A practical exposition of the Lord's-Prayer

3. Of his Attributes.

First, Of the Nature and Being of God. Every one that would come to God, must fix this in his Mind, That God is; and that God is a Spirit: And accordingly he must be worshipped, as will suit with these two Notions. Heb. 11. 6. He that cometh to God, must believe that God is, and then that God is a Spirit; for it is said, Joh. 4. 24. God is a Spirit, and they that worship him, must worship him in Spirit and Truth. O then, when ever you come to pray to God, fix these two Thoughts, let them be strong in your Heart, God is: I do not speak to an Idol, but to the living God: And God is a Spirit, and therefore not so much pleased with plausibleness of Speech, or tuneable cadency of Words, as with a right Temper of Heart. Alas! when we come to pray, we little think God is, or what God is: much of our Religion is performed to an unknown God; and like the Samaritans, We worship we know not what. It is not Speculations about the Divine Nature, or high strained Conceptions, which doth fit us for Prayer: the discoursing of these things with some Singularity, or Terms removed from common Understanding, this is not that which I press you to; but such a sight of God, as prompteth us to a reverent and serious worshipping of him. Then we have right Notions of God in Prayer, when we ⟨p. 64⟩are affected as Moses was, when God showed him his Back-parts, and proclaimed his Name, Exod. 34. He made haste, bowed his Head and worshipped; when our Worship suiteth with the Nature of God, 'tis Spiritual and Holy, not Pompous and Theatrical. Well then, these two things must be deeply imprinted in our Minds, that God is, and that He is a Spirit. And then is our Worship right.

First, Of the Nature and Being of God. Every one that would come to God, must fix this in his Mind, That God is; and that God is a Spirit: And accordingly he must be worshipped, as will suit with these two Notions.