A55752:1234
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.
Therefore we must take heed of that common error, that because we hear that prayer will prevail; therefore we use some certain formalities, and make some petitions, and so we do make account to prevail with God; this is the common error of people: we are deceived in this, it is not every kind of prayer that will do it. An ordinary prayer would not have recovered Hezekiah, and restored him to health. It was the fault of Gehazi when he had got the staff, he thought to recover the child: but he wanted Elisha's spirit. A man may make a prayer to God, but when he wants the spirit of prayer, he cannot expect an answer: for the promise is not made to such: Therefore when we deliver this point to you, that prayer is an effectual means to prevail with God for any thing, you must understand that those conditions must accompany it that the Lord requires. And so much for this point, he prayed to the Lord, Who spake unto him.
Therefore we must take heed of that common errour, that because we hear that prayer will prevail; therefore we use some certain formalities, and make some petitions, and so we do make account to prevail with God; this is the common errour of people: we are deceived in this, it is not every kind of prayer that will do it. An ordinary prayer would not have recovered Hezekiah, and restored him to health. It was the fault of Gehazi when he had got the staff, he thought to recover the child: but he wanted Elisha's spirit. A man may make a prayer to God, but when he wants the spirit of prayer, he cannot expect an answer: for the promise is not made to such: Therefore when we deliver this point to you, that prayer is an effectual means to prevail with God for any thing, you must understand that those conditions must accompany it that the Lord requires. And so much for this point, he prayed to the Lord, Who spake unto him.
We must be very brief in this, because we hasten to the next verse. Two things we may observe out of these words. First, That