PSAL. liii. 4. They have not called upon God. T is a fin not to call upon GOD. IT I. What is it to call upon GOD? TσUX προσευχὴ ἐσιν ἄιτησις ἀγαθῶν παρὰ τῶν εὐσεβῶν εις θεόν γινομένη προσευχή ἐτιν ἀνάβασις, Bafil. Νὲ πρὸς θεὸν ἢ ἄιτησις · τῶν προσκόντων παρὰ θὲς, Damafc. πᾶς προσευχόμενΘ τῷ θεῷ διαλέγεται, Chryf. Three things required to it. 1. A drawing near to him. 2. A fpeaking to him, Evidde. I Sam. i. 12, 13. 3. A praying of him. gopoeixos and II. How should we call upon GOD? 1. GOD's Holiness and Greatness. 2. Our own fin and weakness, Gen. xviii. 27. 2. Understandingly, Cor. xiv. 15. 1. Of what we ask. 2. Of whom we ask it. 3. Submiffively. 4. Believingly, Mark xi. 24. Jam. i. 6, 6. Conftantly, Eph. vi. 18. 1 Thef. v. 17. Luke 1. So as to be always in a praying frame. 3. So as to let no Day flip without Prayer. For, 1. We are commanded to ferve GOD all the days of our Life, Luke i. 75, 2. We are commanded to ask Bread every Day, Mat. vi. 7. 11. tùv derov ňμãv τὸν ἐπιέσιον δὸς ἡμῖν σήμερον. 3. We every Day stand in need of Mercy 4. This has been the cuftom of GOD's III. How appears it to be a fin not to call upon GOD? 1. He hath commanded it, Ifa. lv. 6. 1 Tim. ii. 8. 1. Because praying is one of the principal parts of Worship we owe to GOD, whereby we acknowledge our dependance upon him. Si invocare domini nomen & adorare deum unum & idem eft. Orig. IV. Who are guilty of this fin? 1. All that pray to any one elfe but GOD, μόνῳ γὰρ προσευκτέον τῷ ἐπὶ πασι θεῶ, Οrig. Hac ab alio orare non poffum quam a quo me fuo confequuturum, Tertul. 2. All that neglect either Publick, Family, or private Prayers. 3. All that Pray, but not aright. USE I. Reproof. 2. Exhortation; call on GOD, pray to him. 1 Directions. 1. Before Prayer. 1. Con 1. Confider whom thou art going to. 2. What thou standest in need of to be prayed for. 3. Renew thy Refolutions against fin, Pfal. Ixvi. 18. 4. Forgive whatsoever thou haft against any Perfon, Mat. vi. 14, 15. 1 Tim. ii. 8. 2. In Prayer. 1. Acknowledge thy fins againft GOD, before thou askeft Mercies from him, Ezra ix. 6. Neb. i. 7. Dan. ix. 4. 5. 2. Ask Spiritual before Temporal Mer cies, as in the Lord's Prayer. 3. Let thy Thoughts go along with thy Tongue. 4. Remember others as well as thy felt in Prayer, 1 Tim. ii. 1. Eph. vi. 18. fam. v. 16. Mat. v. 44. 5. Blefs GOD for what thou haft, as well as ask of him what thou wanteft, Phil. iv. 6. 6. Ask nothing but in the Name of Chrift, Eph. iii. 12. John xvi. 23, Qui rette invocat deum per filium invocat, & qui prope accedit per Chriftum accedit, Greg. I haumat, sav μὲν δέησιν, &c. αναπεμπλέον τῷ ἐπὶ πᾶσι θεῷ διὰ τῇ ἐπὶ πάντων ἀγγέλων ἰ ἀρχιερέως ἐμψύχε λόγο καὶ θεῖ. Orig. 7. Ask in Faith, Jam. i. 6. 1 Tim.ii, 8. Mark xi. 24. 8. If thou wouldst be fure to make a right Prayer, amongst thy others ufe that which Chrift himself made and appointed, Luke xi, 2. 3. After 3. After Prayer. 1. Confider how thou haft prayed. 3. Expect a gracious answer, Pfal. v. 3. MOTIVES. 1. By Prayer, thou draweft nigh to GOD, 3. Call on him and he'll deliver you, Pfal. 1. 4. Thou haft a promise that he'll hear thee, Fob xxii. 27. Pfal. lxv. z. 1 John v. 14, 15. PSAL. lvi. 3. What time I am afraid, I will truft in thee. W Henfoever Henfoever we are afraid of any evil, we I. What is it to put our truft in GOD? 2. To comfort our felves in GOD. II. What is there in GOD we ought to put our truft in? 1. In his Promises, Pfal. cxix. 42. Ifa. xliii. 2. Jer. xxxiii. 3. 2. His Properties. Pfal. xxxiii. 21. 1. His Power. 2. Wisdom. 3. Juftice. 4. Mercy, Pfal. lii. 8. 5. All-fufficiency. III. Why should we in all our fears put our truft in GOD? 1. Because there is none else that can fecure us from our fears, Prov. xi. 28. Whereas, 2. There are no fears but GOD can fecure us from them, either by removing the thing feared, or by fubduing the fear of the thing Job xi. 16. USE. Exhort. In all your fears still truft in GOD. 1. Are thy fears Spiritual? 2. 1. Desertions of GOD? Pfal. ix. 18. Lam. iii. 31. Ifa. liv. 8. 2. Temptations from Satan? Rom. xvi. 20. 3. Tranfgreffions committed by thee? Ifa. xliii. 25. 4. Corruptions remaining in thee, Mic. vii. 1. Poverty? Ifa. xiii. 5. Ifa. xliii. 20. 3. Enemies? Deut. xxviii. 7. Pfal. xviii. §. 4. Lofs of Friends? 5. Sickness? fer. xxx. 17. 6. Death? Pfal. xxiii. 4. Fob xiii. 15. MOTIVES. 1. This is the best way to allay thy fears, Pfal. CXXV. 1, 2. VOL. 1. B b 2. 'Tis |