Selected quad for the lemma: friend_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
friend_n	abraham_n	call_v	father_n	847	5	5.2207	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A48737	Solomons gate, or, An entrance into the church being a familiar explanation of the grounds of religion conteined in the fowr [sic] heads of catechism, viz. the Lords prayer, the Apostles creed, the Ten commandments, the sacraments / fitted to vulgar understanding by A.L.	Littleton, Adam, 1627-1694.	1662 (1662)	Wing L2573; ESTC R34997	164,412	526

't is true in a temporal sense and observation will make it good that the wicked children of godly parents have some what extraordinary providence attend them in this world and 〈◊〉 much 〈…〉 for their fathers 〈…〉 God 〈…〉 tender of their concerns 〈…〉 for his and 〈…〉 promis'd that it shall be well with those that fear him and with their 〈◊〉 after them He owns them here as friends and will not forget them in their relations but will shew them all the kindness which the● are capable of And thus the Israelites in their distresses thought it a great argument in their Prayers to plead with God not the merits but the memoryes of their fore-fathers Abraham 〈◊〉 and Iacob What better portion can a loving father provide for his children what greater legacy of love leave behind him then God's favour and 〈◊〉 est in divine mercy Who are those God here calls his Lovers his Friends those 〈◊〉 keep his commands that observe his precepts For indeed friendship consists in the union of minds and the compliance of wills And 't is the nature of love to seek by all means to please the party loved and not to cross his desires or give him any offence This is the true mark of our love to God if we are carefull to keep his commands to doe what he would have us doe And who would not love God that loves himself and seek his friendship who is so ready to engage his kindness to us and our heirs for ever and requite our love a thousand fold This reason as it contains a threat and a promise and is grounded upon the Iustice and mercy of God is common to all the Commandements but is peculiarly annex'd to this as that which God takes the greatest care of and is most jealous of the breach and it may justly occasion our wonder to consider that notwithstanding God's strictness in propounding the command and his severity upon the breaches yet his own people have been ever forward to run into Idolatry and to take example from those very nations whom they themselves for this very sin have by God's command rooted out of their land and country So that it should seem there was but too great reason why this reason should be set particularly to back this command The meaning of the precept is this Thou shalt not make use of any Image whether graven of whatsoever metall gold or silver or cut out of stone or carv'd in wood or fashion'd in wax or what other material soever or any picture drawn or pourtray'd in cloth paper c. or any likeness and resemblance of any creature in the whole world for a religious purpose in the way of worship upon any pretence Thou shalt not worship the work of mens hands or the work of their brains neither Image nor imagination none of my creatures much less any of thine own Thou shalt neither worship them nor me by them but shalt consult my word and fetch thence the rules and wayes of worship Thou shalt not be led by the example of Heathen-people whose ignorance of me may be some excuse to their Idolatry to follow their practises and turn my glory into the likeness of any corruptible thing The Sun and Moon and Stars above thee shall not dazzle thy mind by their lustre so as to forget me and pay that homage to those glorious lights which is due to me who live in unapproachable light The trees and springs bread and wine and other blessings of life shall not for their usefulness and for that helpful virtue which I their Creator have put into them win so much upon thy affections as to asscribe that honour to them which belongs to their Maker nor shall the wonders of the deep and the prodigious secrets which I have laid in the womb of the seas swallow up thy admiration so as to drown that respect which thou oughtst to have for me the sight of whatsoever excellency or convenience or dreadfulness in any of the creatures shall but serve to give thee an occasion of magnifying my glorious perfections and goodness and power not to fix thy devotion upon them for I commanded and they were made for my own glory and for thy use not for thy worship The Angels thou shalt respect as my messengers and receive my errands with reverence but shalt not by worshipping them make them my fellows The Saints who now rest from their labour and have left thee their examples of a holy life thou shalt remember with thanks and endeavour to imitate and thus make them the object not of my jealousy but of thy emulation The evill spirits shall not fright thee into religious observance being able to doe no more hurt then I