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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	pray_v	prayer_n	supplication_n	6,912	5	11.1562	5	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A78218	[Baʻal-samz] or, Soveraigne balsome, gently applied in a few weighty considerations (by way of quærie) for healing the distempers of such professors of religion as Satan hath wounded and drawn aside (under the notion of living in God) to the utter renouncing and casting off the use of divine ordinances, and Gospel-institutions of worship. With an apendix by way of postscript to such professors, wherein the most principall grounds upon which they build their practise, are fully answered and removed. And a catalogue of the errors that many of them hold since they left the ordinances, discovered. As also a true relation of Gods extraordinary working upon one of this way very lately in Plimouth, to the sight of his error, for the good of others published. / By Will. Bartlet, an unworthy minister of the Gospel, and lecturer at Bytheford in Devonshire.	Bartlet, William, 1609 or 10-1682.; M. P.	1649 (1649)	Wing B987; Thomason E549_19; ESTC R209139	79,502	81

as Psal 14.4 Job 27.10 b Est emm hoc mortalium animis insitum ut Deo offerendū c. Musc in Joh. the law of Nature teaching men to worship and serve that God whom they acknowledge as we see in the practice of the meere Heathens Rom. 1. and 2. chap. and the law of Grace teaching men to delight in that God and his worship whom they so draw nigh unto by faith in Jesus Christ Psal 119.97.103 1 John 5.3 Acts 2 46 47. And whether that place in c This is evident from the Apostles quoting this Text in Acts 4.25 26 27. against the Rulers Elders Scribes c that sate in counsell against them and made open opposition against Christ in them refusing to bow to his Scepter and Government held forth both in the Doctrine and practice of the Apostles And to this agree Expositors generally Psal 2.1 2 3. be not meant of those wicked men more especially that cast off all Divine Ordinances and Lawes of Christs Kingdome and Government under the Gospel 27. Whether the Face of Christ in which the Glory of God the Father doth shine forth d Non loquitur autem de corporea Christi facie sed de ea quae salutis nostrae dispensationem spectandam proponit Musc in loc 2 Cor. 4.6 be not to be understood of Gospel-ordinances and Institutions Christ himselfe personally being now sate down at the right hand of the Majesty on high Heb. 1.3 In which Face or Ministery and Ordinances of Christ the admirable and illustrious beauty of the eternall God his infinite wisdome power and love which is hid from the world doth so shine forth oftentimes through the Spirit of Christ to the hearts of the Saints that they seem to be out of the body and in heaven before they are in heaven and in glory on this side glory as it was with Paul 2 Cor. 12.1 2. And whether a Beleever be not bound to be in the use of these Gospel-ordinances and administrations where he may * Psal 27.4 behold this beauty and glory of the Lord it being the Lords own way he hath appointed to reveale himselfe by and not trust to other wayes of our own making for the sight of this glory having not a warrant for it in the Scriptures 28. Whether a Beleever in this life whiles he is cloathed with his earthly Tabernacle can see Spirituall things especially God Himselfe who is an infinite and incomprehensible Spirit so as to have fellowship and communion with him and to live in him otherwise then by an eye of faith in the e We cannot see Divine things othewise then in a glasse that sight of God which wee shall have immediatly in heaven without the Word and Sacraments is of a higher nature when we shall be perfect but while we live here we cannot see God but in Christ and we cannot see Christ but in the Word and Sacraments such is the imperfection of our fight Dr. Sibs Excel of the Gospel above the Law p. 280 281 286 287 c. glasse of Gospel-ordinances as the works of God and the word of God but especially Iesus Christ who is God incarnate God manifest in the flesh and this Jesus in the mystery of the Gospel and Seales according to 2 Cor. 3. ult And whether the Lord doth not as a great testimony of his love to us in Christ very much condescend and stoop to the weake and imperfect condition of his people while they are here below to make known the glory of his Wisdome Mercy Power and Love to their soules by his Spirit in the Ordinances 29. Whether the Commandements of Christ so much spoken of and mentioned in the Scriptures doe not extend to the obedience of the outward man as well as the inward and to the externals of worship as well as the internals of faith And whether a person can upon Iust grounds number himselfe among the friends of Christ that doth not make conscience of f Nota igitur verae amicitiae est observantia voluntatis amicivoluntas Christi est in illius praeceptis illis obedtre est voluntati Christi este conformem Amici Christi non sunt qui Christi praecepta susque deque facientes doctrinis mandatis hominum subjiciuntur Musc in loc keeping those commandements of Christ according to that of our Saviour Iohn 15.14 Yea whether any one can say upon just grounds that he loves or knowes Christ that doth not keep his commandements seeing the Scriptures speak directly against it and renders such for lyers that pretend to know Christ and love him but yet keep not his commandements g Necessario igitur consequi quicunque jactant sidem sen studium pietatis et interim studium servandae legis Dei negligunt eos impudentissimc mentiri Zanch in loc 1 Iohn 3 4. Iohn 14 15. 