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	utter_v	2,382	5	9.4981	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A81992	Seismos megas. Or Heaven & earth shaken. A treatise shewing how kings, princes, and their governments are turned and changed by Jesus Christ as [brace] King of Kings, and King of Saints. / By John Davis, M.A. sometime lecturer at Christ Church in London, and now pastour of a congregation in Dover.	Davis, John, pastor of a congregation in Dover.	1655 (1655)	Wing D422; Thomason E1601_2	153,991	331

they are in the darke and that your zeale may provoke very may You must hold out the word of life you have not onely the word of light but the word of life within you which to you is a quickning word dividing asunder between the joynts and marrow and this word of light and life this living word you are to hold out for your light must shine before men that they may see your good works before men most men are in darknesse and sit in darknesse carnal sensual men cannot receive the things of God and yet God requires such a shining in you that these men these blind men may some way see and here again observe it must be good works and good works with light not barely good words or good profession that will convince them you may talke long enough and these men will never see any good unlesse you worke it frequently and constantly You must glorifie your Father which is in heaven and they by you It was Christ his work upon earth and it s yours and he finished that work and so should you Joh. 17. Herein is my Father glorified that you bring forth much fruit so shall ye be my Disciples You must be abounding and abounding alway in the work of the Lord knowing your labour is not in vain filled with the fruits of righteousnesse which are by Christ to the glory of the Father giving all diligence and adding to your faith virtue and to virtue knowledge to knowledge temperance and to temperance patience to patience godlinesse and to godlinesse brotherly-kindnesse and to brotherly-kindnesse love These things must be in you and abound in you that ye may not be barren or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ You have been the servants of sin long enough now it concerns you to obey from the heart the form of Doctrine into which you were delivered It lies upon you to raise common things by holy ends and to turne outward objects into spiritual converse If you do but eat and drink walk or work work or recreate what ever ye do in word or deed it must be all to the glory of God in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ giving thanks to God the Father by him Eating and drinking are but natural actions but they must have Gods glory as their end Nature may teach you to give thanks but it s the Gospel that teacheth you in your thanksgiving to haverecourse to God the Father in the Name of the Lord Jesus The meanesse of your condition must not hinder the raisednesse of you holinesse Suppose you are servants the Gospel teacheth you how to make your service to become divine Col. 3. 22. Servants obey in all things your Masters not with eye-service as men-pleasers but in singlenesse of heart fearing God and whatever you do do it heartily as to the Lord and not to men knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive a reward for ye serve the Lord Christ You must obey your Masters but so as you must declare you are fearing God while you are obeying them you must render them service but not eye-service God requires the heart for himselfe and when he requires your respect to another he requires your heart thereto How unlike is your complemental expression of saying Your servant your humble servant Sir to the singlenesse of heart here mentioned You must please men and yet not be men-pleasers but please God in the pleasing of them you must do and do heartily but as to the Lord and not to men and there 's good reason for it for of him you must receive the reward for ye serve the Lord Christ he tells you of serving men and serving Christ yea serving Christ in serving men and thus you greaten little and highten low things You should be persons of a raised manner of behaviour in all actions states and conditions in all holy conversation and godlinesse But most of all when you come to worship God who will be sanctified in his nigh ones and glorified before all the people Levit. 10. 3. To worship God is to be neer to him you are then under a promise of his special presence But then he will be sanctified either you must sanctifie him or he will sanctifie himselfe he must be sanctified either in and by you in the holinesse of your hearts or upon you in the execution of his just judgements You must not think to content your selves with pretence to worship God alone in your Closet or Family but you must worship him also before all the people and that is a glorifying him You must worship the Father Joh. 4. 24. but it must be in spirit and truth Gospel-worship hath lesse outward pompe and ceremony then that under the Law and therefore it must have more of plainesse and purity else God should be a loser You must pray alwayes Eph. 6. 