Selected quad for the lemma: mercy_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
mercy_n	denial_n	great_a	reservation_n	191	4	15.7961	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A01902	The returne of prayers A treatise wherein this case how to discerne Gods answers to our prayers is briefly resolved, with other observations vpon Psal. 85.8. concerning Gods speaking peace, &c. By Tho: Goodvvin. B.D.	Goodwin, Thomas, 1600-1680.	1636 (1636)	STC 12041.3; ESTC S117577	96,573	431

small and imperfect embryon I have presumed to send forth into the world and directed it first of all to present its service unto you and make an honourable and thankefull mention of your Name Your worth deserves a more costly large and lasting monument for this inscription Your owne abilities of learning eloquence and depth of wisedome in humane affaires would you be perswaded to lay them out as you are able would erect such a remembrance and sumptuous memoriall of you when you are gathered to your Fathers as would beare some proportion to your great worth But that which emboldned me was the neere affinity which meditations of this nature doe hold with those other your more retired thoughts you thinke to none but God and your owne soule You have beene long a frequent and constant dealer in this blessed way of entercourse with God in private Those that know you know your strict observance of those exchange houres you have devoted to meet with God and enjoy communion with Him But above all it was that personall obligation under which a great and speciall all favour from you long since brought me upon which I devoted with my selfe the first of my labours unto your service And it became one great reliefe unto my thoughts weighing the many inconveniences of appearing thus in publique that it gave so full occasion to pay my vowes thus openly before all the world which having now done God that is rich in mercy to all that call upon him fill you with all Grace and grant all your petitions so prayes Your Worships obliged to love and serve you THO GOODVVIN THE TABLE CHAP. 1. The maine observation That Gods people are diligently to observe the answers of their prayers Pag. 5. The sinfulnes of the neglect hereof demonstrated by seven reasons 7 1 reas An ordinance of God taken in vain ibid. 2. reas Gods attributes taken in vain 12 3. reas God in answering made to speake in vaine 16 4. reas God provoked not to answer 19 5. reas We shall not returne thanks 21 6. reas We shall lose much experience 23 1. Of Gods faithfulnesse ibid 2. Of our own wayes towards him 25 7. reas We shall lose much comfort 28 CHAP. 2. Three Cases The first concerning prayers for such promises as may bee accomplished in ages to come 32 1 § Such prayers the Church to come doth reape 33 2 § Yet wee at present may have an answer about them 39 3 § In heaven and at the last day wee shall rejoyce for their accomplishment 40 CHAP. 3. Second Case Concerning prayers made for others of our friends c. How answered p. 42 1 § Such prayers oft granted 44 2 § Yet not alwayes in the very thing prayed for 46 Such promises but indefinite 49 As all temporall promises are 51 Our faith towards them not required to be assurance 53 Vnlesse God give a speciall faith 58 3 § Such prayers returned into our owne bosomes 61 4 § God in the end casts some out of our prayers 65 5 § Those prayers answered in some others 68 CHAP. 4. Third Case How the influence of our owne prayers when others pray also for the same thing with us may bee discerned 72 1 § If our hearts are affected with the same holy affection 73 Vnbeknowne each to other 75 2 § By some speciall endeavor as 1 Some notable circumstance 76 2 By joy in the accomplishment 79 3 By thankfulnesse for the accomplishment 81 3 § This lesse to be doubted when the thing prayed for by us doth concerne our owne particular p. 82 CHAP. 5 Common directions helpfull in all cases and prayers taken first from observations from Before and In praying p. 85 1 § BEFORE when God prepares the heart 86 Difference between Satans motions to prayer and Gods 89 2 § IN prayer Gods speakings in prayer are evidences of hearing and discerned by 4 things 93 1 Giving a quietnes by praier about the thing prayed for ibid 3 § 2 By revealing his love in and upon such petitions 99 A caution herein 103 Reasons why God draws nigh when he grants not the thing 104 4 § 3 God sometimes gives a particular assurance 107 A caution herein 111 5 § 4 By giving a restlesse importunity to pray for a particular mercy 117 CHAP. 6 Observations made upon the disposition of the heart AFTER prayer Vntill the ISSVE of the thing prayed for p. 119 1 § When God gives an obedient dependant heart pag. 119 2 § when God gives an heart waiting for and expecting it 123 CHAP. 7 Observations made AFTER prayer Vpon the ISSVE first If Accomplisht whether as the fruit of prayer or of common providence 125 1 § God sometimes answers the prayer in the very thing and maner desired 126 2 § Directions to discerne that things thus obtained are in answer to prayers 134 1 From the maner of Gods performance A more then ordinary hand discovered in things accomplisht by prayer instanced in 5. particulars ibid 1 By bringing it to passe through difficulties 135 2 By facilitating all meanes 137 3 Effecting it suddenly 139 4 With addition of other mercies above what was desired 141 5 By some speciall circumstance as a token of his hand in it 142 3 § 2 From the Time wherein it is accomplisht 146 As first when we were most instant in prayer 147 2 In the fittest time for us Then 150 1 When we have most need 151 2 When the heart was best prepared to receive it 154 4 § 3 From the proportion which may bee observed betwixt Gods dealings in the accomplishment and our prayers 158 CHAP. 8. Seven observations more from the Effects which the accomplishment of the mercy hath upon the heart 163 1 § If it draw the heart nearer to God ibid 2 § Enlargeth the heart with thankfulnesse 166 3 § And encourageth the heart the more to pray for other things 169 4 § If it makes more carefull to performe the vowes made to obtaine it 170 5 § If by faith a man sees and acknowledgeth Gods sole hand in the accomplishment 174 6 § By an assurance which comes sometimes with the mercy 178 7 § By the event Things obtained by prayer prove stable mercies 179 CHAP. 9. Considerations to quiet us and to helpe to discerne an acceptation of the prayer when the thing is Not Accomplisht 183 1 § The thing not alwayes granted when yet the prayer is heard ibid. An objection answered 186 2 § Some blessings not absolutely promised nor absolutely to be prayed for 188 In which a deniall is to bee interpreted as best for us in Gods judgement 190 3 § There may be a reservation in the deniall for some greater mercy ibid 4 § There may bee a transmutation into some other blessing of the same kind 193 5 § God when hee denies yet answereth to the ground of our prayers 196 6 § And yeelds farre in it to give satisfaction to his child 203 7 § Wee may

