72 (Jtlofet~~al!tr, His Book, called' An of my dear and' reverend Fatlrer An– ~etph to bet:er heparts gier: there are fome !eparating du.. Jor etter tzmes, · ag. · h r h 1 . 9 6, 197 .readmore tte_s t :atprepa~e , J?rot ers, asexaefthi Subject. ·, mmauon, medttatton, prayer ; and they .do prepare by fiirring up the ' grace o.fGod, and providing an heavenIy affifi:an~e to oegip -yJith HS in the duty : ff thou~anfl: not alway5 hav·e fe'pl!r.aring tjme betwixt other occafions and Gods worfhip., ye_t have fome fepararing thoughts er~ thou enter upon the dl)ty; (thou art not fit elfe to meddle . with wifdom : Thus he. . 'Tis true, fotne have not the leifure th~t others have, yet fo· m,tu:h preparation is ne– celfary for eyery clury as may withdraw the heart from other.objetb, and weight the fpiric \Vi~h adue fen:fe of the work \Ve have in hand, and fometimes this may be done fuddenly ;. yet as for fuch as have more tirrte to work u.pon their hearts, and 'ftate their fouls cafe by ·mufiering np tnemi~lves ~6 the work, negletl: a duty, · and can·not groundedly· expf~ the Lords prefenc~: a~d this I fOnceive is the reafon why the Lords people mifs of God-in fecret Pr~yer, at leaf\: one reafon is, becaufe they do not make fu·ch tonfcience,and take filch care o.{ pr~paring their hearts as they ought : Ah Chrifi:ians, when you·come into your Clofet, fit down and paufea .little, before you fall down upon your knt)es, dear up · -your fi:ate, fhake off other bufineis, fer your felves in \ Gods prefence, and rimfi:er up your fins or want~, 'Or mercies youpuq~ofe to fpread before the Lord; aClient wil1 confider all his matters,. before hecome to 'flate his cafe ~o his ad~ocate; a poor patient will bethip~ him– felf,how ne is, that he may telthis ailings to _his ,Phy– Etian ; and a petitioner will nor gqhand ov~r . head unto· his Prince, but order his caufe before hand,that he may plead it .moleeffeCtually: -And fuall not we much more prepare our felves to wait u~on the G:od ofHeaven.
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