18. with all manner of prayer and supplication not prate but pray repetition of words in form of confessions or petition are not prayer your praying must be in the spirit your spirits in prayer must be drawn forth and acted by Gods spirit your affections must be spiritual or you cannot pray it may be babling and howling but praying it is not unlesse it be in the spirit your heads may work and your lips may move but it s no prayer if the heart lie still the voice of words is not the voice of prayer but the sighs and groans that cannot be uttered Rom. 8. 26 27. You must lift up your souls in prayer lay hold on the strength of the Almighty and wrastle with him not letting him alone until he blesse you Jesus Christ hath set up and set open a Throne of grace and given us a boldnesse of accesse Eph. 3. 12. You must come in his Name with confidence Aske and you shall bave seeke and you shall finde knock and it shall be opened to you You must watch and pray yea watch unto prayer with all perseverance and joy Eph. 6. 18. You lose many sweet praying opportunities by not watching your season you lose the acting and improvement of many graces and obtaining of many precious comforts and sweet returnes by not persevering in prayer Far be it from you to pray as a task or as a work which you are soon weary of and glad when it is over but you must persevere in prayer and pray with joy and joy to pray You must attend at the posts of Wisdomes door Prov 8. 34. Laying aside all malice and all guile and hypocrisies and envyes and all evil speakings as new born babes desire the sincere milke of the word that you may grow thereby 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sincere milke the form of wholesome words not sugared with the wisdome of words but coming in the demonstration of the spirit and with power That word desire and desire as new born babes out of

of Saints returns a full answer to The prayers of Saints are Christ his spirit breathing in si●hts and groanes and making a voyce of supplication Now surely he understands his own voyce in them and will heare his own spirit When God rejected Saul Samuel is commanded not to pray for him 1 Sam. 16. 10. It s a sad thing when those in authority fall out of Saints prayers or when Saints pray against them not for them 1 Tim. 2. 2. We must pray for Kings and all that be in authority and surely it is fatal and ominous when Gods people justly indite Princes and plead as Ananias against Saul Act. 9. 13. Lord I have heard by many of this man how much evil he hath done to thy Saints When the soules under the Altar cry Rev. 6. 10. then v. 12. Behold a great Earthquake little do you conceive what great Changes Saints prayers make Rev. 5. 8. The four living creatures and the four and twenty Elders which is the resemblance of a Gospel-Church the four living creatures representing the Officers and the four and twenty Elders the Brethren of the Congregation now these are said to have golden vials full of odors which are the prayers of Saints Now these via●● of prayers fill the vials of wrath Rev. 15. 1. God assumes it as his high prerogative to break the arrows that flie and wound afar off to break the sheild that should defend the sword that wounds neer at hand He breaks Arrows Sheild Sword Battle All But where It s in Salem in Sion where Judah knew God and Israel greatened his Name It s there there where his people cry to him Psal 76. 3. Sect. VII Jesus Christ shall have a willing people in the day of his power Psal 110. 3. Oh! strange what a Turne will that be oh how backward are men now and to nothing more backward then to holinesse and holy things when they come forth in their beauty I but Jesus Christ shall have the day of it and it shall be the day of his power the day wherein his power shall be gloriously manifested and subjected unto Isa 49. 19 20 21. The land shall be too narrow by reason of the inhabitants The children shall say the place is too straite for us give place to us that we may dwell yea the Church shall say in regard of the numerous addition of Members who hath begotten me these seeing I have lost my children who hath brought up these Behold I was left alone That is a remarkable Prophesie and Promise in Ezek. 36. 37 38. I will increase them with men like a flock as the holy flock as the fl●ck of Jerusalem in her solemne Feasts So shall thy waste Cities be filled with flocks of men and they shall know that I am the Lord. Sect. VIII Some of the Kings of the Earth shall be among this willing people Oh wonderful wonderful Kings to become subjects to be among the people and the willing people whom aforetime they most hated that is strange that those who were the greatest enemies should now become friends that those who have done so much against Christ shall now be active for him God had of old his David Hezekiah Jehosaphat Asa and Josiah good and godly Kings and he will have some like them again outward pomps and pleasures shall be no let to his call and working on them and by them Isa 49. 7. Thus saith the Lord the Redeemer of Israel and his holy One Kings shall see and arise Princes also shall worship because of the Lord that is faithful and the holy One of Israel and he shall chuse thee Isa 30. 21. Their Nobles shall be of themselves and their Governours shall proceed from the midst of them He will restore their Judges as at the first and their Counsellers as at the beginning afterward thou shalt be called the City of righteousnesse the faithful City Isa 49. 