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injure souls, by drawing them away from God and their duty. But it may be ob jected, that the apostle himself says, Col. Why are ye subject to ordinances?" I answer, the 21st verse following, shows what ordinances the apos tle speaks of, viz. the ceremonial ordinances; "Touch not, taste not, handle not." He is not to be understood concerning the ordinances of Christ's institution; for in this very epistle, he does command that the " Word of God should dwell richly in them ;" and that they sing psalms with grace in their hearts to the Lord; and that they should cont.nue in prayer.

4. Reproof belongs to them that limit God, and conclude, if they are not heard presently, that they shall never be answered; and so in effect say, Why should we seek the Lord any longer? Vile and sinful creatures should not be so quick with God. What though we tarry some time before we have the grace and comfort we beg; if it comes at last, is not the Lord gracious to a wonder? Besides, the Lord knows when it is fittest to answer prayer; therefore it becomes us patiently to wait, for his rightly timing

of his benefits is not the smallest part of them.

Use 2. Of Direction; how you may persevere in prayer.

You know not
The prognostic

1. Pe exceeding jealous and afraid whenever you find deadness and formality seizing upon you. whether it may grow. signs of an approaching distemper easily persuade you to take preventing medicine. O when you find your hearts out of order, fear. and go to your physician to heal your hearts, and reduce them to the right praying frame.

2. Take heed of quenching the Spirit. Let your ears be open to hear what he says to the churches, Rev. ii Deliver

up yourselves wholly unto the Spirit's conduct and guidance; be led to him, from what ways, and in what ways he pleases. else he will be grieved and withdraw; and if he does so, alas, your helper will be gone, and your infirmities will hinder your perseverance in prayer!

3. Be sensible that all your prayers will be lost, if now you should totally and finally give over. That righteousness will be reckoned as none at all; that is, just like the morning cloud, and as the

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early dew that vanishes away. Pray on, therefore, that all may not be in vain.

4. Labor to be acquainted with the sweetness of prayer. that you may have experience of those quickenings, those enlargements, those supports, those rav ishing delights that the saints have found sometimes in prayer, and then you will like the duty so well, that you will not easily be drawn off from it.

5. Depend upon him that gives power to the faint, and increases strength in them that have no might. He faints not, neither is he weary, and he alone can keep you from being weary in well-doing. As he only can help you when you cry, so he alone can help you to hold on in crying.

6 Cheer up yourselves with this consideration, that if you persevere in prayer but a little while longer, in heaven all your prayers will be fully answered. Remember, that if prayer lasts as long as time lasts, time will quickly be succeeded by eternity, and prayer will end in ever, lasting praises. So much then, for the fifth doctrine.

SUPPLICATION FOR ALL SAINTS.

The sixth and last doctrine is thisOur spirits must be so public, as to supplicate for all saints as well as for ourselves; therefore the apostre adds in the text, and supplication for all saints."

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Here I shall first show what saints the apost.e speaks of; and, secondly, why we should pray for them all; and then give you the uses.

First, What saints the apostle speaks of. The saints are of two sorts; triumphant in heaven-militant on earth.

1. Triumphant in heaven; and these do not need our prayers. We need not pray that they may be eased of their loads, for their burdens are removed, and they are entered into perfect rest. We need not pray that God would manifest himseli to them, for they see him as he is, and not as here, in a glass darkly; nor that they may be freed from sorrow, and defended from enemies, for their joy is full, all tears are wiped away, and they are past all danger: "They are made pillars in the heavenly temple, and they shall go no more out," Rev. iii. 12. In

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all the Bible we find not one petition for departed saints. They are with the Limb, crowned above, and are above our supplications.

2. Militant saints on earth; and of these the text speaks, and to these the words are to be confined; and truly all of them claim a share in our supplications.

1. We are to pray for saints of all na tions. Prayer may reach them, though never so far; and the God we pray to is acquainted with every saint in particular throughout the universe; He knows what they all want, and how to supply all their needs.

2. We are to pray for saints of all per suasions, as long as they hold the head, and are dear to Christ, notwithstanding their difference from us in opinion. Surely, notwithstanding this difference, they should be upon our hearts to desire their good. On that there were less quarrelling and disputation, and more praying and supplication one for another! and this would be a great means to unite, and to heal our breaches.

3. We are to pray for saints of all con. ditions, high and low, rich and poor, bond

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