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heaven_n bind_v earth_n loose_v 17,667 5 10.9453 5 true
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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

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and suggesting is played by divers Spiritual Harpers this holy harmony of spirits seeking to the Lord that he would loose in heaven some poor sinning persons formerly bound but now repenting this argueth the presence and acceptance of the Lord. What ye loose on earth is loosed in Heaven that is If you shall agree or symphonize on earth as touching any thing you shall ask it shall be done c. Matth. 18. 18 19 20. 5 When God carryeth out some of his 5. If those praiers are importunate servants in Prayers for others very earnestly resolutely and constantly as those who will have no nay God assuredly as a fruit of such holy importunity in Intercessions maketh that Jerusalem a praise in the earth Isai 62. 6 7. Paul who alwayes in every Prayer of his is stirred up to mention the Philippians Phil. 1. 4. is confident that God will go on with his work in them ver 6. and he thinketh it meet to bee so confident of it because the Lord hath put them thus oft into his heart in prayer for them ver 7. Such earnest incessant prayers of the Church for an imprisoned Peter are not denyed there being most of the Spirit in such Prayers 6 When God stirreth up the faith of such 6 When such pray in faith for others which pray and plead for others to listen attend wait and expect yea and to bee perswaded of their answers as the Psalmist in Psal 85. 8. who expecteth peace as an answer of those praiers for others of the Saints I will hearken what God the Lord will say for he will speak peace to his people and his prayers for them are mentioned in the former verses When the Church in praying for the King is perswaded that they shall have the joy thereof Psal 20. 1 2 3 4. and ver 6. she concludeth the same from her faith That God will shew mercy to the King according to her desire ver 6. Faith ever speeddeth in its Suits and in this our holy trading with God it s the Lords earnest penny that he will give us sutable and seasonable returnes 7. When mercies begged for others are 7 When the mercies beg'd for them come in suddenly and strangely suddenly and strangely brought about upon our Prayers yea and as suddenly brought to our knowledge Acts 12 5 12. c. Peter is sent in unto them as set at liberty from his chains whilst they are praying for him wherein the providence of God would as it were speak to them thus There is the Mercy here is the man for whom you make so much a do since you will needs have it so and will have no nay and the ears of the Lord are so filled with your cryes take it and be thankful 8 When we are in especial wise enlarged 8. When as large in praises for mercies to them and quickned in thanksgiving for Gods mer●yes upon others The many which gave thanks to God for his gift bestowed were surely of the many by means of whose helping prayings it was bestowed 2 Cor. 1. 11. Eli prayed for Hannah 1 Sam. 1. 17. worshippeth being answered in prayer ver 28. The same Spirit moving to praise God did assuredly stir up to prayer before It is a sign of peculiar interests in those mercies of others when the Spirit of God moveth us in such thankful sort to owne the same Let us now speak a little more largely to the other branch being somewhat more intricate and not so often spoken to Prayer in way of Imprecation is that part of Prayer wherein the Saints do not barely complaine of the indignities done by Gods and his peoples enemies against him and them but crave Divine Justice against them Let us first clear this to be a Duty of the We may and in case must pray against Gods and his peoples enemies Saints in case to pray even against such as hate God and his people Judg. 5. 23. Curse ye Meros c. Deut. 27. the Levites were to pray against divers kinds of sinners and the people to joyne in those imprecations by saying Amen The Scripture holds forth many examples of such Imprecations as Lament 3 64 65 66. Psalm 144. 5 6 7 8. and many other Scriptures Reasons enforcing the Saints to it are 1 Their love to God out of love to Reasons 1 From our love ●o God whom they may and must say as he did Do not I hate them that hate thee c. Psalm ● 39. 20 21 22. The converted Princes shal hate the Antichristian Harlot Revel 17. 16. and if the Saints may and must hate the enemies of God they may pray against them 2 Their respect to Christ and his Kingdome 2 From our respect to Christ and his Kingdom which we are taught to pray that it may come as well in the confusion of some as the conversion of other of his enemies Psalm 45. 5. Let thine arrowes be sharp in the heart of the Kings enemies whereby people fall under thee Psalm 99. 1 2. O thou to whom vengeance belongeth shine forth let the glorious beams of thy Soveraignty as a King and equity as a Judge appear lift up thy self thou Judge of the earth render a reward to the proud 3 Their respect to the Church and people of God and their peace and good 3. From our respect to the Church whence those Imprecations Psalm 137. 7. Remember O Lord the children of Edom c. Psalm 129. 5 6 7 8 Let them all be confounded that hate Zion c. But because our natures as carnal are principled rather with dispositions to curse then blesse a carnal mans mouth is full of cursing Rom. 3. 14. so that herein we need not spurs so much as bit and bridle to curb and guide us And because even the dearest of the Saints have fouly miscarried this way yea even when they least suspected the same as James and John Luke 9. 54 55. would have been requiring fire to come downe from heaven upon those Samaritans as Elias sometimes did but were rebuked for it though they seeme to ask Christs counsel in it Wilt thou that we command fire from heaven to exalt Christs soveraign power in it if that he willed it they in his name might command it and to be zealous of his honour injured by those Samaritans yet checked as persons who knew not of what spirit they were of Now considering such like things we had need to have aime given us and to have the Mark described at which wee must shoot Consider we then 1 In what way we Cautions Imprecations must not be may not imprecate and pray against others 2. In what way wee must pray against Gods enemies 3. Against what enemies 1 We may not curse nor pray against the 1. Against the Righteous the Righteous upon any pretence whatsoever no not of sharp harsh high or continued opposition against us There was a sharp contention betwixt Paul
