Selected quad for the lemma: prayer_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
prayer_n	cast_v	devil_n	fast_v	3,166	5	10.2336	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A11605	Three sermons preached by VVilliam Sclater Doctor of Diuinity, and minister of the word of God at Pitmister in Sommersetshire. Now published by his sonne of Kings Colledge in Cambridge	Sclater, William, 1575-1626.; Sclater, William, 1609-1661.	1629 (1629)	STC 21846; ESTC S102973	35,556	86

nature but from nature depraued 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 immoderate and ouerfrequent bibbings to these not Naturall but Carnall desires carry vs Immoderate heaping vp of wealth exquisit finenesse in apparrell Epicurcall glutting our selues with pleasures is neuer desired by right nature a Prou. 30. Giue me neither pouertie nor riches is the voyce of right nature that same horsleach humour that voyce of the Graue giue giue and neuer enough issues from flesh these are truly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fleshly desires There are some of these lusts saith Bernard so noysome and stinking that to a man sauouring neuer so little of grace or morality their issue easily appeares to be from the flesh Those of luxury and the daughters thereof Heathens obserued to flow from nature depraued Christians easily discerne not to flow from the spirit Carnall desires are marueilous pleasing to sensualitie and a kind of tickling they bring to the flesh and giue corruption a marueilous measure of Contentment past question it is as the spirit abhors thought of things fleshly so can the flesh delight in nothing but what is as it selfe corrupt and fleshly As in the pursuite they are pleasing so haue they a farewell in bitternesse after accomplishment leaue nothing but vanity and vexation of spirit How are they vanished and as a a Sap. 5 9. post passed away and if they leaue any thing it s a sting In the end they sting as a Cockatrice and bite as a serpent as the b Prou. 7. Harlots lips in the greeting they drop sweetnesse as the Hony combe but their end is bitter as wormewood sharper then a two-edged sword as c Apoc. 10. S. Iohns booke sweete as hony in the mouth bitter as Wormewood in the bowells They are not that make ioy and peace the fruite of spirituall affections It s a Character of Carnall desires not to be contemned They are vsually such as are rifest in the multitude who as they all lye in wickednesse so are they carried in their desires and delights to nothing but what is corrupt and carnall And if a man might measure goodnesse by number it were safest to reiect the multitude and follow the fewest Christs flocke is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a little diminutiue flocke The multitude though they haue diuersities of desires and delights yet in this they all conspire to delight in nothing that good is I am no Papist to measure truth or goodnesse by multitude much lesse Anabaptist to measure it by paucity of followers Howbeit I thinke with Seneca its ordinarily true Argumentum pessimi turba est Its a shrewd signe the thing is none of the best that is affected and applauded by the bruitish multitude In a word whatsoeuer desire a 2. Cor. 10.5 exalts it selfe against the obedience of Christ whatsoeuer is not b Rom. 8.7 subiect to the law of God of it thinke its fleshly from it fly as from a Scorpion The act or duty followes Abstaine The degrees of abstinence thus conceiue descending first à summo ad imum the height of abstinence is to represse them that they arise not therefore S. Paul c 1 Cor. 9. kept his body in subiection and that he might keepe it vnder blue beate it The meanes thus conceiue First keepe thy minde euer busied in some holy and heauenly meditation the mind sayth Oecumenius is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alwayes in action if it be not detained in goodnesse it wanders to euill The old saying is occupatum vno the idle is tempted with two yea with a Legion of Deuils Secondly Though honour may not be denyed to the body to preserue it in strength and vigour yet is there a time when macerating it almost may seeme necessary That it may haue place heere that our Sauiour spake This kind of fleshly Deuills is not cast or kept out but by Prayer and Fasting A second but inferior degree is in case they arise timely to repulse them It s scarce to be thought how by a little conniuence they insensibly creepe vpon the minde and incline it to allowance The holiest and most heedy cannot alwayes preuent the arising of euill motions yet must it be our endeauour to repulse them speedily We cannot hinder a bird to fly ouer our head but may easily prohibite her from nestling there fleshly flying fancies cannot alwayes be suppressed what thorow that morbus mentis and what for that morsus serpentis saith Bernard It s a high point of this holy abstinence to deny them harbour to keepe our mindes from allowance our wills from fulnesse of consent It was holy aduice that Erasmus gaue to crosse and thwart our fleshly inclinations contrary what thy flesh prouokes vnto If Couetous desires arise hasten to a deed of liberality If desires of reuenge and retaling of wrongs doe good for euill such thwarting abates corruption and blunts the point euen of satanicall temptations At least feed them not eyther by meditation or occasion The prudence of Ioseph is worth our imitation sollicited by his Mistris he hearkens not to her to be in her company Our hearts are of a Gunpowder disposition a very sparke of opportunity inflames them and setts all in a combustion If thy will cannot be bridled from consenting yet keepe thy hand from execution Though thou couet fieldes a Mic. 2. take them not by force The taste of pleasures of sinne in action encreaseth our naturall thirst after iniquity one act makes not a habit yet strengthens a vitious inclination Lastly If the temptation be so violent that affection must needes vent it selfe into action yet beware of fulfilling the desires of the flesh Goe not so farre as the swinge of thy corrupt heart would carry thee It s something saith th'apostle not to obey sinne in the lusts of it that is according to that full measure that corruption would lead vs vnto So for the Exhortation The Reasons follow first from our owne state As Pilgrimes and Strangers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 5.3 We haue here no abiding City but looke for one to come our conuersation our City-freedome our negotiation Phil 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is in heauen is or ought to be for heauen The inference is therefore Abstaine from fleshly lusts 1 Bernardus de quadragesima ser 81. Peregrinus si quidèm viâ regiâ incedit non declinat ad dexteram neque ad sinistram si fortè iurgantes viderit non attendit si nubentes aut choros ducentes aut aliud quodlibet facientes nihilaminus transit quià peregrinus est non pertinet ad eum de talibus ad patriam suspirat ad patriam tendit vestitum victum habens non vult alijs onerari In a word they hinder vs from our home two wayes 1. Meritoriè 2. Effectiuè First iustly by the sentence of God hath he no portion in heauen that preferrs in his affection the Momentany pleasures