A01902:169
The Return of Prayers
The return of prayers A treatise wherein this case how to discern Gods answers to our prayers is briefly resolved, with other observations upon Psal. 85.8. concerning Gods speaking peace, &c. By Tho: Goodwin. B.D.The returne of prayers A treatise wherein this case how to discerne Gods answers to our prayers is briefly resolved, with other observations vpon Psal. 85.8. concerning Gods speaking peace, &c. By Tho: Goodvvin. B.D.
London: printed by M. Flesher for R. Dawlman, 1636
THE RETURN OF PRAYERS. › Chapter 10THE RETVRNE OF PRAYERS. › Chapter 10
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
2. Thou art to consider that God doth not hear thee for thy prayers sake, though not without them, but for his Names sake, and his Sons sake, and because thou art his child, as the mother when her child cries (suppose it be a weak child) doth not neglect to hear and relieve it: but tenders it not because it doth cry more loud, but because it cries; and pities it the more the weaker it is.
2. Thou art to consider that God doth not heare thee for thy prayers sake, though not without them, but for his Names sake, and his Sons sake, and because thou art his child, as the mother when her child cryes (suppose it be a weake child) doth not neglect to heare and relieve it: but tenders it not because it doth cry more lowd, but because it cries; and pities it the more the weaker it is.
3. Again, though the performance in it self be weak, yet considered as a prayer, it may be strong, because a weak prayer may set the strong God a work, as faith for the act ⟨p. 223⟩of it, as produced by us may be weak, yet because its object is Christ, therefore it justifies: so it is in prayer, it prevails, not because of the performance it self, but because of the name, which it is put up in, even Christs name; and therefore as a weak faith justifies, so a weak prayer prevails as well as a stronger; and both for the like reason in both, for faith attributes all to God, and so doth prayer; for as faith is merely a receiving grace, so prayer a begging grace. And therefore dost thou think thy prayers are accepted at all, notwithstanding their weakness? if ⟨p. 224⟩that they are accepted, then they must be accepted as prayers, now if they be accepted as prayers, then as effectual motives to prevail with God to grant the thing you ask; for if he should not accept them to that end, for which they were ordained, it is as if he accepted them not at all. As therefore when he approves of any mans faith as true and sincere, he approves and accepts of it to that purpose, for which it was ordained, which is to save and justify, and to this end doth as fully accept the weakest act of faith, as the strongest; so is it with their prayers, which