Selected quad for the lemma: duty_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
duty_n	heart_n	pray_v	prayer_n	4,517	5	6.8272	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A41125	The sacrifice of the faithfull, or, A treatise shewing the nature, property, and efficacy of zealous prayer together with some motives to prayer, and helps against discouragements in prayer : to which is added seven profitable sermons / by William Fenner ...	Fenner, William, 1600-1640.	1648 (1648)	Wing F698; ESTC R478	35,874	88

To the Christian Reader HAving been informed upon very good grounds that the former Sermons of Mr William Fenner have found good acceptance both in regard of the worthinesse of the Author and also in regard of the usefulnesse of the Sermons I could not but give my approbation to these ensuing Sermons of the same Authour and desire that they may find the like acceptance with all Godly wise Christians and that they may become profitable to the Church of God Imprimatur EDM CALAMY THE SACRIFICE OF THE FAITHFULL OR A TREATISE shewing the nature property and efficacy of Zealous Prayer together with some Motives to Prayer and Helps against discouragements in Prayer To which is added seven profitable Sermons 1. The misery of the Creature by the sinne of man on Rom. 8. 22. 2. The Christians imitation of Christ on 1 Ioh. 2. 6 3. The enmity of the wicked to the light of the Gospel on John 3. 20 4. Gods impartiality on Esay 42. 24. 5. The great Dignity of the Saints on Heb. 11. 28. 6. The time of Gods grace is limited on Gen. 6. 3. 7. A Sermon for spirituall Mortification on Col. 3. 5. By William Fenner Minister of the Gospel Fellow of Pembrok Hall in Cambridge and Lecturer of Rochford in Essex LONDON Printed for John Stafford and are to be sold at his House over against Brides Church in Fleet-Street 1648. The CONTENTS of the first Treatise on Lament. 3. 5. 7. THE opening of the words in which are three properties of effectuall Prayer pag. 1. 1. The unsatiablenesse of it till it be heard 2. The sensiblenesse of it whether it be heard or no 3. The supply it hath against danger and discouragement p. 2. 1. Doct An effectuall prayer is an unsatiable prayer p. 3. Quest Must a man alwayes pray Ans. A man must give over the act of prayer for other duties but he must never give over the suit of Prayer p. 5. Rules to know whether our Prayers be unsatiable or no 1. It is an earnest begging Prayer p. 6. 2. It is constant Prayer p. 8. A godly mans Prayer is not out of his heart till the grace he prayed for be in p. 9. 3. It is a Prayer that is ever a beginning ib. 4. It is a proceeding Prayer it windes up the heart higher and higher ibid. 5. It is a Prayer that purifieth the heart p. 10. It is more and more fervent p. 11. And more and more frequent p. 12. It will take time from lawfull recreations and from the lawfull duties of our calling p. 13. And it will adde humiliation and fasting to Prayer p. 14. Use To condemne those who pray for grace and yet sit downe before grace is obtained p. 15. Such Prayers are 1. Endlesse p. 16. 2. Fruitlesse p. 17. 2. Doct A godly soule is sensible of Gods hearing or not hearing his Prayer p. 19. Quest How can the soule know whether it speed in Prayer or no Answ. 1. When God gives a soule further and further ability to pray it is a signe that God heares it p. 20. But if the soule have no heart to continue its suit it is a signe that God never meanes to heare that mans Prayer p. 21. 2. The preparednesse of the heart to Prayer is a signe that God means to heare p. 21. 3. Gods gracious looke is a signe that he will heare for sometimes God answers his people by a cast of his countenance p. 22. 4. The conscience of a man will answer him whether God heares his Prayer or no p. 26. But a mans conscience may be misinformed p. 27. A wicked man may have a truce though no true peace in his conscience p. 28. 5. The getting of the grace that a man prayes for is a signe that God heares his Prayer p. 29. But God may give many temporall blessings and common graces yet not in love but in wrath ibid. 6. If a man have Faith giuen him to beleive it is a signe that God heares him p. 30. Good works are good signes of Faith but they are but rotten grounds of Faith p. 31. Object Every Promise runs with a condition ibid. Ans. 1. The Promise is the ground of Faith and the way to get the Condition p. 32. 2. Faith is the enabling cause to keep the Condition p. 33. Two things doe much hurt in Prayer 1. Groundlesse incouragement 2. Needlesse discouragement p. 36. 3. Doct. God would not have any Christian soule to be discouraged in Prayer p. 39. A definition of discouragement ibid. 4. Reasons 1. Because discouragement hinders the soule in prayer p. 42. 2. Discouragement takes away the strength of the soule in Prayer p. 43. 3. If we have fearfull apprehensions of our sins so as to thinke they will never be forgiven we can never pray aright p. 45. 