Selected quad for the lemma: prayer_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A34921
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Isagoge ad Dei providentiam, or, A prospect of divine providence by T.C., M.A.
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T. C., M.A.
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1672
(1672)
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Wing C6818; ESTC R4623
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270,847
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560
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it shall be opened unto you for what man is there of you whom if his son ask bread will he give him a stone or if he ask a fish will he give him a serpent If ye then being evil know how to give good gifts unto your children how much more shall your father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him Mat. 7. 7 c. Thirdly From the Experience of God's people Prayer may well be termed the Royal Exchange in a spiritual sense Here is a bartering for choise Commodities as Gold tried in the fire white Rayment Eye-salve Rev. 3. 18. Esther with the Jews did labour hard at this Sacred Pump of Prayer and their labour was not in vain for their hands lifted up to Heaven did knock down Haman with his Complices Esth 4. 16. with chap. 9. v. 25. Peter was kept in prison but prayer was made without ceasing of the Church unto God for him Acts 12. 5. Though Peter be in prison yet the Spirit of Prayer was at liberty and sets Peter at liberty for the prison which like a Jonas his Whale had swallowed him gives up the prisoner at the prayers of the Church To this testimony of the Saints Experiences add the testimony of God himself Isa 45. 19. I said not unto the seed of Jacob Seek ye me in vain 4. From the signal appearance of Providence at or nigh the very time that prayer is made There seems to be something in God's owning persons whilst they are at their work Abraham's servant observes this saying Before I had done speaking in my heart behold Rebeccah came forth with her pitcher c. Gen 24. 45. In Abijah's time they cried unto the Lord and the priests sounded with trumpets then the men of Judah gave a shout and as the men of Judah shouted it came to pass that God smote Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah 2 Chron. 13. 14 15. And whiles saith Daniel I was speaking and praying and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel and presenting my supplication before the Lord my God for the holy mountain of my God yea whiles I was a speaking in prayer even the man Gabriel whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning being caused to flye swiftly touched me about the time of the evening-oblation c. Dan. 9 20 21. So in Acts 4. 31. When they had prayed the place was shaken where they were assembled together and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost And so lastly to mention no more instances That of Peter is pertinent he was a prisoner the people of God then knock at Heaven's door and behold Peter knocks at the door of the house where many were gathered together praying Acts 12. 12. CHAP. II. 1. LEARN who are the men and women of gracious Providence they are such who make conscience of serious prayer to God They who go down into this Deep see the wondrous works of God Noah Daniel Job are the men who can do much with Providence if any thing be to be done as is intimated Ezek. 14. 14. And the effectual servent prayer of a righteous man availeth much James 5. 16. 2. How sad is the state of those who instead of laying up a stock of Prayers lay up a treasure of Guilts They curse blaspheme revile lye oppress persecute those who wish well to them and pray for them These continuing the old trade of sin cannot expect that Providence should look from Mount Gerrizzim to bless them but from Mount Ebal to curse them An heavy hand of Providence will meet with such who make light of Prayer and trample like Swine this Pearl with other Pearls under their feet See Job 21. 14 15. with 17 18 19 20 30. Rom. 2. 4 5 6 7 8 9. 1 Cor. 6. 9 10. 3. Observe one ground amongst others why pious ones are so taken up in prayer to God They well know their own Trade A Merchant who often sends his Ship to one and the same Port hath reason for it A Child is ever and anon in a room and there is an Honey-comb God's Children find it good for them to draw near to God Psal 73. 28. 4. Know who are the best provident Parents for Children they are such who by their prayers to God engage Providence to be a Portion and Joynture for their Children A little with a blessing left to some will out-last Farms Mannors yea Kingdoms left to others with a curse Pious Parents in being praying Parents are provident Parents they pray not in vain God may hear prayer for posterity one way or other See Gen. 17. 20. 5. Wicked men then are fools in their Rages and subtil Contrivances against pious praying-ones How quickly may God hear the groans of his people and so sweep away the Bodies of wicked men to their Graves and their Souls to Hell There was a prayer made for Peter and the design against him was broken and a prodigious death is the lot of an Herod who had designed the death of Peter Acts 12. 23. 6. There is no reason to lay aside Prayer no not whilst in the world We shall still stand in need of the Providence of God Daily Providence calls for daily-Prayer It 's pride to an height of it to think that Prayer is below a grown Christian When persons stand not in need of Providence to help and continue its help they may not so stand in need of prayer But alas where are the men or rather monsters who owe no debt to Providence The holy Scriptures do sufficiently confute this fancy see Job 1. 5. Mat. 6. 11. Luke 11. 1. Col. 4. 2. 7. See whence it is that the Devil makes opposition against prayer He is a cunning Pirate and knows that serious prayer is the Christian's Plate-Fleet He is sensible of the knocks and bruises which prayer gives his Serpent's head He hath been an observer of what great things God hath done on the prayers of his people No wonder then if he throw dirt and stones into this Well jogs the Christian when he is ready to fire at the mark and shakes his hand when he is about to write down his humble petition to God see Zech. 3. 1. Acts 16. 16 17 18. 8. Look not on those as enemies who call on you to call on God with your Families Shall a Physician be thanked for the Body a Lawyer for the Estate And is the Body Estate Soul and all of no regard as the concerns of all lye at stake in another way and that the best way too Surely they are Friends who antidote you against the curse of God see Jer. 10. 25. Prov. 3. 33. Lastly Observe the incomes of Providence by way of return unto prayer If it be said here I have prayed and prayed and yet no such returns are made as the Meditation or Observation on Providence imports I might at large reply but that would be a digression In a few things