Selected quad for the lemma: heaven_n
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A77764
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A discourse concerning the qualifications of prayer By J. Buerdsell, M.A. late fellow of Brase-nose College. Oxon.
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Buerdsell, James, 1669 or 70-1700.
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1700
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Wing B5362C; ESTC R229486
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12,922
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our Alms We render him if I may so speak our Debtor and pardon the boldness of the Expression we may in some measure according to the promises made to this Duty appeal to his Justice as well as to his Goodness to make suitable Requitals which he will most ceatainly perform though not in kind yet in what will be much more for our Advantage and will consult tho' not our present satisfaction yet our lasting Benefit On Observation therefore of God's returns to our Prayers Thanksgiving for his Grants and Denials a due Value of the privilege of Prayer a correcting our prayers for the future by our past disappointments and lastly Alms-giving are necessary after we have pray'd to make our antecedent Prayers duly effectual So that I shall proceed to enquire into Lastly what Acts are to be continued and extended through each of these both before in and after our prayers And First we ought to be possest with a great sense of our Imperfections in the discharge of this weighty Duty This must run thro' all the parts of it but ought more particularly to be exprest both before and after our Devotions At both these times we ought solemnly to entreat God's pardon for the Errors that we have or may commit for the stragling of our Thoughts which the best of Men can more easily bewail than prevent since the most watchful and steady Mind cannot hinder all the disorders of roving Fancy in the midst of our most serious devotions for our earnest begging of Blessings of a trival nature or for our want of any of the former Qualification in that Measure which is expedient The next Qualification is a very comprehensive one and which takes in all the rest and yet withal a very necessary one too and that is universal Holiness and Sanctity For our praying in a short time will make us leave off our Sins or our Sins our prayers So that this will be an effect as well as a Qualification of our Devotion For tho' the former Qualifications may be sufficient for a new Convert and for one who has but lately had the sense and conviction of Religion upon his mind yet from a proficient in this Duty nothing will be accepted less than a general a compleat and uniform Obedience to all God's Commands For tho' the prayers of one who begins to leave his Sins and yet sometimes upon the prevalency of Custom or the surprize of a violent Temptation relapses into â—em may be heard upon his Repentence yet this state of Sinning and Repenting must not continue long A general piety must be superinduc'd or else it is a sign that his prayers have not had their due efficacy if they do not conquer all sin at least so that it may not reign in us if they do not give us some sort of foretast of the Joys of that place to which they are directed and make our Souls sympathize and conform themselves with the Virtue and Innocence of its blessed Inhabitants So that the summ of all is That Purity a Consideration of our Wants a Trust in God a good Intention are necessary to prepare us for Prayer Humility Attention Fervour Charity Brevity and Perseverance in the time of praying On Observation of God's providence a Vaine of our privilege to pray a Reforming of our prayers by our Disappointments and Alms-giving are requir'd after we have pray'd And a sense of our own Imperfections and an Universal piety are to run through all the periods of this Duty A prayer which is put up to Heaven after this Method is surely more suitable for a reasonable Creature to present before his Almighty Maker than what is utter'd by or rather impress'd upon a Soul cast into a purely passive state or posture into a State of expectation of the Divine Exmanations to enlighten the Mind as that Duty has been model'd by some late Enthusiasts Which is but what had been before advanc'd by Enthusiasts of our own Nation for thus an Author of great Character amongst the most irregular Sect which ever oppos'd this Church allows of no use of our own Intellectual powers of our passions Imaginations or Wills in the exercise of this Duty Because says he God will be serv'd with his own alone and not with any thing in Man which is come in since the fail so the Imaginations Thinkings and Conceivings are shut out And these Qualifications before hinted at seem much more intelligible James Naylor's Love to the Lost pag. 13. more adapted to the Oeconomy of our Devotion that the taking hold of essential Truth nakedly as it is in it self than the applying the Mind to the intelligible World the World of Truth than the addressing to the Ideal World than the Union with God the seeing of all things in God Terms in some measure invented by two refin'd and curious Thinkers the one of our own the other of a Neighbouring Kingdom And here I cannot but See Norris 's Reflections on the Conduct of Hamane life c. Sect 11. reflect on a dangerous Error of a Mystick Writer of note who seems to exclude Vertue from the state of transform'd Souls as he styles them and those wrapt up in the highest Transports of Devotion But that Virtue is not only a preparation for Devotion but also a compleating of it has been shewn in this Discourse and not only so but that it is practic'd by the blessed by whom Devotion is exercis'd in its most exalted flights was made out tho' far below the Majesty of the Subject in another Effay But to close all Furnish'd with the former Qualifications we may be justly said to pray always and in the Spirit Yet such Prayers as were before describ'd will never fail of success till God shall cease from being true and our Almighty's strength from being Merciful Such prayers as these will be acceptable Sacrifices to the Heavenly Altar will procure pardon for Sin and Encrease of Grace and at length Eternal Life and will at last expire into everlasting Thanksgiving When we shall need to pray no more but this Duty as some fancy of Faith and Hope shall cease and we shall have nothing to do for ever but to give Thanks Adore and Praise A Prayer to be used in secret O Lord look down from Heaven with an Eye of Favour and come passion upon me thy poor Creature who in and through Jesus Christ do look up unto thee for Mercy I am a Sinner by Nature and by practice who deserve to be cast into everlasting Fire But do thou deliver me from all my Sins Give me thy grace that I may not harbour any vain or wicked thoughts in my Heart that I may not lye or swear or take thy holy Name in vain or any other way offend thee with my Tongue suffer me not to be guilty of stealing or any deceit but grant that I may be true and faithful and diligent in the place where thou art pleased to set me knowing thine All seeing Eye observes me in the most secret Corner and that my own Conscience is more than a Thousand Witnesses Inable me to flee Youthful Lusts and to follow after Godliness and suffer me not to be a Lover of pleasures more than of God prepare me for Death and Judgment and cause me so to live in thy Fear and favour while I am here that whenever it shall please thee to remove me hence I may be received into a Mansion in Heaven and the full Enjoyment of that Glory which neither Eye hath seen nor Ear heard nor hath ever entred into the Heart of Man to conceive Bless these Nations our King and all that are in Authority Bless all thy Ministers all my Friends and Relations and all thy people Bless this Family and make me a blessing in it Comfort those that mourn and suppyly their wants And now O Lord as thou hast been good unto me this Day or Night past so bless me this Night or Day continue thy Mercies unto my Soul and Body and give me thy Grace that i may be truly thankful for them and careful to make a good use of them Above all i bless thy glorious Name for Jesus Christ Grant that i may imbrace him in a right manner and for his sake do thou accept of me and my poor prayers which I conclude as he himself hath taught me to pray unto thee Our Father which art in Heaven hallowed be thy Name thy Kingdom come thy Will be done on Eatth as it is in Heaven Give us this day our daily Bread and forgive us our Trespasses as we forgive them that Trespass against us lead us not into Temptation but deliver us from Evil for thine is the Kingdom the power and the Glory for ever and ever FINIS