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	word_n	4,036	5	4.6953	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A51169	An antidote against the errour in opinion of many in these daies concerning some of the highest and chiefe duties of religion as adoration, almes, fasting, and prayer.	Monson, John, Sir, 1600-1683.	1647 (1647)	Wing M2461; ESTC R24395	33,067	136

Sacrifice ●●ffered (a) Heb. 13. even the calves 〈◊〉 our lips (b) Ose 14.2 though not of ●ur stall which hath been of ●●●te so much neglected as I ●●onceive by reason of their ●●suse and the suspension of ●●ose injunctions that have in ●●rmer times obliged to it so 〈◊〉 I cannot but wish if our ●ommon Prayer booke may ●ot be againe restored when ●urged from those supposed ●●rrors some tender consci●nces have been offended at that yet all formes may 〈◊〉 be abolished since it may easily shewed that the Chur●● neither under the Law 〈◊〉 Gospell if in a setled and pr●●perous condition ever want a set Liturgy for the regu●●tion of her publique devo●●ons and that the want of amongst us hath at least o● scured if not extinguished much of that Piety for wh●● this Nation was so blessed it became the envy of all thers and I hope God of great and abundant mercy w●● put it into the hearts and res●lutions of those that have just power and calling for to cause the Besaleels of o●● times those men that 〈◊〉 hath endued with most w●●● dome and cunning for the bu●●ding of his Church to hew ●●d prepare some stones and ●●ake them fit for his Ierusalem ●●at every unskilfull workman ●ay not bring his rough and ●●ncast thoughts and be ham●●ering and seeking for matter ●hen they should with it knit 〈◊〉 into the building but have ready moulded and squared ●●y the most ancient and best ●●tternes even of the purest ●nd Primitive times as ours ●as formerly modeld both 〈◊〉 use and ornament like ●●e polished corners of the ●●emple wherein it was their ●●udence as well as Piety to ●●mpose their solemne Ser●●ce of such parts as might ●ost advance Religion in●●me the affections and com●●y with the Ages infirmities and conditions of men b●●● reading some parts of th●● Scriptures with interposing 〈◊〉 Prayers Psalmes Hymne● and Spirituall Songs that th●● thoughts might be thereby th●● more elevated and Gods pra●●ses manifested Praises for benefits Praye● for present and future want with an interweaving tho●● duties that the returnes of th●● Spirit might be the more intense and fervent The inf●●riour powers of the sou● which cannot long contin●● without paine in any one p●●sture kept up and the u●derstanding the higher pa●● of the minde be raised wit● the contemplation of tho●● Divine and revealed mysteri●●● by this variety to becom● helpes and spurres to one an other and take new inflamma●●ons to pray from hearing the Word read From all which considera●ions the Church hath accordingly composed her Liturgies and contracted the matter of her publique Formes into fewest words knowing 〈◊〉 is the vertuousnesse of the ●ind not the copiousnesse of the Language fervent ●●titions not teadious tautol●●gies much praying in few ●ords not vaine babling in ●●ng prayers that is accepable to God ever supplying ●●eir defects by the repetition 〈◊〉 the Lords Prayer in every ●●verall returne to that duty ●●owing that God is not nau●●ated with one and the same dish as we in our diets 〈◊〉 the Spirit hand it into his presence nor are we forbid to pray the same Prayer often over if we repeate it not as a charme or place power in the words like the vagabond Jewes Exorsists in Acts the 19 13 16. As if they had any Physicall or innate vertue i●● them or did produce any thing from being pronounced But if wee give form●● to that matter by the Spirit moving it we pray well i● the Name of Jesus (c) 1 Io. 2. though best when we use his words or shape our Prayers by tha● absolute Copy hee hath le●● us and then they will not 〈◊〉 short least by it we seem 〈◊〉 set too little a value upon 〈◊〉 waighty a duty nor too lo●● for publique use least the weaknesse and imbecillities of some in mixed Congregations should stay behind or stop in the way and not be able to goe along in the duty But so tempered as may keep up all mens devotions to the highest pitch they can be raised for too much lassitude of spirits disposeth to sleepe and lasie postures whereas 〈◊〉 percing brevity holds the intentions of the mind most ●rect and least subject to flagging like an Arrow as I said that staies but little at the ●ent before it be shot nay wee soare to Heaven sooner upon the wings of ardent affections then the traine of long discourses (d) Eccl. 5. which like a Thread never so well spunne weakens and ravel● when drawne beyond it● length onely let us be sure to give them these Qualifications First That they be made in Faith (e) Heb. 11. Jam. 1. for as Prayer is the mouth of Faith so Faith is the heart of Prayer Secondly with zeale for it is the fervent prayer of the Righteous that prevaileth much (f) Psal 38.55 Jam. 5. and the flame that ascends when the dull and heavy matter dies in its ashes and proves its owne grave Thirdly with voriferation as well as intention orderly and vocall (g) Hos 14.2.1 3. as well as mentall Thus David Psal 141.142.1 For he cried saith the Text to shewhis inward fire and fervency with his voyce to give it the ornament and advantage hee could knowing that as the Spouse must be all glorious within so her Dresse should be of Needleworke and wrought Gold and therefore let us not onely praise him upon the well tuned Cymbal the heart but upon the loude Cymbal the tongue to shew forth his honour and speake his praises in both Fourthly with importunity which made David redouble his voyce and eccho backe his owne words For this is the Spirituall Engine by which Heaven suffers violence and the violent take it by force so as he that askes shall obtaine or if not obtaine by asking will finde by seeking or if not finde by seeking will be sure by kno●king a persevering importunity to force Heaven gates● for with Abraham as long as we cease not praying God will not cease giving Fifthly and lastly with humility for like well layden Trees the more we are hung with Gods graces the lower they bend us and not onely invite Gods eye to behold but himselfe to reside in us who hath no Heaven upon Earth but the humble soule to inhabit (h) Is 57.15 and who would not doe any thing to purchase such a guest debase himselfe to be so exalted and with the no lesse good then great Patriarke Preface his Prayer with a humble con●●ssion of his owne vilenesse in saying I am but dust and ashes nothing either in foundation or structure but the most base barren and uselesse Earth neither is this grace a single vertue but as it were the Arke that keepes all other holy things in it Now if we thus sucke the brests of his promises and have an eye of faith alwaies upon him his will againe meets ours and then as the neutralists observe when the nurse centers in the childs at the tet and