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of the Medes, which was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans; In the first year of his reign I Daniel understood by books the number of the years, whereof the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolation of Jerusalem. And I set my face unto the Lord GOD, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me.- Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.> Howbeit, when he, the Spirit of truth is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. Dan. 9. 1-3. John 14. 16, 17, 26. and 15. 26. and 16. 7, 13.

Compared with.-These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.- And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterrance. Acts 1. 14. and 2. 4.

NOTE S.

We are directed to pray frequently,

And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room, where abode both Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James the son of Alpheus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas the brother of James. These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.- Then they that gladly received his word, were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.- Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribu

lation; continuing instant in prayer. Acts 1. 13, 14. and 2. 41, 42. Rom. 12. 12.

Fervently,-But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.- Night and day praying exceedingly that we might see your face, and might perfect that which is lacking in your faith.- Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared. 1 Pet. 4. 7. 1 Thes.

3. 10. Heb. 5. 7.

And perseveringly.—And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint.Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving.Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints. Luke 18. 1. Col. 4. 2. Eph 6. 18.

With suitable affections and conduct toward God and toward

men.

With Faith,-But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to GOD must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.- And all things whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Heb. 11. 6. Mat. 21. 22. John 15. 7.

Sincerity,-And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens.- The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth. Jer. 29. 13. Lam. 3. 41. Ps. 145. 18.

Supreme Love,-Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name. He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him.- Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. Fs. 91. 14, 15. John 14. 23.

Filial fear,-He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry, and will save them.- Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen. Ps. 145. 19. Eph. 3. 20, 21. Penitence,-If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and

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turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.- Lord, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear. 2 Chron. 7. 14. Ps. 10. 17.

Submission,-And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down, and prayed, Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless, not my will, but thine, be done. And this is the confidence that we have in him, that if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us. Luke 22. 41, 42. 1 John 5. 14.

Obedience,-Now we know that GOD heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of GOD, and doeth his will, him he heareth. And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. John 9. 31. 1 John 3. 22.

Forgiveness,-And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. For, if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.- I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting. Mat. 6. 12, 14, 15. 1 Tim. 2. 8. And alms-giving.-Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity; And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noon-day.There was a certain man in Cesarea, called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band, A devout man, and one that feared GoD with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God always. He saw in a vision evidently, about the ninth hour of the day, an angel of GoD coming in to him, and saying unto him, Cornelius. And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before Gon. Is. 58. 9, 10. Acts 10. 1—4. Read with devout attention the appropriate prayer of AGUR, Prov. 30. 7—9. and the impressive prayers of ĎAVID, Ps. 51. &c. and SOLOMON, 1 Kin. 8. 22—62.

NOTE T.

"It chills my blood to hear the BLEST SUPREME,
"Rudely appeal'd to, on each trifling theme.
"Maintain your rank, vulgarity despise,
"To swear is neither brave, polite, nor wise.

"You would not swear upon the bed of death;
"Reflect, your Maker now may stop your breath."
NOTE U.

APOSTATE SPIRITS OR DEVILS are fallen angels.

And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day. Jude 6.

Reserved unto punishment.-For if GoD spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment.And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. 2 Pet. 2. 4. Rev. 20. 10.

Their names-But some of them said, He casteth out devils through Beelzebub, the chief of the devils. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. Luke 11. 15. Rev. 12. 9.

And employment.—Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist steadfast in faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. Eph. 2. 2. 1 Pet. 5. 8, 9.

They are enemies to goodness-And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him. Zech. 3. 1.

And promoters of sin and misery.--And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel.- Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do: he was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth; because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. 1 Chron. 21. 1. John 8. 44.

They believe there is a God;-Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. Jam. 2. 19.

Know Christ,-And. devils also came out of many, crying out, and saying, Thou art Christ the Son of GOD. And he, rebuking them, suffered them not to speak: for they knew that he was Christ. Luke 4. 41.

His ministering servants,—And it came to pass as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination, met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying: The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high Gon, which shew unto us the way of salvation. Acts 16. 16, 17.

And his sacred word.-And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down, for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. Mat. 4. 6.

Satan has been overcome by Christ,-Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil.- And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over the in it. Heb. 2. 14. Col. 2.15.

And will be by all true Christians.-Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee, Το open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.- And they overcame him by the blood of the LAMB, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. Acts 26. 17, 18. Rev. 12. 11.

NOTE V.

We should praise the LIVING GOD frequently.

Seven times a day do I praise thee, because of thy righteous judgments. I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shalt continually be in my mouth.- Every day will I bless thee; and I will praise thy name for ever and ever. Ps. 119. 164. and 34. 1. and 145. 2.

For his ATTRIBUTES, GIFTS, and WORKS.

For his goodness,-Praise the Lord with harp: sing unt him with the psaltery and an instrument of ten strings. He loveth righteousness and judgment: the earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.- Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the GoD of our salvation. Selah. He that is our GOD is the GOD of salvation; and unto God the Lord belong the issues from death. Ps. 33. 2, 5. and 68. 19, 20.

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