§ 1. VII. And it is not nothing to encourage us to hope in him that hath made all these Promises, when we find how he heareth Prayers in this life, and thereby assureth his Servants that he is their true and faithful Saviour. We are apt in our distress to cry loud for Mercy and deliverances; and when humane help faileth to promise God, that if he now will save us, we will thankfully acknowledge it his work; and yet when we are delivered, to return not only to security, but to ingratitude; and think that our deliverance came but in the course of common Providence, and not indeed as an answer to our Prayers. And therefore God in Mercy reneweth both our distresses and our deliverances, that what once or twice will not convince us of, many and great deliverances may. This is my own case. O how oft have I cried to him when men and means were nothing, and when no help in second Causes did appear, and how oft and suddenly and mercifully hath he delivered me? What sudden ease, what removal of long afflictions have I had! such extraordinary changes, and beyond my own and others expectations, ⟨p. 43⟩when many plain-hearted upright Christians have by Fasting and Prayer sought God on my behalf, as have over and over convinced me of Special Providence, and that God is indeed a hearer of Prayers. And wonders I have seen done for others also, upon such Prayer, more than for my self: Yea, and wonders for the Church and public Societies. Though I and others are too like those Israelites, Psal. 78. who cried to God in their troubles, and he oft delivered them out of their distress, but they quickly for got this Mercies, and their Convictions, Purposes and Promises, when they should have praised the Lord for his Goodness, and declared his works with thanksgiving to the Sons of Men.
§ 1. VII. And it is not nothing to encourage us to hope in him that hath made all these Promises, when we find how he heareth Prayers in this life, and thereby assureth his Servants that he is their true and faithful Saviour. We are apt in our distress to cry loud for Mercy and deliverances; and when humane help faileth to promise God, that if he now will save us, we will thankfully acknowledg it his work; and yet when we are delivered, to return not only to security, but to ingratitude; and think that our deliverance came but in the course of common Providence, and not indeed as an answer to our Prayers. And therefore God in Mercy reneweth both our distresses and our deliverances, that what once or twice will not convince us of, many and great deliverances may. This is my own case. O how oft have I cryed to him when men and means were nothing, and when no help in second Causes did appear, and how oft and suddenly and mercifully hath he delivered me? What sudden ease, what removal of long afflictions have I had! such extraordinary changes, and beyond my own and others expectations, ⟨p. 43⟩when many plain-hearted upright Christians have by Fasting and Prayer sought God on my behalf, as have over and over convinced me of Special Providence, and that God is indeed a hearer of Prayers. And wonders I have seen done for others also, upon such Prayer, more than for my self: Yea, and wonders for the Church and publick Societies. Though I and others are too like those Israelites, Psal. 78. who cried to God in their troubles, and he oft delivered them out of their distress, but they quickly for got this Mercies, and their Convictions, Purposes and Promises, when they should have praised the Lord for his Goodness, and declared his works with thanksgiving to the Sons of Men.
