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

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
B08768	Reasons of a fast, appoynted by the Commission of the General assemblie to bee kept through all the kirks of this kingdom, on the Lords day; December 22, 1650.	Church of Scotland. General Assembly. Commission.	1650 (1650)	Wing C4251B; ESTC R171358	7,559	18

Children when they come to years of Capacity their Baptism the ends and vse thereof and the obligation therby layeth vpon them as consecrated to Christ 5 The not making vse of this Sacrament all a-long the course of our lyf for renewing strengthening our cōfort in the Fayth and assurance of our Regeneration Adoption and of our interest in God as our GOD and Father in CHRIST and for strenthening through Christ our resolutions endeavours of Mortification and newness of lyf Which is a great despysing of this Ordinance In the Lords Supper 1. The great profanation ther of by the comming and admitting there vnto of many gross Ignorants who cānot discern the Lords Body nor knoweth how to examine thēselves māy profane Ones Godless Livers without the Worship of GOD in private and into many places al sorts of persons promiscuously without making a difference between the precious the Vyle whereby the Blood of Christ is much profaned altho the constitutions of our Kirk were they well observed doth sufficiently guard against these evills Which no doubt is one of the mayn sins for which GOD hath beene provoked to suffer so much of our blood to be shed See 1 Cor. 11.30 2. The little or no care or payns that is taken for preparation to so high and holy an Ordinance wherein we are called to the nearest and most familiar Communion with Christ that is heere vpon earth most part contenting themselves giving their presence at a Preparation Sermon many not making conscience of so much as this Very few separating themselves as is needfull to examine themselves that being sensible of their Guiltyness Spirituall inlacks c. They might come with humble broken and contrite Spirits with Spirituall hunger and thirst for Christ Crucified And sincere purposes of heart to forsake their former sinfull courses and to renew their Covenant with GOD in the strength of CHRISTS Grace 3 The great and lamentable Blockishness of the most part in the participation of this Ordinance who may be have some kynd of amazement at the Solemnityes thereof but doth no wyse therein exercyse themselves in remembring the Lords Death till He come agayn to apply the same to themselves for peace with GOD and mortifying the Body of Sin for working deep Repentance and Gospell sorrow for Sin and getting the Love of Christ more kindled in them and their hearts enlarged with greater thankfulness towards Him Who loved vs and gave Himself for vs. And on the other hand the great heartless sinfull Dejection of many sensible Souls who at no tyme are readyer to be plunged in legall heavyness feeding as it were on gall and Worm-wood then at this Ordinance wherein they ought to be most rejoycing through Fayth on the propitiation in the Death of Christ so familiarly set foorth therein to them 4 That the tyme and occasion of this Sacrament is vsed by the most part only for some outward restraint of grosser sins for a day or two before and after but all such goodnes being as a morning clowd no constancie nor reall reformation but presently turning to wonted naturall worldly and carnall courses Not-with-standing renewed remembring of the Death of CHRIST and Profession of renewing Covnants with GOD. 3. IN Relation To the Ordinance of Discipline 1. Which partiality in the administration of thereof with respect of persons and according to affection which appeareth in that whyle as Offences and Scandalles in meaner persons are taken notice of challenged and censured There is not the lyke Christian-Freedom Faythfulness and Zeall used towards such as are more eminent for Wealth Place or Dignitie in the World 2 Want of a Spirit of Meekness sometymes in the administration thereof whereby men if GOD peradventure would give them Repentance might bee recovered out of the Snare of Satan And on the other hand want of Zeall often tymes to saue others with fear plucking them out of the Fyre 3 Much Vilifying Contemning of the Censures Exercise of Discipline Yea hateing thereof and the Officers of the Kirk for it 4 Not making use of it as a Spirituall Medicine and Means of Salvation but as a meer Punishment which as it is in it selff a miss-apprehension and abuse of this Ordinance So is no doubt the cause of so much impatience and indignation agaynst it in people and of so much inaequality and mixture of selfish affection in the administration thereof 5 The great Formality that is every where in the vse thereof whyle as so bee it that persons under censure continue out their set tyme and dayes of censure little care or respect is had of the effects for which it was instituted To wit Humiliation of hearr and Godly sorrow bringing foorth Repentance not to bee repented of which