Selected quad for the lemma: prayer_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
prayer_n	pray_v	spirit_n	supplication_n	6,826	5	11.2274	5	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A17641	Commentaries of the diuine Iohn Caluine, vpon the prophet Daniell, translated into Englishe, especially for the vse of the family of the ryght honorable Earle of Huntingdon, to set forth as in a glasse, how one may profitably read the Scriptures, by consideryng the text, meditatyng the sense therof, and by prayer; Praelectiones in librum prophetiarum Danielis. English. Abridgments	Calvin, Jean, 1509-1564.; Gilby, Anthony, ca. 1510-1585.	1570 (1570)	STC 4397; ESTC S107376	186,474	266

and that thou art such a faythfull keeper thereof that thou wilt not suffer one heare to fall from our heads but that thou wilt so defend vs that the wicked also may know that we boast not in vayne of thy holy name neither that our prayers vnto thee are fruteles and when we haue felt thy fatherly goodnes and care all the course of our life in the ende receiue vs to that blessed immortalitie which thou hast promised vnto vs and layd vp for vs in the heauen through Iesus Christ our lord Amen 20 The name of God be praysed for euer and euer for wisdome and strength are his 21 And he changeth the times and seasons hee taketh away kynges and he setteth vp kynges he geueth wisedome vnto the wise and vnderstanding to those that vnderstand 22 He discouereth the deepe and secret thinges he knoweth what is in darkenes c. Now Daniel prayseth God as we ought dayly to wish hys name to be sanctified but especially as Daniell doth here when he worketh any strange worke and sheweth any token of his fauour amongst vs Wherupon sayth Dauid Thou hast put a new song into my mouth And Isay sayth that God hath geuen the matter of a new song because he hath dealt meruelously with his Church So doth Daniell here prayse God with most vehement affection geuing vnto him only the prayse of power and of wisedome and so separating him from all false Gods and all creatures in that as he knoweth all thinges by his wisedome so doth he rule and gouerne all thinges by his power so that nothing is done but by his appointment and also that he hath not only this fountaine of all wisedome and power in him selfe but that he spreadeth forth the same to be séene both in heauen and in earth So that what wisdome or power so euer appeareth in any creature in the world it is but a signe testimony and declaration of Gods wisedome and power that God may be magnified So that the change and alteration of times of states of kingdomes and of all artes and sciences are but as it were glasses to cause man to beholde Gods power and wisedome by the which all thinges are gouerned Wherfore Daniell teacheth vs that we neede not to clime vp to the heauens to search out this wisedome and power for it is dayly practised amongst vs vpon the earth whiles we sée kinges and kingdomes altered and changed so farre aboue all compasse of mans wit and our capacities that we may alway haue our recourse vnto God and reuerence his maiestie in all thinges If all the yeares and dayes should runne after one course we would attribute it vnto nature But now when we sée how farre sommer doth differ from the winter and that we haue not yet alwayes the like sommer and the like winter no sometimes the spring time is hoote as the sommer sometime it is as cold as stormy and snowye as the winter and the sommers are sometimes so straunge and the yeares so diuerse one from an other all these alterations and changes are wrought by the wisdome of God to waken vs and to stirre our dull hartes to looke vp to the maker of all and not to sticke to the fond imagination of nature as do the philosophers and so robbe God of his honor And if in all these small mutations the power of God be so manifest how much more should God be magnified in these great transformations of the whole world which are now in our dayes most euidēt so that we may boldly say to the proude contēners with the prophet Dauid Lift not vp your hornes so high nor speake with stiffe neckes for to come to preferment is neither from the east nor from the west nor from the sowth but God is the iudge he maketh low and he maketh high Thus resting vpō Gods we may deride all vayne discourses of mans brayne wherewith they folishly trouble their heades that God commeth seldome or neuer into their remembrance the which fault Daniell noteth in this 21. verse like as he goeth farther in the 22. verse Wherby we learne to geue God his due prayse in all thinges which the world with open sacrilege doth vse to robbe from him that if we haue any vnderstanding or iudgement at all we must knowledge it to be Gods gift If we haue but one drop of common sense or wit we must prayse God for it For without his secret inspiration geuing vs this vnderstanding we should haue bene like stones and stockes Now he that hath more knowledge is more bounden vnto God because he hath receiued more For who is it that maketh this diuersity but only God But aboue all the knowledge of spirituall thinges is the rare and singular gift of the holy ghost and therefore the manifest token of Gods power Let vs therfore beware of that deuelish pride wherewith the word is bewitched boasting in their giftes as though they came of them selues let vs prayse God for that he hath not only geuen vs the cōmune gift of wit and