Selected quad for the lemma: prayer_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
prayer_n	church_n	form_n	set_a	6,899	5	10.9977	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A09999	The saints daily exercise A treatise concerning the whole dutie of prayer. Delivered in fiue sermons vpon I Thess. 5.17. By the late faithfull and worthy minister of Iesus Christ, Iohn Preston, Dr. in Divinity, chaplaine in ordinary to his Maiesty, Master of Emmanuel Colledge in Cambridge, and sometimes preacher of Lincolnes Inne.	Preston, John, 1587-1628.; Sibbes, Richard, 1577-1635.; Davenport, John, 1597-1670.	1629 (1629)	STC 20251; ESTC S105990	87,396	182

as if we grow strangers to God as if we grow to a generall rebellion against him As put the case a childe commits a great offence against his father yet if hee runne away from his fathers house and grow a stranger to him that is more then the particular offence for a generall rebellion must needs be more then the particular and to giue over calling vpon God to breake off that course to grow a stranger to him to runne away from his house and as it were to be ready to giue over all his ordinances a constant course of obedience to him this is a generall rebellion is worse then the particular yea such carriage after sin committed moues God to anger more then the sin it selfe as many times the contemptuous negligent rebellious carriage after an offence moues a mast●…r a husband or a parent more then the particular failing though it were exceeding great Besides consider when a man commits a great finne he makes a great gap in his conscience he makes a great breach there and will you haue that breach lye open is not that very dangerous is not that the way to bring in more ●…in and to suffer those good things that are in the heart to steale out I will giue you but one instance for this You see St. Peter when he had committed a great sinne in denying his master and forswearing of him too yet because he came in presently and repented and sought pardon as you know hee did you see hee was preserved from running into further arrerages for hee made vp the gappe hee made vp the breach We see on the other side when David had committed that sinne with Batb●…eba and did not come vnto God as he should haue done to keepe his constant course in sacrificing vnto him in repenting and renewing his repentance and praying to him you know how many sinnes he fell into and likewise that was the case of Salomon you know to what a height hee grew by not comming vnto God at his first failing and therefore I say there is reason that wee should doe it though the sinne bee great wee ought to come in and to keepe our course constantly But may I not stay till I bee more fitted till my heart bee more softened and more humbled Beloved to st●…y in this case is dangero●… for the heart commonly growes more hard in continuance the conscience is more tender immediately after the sinne is committed then it is afterwards and when thou stayest for more humility thou findest lesse and therefore while the wound is greene and when the fire hath taken newly holde it is then best to quench it before the wound be festered before it hath continued long for the heart will grow worse and worse as it is Heb 3. 12. Take heede that you be not hardened through the deceitfulnesse of sinne the meaning is this when thou committest a sinne you thinke if you stay a weeke or a fortnight or a moneth you shall come in as well as at the first no saith the Apostle while it is to day come in that is doe it presently for sinne will deceiue you it will harden your heart before you bee aware it will make a distance betweene God and you it will take you off from him it will leade you further on and therefore take heede that your hearts bee not hardened through the deceitfulnesse of sinne that sinne doe not deceiue you and it will doe it before you thinke of it and therefore in this case you should doe as you doe with waters when waters breake out a little it is best to stop them presently if you suffer them they will make the breach greater till at length you be vnable to stop them so in this case when you have committed a great sin come in speedily But you will say what shall a man come into Gods presence who is most holy after he hath defiled himselfe with some great sinne is not this an vnreuerent thing I answer briefly it is very true if thou be bolde to come into Gods presence with the same d●…sposition wherewith the sinne was committed with a minde so fashioned and so framed in that case thou doest exceedingly provoke him this is a very high degree of pro●…unesse and therefore when we say thou must come in and keepe a constant course in prayer notwithstanding the meaning is you must come in with a disposition turned aside from your sinnes and brought home to God with a minde to abhorre that which is evill and to cleaue to that which is good there must bee this conversation of the minde to him thou must not come in with the same disposition that must be altered So much shall serue sor the answere to this case Another case is whether wee may vse a set forme of prayer and likewise whether it bee sufficient I need not say much to you for I thinke there is none here that doubt of it but that a set forme of prayer may be vsed you know Christ prescribed a forme you know there were certaine Psalmes that were prayers that were vsed constantly and therefore there is no doubt but that a set for me may be vsed wee haue that example for it And in the Church at all times in the primatiue times of the Church and all along to the beginning of the reformed ti●…es to Luther and Calvins 〈◊〉 ●…till in all times the Church had set formes they vsed and I know no obiection against it of weight One maine obiection is this That