would ever fo fain do his will. Thefe are their bur den, and these they lay before the Lord daily for ftrengthening, longing for the day when the executive power fhall be anfwerable to their will, and their will to the will of God.

[2] An indifpofition hindering their obedience, which they would fain be rid of, Matth. xxvi. 41. The gracious heart itself has fuch a mixture of corrup tion, that there is always a fpice of backwardness to compliance with the will of God, and an inclination to the wrong fide, which they have to ftrive with. This is as iron fetters on them, out of which they would be enlarged, to run the way of God's command

ments.

[3.] A perverseness of spirit, whereby one is inclined to refift and go quite contrary to the will of God. Ephraim complains of this, Jer. xxxi. 18. I have furely beard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus, Thou bat chaftifed me, and I was chaftifed, as a bullock unac cutomed to the yoke: turn thou me, and I fhall be turn ed; for thou art the Lord my God. And the remainders ut it in the beft occafion them many a fad struggle; by which the heart of a child of God is like a field of battle; the new nature endeavouring to take on the yoke, the corrupt nature refifting and fhifting like an

untamed ox.

(2.) God's advancing them to, and fixing them in a courfe of dutiful obedience to his own will, that they may do it, as it is done in heaven. They look on perfect holiness as what would be their happiness. They fee the will of God how it is done in heaven, they approve and love that way of it, and condemn their own, and would fain be brought up to the way of heavenly obedience, being wearied of their own earthly heartless way of doing it.

Queft. What fignifies their praying for it, fince they cannot obtain it while here? Anf. It fpeaks,

1. Their fenfe of duty in that cafe, and of their failings in their beft performances. It is certain that

perfection as well as fincerity of obedience is our duty, though we cannot reach it, Matth. v. ult. Be ye perfect, &c. And when the faints have ftretched out to the utmoft, they fit down fighing, that they cannot get the length they fhould, Luke xvii. 16.

2. Their defire of perfection, which is accepted of God, 2 Cor. viii. 12. They would do the will of God on earth, as it is in heaven, if they could. That is the bent and difpofition of their new nature, and they would as fain be rid of the remainders of corruption, as ever a prifoner was defirous of being rid of his chains, Rom. vii. 24. while others please themfelves therewith as with golden chains.

3. Their fincere endeavour to get forward to that perfection. Though, the ftormy wind blowing in the face of the weak creature, they cannot hold pace with those in heaven in doing the will of God; yet they are ftill following them at a diftance, if at length they may get up with them, Phil. iii. 13. 14. And here as in a glafs we may fee what fort of doing of the will of God the faints aim at and defire. It is,

(1.) To do it evenly, without ftumbling or changing their courfe. So the heavenly bodies and the angels are uniform in their course, Pfal. cxix. 91. But alas! what an unevenlinefs is there in the walk of the beft! Sometimes they are warm in obedience, and again key-cold. Sometimes they are tender with re1pect to the least of fins, and sometimes untender in great matters, according as grace or corruption gets the maftery. But all the faints are afhamed of this, and groan under the burden of it, longing for the day wherein they fhall keep a stayed even courfe of obedi ence, as it is in heaven,

(2.) To do it unweariedly. Thus it is done in hcaven, Pfal. xix. 5. The fun is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a firong man to run a race, Rev. vii. 15. They are before the throne of God, and ferve him day and night in his temple. There is no wearying of this doing of the will of God in heaven, But

alas! how foon are we on earth weary of well-doing? Even when the fpirit is willing, the clog of earth which the foul is fixed to, often fets up, and can go no farther. This often makes them long to be dif folved, that without wearinets they may be capable to ferve the Lord day and night in his temple.

(3.) To do it univerfally. So the angels do it, knowing all, and doing all in perfection without the leaft failure, Pfal. ciii. 21. But which of the commandments do we not break on earth? what part of God's will is done by us in every point as is required? None at all. But the faints hope and long for the day, when they fhall be able to know and do the whole of it in every point.

(4) To do it humbly. When the angels have wings to fly on God's enands, yet they have alfo wings to cover their face and their feet, If. vi. 2. There is no rifing of pride in their hearts upon the doing of their duty, nor to keep them from any duty. But how does pride of heart keep us back from many duties as too low for us; and how often does it arife upon the doing any thing well! 2 Cor. xii. 7. This is a heavy piece of the body of death, which the faints long to be rid of.

