Downame - BV209_D69_G6_1640_v1

That we sruflpray with upright hearts: Themecefsity The necefTitie ofthis praying in truth appeareth; of praying in 1. By tef}imonie of our Saviour Chrifl, John 4.24. truth pl ved God is a fpirit, and they that worfhip him mull worfhip by diveh reafons. him in fpirit and truth : 2. By all thofe teftimonies even now cited, wherein we are firred up to lift up our hearts and to poure forth ourfouls, &c. 3. Ifthe Apofle require fervants to perform their duties to iEphef.6.6, their mailers ¿ 44)x,;;4-, as unto the Lord; how much more is it our duty to the Lord himfelf to perform our fervice from our hearts: 4. The uprightnefl`e and finceritie of the heart is the foundneffe of all our worfhip and fervice of God, without which it is hypocritee : therefore David profeffeth that he would call upon Godwith an upright heart, Pfal. r 19. 7. and with lips unfeigned, Pfal. 17. r. and to the fame purpofe we are exhorted to feek the Lord with an upright heart,Deut.4.29.Jer.2g.13. 5. The promife of hearing our prayer is retrained to this praying in truth : Pfal. 145.18. The Lord is near to all that call upon him ,to all that call upon him in truth: for bodily exercifeprofiteth little, 1. Tim. 4.8. and the Lord refpeaeth efpecially the voice of the heart. As for thofe that call upon him with their lips and not with their hearts , the Lord abhorreth their prayer, and taketh himfelf to be abufed by them, and therefore he reproveth them by his Prophet 1faiah, chap. 29. 13. This people cometh near me with their lips, but their heart is farrefrom m° : and elfe- where he complaineth of the hypocrites of his peo- ple,.that when they howled unto him- they cried not with their hearts, which he calleth fpeaking lies, Hof.7.1 3,14. for what elfe doth a man but lie when he