let them Thou shalt not with base flattery Idolize the persons of men whether they be Good or Great but carry a respect subordinate to me In fine Thou shalt not set thy affections and respects upon any thing so as to make it an Image of jealousy Thou shalt not fall flat on thy face before any creature or its resemblance nor bow thy knee nor kiss thy hand nor make any other sign of adoration nor pray to them or before them or use any other gesture of worship however thou mayst pretend to direct thy intention nor shalt thou pay them any religious service or attendance by building groves temples and altars by making priests and appointing sacrifices or any other rites But thou shalt worship me the Lord thy God and me alone shalt thou serve in body as well as soul for I am the Creatour of both and though I am a spirit and am to be worshipped in spirit and in truth yet your bodyes also shall be temples of my holy spirit I will be sanctified in them in the use of such holy rites and Ceremonies as I have appointed shall hereafter appoint in my word and by my Church that all things in my service may be done decently in order Thou shalt therefore worship me according to my appointments come to my house in my fear behave thy self with care and reverence in the holy place whilst thou art in my presence in the performance of all religious acts and shalt bow down to me kneel before the Lord thy Maker Thou shalt not consult with witches or use other unlawful means nor shalt thou regard sorceries or any superstitious observances Lastly thou shalt give thy self up wholly both in body soul and spirit to my worship and shalt dedicate thy self so to my service that thy body also may become a Temple of the holy Ghost And all this thou must be the more carefull of that thou mayst not deprive me of that homage which I expect from thee and give away my glory to another when thou considerst my jealousy to observe such indignityes and my power to avenge them the severity of my Iustice in punishing Idolaters and their posterity after them and the multitude of my

want or distress and a returning of praise for blessings receiv'd or deliverances obtein'd Or indeed more generally and suitably to the nature of this holy exercise abstracting it from our occasions 't is a Meditation upon God his essence and his Attributes his Word and his Works and an acknowledgement of his power and wisdome and goodness whereby he orders all things to his own glory and our good It is indeed the special act of God's worship for Adoration is nothing else but a praying to him whom we adore Whereupon the heathen well observ'd that 't was not he that graves the idol but he that prayes to it which consecrates the Deity This is sure that his Religion may well be question'd who useth not to pray though 't is true too that prayer may be abus'd to wrong ends even to devour widow's houses nay to eat up God's own House Now the grounds of Prayer are laid in the nature of God and the relation which he hath to us who as he is our Creator and preserver challenges this homage whence the Psalmist frequently invites all our fellow creatures to this duty brings us altogether into one quire to praise the Lord. And the very instinct of nature hath taught ravenous beasts not so much to prey as to pray the young Lions and the young Ravens in their hunger cry to him and he feeds them and fills every thing living with his blessing Nor doth our relation so much as our want make prayer necessary for we depend upon him both as to the life of nature and of grace nor are we able to subsist or act without his constant help Therefore that praecept is no more then nature dictates to us Pray without ceasing or continually that is In every time In every place In every business The main thing in Prayer being to lift up the soul to carry God in our thoughts and have our conversation in Heaven as the man after Gods own heart saith of himself I have set the Lord alwayes before me And in the presence of so glorious a Majesty there cannot chuse but be an humble reverent fervent chearfull frame of spirit a mind well tuned and the affections so order'd the thoughts so compos'd as if one were alwayes in an actual devotion Now God's Nature makes it as convenient for us to go to him in prayer as our Interest makes it necessary for as he was pleased to call Abraham that had frequent intercourses with him in this kind his friend He hath all the qualities which should be taken notice of in the choice of a friend He wants neither will nor skill to do us all imaginable good He hath kindness to intend us good wisdome to contrive it and power to accomplish it Nor are the other Attributes idle in our behalf For 't is his Mercy to promise us help and his Iustice to perform his promise and the like may be said of the rest Then what a priviledge is it that a poor creature dust and ashes may freely speak to his maker That we who dwell in houses of clay may keep up a commerce with heaven that sinfull creatures