A55752:1232
Riches of mercy to men in misery, or, Certain excellent treatises concerning the dignity…
Riches of mercy to men in misery, or, Certain excellent treatises concerning the dignity and duty of Gods children by the late Reverend and Faithful Minister of Jesus Christ, John Preston ...Riches of mercy to men in misery, or, Certain excellent treatises concerning the dignity and duty of Gods children by the late Reverend and Faithfull Minister of Jesus Christ, John Preston ...
London: printed by J.T., 1658
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.
But here, one caution is to be added, and that is, 1that it is not every kind of prayer, it must be such a prayer as the Lord looks for at •ur hands: it must be a prayer so qualified as he hath appointed; for though it be true that prayer be the key that opens the door into the Lords treasury, and when we go about to open this lock, we must have this key, otherwise ⟨p. 401⟩we go in a wrong way, yet faith is the hand that must turn this key. There are certain conditions required in prayer. Every customary formal, ordinary prayer will not prevail with God. No; […] Saint Paul saith, I serve him night and day, but I serve him in the spirit, you must pray in the spirit; that is, when you pray to the Lord you must pour forth your spirits to him in your petitions: your suites that you make to him must not be such only as your understandings dictate to you; but the will and affections, the intentions of your souls must go together in the performance of the duty, otherwise it is but an hypocritical performance of the duty. For this is hypocrisy, 2when a man is neither willing to omit the duty altogether nor careful to do it in that manner that he ought. Therefore, you must know that you may make a prayer that is but the expression of your […] and will he think you receive such a prayer as th• No, your prayers must be an expression of those holy •esir••, that arise from the regenerate part, it must be the voice of the spirit in you: that is, the voice of the regenerate part stirred up, and acted by the Holy Ghost. When your prayers are such prayers (though it be true […] flesh is mingled with them) they will prevail: for •hat is still required.
But here, one causion is to be added, and that is, 1that it is not every kind of prayer, it must be such a prayer as the Lord looks for at •ur hands: it must be a prayer so qualified as he hath appointed; for though it be true that prayer be the key that opens the door into the Lords treasury, and when we go about to open this lock, we must have this key, otherwise