The zealous Christian taking heavenThe zealovs Christian taking heaven

Ver. 19. Surely after that I was turned, I repented, and after that I was instructed, I smote upon my thigh: I was ashamed, yea even confounded, because I did hear the reproach of my youth. God doth love to hear his people mourning over, and bewailing their wants and weaknesses, and that is one necessary requisite in an acceptable prayer. Bewail therefore thy dullness, consider that prayer without this holy importunity, is like a messenger without legs, as an arrow without feathers, an advocate without a tongue. St Jerome complained very much of his ¹distractions and dullness in prayer, and chid himself thus: What doest thou think that Jonah prayed thus when he was in the whales belly, or Daniel when he was among the Lions, or the thief, ⟨p. 63⟩when he was upon the cross? Bemoan your want of importunity, if you would get this importunity. And so much shall suffice for the helps or means to get importunity. And so I have dispatched all those particulars propounded in the beginning, I now come to the application of the point.

Ver. 19. Surely after that I was turned, I repented, and after that I was instructed, I smote upon my thigh: I was ashamed, yea even confounded, because I did heare the reproach of my youth. God doth love to heare his people mourning over, and bewailing their wants and weaknesses, and that is one necessary requisite in an acceptable prayer. Bewaile therefore thy dulnesse, consider that prayer without this holy importunity, is like a messenger without legs, as an arrow without feathers, an advocate without a tongue. St Jerome complained very much of his ¹distractions and dulnesse in prayer, and chid himselfe thus: What doest thou thinke that Jonah prayed thus when he was in the whales belly, or Daniel when he was among the Lions, or the thiefe, ⟨p. 63⟩when he was upon the crosse? Bemoane your want of importunity, if you would get this importunitie. And so much shall suffice for the helps or meanes to get importunitie. And so I have dispatcht all those particulars propounded in the beginning, I now come to the application of the point.