as we are have access to the throne of Grace with boldness and may challenge a hearing in God's Court of Chancery Shall not the Iudge of all the earth saith he do right And any sinner may sue for his pardon with the same plea. Shall not justice acquit me since mercy hath accepted my surety Is it not enough that my debt hath been once pay'd Christ hath dyed for my sins and my soul shall live Nay let our case be what it will God himself hath afforded us such Arguments as he will not stand out Shall he that hath given me a life deny me food shall he that hath given me a body deny me raiment He that hath given me his Son will not he much more give me all things else Thus Prayer is not only like Iacob's wrestling with God upon earth but his scaling ladder too to reach heaven whilst Prayers ascend to fetch down blessings and blessings descend to fetch up praises Lastly let 's but look to the advantages that come by praying and me thinks no body should be so ill natur'd to himself as to neglect it What is 't but ask and have and will any one be so lazy as to refuse the pains of asking He deserves not bread to put in his mouth that will not open a proud mouth to ask it We have Gods word for 't in several places that his kindness he rates so cheap that it shall be had for asking Ask and it shall be given you And our Saviour passeth his word that whatsoever we shall ask in his name he will do it Can any thing be purchas'd at a lower rate then asking This is the buying without mony and without price Doth a man want wisdome counsel help Doth a sinner want grace pardon strength Doth a Saint want light comfort rest Let him but come and ask he shall find God readier to give then himself was to ask who sometimes answers prayers before they are made and counts it one of his greatest titles that he is a hearer of Prayer But some ask and have not Because as the Apostle saith they ask amiss Wherefore he that would pray aright so that he may obtein must come prepared furnisht with those Graces which may make him accepted Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in thy sight We must not rush into so great a presence for the foolish shall not stand before thee but consider the Majesty of God and our own vileness being deeply affected with the sense of his goodness and mans misery and premeditate before hand what we have to say and how and indeed pray before we go to pray that God will prepare our hearts for prayer For so the Psalmist resolves the success of Prayer Thou shalt prepare or direct their heart and shalt cause thy ear to hear And though all the graces like a bed of spices are upon this occasion to breath forth their sweet odours yet some have a more particular imployment such as are Reverence in our high thoughts of God Humility in our low thoughts of our selves Trust to rely upon his goodness and Patience to wait his time Knowledge that we may understand in some measure the nature of God and Obedience that we may sincerely perform his will Zeal which may inflame and raise our affections towards him and Constancy which may keep us in a daily practice of this Deity And to those which call upon him so God will be near and will either do that which they ask or something which may be better for them Who comes irreverently puts an affront upon God which an earthly Prince would not brook He that is possess'd with an aw of greatness will take heed how he demeans himself before it Reverence then

draws with it attention which will drive away vain thoughts as Abraham scar'd the birds from the sacrifice We cannot in reason exspect that God should take notice of us if we mind not him or hear those prayers which the Speaker himself regards not Who leaves Humility behind him doth but personate a devotion and plays rather then prays He may please himself or others it may be with acting a pompous part but God resists the proud nor doth the boasting Pharisee go home justified Now Humility is chiefly seated in the mind but it expresses it self too in the outward parts and prescribes the posture of kneeling bowing falling flat upon the face nor was the Publican less humbled when he stood afar off and pray'd Who would seek to God if he durst not trust him but look'd upon him either as a down-right enemy or an unsteady friend we must bring the confidence of children if we look to have the kindness of a Father The Apostle hath said it that he that prayes doubting and with wavering shall go without so that who asks with distrust bespeaks a denyall Nor yet must this confidence be so bold as to limit God to means how or appoint him his time when God's own times are best our seasons are in his hand and 't is not for us even in this sense to know the times and the seasons Moreover he works without means as well as with means and the unlikelier the means the likelier for God's service the first cause virtuates the second therefore the assurance that God will grant must be attended with patience i.e. a quiet expectation till