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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…
The saints daily exercise A treatise concerning the whole duty of prayer. Delivered in five sermons upon I Thess. 5.17. By the late faithful and worthy minister of Jesus Christ, John Preston, Dr. in Divinity, chaplain in ordinary to his Majesty, Master of Emmanuel College in Cambridge, and sometimes preacher of Lincolns Inn.The saints daily exercise A treatise concerning the whole dutie of prayer. Delivered in fiue sermons vpon I Thess. 5.17. By the late faithfull and worthy minister of Iesus Christ, Iohn Preston, Dr. in Divinity, chaplaine in ordinary to his Maiesty, Master of Emmanuel Colledge in Cambridge, and sometimes preacher of Lincolnes Inne.
London: printed by W. Jones, 1629London: printed by W. Iones, 1629
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.
Likewise the sins we commit, especially gross sins, they are a great hinderance to this duty, 1and keep from the spiritual, and cheerful performance of it: for sin wounds the conscience, it disjointeth, and dismembers the soul, and a disjointed member, you know, is unfit to do any business; yea, when the sin is healed, and forgiven, yet there is a soreness left in the heart, though some assurance of pardon should follow, upon the commission of a great sin, so that, that is another impediment. I must not stand to reckon up many, we shall find enough by continual experience.
Likewise the sins we commit, especially grosse sinnes, they are a great hinderance to this duty, 1and keepe from the spirituall, and cheerefull performance of it: for sinne wounds the conscience, it disioynteth, and dismembers the soule, and a disioynted member, you know, is vnfit to doe any businesse; yea, when the sinne is healed, and forgiven, yet there is a sorenesse left in the heart, though some assurance of pardon should follow, vpon the commission of a great sin, so that, that is another impediment. I must not stand to reckon vp many, we shall find enough by continuall experience.
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Only this use we must make of it, that, if the 1impediments be so many, and the difficulties that keep us from a constant course in prayer, 2and from the performance of it to purpose, so great, then we must put on a resolution to break through all, and lay it, as an inviolable law upon ⟨p. 40⟩our selves, that we will not alter. Let us think with our selves that the thing is difficult, and will cost all the care, and all the intention that may be; yea, when thou hast overcome the difficulties at one time, it may be, the next day, thou shalt meet with new conflicts, new distempers, new affections, new strength of lust, & a new dis position of mind will be on them, and therefore he that will be constant in this duty, must put on a strong resolution; as it was the saying of a holy man, one of the holiest men, that these latter times had, that he never went to pray to God,