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2. A thankful acceptance of merciful and kind providences, Luke i. 38. This is our duty alfo: but it is the natural bias of our hearts to facrifice to our own net, and to forget and overlook God's goodness in thefe; to fit down to the covered table of kind providence, not looking up with due acknowledgements to him who has provided it. So it is the faints defire to have grace to enable them to receive thankfully.

3. A compliance with the defign of providences of all forts. We must act according to the will of providence, Acts xiii. 36. and we have need of grace for it. When God by his providence puts work in our hands, and gives us abilities and occafions to serve him, we are obliged to employ all for his fervice, elfe we answer not the defign. Mercies and rods have a call. And every one is by providence put in fome particular station, with fome talents lefs or more, for the duties of that station. He does the will of God's providence, that employs his intereft, gifts, and abilities in his calling, moving in his own fphere prudently, conftantly, and vigorously, as thofe in heaven do.

Fourthly, A confent to the will of God, a yielding of the heart to that it may be done. Our Lord gave us a copy of this refignation to the will of God in his bitter fufferings, Matth. xxvi. 42. O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done. And the church in Paul's cafe wrote after this copy, Acts xxi. 14. faying, The will of the Lord be done. And whatever befalls the church, ourselves, or others, by the will of providence, there ought to be a humble refignation to the will of God in it all.

IV. I fhall give the reafons why the faints have fuch a concern that the will of God may be done in earth, as it is heaven.

1. Because it is moft juft, holy, reasonable, and equitable, in all things, and they fee it is fo, Pfal. cxix. 128. I efteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right. Pfal. cxlv. 17. The Lord is righteous in all his ways, and

holy in all his works. God is holy and juft in his own nature, and can command, demand, or inflict nothing that is unjuft. He can do no wrong to the creature, nor can he bid the creature do any thing wrong. He is infinitely wife, and knows how to guide the world beft. What wonder then they be concerned his will be done, fince it is the beft that can be done?

2. Because the glory of God, which of all things is dearest to the faints, is deeply interested in this matter. God is perfectly glorified in heaven, because there his will is done perfectly: but he is dishonoured on earth, becaufe his will is not obeyed and fubmitted to there. It is by this that his Spirit is vexed, his will being croffed and contradicted by vile worms.

3. Because this would make a heaven on earth. If there were fuch a harmony betwixt earth and heaven, that God's will were done in the one, as in the other, it would make on earth,

(1.) A heaven for beauty and order of all things. There is a comely order in heaven, because all there keep their own place, and follow the will of the Crea tor in all things. But fin has filled the earth with confufion and diforder, which will never be rectified till thofe on earth return to move according to rule, viz. the will of the Creator. What would become of us, if the fun and moon were as irregular in their motions as we are?

(2.) A heaven for happinefs. The happiness of men lies in their affimulation to God; and they are fo far like him as they conform to his will. Were our will perfectly conformed to the will of God, we could never be miferable; for if God's will were our will, nothing could befall us against our will, we would be pleafed with all that we meet with.

USE. Are we directed thus to pray? Then,

1. We ought to be very careful to know what is the will of God in the feveral paffages of our life, Eph. V. 10 Left we miftake his will, or overlook it, we

fhould ftudy his word, that we may do it; and study. his works, that we may comply with the call of them. For we can never be doers of the will of God, if we know it not. It is impoffible that an ignorant perfon can do the will of God; and therefore it behove us, if we would do his will, carefully to fearch the scriptures, and narrowly confider the works of God.

2. Let us be careful to do the will of God's commands, in fuch fort as we may moft nearly resemble thofe in heaven, doing it evenly, unweariedly, univerfally, humbly, chearfully, readily, and conftantly, as you heard the faints defire to do. And let us never forget to comply with this great commandment of believing in the name of Jefus Chrift; for if this be not done in the first place, we cannot poffibly do the will of God in any other thing. Faith is the foundation of all acceptable obedience to the will of God, leads to it, and animates the foul therein. For mo tives, confider,

Mot. (1.) We are under the greatest obligations to the doing of the will of God. God is our Creator, our Sovereign Lord and Ruler, and therefore has a just title to our obedience. The Creator's authority and the Redeemer's love and grace fo amply difplayed in the work of our redemption, loudly call for our obeying the will of God. The law is given us as the matter and rule of our obedience; and we are redeemed by Chrift, that we may be holy, and comply with the whole will of God revealed to us.

(2.) It is only the doers of his will that fhall get to heaven, Matth. vii. 21. There is a reward of grace to be reaped afterwards for it. In keeping of the divine commandments, fays the pfalmift, there is great reward. None are fit or qualified for the work and employment of heaven but holy perfons, and none can be holy without doing the whole will of God. Obedience to his will is an infallible evidence of holinefs, without which no man fhall fee the Lord.

(3.) Since his will is manifefted to us in his word VOL. III. 3 Y

and works, the neglect of it will lay us open to double fripes, Luke xii. 47. Since God has been pleased to write to us the great things of his law, and to reveal his will refpecting both matters of faith and practice, we can have no pretence for ignorance, nor room to plead that we know not what is our duty. All pleas of ignorance are as inexcufable as thofe of neglect, which fhall be rejected at the great day, and all neglecters of the will of God punished with everlafting deftruction.

3. Laftly, Let us be careful to comply with the will of divine providence. And,

(1.) Let us confider what the difpenfations of the day towards the church and towards ourselves do call for, and comply therewith. While the Lord's hand is ftretched out, and he threatens to take away his peace from us, [1.] Let us examine ourselves, fmiting on our breafts, and faying, What have I done to kindle the fire of the Lord's anger? [2.] Let us pray for the peace of Jerufalem, and have a deep concern for the prefervation of truth and peace; that the Lord may fupport his own caufe, blefs the gofpel for the converfion of finners, and the edification of all who have given their names to Chrift.

(2.) Let us be fubmifiive under all afflicting providences, laying our hands on our mouths, accepting the punishment of our fins, and justifying God in whatever we meet with.

XXXXXXX)

TH

The Fourth Petition.

MATTHEW Vi. 11.

XX

Give us this day our daily bread.

HE former three petitions refpect God's glory, the latter three our own welfare. In the firft three we are directed to pray for the advancement of

of his name, kingdom, and will, and in the last three for our own temporal and fpiritual good. The order is divine, and teaches us this

DOCT. That it is the duty of all, and the difpofition of God's children, to prefer God's honour to all their perJonal and private interests. It is preferable,

1. To our own temporal welfare: Thy name be hallowed, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done; and then, Give us this day our daily bread. It fpeaks the difpofition of God's children in three things.

(1.) They defire that God's glory may be advanced, whatever come of their bread or provision for this life. Their life itself is by them put in fubordination to God's honour, much more the outward comforts of it, Acts xxi. 13. If the chariot of God's honour cannot drive forward, but it muft drive over their table, they bid it welcome to drive on, though it caft down their table, making its way over it, Luke xiv,

26.

(2.) They defire not bread in a way inconfiftent with the glory of God's name, the coming of his kingdom, and doing his will, Heb. xi. 25. If they cannot have it, but out of the ruins of thete, they will rather want it it is too dear bought at the expence of the profanation of his name, wronging and marring the progrefs of his kingdom, and going over his declared will.

(3) In purfuing the honour of his name, the ad vancing of his kingdom, and doing of his will, they will calt themfelves on their Father for their bread, in confidence that he will furnifh them with what they need of it for thofe great ends, 1 Cor. ix. 7. Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock? They have his promife for it, Pfal. xaxvii. 3. Verily thou shalt be fed. And he will be as good as his word Luke xxii. 35. When I fent you with

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