vin cxxejtttanvon the Lords¡'rayer. taught this leffon; that hee which is topray vntoGod, is firft toprepare him- felte, andnotboldly with ;Lit coiifideration as it were to rufh into the prefence of God. Ifamanbe to comebefore an earthly prince, hewill orderhimfclfe in at*. parell;geflure,and words, that he may doe allthings in feernelinefle and dud- fullreuerence : howmuch more are men toorder themfelues , when they are to appetire before the lining God?Ecclefiaa.s. r.Benot raftwith thyrzoatb,t det not thy heart be hat" to vtter a thing before the Lord. AndDauid,Pfal. 26. 6. Wafhedhis hands ininnocencie, before hecame to thealtar ofthe Lorde to offer facrifice. The meanes whereby menmay ílirre vp their dull and heauiehearts, & fo preparethemfelues CO praier, arethree. Thefiat is toread diligently the worde of God,concerning thofe mattersabout which theyare topray:and what then? this willbe a meansnot onlytodirest him, butallo toquicken the heart more lceruently to deliver hispraier . This iseuident bya comparifon . The beames of the funne defcending,heat notbefore they come to the earth, or tome folide bodywhere they may refled , and then by that meanes theearthand aire ad- ioyningismadebote : cuen fothe Lord fendsdownevntovshis bleffedword, cuen as beames and thegoodly funfhine,and therebyhe fpeakcs toourhearts i nowwhen we makeour praiersofthat which we haue read, Gods worde is as it were refle6ed, and our heartesare thereby warmed with the comfortable heat ofGodsholy fpirit,topoureout ourpraiersto Godmore fervently. The fecond mares is topray to God that heewould (irengthen vswithhis fpirite, that we might be abletoprayas it is prataifed, Pfal. 143.1. The third meanes is, the confideratic nof Godsmofl glorious maid-fie wherein wee are to re- member furl his fatherly .goody cs andkindnes, v hereby heis willing; and fe- condlyhis omaipoten'cde,whereby hee is able to graunt ourrcgoefls. One of tlre(c: emboldened the leeperto pray, Lorde, if t bou wily, thewca lji rnake me cleane,Mat.8.2.There orefootl to thcraremorecf#ec`,luall. Now let vscome to thef.reface it idle, Ot,r father whichart in heaven. It containes a deferiptionofthe tree Cehouatowhomewe pray, and that by two arguments: thefill isdrawenfrom a relationOctrfather : the fecond is ta- kenfrom therubie&orplace, Whichart in heaven. Father.] T. Themeaning. 1N theopening ofthis word, ortitle ofGod, twoqueflions aretobe opened. i. Qseff. Whetherby this title, Fatter, is fignifted thewhole Trinitie or fome oneperfon thereof .lnfw.Otherwhilesthisname is attributed to all the perlons in Trinitie, oranyofthem. Malach2.10. Hastewee not all onefather, Luk.3.38,Which the finneofAdam , which was theframe ofGod. N ra And 4 5
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