Selected quad for the lemma: prayer_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
prayer_n	forgive_v	lord_n	trespass_n	3,485	5	11.3824	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A04187	Iustifying faith, or The faith by which the just do liue A treatise, containing a description of the nature, properties and conditions of Christian faith. With a discouerie of misperswasions, breeding presumption or hypocrisie, and meanes how faith may be planted in vnbeleeuers. By Thomas Iackson B. of Diuinitie and fellow of Corpus Christi Colledge in Oxford.; Commentaries upon the Apostles Creed. Book 4	Jackson, Thomas, 1579-1640.	1615 (1615)	STC 14311; ESTC S107483	332,834	388

same faith though not hypostatically yet truely vnited by such a mysticall but reall vnion as may without solecisme ground as well this denomination as our title or interest in Gods fauour More consequently by much to his owne positions might Bellarmine likewise haue granted that as we are truly the sonnes of wrath by nature albeit euery lineament of Gods image in vs be not quite razed but rather all or most much defared by Adams sinne made ours partly by reall propagation but more principally in his doctrine by imputation so we become the sonnes of God by the spirit of adoption though not so powerfull in vs as vtterly to extirpate all relickes of sin yet able so to dead the force or operation of it as it did the remainder of Gods image in vs before we were renewed by Christ Thus walking not after the flesh though in the flesh nor working sin though sin worke in vs we may through grace or this earnest of the spirit but onely for the righteousnesse of Christ whereto wee are by it vnited haue a more reall title to be enstiled his brethren sons of our heauenly father then Hee can haue as Bellarmine obiects by our doctrine he hath to be called the son of him that is the father of lies and Iesuiticall equiuocation Albeit there was no guile in him yet hee bare the punishment due to our rebellions and was not this commutation of punishment ●herby the seruants of sin are acquitted and the Lord of righteousnesse condemned sufficient to make such as are in part willing to doe for others as hee hath done for them immediately capable of absolution by his innocency of reward by his righteousnesse The a Apostle doubtlesse meant no lesse when hee saide He hath made him to be sin for vs which knew no sin that we should be made the righteousnesse of God in Him 7. The second point against which our aduersaries dash doth so euidently bewray their greatest pilots vnskilfulnesse in this hauen of saluation as euery childe that can repeate his Pater noster may easily perceiue the Trent Fathers themselues did not vnderstand it Nor can the subscribers to this decree vse that celestial prayer without plain mocking of God and Christ This imputation needs no other proofe then the cleare proposall of such positions as they now all holde de fide Take wee then one of their Catechumenies whether destitute of faith or no it skils not that hath not as yet attayned to the first iustification as they distinguish that is one destitute of habituall grace or inherent righteousnesse such a man by their Churches discipline is ●●●mitted or rather commanded to vse this petition amongst the rest forgiue vs our trespasses as wee forgiue them that trespasse against vs. What sinnes or trespasses doth hee request should be forgiuen him Mortall especially for their remission onely is necessary to the first iustification But how must God remit them Immediately by pardoning or forgiuing them No they are immediately remitted by actuall introduction of the contrary former grace inherent which formally expels them out of the soule as light to vse Bellarmines owne illustration of their positions in this point doth darknesse out of the aire Nor is there any possibility of remitting sinnes by other meanes left to omnipotence it selfe since the publication of Iesuiticall Comments vpon the Trent Councells decree What then is the full meaning or finall resolution of this petition whilest vttered by men as yet not iustified Lord forgiue vs our trespasses or mortall sinnes This verily and no other Lord by infusion of thy grace make vs such as shall not need of thy pardon or forgiuenesse For to holde that ouer and aboue the infusion of that grace by which the staine of sinne being clearely wiped out we are made iust Gods fauour or condonation to vse their Latine word with addition of one English letter is any way requisite for our acceptance or approbation with him is in formall tearmes the very opinion which Vasquez so peremptorily condemnes in Canus Nedina Victoria Gabriel Richardus Ariminensis Scotus and others as contradictorie to the Trent Councells oft mentioned decree and so indeede it is for by that decree being made formally iust by grace alone we become the immediate or formall obiects of Gods iustice or fidelity now strictly bound to render vs quid pro quo eternall life for grace inherent vtterly exempted from all dependance on his mercy and fauour And whereas some of their late Writers desirous to giue the Church all possible satisfaction yet partly fearing openly to wrong God or flatly to contradict his word had granted that grace infused did quite extirpate all sinne and make vs absolutely