Selected quad for the lemma: kingdom_n
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A37981
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The watch-mans lanthorn being a summ of divinity in a short but very plaine exposition of the Ten commandments, the Lords prayer, and the Creed : fittest to the meanest capacity in a nature of a dialogue / by A.E.
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A. E., a servant of Jesus Christ.
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1655
(1655)
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Wing E2; ESTC R25569
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96,065
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185
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him truly that is with their heart and Psal 145. 18 19. that their prayers please him On the other side God doth worthily abhor and detest prayers that fainedly and unadvisedly Isa 29. 12 13. Mat. 15. 8. 20. 22. Jer. 48. 10. utter with their tongue that which they conceive not with their heart and thought and deale more negligently with immortal God then they are wont to do with a mortal man Therefore in Prayer the minde is alway needful but the tongue is not alway necessary M. But there is some use of the tongue in Prayer S. Yea verily for meet it is that the Psal 35 28. 51. 14 15 71. 21 22 23. Rom. 14. 11. Phil. 2. 11. tongue do also diligently and earnestly imploy all her strength and ability to set forth the honour of God sith it is above all other parts of the body properly created by God to that use Moreover as from a mind earnestly bent with study and care sometime words break out of us ere we be aware so oftentimes the very sound of utterance and hearing of our own words quickneth and sharpneth our minde and helpeth away slackness wherewith the heart is continually tempted M. Sith it is so What thinkest thou of them that pray in a strange tongue and such as they understand not S. I think that they do not only loose their labour but therewith also mock God himself for if loqui to speak be wittingly to bestow each word in his right place they that utter words which they 1 Cor. 14. 7. 9. 11. understand not chatter rather then speak so farr be they from praying for they play the Parrats rather then men much less Christian men Therefore farr be it from godly men such hypocrisie and mockery for if St. Paul think it absurditie 1 Cor. 14 12. for a man to speak to another that speech which they understand not because words move no man but him that hath the same language and affirmeth that both he that speaketh he that heareth shall either of them be an Alien to the other how much greater absurditie is it that we our selves be Aliens to our selves while we use that speech that we know not and go about to utter our meanings and prayers in that tongue wherin our selves are deafe Wise men in old Time thought that such men as were most fond were most worthy to be laughed at M. I see how heedfull a minde and fervent affection is required in prayer But tell me dost thou think thi ferventness to be natural and by kind planted in our hearts or that it is a raising up of our minds by God S. The holy Scriptures do testifie that Rom. 8. 20. Ephe. 2. 18. the Spirit of God raiseth up unspeakable groanings whereby our prayers are made effectual He therefore without doubt with his inspiration stirreth up our minds and whetteth and helpeth us to pray M. How then When this ferventness of mind that cannot alway be present is slacked or wholly quenched shall we as it were drousie with sloth and sleeping idlely looke for the stirring and moving of the Spirit S. Nothing less But rather when we be faint and slack in mind we must by Psal 51. 17 Mat 26. 40 41. and by crave the help of God that he will give us cherefulness and stir up our hearts to Prayer for this mind and will we conceive by the guiding of God M. Now remaineth that I heare of thee what we ought to aske of God by Prayer Is it lawful to aske of God whatsoever commeth in our mind and mouth S. When men that were strangers to true godliness had such an honest opinion of the Majestie and minde of their Gods that they thought that they ought not to aske of them any thing that is unjust or unhonest God forbid that we Christians should ever aske any thing of God in Mat. 7. 11. Ioh. 16. 23. 24. 1 Ioh. 5. 14. Prayer that may mislike the Minde and Will of God for this were to do to Gods Majestie most high injury and dishonour so much less may a Prayer please him or obtain any thing of him and sith both the wits of men are too dull to understand Mat. 20. 22. Rom. 8. 26. 27. what is expedient for them and the desires of their hearts are so blind and will be that they not only need a Guid whom they may follow but also bridles to restrain them it were too great an absurdity that we should in Prayer be carried rashly and headlong by our own affections by a certain Rule therefore and prescribed Forme our Prayers ought wholly to be directed M. What Rule and Forme S. Even the same forme of Prayer verily which the heavenly Schoolemaster Mat. 6. 9. 10. Luke 11. 1 2. c. appointed to his Disciples and by them to us all wherein he hath couched in very few Points all those things that are lawful to be asked of God and behoveful for us to obtain which prayer is after the Author and therefore called The Lords Prayer If therefore we will follow the heavenly Teacher with his Divine Voyce saying before us truly we shall never swerve from the right Rule of Praying M. Rehearse me then the LORDS Prayer S. When ye will pray Saith the Lord Mat 6. 9 c. Luke 11 1 2. c. Say thus Our Father which art in heaven hallowed be thy Name thy Kingdome come thy Will be done in earth 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 and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil for thine is the Kingdome and the Power and the Glory for ever Amen M. But dost thou think that we are bound ever so to render these very words that it is not lawful in one word to vary from them S. It is no doubt that we may use other words in praying so that we swerve not from the meaning of this Prayer for in it the Lord hath set out certain special and principal Points to the which unless our Prayers be referred they cannot please God yea let every man aske of God as the present time and his need Psal 107 5. 12. 18. c. shall require and let him tarry upon which part of this Prayer he will and so long as he list and dilate it into sundry sorts as he will for there is no impediment to the contrary so that we pray to God with such affiance and affection as I have before spoken off and to the same meaning that is set out in this Prayer M. How many parts hath the Lords Prayer S. It containeth indeed six Petitions The Division but in the whole summ there are but two parts whereof the first belongeth only to the glory of God and containeth the three former Petitions the second which containeth the three latter Petitions