4. If we have any secret despaire we can never pray to purpose p. 46. There is a double desperation 1. Of infirmity which draws the soul from God 2. Of extremity which puts life into a mans Prayers and endeavours p. 47. A man never prayes well till he feeles himselfe undone p. 49. We should take heed of discouragements for 1. Discouragements breed melancholinesse in the soule p. 53. 2. They breed hard thoughts of God p. 54. 3. They will cause a man to thinke that God hates him p. 56. 4. They will bring a man to despaire p. 57. Ministers should not preach the pure Law without the Gospel p. 58. Secret discouragements in the heart 1. They take away the Spirit in the use of the meanes p. 62. 2. They drive us from the use of means p. 63. 3 They make a man continually to pore on his sins so as he shall never be able to get out of them p. 64. 4. They breed nothing but sorrow p. 66. 5. They leave the soule in a maze that it knows not whether to turne it selfe p. 67. 6. They whisper into a man a sentence of Death and an impossibility of escaping p. 68. The conclusion of the whole p. 69. The Contents of that Sermon ROM. 8. 22. EVery creature hath a three-fold goodnesse in it 1. A goodnesse of end p. 70. 2. A goodnesse of nature p. 71. 3. A goodnesse of use ibid. There be foure evils under which every Creature groaneth p. 73. 1. The continuall labour that the creature is put unto ibid. 2. The creature sometimes partakes of the plagues of the ungodly ib. 3. The Creature hath an instinctive fellow-feeleing of mans wretchednesse p. 74. 4. Because they are rent and torne from their proper Masters ibid. Doct. Every Creature groaneth under the slavery of sinne p. 75. Not only under the slavery of sinfull men but so far as they minister to the flesh of the Saints they groane under them ibid. Object Did ever any man heare any unreasonable creature groane under sin Answ. It is spoken Hyperbolically to declare the great misery the creatures are into serve sinfull man p. 76. 2. Analogically in regard of a

to this I answer A man must give over the words and times of prayer for other duties but a man must not give over the suite of prayer A poore begger comes to a housekeepers gate and begs but none heares him now he being a poore man hath something else to doe and therefore he sits downe or stands and knits or patches and then he begs or knocks and then to his work again though he do not alwaies continue knocking or begging yet he alwaies continues his suite O that my suite might be granted me or that I might have an almes here so when the soul is begging of any grace though it doth not alwaies continue the words of praier yet it alwaies continues the suite of praier David he would dwell in the house of the Lord for ever Psal. 23. 6. A wicked man it may be will turne into Gods house and say a prayer c. but the Prophet would and so all godly men must dwell there for ever his soule lyeth alwaies at the throne of grace begging for grace A wicked man he prayeth as the cock croweth the cocke crowes and ceaseth and crowes again and ceaseth again and thinkes not of crowing til he crowes again so a wicked man praies and ceaseth prayes and ceaseth againe his minde is never busied to thinke whether his prayers speede or no he thinkes it is good Religion for him to pray and therefore he takes that for granted that his praiers speede though in very deed God never heares his praiers nor no more respects it then he respects the lowing of Oxen or the gruntling of hoggs he is found in his prayers as the wilde Asse in her months Jer. 2. The wilde Asse in regard of her swiftnesse cannot be taken but in her months she hath a sleepy month and all that while she is so sleepy and dumpish that any man may take her in her months you shall finde her so a wicked man hath his prayer monthes his praier fits it may be in the morning or in the evening or day of his affliction and misery you shall have him at his prayers at his prayer fits then you shall finde him at it but otherwise his mind is about other matters But the childe of God what ever he ailes he goes with his petition presently to the throne of grace and there he never removes till he hath it granted him as here we see the prayers of the Church consisting of many yeares yet are counted but one suite try therefore and examin whether thy praiers be unsatiable praiers yea or no and for helpe herein take these markes first if thy prayers be unsatiable praiers then it is a begging praier thou praiest as if thou hadst never praied before as if thou hadst never begun to pray and thou never thinkest that thou hast done any thing till thou hast done the deede As a hungrie man eates as if he had never eate before so the unsatiable soule praies as if he had never prayed before till he hath obtained that he hath praied for but a wicked man he praies not thus Iob speaking of carnal professors Iob 27. 