23. Kings shall be thy Nursing fathers and Queens or Princesses thy Nursing mothers Those who have been the persecutors shall be the preservers the destroyers shall prove nourishers those that did minde nothing but their pride and pleasure they shall now minde the Church and her interest They that made the people of God bow down till they passed over them they shall come and bow down to the Church with their faces toward the earth Isa 60. 16. The Prophet there speaking of the state of the Jewish Church after their general conversion to Christ promiseth Thou shalt also sucke the milke of the Gentiles that now accursed people of the Jews shall become blessed they are still beloved for their father sake v. 10. They shall suck the breasts of Kings none have been and are so squeezed in all parts of the World where they are scattered as the poor Jews are who although they enjoy an Old-Testament blessing and become rich where they live yet then those who rule over them use them as we do a spunge that is full wring it dry So are they dealt withal but now those that sucked from them shall give sucke to them yea the sonnes of strangers shall build up thy walls and their Kings shall minister unto thee for in my wrath I smote thee but in my favour have I mercy on thee Sect. IX That Christ having great works to do in the last dayes he will mightily stir up the spirits of Princes and People When Temple-work was in hand when the solemne and publick worship of God was to be set up Hagg. 1. 14. God stirs up the spirit of Zorobabel Governour of Judah and the spirit of Jehoshuah the high Preist and the spirit of all the remnant of the people Marke it s particularly set down the spirit the spirit the spirit God had particular work for the Governour the high Preist and the people and therefore in particular he stirs up their spirits oh sweet and blessed work and blessed spirits Zorobabel Joshua People all are stirred and stirred in spirit and all work Zorobabel doth not disdain the work nor scorne the people The people are not crosse to Zorobabel but all sweetly agree It was a great work to establish the Kingdome in Davids hand and then 1 Chron. 12. 18. The spirit clothed Amasa and he said Thine are we David and on thy side thou son of Jesse Peace peace be to thy helpers for thy God helpeth thee Christ hath Temples now in Gospel-times as well as formerly and there is a great deale of Temple-work of Church-work to be done now as well as then and God will stirre up the spirits of Governours Pastors and People now as well as then and they shall work and the work shall prosper in their hand God the Father hath now the Kingdome of David the Kingdome of his Son Jesus Christ to set up and it must be strengthened in his hand God will now cloath many like Amasa with his spirit that shall come forth to the help of the

walke after the flesh in the lust of uncleannesse that despise government 2 Pet. 2. 10. 2. Make honourable mention of them in the same place they are reckoned presumptuous and self-willed who feare not to speake evil of dignities Exod. 22. 28. Thou shalt not revile the gods nor curse the Ruler of thy people I could heartily wish that men would not think their tongues their own but cease from this cursing and reviling When Joseph was Governour of Egypt his brethren call him Lord and surely we should not speak slightly of those from whence we expect our publick good and protection How unreasonable is such railing it onely foames out your own discontent and tends to boile up an undue rage in them that hear you it profits not them that be over you but rather exasperats them against you and turns those thoughts that should be for you against you 3. Let me exhort you to speak to God for them 1 Tim. 2. 1 2. It s the Apostles exhortation there he well knew how backward we would be unto it and th erefore he saith I exhort and that with a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a first of all and marke his variety of expressions Supplications Prayers Intercessions and giving of thanks must be for all in authority and all little enough did you know their duties and their difficulties you would not cease praying for them v. 2. It s for your good that you may lead a quiet life pray you more and they will rule better It may be they had not miscarried so much nor so often if you had helped them by your prayers v. 3. This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour and no marvel since they are those that he sets up for the good of the World Happly they are not so good as they should be neither are you but be good in this to pray to make them better They were bound to pray in Pauls time when you might reckon so many Magistrates as there were so many were their enemies and are we not more bound now when our Magistrates are our friends God hath not dealt so with other Nations nor with us in this Nation heretofore Never was there a Magistracy that did openly and professedly engage for the good of all that truely feare God as now there is Oh! cover their infirmities in love and pray for them for they beg your prayers Cyrus inserts it into his Decree Ezra 6. 