Downame - BV209_D69_G6_1640_v1

114' of Reverence requiredinprdyer. theheart,and therefore throughly acquainted with- what difpofition and of eóion we do come before him; for holineffe and juflice a molt pure Spirir,and therefore will be worfhiped in fpirit & truth; final- ly, who is, as Malachi fpeaketh, our Father, and therefore to be reverenced; our Lord, and there- fore to be feared , chap.. 1.6. If, I fay, we did fet him before our eyes, and our felves in his prefence (as we ought alwayes to do, but efpecially when we call upon him) it cannot be but that we (hall be touched with great reverence of his glorious -Majeftie, and therefore (hall behave our felves ac- cordingly,doing fpeaking thinking nothing but that which may become his prefence, and whereof we may be bold to admit him to be the hearer and the judge; all light behaviour, all wandring thoughts being far removed and abandoned, and we for the time being elevated above all earthly cogitations and having our converfation in heaven, fuppafing (as Chryfoflome faith) our felves to be in the midfl of the Angels , and performing the like exercife with them. You fee our duty: But what is our practice:' Do not we vile wretches when we prefent our felves before the Lord behave our felves many times with leffe reverence or regard then if we were fpeaking to a mortali man that is our fuperiour Infomuch that we hold it for good advice, (as indeed it is, refpeaing our weaknes) In fuch fort to fpeak to men as if God did heare us, fo to fpeak to God as if man did heare us. And is not this an evidence that we are carnall, that our hearts are affetted with no more then