iust in our selues but yet could not by it nature or sole entitie obliterate all relation of trespasse or offence commited against God before wee had it as being vnable to make full recompence or satisfaction for them euen this opinion is now reiected as hereticall and contrary to the Councells meaning It remaines therefore that the true and full meaning of that petition in the Lords prayer forgiue vs our trespasses according to our aduersaries construction is Lord grant that we stand not in neede of thy forgiuenesse if wee suppose this petition to be conceiued either by men destitute of perfect inherent righteousnesse or such as distrust or doubt whether they haue it or no. But imagine a man could be as I thinke few Papists are more then morally certaine hee were in the state of perfect grace his vse of the same request would bee superfluous or requisite onely in respect of veniall sinnes albeit euen these if they imprint any vncomely marke or aspersion neuer so light on their soules must be taken away by introduction of the contrary forme as by acts of penitency or the like whereunto Gods concourse or aide of grace is necessarie so that his desiring God to forgiue him them is but to request his help that he may not need his fauour And though in their esteeme but a light one yet a prety mockery of God it is that after infusion of grace they should not stand in neede of his mercy or imputation of their Redeemers righteousnesse either for remitting or taking away of the staine of mortall sinnes or the punishment due vnto them and yet after God hath done all and Christs mediation as farre as concernes them fully accomplished most of them must be highly beholden to the Pope not onely in this life but after death for releasing the punishment due to veniall and petty sinnes 8 Some part of the first difficultie Bellarmine from what place of Caluin Melancthon and Chemnitius I remember not he expresseth not hath thus proposed CHRIST is our mediatour not onely in our first reconciliation but during the whole time of our life in which regard we alwayes stand in neede of his intercession and consequently alwayes sinne and transgresse the Law otherwise CHRIST after our first reconciliation

continuance of contrary practices will then argue as formall a deniall of him and as damnable shame of his Gospell as if with Peter we had said wee know not the man or wee like the Alcaron better then his testament because Mahomet was a good fellow and loued feasting 9. Not to be sensible of euery wrong or not forward to wipe of the least aspertion of disgrace though with their owne or others blood is held the onely badge of a braue and resolute minde On the contrary to seeke or tender Christian submission for wrongs done priuately or publikely before the Priest or in the Church or congregation is held as base and odious as it a Souldier should seeke the peace of an old impotent woman or as if a married man should proclaime himselfe ●uckould at the market crosse Yet what resolution could any heathen maintaine worse consorting with these precepts of our Sauiour without whose obseruance his death and passion nothing profit vs euen our praiers for mercy become prouocatiue of his fathers vengeance for bee that turneth away his eares from hearing the Law euen his praier shall be abhominable Now it is a law for euer to be obserued by euery Christian If thy brother trespasse against thee go and tell him his fault betweene thee and him alone if he heare thee thou hast won thy brother But if he heare thee not take yet with thee one or two that by the mouth of two or three witnesses euery word may be confirmed And if he will not vouchsafe to heare them tell it vnto the Church and if he refuse to heare the Church also let him be vnto thee as an heathen man and a Publicane So is that also else where deliuered euen where our assurance for obtaining what we pray for seemes most ample d What things soeuer ye desire when yee pray belieue that yee receiue them and ye shall haue them And when yee stand praying forgiue if yee haue ought against any that your father also which is in heauen may forgiue you your trespasses The consideration of these and like iniunctions of our Sauiour hath often made me wonder in what forme their prayers which present themselues in open fielde with purpose to reuenge or be the obiects of reuenge by killing or being killed are conceiued or through whose meditation presented to their heauenly Father But blessed be the Lord our God whose hand hath led our Soueraignes penne to dash the bloody lines of desperate challenges for which euen Dracoes lawes had been too milde and Rhadamanthus too meeke a Iudge Lord let thy spirit alwaies enspire the heart of thine anointed with like wisdome to discerne thy Angels assist him with power and courage to execute thy righteous iudgements vpon the proud and scorne full sinner that measures the greatnesse of his spirit by his strength to breath out blasphemies or seekes by clamorous noise of his audacious associates in vnhallowed Ethnicke resolutions to drowne the soft and pleasant voice of thy beloued Sonne to outcountenance or ouer-aw his placide and gentle inuitations to peace humilitie and meeknesse of spirit by haughty fierce disdainfull lookes or any waies to crush and choake the vertue and efficacie