Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	hear_v	lord_n	see_v	2,877	5	3.4356	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A05061	The chariot and horsemen of Israel A discourse of prayer: shewing what it is, as also the meanes to attaine to the practise of it. An exercise so rare in the world, and yet so requisite, as few vse it aright, and none may omit it. By Henry Langley, minister of the Word of God, at Treswell in the county of Nottingham.	Langley, Henry, d. 1636.	1616 (1616)	STC 15202; ESTC S108258	40,085	136

is the onely obiect of our prayers Call vpon mee saith hee in the Psalmes q Ps 50. And our Sauiour teacheth vs in that his vniuersall forme of prayer to say Our Father which art in heauen And that by Father he meaneth only God doth euidently appeare I. By things desired viz. the hallowing of his name the cōming of his Kingdome c. II. By the Reasons For thine is the Kingdome c. III. By his speech to his Disciples elsewhere r Mat. 23.9 Call no man your Father vpon the earth for there is but one your Father which is in Heauen This is his direction And otherwise to pray then Christ hath taught vs is saith Chrysostome ſ Ser. 6. De Orat. Dom. Aliter orare quàm docuit Christus non ignorantia sola est sed culpa not only an errour but a fault For the confirmation heereof I will keepe me within the limits of this discourse The reasons then are these Argu. 1 I. From the notation God is onely to be prayed vnto Because wee are onely liable to his iudgement For what need I regard to sue for peace to him in whose danger I am not or to appeale from him who hath no power to proceed against mee or to plead my pardon before him who hath no authoritie to condemne or acquit me And as the Apostle witnesseth t There is one that iudgeth me the Lord. Argu. 2 II. From the Principall Efficient Because it is the Spirit that helpeth our infirmities teaching vs yea praying for vs whom to make a petitioner to Saints or Angels or any creature were horrible blasphemy Argu. 3 III. From the Forme Faiths apprehension and application being the Forme of Prayer God is onely to be praied vnto as hee alone from whom wee haue the word of promise the ground of faith and who can search our hearts and see our faith All the promises looke this way The Father promiseth deliuerance t Ps 50. if wee call vpon him The Sonne assures vs n Ioh. 16.23 that hee will doe whatsoeuer we aske the Father And the Holy Ghost doth testifie vnto vs that u 1. Ioh. 5.15 we shall haue the requests we doe aske of him And for the latter The Lord doth appropriate to himselfe the searching of the heart x Ier. 17.10 I the Lord search the heart Argu. 4 IV. From the End Prayer must be made onely to him to whom so doing God may be glorified our dutie discharged the promise come in force and such meanes bee vsed as the Lord hath appointed All which are when we pray to God not one particular being otherwise attained vnto Argu. 5 V. From an inseparable adiunct of Prayer We must onely pray to him to whom diuine adoration is due wherein wee doe abase our selues and exalt the Person to whom we pray Now that both this doth inseparably accompany prayer appeareth in that the Apostle describeth prayer y Ephes 3.14 onely by the outward gesture whereby this adoration is expressed For this cause I bow my knees saith hee vnto the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ as also that all diuine adoration is peculiar to the Lord may bee seene in the second commaundement where it is forbidden so much as to bow down and worship any thing besides the Lord. And thus the Church in her purer times did vse this dutie As to content vs with one testimony wee may see in the Epistle written in the name of the Church of Smyrna Euseb Eccles hist lib. 4. cap. 15. touching the martyrdome of that renowned Polycarpus mentioned by Eusebius Being ignorant saith the Church speaking of their aduersaries that we can neuer forsake Christ which died for the saluation of the whole world that wee can worship none other For wee worship Christ as the Sonne of God the Martyrs we loue as Disciples and followers of the Lord and that worthily for the inuincible good loue they beare to their King and master whose companions and disciples we desire to be §. 5. 