Digital Donne: the Online Variorum
The 1654 Prose Letters Letter 36, cont. (p.111) |
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gave us, is grounded upon Gods assu- ming us, not our going to him. And, our accesses to his presence are but his descents into us; and when we get any thing by prayer, he gave us before hand the thing and the petition. For, I scarce think any ineffectuall prayer free from both sin, and the punishment of sin: yet as God seposed a seventh of our time for his exterior wor- ship, and as his Christian Church early presented him a type of the whole year in a Lent, and after imposed the obligation of canonique hours, constituting thereby mo- rall Sabbaths every day; I am farre from dehorting those fixed devotions: But I had rather it were bestowed upon thanks- giving then petition, upon praise then pray- er; not that God is indeared by that, or wearied by this; all is one in the receiver, but not in the sender: and thanks doth both offices; for, nothing doth so inno- cently provoke new graces, as gratitude. I would also rather make short prayers then extend them, though God can neither be [CW: sur] |
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