Selected quad for the lemma: prayer_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
prayer_n	form_n	pray_v	set_a	5,316	5	11.1216	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A20752	The Christian warfare wherein is first generally shewed the malice, power and politike stratagems of the spirituall ennemies of our saluation, Sathan and his assistants the world and the flesh, with the meanes also whereby the Christian may vvithstand and defeate them : and afterwards more speciallie their particvlar temptatiions, against the seuerall causes and meanes of our saluation, whereby on the one side they allure vs to security and presumption, and on the other side, draw vs to doubting and desperation, are expressed and answered : written especially for their sakes who are exercised in the spirituall conflict of temptations, and are afflicted in conscience in the sight and sense of their sinnes / by I. Dovvname ...	Downame, John, d. 1652.	1604 (1604)	STC 7133; ESTC S1536	575,484	731

holy spirit like a glorious light hauing dispelled the darke foggie mists of ignorance and illuminated the eyes of their vnderstandings with the knowledge of Gods law they better discerne their sinnes and miserable estate then in former times And this the Apostle Paul sheweth vnto vs in his own example Rom. 7.9 Rom. 7.9.10 For saith he I was once aliue without the law but when the commaundement came sin reuiued 10. but I died and the same commaundement which was ordeyned vnto life was found to be vnto mee vnto death and ver 13. was that then which was good made death vnto mee God forbid but sinne that it might appeare sinne wrought death in mee by that which is good that sinne might bee out of measure sinfull by the commaundement So that the preaching of the law doth not make vs more sinfull but reuealeth those sinnes vnto vs which before we discerned not As therefore the sunne shining vpon some filthie place doth not make it so filthie but onely doth make it manifest which was not seene in the darke and as the wholesome physicke is not the cause of those corruptions which it purgeth out but by expelling them out of the bodie sheweth them vnto vs so the heauenly light and soueraigne physicke of Gods worde doth not worke in vs our filthie corruptions and hurtfull humors of sinne but it reuealeth them vnto vs whereas before times by reason of our ignorance and blindnesse they were secret and hidden § Sect. 6 When therefore out of the former premisses this conclusion is inferred either by Sathan who continually like a malicious enemie seeketh our destruction That we are not to neglect hearing the word because of the former imperfections or by our owne corrupt flesh which is impatient of any rough handlinge and therefore would rather haue vs sicke still then indure any paine in beeing cured that it were better for vs to surcease the hearing of gods word as seruing to no other end but to encrease our condemnation let vs in any case resist such motions as beeing most daungerous tentations which being entertained will bring vs to vtter ruine and endlesse destruction for if wee depriue our selues of this heauenly light the diuell will easily lead vs hudwincke vnto all fin wickednesse if we long abstaine from this comfortable food of our soules they will be hungarstarued and all the graces of Gods spirit will waxe faint and die in vs if wee disarme our selues of this sword of the spirite Sathan without any resistance will ouercome vs and take vs captiues forcing vs as his miserable slaues to commit all those workes of darknesse in which hee will imploy vs. And therefore as wee tender the saluation of our owne soules let vs not be discouraged from hearing the word of God by any suggestions whatsoeuer no not though we seeme vnto our selues euery time wee come into the Church to goe a step towards hell for whilest we vse Gods ordinance which is appointed as the meanes for our conuersion and saluation there is some good hope but when we vtterly neglect it our state is most desperate CHAP. XL. Consolations for such as bewayle their hardnesse of hart and wants in prayer § Sect. 1 OThers complaine that they are so ouerwhelmed with their hardnesse of hart Consolations for such as cōplaine that they cannot pray at all and drowsie dulnesse of spirit that eyther they cannot pray at all or if they doe it is barrainely without all forme or fashion or if they haue the eloquence of the tongue good set formes of praier yet they perfourme it coldly and drowsilie without all earnestnesse and feruencie of spirit hauing their minds caried away with wandring thoughts so that their praiers are but meere liplabour therefore it were better not to pray at all because they cannot performe this dutie in any good maner or measure as God requireth And this is a tentation wherewith euen the dearest children of God are much vexed and troubled and therefore it shall not be amisse to answere the seuerall branches of this complaint First therfore where as they complaine that they cannot pray at all this is to bee vnderstood either generally of all times or specially at sometimes If they say they can neuer pray it is very likely that either they forget or much deceiue themselues for few or none who are altogether destitute of the