vnderstandyng to put a difference betwixt good and euill which séemeth only naturall but that he hath so lightned our mindes that we do perceiue those spirituall thinges which els should farre passe our capacities and let vs pray continually that he would vouchsafe more and more to open to vs that light wherein he dwelleth that so we may féele the power of his spirite working in our darkenes and strengthening vs in his seruice ¶ The Prayer GRaunt O Lord God that where so many testimonies of thy wisedome power and glory are dayly before our eyes and yet we can not see them but bury thys cleare light with our ingratitude graunt we beseech thee that at the length we may learne to opē our eyes or rather that thou wouldest open them by thy spirite that we regarding with how many how great and how excellent benefites thou presentest thy selfe vnto vs and geuest testimony of thy wisedome thy power and diuine maiesty we mey so profite in this thy schole of holines that we may attribute all prayse of all power wisedome and knowledge vnto thee that we chalenge nothing at all vnto our selues but only extoll and magnify thee and the more liberall that thou pleasest to shew thy selfe vnto vs the more earnestly we may labour to serue thee and to geue our selues wholy vnto thee taking no peece of prayse to our selues but caring only for this one thing that to thee alone may all glory remayne and shine throughout the world through Iesus Christ our lord Amen 27 Daniel answered in the presence of the king and sayd the secret which the king hath demaunded can neither the wise the astrologians the inchanters nor the southesayers declare vnto the king 28 But there is a God in heauen that reueileth secretes and sheweth the king Nebuchadnezer what shal be in the latter dayes Thy dreame and the thinges which thou hast sene in thine head

custome which he had vsed For he was wont to pray vnto God with his windowes open Therefore kept he his order lest any man should obiect against hym that he had cast away the worship of God for a time to gratify an earthly king And would to God that this doctrine were now grauen so in the hartes of all men as were conuenient But this example of the Prophet is derided of many not opēly I graūt but so that it may easily appeare that the Prophet séemeth vnto them ouer simple and rash which offered himselfe to daunger in vayne without necessity For they do so separate fayth from the profession thereof that they thinke they can remayne vpright although it be hidden and buried and although they fal from the pure and sincere cōfession of their faith an hundreth tymes for the auoiding of persecution Let vs consider therefore that we ought not onely to offer vnto God the sacrifice of prayer in our hartes but also that an outward and frée profession is required that it may appeare at the least that we are the true worshippers of god Yet do I not say that we ought to publish euery where whatsoeuer we thinke so that we should straightwayes be caryed vnto death by the enemies of God and of the Gospell But I say that these twayne are ioyned together fayth and the profession of fayth so that they can in no wise be separate Now the profession is after two sortes For eyther we do testify playnely and openly that which is in our mynde or els so farre as is necessary we kéepe vs in the worship of God and geue no signe of wicked faithles dissimulation as though we should cast away the care of religion As concerning the first it is not necessary alwayes and at al times to professe our fayth but the second must alway be obserued For it shall neuer be lawfull for vs to dissemble or to fayne any apostasy or falling from religion Wherfore Daniel although he did not call together the Chaldees with sound of trumpet so oft as hée would pray but made his prayers and supplications in the chamber as he was wont yet did he not dissemble as though he had forgotten his religion when he séeth that his faith is tryed and that he is proued whether he will remaine cōstantly therin or no. For he playnely expresseth that he came home after that he dyd know that the decrée was signed Doubtles if he had bene called vnto that consultation he would not there haue holden his peace But the residue of the nobles dyd craftely shut hym forth that he could not be at it and they thought that the remedy should be to late or none at all like as he hym selfe dyd thinke that he should dye Wherfore if he had bene called to the coūsell by the kyng he would there haue done his duty and would boldly haue treated vppon it But because the decrée was now signed and he could not admonish the kyng he went into his house This is to be noted that we may know that the kynges counsellers can not be excused by any meanes which of purpose absent them selues from consultations when they sée that they can not speake their mindes without some daunger and thinke that they haue done enough towardes God so that they gyue no voyce but kéepe silence Howbeit this faynt stomake can not be excused by any meanes And Daniels example assuredly can not serue thē because as we haue sayd he was shut out by the craft and malice of the nobles that he could not come in place to admonish the kyng in tyme as he was wont Now he sayth that the wyndowes were open toward Ierusalem And it may be demaunded whether it were necessary for Daniel to open the windowes for some man may obiect that he did this of some