3. To whom and that 2. His name or God in his name The other point is how God is our Obiect and that is in his name For Prayer is a calling vpon the name of God I will take the cup of saluation saith the Psalmist z Ps 116.13 and call on the name of the Lord. And the Apostle saith a Rom. 10.13 Whosoeuer shall call on the name of the Lord shal be saued The name of God is any significant title attributed to him for our capacitie I. Then Prayer is not a confused calling vpon God But he that prayeth must know how the Lord hath reuealed himselfe in the word that so accordingly hee may conceiue of him How shall they call on him saith the Apostle b Rom. 10.14 in whom they haue not beleeued and how shall they beleeue in him of whom they haue not heard 2. II. In the second place wee must not onely know GOD to whom wee pray in some good measure But wee are also to consider those proprieties in GOD which doe the best sort with our matter As if our speech concerne the searching of our hearts and the Lords knowing of our sinnes wee must consider his omniscience If our misery to be confessed and how he might deale with vs then wee are to consider his iustice If pardon his mercie If helpe his power If faith and hope his vnchangeable veritie c. An example hereof wee haue in Dauid c Psal 4 1. Heare me calling O God of my righteousnesse saith hee thou hast set me at libertie in a straite be gracious vnto mee and heare my prayer Here the Psalmist three wayes affected considereth the Lord answerably in three proprieties I. As an innocent hee doth consider the Lord as Patrone of Innocents and innocent causes Heare me calling O God of my righteousnesse II. Being in miserie and great distresse he calleth to minde the gracious prouidence of the Lord confirmed by the experience of former deliuerance Thou hast set me at libertie in a straite III. In the sense of his frailties from which none are free and for which the Lord might iustly reiect him hee appealleth vnto mercie Be gracious vnto mee and heare my prayer And thus doing wee shall finde the relation betweene the proprieties in God and their obiects in vs a powerfull meanes to moue vs touching humiliation or consolation And thus much for the obiect of Prayer to wit God and that in his name that is so conceiued and called vpon as he hath pleased for our direction and comfort to make himselfe knowne vnto vs. §. 6. How to conceiue of God in praier Here before we proceed we will answere two Questions The first whereof is this Quest How should a man conceiue of God in prayer Thou must touching thy praying note three things I. Thy presenting thy selfe II. Thy Prayer III. Thy actions and iestures Answ God is the obiect of all these but

The particulars of this discourse The 1. Definition 2. Causes 3. Effects 4. Subiects 5. Adiuncts 6. Distribution of Prayer CHAP. I. The definition of prayer The Definition of prayer Prayer is a calling vpon the name of God as a Father THis may bee the definition of prayer Wherin two things are to be considered I. The thing defined II. The definition it selfe 1. The thing defined The thing here defined is Prayer which in Hebrew commeth of a word which signifieth iudgment 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For a man apprehending the wrath of God due for sinne and denounced against sinners runneth to the Lord as we may see in Dauid b Psal 32.5 I acknowledged saith he my sinne vnto thee and mine iniquitie haue I not hid Againe comming to intreatie it sheweth plainly that hee can aske nothing as of due In like manner giuing thankes for blessings receiued it argues mercie and secludes merit For to him that worketh saith the Apostle c Rom. 4.4 the wages are not counted by fauour but by debt Lastly Prayer is a pleading before God If saith Eli to his sonnes d 1. Sam. 2.25 one man sinne against another the Magistrates shall iudge him but if a man sinne against the Lord who shall intreate for him or pleade for him Now in prayer wee pleade three things I. The Fathers gracious promises in his Sonne Christ As Dauid e Psal 89.49 Lord where are thy former louing kindnesses sworne to Dauid in thy truth II. The great Charter purchased by Iesus Christ for all his members If ye shall aske any thing saith Christ f Ioh. 14.14 in my name I will doe it III. The graces of the Spirit as the tokens and signes of those to whom all the former belong Remember now O Lord I beseech thee saith Hezekiah g Isai 38.3 how I haue walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart and haue done that which is good in thy sight Quest But Prayer was required of Adam And how could he pray hauing neither sinne to confesse because hee had not falne nor Christ to plead Answ Yet Adam euen in his innocencie should haue iudged himselfe to haue been but a creature for workmanship dust and ashes for matter and for place a subiect and whatsoeuer good thing his good God bestowed vpon him it came out of his speciall grace and bountie And his plea then was the couenant of workes And thus much for the thing defined §. 