spirit of supplication haue any vnderstanding to discerne their want or any grace to bewaile it but content themselues with their lip-labour as though they had perfourmed acceptable seruice vnto God And it is a worke of one and the same spirit to make vs see our infirmities with hatred and dislike of them and to moue vs earnestly to desire of God that we may be freed from them which earnest desire is harty praier But if they further affirme that they are most sure they doe neuer pray vnto God I answere that though this in it selfe be a most daungerous case for it is a signe of a worker of iniquitie not to call vpon God as the Psalmist speaketh Psal 53.4 Psal 53.4 yet they haue no cause to despaire for the same spirit which hath reuealed vnto them this their sinne and infirmitie and hath wrought in them a dislike thereof will also remoue it and supply their want in Gods good time if they will labour for this good gift and not quench the good motions of the spirit when God offreth them vnto them The gift of praier not in our owne power But if they cannot denie that sometimes they haue had the grace giuen them of God to call earnestly vppon his name howsoeuer in this present time they are altogether disfurnished thereof then let them know that their case in this respect is common withall the deare children of God for harty prayer is not in our owne power neither doth it attend vpon our owne will but it is the gift of God which at sometimes in plentifull measure he bestoweth vpon his children and at other times he pulleth backe his liberall hand to the end that by the want thereof we may learne to ascribe the glorie and praise of our harty prayers vnto God who worketh in vs the will and the deed and is in truth the onely true authour of them which praise otherwise in pride of hart we would arrogate vnto our selues as being a naturall facultie and in our owne power and also to the end we may more highly esteeme it and with more ioy and diligence vse it when we haue it bestowed on vs least through our negligence and slouthfulnesse we mooue the Lord to take it from vs. Seeing therefore this hartie calling vpon Gods name is a gift of God a worke of his holy spirit in vs which at sometimes heretofore we haue discerned in our selues let vs not altogether be discouraged though at sometimes we want it Rom. 11.29 for the giftes of God are without repentance and though

at sometimes they are withdrawne from our sense and feeling yet shall they neuer be taken from vs and if at any time we haue had assurance that the spirit of God hath dwelled in vs by this worke thereof effectuall prayer we may assure our selues that it hath not forsaken vs Rom. 8.26 but will againe helpe our infirmities and whereas we cannot tell how to pray as we ought the spirit it selfe will make request for vs with sighes which cannot be expressed § Sect. 2 Secondly Consolations for such as cōplaine that they cannot pray in any good forme whereas they complaine that they cannot pray in any good forme but oftentimes fill Gods eares with impatient cries vncomfortable roarings in stead of prayers they are to know that this is often incident vnto the children of God especially when his hand is heauy vpon them either in some outward affliction of bodie or some inward anguish of mind For example the Prophet Dauid confesseth that when Gods hand was heauie vpon him day and night his prayers were but roarings Psal 32.3 Psal 32.3 So Ezechias faith that whē he should haue praied he chattered like a Crane or a Swallow mourned as a Doue Esa 38.14 Esa 38.14 And the poore Publicāe oppressed with the heauy burthē of his sins in stead of a long eloquent speach vttereth these fewe wordes O God be mercifull vnto me a sinner and yet our Sauiour Christ testifieth of him that he receaued the remission of his sinnes and went home iustified Luke 18.13.14 Luk. 18.13.14 Neither in trueth doth the Lord regard the eloquence of the tongue but the earnestnesse of the hart he respecteth not our well couched wordes and smooth vttered stile but the feruencie of the spirit and our humble and harty desires which are acceptably heard of him though our tongues bee silent The sacrifices of God are not eloquent wordes but a contrite spirit a contrite and broken heart will not the Lord despise Psal 51.17 as it is Psal 51.17 The prayers indited by Gods spirite which also are according to the will of God consist not in the wordes of the mouth but in the sighes of the heart which cannot bee expressed Rom. 8.26 as the Apostle teacheth vs. Rom. 8.26 And therefore if wee offer vnto God an humble and contrite spirit if wee can sigh and grone earnestly desiring those things wee want according to his holy will though wee cannot expresse our mindes in any good order or in a continued forme of speech yet if wee can from our hartes roare with Dauid chatter with Ezechias and vtter this abrupt speech with the poore publicane O God bee mercifull vnto mee a sinner the Lorde will heare vs and that as speedily as though we could pray vnto him with the eloquence of men and angels For to what end principally serue wordes but that wee may by them expresse our mindes to men who otherwise could not vnderstand them but the Lorde who searcheth the hartes vnderstandeth our