Selected quad for the lemma: earth_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A32896
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A Christian's journal, or, Brief directions for devotion and conversation
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1684
(1684)
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Wing C3956; ESTC R43093
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58,065
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347
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we may make known our desires to him as if he were not acquainted with them for he understands our Thoughts afar off neither that we may move him to accept and grant our desires for with him there is no Change or Shadow of turning but that we may by our Prayers obtain that of him which we believe he is willing to bestow Prayer being a necessary means both for God's Glory and our good 1 John 5.14 This is our Confidence which we have towards God that if we ask any thing according to his will he heareth us When therefore thou art about to pray First look into your present State and inquire how all things stand between God and you mark whatsoever occurs between your set times of Prayer the Providences of God or Sleights of Satan what sins you have committed what Graces you want and what Fresh Favours God has bestowed Tune thy Thoughts and Affections wind and Screw them up when thou comest to Duty This is that Zophar advises Job 11.13 to prepare the Heart and then to stretch forth the Hands When you are about to address your self to God in Prayer Fix your thoughts upon some particular Subject to inlarge upon There is no question if you observe your condition well but you have somtimes one errand to God somtimes another whether it be to confess some predominant Sin to beg Pardon of and Power against You may have in your Eye some Grace which you stand in more than ordinary need of and observe your own weakness and defect in Run not out into Generals only for you cannot speak to God of all things at one time but consider the Present Case of thy Soul and what business you have to go to God about at that time in a particular manner enlarge your thoughts on that Subject and follow it home till you feel your heart warm'd and affected Implore and expect the Spirit 's assistance and let thy whole heart be engaged in this work See what thou dost be according to Gods will and have a Warrant from his Word A Command is our Warrant a Promise is our Incouragement and an Example our Tract the Footsteps of the Flock wherein we must walk Improve your Advocate This is the Principal part of all our Religion and especially of Prayer to depend wholly upon the Righteousness and Intercession of Christ Jesus for access to and acceptance with God Be not slight formal and cursory in calling your Sins and Duties Cods Favours and Promises into a bare and Fruitless remembrance if the Heart be not affected with Anger Fear Grief and Shame for Sin with Joy and acknowledgment of being beholden to God for his Favours with Hope and Confidence in him in remembrance of his Promises if it be not gain'd to a new Resolution to Reform what is Faulty and to endeavour after more exactness all your preparation is nothing Nay Sin will gather Strength upon you thereby like idle Sturdy Vagrants who when brought before the Magistrate if he either say little to them or only give them threatning words but never makes them smart for their Offences they grow thereby ten times more insolent lawless Keep up Spiritual Frames out of Worship the Fire was to be kept alive upon the Altar when Sacrifices were not Offer'd from Morning till Night from Night till Morning as well a in the very time of Sacrifice One well advises to be such out of Worship as we would be in it any thing that does unhinge and discompose our Spirits is inconsistent with Religious Services which are to be perform'd with the greatest sedateness and gravity All irregular Passions disturb the Serenity of the Spirit and tho they be allay'd yet they leave the heart some while after like the Sea rolling and swelling after the Storm is ceased Ill company leaves a Tincture upon us in Worship Ephraim hath mixed himself with the People Hosea 7.8 He is a Cake not turned This will make our Hearts and Lives half Dough as well as half Baked These and the like make the Holy Spirit withdraw himself and then the Soul lies like a Wind-bound Vessel that can make no way When the Sun departs from us it carries its Beams along with it then Darkness spreads it self over the Earth and the Beasts of the Forest creep out Be much in Secret Ejaculations to God These are the purest flights of the Soul that have more of Fervor and less of Carnality As frequent sinful Acts strengthen habits of Sin so frequent Religious acts strengthen habits of Grace Excite and exercise particularly a Love to God and a Dependance on him The Soul that loves God when it has to do with him can mind nothing else during such Impression Nourish right apprehensions of God in thy mind Consider thou art drawing nigh to God the most amiable Object the best of Beings worthy of infinite Honour and the highest Affections thou canst give a God that made the World by a Word that upholds the great frame of Heaven and Earth a Majesty above the Conceptions of Angels View him in his Greatness and Goodness that your Heart may have a true value of the Worship of so great a Majesty and count it the most worthy employment to attend upon him A Fear of God will make your Worship serious a Joy in God durable your Affections will be rais'd when you represent him in the most reverential indearing and obliging Circumstances We Honour the Majesty of God when we consider him with due Reverence according to the greatness and perfection of his Works And in this Reverence of his Majesty does Worship chiefly consist Preserve a strong Sence of the Omniscience and Omnipresence of God who Judges thy inward Affections and is as really present with thee as if he were Visible Take heed of inordinate desires after the World it dulls the Word and stifles all Spiritual breathings after God in Duty Be deeply sensible of thy present wants and the supplies thou mayest have in Worship It is pardon thou desirest Apprehend then the blackness of Sin with the aggravations thereof as it respects God be deeply sensible of the want of Pardon and the worth of Mercy indeavour to get your Affections into such a frame as condemned Men would be and as you have seen some dying Men have Consider thou art now at the Throne of Gods Grace but must shortly be at the Bar of his Justice indeavour to stir up the same affections now the same fixedness and earnest Pleading for Mercy which thou mayest suppose forlorn Souls will have at Gods Tribunal If thou couldest apprehend God as an angry and offended Judge or didst see the riches of his Mercy and his glorious out-goings in the Sanctuary the blessed Doles he gives out to those that Spiritually attend upon him both the one and the other would make thee perform thy Duty humbly sincerely earnestly and affectionately waiting upon him with thy whole Soul to have Misery averted and Mercy