many that perish in ignorance and profaneness, that are under the sound of the word, to whom the gospel is hid, whose eyes the god of this world hath blinded, "lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them,” 2 Cor. iv. 4. Bless the Lord that it pleased him that thou shouldst be born in the lap of truth, and be nourished there with the sincere milk of the word, and with the promises of Jesus Christ. Consider how long God waited for thy conversion, giving thee space to repent; and how he suffered thee so long to continue in that state of sin and wickedness, and did not cut down such an unfruitful and unprofitable tree that cumbered the earth, and received the influence of heaven so long in vain. Consider likewise, how many good inspirations and holy purposes he breathed into thy heart, even in the midst of thy very sins and wicked life, and that he persisted in calling thee so long a time; and, at length, to bring thy great stubbornness and obstinate resistance, so long continued, to an end. Consider how he called thee with such a mighty, loud, and effectual voice, that thereby thou mightest rise from death to life, and come forth, as it were another Lazarus, out of the dark and obscure grave of thy wicked and sinful life, and not with thine hands and feet bound, but loosed and set at liberty out of the prison and thraldom of the enemy of mankind. Praise the Lord for granting thee, not only pardon for thy sins past, but also grace from that time forward, not to return to thy former bondage; and likewise that he has given thee a sweet taste and savour of the things of his Spirit, which before seemed very unsavory to thee, and withal a loathsomeness and misliking of the things of the flesh and of the world, which before

were very delightful to thee. Then think with thyself unto how many God hath denied this benefit, which he hath so freely granted unto thee; and whereas thou being as unworthy of this calling as they, yet it hath pleased God to suffer them to continue in their impenitency and obstinacy, and to call thee unto the state of grace and salvation. Oh what thanks and service dost thou owe unto him for this inestimable benefit!

5. There are other benefits that are given to particular persons, which none other knoweth but he that has received them, for which we are bound to give thanks unto the Lord, forasmuch as they are more certain tokens of the special and particular love and providence that the Lord bears towards us.

Such benefits as these cannot be written in books, but every one is to write them in his heart, and so to join them with the other general benefits, and to give most humble thanks unto the Lord for them. There are also other benefits more secret, which are unknown, or scarcely observed by the party who receives them. These are certain snares and unseen dangers which the Lord often prevents and disappoints by his providence, knowing what great prejudice they might do unto us, did not he prevent them and disappoint them. Who is able to recount how many dangers he ha h escaped, from how many temptations God hath preserved him, from how many occasions of sin he hath delivered him, how often he hath stopped the plans and taken out of the way the subtle and deceitful snares of the devil, our vigilant adversary, that we should not fall into them? Likewise, a man may have many secret sins, which the person that commits them knows not. Wherefore, as touching these secret sins, we ought

daily to pray with the psalmist, "Cleanse thou me from secret faults," Psa. xix. 12. Even so it is requisite to yield to him every day most hearty thanks for this kind of benefit.

SECTION XVI.

OF PREPARATION TO PRAYER.

BEFORE we enter upon prayer, or thanksgiving, it is very requisite that there be first a preparation of our hearts to this holy exercise; doing herein as musicians, who use to temper and tune their lute, viol, or other instrument, before they play upon it. The son of Sirach gives good advice: "Before thou prayest, prepare thyself, lest thou be as one that tempteth God." In our Saviour's platform of prayer, the petitions are not set down abruptly, but a solemn preface is prefixed, like a fair porch to a beautiful house, to teach us to set our affections in due order, before we draw nigh to speak unto the Lord. God hath also expressly commanded," Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God," Eccles. v. 2. It is a dangerous thing to babble out unadvised and undigested words in his ears. Prayer, and other holy duties, call for holy preparation. “I will wash mine hands in innocency: so will I compass thine altar, O Lord," was David's resolution, Psa. xxvi. 6. Job sent and sanctified his children, that is, he sent solemnly to his children to prepare themselves, warning them not to come to the sacrifice except they were sanctified. So Samuel said to the elders of Bethlehem, "Sanctify yourselves, and come with me

to the sacrifice," 1 Sam. xvi. 5. This sanctifying was a preparing of themselves, was a fitting of themselves, that they might be ready for the sacrifice. The very heathen had this notion; they would not admit any to come to their religious services unless they were prepared, therefore they had one that cried out to the people, when they came to sacrifice, “All ye that are unclean and profane, go far away from these sacrifices." Prepare yourselves unto prayer, by considering the greatness and majesty of that God to whom you go to speak in prayer; for this consideration will teach you with what great humility and reverence it behoves such miserable creatures to speak unto a Lord of so great majesty as Almighty God is, concerning a matter of so great importance as your own salvation. How close shut ought you to have the gates of your understanding and will at the time of prayer from the cares and thoughts of the world, and open unto God alone, that in case he come to enter therein he be not driven back again, finding the gates shut against him, or the lodging-chambers taken up and pestered with other guests!

And to this end you may pray to be prepared and enabled to pray in this or the like manner :—

"Almighty God, I beseech thee be pleased to prepare my heart, and quicken mine affections, in this holy service of calling upon thy name. Make me to

consider that thou into whose presence I am come, and have to do, art a God clothed with glory and majesty, and that I am dust and ashes, and a most vile and unworthy sinner. I beseech thee possess me with an awful reverence of thy glorious majesty, that I may watch over my thoughts, and have regard to my good behaviour before thee, lest my presumption and

want of due respect to thy majesty should turn my prayers into sin. Give me a lively sense of my own wants, and a clear apprehension of those blessings I have received from thee, and of those mercies which in thy word thou hast promised to bestow, that I may be furnished with matter both for request and thankfulness, and may be able to pour out my soul abundantly before thee. Let thy Spirit of supplication sanctify my thoughts, guide my tongue, and help mine infirmities. Give me faith in thy promises, that I may come boldly unto the throne of thy grace; and let me find it is good to draw near to thee, my God, in prayer. Let the end of my praying be thy glory, and make me as ready to give thanks for blessings obtained, as to be earnest for mercies I stand in need of."

With this preparation mayest thou draw near to God in the morning, imploring God for the assistance and succour of his grace, whereby thou mayest the better bestow the following day in his service; and be earnest with God in thy preparation, to instruct thee how to do thy duty therein, and to direct thee to speak unto him in prayer with such attention and devotion, with such recollection and closeness of mind, and with such awe and reverence, as is to be used before so great a Majesty; and withal entreat him that thou mayest so spend that portion of time in this exercise of prayer, that in the end thou mayest arise from the same with new force and strength to do all such things as appertain to his

service.

And that thou mayest the better fit thyself for thy morning prayer, go to bed with the thoughts of it over night, like those that intend to bake unleavened bread the next day, lay the leaven over night.