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UT deliver us from Evil: For thine is the Kingdom, and the Power, and the Glory, for ever. Amen. Matt. vi. 13.

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Laftly, we muft fay it with the Heart of a Captive, an Exile, or an afflicted Perfon, who has Recourfe to his Deliverer. With how many Snares, how many Obstacles to Good, how many Occafions of Sin, how many Enemies of Salvation, are we furrounded, amongst whom our falfe Friends are the most dangerous! Lord, from Thee alone we expect Deliverance, delay not to fuccour us. May the frequent Combats, in which the Tempter engages us, make us figh and long after the general Deliverance, which will for ever banish to Hell the Tempter and the Temptation, all diforderly Affections, all Sin and Wickedness whatfoever. Let us adore the Power and Juftice of the fovereign Judge; let us wait, like Exiles, to be called Home; and, like Captives, to be delivered; and let us flee to him for Aid under the Miferies of our Banishment and Slavery, and in all the Affaults of our Enemies.

Father, by Right divine, Affert the Kingdom thine, JESUS, Power of God, fubdue Y

Thine own Universe to Thee,
Spirit of Grace and Glory too,
Reign thro' all Eternity.

JESUS

ESUS faith unto them (the Scribes and Pharifees), They that are whole, have no need of the Phyfician, but they that are fick: I came not to call the Righteous, but Sinners to Repentance, Mark ii. 17.

The more Righteous we imagine ourselves, at fo much the greater Diftance do we remove CHRIST from us. Let us by no means feek after falfe Comforts, in flattering ourselves with an imaginary Health and Righte ousness. That which alone is fubftantial and real, confifts in our having JE. SUS CHRIST a Phyfician for all our Diseases, and the Remiffion of all our Sins. How dear to us ought this his Quality of Phyfician to be, of which he informs us himself: If we are sensible of the Need we have of it, let us not neglect always to adore Him, to have recourse to him, and to place our whole Confidence in the healing Operation of His Grace.

Listen to my ceaseless Cries,
Mean and little may
I be,
Bafe and vile in my own Eyes,

Griev'd at my own Mifery:

Shew, and then my Sickness cure,

Make me know as I am known, Wound my Spirit, make me poor,

Break, O break this Heart of Stone.

ΑΝ ND they (Simon Peter and Andrew) ftraightway left their Nets, and followed him, Matt. iv. 20.

356

How powerful is the Voice of Jefus Chrift?. Let us remember to befeech him often, that he would be pleased to speak to our Hearts, and make us obedient to him. --- Vices, and inveterate Habits, are a Sort of Nets, which Sinners are abundantly more unwilling to leave, than Peter and Andrew were to leave theirs; but every Thing is equally poffible to him who can do all Things. These poor Men leave indeed only Nets; but they certainly leave a great deal who reserve nothing for themfelves.

Fishers of Men 'tis thine to make;
O for thy Truth and Mercy's Sake
Inftruct, whom Thou dost call,

To caft the Net on the right Side,
And tell Mankind that thou haft dy'd,
And purchas'd Life for all,

NOW Peter fat without in the Palace: and a Damfel came unto him, faying, Thou alfo waft with Jefus of Galilee.--But he denied before them all, faying, I know not what Thou fayeft, Matt. xxvi. 69. 70.

A Man thinks himself able to fuffer Death for the Sake of GOD, who cannot withstand even a Servant's Voice. Every one carries that curfed Unbelief within himfelf, which tempts him to renounce CHRIST: It is abfolutely neceffary to keep that evil Difpofition of the Heart always in Sub jection as a Servant, to hinder it from becoming a Mafter: What Darkhefs otherwife will it not Caufe in the Understanding? What Forgetfulness of Fa vours, Duties, and Promifes in the Memory? What Weaknefs, Confufion, and Infidelity in the Will? Support us, Lord, with thy 'own Hand; for there is nothing on which we can depend, but thy Grace.

Full of Truth and Grace Thou art,

And here is all my Hope: Falfe and foul as Hell my Heart, To Thee I offer up:

Thou waft given to redeem

My Soul from all Iniquity, Friend of Sinners, fpotlefs Lamb, Thy Blood was fhed for me.

HEAVEN EAVEN and Earth fhall pafs away; but my Words shall not pass away, Luke xxi. 33.

The Stability and Truth of God in his Word, whether in relation to Good or Evil, is one of those Perfections of which he is moft jealous. It is the Sin of profeffing Chriftians, as well as of the Jews, not to give Credit to it. A King promifes or threatens, and all obey; but in refpect of God, Men live as if the Promifes of eternal Happinefs, and the Threatnings of the Miferies of Hell, were only the Predictions of an Almanack. Let us therefore take great Care to fix and fettle our Faith upon the Veracity of God, and the Immutability of his Word; to receive this Word, to hear, and to read it as the Word of God, fuch as it really is, let the Perfon be what he will who delivers it.

JESUS, thy perfect Love reveal,

My Alpha and Omega be,
And I thy bleffed Words fhall feel,
And witness them fulfill'd in me :
(y)

Nothing hath fail'd of all the Good,
My Saviour hath perform'd the whole,
I know it in my Heart renew'd,
I know it fweetly in my Soul..

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