10. that they might pray for the life of the King and I am confident that nothing would be more acceptable then your fervent prayers and let them never want them 4. Submit your selves to ever● ordinance of man for the Lords sake All men desire to rule but few know how to submit God sets them to order and our duty is to be under their ordering It is possible some of their ordinances may crosse our particular interests and our spirits shall we therefore not submit it may be for a publick good that they decree and if they order so they doe their duty and our duty is to submit though it be our particular losse If we would look up and consider for whose sake we are to submit it would much releive us It s for the Lords sake the Lord requires our submission to them for his sake submit it may be your spirits rise when you think of the men you are to submit too and that the time was that there was not so much difference between them and you and you little thought to be so at their commands I but know it s to God more then to them and I hope it will be no hard thing to submit to him to God 5. Lastly testifie your thankfulnesse for the good you enjoy by your service both in p●rson and purse as occasion may call you boggle not at the word service they serve you more then you serve them The greek Proverbe is true 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is one servant of the house and that is the Master their government is but an honourable service and will you not serve them that serve you Grumble not too much at publick Taxes and Impositions governments cannot be carried on without them they contribute what is more precious for your safety then you doe for their government Rom. 13. 7. Render to all their dues Tribute to whom Tribute is due Custome to whom Custome CHAP. XI Vnfolds the fourth Position That Governments are apt to change wherein is set down 1. Governours change by death or other wayes 2. Forms of Government change 3. People change 4. Lawes change 5. Leagues and Trade change 6. Christ makes change by his judgements and providences Vses WE should be too bad if we did not acknowledge the good of Government but withal we should be too foolish if we ranke not that good in its due place Governments are good but still they are creatures and all the goodnesse of creatures is mutable Hence this fourth Position Governments and Governours being creatures of this world are apt to change Governments are Gods Ordinance and so shall stand but stand as creatures and creatures of this world and so as the World changeable It s the transcendent property of Christ to be unchangeably good creatures not so and this will be manifest many wayes 1. Governours change by death or in their manners They are men as well as others and so come under that Statute law wherein all mon are appointed once to die Their breath is in their nostrils and if God cast it out all their power on earth cannot retaine it Nay sometime by their luxury riot and intemperance they dig their own graves and shorten their lives nay sometime they die while they live either deposing themselves or else being deposed by others from their government and so they out-live their pompe and power Now the change of Governours makes great change in governments what troubles have been in the vacancies of Princes and what turmoile about Successors but suppose they live yet they may change their manners How good are many at first and how bad at latter end 2 Chron. 24. 2. Joash did what was right in the sight of the Lord all the dayes of Jehojadah but vers 17. and 18. when he was dead he hearkened to the Princes of Judah and left the house of the Lord. 2. Manners and Forms of government as well as persons are liable to changes Israel was first ruled by Judges then Kings then by Strangers Rome Roma septicollis seven-hilled Rome more various in her government then hills witnesse their Kings Consuls Dictators Emperours c. How oft doth Soveraigne power change from One to more and from more to One again and the change happily not from what is unlawful to that which is lawful but from what is lesse convenient to what is more I think not government by a King to be unlawful nor yet the government by a single

rooted and rivetted in you you could not take that impression from evil example without as you do if you had not a body of sin within oh thank your naughty hearts for being so soon tainted Satan comes to our Saviour and findes nothing in him Joh. 14 30. but in us he findes a strong party for him Indite your wicked proud passionate uncleane ungodly Natures for your forwardnesse too too great forwardnesse to follow what is evil the theives within open to those without and both ●ob and spoile 4. Lastly how just is it that you suffer from Princes when you grow sinful from them can you be content to follow them in evil and be discontented to receive evil from them little doe you know how your following hardens and encourageth them in sin they grow worse and worse and you help to make them so no wonder if you finde them bitter to you when they finde you wicked against God CHAP. XV. Opens the eight Position namely That abuse of Power and wickednesse of People adapt to Civil War as appears 1. In that pride in Princes produceth pride in people 2. Pride introduceth Luxury 3 Luxury poverty 4. Poverty discontent 5. Discontent meditation on their pressures 6. That meditation an unwillingnesse to payments for publick service 7. They forsake their Trades 8. They feare more then they feele 9. Incendiaries augment