As by these words, our Father, I am taught to glory and rejoice for the blessed communion which I am called to with thee, dear Father, with thy Christ, and with thy holy church, so also am I here taught by these words, which art in heaven, to rejoice in respect of the place and blessed joys, whereunto at length in thy good time I shall come. For now I may perceive, that as heaven is thy home, so it is mine also, being, as I am, thy child through Christ, although here for a time I am bodily on earth and in misery.
Again, by these words, which art in heaven, I am admonished not only to discern thee from earthly fathers, and to know that thou art almighty, present in all places, and of perfect purity, to confirm thereby my faith, to be provoked the more to fear thee, to reverence thee, &c., but also I am admonished to judge of thy fatherly love by heavenly benefits, and not by corporeal benefits, simply and alone. For often the wicked prosper more in the world, and have more worldly benefits, than thy children; so that by this I see thou wouldst pull up my mind from earth and earthly things, to heaven and heavenly things; and that I should see further by corporeal benefits thy heavenly providence for me. For if thou place me thus on earth, and thus bless me as thou dost, and hitherto hast done, from my youth up, since thou art not so careful for my body as for my soul, how should I but think much of thy providence for it in thy home, where is such glory, as the eye has not seen, &c. Of which things these corporeal benefits of thine, given me on earth, should be as it were inductions (should lead me on, editor), and the taking of them away admonitions to he more mindful of permanent things, and less mindful of transitory things.
By reason hereof I have great cause to lament and to rejoice. To lament, because I am so earthly-minded, so little desirous of my home, so unthankful for thy providence, and fatherly corrections here on earth. To rejoice, because of my home, and the great glory thereof, because thou dost so provide for me here, because thou dost so correct and chasten me, &c. But, alas! I am altogether a wretch, earthly, and unthankful, not only for these corporeal benefits, health, riches, friends, fame, wisdom, tic., for thy fatherly correction, sickness, temptation, &c., but also for thy heavenly benefits, for Jesus Christ, for the promise of thy Spirit, for thy gospel, &c., yea, even for heaven itself, and thy whole glory, as the Israelites were for the land of Canaan, and therefore never enjoyed it, but perished in the wilderness. (Psalm cvi.). I am proud in prosperity, and forget thee, waxing secure and careless, &c. I am impatient in the cross, and too much consider worldly disadvantage. Oh! dear Father, forgive me, for thy Christ's sake, all mine unthankfulness, love of this world, contempt and oblivion of thy heavenly benefits; and grant me thy Holy Spirit, to illuminate the eyes of my mind with the light and lively knowledge of thy presence, power, wisdom, and goodness in thy creatures, but especially in Christ Jesus, thy Son, and so by the same Spirit inflame mine affection, that I may desire nothing in earth but thee, and to be present with thee, that my conversation may be in heaven continually. From whence grant me still to look for the Lord Jesus, to make this my vile body like unto his own glorious and immortal body, according to his own power, by which he is able to do all things. As thou hast given me to be thy child, so I pray thee give me these things which are the properties of thy children, given from thee in thy good time. (Col. iii. Phil. iii.)
