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A45346 A sermon preach'd before Her Majesty the Queen Dowager in her chappel at Somerset-House, upon the fifth Sunday after Easter, May 9, 1686 / by William Hall. Hall, William, d. 1718? 1686 (1686) Wing H447; ESTC R30723 19,128 42

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Christians of the Excellency of Prayer of the Advantages we may reap from the constant Exercise of Prayer We are convinc'd I suppose of the Necessity of Prayer We have been furnish'd with the Conditions requisite for Prayer If we admire it for its Excellency we should embrace it as an Advantage Nay we ought to comply with so necessary an Obligation since we are not ignorant of the Manner how to discharge our selves I was not Master of Ceremonies my self when I plac'd Prayer amongst the Seraphins A Learned Author tells us That a Person constantly addicted to so pious an Employment has not only the Love of a Seraphin but likewise enjoys the Perfection of each Hierarchy of every Quire He is a Cherubin in his Knowledge a Throne inasmuch as his Soul is the Seat or Residence of God the Temple of the Holy Ghost A Domination in the Government of his Passions A Power in the Dominion over the Infernal Spirits A Vertue in his miraculous Life in his Life of Miracles An Archangel in his Heroick Enterprizes An Angel in his Prompt Obedience to the Commands of his Sovereign A Person in fine devoted to Prayer is a wonderful Epitome of all Heaven Who would not after this addict themselves to Prayer That holy Bishop of Geneva St. Francis Sales taxes those that will not of the want of common Sense But the foolish and unwise shall perish saith the Psalmist Simul insipi ens stultus peribunt Men may be asham'd of their supine Neglect in a Business of such Moment and Concern while they shew themselves so eager in the pursuit of Toys and Trifles If its charming Excellency do's not invite us let its Advantages engage us let its Necessity oblige us For its Advantages saith St. Ambrose Vberior est gratia quam precatio semper enim Dominus plus tribuit quam rogatur God is more liberal of his Grace then we of our Prayers he always confers more upon us then we require then we look for or expect Abraham desir'd a Son and obtain'd over and above the Measure of his Petition a numerous Progeny from his Loyns a Progeny as numerous as the Stars Obtain'd a Blessing never to be mention'd but with Joy The Redeemer of the World came from the propagation of his Seed Jacob the Patriarch beg'd God would be pleas'd to furnish him with Necessaries with Aliments for the Body and was stor'd with Riches in abundance was honour'd with the Company of Ascending and Descending Angels Solomon Pray'd for Wisdom and receiv'd Omnia bona pariter cum ea An affluence of all good things with it Ezechias Pray'd for his own Recovery when sick to death which was granted with an addition of Fifteen Years and the Promise of a glorious Victory over his Enemies The Samaritan desir'd Water but obtain'd Grace The Centurion beg'd of our Blessed Saviour to restore his Servant's Health Our Lord cur'd the Body of the Servant and the Soul of the Master The Thief upon the Cross desir'd only to be remembred when our Saviour came to his eternal Kingdom whereas our most gracious Lord promis'd him on that very Day to place him in Paradise Add now to these Advantages with those above mention'd the strict Obligation the pressing Necessity A Soul without Prayer is like a City in time of War without Guards without Walls without either Food or Ammunition which the Enemies may take and Plunder as they please S. Augustin and St. Ambrose the greatest and Learnedst Doctors of the Church both center in this Opinion That a Person stands in as much need of Prayer as of Grace to attain Salvation St. Ambrose farther assures us That Prayer is as much the Life of the Soul as the Soul is the Life of the Body Hence I rationally and evidently conclude That as the Soul is essential to the Life of the Body Prayer is as essential to the Life of the Soul The Body without a Soul is but a foul and ugly Carcass the Leavings of a Man the Food of Worms and the Grave The Soul without Prayer is dead detestable in the sight of God and his Angels whose Grave will be the nether Hell whose Worms those Stings of Conscience which shall never die As we take all Care possible therefore to preserve Nature the union of the Soul and Body since we are not ignorant of the Means we ought to take all Care possible to preserve Grace by a constant Exercise of Prayer Should you deny your Body its necessary Food the Soul takes Wing and leaves the Skeleton Should you deprive your Soul of the Sustenance of Prayer Grace quits the barren the unhospitable Soil the roaring Lion the ravenous Wolf the infernal Serpent each from Hell every Beast of Prey Omnes bestiae sylvae do not pass through only but inhabit there Let us Pray therefore always D. Christians as our Blessed Saviour has enjoyn'd us Sempe rorare not always upon our Knees with Hands erected with Eyes lifted up to Heaven that Ceremony at all times is neither necessary nor convenient Let us Pray always by a constant union of our Souls always with God Let us Pray always by doing what we do for the sake of God Let us Pray always by bearing our Sufferings for God Let us Pray always by desiring what we desire may redound to the Honour of God Let us Pray always by loving what we love for the love of God Let us Pray always in fine by rendring our Thoughts Words and Works constant Effects of Faith Hope and Charity Prayer then and Grace will be individual Companions Grace will be acquir'd at the Instances of our Prayers Glory will be the due Reward of Grace Gratiam enim Gloriam dabit Dominus For the Lord says the Psalmist will give Grace and Glory Which God of his infinit Mercy grant to the Prayers of your most Sacred Majesty to my Prayers and to the Prayers of all that hear me In Nomine Patris Filii Spiritus Sancti Amen FINIS Jo. 13.34 Matth 19.25 Chrysost Hom. 23. in Matth. I. Part. Matth. 21.18 Job 22 14. Joan. 13.15 Luc. 6.12 Luc. 23.34 Luc. 23.46 Joan. 4.14 Cant. 2.16 8.13 Cant. 2.14.4.3 Exod. 32.10 II. Part. Job 14.1 Matth. 10.36 Psal 49.15 Rom. 7.24 Rom. 6.6 2 Cor. 12.7 2 Cor. 11.26 Psal 41.5 Eccl. 35. Chrysost Hom. 5. de Incompr Dei Natura Acts 9.4 Acts 9.1 Aug. Ser. 1. de Sanctis 4. I. Condition 1 Joan. 3.21 S. Greg. Mor. l. 17. c. 11. Joan. 15.7 Isa 1.13 S. August Conc. 3. in Psal 30. II Condition Psal 122.2 III. Condition IV. Condition Joan. 15.5 August in Manual cap. 21. V. Condition Matth. 11.12 2 Tim. 2.5 Psal 43.11 Luc. 18.1 Psal 18.1