(5.) To do it chearfully, Pfal. ciii. 20. So the an. geis do in heaven. It is no burden to them to do his will; there is no heavy driving in the courfe of their obedience. This alfo is our duty, Pfal. c. 2. But h! how often are our hearts to be dragged to duty? what backwardnefs to the doing of God's will, like the cutting off of a right hand! How defirable is it to a holy heart to be able to obey chearfully!

(6.) To do it readily, without delay. So the angels are reprefented with wings, to fhew their readiness. and speed in obeying their Lord. So fhould we, Pial. cxix. 60. I made hafte, and delayed not to keep thy com mandments. But alas! how far from it are the best many times! God speaks once, yea twice, but we per ceive it not. How often are we ruined with delays,

and our work is marred in our hand! It is the defire of all the godly to be rid of this indifpofition.

(7.) Laftly, To do it conftantly. So the heavenly bodies do it without intermiffion, without interruption and fo do the angels. So the faints defire to do, Pfal. cxix, 112. I have inclined my heart to perform thy ftatutes always, even unto the end. But alas! how fickle and inconftant are they now, through a lightnefs of heart, which is heavy, heavy to every gracious foul?

SECONDLY, I fhall fhew what is the import of this petition with reference to the will of God's providence. It imports,

First, A confeffion, (1.) Of a natural aptnefs in all men to quarrel, repine, and murmur against the methods and difpcfals of providence, Numb. xiv. 2. No king's management is fo freely canvaffed and cenfured by the fubjects, as the King of heaven's management in this world is by the hearts of men. An allwife providence guides the world, in every particu lar; but where is the man that has not fome quarrel or other with it?

[1.] Kind providences towards others are grudged, Matth. xx. 15. Though God is the Sovereign Lord of all, and all things are his own, and he is debtor to none, men are prone to quarrel the difpofal of his benefits, as if they would teach him on whom to beftow his favours.

[2.] Afflictive providences towards one's felf are quarrelled. The foolish heart fpeaks as one of the foolish women, Job ii. 10. Though the worst we meet with in the world is fhort of our defervings, yet how does the heart rife against the fmalleft evils laid upon us! When the yoke of affliction is wreathed about one's neck, the unfubdued heart rages under it like a wild bull in a net.

(2.) Of a natural backwardness to fall in with the designs of providence of one fort or other. God teaches by kind providences and afflictive ones too.

But fuch is the perverfeness of human nature, that it fcorns to be led by the one, Rom. ii. 4. or to be driven with the other, Jer. v. 3. Whether God write mens duty in white or black lines of providence, the heart is difpofed not to fall in with it, Matth. xi. 16.

17.

Secondly, A profeffion, (1.) Of the faints forrow for this difpofition of heart croffing the will of God. It is a burden to them, and the renewed nature hereby enters a diffent against this quarrelling of the corrupt nature against the will of God, Jer. xxxi. 18. They condemn themfelves for not fubmitting chearfully to, and falling in readily with the divine will in all things. It is one of the greatest ftruggles which a child of God has, to get his will conformed to the will of God.

(2.) Of the faith of the power of grace to fubdue the will to this conformity. So they hereby put their ftony refractory heart into the heart-changing hand to melt it down, and make it pliable, Jer. xxxi. 18. forecited. And it is the comfort of all the faints, thas there is a remedy of fufficient grace in Jefus Chrift, for the removing of the natural perverfenefs of their wills.

Thirdly, A defire of grace for a thorough compliance with the will of God's providence. Which extends to,

1. A fubmiffion to the will of God in afflicting providences. This is our duty, whatever be our trial, Pfal. xxxix. 9. I was dumb, says David, I opened not my mouth; becaufe thou didst it. But it is a difficult duty, because of that corrupt felf-love which cries for cafe, and fo much prevails in all men; becaufe of that blindness of mens minds, whereby they take that which is really for their good to be for evil to them; and because we are all fo much wedded to our own will. Therefore the faints defire the removal of these impediments by God's grace, and the subduing of their hearts to a fubmiflion,