sighes which cannot bee expressed Rom. 8.26 as it is Rom. 8.26.27 and hee knowes our thoughts long before wee thinke them as the psalmist speaketh Psal 139.2 Psal 139.2 Hee is a spirit yea an allseeing spirit and therefore our prayers vnto him are the desires of the heart neither doth our wordes serue to perswade him but to stirre vp our owne dul spirits and to keepe vs from disorderly wandring thoughts Exod. 14.15 So that if wee can with Moses lift vp our hearts vnto God with earnest desires this will bee a strong crie in the eares of the Lorde and hee will surely heare it If we can vnfainedly say with the prophet Dauid Psal 38.9 Psal 38.9 Lorde I powre my whole desire before thee and my sighing is not hid from thee we may be assured he will heare vs and graunt our request for he heareth the desire of the poore he prepareth their hart and bendeth his eare vnto them Psal 10.17 as it is psal 10.17 yea hee doth not only heare them and in some sort incline to their request but hee will fulfill the desire of them that feare him hee will heare their crie and saue them as the same prophet speaketh Psal 145.19 Psal 145.19 We know that a kind louing father if he see his sonne exceeding sicke wil be verie carefull and tender ouer him to prouide all things necessarie for him which may doe him good and though with a faultering tongue and vnperfect speech hee aske any thing which is profitable for him to receiue yet how readily will hee harken vnto him and graunt his desire yea if his sicknesse so increase that hee becommeth speechlesse vttering nothing but deepe grones euen this language moues him to no lesse care in vsing all meanes which may doe him good Shall then wee daily obserue such fruites of loue in sinfull man and shall wee doubt of finding lesse in the Lord who is infinite in loue mercie and goodnesse farre bee it from vs. Nay let vs assure our selues that though our soules being sicke in sinne and exceedingly dulled and beaten downe with some grieuous tentation we cannot vtter any thing but vnperfect speeches yea though wee are through the grieuousnesse of our affliction and greatnesse of our corruption strucken dumbe and can vtter nothing but grones and sighes yet if wee desire to be freed out of this wretched case and to haue the comfort of Gods spirit the Lord who searcheth the hart and vnderstandeth our secret thoughts wil harken vnto vs and graunt the desires of our hart at least so farre forth as it will stand with his owne glorie and our euerlasting good § Sect. 3 Thirdly whereas others complaine that their hartes are so harde and their spiritts so dull Consolations for such as bewaile their coldnesse and dulnesse in prayer that they cannot vtter vnto God a prayer with any earnestnesse or feruencie of spirit but exceeding coldly and verie weakely and therefore they feare that God will neuer heare them they are to remember that the Lord heareth vs not nor graunteth our requests for the worthinesse and excellencie of our prayers but for his sonne Iesus Christs sake who is our mediatour and intercessour in whose name we cal vpon God and therefore though our prayers bee full of infirmities and vttered with much weaknesse yet calling vpon the Lord in our sauiours name hee will surely heare vs as our sauiour hath promised Ioh. 16.23 Ioh. 16.23 Verily verily I say vnto you whatsoeuer ye shall aske the father in my name he will giue it you Moreouer we are to know that we do not offer vp our prayers immediately vnto God the father but by the mediation of Iesus Christ who putting our prayers into the goulden vialls which are full of the precious odours of his merites thereby perfumeth them and maketh thē an offering of sweet smelling sauour vnto God Apoc. 5.8 by washing them in his

withstand their force and violence That if wee will withstand the former tentation wee must not rest on our owne righteousnesse they must not rest in themselues desiring in whole or in part to be iustified by their legall righteousnesse neither must they measure out vnto themselues Gods mercies according to their owne merites and worthinesse they must not looke onely vpon Gods iustice and vppon that exact obedience which the law requireth of them nor yet vpon those fearefull punishments which by their sinnes they haue iustly deserued for then Sathan will easily attaine vnto his purpose and speedily bring them to desperation and vtter destruction But they must goe out of themselues and reiecting their owne righteousnesse as altogether imperfect insufficient they are to rest and relie themselues vppon the alone righteousnesse and obedience of Christ Iesus as being in it selfe all sufficient both for our iustification and saluation And as they haue one eye on Gods iustice to keepe them from secure presumption so they must haue the other firmly fixt on his infinite mercy to preserue them from falling into desperation as they haue one eye on the law to humble them and to bring them out of themselues to Christ so they must haue the other eye on the sweet and comfortable promises of the Gospell to comfort and rayse them vp Finally as on the one side they behold the curse of the law and the eternall torments prepared for the wicked so on the other side they must stedfastly looke vpon the righteousnesse