maketh the administration thereof to look too lyke the way of Popish Pennance 4. IN Relation to Prayer 1. Great neglect thereof by most part of persons and families throughout the Land in private and secret 2 Many more imminent persons in the World accounting the performance thereof in their families altho this bee incumbent to them by their Place and Station a disparidgement and therefore turning it over vpon others as a Service bee low them 3 In the publick Prayers of the Kirk Peoples lying by from joyning therein al along with their Spirits which should bee stryving together with the Minister either mutering words of their own or taking liberty to themselues to bee ydle in the work and raving in their thoughts As if the Minister only were to bee an Actor in that Service 4 Not using this Ordinance as a mean of communion with GOD and of obtayning blessings from Him But using it meerly as a Duety and many as a matter of meer task Whereof many may bee convinced by this That they do not make conscience nor setteth themselues to obserue what commeth of their Prayers how they are taken off their hand what speed they haue come and what answer they get 5 The little care that is had either by Ministers or others to pray in the Spirit or to imploy the Spirit of Grace and Supplication for this Service The most part in their performāces thereof too evidētly acting meerly their own memory invention wit c. And that often tymes with apparent affectation 5. RElating more immediatelye to CHRIST Himself and the Free Grace of GOD in Him which is the Matter and Object of the Gospell as 1 Gross ignorance in the most part and great short comeing of the best in the knowledge of Iesus Christ His Person offices His blessings and benefits of the Covenant of grace established in Him and the way of making vse of Christ and the covenant of grace 2 Undervaluing and misprysing of Christ communion with Him His spiritual graces and blessings Which appears most evidently by the great neglect of the vse of these means and exercyses publick privat secret wherein He offereth Himself to be sought found the great wearying

of them great willingnes and readines to bestow tyme and payns vpon things worldly even vanityes trifls than on these preferring the interests of creatures to the interests of Christ and not giving Him the preheminence above al by the readines which appears in people in tymes of tryall to cōply with sinful courses to the prejudice of Christs causs and the hazarding of their own peace with God for maintayning their case temporary safety and worldly commodities rather then to deny themselves take vp their cross and follow Him 3 Not receiving of Christ nor making vse of Him as He is held foorth in the Gospell in His fulnes of grace nor living in fayth by Him more especially in Not receiving and making vse of His free gifted and imputed Righteousnes for Iustification acceptation befor God and for peace of cōscience while as most part securely rest on meer outward church priviledges many confyde in their own Morall Honestly performances and Duetyes So going about to establish their own Righteousness and following Duetyes this way to make their Peace and Reconciliation there by with GOD AND even the Best Professours no not so purely inteirly rest on his righteousnes as the Gospell requyreth as well appear by these things amongst many others heartless fears miss-be-lieff I carring to apply Christ and to make vse of the promises not rejoicing in Christ and His propitiation with humility when there is a discovery challenges and apprehensions of want short comming failing of duetyes which in effect is in a degree and in part an establishing our own righteousness and not submitting to the Righteousness of GOD. Not making vse of Christ for Sanctification according to the promises of the Covenant and not acting in a way of dependence on Him in al the performances of our common Christian calling and of particular lawful vocations for direction quickning strength to mortify corruptions to every duety and to carry vs through agaynst discowragements tentations but acting only or most part by the strength of our own wits abilityes and payns In not making vse of the Mediation and intercession of Christ in approaching to the Throne of Grace in prayers supplications and thanksgivings while as many doeth neglect prayer altogether albeit they have some course of performancce of this duety yet knoweth not what it is to put their prayers vp to GOD thorow the Mediator tho they may perhaps name His Name but doth as that Uzziah who would offer incense himself neglecting the high priest and even believers themselves doth not directly distinctly and steadfastly in their approaches to God eye Christ to offer in al their service through Him nor do come with that humble boldness and full assurance of fayth in God as a Father where with the intercession of Christ warrandeth them to come Heb. 10.19.20 21 22 4 Not walking as becometh the Gospell of Christ in Righteousnes godlines and sobriety many