Selected quad for the lemma: friend_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
friend_n	aaron_n	job_n	plead_v	12	3	10.8788	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A33525	A practical discourse of prayer wherein is handled the nature, the duty, the qualifications of prayer, the several sorts of prayer, viz. ejaculatory, publick, private and secret prayer : with the necessity of, and ingagements unto, prayer : together with sundry cases of conscience about it / by Thomas Cobbet.	Cobbet, Thomas, 1608-1685.	1654 (1654)	Wing C4780; ESTC R29965	290,377	588

by special stirrings of faith and love such times sometimes the Saints here met withall They are as in Christs lap upon their spouses knee in their beloveds bosome Cantic 8. 5. and would yet be nearer to him The Church is leaning upon her beloved yet saith set me as a seale upon thine arme and upon thy brest and then makes that gracious motion to her beloved verse 8. We have a little sister and shee hath no brests what shall we doe for her in the day she shall be spoken for As she is ready to do her part so shee would have him doe his part for the others good when the daughters of Jerusalem find Christ when he meeteth them then they must in their prayers tell him of the Churches sad case that shee is sick of love Cantic 5. 8. Moses will take the advantage of Gods being so near him and speaking to his heart Exod. 33. 13 14 15 16. to speak for his presence with the rest of Gods people If thy presence goe not with us carry us not hence And Exodus 34. 8. 9. And Moses made haste and bowed himselfe to the earth and worshipped and said O Lord I pray thee if I have found favour in thy sight that the Lord would now go with us and pardon our iniquity and our sin and take us for thine inheritance It were pity that the Saints would not improve their waiting months upon the king of Saints to move him as well for others as for their owne good The King at Esthers banquet expecteth Esthers requests for her people so doth the Lord at such time especially look ●hat some should make intercession Isai 59. He expecteth that some should aske him of ●hings to come concerning his Sons and his daughters Isai 45. and pray for the peace ●f Jerusalem Psal 122. 6. 2. When others are under any special Pray for them whe 2 deserted tempted or afflicted desertions or temptations or in any help●ess desolate disconsolate conditions as when the Lord is withdrawn from them My ●eloved had withdrawne himselfe Cantic 5. ● 8. Tell him that I am sick of love When under reproaches and indignities offe●ed the Saints from others which by their ●rofession and place should doe better of●ices for them as when the Church is smit●en and wounded by the watchmen and her ●aile taken away by the keepers of the walls ●hen tell My beloved I am sick of love saith ●he When others are deeply sensible of their ●eed of Christ and nothing else will con●ent them but Christ then they are sicke of ●ove then tell Christ of it ibid. When ●he displeasure of God himselfe is breaking or broken out against Gods owne people ●hen if Moses have interest in God he must downe on his knees for Israel Exodus 34. 13 14 15. c. and Exodus 34. 8 9. then Aaron must haste to offer incense Numb ●6 Then Job must offer for his friends Job 42. 8. When enemies are ready to swallow up the Lords heritage then Isaiah must lift up his prayer for the remnant of God Isaiah 37. 4. When persons of choicest use are in greatest hazards through the rage of persecutors then prayer is made without ceasing for Peter by the Godly Acts 12. 5. When people want a fruitfull ministery like brests pray for them especially Cant. 8. 8. Matth. 9. 36 38. Pray then that the Lord would thrust forth labourers into his harvest in divers other like sad cases of the saints 3. Be we serious and not slighty in pleading for others Lift up thy prayer for the 3 Pray for them with fervency remnant that is left Isai 37. Wrestle together in prayer for me Rom. 15. 30. if wee should seeme therein to get a foyle yet get up againe and trye it out a little more with God for them especially in difficult cases Abraham followeth Christ with prayer upon prayer even for Sodome Gen. 18 the end Isai 62. 6 7. Give the Lord no rest until hee make Jerusalem a praise in the earth 4. Take we advantage of the least may-be 4 Take the advantage of a may-be of mercy and possibility of speeding to set up upon this service of love for others in any case whatsoever though not alwayes desired thereto by others but especially when thereto moved by them Isai 37. 