saints; O let Israel rejoice in him that made him, let the children of Zion be joyful in their King: let the saints be joyful in glory, and let the high praises of God be in their hearts, and in their mouths.c

While we live we will bless the Lord, and will sing praise unto our God while we have any being; and when we have no being on earth, we hope to have a being in heaven, to be doing it better.d

We are here through Jesus Christ to offer the sacrifice of praise to thee, which we desire to do continually, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to thy name.e And thou hast said that he that offers praise glorifies thee,g and that this also shall please the Lord better than an ox or bullock that hath horns or hoofs.h

We will mention the loving kindnesses of the Lord, and the praises of the Lord, according to all that the Lord hath bestowed on us, and the great goodness towards the house of Israel, which he hath bestowed on them, according to his mercies, and according to the multitude of his loving kindnesses.¿

1. We must be particular in our thanksgivings to God. (1) For the discoveries which he has made to us in his word of the goodness of his nature,

We give thanks unto the God of gods, unto the Lord of lords, for his mercy endures for ever.k

Thy goodness is thy glory,/ and 'tis for that which all thy works do praise thee, and thy saints do bless thee.m

Thou art gracious and full of compassion, slow to

a Psalm 92. 1. 2.
d Psalm 146. 9.
A Psalm. 69, 31.
Exed 33 19.

b Ps. 145. 1. 2, 7,

e Heb. 13 15.

¿ Isa. 63 7.
m Psalm 145.10.

c Ps. 149. 1, 2, 5, 6. Psalm 50. 23. Psalm 136, 2, 3.

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