10. Will he call upon God at all times seest thou a wicked man go to a good duty go to praier do you think that he wil hold out alwaies he will never do it for a wicked man he reasons with himself I have called upon God thus thus long I hope I need not pray any more for this thing so he gives over But a godly man he will be alwaies calling upon God Beloved there is a beginning to an action and a beginning of an action thou never beginnest to lift up a weight till thou stirrest it from ground indeede thou mayst begin towards the action by pulling at it by reaching at it but thou never beginnest the lifting up of the weight til thou stir it from its place thou mayst give a pull at prayer and tugge at a grace but thou hast not so much as begun that duty till thou seest God begin to hear thee till thou seest the grace a coming therefore the Prophet David when he prayed and had not that he prayed for his prayers returned into his owne bosome Psal. 35. 13. there to lie to be a continuall suiTe unto God A wicked man praies and he leaves his praier behind him in his pew or in his hal or chamber but a godly man praies and his prayer is in his heart his praier is not out til the grace be in Secondly an unsatiable prayer it is evermore a proceeding prayer you would think that these are two contraries and one opposite to the other but they are not only they are two severall things as it is ever a beginning praier because in his own thoughts he reckons or thinkes that he hath nothing till he speedes so the soule that is unsatiable in praier he proceedes he gets neere to God he gaines somthing he windes up his heart higher or somthing or other he gets As a child that seeth the mother have an apple in her hand and it would faine have it it will come and pull at the mothers hand for it now she lets go one finger and yet she holds it and then he pulls againe and then she lets goe another finger and yet she keepes it and then the child pulls againe and will never leave pulling and crying till it hath got it from his mother So a child of God seeing all graces to be in God he drawes neere to the throne of grace begging for it by his earnest faithful praiers he opens the hands of God to him God dealing as parents to their children holds them off for a while not that he is unwilling to give but to make them more earnest with God to draw them the neerer to himselfe a wicked man praies and his praiers tumble downe upon him againe and his heart is as dead as ever it was before as sensuall as ever as carnall and earthly as ever as hard as impenitent and secure as ever A godly man when he praies though he have not gotten the thing totall that he desired yet he is neerer God then he was before his heart growes every day better then other by his praiers he obtaines still something as the Prophet Hoseah speakes of knowledge Hos. 6. 3. Then shall we know if we follow on to know the Lord so I may say of praier of al other good duties then we pray if we proceed on wards in praier A man may know and know and yet never know the Lord till he goe on in knowledge so a man may pray and pray yet if he goe not on-wards in his praiers his praiers are nothing A godly man praies as a builder builds now a builder he first layeth a foundation and because he cannot finish in one day he comes the second day and findes the frame standing that he made the first day and then he adds a second dayes worke and

speake First the soule beleeves and then every action of a Christian wherin it moves to the keeping of the condition springs from this root nay beloved a man cannot keep any condition in the Bible without faith he must believe Secondly faith is the inabling cause to keep the condition Dost thou thinke to get weeping mourning and humiliation for thy sinnes and then thereby to get the promise to thy selfe then thou goest in thy owne strength and then in Gods account thou dost just nothing John 15. 5. Without me ye can doe nothing saith Christ therefore first lay hold on me beleeve in me abide in me What! doe you first think to pray to mourne to lament and bewaile your sinnes to do this and that in turning your selves and sanctifying of your selves Indeed you may fumble about these things but you can never do any of them in deed and to the purpose without me ye can doe nothing I had fainted saith the Prophet unlesse I had beleeved to see the goodnesse of the Lord in the land of the living Psal. 27. 