4. It may be the Lord hath heard Rabshecahs word in ver 5. Wherefore lift up thy prayer for the remnant that is left Exod. 32. 30. Moses said unto the people yee have committed a greivous sinne but now I will goe up to the Lord peradventure I may pacifie him c. Helps to pray for others 1 Brotherly-love Touching the second even helps to further us in this duty 1. Cherish we brotherly love and kindness and charity Love the Church and people of God his Jerusalem and you will pray for them Psal 122. 6. Love your enemies and you shall pray for them Matth. 5. 44. The Centurion will be suing to Christ for his servant who is very deare to him Luke 7. 2. If we love others wee will every way seek not our own things so much as theirs 1 Cor. 13. It s Jonathan who loveth David will bee a petitioner to his father for him 1 Sam. 19. 4 6. and 20. 30. And Esther who loved her people will not bee content to ask her owne life but theirs also of the king Esther 4. 11 16. and 5. 1 2 3. So it is in this case in our requests to the Lord for others if we love them Moses will have no greatness of his founded in his peoples ruine nay hee refuseth an offer thereof so hee may bespeak mercy for his people Exodus 32. 10 11. and Numb 14. 11 12. True suppliants can sometimes be earnest for others when more sparing in suing for themselves 2. Be as much acquainted with and 2 Knowledge of others conditions especially of the good in them well informed in other estates as you can especially espy and inquire out all the good which is in them The knowledge of others miseries as the eye affecteth the heart openeth those sluces then whereby it cometh to be poured out for them this brought good Nehemiah upon his knees when hee had certain information of Jerusalems calamities He sate downe and wept and fasted and prayed Nehem. 1. 1 2 3 4 5 c. Hence the direction confesse your faults one to another and pray one for another James 5. 14 15 16. The best of us are much lead by sense others cases of which wee have but some general informations doe not so affect as those of whose particular cases wee have better knowledge knowledge also or hope at least of the good of grace which is in others doth much quicken us to pray for them From the day that Paul heard of the faith of the Colossians and Ephesians how importunate is he in prayer for them Col. 1. 3 4. Ephes 1. 15 16. The report of Philemons

will farther his gracious audience of his servants prayers What will not love grant 5 Consider what account the Lord makes 5 What esteem he hath of his Saints prayers of his peoples prayers They are his delight Prov. 15. 8. as sweet musick in his ears Revel 5. 1. They are memorials before him ever in his eye minding him of what is meet to be done for his people Acts 10. 4. They are as a Recompence to him he liketh to be paid in his dues in prayers also Psal 116. 12 13. he thinketh we never pray enough John 16 13 14. Hitherto you have asked nothing namely in comparison open thy mouth wide Psal 81. Mercy accompanieth prayer if the Lord would turne away the one yet not the others pleas Psalm 66. 20. 6 Consider what measures the Lord 6. What measures he keepeth in his respects to praier keepeth in his respects to prayer He heareth sometimes before we call preventeth his people with goodnesse Isaiah 65. 24. Sometimes even whilst praying they have answers of grace ibid. Sometimes when his people seek him for pardoning grace and the manifestation thereof he sheweth mercy even above their thoughts Isaiah 55. 6 7 8 9. giveth them as above what they ask so beyond their thoughts and expectations Eph. 3. 20. Wherefore raise up our expectations in this way of seeking the face of God touching his gracious disposition to hear and help us and when we have got up our thoughts therein to the highest yet believe it he hath mercy and answers of grace for us above our thoughts 7 Consider what method God continually and infallibly useth in his respects to 7. What method he observeth in his respects to praier prayer namely first to incline hearts to be cordial and serious in prayer and then to give his promised mercies Psalm 10. 17. Jerem. 29. 11. 