of his Gospell by multitude of riches friends or whatsoeuer other sinewes of earthly potencie 10. The best apologie most can make either for indulgence to vnsatiable vaste desires of gaine or honor or dispensing with themselues for the vse of sinister meanes for their accomplishment is it not some branch of these generalls Others haue so done before vs and will doe after vs more are for vs then against vs and these of better place and iudgement Why should wee be precise or singular to the preiudice of our betters Yet if a man without reference to this their present resolution or further notification whereto his speeches tended should directly aske them what way they thought those many wise mighty or noble men after the flesh did make choise of or finally tooke I am perswaded it would not be replied they stroue to enter in at the streight gate being thus laden with sollicitous thoughts or incumbred with vaine desires of earthly dignities but rather held on the broad beaten way and did not all the Gentiles run the same race Wherein then do they glorifie God more then these Heathen did By taking his sonnes names vpon them Rather God herein glorifies them more then the other and they must haue their portion with the incredulous Iew vnlesse in workes in liues and conuersation they render praise glory and honour to their God according to these prerogatiues of their calling What Law or statute though either so good and commendable in it selfe as to win voluntary obseruance of the well disposed or exacting obedience of all subiect to it vpon the most strict and forcible tearmes the Law-giuer could deuise as vnder penalty of periury supplications in the bowels of Christ adiurations by his body and blood or by our plea of mercie through them at his fathers hands but may be fowlly preiudiced if not inuerted by the ouersight of predecessors or long custome first vsually in these cases begun either vpon meere negligence in searching the truth or conniuence vpon extraordinarie and speciall occasions at some particulars perhaps conceiued as cases more then halfe omitted afterwards continued through ignorance of successors but finally maintained for priuate aduantages by wicked cunning or worldly policy alwaies vigilant to defeate all solicitations for rectifying what hath been long amisse or reexamining late practices by the Law-giuers principall intent or meaning The aduise would either seeme too bitter or too light if I should counsell the authors or chiefe abettors of these abuses whether committed in Church or Common-weale to preferre a supplication with ioint consent vnto the almighty that he would grant them his grace or continuance of his wonted fauours non obstante praecepto de votis Deo per soluendis or conceiue such a formall Palinodie of their protestation made in baptisme as Stesicorus did of his dispraise of Helen turning euery affirmatiue promise into a negatiue And yet I dare not auouch ought to the contrary but that it were much better finally to renounce the profession of Christianitie then to retaine it without absolute renouncing such resolutions It is therefore our Sauiours aduice not mine either make the tree good and his fruit good or else make the tree euill and the fruit euill Thus to professe CHRIST entertaining strong conceits and making proffers of great loue and loyall affection towards him bent in the meane time to do as most do and follow the fashions of the world is to walke with a heart and a heart euen that crookednesse of heart which cannot be squared vnto the streight rule of life Many enormities like to these mentioned there be sometimes secretly or vnwittingly practised onely otherwhiles openly auowed and maintained as lawfull whose discouery or prosecution with such indignitie as befits

reiteration but we are not to denie that of all which is incompatible onely with some Wee are therefore to consider there is a threefold iustification one radicall or fundamentall which is the infusion of habituall grace or faith and this is neuer but one another actuall which I accompt actuall supplications made in faith for the remission of sinnes committed either before the infusion of faith or after What it is to pray in faith is partly intimated before partly in the end of this Chapter else-where more fully and purposely handled The third is iustification vertuall which consists in the performance of that and the like precepts watch and pray continually which cannot be meant of actuall prayers for hee that so praies continually shall continually vse much babling In this perpetuity of vertuall prayer consists the permanent duration of iustification which yet hath many interruptions A man may haue the habite of faith and yet not alwaies pray in faith either actually or vertually as he may be out of charity with his brother or vnlawfully deteine goods wrongfully gotten without present forfeiture of his estate in grace though to pray in faith it is impossible in the one case vntill hee be reconciled to his brother or haue freely forgiuen him in the other vntil he hath made restitution of those things his conscience condemned him for keeping The perpetuitie of this vertuall prayer or iustification therein consisting depends vpon the continuance of some former resolution or intention made in faith which is not