grosse opinion For if God do fill the heauen and the earth what neded he to open the wyndowes towards Ierusalem But there is no doubt but that the prophet dyd thus styrre vp him selfe to more feruent prayer by this helpe and meanes He prayed then for the deliueraunce of the people and when he looked towardes Ierusalem that sight was as a spurre wherby his mynde might be the more inflamed The Prophet dyd not then open the wyndowes in respect of God as though he should more easily be heard if there were an opē way through the ayre betwixt his house and Iudea but he rather regarded hym selfe and dyd helpe his owne infirmitie Now if the holy Prophet dyd stand nede of this ayde who was so diligent in prayer we must consider that our slouthfull infirmitie standeth nede of many moe helpes at this day Let vs learne therfore when we do féele our selues to be ouer slouthfull colde vnto prayer that we must gather all helpes and aydes which may wayken our diligence and may redresse our slouth which we do féele in our selues This then was the purpose of the Prophet when he opened his windowes towardes Ierusalem Agayne by this signe he would signifie to him selfe and to his familie that be doth continue in the fayth and hope of the redemption promised When he prayed vnto God he had Ierusalem as it were in hys sight not that his eyes could sée so farre but he turned his eyes towardes Ierusalē at that tyme as though he should say that he was a straunger among the Chaldees although he was both rich and in great honor there and of great power Thus would he haue it knowne to all men that he dyd rest vpon the heritage promised although for a tyme he was banished from thence This was the second cause why he opened the wyndowes He sayd also that he prayed three tymes a day And this is to be marked for vnlesse euery one of vs appoint our selues certaine houres for prayer we shal easily forget to pray Wherfore Daniel although he was diligent in pouryng forth his prayers yet dyd he appoynt hym selfe this solemne order that he dyd fal downe before God thrise euery day Like as when we rise in the mornyng vnlesse we begyn with prayer vnto God it is a brutish dulnes so also when we go to bed when we take our repast and so at other houres as euery man findeth it most cōuenient for him selfe for herein God geueth vs libertie howbeit euery man must féele his infirmitie that he may séeke for remedy For this cause then dyd Daniel pray thrise a day Here is added also a signe of his feruent prayer when it is sayd That he fell downe vpon his knees not that knéelyng is a necessary poynt of it selfe in prayer but because we haue nede of spurres and prickes as we haue sayd knéelyng doth much profite For first of all we are admonished that we can not stand before God but with humilitie and reuerence agayne hereby our mindes are better prepared to earnest prayer and so this signe of worshyppyng is acceptable vnto god Wherfore it is

they did know that he was the executor of Gods iust iudgement and also that he was their gouernour and must be holden in the stead of their lawfull kyng Seyng then that Daniel was gently intreated of the king and was by the law of warre made an exile it was his part to kepe fidelitie vnto his kyng although he did exercise tyranny agaynst the people of god This was the cause why he conceiued such sorow by the grysely vision Some thinke that hee was rauished in spirite but me thinke that this doth better agrée For he doth not simply say that he was astonished but also that he was troubled afrayde in his owne cogitations Yet this is to be noted that the Prophetes were straungely moued when God did pronounce his iudgementes by them Therfore so oft as God ordeined his Prophetes to publish great calamities they were moued with diuerse affections For of the one part they pitied mans miseries whose destructions they did sée draw neare yet did they pronoūce boldly that which was commaunded them of God so that sorow did neuer let them but that they did their office boldely and constantly And we may sée both these thinges in Daniel Wherfore this was of good affection that he so sorowed for the kyng that he was speachles almost an houre And whereas the kyng biddeth him be of good courage and forbiddeth him to feare here do we sée painted the careles security of thē which haue not yet perceaued Gods iudgement and vengeance The Prophet is afraide and yet is he without all daunger For God doth not manace him in any pointe but contrary the punishment which hee séeth appointed for the kyng geueth him some hope of the deliueraunce to draw neare Why is he thē afrayde Forsoth the faithfull euen whē God spareth thē and sheweth him selfe mercyfull vnto thē yet can they not consider his iudgementes without feare because they do know that they are also gilty of the same and worthy of the same punishmentes but that God dealeth more mercyfully with them Agayny they neuer put of mās affections and so pitie compelleth them to lament whē they sée the wicked destroyed or their vengeance draw neare For these two causes are they in heauines and sorow But the wicked although God do openly sommon them and set his punishmentes before them are nothing moued but stand amased and either do deride his power openly or count his threatnynges fables whiles they be clapt in the neckes Such an example the Prophete setteth vs forth to be séene in the king of Babylon who saith Beltsazar