not-with-standing their profession of the gospell and claming interest in Christ and His grace yet living loose profane godless carnall and earthly in their way in effect turning the grace of God vnto wantoness securety and taking liberty to sin because grace doth abound And even best not so constrayned with the love of Christ to live to Him who dyed for them not stryving to keep the thoughts of the love of Christ and the free grace of God in Him vpon their hears so fresh constant as they should be to keep thē watchfull tender zealous enlarged for God and His Honour 6. In relation to the operations of the Spirit wherein the Gospel is the Ministration maketh it effectuall as 1 Profane mocking miscalling mis-interpreting the tender acurat wolking of the Godly in the wayes of God as vnnecessary and prowd precyseness And their Spirituall exercyses as fantastickness melancholy or madness Which is a horrible sin sib to that which is vnpardonable yet very frequent amongst carnall and naturall people 2 The meer naturall and morall way of living in a civill honesty and sitting down contented therewith of the most part of people not labouring in their conversation to walk after the Spirit i. e. upon Spirituall Principles according to the Spirituall Rule of Gods revealed Will in His Word nor for Spiritual ends the Honour of God Glory and immortality 3 Not observing and yeelding vnto the knocking 's of the Spirit whereby Christ maketh tender to come in to hearts that He may sup with them and they with Him resisting and quenching His motions whereby He stirreth vp to Duetyes stiffling or putting by His challenges whether in publick or secret which tendeth to repentance humiliation or with-draw-ing from sin not being tender of His presence and consolations to entertayn the same but grieving Him by mispryzing them refusing them careless walking in not attending on His direction and guiding in giving way to known sinfull thoughts and lustings in a continued tract altho not growing vp to a full accomplishing of them and sometymes in giving way even to grosser out-breakings and in not watching agaynst predominant corruptions whereof even the best are much guilty 4 Not delighting in nor improving Spiritual company and spirituall exercises 7 Of Ministers in relation to their preaching of the Gospell as 1 Many not labouring to sett foorth the Excellency of Christ in His Person Offices and the vnsearchable Riches of His Grace the new Covenant and the way of living by Fayth in Him nor making this the mayn and chief Theme and matter of their preaching as did the Apostle 1. Cor. 3.2 2. Cor. 4.5 Coloss 1.28 Nor preaching other things with a relation to Christ To wit Not preaching convictions reprooffs discoveries of sin and of short commings in Duetyes and threatnings to leade to Christ to pryze Him the more highly and to embrace Him the more earnestlie especially for justification and pressing Duetyes in a meer legall way not urging them as by the authority of Gods Commandements so from the love of Christ the grace of the Gospell nor poynting and directing people to their furniture for them in Christ often tymes craving hard but giving nothing wherwith to pay 2 What they preach of Christ and the matters of the Gospell not preaching the same in a Gospell way whereof See 1. Cor. 3. from the beginning at length 3 Not commending as they ought neither their own work whether of meditation or delyverie nor their hearts to Christ that He might give the increass but going about the work either altogether in their own strength or much that way 4 Often tymes not speaking because they believe and many not seeking for communion with Christ in their own personall estate and to feele the power of the Word vpon their own hearts that they might speak so These branches of contemning and abusing of the Gospell are thought fitt for the better Information of all to bee held foorth at this tyme as beeing most obvious recommending with all to Ministers to apply themselues to make a more full and particular discovery thereof as is not doubted but they will do according to their wisdom and vnderstanding in the Gospell and the experience they have by observation of their own hearts and of the wayes and consciences of people It is also found needfull and appoynted that in reguard it is not one or two but many provocations of the people of God in this Land which have drawn on the present sad calamities and judgements and that the servants of God tho they have condescended vpon many sinnes of the King and his Family of Iudicatories and of the people as vndoubted Causes thereof yet are perswaded that there is need of a further discovery Therfore vpon the foresayd day of Humiliation at other tymes both in publick and private earnest supplications to be made to God for light and unanimity to His servants in this matter that the causes of Gods wrath being more fully and throughly seen and the hearts of al humbled accordingly befor God wee may bee yet sett in a Way to fynd the Lords Mercy in due tyme. FINIS