alwaies preiudiced by minding other matters but only by doing things forbidden by the law of God or as S. Paul speakes not of Faith A man intending to go a iourney vertually continues his former intent so he keepe on his way without digression albeit he actually minde not the businesse hee goes about but entertaine such other thoughts or discourse as way or company shall affoord But if through too much minding cōpany or other matters he should chance to wander or for slow opportunities of dispatching his intended businesses his vertuall intention is interrupted and time lost must bee redeemed with double diligence So must such ruptures as actuall sinnes or omission of necessarie duties make in the perpetuity of vertuall praying or permanency of iustification thence depending be repaired with actuall praiers made in faith But here wee may descry the idle curiosity of some wits more acute then subtile at least then sound and rather apt through multiplying entities without necessity to obscure matters in themselues distinct and cleere then to cleere difficulties or obscurities For some there bee which speake of Faith and Repentance as of two spirituall habits or graces really or at least essentially distinct It is one thing indeed to rise another to walke yet both immediate and proper acts of one and the same motiue faculty so is it one thing to belieue and another to repent yet both formall acts of one and the same habite only the later includes a peculiar reference to a slip or fall whence it receiueth a distinct name from the former which specially imports a direct progresse in the way of godlinesse without interruption Better we cannot notifie the nature of true repentance then by restauration of faith to it wonted throne out of which it had for a time bin iustled by sinfull affections though not deposed from it soueraigntie as Dauid was preiudiced by his sonnes rebellion and for a time enforced to forsake the Hill of Sion though not depriued of his kingdome Euen such repentance as vsually goes before regeneration hath a correspondent faith annexed the difference betwixt them onely such as is betweene heate and calefaction which as some good Philosophers resolue vs is heate not acquired or consistent but onely in the motion or acquisition Or briefly to speake more fully Faith alwaies moues vnto repentance which generally taken may in few words not vnfitly be defined to be a sorrow for sin conceiued and moderated by faith and as the faith is such is the sorrow either meerly morall or truely spirituall 4. The summe of all we haue deliuered in these two chapters is briefly but most diuinely set downe by Saint Iohn who though hee vse not the formall tearmes of iustification yet expresseth by nature of it howsoeuer taken by words equiualent or rather more theologicall or significant as by fellowship with God the Father his Sonne CHRIST and his members and by the fruits of it fulnesse of ioy For being iustified by saith as Saint Paul sayth we haue peace with God through our Lord IESVS CHRIST and reioice in hope of his glorie This then is the message sayth Saint Iohn which we haue heard of him and declare vnto you that God is light and in him is no darknesse at all If vvee say we haue fellowship with him and walke in darknesse we lie and do not the truth But if we walke in the light as he is in the light we haue fellowship one with another This walking in the light as God is in the light is that iustification or qualification whereof S Iames speakes whereby wee become immediatly capable of Christs righteousnesse or actuall participants of his propitiation which is the sole immediate cause of our iustification taken as S. Paul doth it for remission of sins or actuall approbation with God The truth of which doctrine Saint Iohn likewise ratifies in tearmes equiualent in the words immediately following And the blood of CHRIST clenseth vs walking in the light as God is in the light from all sin not from such onely as were committed before the infusion of that grace which is the ground of our fellowship with God and amongst our selues the very lamp by whose light wee walke but from all subsequent transgressions of what kinde soeuer Now if we say that we such as S. Iohn then was regenerate and in the state of grace haue no sinne we deceiue our selues and the truth is not in vs. Euen such then as walke in the light are sinners and not iust in themselues but onely as they are besprinkled with CHRISTS righteous bloud Neuerthelesse if we confesse our sinnes faithfully he is faithfull and iust to forgiue vs our sinnes and to cleanse vs from all vnrighteousnesse not from sinnes veniall onely And is there any circumstance either in the matter or manner of his discourse which may occasion vs to suspect the same word sinne should not be of equall importance in both these places last cited and that third following These things write I vnto you that you sinne not What venially only No questionlesse he was more desirous that they should not sinne mortally nor do the authors of this distinction deny that men regenerate may sinne so grieuously as to fall both totally and finally from grace yet sayth S. Iohn If any man sin as there is no man that sinneth not both mortally and venially by our aduersaries grant vvee haue an Aduocate with the Father