death and obedience of Christ and also vpon those euerlasting ioyes which by his precious bloudshed hee hath purchased for them And if thus being truely humbled and brought to vnfained repentance they goe out of themselues and reiect their owne righteousnesse resting and relying vpon the alone righteousnesse of Christ for their iustification saluation they may most certainly assure themselues that they haue in Christ satisfied Gods iustice are by his death reconciled vnto him that they are freed from the curse of the law and from the wrath of God that their scarlet sins are made as white as wooll all their imperfections perfected by Christs righteousnesse and obedience that they are acquitted from the sentence of condemnation and deliuered from the fearefull torments of hell § Sect. 3 But forasmuch as those who labour vnder the burthen of their sinnes Reasons to perswade the weake Christian of the forgiuenesse of his sinnes and are continually vexed and mooued to desperation by Sathans most subtiland violent tentations are not so easily perswaded that their sins are forgiuen them they reconciled vnto God in Christ therfore I will set down some arguments whereby all those who truly repent that is sorrow for their sinnes past and desire and indeauour to forsake them in the time to come and withall going out of themselues doe earnestly hunger after Christ and his righteousnesse and rest and relie vpon him for their saluation may haue full assurance that their sinnes are forgiuen them and that they are in Christ reconciled vnto God and receiued into his loue and fauour The first argument drawne from Gods mercy The first argument to assure all of the pardon and forgiuenesse of their sinnes who will come vnto him may be drawne from his mercy which is one of his properties and attributes so often attributed vnto him in the scriptures Exod. 34.6.7 God thus describeth himselfe The Lord the Lord strong mercifull and gracious slow to anger and abundant in goodnesse truth 2 reseruing mercy for thousands forgiuing iniquitie transgression and sinne Out of which place that famous godly learned man H. Zanchius hath obserued matter fit for our purpose Zanch. de Attrib l. 2. cap. 1. q. 2. therefore it shall not be amisse to set downe his owne words For besides saith he that the essence of God is only one that eternal most simple most perfect liuing immortall inuisible incorruptible infinite omnipotent most wise he is also wholy most good in whom nothing is wanting a louer of men most meeke most gentle slow to anger most ready to forgiue iniuries most patient most true most righteous most iust most faithfull in performing his promises finally hee is nothing els then the soueraigne goodnesse and the chiefe clemencie as he hath described and liuely deciphered himselfe Exod. 34. and elsewhere And therefore we must note although anger be attributed vnto God yet notwithstanding it is in God nothing els but the chiefe goodnesse and iustice whereby he abhorreth euill and according to his iust iudgement doth at length punish it if it be not amended by his long suffering and patience This herehence manifestly appeareth because speaking of reuenge or taking punishment which is an effect of anger he doth not say that he doth presently inflict punishment or that hee is so ready to inflict it as to shew mercy but hee saith that hee is slow to anger Sign fying by this maner of speach that he is of his owne nature alwayes most ready to shew mercy to graunt pardon to be beneficiall but not so ready to take punishment but is forced here vnto as of himselfe vnwilling through our impenitencie Hereunto also appertaineth that ancient forme of prayer O Lord whose propertie is alwaies to haue mercy and forgiue Esa 28.21 2. Sam. 5. 1. Chro. 14. Ios 10. Herehence also we read in Esai ch 28.21 The Lord shall stand as in mount Perazim hee shal be angry as in the valley Gibeon That he may doe his worke his strange worke that he may effect his act his strange act that is he shall inflict the like punishments in his iust anger vpon his rebellious people which hee exercised vpon his wicked enemies the Philistines in mount Perazim when as he ouerthrewe them by his seruant Dauid and vpō the Amorites in the valley of Gibeon when as he smote them with stones from heauen Where the Prophet maketh a twofold kind of Gods workes his proper and strange works The proper worke of God is to shew mercy and to spare or forgiue his strange worke is to be angry and to punish And therefore whereas hee calleth that the proper worke of God and this his strange worke he plainely teacheth that mercy goodnesse long suffering are according to the nature of the deitie but that to be angry is diuers from Gods nature Yea which is more hee maketh it not his worke that is to say he is angrie that afterwards he may bring his worke to passe that is that he may haue mercie and preserue for whilest saith the Apostle wee are iudged of the Lord we are chastened that we should not be comdemned with the world 1. Cor. 11.32 And what doe these things teach vs but that the nature of God is nothing els then goodnesse 1. Cor. 11.32 mercy loue especially of men patience benignitie and most farre and remote from all vniust seueritie cruelty tyrannie and pride