their feare 10. These incendiaries have many followers Vse YOu have heard of Power abused Chap. 12. and how the sins of Princes tend to break that power Chap. 13. and that when Princes are wicked people prove so also Let us now see all these joyned together in this eighth Position That abuse of power in Princes and wickednesse in people adapt to Civil War Rehoboams abuse of power caused the ten Tribes to rend from him and the wickednesse of the Benjamites caused the people of Israel to war against them 1. Abuse of power sticks much upon some serious and godly spirits it did so on our Worthies in that long Parliameut Worthies I call them for truly they did worthily in their time and we know how sensible they were of the Supreame abused misled Power how oft they petitioned how long they treated and treated waited and waited and at last were forced to defend themselves In which defence God and their consciences and we can testifie how tenderly they proceeded and how unwillingly they were drawn to act at last as they did It will not stand with the wisdome of some men to see the Laws which are the wisdome of our Ancestors put forth with power and Authority to see them I say trampled upon and foolish self-will exalted The courage of others cannot brooke unjust commands over their persons and demands of their estates Some beleeve God hath invested them and theirs with a liberty which they cannot lightly part withall but are tyed to maintaine Others conceive they are betrusted with publicke interest and therefore dare not but speake plainly and act boldly Some feare they should offend by ●infull silence and subjection Other feare they should be unfaithfull to those in power to see them abuse it and not let them know it All are sensible of power abused would faine have abused power rectified but if to the abuse of power there be added perversnesse and supremacy of will cease to wonder if you meet with a disposition to warr yea the worse of warrs a civil warre These wise couragious conscientious Men are leading men and have many followers their good affection to their Countrey being so oft tryed and known obliges their countryes hearts to them How many have bin made wise by their wisdoms and instructed by them in principles of power and state which they never knew and begin to be acquainted with the terriers and boundaryes of prerogative and liberty Courage is not confin'd to leaders but is that which is competible to those under command who share in it as well as they that lead them Our great Councell found that if they d●rst lead they should not nor did not want followers yea fighters too I think never nation had such a Parliament nor Parliament such souldiers It was our happinesse we had so many conscientious as well as couragious men and surely as courage so conscience prevailed with many yea exceeding many both commanders and commanded How glad were many poore precious soules to see those whom they had chosen to make lawes for them to endeavour to keepe a good couscience toward God and toward Men towards Authority and those under it And sure it could not but rejoyce the hearts of those conscientious worthyes to finde so many to love pray for them night and day let them looke to their Conscience in what they command for they still found a ready conscience in them to obey How many dayes and nights too have bin spent on one side in councell on the other in fasting and prayer oh the frequent and fervent meetings and prayers that we have had and now reape the answers of what a mighty spirit of grace did God poure out on Pastors and people on Captains and souldiers on Counsels and congregations that we may truely say Never such a praying Parliament a praying city a praying army and a praying people as we have had and all this occasioned by abuse of power See the height of Gods goodnesse that can and doth bring light out of darknesse sweetnesse out of bitternesse and good out of evill little did those then in power intend to draw forth such a spirit of prayer but though they intended evil God turned it to good But all this while we speak but of one party Nullū bellum utrinque justum No war so no civil war can be just on both sides It s the miserable fate of war that besides all the misery of it there is unavoidably iniquity cleaving to one side or other We have yet bin speaking of the better side but let us looke and you will finde folly as well as wisdome and wickednesie as well as conscience nay more and in more to adapt to civill war for Pride in Princes produceth pride in people It inrageth their hearts when they see they are not owned as Brethren but abused as slaves 1 Kings 12. 13. Rehoboam answers the people roughly and vers 16. the people return as bad an answer What portion have we in David and what inheritance in the son of Jesse To your tents O Israel How doe they grudge the unworthy flattering Courtier the ingrossing of their princes love which they should share in and not have all contracted and centred in a favorite How did their stomacke rise to see vile persons preferred and their betters slighted and laide aside Pride introduceth Luxury when mens minds are high then they thinke how to live high in their dyet apparrell pleasures recreations entertainments how wel might many live if their minds were suited to their state a low minde