1. The Meaning
- 1. Hereby first we learn that [reconstructed: Romish] pilgrimages, whereby men went from place to place to worship God, are vain, and foolish. - The God to whom we must pray is in heaven. - Now let men travel to what places or country they will, they shall not come the nearer to heaven, or nearer to God by traveling, seeing the earth is in every part alike distant from heaven. - 2. Secondly; this overthrows popish idolatry, as worshipping of crosses, crucifixes, roods, etc. used to put men in mind of God and Christ. - We are taught to lift up our eyes to heaven; seeing God is there: and how can we do this, as long as our minds and eyes are poring upon an image made by man's art? - 3. Again, we are here admonished to use the action of prayer with as great reverence as possible may be, and not to think of God in any earthly manner. - Well reasons Solomon (Ecclesiastes 5:2): Be not rash with your mouth to speak a word before God. - Why? He is in heaven, you are on earth: therefore let your words be few. - This reverence must appear in holiness of all our thoughts and affections, and in all comeliness of gesture. - And for this cause all wandering by-thoughts, and all vain babbling is to be avoided, but how goes the case with us, that on the times appointed come to the assemblies to pray? - Many, by reason of their blindness pray without understanding. - Many, when they are present at prayer, yet have their hearts occupied about other matters, about their goods and worldly business: such men have no joy or gladness in praying; it is a burden to them. - Many come to the assembly for custom only, or for fear of punishment, if they might be left free they could find in their hearts not to pray at all. - But let all such men know, that this manner of praying is a very grievous sin, nay greater than mocking of father or mother, killing or stealing, for it is directly against God, the other against men. - This sin because it is against the first table, and therefore more hard to be discerned, it is lightly esteemed, and it less troubles the consciences of ignorant men: indeed as it is in deed, so it is to be esteemed as a disgrace and plain mockery of God's majesty. - Therefore seeing God is in heaven, away with all drowsy and dead praying, let us come with reverence in our hearts before the Lord. - 4. Again, we are here to consider that our hearts in prayer must mount up into heaven, and there be present with the Lord. - Psalm 25:1. To you O Lord, lift I up my soul. - The little child is never well but when it is in the father's lap, or under the mother's wing: and the children of God are never in better case, than when in affection and spirit they can come into the presence of their heavenly father, and by prayer, as it were to creep into his bosom. - 5. And here we must further learn, specially to seek for heavenly things, and to ask earthly things, so far forth as they serve to bring us to an everlasting and immortal inheritance in heaven to which we are called (1 Peter 1:3). - 6. Lastly, whereas our father is in heaven, we are to learn that our life on earth is but a pilgrimage, and that our desire must be to attain to a better country, namely, heaven itself, and that we must use all means continually to come to it. - In a word, to make an end of the preface: in it is contained a double stay or prop of all our prayers. - The one is to believe that God can grant our requests, because he is almighty, and thus much is signified when he is said to be in heaven. - The second is to believe that God is ready and willing to grant the same, and this we are taught in the title father, which serves to put us in mind that God accepts our prayers (John 16:23) and has a care of us in all our miseries and necessities (Matthew 6:32) and pities us as much as any earthly father can pity his child (Psalm 103:13).
Yet must we not imagine that God will indeed give to us whatever we do upon our own heads, fancy, and desire: but we must in our prayers have recourse to the promise of God, and according to the tenor thereof must we frame and square our petitions. Things promised absolutely, as all graces necessary to salvation, may be asked absolutely: and things promised with condition, as graces less necessary, and temporal blessings are to be asked with condition, namely, so far forth as they shall be for God's glory in us, and for our good: except it be so that God promise any temporal blessing absolutely, as he promised issue to Abraham in his old age. The kingdom to David after Saul. A deliverance from captivity in Babylon after 70 years to the Israelites.
Again, the preface serves to stir up love and fear in the hearts of them that are about to pray. Love, because they pray to a father: fear, because he is full of majesty in heaven.