in stinted prayer the spirit is streightned when a man is tyed to a forme then he shall haue his spirit as it were bounden and limited that he cannot goe beyond that which is prescribed and therefore say they it is reason a man should be left to more libertie as he is in conceived prayers and not tyed to a strict forme To this I answere even those men that are against this and that vse this reason they doe the same thing daily in the congregation for when another prayes that is a set forme to him that heares it I say it is a forme to him for put that case that he that is a hearer that heares another pray suppose that his spirit bee more inlarged it is a straightning to him hee hath no libertie to goe out he is bound to keepe his minde intent vpon it and therefore if that were a sufficient reason that a man might not vse a set forme because the spirit is streightned a man should not heare another pray though it be a conceived prayer because in that case his spirit is limited it may be the hearer hath a larger heart a great deale then he that speakes and prayes so that there is a bounding and streightning and a limiting of the spirit And therefore that reason cannot be good Againe I answere though the spirit bee limited at that time

yet he ha●…h a libertie at other times to pray as freely a●… hee will in private and there●…ore he is not so tied but though at that time he be yet it is no generall tie at another time or immediately after he may be as free as he will in secret Aga●…ne I answere it is not a tye and a restraint of the spirit because there is a tye of words for the largenesse of the heart stands not so muc●… in the multitude and variety of expressions as in the extent of the affection now then the heart may be very large for all that though he be tyed in words yet there is not a tye vpon the affection that may be extended more in putting vp the same petition when another mans is more streightened therefore there i●… no tye and limit vpon that And this is enough to satisfie that that a set for me of prayer must be vsed But now if you aske whether that be sufficient whether a man may thinke if hee haue beene present at publique prayer which is a commendable thing to vse it constantly I say whether that be sufficient My Beloved this is a matter of some moment to consider what we ought to doe in this case for we may be deceived in it and I answer plainly it is not sufficient a man that i●… diligent in publique prayers that keeps them morning and evening if he thinkes now hee hath discharged his duty he is in a very great error and this is the reason because they are not sufficient Indeed they are to be vsed for God is worshipped in them and it is a more publ●…que worship and when God is honoured before many as a man when there are many spectators more honour is done to him it is a greater honour so it is when men ioyne in this worship And many other reasons there be but that is not the thing I am now vpon to commend it to you but I say it is not sufficient although it ought to bee done because there are many particular sinnes which cannot be confessed in publique prayer there are many particular wants which in publique prayer you cannot vnfold and open and expresse vnto the Lord. Againe the end of a set forme of prayer is to be a helpe for the private for the publique it is another case a helpe that one may vse that is yet exceeding weake a childe that cannot goe may haue such a proppe but we must not alway bee children we must not alway vse that helpe Besides we must consider this that there is no man that hath any worke of grace in his heart but he is inabled in some measure to pray without a set forme of prayer hee is able to expresse his desires to God in private one way or another there was never any man in any extreame want but he knew how to expresse himselfe where he had libertie to speake so it is in this case Besides the spirit of a man hath greater libertie in private there a man may powre forth his soule to the Lord as Ha●…a saith 1 Sam. 1. which in publique he cannot doe freely there are many particular mercies which he hath cause to be thankfull to God for Besides there is a particular paines that a man is to take with his heart from day to day which in the publike common petitions he is not able to doe for Beloved know this that the prayer that is required from day to day is not so much the performance of the dutie the doing of the taske but the end is to keepe the heart in order for if sinfull lust grow vpon it and 〈◊〉 and worldly mindednesse the end of this duty is to worke them out againe to renew repentance againe and when there is a forgetfulnesse of the covenant when grace growes weake when good desires begin to languish to renew and recover them to put fewell to them and this is not done by the performance of the publ●…ke onely and therefore I say though you performe it in your families and meete in the congregation you must not thinke that this is enough you are bound to a private performance of this duty Againe this is another case what a man is to doe in the private performance of this duty whether he be bound alwayes to vse his voice whether he be bound alwayes to vse such a kinde of gesture I answer this briefly for there is no great difficulty in these things and therefore I p●…sse them over for the gesture in publike there is more heede to be taken of that because it is a publike and open worship of God and therefore in publike the g●…ture is alway to be reverent You know how often it is repeated in the olde testament especially that they bowed downe and worshipped still Christ looked vp to heaven Paul kneeled downe and the rest with him and prayed and many such like expressions you haue mentioned in the Scriptures where you haue prayer mentioned