therein according to what is our duty not according to what is his decree Againe secondly that phrase helpes to answer this when hee is said to helpe our infirmities and therefore not according to his owne vast knowledge doth he frame our prayers but so as hee applies his assistance to our infirme weake and narrow apprehensions and stirres up desires in us to such things as according to our knowledge wee are in duty to conceive and which by all wee can see by what is afore us revealed in his providence we thinke to be most for our good and his glory and God accepts such desires as from us but yet doth for us according to the largenese of his owne love §. 2. A mistake to pray absolutely for such blessings as are not absolutely promised And so now to come to the case propounded and therein unto helps to pacifie and direct the heart about those prayers at which the things are not granted And first how diddest thou frame thy prayer for that thing which is denyed thee Didst thou pray for it absolutely and peremptorily as simply best for thee thou must not then think much if such a prayer bee denyed for therein thou wentest beyond thy commission but if thou didst pray for it conditionally and with an if as Christ did if it be possible which instance is a strong ground for such kinde of prayers and not my will but thy will be done so as thou didst referre it unto and trust Gods judgement in the thing and not thine owne onely didst put him in mind as thy duty was of what was represented to thee as best for thee in view and so left it to him to cast and didst referre it to His will and wisedome In which when we are denied we are to rest in Gods judgment as best for us and so interpret the prayer answered Then thy prayer may be most fully answered and heard and yet the thing denied and thou art to interpret and God takes meaning and mind revealed in the event in the best sense which way soever it falls for otherwise CHRIST had not been heard when yet the Text sayes Hee was heard in all hee feared Hebr. 5. 7. § 3. There may be a reservation in the denial for some greater mercy 2. Observe if there were not a reservation in that denial for some greater and further mercy whereof that deniall was the foundation Thus 1 oftentimes some great crosse is prevented by the deniall of a thing which we were urgent for if we had had many of our desires we had been undone So it was a mercy to David that his childe was taken away for whose life he was yet so earnest who would have been but a living monument of his shame It was also a mercy to David that Absalom was taken away whom surely he prayed much for for hee loved him much who if he had lived might have beene the ruine of him and his house As a wicked mans deliverance and the granting his request layes a foundation and is a reservation of him to a worse Judgement So the deniall of a Godly mans prayer is for his greater good and is laid as a foundation of a greater mercy 2 and againe oftentimes the very deniall breaks a mans heart and brings him nearer to God puts him upon searching into his wayes and estate and in his prayers to see what should be amisse therein which alone is a great mercy and better then the thing seeing by the losse of that one thing hee learns how to pray better and so to obtaine a hundred better things afterward Christ desired the Cup might passe it did not and that was the foundation of our salvation the way to His glory Hee being to passe through that suffering into His glory The woman that had the bloody issue though shee used many meanes and haply prayers among the rest and all in vaine yet none tooke effect that in the end shee might come to Christ and have both body and soule healed at once §. 4. There may be a transmutation of the thing denied into some other blessing that is better of the same kind 3 Observe if there be to a transmutation and a translation or turning of ●he thing desired into some other greater bles●ing of the same kind for God all whose wayes are mercy and truth to His people doth improve husband and lay out the precious stocks of their prayers to the best advantage in things whereby the greatest returns and gains may accrue as old Iacob laid not his Hand of blessing as Ioseph would have guided them but laid the right hand upon the yonger Sonne whom Ioseph did set at his left So often doth God take off his hand of blessing from the thing we prayed for and laies discovers it in another more for our good and as God giving Isaac the power and priviledge to blesse a sonne though Isaac hee intended it for Esau yet God unbeknown to him transmitted it to Iacob yet so as the blessing was not lost Thus is it in our prayers for blessings both upon our selves and others There is often a transmutation never a frustration of them which may as truely and directly bee called an answer to the prayer As if a factor beyond Sea when the owner sends for such and such commodities supposing them more vendible and advantagious but the Factor knowing the state of things and the prices sends him ●ver in stead of them such as shall sell better and bring in more profit may be said to answer his letters and that better then if hee had sent those very commidities he writ for Thus Abrahams prayers for Ishmael were turned for Isaac Davids for the Childe to Solomon §. 1. God answers to the ground of our prayers 4 Observe if in the end God doth not answer thee still according to the ground of thy prayer that is see if that holy end intention and affection which thou hadst in prayer be not in the end fully satisfied though not in the thing thou didst desire for God answers Secundum cardinem according to the hinge which the prayer turnes upon As when a General is sent out with an Army by a King or a State who give him many particular directions how to order and dispose and manage the war although in many particulars that fall out wherein they could not foresee to give so punctuall and particular directions he swerve from the directions yet if he keeps to the intent of their Commission and doth what is most advantagious for their ends he may bee said to keepe to his Commission For as they say of the Law Mens leg is est lex the mind of the Law is the Law not the bare words it is printed in so the Meaning of the Spirit is the prayer Rom. 8. 27. and not simply the things desired wherein wee expresse those our desires and still the meaning the intent the ground of our