12. The nearer and surer mercies are the more praying motions and workings there are then in our hearts Both are to the same mercy as one works to help to pray and to hear prayer Mercy would not be at work with us in the one if the other part of God's mercies work were not to be effected Lastly That we may clear up our fainting 8. Consider the Parable Luk 18 1. to 9. spirits and drooping hearts in expectation of faith that our prayers shall not fail of good successe from God consider of that Parable of our Lord Jesus which he for this purpose propoundeth Luke 18. 1. ad 9. A Judge a man comes off to hear a poor suppliants request and will not God a Father do much more for his An unjust Judg hears and will not a just and righteous God hear the cryes of his poor ones One that was a hater and disregarder of men and of his own name yet hears and will not God and Christ hear whose delight is to be with men Prov 8. One that was utterly averse from hearing He would not hear one to whom asking was a trouble This widow troubleth me yet at length grants the request of her which sought to him How much more will the Lord to whom prayer is a delight and whose property it is to be hearing even ready to hear prayers surely he will hearken to his suppliants requests much more One that while he denyed and delayed his Petitioner considered it not till afterward Then he considered with himself and he cometh off How much rather will the Lord who wisely weigheth all circumstances and inconveniences in case of too long delay to hear Isai 57. 17. He will surely fulfil his peoples desires One that in granting his Petitioners desire meerly to avoid disquiet Lest she should weary him out with her out-cryes he hearkens and will not God who delighteth in mercy do much more for his precious ones One that is solicited by a certain widow one no way allyed to him coming to him without any other Intercessour to plead her cause yet he cannot deny her Petition and can or will the Lord deny his own deare children which come to him in the name of him in whom he is well pleased yea and have the Lord himselfe to intercede for him Touching the last thing propounded very briefly The Marks of one praying in faith Marks of praiing in faith are these 1 When a soul is borne up and carryed 1. Praying amidst discouragements on in praying amidst discouragements to pray If he pray without ceasing when yet there are so many things sometimes which may seem to occasion ceasing to pray save that he prayeth in faith When we are hindred and opposed in it by Satan and others yet a Joshuah stands before the Angel notwithstanding Satans resistance Zach. 3. 1. or like him in Mark 10. 47 48 51 52. we continue crying Jesus have mercy on us even when others would forbid us when we are delayed and held off from our desired answers and left in some deeps of affliction in the interim and yet trusting in the Lord in Prayer We will wait Psalm 136. 1 2 3 4 5. When the Lord is long silent yet we will not be silent but plead How long Lord Psal 13. 1 2. When denyed of God as the woman of Canaan as if we had no part in the mercy we ask it were not for us yet we continue asking Matth. 25. 25. 26 27. Surely there is faith emboldning thereunto verse 28. When we seem to be curbed and silently rebuked as the friend wished not to trouble his friend yet will not give over his suite Luke 11. Surely he thinks he speaks to a friend within or else he could not would not then continue asking 2 When we pray with some more then 2 Praying with boldnesse usual boldnesse and liberty of speech as sometimes in an awful and spiritual manner we are wondrous free to plead with God more then at other times now is faith stirring in such a Prayer 1 John 3. 21 22. Eph. 3. 12. 3 When we pray with a kind of delightful 3 Praying with heart calmness calmness and stilnesse of spirit not tossed like waves in prayer through the power of unbelief Jam. 1. 6. 4 When in setting our selves sometimes to pray to the Lord and petition him 4. Prayers turned into praises we are even ready to make a holy digression and diversion and turning our intended Petition into melting admiring praises of God as oft times spiritual Christians have experiences thereof surely then faith is stirring So Christ turning himselfe to approach to God John 11. 41 42. saith I thank thee Father that thou alwayes hearest me CHAP. V. Of Humility required in Prayer WE have entred upon the discourse of things propounded touching the conditions required for the incessant performance of the duty of prayer and have dispatched the first namely Faith And now we are to speak of the second condition thereto required and that is Humility It is the desire of the humble which the Lord heareth Psal 10. 17.