it please God to answer us in his own way He that will not stay God's leasure deserves not his answer He that believes saith the Prophet shall not make hast which the Apostle quotes thus He that believes shall not be ashamed that is disappointed And that is the next to wit Faith by which we apprehend and get knowledge of God For he that addresseth to him must first believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of them that seek him God is not pleas'd with the sacrifice of fools The best service we can perform if it be not enliven'd with saith is at the best but a carcase of duty and like that cheat Plutarch mentions of an oxes bones cover'd with the hide and intended a sacrifice when the flesh and entrals were gone Nor will a naked faith serve turn to make this oblation acceptable unless it be cloth'd with good works There must be obedience as well as knowledge a sincere heart as well as an orthodox head nor is 't less fit that pure hands should be lifted up to God in prayer then devout eyes And therefore this Prayer is accompanied by both Creed Decalogue both of them having an influence upon it since we cannot pray as we should without having respect to both Faith manners seeing that without Faith 't is impossible to please God and the desire of the wicked as well as their way shal perish Prayer is sometimes term'd a sacrifice now that can't be offer'd without fire There must be then all the affections in a flame For the fervent Prayer of the righteous availeth much and the Prayers of the Saints are presented by Christ to his Father mixt with the sweet odours of his intercession in a censer Zeal was that fiery chariot wherein Elias rode to Heaven who had that great command over heaven while he was on earth by his praying that he could with this key of David either open or shut it at his pleasure Yet we must take heed of bringing strange fire the ignis fatuus of a new Light or the glimmering taper of an ignorant devotion but fetch it from heaven nor content our selves with a flash and fit of devotion but keep it alive in our hearts as the fire upon the altar which was never to go out There must be a constancy and a daily practice such as Daniel's use was who prayed three times a day with his face towards Ierusalem and David's who prais'd God morning and at evening and at noon-day And thus some expound that Pray alwayes i.e. constantly every day without intermission set aside some of your time for this duty alluding to the custom of the daily sacrifice Now there are several sorts of Prayer As to the place publick in the church or private in the family in the closet As to time ordinary for our ordinary affairs morning and evening before and after meals and extraordinary upon extraordinary occasions such as are designs dangers and deliverances fasts and feasts judgements and mercies particular sins and graces c. And accordingly some have to very good purpose and great benefit of the vulgar put forth Manuals of devotion fitted for all the business and most occurrences of life As to the manner mental only as Hanna pray'd in silence or oral utter'd by the voice whence 't is call'd Oratio As to the person praying either conceiv'd that either upon premeditation or with sudden affection and as they say ex tempore and this may must be allowed any Christian in his privacy or set either by publick appointment of the Church or the civil Magistrate who being to order the matters of Religion may well be styled in this meaning the Minister of God Diaconus Dei Liturgus Dei i.e. as the Greek word imports God's common-Prayer-maker it being the very word whence Liturgy is deriv'd or by direction of Godly men for the use of them who are unprovided with forms of their own And lastly as to the subject or the things prayed for the Apostle hath divided it into four kinds Petition for good Deprecation of evil Thanksgiving for the good obtein'd or evil remov'd and Intercession in the behalf of others All which sorts of prayer are either exemplified or included in this most absolute form which our Saviour himself prescrib'd which from him is called The Lord's Prayer There are not many things which wear the stamp of this title and those have a peculiar veneration due to them as immediately appointed by Iesus himself the Lord's Day the Lord's Supper the Lord's Prayer The same word out of which the name which we give God's House is made Kirk or Church Christ did not only make it but appoint it too for when his disciples came to him with a desire that he would teach them to pray as Iohn had done his disciples He bade them use this form St. Matthew indeed When you pray say thus which yet doth signify not only in this manner but in these very words St. Luke more peremptorily delivers the institution when you pray say so that granting the adversary the advantage that he would catch at from St. Matthew yet he must acknowledge even from thence that this prayer is an exact copy and plat-form by which we are to frame and model