Ver, i. the 17thChapter óf St. JOHN and ripened. Now efpecially fhould we imitate Chrift upon Solemn Days of Worfhip ; as the Lord's Day, our whole Time ihould be parted into Meditation, and Prayer, and Conference. And yet more efpecially, after the Lord's Supper, we fhould continue the Devotion, and make the whole Day a poft- Communion : as Civet -Boxes retain their fcent, when the Civet is taken out; and when the Aes is over, our Thoughts, and Difcourfe, and A &ions, should (till favour of the Solemnity. Certainly, it is an Ar- gument of much weaknefs, to be all for Flafhes, and fudden Starts a If we would re- frefh our felves with Change, it fhould be with change of Exercife, and not of Affe- ¿lion : If it feem irkfome, confider, it is more eafy to perfevere in. an Heavenly Frame, than to begin again; and when the Heart is warm, we fhould take heed we don't lofe the prefent Advantage.. A:Bell is kept up with left difficulty than railed ; and when an Horfe is warm in his Geers, he continues his Journey with more eafe, than if he fhould hand hill a while, and grow Miff. If we yield to wearnefs, how (hall we hope to raife the Heart again, and to get it to this Advantage. Corruption doth but cheat thee, if thou thinkeft to get a frefh Ilart by intermifiìon. As I laid before, there is refrefhment in Change of Exercife ; and when one Teat is drawn dry, we may; as the Lamb, fuck another that will yield new fupply ánd fweetnefs Rind lift up his Eyes to Leaven.] The Scripture taketh notice of the Geftarè. Chriffs Gellures are notable, becaufe real fignifications of the Motions of his Heart. In the Garden, when he began his Paillon, he fell on his Face and prayed, Mat. 26. 39. but here he lifted up his Eyes. When he travelled under the greatnefs of our Sins, his pollute is humble; but now, when he is treating with God for our Mercies, he ufeth a Gefture, that implieth a more elevated and generous Confidence. Geflures, be- ing Mtions fuited to the Affe&ions, are fignificant, and imply the Difpofitions of the Heart. Let us fee what may be colle&ed put of this Gefture, lifting the Eyes to Heaven. I. The railing of the Heart to.God in Prayer. Prayer is, ávápaes o vg seers .r ear, the Afcenfion or Elevation of the Heart to God, the Motion of 'the Body fuiting with that of the Soul; fo David expreffeth it, . Pfal.25. 1. I lift my Heart to thee. When you pray, know what is your Work : If you would converfe with God, you need not change Place, but raife the Affe &ion. God-boweth the Heavens, and you lift up the Heart; it is not the lifting up the Voice, but of the Spirit : the lifting up of the Voice, or of the Eye, are good, as outward fignifieátions, but the chief Work is, to lift up the Heart ; the Underfianding, in railed Thoughts of God, the Affe&ions, by ftrong Operations of Delire and Love. Ulually our Hearts are heavy, and fink as Lead within us; it is a Work of Difficulty to ralle them : We mull pull up the Weights, 7Te903(áf'rp267es T ae9nsux, continuing in Prayer, Alts 1. 14. As Mofes his Hands eafily fell and funk, fo do our Hearts, Exod. 17. There are Plummets and Weights of Sin hang upon us, which milt be cut off, if we intend to get up theHeart in Prayer. 2. Spiritual Reverence of God. The Heavens are his Throne and Dme!ling place, Pfxh 503.19. There his Majefty and Power fhineth forth ; there we behold his Majefty, in that fublime and (lately Fabrick. Earthly Kings, that their Majefty may appear the greater to their Subje &s, have their Thrones exalted, and made of precious Matter, with cunning and curious Artifice : But what are thefe to that fublime and admirable Fabrick of the Heavens ? The very fight of the Heavens, (hew how excellent God is: So that looking uPto Heaven, noteth, the railing the Heart, in the reverent confederation of God's Majellyand Excellency. We may come with Hope, we (peak to our Father ; but we mull (peak with Reverence, we (peak to,our Father in Heaven. When we lift up our Eyes, and look upotíthat [lately Fabrick, the Awe of God fhould fall up- on us. We are poor Worms, crawling at God's Foot -[tool ; by looking up to Hea- ven, we do molt ferioufly let God before us. So when Solomon fpeaketh agaïnfi the flightnefs of Our Addreffes to God, he propoundeth this Remedy ; Ecclef g. a, He not. raft with thy Mouth, and let not thine Heart be hafty to utter any thing before God : for God is in Heaven, and thou upon Earth. There is a diflance 5, there God appeateth in his Royalty. We tremble to come before the Thrones of Earthly Princes.; they' are but thy Fellow Clay : How fardo the Stars of Heaven excel their richest Jewels ! What is all their State to the pure Matter of the Heavens ? to that blaze of Light wherewith he is cloathed ? PfaL 104. 2. Who coverer! thy fel niith Light, as With a Garment, who flretcheft out the Heavens like a Curtain. What are the Coaches Of Princes,to thé Charms A a a z og
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