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	pray_v	trespass_n	2,036	5	11.2620	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A15336	A discourse touching the doctrine of doubting In which not onely the principall arguments, that our popish aduersaries vse, for the establishing of that discomfortable opinion, are plainely and truely aunswered: but also sundrie suggestions of Sathan tending to the maintenance of that in the mindes of the faithfull fully satisfied, and that with singuler comfort also. VVritten long since by T.W. and now published for the profit of the people of God.	T. W. (Thomas Wilcox), 1549?-1608.	1598 (1598)	STC 25621; ESTC S102154	130,155	343

and performed how be it in that time that he had appointed with himselfe from before all times and which he seeth to be most fit for his glorie the good of them that belong vnto him For we know and beleeue him to bee both willing and true in his word that he will and almigtie in his power that he can performe the good things promised for the Lords hand is not shortned that it cannot saue neither is his eare heauy that it cannot heare Isay 59. And is there not reason we should depend vpō his good pleasure power and prouidence for the time to performe his promise in as for the grace and goodnesse promised Surely there is for as all things are free in God and nothing drawne from him by constraint so sith he seeth and knoweth what and when and where is better for vs then we our selues vnlesse wee will be ouer saucie malepert with the Almightie we must needs in this respect also depend vpon him To make this plaine by one particular the forgiuenes of sinnes is promised and in some measure performed in this life but the full fruition of that grace in all the partes and peeces of it and the fruits following of it is reserued for the worlde or life to come Howbeit he performeth it here euē so soone as we beginne to beleeue as appeareth Rom. 1. But he will giue vs perfect righteosnesse eternall saluation when the time fit for it shal be for nowe we are saued by hope Romans 8. and 1. Iohn 3. Now are we the sonnes of god but yet it is not manifested what we shall be and we knowe that when he is manifested we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is But inough against these exceptions let vs come to and proceede in the recitall of other absurdities that insue vpon this doctrine of doubting which our aduersaries would so stiffely defend 4 Fourthly this doctrine of doubting generally concerning al Gods fauour and more particularly concerning the forgiuenesse of our sinnes doth directly thwart and crosse those praiers that Gods people make and powre forth before God and that according to his will for the comfortable feeling and assured attainment of that singular grace First Christs commandement saying After this manner pray ye and amongst vs the rest teacheth vs to say forgiue vs our debts trespasses or sinnes sheweth vs what we should do to which if we adioyne the practise of Gods people we shall yet more and more see our selues led thereto Dauid a man approued of God Psal 32. saith Therfore or for this thing that is to say because thou shewest thy selfe euery manner of way to be such a one to me specially in the forgiuenesse of my sinnes shall euery one that is godly make his praier vnto thee that is performe praier and other obedience And the wordes of the Publicane Luk. 18. shewe the same O God be mercifull to me a sinner Now as in all things that God hath promised vs and at all times confidēce and assured hope is most necessary so in praier especially and the rather because therein we doe not onely deale with God aloofe or a far of as we say but in many particularities And God we knowe hath commanded not onely that we should pray vnto him but also hath forbidden vs in out prayers or while we are calling vpon him to doubt either of him that hath the fulnesse of power good will in him for his owne glory and for our good or els receiuing the things that we shal aske according to his word Therefor Iames 1. it is said If any lacke wisdome let him aske of God which giueth to all men liberally and reprocheth no man but let him aske in faith and wauer not for he that wauereth is like a waue of the sea tost of the winde and caried away neither let him thinke that he shall receiue any thing of the Lord. And to the same intendeth 1. Ioh. where he saith this is that assurance which we haue in him that if we aske any thing according to his will he heareth vs. And if we know that he heareth vs whatsoeuer we aske we knowe that we haue the petitions that we haue desired of him the faithfull and godly people therefore ought to beleeue and not doubt both that their sinnes are forgiuen them before God for Christs sake in whome they beleeue and that they may safely pray for the same in assured confidence that faith they aske nothing but in the faith of Gods word and promise they shall not be sent away emptie handed 5 This doctrine also thwarteth the doctrin of the word which propoūdeth Christ vnto vs as our Mediatour and intercessour as 1. Tim. verse 15. This is a true saying and by al means worthy to be receiued that Christ Iesus came into the worde to saue sinners And againe in the second chapter of the same epistle There is but one God and one Mediatour betweene God and man which is the mā Iesus Christ And Romanes 8. It is Christ which is dead or rather which is risen again who is also at the right hand of god and maketh request for vs. And if any man list to behold any more places let him see Heb. 7. specially verse 24.25.26 c. as also Heb. 9. verse 24.25 And sundry such other places For wherefore was he borne in to the world wherefore did he liue vpon the earth wherfore did he preach amongst men and worke maruailes and miracles infinite and incomprehensible why did he die and rise againe the third day according to the scriptures wherfore is he ascended vp into heauē why sitteh he at the right hand of God to make cōtinuall intercession for vs but by remoouing of the doubtfulnesse and distrustfulnesse that we haue in our selues by reasō of the remainders of our sinnes and the high and heynous iniquities that we doe commit he might minister vnto vs strong hope and assured comfort For this we must make reckoning of that either we beleeue so are vnder hope of grace and saluation or els we beleeue not so are vnder cōdemnation because as our sauiour Christ saith he that beleeueth not is cōdemned already for there is no meane betwixt these two Now if we would beleeue our aduersaries doctrine then all these things in and by Christ must be done in vaine or causlesly for surely he that remaineth in doubting cannot assure his heart that the sonne of God is become his Mediatour and therefore also cannot yeeld him his due honour For as the Apostle saith hovve shall they call vpon him in whome they beleeue not So may we say how shal they trust him whē their hearts are full of vnbeleefe distrust or doubting 6 Againe the scripture euery where deliuereth vnto vs doctrine concerning the comfort of the godly and the peace of conscience that the faithful finde in them after they haue felt the remission and forgiuenesse

