Selected quad for the lemma: prayer_n
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A62897
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An epistle to the flock professing the true light which lighteth every one that cometh into the world : wherein the opposers and villifiers of the true light are (by the way) expostulated with, and they that own it are exhorted to answer the light in the consciences of others by an unblamable light, and to grow up therein, both in general and in their particular relations : given forth chiefly for the service of some in the flock and may be serviceable also to others / from W.T.
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Tomlinson, William.
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1674
(1674)
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Wing T1847; ESTC R26323
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20,917
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27
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of their knowing of him as Philip did But continuing in his Fear and abiding in the Path of Righteousness and Holiness they may come to know the Lord and that it is he that Operates all these things in them and for them and to feel the cleansing and washing of their Consciences by the Blood of Jesus Christ from all sin which is enjoyed in walking in the Light but not in talking of it only The true Christian Life doth not lye in words as if to be changed from one form of words to another were it although the Holy Spirit which changeth the heart require words sutable to himself and to eschew corrupt words Neither doth it lye in the changing of Apparrel although the Spirit that changeth require modest Apparrel sutable to himself and sutable to that humble mind which he formeth in man Nor doth it stand in high Notions or soaring Imaginations wherein the exalted nature gets up and magnifies it self above the simple-hearted but it is in simplicity and godly sincerity With such exalted Spirits the Apostles of our Lord were much troubled in the Primitive times after Christ and laboured much to keep down Believers from them to the simplicity that was in Christ as you may perceive by their Epistles Of such also our Lord made mention and strengthened the simple-hearted against them in some of his Epistles to the seven Churches of Asia In that to Thyatira he takes notice of some who were high in their Imaginations and Notions insomuch that they looked upon those whom the Lord approved of but as weak and low in comparison of themselves and as such as did not know the depths of Satan for that was the phrase it seems which they used But the Lord encouraged the simple-hearted against their exalted expression and said I will lay on you no other burthen but that which you have already hold fast till I come Rev. 2.24 25. And what would he do when he comes that he had expressed before verse 23. I will give to every one according to his Works not according to their Imaginations Neither doth the life of Christianity stand in any outward formal way although some way may be required for the gathering together of the true Worshippers who Worship in Spirit and in Truth As its probable there was in the old World before the Flood for there was a distinction between the Sons of God and those that were called the Daughters of Men. Some were called Men and some the Sons of God But how-ever after the Flood it is expresly said Job 1.6 That the Sons of God came together to present themselves before the Lord. So that this may be requisite and hath been practised more especially in all ages since Christianity was openly named in the World But observe Satan himself can come there as well as the Sons of God The Pharisee can be there whose Religion lyes chiefly if not only in outward observances For the Proud Covetous Persecuting Pharisaical Hypocritical spirit can come under the formal part of any Profession And so there were those in the Apostles days who had a form of Godliness but denying the power thereof they were to be turned away from For their lives were corrupt as you may read 2 Tim. 3. where you may see of what sort they were Neither doth it stand in openings or visions of things or understanding of Mysteries though these are excellent gifts given forth from the Lord and enjoyed by many of his Faithful Ones Yet for as much as evil Men and Spirits may have true Opinions therefore the Life of a Christian doth not consist therein but in living in Obedience unto the pure Life which doth open Balaam had very eminent Visions and Openings of things yet is he Noted in Scripture for a false Prophet because his Heart and so his Life was not right before the Lord. His heart run after the reward of Unrighteousness and he gave evil Counsel to Balaac against a People whom he knew the Lord had respect to and would not suffer him to speak an evil word of them to Balaac yet he taught Balaac to entice them to Fornication and Idolatry Satan himself and the evil Spirits may have openings and a sence given them of true things as its plain they had in the days of Christ in the flesh Art thou come said they to torment us before the time They knew that by him God would judge the World and them and they knew the time was