be not afrayde Let neither the dreame nor the interpretation thereof feare thee Yet Daniel was afrayde for his sake But as I sayd before the faithfull although they perceiue God to be mercyfull yet do they feare the wicked so long as they rest in their securitie are not moued nor troubled with any threatnynges Daniel adioyneth the cause of his sorow My Lord sayth he let this dreame be to thyne enemyes and the interpretation therof to thyne aduersaries Here Daniel declareth why he was amased euen because he desired such a horrible punishment to be turned away from the kinges person For although he might worthyly haue abhorred him yet he did reuerence the power that was geuen him of god Let vs learne then by the example of this Prophet to pray for our enemies and chiefly to pray for kynges though they be tyrantes if God hath geuen vs into their handes For although they be vnworthy of any prayer or any office of humanitie yet because they are set ouer vs not without Gods expresse pleasure let vs beare their yoke patiently not onely for wrath as Paul admonisheth but euen for conscience sake Otherwyse we are not onely rebellious vnto them but vnto god Howbeit of the contrary part Daniel declareth that he is not so ouercome with any affectiō of pity but that he will go forward in his office and vocatiō and sayth 17 The tree that thou sawest which was great and mighty whose height reached vnto heauen and the sight therof through all the world 18 Whose leaues were fayre and the fruite therof much in it was meat for all vnder the which the beastes of the field dwelt and vppon whose braunches the foules of the heauen did sit 19 It is thou O kyng thou art great and mighty for thy greatnes is growen and reacheth vnto heauen and thy dominion to the endes of the earth Here we do sée as I haue touched that Daniel did sée his duety to the kyng that he dyd not forget his propheticall office but boldly executed Gods commaundement And this diuersitie is to be noted for there is nothyng more hard to the Ministers of Gods word thē to kepe this mediocritie For some vnder the pretense of zele do thunder and forget that they are men breathyng forth nothyng but onely bitternes shewyng no signe of beneuolēce So commeth it to passe that their wordes are of none authoritie their admonitions are abhorred So make they the word of God to be lothed and euill spoken of when they go about to terrifie men so rigorously without any signe of compassion or sorow for them Others which are cowardly or rather which are deceitfull flatterers and bury with silēce most great and greuous sinnes do alwayes pretend that neither the Prophetes nor the Apostles were so feruent that they cast of all humane affections Thus do they delite miserable men and destroy them with their flatteries But our Prophet as all the others do the like sheweth here a meane way which the seruaunts of God must hold and kepe So Ieremy conceiueth sorow and grief of hart by his heauy and greuous prophecies and yet doth he not turne frō bold rebuking and most greuous threatnynges for both were godly So do all the rest for this many tymes is séene in the Prophetes Daniel therfore of the one part pitieth the kyng of the other because he knoweth that he is the preacher of Gods vēgeance he is not afrayde for any daunger but setteth forth boldly vnto the kyng that punishment that he had despised Hereby also do we collect that he was astonished because hee feared the tyraunt as many dare not mute nor once opē their lippes when a message that may bréede hatred is committed vnto them or that may styrre the wicked to rage But Daniel was not stricken with any such feare but onely because he desired that God would deale mercyfully with hys Prince For he sayth here Thou art that king He speaketh not doubtfully neither by circumstances neither doth hée bring it in obscurely and darkely nor yet vse many excuses but with open mouth he doth pronounce kyng Nebuchadnezer to be signified by that trée that he had séene 20 Whereas the kyng saw a watchman and an holy one that came downe from heauē and sayd Hew downe the tree and destroy it yet leaue the stumpe of the rootes therof in the earth and with a

not in vayne that Daniel sayth that he dyd fall vppon his knees as oft as hee would pray vnto God. Now where he sayth that hee prayed and confessed or praysed God this is diligently to be noted because many do murmure agaynst God in their prayers For although they pray for this or that earnestly yet are they caried with such immoderate vehemency that they murmure agaynst God as I haue said in their prayers vnlesse God straight wayes graunt their requestes This is the cause why Daniel ioyneth prayses or thankesgeuyng with prayer euen as Paul also doth exhort vs to both twaine Let your prayers sayth he be knowen vnto God with thankesgeuyng As though he should say that we cā not make prayers and petitions before God aright vnlesse we blesse his holy name although he do not geue vs straight wayes our requestes And the circumstance is to be noted in Daniel He had bene an exile a long tyme and had bene tossed with many and greuous stormes yet doth he celebrate the prayses of god Which of vs can be so armed with pacience that he will prayse God if he be vexed with great griefes and troubles but thrée or foure yeares Yea scarce one day passeth ouer wherin our desires do not so boyle that some murmuring breaketh forth agaynst