Kaina kai palaia Things new and old, or, A store-house of similies, sentences, allegories, apophthegms, adagies, apologues, divine, morall, politicall, &c. : with their severall applications / collected and observed from the writings and sayings of the learned in all ages to this present by John Spencer ...

[ 1188] Sinfull Prayers, not heard by God.

A King of the Saracens by his Ambassadour,* 1.1 demanded of Godfrey of Boloign, then in the holy War, how he had his hands, ••am doctas ad praeliandum, so able to fight;* 1.2 who returned him this answer, Quia manus semper habui puras, &c. Because I never defiled my hands with any notorious sin. Thus is it, that men prosper not outwardly, because they look not to themselves inwardly; they pray, and speed not;* 1.3 they lift up their voyce, but not holy hands: They pray, but they do not with the Ninivites,* 1.4 turn every one from the evill of his way, and from the wickednesse that is in his heart:* 1.5 So that regarding iniquity in their hearts, God will not hear their prayers.* 1.6 The Loads••one loseth its vertue, besmeared with garlick, and our prayers with sin;* 1.7 that's the onely Remora, that stops our prayers, under full sail, to the throne of grace.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Max. Tyrius.
• * 1.2

  Despiciuntur o rationes leves, diffidentes, in∣anes, &c. Aug. in Matth. 6.
• * 1.3

  Joh. Squire
• * 1.4

  Serm. at St. Pauls, 1637.
• * 1.5

  1 Tim. 2. 8.
• * 1.6

  Jer. 3. 8.
• * 1.7

  Psal. 66. 18.