not yet Therefore say they art thou come to do that Work before the time They knew whence he was what he was We know thee who thou art said they even the Holy One of God Paul and Silas going about in the Ministery of the Lord the evil Spirits knew them and followed them crying These are the Servants of the Living God Act. 16.17 chap. 19.15 Jesus I know and Paul I know but who are ye said the evil Spirit to the Exorcists who took upon them to cast out Devils in the Name of Jesus And further Satan knoweth when his time is near an end and that he hath but a short time Rev. 12.12 Therefore in respect of these things be wise to Sobriety and mind the approved blameless Life And let not Satan disquiet and trouble you because you are not as such a one or such a one who have had wonderful Openings from the Lord but keep down to the Anointing that abiding unction which guides the Life and discovers evil Paths and leads into all Truth and keeps abiding in the Truth and abiding in the Lord. I do highly prize the serviceable gifts of knowledge and utterance and such like given for the service of others But the Union of my heart is with you that are careful that you offend not in your words nor in your lives who walk humbly with your God observing the checks motions inclinations of the Spirit of Christ in your hearts applying to the Lord in all cases especially of difficulty as a Child to the Father for Council Guidance Wisdom Strength Assidance Succour Success whose Holy Spirit is your Guide Strength Assistance in Prayers and Supplications and Thanksgivings without limitation to time or place so that you cannot be banished from your Temple or place of Worship or removed into a corner where you cannot offer up Spiritual Sacrifices to God You whose hearts do breath after the Lord and to be filled with his Holy Nature and you who inwardly Converse with God dwelling in inward Peace and Consolation which the World cannot give nor take away it being Administred by him whom they cannot reach You whose hearts are ballanced with the free gift of God to your selves that excludes all boasting and with the true sense of the Universal Love of God over all that shuts out all Pharisaical exaltation and despising of others and so are kept lowly in your minds Also you who mournt in secret who Hunger and Thirst after Righteousness to be filled with it your selves and that it may fill the Earth Such as you it is that my heart is towards from the least of you that have the true savour of God in your hearts to the greatest from the Babe to the Father It 's you that my Soul longs after wheresoever you are found walking at present And that such may be daily raised up more abundantly to the magnifying of the Name of the Lord in the Earth and to the convincing of the World of the evil of their ways and of a Righteous Life that their hearts may be opened thereby to believe the Truth and to receive it in the Love of it is the earning of my Soul For these are they which are the true Seed of Sion of which glorious things are spoken and which the Lord loves above all the dwellings of Judah above all the out-works or formal ways of all professions It 's you that honour the Lord and make his Name to be loved in the Earth And your Prayers do I desire on my behalfe as mine are for you that utterance and strength and faithfulness may be given me to hold forth the Truth seasonably and stedfastly both in Life and Doctrine as it is or may be communicated unto me And to you the God of peace multiply all blessings with Joy and Consolation and make you to abound more and more in every good gift to his praise and to the raising up of thirstings after Righteousness in the hearts of others Amen POSTSCRIPT IF this shall fall into the hands of any that have an Enmity in them against the Flock and therefore catch at every failing they can espy or hear of in any Member that therewith they may asperse the whole Let them know that first of all they ought to judge at home and learn to separate between the Precious and the Vile in their own Bosom and then will they come to distinguish after the same manner in the Flocks of Christ and their desire and endeavour will be rather to convince those that err and strengthen those that are weak and gather those that stray and support those that stumble and help forward those that come behind and to hide the Infirmities of the weak then seek to blast the whole by the weakness or wickedness of some Let such remember the words of the Prophet Isaiah Woe to him that calls good evil or evil good that puts darkness for light and light for darkness and so confounds what God would have distinguished The true Spirit is not a Spirit of Confusion but of Order and Clearness distinguishing aright between the Precious and Vile And so did our Lord teach us to do by his example in his Epistle sent to the seven Churches of Asia the good that was found in them he approved of and encouraged and reproved only the evil He did not over-look the good in them because of the evil neither did he approve of the evil because of the good but saith he I have somewhat against thee Repent c. Let us learn to be like-minded lest any one by false and confused judging heap Judgment and Condemnation upon their own Heads W. T.