2. What prayer hath in common 2. The definition it selfe The Definition it selfe followeth Wherein wee may consider two things I. The Genus II. The Forme That is in these words A calling vpon the name of God This in the words following As a Father The former it hath common to it with both an oath and a vow The latter it doth chalenge to it self in proper Prayer then is an inuocating or calling vpon Many and great priuiledges hath the Lord bestowed on his Church whereof this is not the least that fraile man may haue accesse vnto his God and he not be molested with his many and rude requests For which cause doubtlesse Dauid glorieth in his tongue aboue all his other parts it being an instrument of so glorious a worke as conference with God O God saith he h Psal 108.1 my heart is fixed I will sing and giue praise euen with my glorie So Psal 30.12 Inuocation consisteth in I. A lifting vp of the minde vnto God II. A fixing of the minde vpon God III. A pouring out our minde before God The kindes of Inuocation are three I. Prayer II. An Oath III. A Vow Prayer is a calling vpō the name of God as a Father As hath been before defined An Oath is a calling vpon the name of God as supreme Iudge A Vow is a calling vpō the name of God as dread Soueraigne §. 3. What it chalengeth to it selfe in proper That which Prayer chalengeth to it selfe in proper is that it is a calling vpon the name of God as a Father Obiect But Prayer commeth of a word which signifieth iudgement how then can it bee a calling vpon the name of God as a Father Answ I answere The Lord is herein to be considered in his both mercie and iustice In regard whereof hee is in a diuers respect that frō which we appeale and to which And so by confession cleering his iustice we appeale from iustice to mercy which admitteth vs in our Mediatour In whom we finde the Lord not a Iudge but a Father Before whom we plead as I haue in part shewed before the promise in his Christ our elder-brother shewing him our hands i Gen. 27.22 couered with the skinne of the spotlesse Lambe euen the graces of his Spirit the liuely tokens of our birth-right But vpon this may bee made a double reply Reply 1 It seemeth then may some say that part of praier namely confession is made to God as Iudge Answ No Euen whiles wee confesse our sinnes and vnworthinesse wee consider the Lord as a Father Whē the prodigal sonne cried I haue sinned he called Father Father saith he k Luk. 15.21 I haue sinned Reply 2 But when we confesse our sinnes and misery we consider the Lord in his iustice Answ We confesse to God in his mercie in his Christ our gracious Father what hee might bee vnto vs in his iustice Namely that if hee should lay iudgement to the rule and righteousnesse to the balance wee were not able to answere one of a thousand euils committed against him by vs euen vs who haue this free and hopeful accesse to come before him and crie Abba Father In a word To haue what to confesse wee consider the Lord in his iustice but as wee doe confesse these things wee consider him in his mercie euen our Father Obiect 2 But yet you will say when wee pray against our aduersaries wee consider the Lord and so pray to him as supreme Iudge as Dauid in the Psalmes l Psal 35.1 Plead my cause O Lord with them that striue with me fight against them that fight against me Answ Wee consider the Lord in such petitions in a twofold respect I. Of our wrongs and wrongers And so wee conceiue him as a Iudge to whom all vengeance belongeth II. As wee doe by prayer commit this case of wrong to him And so we conceiue him as a Father We pray to him then as a Father desiring that hee as a Father hearing our prayer would as a Iudge m 2. Chro. 6.39 plead our cause §. 4. How the terme Father is taken in the definition Let vs now come to the acception of the terme Father And the Lord God is a Father in three respects of relation I. By generation II. By Creation III. By Adoption By Generation hee is onely the Father of Christ his onely begotten euen as his type Isaac was the onely lawfull-begotten of Abraham by Sarah