The saints daily exercise A treatise concerning the whole duty of prayer. Delivered in…The saints daily exercise A treatise concerning the whole dutie of prayer. Delivered in…

One is, when God withdraws his own spirit, ⟨p. 76⟩¹that is, withdraws not his spirit altogether; ²(for there may be a help, when we perceive it not), but when he withdraws the liveliness, and quickness of his spirit, and in this case, if we do our duty, if we do the best we can, the Lord doth accept it, though he hath not vouchsafed such enlargement of our hearts, though he have not poured out his spirit upon us, in the performance of the duty, as at other times, but he gives a secret help, that perhaps we feel not, nor perhaps is so great as at other times; yet I say, when it ariseth from his own withdrawing of that fitness, & we are not negligent, but we do our best, in this case, God accepts the will for the […], as we have often said to you: that rule alway holds good, when the impediment is such as we cannot remove, when the dullness of spirit is such as it is not in our power to remove, when we have used our utmost diligence, in that case it is no hindrance: and therefore it is a great comfort unto us, that we have used our diligence in this duty, when we have used our best to quicken our hearts, though it be not done, yet God accepts our prayers, as well as if they were performed in a more lively and fervent manner.

One is, when God withdrawes his owne spirit, ⟨p. 76⟩¹that is, withdrawes not his spirit altogether; ²(for there may be a helpe, when we perceiue it not), but when hee withdrawes the liuelinesse, and quicknesse of his spirit, and in this case, if wee doe our dutie, if wee doe the best wee can, the Lord doth accept it, though hee hath not vouchsafed such inlargement of our hearts, though hee haue not powred out his spirit vpon vs, in the performance of the dutie, as at other times, but he giues a secret helpe, that perhaps we feele not, nor perhaps is so great as at other times; yet I say, when it ariseth from his owne withdrawing of that fitnesse, & we are not negligent, but we doe our best, in this case, God accepts the will for the 〈…〉, as wee haue often said to you: that rule alway holds good, when the impediment is such as we cannot remoue, when the dulnesse of spirit is such as it is not in our power to remoue, when wee haue vsed our vtmost diligence, in that case it is no hindrance: and therefore it is a great comfort vnto vs, that we haue vsed our diligence in this duty, when we haue vsed our best to quicken our hearts, though it be not done, yet God accepts our prayers, as well as if they were performed in a more liuely and fervent manner.