Parents connive not at your Children in evil words and perverse and foolish actions whereby they offend others lest they grow head strong also against your selves but in love and with a holy awe bear down such things in them retaining a sence of your love in their hearts and especially exalting the Name of the Lord and his fear in them that they may receive a good savour of the truth and things pertaining unto God betimes in their youth and acquaint them with the Scriptures of truth from their Child-hood as Timothy was acquainted and lay not on Youth more than it is able to bear neither bring them up in Idleness and Sloathfulness nor feed them with ability to follow bad courses Set before them an example worthy to be followed for they mind your example more than your words and let not your Prayers and Supplications to the Lord in behalf of your Children be wanting for the ordering of their hearts is from the Lord. And you Children be not stubborn and stiff-necked against your Parents for that 's dishonour to them and disobedience to God being directly contrary to his Will who hath commanded you to honour them and to obey them Be submissive therefore and obedient to them honouring them by your submission that as the Apostle of our Lord mindeth you Thy days may be long in the Land which the Lord thy God giveth thee And you that are Servants be faithful in your place and so adorn the Truth which you profess And consider this well That you cannot honour what you profess if your humble submissive obedient faithful Service to your Masters according to the flesh be awanting for therein chiefly are you eyed by all persons And the enquiry of every ones mind after prosessing Persons who profess more than themselves is this What is such a one in his life If you be Self-willed and Stiff trifling away your time and neglecting your Masters business or be careless and wastful of things under your hand and custody and give provoking words to your Masters when they reprove you you are out of the path of Truth what Zeal soever you pretend for the Truth It is not your running or busie talking for what you profess that will answer the Light in the Conscience of another so as to justifie you if they know that you are negligent or unfaithful and careless in the meantime in your Service to your Master Therefore let this always remain in your minds That your Service ought to be such as if you were doing Service to the Lord Christ whatsoever your Masters be and whether present or absent And indeed it is him you serve you that are faithful in your Service And therefore let that bear up your hearts who are found faithful and yet meet with difficulties and discouragements from your Masters And though they be perverse and froward yet be you patient and submissive and that may in time reach their Consciences and make them confess their evil carriage and justifie you and so honour the Truth which you profess And be not troubled that you are Servants thinking that if you were free you would run more speedily in the race set before you for you may bring as much honour to the Lord in your faithfulness and submissive service as if you were free Diligence and Providence in business and mindfulness that nothing go to wast and ruine under ones hand if they be free it 's look't upon as for ones self but in Service to another it 's more look't upon as from the fear of the Lord ruling your hearts and more convincing to others that the Lord is with you Set before you the example of Jacob who served Laban thrice seven years faithfully though Laban dealt deceitfully with him and changed his Wages ten times Gen. 31.7 J. cob for all that being faithful the Lord blessed his Labours and increased Labans Flock abundantly for Jacobs sake and made Laban sensible thereof and confess it Gen. 30.27 I find by experience saith he that the Lord hath blessed me for thy sake Oh strive to be such Servants as may have the blessing of the Lord to go along with your Service to the convinceing of those you serve as you see it was with Jacob. And as it was with Jacob so also with Joseph his Son when he was Servant in Egypt to Potipher The Lord made all that was under his hand to prosper as you may read Gen. 39. Whereby his Master saw that the Lord was with him And do not think these Examples to be too high to be look't at by you that are Servants as if it were beyond expectation to attain to the like For there is a like blessing promised to every one and attends every one that are found faithful delighting in the Law of the Lord and Meditating therein Day and Night Psal 1.3 And if you say you have not that Wisdom which they had If any man want Wisdom let him ask it of God and he will give Wisdom where there is endeavour to please him And seeing the Lord hath disposed the whole Earth which is as a great House that he takes care of into Families therefore Servants are as needful in their places as Masters in theirs And as to your spiritual Estate and Son-ship and your Eternal happiness there is no respect of persons with God Therefore may Servants go on as cheerfully in their work of submissive Obedience as Masters in theirs of Commanding and Ruling Be not therefore troubled that thou art a Servant but be contented in that Condition untill thou seest Providence leading thee forth as Jacob was And Masters be not Cruel and Tyrannical or Unjust to your Servants or like Pharoahs Task masters to them but consider them as of the same flesh and blood with your selves and also that they are or may be Heirs of the Kingdom of God as well as you And therefore use them as you would be used if you were in their place And let every one that professes the Name of the Lord mind the blameless life that becomes Christianity This therefore I say That the Life of a Christian is a Plain Humble Meek Innocent Just Merciful Faithful Sober Temperate Gentle Loving Kind Chast Contented Wise Peaceable Holy Diligent Vpright Harmless Inoffensive Life and Conversation Chast also to God as well as to Man For the right Christian doth Worship God in Spirit and in Truth and will not prostitute his Soul to the known Superstitious Worships of Mans Wisdom and ordering which was always counted spiritual Whoredom with God In such a Life or in pursuance thereof doth the true Christian live The Ground of this Christian life is from the Spirit of the Lord working in man and changing the heart though some know it not and inclining it to these things which the Obedient and Faithful do walk in And the Lord knoweth his own who are of an upright heart though they as yet know not him but may doubt