For answer to this, I say this, in being •e, 1that when you do call upon God, he is not changed by your prayers, but the change is wrought in you, as we have said to you heretofore, 2when a Physiti• is sought unto by his patient, the patient desires him earnestly to give him such a cordial, and such […] Physic, that is pleasing to him; the Physician denies him long, yet in the end, he yields unto it. Why? not because there is any change in the Physician, but because there is a change in the patient, he is now fitted for this, before he was not: so then the Physician yields now, whereas before he refused, and yet the change is in the patient, and not in the physician, and therefore, beloved, when […] about to strive with God in prayer, when you contend, and wrestle with him (for so we ought to do) when you use many reasons to persuade him, you alter not him, but your selves […] those arguments that you use, are not so much to persuade him to be •e ⟨p. 45⟩you, as to persuade your hearts to more faith, to more love, to more obedience, to more humility, and thankfulness, and that indeed is the reason, why prayer prevails with God, not that the very sending up is that, that prevails with him, but because a faithful, and a spiritual prayer puts the heart in a better disposition, so that a man is now made ready to receive a blessing at Gods hands, that before he was not. So that, when you think you draw God to you, with your arguments, in truth, you draw 3your selves nearer to him; as when a man in a ship plucks a rock, it seemeth as as if he plucked the rock nearer to the ship, when as the ship is plucked nearer the rock: so, I say, we draw our selves nearer to the Lord, and when we draw nearer to the Lord, in prayer, and there is a spiritual disposition wrought in our hearts, by the exercise of this duty, then indeed the Lord draws near to us, to send us help, and to grant our requests, that we put up to him, and therefore that you should mark by the way, that any prayer, as it hath a higher pitch of holiness in affection, and as it hath stronger arguments in it; so it is a better prayer; not because this prayer shall prevail with God more, or, that the excellency of this prayer should move him, but because this pitch of holy affection, and strength of argument works upon your hearts:
For answere to this, I say this, in bein •e, 1that when you doe call vpon God, hee is not changed by your prayers, but the change is wrought in you, as wee haue said to you heretofore, 2when a Physiti• is sought vnto by his patient, the patient desires him earnestl•e to giue him such a cordiall, and such 〈…〉 Physicke, that is pleasing to him; the Phisition denies him long, yet in the end, he yeelds vnto it. Why? not because there is anie change in the Phisitian, but because there is a change in the patient, he is now fitted for this, before hee was not: so then the Phisition yeelds now, whereas before he refused, and yet the change is in the patient, and not in the phisitian, and therefore, beloved, when 〈…〉 about to striue with God in prayer, when you contend, and wrastle with him (for so we ought to doe) when you vse manie reasons to perswade him, you alter not him, but your selues 〈…〉 those arguments that you vse, are not so much to perswade him to be •e ⟨p. 45⟩you, as to perswade your hearts to more faith, to more loue, to more obedience, to more humilitie, and thankfulnesse, and that indeed is the reason, why prayer prevailes with God, not that the verie sending vp is that, that prevailes with him, but because a faithfull, and a spirituall prayer puts the heart in a better disposition, so that a man is now made readie to receiue a blessing at Gods hands, that before hee vvas not. So that, when you thinke you draw God to you, with your arguments, in truth, you draw 3your selues neerer to him; as when a man in a ship pluckes a rocke, it seemeth as as if he plucked the rocke neerer to the shippe, when as the shippe is plucked neerer the rocke: so, I say, wee draw our selues neerer to the Lord, and when wee draw neerer to the Lord, in prayer, and there is a spirituall disposition wrought in our hearts, by the exercise of this dutie, then indeede the Lord drawes neere to vs, to send vs helpe, and to grant our requests, that wee put vp to him, and therefore that you should marke by the way, that any prayer, as it hath a higher pitch of holinesse in affection, and as it hath stronger arguments in it; so it is a better prayer; not because this prayer shall prevayle with God more, or, that the excellencie of this prayer should moove him, but because this pitch of holie affection, and strength of argument workes vpon your hearts:
- 1Ans.
- 2Simile.
- 3Simile.