god Seyng Daniel then could perseuere in praysing God whereas he was yet oppressed with so many griefes sorowes distresses this was a notable signe of inuincible patience And without doubt hee signifieth a continuall action where he putteth that pronowne demonstratiue dena which is referred to hys ordinary vsage as hee dyd before of old tyme. When he noteth the tyme he noteth as I haue sayd a continuance so that he vsed not to pray once or twise but continually euery day he exercised him self in this godly exercise 11 Then these men assembled and found Daniel praying and making supplication vnto his God. Here do the nobles of Darius bewray their craft whiles they do watch Daniel and that with mutuall cōspiracy For they had none other cause that moued them to make that decrée but to draw Daniel vnto death Therfore they assemble them selues together and finde Daniel praying and makyng supplication before his god If Daniel had prayed priuely he had not bene in daunger of those traynes but he dyd not doubt to offer hym selfe vnto death for hee knew to what ende the decrée was made and he knew that the nobles would come We sée therfore how he went willyngly to death and that for none other cause but that he might reteine the true worshyp of God euen in outward profession Let them go now which will cloke their treason whyles they pretend that men may not rashly cast them selues into daunger and that seyng wicked men lye in wayte for them on euery side they are ware therfore that they do not vnaduisedly cast their lyues away For Daniel by their reason were to be blamed of to much simplicitie and foolishnes because he went into knowne daunger wittingly and willingly Howbeit as we haue sayd he could not haue escaped this daunger but he should after a sort haue fallen from god For straight way they would haue cast him in the téeth Wherfore doest thou leaue of from thy wōted maner why shuttest thou the wyndowes why darest thou not boldly pray to thy GOD It appeareth euidently that thou doest more esteme the kyng then the reuerence and feare of god Therfore Daniel because the honour of God should so haue bene diminished offereth him selfe as a sacrifice vnto death willingly as we haue sayd We are taught also by this exāple that there be traynes prepared for the children of God continually how circumspectly and modestly soeuer they behaue and order them selues But they must behaue them selues so wisely that in the meane season they be not ouer crafty or to much carefull that is that they do not so much prouide for their securitie that in the meane season they forget what God requireth and how precious his owne name is to him and how necessary the confession of fayth is in place and time 12 So they came and spake vnto the kyng concerning the kinges decree Hast thou not sealed the decree that euery man that shal make request to any God or man within thirty dayes saue to thee O king shal be cast into the denne of Lyōs The king aunswered and sayd the thing is true accordyng to the law of the Medes and Persiās that altereth not Now the nobles of Darius do come as conquerous vnto the kyng but they come vnto him craftely For they do not straight way make mention of Daniel who the knew was beloued of the king but they begin to repete agayne that which they had spoken that the decrée can not be chaunged because the law of the Medes and Persians is inuiolable and can not be altered Wherfore they ratifie this decrée agayne as much as in thē lyeth that the kyng should not afterward be at libertie to chaūge it or be bold to call backe that which he had cōmaunded Wherfore this craft is to be noted how cunningly they compasse the kyng and snare him that he should haue no libertie to call backe his word They come therfore and treate of the kinges decrée They speake neuer a word of Daniel but begin to talke of the kings decrée that they may haue yet more sure hold of the kyng It foloweth That the king aunswered the thyng is true Here do we sée how much kynges set by the prayse of constancy but they do not discerne betwixt constancy and obstinacy For kinges ought so to stand to their decrées that yet they should not be ashamed to retract and call backe that thyng which they haue vnaduisedly published If any thing therefore do escape them without aduisement wisedome and iustice doth require this that they should correct their errour But when as all regarde of iustice set apart they will haue all things to remaine inuiolable whatsoeuer they haue vnwisely decréed this is extreme foolishnes and they ought not in such case to pretend constancy for it is a proud obstinacy as we haue sayd ¶ The Prayer GRaunt almighty God seing thou hast purchased vs by the precious bloud of thine owne sonne that we should not be in our owne power but that we should be geuen wholy vnto thy faythfull seruice that we may study and endeuour our selues to consecrate our selues wholy vnto thee and to offer our selues in body and soule so vnto thy seruice that we may be ready rather to suffer an hundreth deathes thē to fayle from the true and pure worship of thy maiesty and especially that we may so exercise our selues in prayer that we may flye vnto thee euery moment and yelde vp our selues vnto thy fatherly care that thou mayst gouerne vs by thy spirite defend vs and strengthen vs vnto the end whiles that we be gathered into that heauenly kyngdome which thy onely begotten sonne hath