so fall out that he hath some hidden or vnknowne sinne through which he hath displeased God But no man knoweth or vnderstandeth all his sinnes this assumption they prooue by a place of the Prophet Psal 19. where he saieth who can vnderstand hi● faults therefore no man can tell whether he be in the grace and fauour of god please him yea or no. To this we aunswer that the proposition or maior as we call it should be true if either god did for Christs sake forgiue the beleeuers their knowne transgressions onely and not their vnknowne and hidden sinnes also or else if the worke of our reconciliation with God did depend either vppon our dignitie or worthines or the suffiencie of our contrition and sorrowefulnes for sinne But God we know the Scripture in plaine tearmes teacheth vs that God forgiueth in Christ to his children al their sinnes knowne and vnknowne in which respect euen in the place by them alleadged the Prophet presently saith Clense me from my secret faults of which if there had not beene remission he would not haue praied for it for praier made according to faith for a thing implieth that the same thing is to be obteined or els were christian praier not onely lipp labour but lost labour Saint Iohn saith the bloud of Christ clenseth vs from all sinne and againe that he is the reconciliation not for our sinnes onely but also for the sinnes of the whole world And as for our reconciliation to God it hangeth not vpon any worthinesse that we haue as of our selues or vpon the suffiency of any thing we do or can do for we confesse as the faithfull haue done before vs that all our righteousnesses before God are as filthy and stained clouts saie vnfeinedly as our Sauiour himselfe hath taught vs when we haue done al that we can doe we are vnprofitable seruants So that we may say and say safely the propositiō or maior is false and that not onely for that which hath beene alleadged already but also because that the Scripture in many places for the cōfort of the children of God in the multitude of their sinnes knowne or not known felt or not felt in themselues confessed or not confessed before God hath put downe many worthy and general comforts as Isaiah the 1. Though your sinnes were as crimosin they shall be white as snovv though they vvere redd as scarlet they shall be as wooll and in the newe Testament Paule saith where sinne aboundeth there grace aboūdeth much more And though they add a reason or confirmation of it yet that helpeth it not neither For we knowe that all sinnes in their owne nature doe displease God and not onely hidden sinnes And if God vouchsafe mercie in the forgiuenes of all sinnes and hidden sinnes in all our iudgements be sinnes why should the conscience more doubt of the forgiuenesse of those that it knoweth not or cannot remember then it doth of those that are euer before vs sith this is vsuall in all men to haue their most high and heinous trāsgression in the sting of their harts presented before them which being assured of that they are remitted before God the lesse and the secret much more As for the minor or assumption we will graunt it them and yet they neuer a whitt nearer their purpose because remission of sinnes the comfort following therevpon against the doubtfulnes of our hearts standeth not in knowing or feeling all and euery particular or speciall sinne that men haue committed but in the liuely apprehension of the free fauour of god declared in the heauēly promises of his word not imputing vnto vs our transgression nay which is more imputing vnto vs through faith that take hold thereof the innocency holines obedience of Christ with which being clothed as with a garment we stand free from the force of his wrath against all sinnes knowne or not knowne and haue hope assured for reconciliation and attonement And as for the proofe of this assumption by the place of Psal 19. it was more then needes and brought to confirme that which neuer was controuerted for who euer called this into question that good men may doe commit infinite more sinnes then they doe or can remember But this rather whether this effect of doubting will follow thervpon in which they are more mute then fishes speaking where or what they should not might well haue spared this labour 2 A second argument they frame thus He that only knoweth the heart he only knoweth the certety assurednes of our saluatiō But God only knoweth the heart searcheth the reines therefore he onely knoweth the certenty and assurednesse of our saluation All the feare strength of this reason resteth in the maior or proposition as we call it in the large or narrow significatiō of this word knower of the heart Wherfore hauing answeared or satisfied that all the rest will be found weaker then water I meane for the strength and maintenance of this matter God is so the onely searcher and knower of the heart that yet notwistāding he hath in some measure euen communicated that grace vnto diuers of his children though happely not as in respect of others so much yet as in regard of euery particular faithful mans owne estate For as this that God is onely wise onely iust c. doth not euacuate or ouerthrowe the wisdome iustice c. that from that infinite fountaine that is in him is conveied ouer vnto men specially his children so that he alone knoweth mans heart hindreth not this but that other men may knowe though not other mens yet their owne hearts reasonable well for this of searching the heart is as also the former aboue named are of that sort of attributes in or to God which though they be in him in all absolute fulnesse and without measure yet are they communicated to the godly especially and that in such measure as he seeth to be fit for them and yet he hauing neuer a whit the lesse in himselfe And this is that in some sort and sense which Salomon saith in the Prouerbes The thoughts of mans heart are as deepe fountaines but a man of vnderstanding will drawe them drie But more plainely and particularly the Apostle saith No man knoweth the things of a man but the spirit of a man which is within himselfe but Gods spirit maketh the spirituall man able to iudge and discerne all things yet he himselfe to be iudged of no man So that we may see that the maior propositiō is not simple here but must of necessitie be vnderstood with a condition or exception thus He that alone is the knower of the hearts yea of all things he onely is assured or certenly knoweth our saluation vnles it haue pleased him in his word to reueale somthing concerning that vnto vs and would haue vs thereby to be assured thereof For then hauing communicated that knowledge which in himselfe is