words and commands of God he saith that therefore he will walk at liberty Psa 119. 45. When a Christian is conscious to himselfe of any witting carelesness in the service of God or any secret Treachery and falseness of heart in his grounds or aims therein this appaleth him and so straitneth him 6. Improve wee heedfully the Word 6. Improve the Word preached or read preached and read When we continue in Christs word attending to it and on it then we come to know the Truth and to be set free Joh. 8. 31 32. We gain oft times many precious loosenings of our spirits in the attentive use of the Word preached Mat. 16 19. Our spirits and consciences so freed on earth are the freer in heaven too in respect of their free approaches thither and sutable entertainments thence 7. Lastly Repair and cherish we our Joy 7. Cherish holy joy in God and Christ and his Covenant and our hearts being thereby inlarged will be freer to run in this or any other way of Gods Commandments Psalm 119. 32. I will run the wayes of thy Commandments when thou hast enlarged my heart The third thing propounded cometh Differences betwixt others straitnings and that of the Saints which now to be answered namely How this straitning in prayer incident to the Saints may be discerned from that judiciary speechlesness mentioned Mat. 22. 12. He became speechless And from that sad doom of hypocrites whose gifts of prayer and the like come to be so miserably diminished so far to decay that they cannot pray in any sort as formerly their gift is in a manner taken from them Mat. 13. 12. From him shall be taken away even that which he hath To which I answer 1. That the straitness incident to the Saints it is not perpetual albeit they are kept a 1. Is not perpetual while under some restraint yet they are many times set at liberty again Isai 61. 1. As David and others have been and are True it is that some of the people of God may lye longer by it then others and God may keep their feet in the stocks as Jobs phrase is Job 13. longer then others for wise and holy ends some again are shut up lesse while yet both the one and the other are inlarged at length They for a time be bound asn iearth so in heaven like Excommunicants but yet as that bound incestuous Corinthian was again loosed 2 Cor. 2 so is it with these But it is otherwise with Reprobates and Hypocrites when Judiciary straitning seiseth upon them These chains of theirs are chains of darknesse and in them are kept too without bail or mainprise Their straitning groweth fast upon them until that after a while both their words and will and spirit and all fail them in prayer 2. That is not total and universal as is 2 It is not total the other That speechlesness in hypocrites is accompanied with binding hand and foot Matth. 22. 12 13. In all Ordinances as well as prayer their spirits are shut up and to no service of God are they free but the Saints when straitned in prayer yet oftentimes meet with some inlargement of heart in meditation as the Church which found not God in publick or private Ordinances Cant. 3. 1 2 3 4. yet in reflecting Meditation upon what the Watch-men the Ministers spake therein she found Christ Sometimes in conference with other Christians whilst sadly complaining of their deserted estate even therein they meet with Christ 3 The occasion of that in the Saints 3. Hath not the like occasions as Reigning unbelief may be some particular defeat in them or some particular distemper on their part But the cause of this in the other is a total want of true Faith and Repentance they have not that wedding garment Matth. 22. 11 12. and hence become speechlesse when called to an account for it Or Unprofitableness some universal barrenness and unprofitablenesse as in the slothful servant that doth not at all or to any purpose improve his Talent and therefore it is taken from him Matth. 25. 18 28. and chap. 13. 12. But from him that hath not shall be taken away that which he hath Or it is occasioned by some Implacableness high-handed contempt of reconciliation to some of Gods people whom they have injured who thereupon commit their cause to God as the Judg of all and God thereupon as a Judg delivereth them over to perpetual imprisonment as Matth. 5. 24 25 26. Or else it is occasioned from some gross contemptuous undervaluing and unworthy Hard thoughts of God apprehensions of God as when the Hypocrite conceiveth God to be a most hard and unmerciful Master Matth. 25. 24 25 28. Or else a man is haply of an unmerciful and implacable spirit towards others and therefore God justly delivers him to a perpetual imprisoned condition even in this life in respect of his Spirit like to that Matth. 18. 30 34. Or it may be such a one Resting in gifts received doth wilfully rest in some sprinklings of gifts of grace received without due care of continual supply for the future as well as for the present They care not for a heart as well as a brain Treasury and so like foolish virgins come at length to be fatally scanted of oyl Matth. 25. 3 4 8. When there is no care of multiplying and adding to grace received they come at length to lose their light and vigour of gifts as 2 Pet. 1. 5 6 7. 8. but he that lacketh these things or holy additionals mentioned is blinde or cannot see a far off c. 4. The ministry of Gods servants useth 4 Is not usually by the ministry of the word not to bind but rather to loose those ever and anon they meet with some word of Grace that inlargeth their heart to God-ward and in his wayes Christ by his ministers saith to such sometimes as Isai 49. 8 9. Go forth be not ashamed to shew your faces before the Lord. The Gospel preached by the spirit of Christ effectually proclaimeth their liberty Isai 61. 1. Joh. 8. 31. But these are bound by the servants of God which were sent out to loose others Matth. 22. 10 13. some Prophet is made an instrument as to shut their eyes and ears so their hearts and mouths Isai 6. 10. Some Peter some minister in his preaching bindeth them Matth. 16. 19. 5. The former in their straitnings are very sensible of the burden and evil thereof 5 Is not accompanied with senslesnesse of it although not able to get at liberty Such prisoners are broken hearted and do mourn Isai 61. 1 2. when they cannot utter their minds in prayer they can sigh Rom. 8. ●6 when their mouths are not open to those free will offering● of prayer and praise mentioned Psal 119. 108. Yet they offer that sacrifice of a broken heart Psal 51 15. compared with verse 11. yea it maketh them