A01902:245
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
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.
and when that is gone, the bare remembrance of them which is left, hath not in their absence, such an infallible, though a great efficacy to preserve his mind in an everlasting disrelishing former delights; but that he may, and often doth fall in love again too too much with them: ⟨p. 349⟩although indeed whilst the present sense of them did abide upon the heart, it abstracted the mind from all things here below. And hence a man is apt to fall from his first love, Rev. 2. and from that high esteem of spiritual things; as the Galatians, Gal. 4. 15. Where is the blessedness you spake of, says Saint Paul to them? therefore answerably the remembrance of the bitterness of any sin felt in our deepest humiliations, is much less able to preserve a man, nor is the impression and dint made so lasting, nor the scars and wounds of conscience continuing for ever ⟨p. 350⟩so fresh, as everlastingly to preserve and debtor us from falling into the same sin again. For both are but creatures, and at best but arguments drawn from sense, and experience within our selves, and have but an humane created power which is not always efficacious; especially seeing GOD hath ordained us to live by saith, more then by sense, for faith is appointed by God to be our more constant keeper, 1. Pet. 1. 5. We are kept through faith unto salvation, and by it more surely and more constantly then by impressions of joy, or sorrow which are made to sense: and yet ⟨p. 351⟩we are not kept by it of it self, but by the power of God: so then, we are kept by the power of God as the principal supporter, and guardian, through faith as the instrumental, and by it rather then by sense or any other grace of sorrow or repentance; because faith caries the heart out of it self, and commits it self wholly into the hands of God as a faithful Creator (who is the strength of Israel, to keep a man from every evil work,) as not being able to secure it self against any sin through the power of any fortification, or strength that any other grace or degree of ⟨p. 352⟩