The Return of Prayers

1. Of their Repentings: some are more imperfect, and but as it were thawings of the mind a little, by means of a little Sunshine of Gods love: some, are more thorough and deep; that recover a man, and put him into a sound and healthful estate. As for example, a man in an ague hath well days, yet his fits return, and it may be they leave him for a month or so; and yet they take him again, as at Spring and Autumn; which is because all this while his body is not thoroughly recovered to a state of health: so is it with a mans heart in respect of ⟨p. 380⟩his lusts; though he may have many well days, wherein he may eat his meat, and receive sweetness in the word, and ordinances: yet at times his distempers and aguish fits return, he being aguish still; but in the end, after the peace of God hath more thoroughly established his heart, he attains to some settled constant victory over it; and when it doth not prevail to victory, such aguish fits end usually in consumptions, in which long agues often end: as in Temporaries, in whom, sin overcoming GODS striving with them, it eats all good beginnings ⟨p. 381⟩out; but if they belong to GOD, then usually that aguish distemper, is in the end by a more thorough repentance, so healed, as that they attain to more victory, and security against it then any other sin; that as in those other kind of tentations, it often falls out, that, that which a man doubted of most, he comes in the end to be most assured of, and to doubt no more; so also here, a man becomes most freed from that sin, he was long exercised with of all other. So also

1. Of their Repentings: some are more imperfect, and but as it were thawings of the minde a little, by meanes of a little Sunshine of Gods love: some, are more thorow and deep; that recover a man, and put him into a sound and healthfull estate. As for example, a man in an ague hath well dayes, yet his fits returne, and it may be they leave him for a month or so; and yet they take him againe, as at Spring and Autumne; which is because all this while his body is not thorowly recovered to a state of health: so is it with a mans heart in respect of ⟨p. 380⟩his lusts; though he may have many well dayes, wherein hee may eate his meate, and receive sweetnesse in the word, and ordinances: yet at times his distempers and aguish fits returne, he being aguish still; but in the end, after the peace of God hath more thoroughly established his heart, he attaines to some setled constant victory over it; and when it doth not prevaile to victory, such aguish fits end usually in consumptions, in which long agues often end: as in Temporaries, in whom, sinne overcomming GODS striving with them, it eates all good beginnings