13. where we may see three things First the Promise that he should see the goodnesse of the Lord otherwise he could not have beleeved Secondly the Condition if he doe not faint Thirdly the method the Prophet went by First he beleeved to see the goodnesse of the Lord As if he had said if he had not first laid hold on the Promise if I had not beleeved to have seen the goodnesse of the Lord in the Land of the living I had fainted Beloved it is true that the keeping of the Condition is before the fruition of the Promise but not before beleeving the Promise because the doing of the Condition is effected by beleeving the Promise This is the cause that many fumble about grace but never get it they are ever repenting but never repent ever learning but never learne the knowledge of the truth everlasting ever striving but never get power over their corruptions c. because they fumble about it in their own strength and take it not in the right method Let the soule come with faith in Christ and believe it shall speed and have grace and power from Christ his grace and from Christs power and then it shall speed Christ hath promised John 16. that whatsoever we aske the Father in his name he will give it us Christ beloved is an excellent Surety Indeed our credit is crackt in Heaven we may thinke to goe and fetch this and that grace in our owne names and misse of it as the servant may goe to the Merchant for wares in his owne name but the Merchant will not deliver them to him in his own name unlesse he come in his Masters name and bring a ticket from him and then when the servant sheweth his Masters ticket the Merchant will deliver him what wares he asketh for in his Masters name So when a soule goeth to the Throne of grace with a ticket from Christ if he can say Lord it is for the honour of Christ I come for grace and holinesse and strength against my corruptions Lord here is a ticket from Christ most certainly he shall speed But men must take heed that they foyst not the name of Christ that they foyst not a ticket to say that Christ sent them when it is their own selfe-love and their owne lust that sends them it is not enough to pray and at the end to say through Christ our Lord Amen No for this may be a meere foysting of the Name of Christ But canst thou pray and shew that Christ sent thee and say as the servant I come from my Master and he sent me Lord it is for Christ that I come it is not to satisfie my owne lust nor to ease and deliver me from the galls of my conscience nor to free me from hell but for Christ Lord I begge grace and holinesse that I may have power to glorifie Christ It is for the honour of my Lord Christ that I come When the soul comes thus in Christs name beleeving it shall speed then his prayer shall prevaile Wbatsoever saith Christ ye shall aske the Father in my Name he will give it you We come now to the third and last part of our Text to wit the supplies they had against danger and discouragements The Lord upheld their hearts from being dismayed in prayer thou saidst feare not There be two things that do much hurt in prayer First groundlesse incouragements Secondly needlesse discouragements First I say greundlesse incouragements and these the wicked are most subject to especially who because they pray heare the Word and performe many duties of religion therefore they incourage themselves in the goodnesse of their estates judgeing themselves happy though notwithstanding they go on and continue in the hardnesse of their hearts and rebellions against God We have abundance of sayings amongst us that if they were examined would prove false and unsound As that the vipers die when they bring forth their young for say they the young eate out the old ones bowels that beares shape all their young by licking of them that the Swanne singeth sweetest at her death that the Adamant stone is softned by Goats blood c. These things are not so as may be shewn out of ancient Writers So beloved there are abundance of sayings that goe up and down amongst men concerning Divinity which if they were examined will prove to be rotten sayings as he that made them will save them It is not so saith the Prophet Esai 27. 11. He that made them will not have mercy on them and he that formed them will not pitty them It is commonly beleeved if men come to Church heare the Word and call upon God that then presently they are good Christians Beloved it is not so Matth. 7. 21. Not every one that saith Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdome of Heaven Men are ready when they can but call Lord have mercy on me O sweet Saviour pitty me most mercifull Lord Jesus have compassion on me if they can pray in their families and pray at Church c. to think now all is well with them and Christ cannot but save them and give them the Kingdome of Heaven but our Saviour puts a not upon it and saith not every one that saith Lord Lord it is not a Lord a Lording of Christ with the tongue onely it is not a taking up of an outward profession of Christ only that is sufficient for a man that shall inherit the Kingdome of Heaven no saith Christ but he that doth the will of my Father which is in Heaven But of this by the by Secondly there are needlesse discouragements which doe much hurt in prayer Needlesse discouragements doe much hurt to many a poore soule that hath forcible wouldings and wracked desires after grace and holinesse and yet is held by discouragements yea many a Christian heart lieth a long time under it wrastling and striving