in publike still you shall finde an expression of some reverend gesture and when we appeare before the Lord in the publike performance of this dutie especiall care must bee taken hereunto in the private the case is different there variety of gestures may be vsed I doe not see but all variety of gestures may be vsed there are many examples for walking and lying and sitting onely this is to be taken heede to that even in private as farre as may be the gesture be such as may both expresse the inward reverence in the heart and of the outward man but there i●… a libertie in that I thinke this is the best rule in private that the gesture bee vsed that doth most quicken and doth helpe the duty most Some gesture may bring a dulnesse and in disposition when another may quicken the body and make it more ●…it for prayer sometimes lying is inconvenient and sometimes more convenient and therefore in this case the best rule is to vse that ge●…ure which quickens most which helpes most the duty some gesture may breede a wearinesse in the body some may breede a dulnesse some are painfull to the body all this is a hindrance to the duty when the change of it may quicken and helpe Now for the voice I say for that as for the sture it is not simply required for God is a spirit and he will be worshipped in spirit men that haue eares and bodies they must haue men speak to them but God that is a spirit delights in that which is like himselfe and therefore all his eye is vpon the inward behaviour of the spirit Besides the spirit may speake to God when the voice doth not as you know the Angels speake to God and they speake one to another The Schoolemen haue great disputes about the speech of Angels but this they agree in that one Angel speakes to another after this manner when any one

they are vttered carelesly Answ. 2. God grants our prayers oft times yet First not in that manner as vve desire 2 Cor 12. 9. Simile Simile 2. Not by those meanes which we prop●…d Simile Thirdly or not in our time Simile Note Note 3. Ans. Obiect Ans. Simile Rev 2 10. Foure Reasons of Gods deserring to grant our requests 2 3 4 Simile Concerning the measure if God giue vs not so much as wee aske A lesse measure may serue as well as a greater Cleared in instances 1. Wealth Psal 〈◊〉 16. 2. Instance in Grace Reu 3 8. Note Note in what sense this is to be taken Rev 3. 3 Instance in gifts Simile Simile 4 Instance in crosses and afflictions Simile Heb 5. 7. Dangers by omitting or neglecting prayer 1 2 3 4 5 6 Benefit of frequency and diligence in prayer A stock will be laid vp Simile Simile Case 1 About wandring thoughts in prayer Ans. 1 The cause of them is weaknesse Simile Simile Simile 2. Temptation 3. Negligence 4. Voluntary admitting vaine thoughts Simile Hovv to prevent wandring thoughts in p●…ayer Simile Case 2 About indisposednesse and dulnesse and vnap●…nesse to prayer Answ. 1. Obiect Answ. Simile Simile Note Obiect Answ. 2. Causes of dulnesse 1. Desertion 2. When there is some neglect on our part Case 3. About praying after a man hath committed some gross●… sinne Ans. In this case prayer is not to be neglected Note 2. Reas. Simile Reas. 3. Quest. Ans. Heb 3 12. Simile Obiect Answ. Case 4. About a set forme of prayer Answ. Obiect Answ. 1. Answ. 2. Answ. 3. Quest. Answ. Publick prayer not sufficient Simile 1. Reas. 2. Reas. 3. Reas. 4. Reas. 1 Sam. 1. ●…eas 5. Case 5. About vsing the voice and about the ge●…ture in secret prayer Ans. Note Iohn 4. 24. Case 6 About want of leisure to pray by reason of present businesses to bee speedily dispatched Answ. Note Cautions about shortnes of prayer in such straits 1 Caution 2 Caution 3 Caution 4 Caution 5 Caution Case 7 About vse of the meanes Answ. Reasons why meanes must be vsed 1 2. Reas. Simile 3. Reas. 4. Reas. Cautions about the vse of meanes 1 Caution 2 Caution Simile Simile Simile Simile 3 Caution Simile Case 8 About praying in faith when a man wants a particular promise that the thing which he asketh shall be granted Answ. Obiect What faith is required Ans. Case 9. About a man●… knowledge that his prayer is heard Ans. Rom 8. 27. Note Qualifications or conditions required inthat praier that shal be accepted 1 Condition That the person be right Iames 5 16 Simile Psal 4 3 〈◊〉 Tim. 〈◊〉 8. Mat 5. 23. 24 2 Requisite or condition is faith Iames 1. 5 6 Simile Why the Lord requireth faith in prayer 1 2 Iames 1 6. Atwofold faith required in our prayers Psal 146. 5. 6. M●…t 7. 7 How saith may be strengthened in prayer From Gods Attributes Which are of two sorts 1 Absolute 1 Iustice 2 M●…y 3 Glory 4. Power 2 Chron 14. 11 2 Chron. 10. 12 5. Vnchangeable●…esse Psal. 22. 4. 6. Faithfulnesse How we may know that we pray in faith 2 Simile 3 3. Condition required in prayer is fervencie Iames 5. 16. Simile Obiect Answ. When a man is said to be ser vent 1 Mat 〈◊〉 2 Gen 〈◊〉 Cautio●… about fervency 1 That it bee a fruit of faith Simile 2 Caution That it be mingled with sincerity Note Rom. 12. ●…1 4. Condition required in prayer is humilitie lames 4. 2 Chron 7. 14. Isa 66. 2. Reasons why humility is required in prayer 1 Gen. 32. 10. 1 Sa●… 7. 2 Acts 2. 22. Mat. 22. Note 3 Psal. 51. 4. Luke 18. Ezck. 36. 31. Deut. 8. 11. 5. Condition required in prayer is to sanctifie the Lord in our hearts 1 Tim. 2. 〈◊〉 Quest. Answ. Holines what Simile Heb. 10. Ans. 2. Meanes of clensing a mans selfe 1 2 1 Cor. 6. 9. Heb. 10. 22. Obiect Ans What is i●… to haue a pure heart Simile Obiect Answ. Difference between the godly and others in falling into sinne Quest. Answ. Note Simile Simile 6. Condition required in prayer is Thankfulnesse Phil. 4. 6. Simile 7. Condition required in prayer is to come in the name of the Lord Iesus Christ. Iam 4. Levit 17. Levit 5. 11. Levit. 5. 11. Levit. 16. 12 13 Obiect Answ. Heb 9. Obiect Ans.