Selected quad for the lemma: duty_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
duty_n	pray_v	prayer_n	time_n	3,922	5	4.3812	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A80721	Prayers prevalencie for Israels safety. Declared in a sermon preached in Saint Margarets Westminster, before the Honourable House of Commons, at the late solemne fast, June 28. 1643. / By Thomas Carter, minister of Dynton in Buckingham-shire. ; Published by order of that House.	Carter, Thomas, d. 1646.	1643 (1643)	Wing C668; Thomason E60_2; ESTC R22771	35,268	44

as anon I shall more clearely shew In the meane time consider of another distinction and it runs thus Prayer is to bee considered and is availeable 3. wayes 1. As it is a Petition put up to God and so it availes 3. Distinct via impetrationis by way of impetration 2. As it is an exercise of the soule and of the graces in it whether common or saving and so it availes via causationis by way of causation 3. As it is a commanded dutie and a principall part of Gods service wherein wee give God the glory of his omniscience mercy power and wisedome and so it availes via retributionis by way of retribution Indeed the benefits which God bestoweth upon men in reference to their workes whether formally good or materially onely are properly called Gods gifts as comming from him by free donation and are tearmed rewards not properly but onely analogically as being given secundum non propter opera not for but onely according to our workes a Rom. 2. 5. In the fourth place Prayer being taken as a meanes of procuring spirituall and outward blessings Is to be considered two wayes First in the naturall use and so it is a naturall 4. Distinct mans meanes Secondly in the spirituall use and so it is a spirituall mans meanes Media or meanes are so called because in the midst betweene can and can not God hath appointed us in the use of such meanes as we can to seeke to him for what we can not Now a spirituall mans meanes is praying in faith in a spirituall manner that is appointed him to use as meanes for procurement of what he wants But a naturall mans meanes appointed him to use as meanes is not praying in faith in a spirituall manner for that hee cannot doe but the naturall worke of prayer onely such prayer as a naturall man can use Flying in the ayre is not a mans meanes of comming to a place that is a Birds meanes but going or riding is a mans meanes spirituall prayer is a holy mans meanes naturall praying is the meanes of a naturall man Indeed the spirituall use of prayer is enjoyned as a dutie which though he cannot performe yet ought he to desire and labour after onely the naturall worke of prayer is required of him as a meanes of procurement of what he wants Now a naturall man though he be not sure to speed yet ought he to waite for God in the way of his judgements a Isay 26. 8. his ordinances are his walke wherein often he is and possibly may bee found and therefore such meanes are to be used even of naturall men as we may see Ezek. 36. where the Lord having promised justification sanctification and withall divers outward blessings at last hee Ezek. 36. 37. addes Vers 37. Yet I will be sought unto that I may doe it unto them and therefore Daniel 9. c Dan. 4. 13. Hos 5. 4. complaines that they did not so much as pray that they might turne unto God Indeed spirituall prayer is conditio subsequen● and followes our conversion but the naturall worke of prayer is conditio antecedens and may and ought to goe before it And for the efficacie of a naturall mans prayer I shall endeavour presently to shew it in my answer to the first question propounded concerning the efficacie of the prayers of wicked men My answer to that first question I present unto you thus 1. Quest First Prayer considered as a dutie must be performed even of wicked men as being good in it selfe though by accident turned into sinne d Psal 107. 7 and howsoever not being made in faith it cannot please God e Heb. 11. 6. in such sort as holy mens doe yet being good for the substance of the dutie giving God the glory of sundry of his attributes it may perhaps availe for procurement of a temporall blessing by way of retribution as the Pharisees prayers had thereward of mens praises a Matth 6. 5. And so Ahabs humiliation and the Ninivites repentance procured a delay of temporall judgements Secondly a wicked mans prayer considered as an exercise of the soule and of some common graces that are in it and especially argumentative prayer may perhaps availe through the helpe of Gods spirit by way of causation bringing his soule into a better frame and so making it capable of spirituall and outward blessings But thirdly a wicked mans prayer considered as a petition put up to God we cannot say it will availe by way of impetration 1. Sort. Indeed there are two sorts of wicked men First such as do what they can in breaking off the outward practise of sinne and doe carefully performe the naturall worke of prayer and doe what a naturall man can in the use of meanes howsoever they cannot ground their hopes of prevailing upon any promise and so upon Gods faithfulnesse as being out of Christ and therefore cannot pray with assurance of prevailing yet they may ground their hope of prevailing upon the mercy of a gracious God wayting on God in the way of his ordinances in hope that God in mercy will doe something for poore creatures Who knoweth what God may doe The Ninivites went upon this ground and it fell out happily the Citie was spared There is a second sort of wicked men that securely live in their 2. Sort. sinnes following the sway of their lusts and continuing in actuall rebellion against him yet in their extremitie doe cry unto the Lord for succour as for these the Lord threatens that though they cryed earnestly to God b Mic. 3. 4. and were frequent in the use of prayer making many prayers c Isay 1. 15 16. yet the Lord will not heare them he will throw away their petitions as being an abomination unto him d Prov. 28 9 For answer to the second question how farre forth the prayer 2. Quest of some may bee availeable for others especially being absent I say 1. Sometimes the thing prayed for is not meerely anothers 1. Case and that in two cases First love may so unite the heart of one to the other that like Hippocrates Twins they laugh and weepe together and sympathize each in others condition that in succouring the one mercy is shewed to both Secondly they may bee sharers in the same ship as Jonah and the passengers with him or as members of the same Commonwealth in a common danger all in the same condition stand or fall togther in this case also hee that prayes against a publique calamitie or for a publique benefit prayes for himselfe as well as for others and so necessarily many reape the fruit of the prayers of some 2. In case the prayer be meerely for others then first by way 2. Case of causation the prayer of some cannot profit others that are absent for in the production of effects there must be betweene the Contactus realis vel virtualis

