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enabling him to continue instant in prayer, according to the divine command, that men ought always to pray and not to faint, which supposes them to be kept in a praying frame, and to use the means which Saint Jude recommends for the obtaining of these bleffings, "But ye beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life."

As he is not weary of his prayers because they are not so spiritual as he could wish: So neither is he weary of his praises, although they fall far short of what such a Saviour deferves, and of what he would acknowledge with all poffible gratitude: Because he falls short,

short, he aims higher. He feels himself under infinite obligations to the Father for his love, to the Son for his falvation, and by the fupply of the Spirit's grace he is made sensible, that he is not only less than the least of divine mercies, but if he had his just deserts, he should have judgment without mercy. This lays the foundation for his highest praises. The faithful witness for Jesus makes the believer willing to be beholden to him for every mercy; yea, to glory in being a penfioner upon his fulness: From which he receives grace for grace, that in all things he may be giving of thanks: According to the Lord's favour to his people, informing them to take with them words, and turn to the Lord, and say unto him, "Take

away all iniquity, and receive us gracioufly, gratioufly, fo will we render the calves of our lips," which is the facrifice of the New Testament worshippers, who through Jesus the mediator offer the facrifice of praise continually, that is, the fruit of their lips giving thanks to his name, wishing, praying to do it with fome of the praises of heaven, as one faid, "I will hope continually, and I will yet praise thee more and more."

As these prayers and praises are grounded upon faith in the divine promises, this makes the believer a diligent reader of the scriptures. He does not neglect his bible, because he has not yet attained the perfect knowledge of every part of it. For that very reason he studies it more: he prays more over it. grows more thankful for the divine power, which still accom

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panies it, and studies and prays that he may experience more of this power: It has been the means of making him wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. He finds it also to be the food of this faith-it nourishes him, and he grows thereby. He hears, reads, meditates, and keeps on praying to the Holy Ghost to write the scriptures upon his heart, and to make his life a fair copy of them. And what he thus learns, preferves him in a fettled dependence upon the faithfulness of God to his word and promife. And he is not disappointed: He finds that all the scripture which was given by the inspiration of God is still profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect, L thoroughly thoroughly furnished unto all good works. This blessing he has in his bible. The more he can mix faith with it, the more precious it becomes. His bible is his library. The study therein makes him wife for eternity: which is the superlative excellency of bible knowledge, of which Jesus thus speaks, "Bleffed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors: For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the Lord."

Thus in the use of means he is kept humble and dependent, exercifing the true gospel poverty of spirit in self-abasement, and fo far from being stopped that he rather glories and triumphs in his infirmities. The opposition which they give helps him forward, they

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