agent and the object a reall or at least a virtuall closing Nor secondly the prayer of some cannot profit others by way of retribution whether absent or present for every one shall reape the fruite of his owne worke But thirdly the prayer of some may prevaile for others though absent by way of impetration Either first in respect of the prevalency of importunity set forth in that parable of the Widowes a Luke 18. 5. 7. overcomming the unjust judge Luke 18. 5. 7. or else secondly upon Gods purpose and promise of good unto others upon condition of his servants prayers it being the Lords will that the prayers of his servants should give vent to his mercies that they may flow from God as water from a full spring upon the thirsty ground as also it being the Lords purpose to grace his servants in gratifying great Kings and Kingdomes upon their prayers as hee did Abimelecb upon the prayer of Abraham b Gen. 20. 7. 17. and Pharaoh and his kingdome upon the prayer of Moses c Exod. 8. 28. 29. Now the prayers that are usefull for the saving of a Nation from ruine are of two sorts First the prayers of the Nation it selfe Secondly of Gods owne people for the nation First the prayers of the nation it selfe which also are two-fold first of the representative body of a nation for as the proper acts of those organs which by natures deputation are appointed for performance of those Acts for the good of the whole body as namely of the eye in seeing the tongue in speaking the eare in hearing c. the acts I say of those parts are the Acts of the whole man a Totus homo videt c. non totum hominis so the acts of the representative body of a nation not onely acts civill but sacred even their heart breaking and repenting prayers offered up for a nation in the name of the whole and that with their if not actuall yet virtuall consent surely these acts interpretatively are the acts of the nation and therefore in and by them the nation prayeth Secondly the prayers of the essentiall body of a nation when a kingdome in all its parts if not all or the most men in it Vniversally yet generally all sorts of all degrees in all places like the Kingdome of Nineveh upon the preaching of Jonah and command of authoritie b John 3. 5. 6 7. 10. shall be up in prayer fasting weeping reforming and crying unto the Lord there were then great hope of an happy issue because the nation prayeth Now these nationall humiliations and prayers as the Lord prescribes them as meanes to save a nation Isa 22. 12. So have they Isay 22. 12. 2 Chro. 20. Jonah 3. beene alwayes performed with great successe as wee see in the Ninivites Jehoshaphat and others The second sort of prayers availeable for the procurement of a nations safetie are the prayers of Gods own faithfull people for the nation for though they are very few yet their prayers are exceeding prevalent for that purpose as hath beene shewed in so much that it is noted as a wonder that seldome happens that the prayers of Daniel Noah and Job such holy men should availe but for the safetie of their owne lives d Ezek. 14. 20. Now their prayers are two wayes considerable either as the petitioners are First dispersed in sundry places Secondly congregated in assemblies First as they are scattered here and there throughout the kingdome and so though divided in place yet as lines from every part of the circumference round about doe all meet in the center and as Starres every where round in the heavens doe meet in their influences and worke strongly on the earth so the heartie prayers of Gods people from all parts of the Kingdome agreeing in the same request with one heart doe all meete at the throne of grace and worke strongly there Secondly the prayers of holy men are considerable as they are conjoyned in congregations with one heart and mouth to seeke the Lord for a nation for as a bundle of stickes being cast on the fire one sticke sets another a burning untill all 's on a flame and as Saul among the prophets prophesied also a 1 Sam. 19. 23. so in a congregation the zeale of some provokes many and sets their hearts a burning surely the prayers of a Congregation are most prevalent for if the prayer of one righteous man availes much b Jam. 5. 1● and a three-fold cord not easily broken united strength the joynt prayers of many must needs be much more effectuall if when two or three godly men shall agree upon a request and send up their joynt petition to heaven it shall be granted as our Saviour hath promised c Matth. 18. 19. how much more shall the joynt petition of hundreds of holy men in a Congregation Object But you will object indeed If our Congregations did consist onely of Saints their prayers would be very prevalent but alas it is otherwise with us Answ I answer that it is true that the prayers of such a Congregation is exceeding prevalent And yet we finde Joel 2. and Jona 3. that in a time of publike danger they should gather a Congregation Joel 2. 15 16. and call an Assembly of all sorts and ages yea sucking children not Jon. 3. 5. 7. excluded to seeke the Lord and at Ninive we finde that even the brute creatures did beare a part in the Fast For howsoever as hath beene shewed onely Gods servants can ground their hopes upon a promise yet all that stand not in open rebellion against God can ground their hopes upon the mercie of a gracious God as the Ninivites did Yea brute creatures and poore babes that cannot put up a formall prayer yet their moane and cry as being all lost in the common calamity may move the Lord to mercy as we have shewed and we accordingly finde that the moane of the one hundred and Jon. 4. 11. twenty thousand infants of Ninive yea of the cattle did much move the Lord to pitie From this Doctrine we may inferre two corollaries First when the Lord intends to save a Nation he drawes up Corol. 1. the hearts at least of his owne people to seeke it as when he intends a shower to the earth he drawes up the vapours and fils his bottles so when he intends to refresh a people with a shower of mercies he not onely gives to a competent number the spirit of prayer but draweth out their hearts in the actuall performance of Ier. 29. 10. 12 13 14. the duty As we may see Jer. 29. by comparing the 10. 12 13 14. verses together that when the time approached which the Lord intended for the deliverance of his Church out of captivity then he caused the earnest prayers of his people to fall in as the meanes to effect it then saith the text shall they pray and cry