30. Whether the end of Christs comming into the world were not rather to fulfill and confirme then to disanull and make void the law of God ingraven in our hearts and revealed in the Scriptures whereby he calls for the obedience of the whole man inward and outward in the service of Christ And whether such as break the least of these lawes and shall teach others to doe so likewise doe not bring themselves under that penalty of Matth. 5.15 to be counted h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e minimi fiet imò nihili fiet vult enim dicere illos exclusum iri è regno coelorum Piscat in loc least in the Kingdome of heaven that is to have no part nor portion in the Church of Christ here on earth or the Kingdome of glory hereafter 31. Whether those that enter on the actions and workes of their particular callings or upon the use of the creature especially at the accustomed times of refreshing Nature as at Dinner Supper c. without seeking to God by prayer for praises through faith in Christ can expect a blessing upon them or a sanctified and comfortable use of them And whether they doe not transgresse the revealed will of God expresly manisested herein and discover a loose i Let us never come to the table without calling upon Gods name let us never rise from the table without giving thāks for it is certain that all they that eat so and doe not pray to God are for the most part worse then bruit beasts Calv Serm. in 1 Tim. 4.3 4. brutish and prophane frame of Spirit herein Phil. 4.6 Be carefull for nothing but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thankesgiving let your requests bee made knowne to God So 1 Thess 5.17 Pray without ceasing and the 18. verse In every thing give thankes for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you So 1 Tim. 4.3 4.5 speaking of meats that seducing Teachers should in the latter times endeavour in a k As on Fridayes in Lent in Embring dayes and fasting dayes c. Calv. Id

to a more immediate enjoyment of himselfe in the Spirit 6. That none are to pray or perform Duties at any time further then they are moved thereunto by the Spirit 7. That the use of Ordinances is more Legall then Evangelicall and engenders to bondage rather then liberty looking more to a covenant of works then grace the Gospel requiring beleeving not working 8 Another ground upon which people build their casting off the use of Word and Ordinances is this Because the Word and Ordinances are nothing without the Spirit They can never work any impression upon the soule or acquaint the Spirit of a man or woman that the Lord is his God or that Christ is his Saviour c. but this belongs to the office of the Spirit of God the Word and Ordinances of themselves are never able to work such an impression in the soule 9. That there are many places in the new Testament which hodl forth the non-performance of duties and laying aside the use of Ordinances as Heb. 8.11 1 Iohn 2.27 Rev. 21.22 23. 2 Pet. 1. ult These are the grounds upon which people build their leaving and casting off of Ordinances some of them respect those that are meere Atheists and others respect such as pretend to the greatest perfection of holinesse attainable in this life I shall by the help of Christ make answer to them all as they are laid downe in order to the discoverie of the unsoundnesse of them 1. Touching the first of the former grounds upon which people build the casting off the use of the holy Ordinances of Christ and duties of religion it was this That a person may doe well enough c. without the use of them Now in answer to this for the discovery of the unsoundnesse of it I utterly deny it and affirme the contrary that such as cast off the use of Ordinances 1 Cor. 3.22 or live in the neglect of them cannot possibly doe so well nor so comfortably enjoy themselves in the neglect as they might if they did conscionably performe them and my reason for it is this which I conceive is ungainsayable Because whatsoever such doe enjoy in order to their welfare and prosperity here in this world though in the greatest fulnesse they doe not enjoy it with the blessing and favour of God they may enjoy them but not comfortably because not through a promise nor by vertue of having interest in Christ through whom all our enjoyments become blessed to us and without whom all good things become evill and accursed to us Now such cannot possibly enjoy their good things through Christ a promise that neglect prayer c so by consequence not enjoy them nor themselvs comfortably because those mercies that come to us through a promise and by vertue of our interest in Christ they come in the way of Prayer and the use of Ordinances for the same God that hath made a promise to be our God and to make us blessed in the enjoyment of himselfe and his mercies hath also said that he will be sought unto for all those mercies before we shall enjoy them as Ezek 36.37 And when a person is once in Christ his being in Christ doth not take him off from duties but rather puts him upon the diligent performance of them And hence it is that the Spirit of Christ that dwells in beleevers is called a Spirit of prayer and supplication Rom 8.15.26 Gal 4.6 Zech. 12 10. And Christ hath promised beleevers to grant them their desires upon their asking his Father in his name John 14. and 15. and 16. chapters Matth. 7.7 with many other places to the same purpose and hereupon he enjoynes beleevers to watch and pray and ask necessaries daily at the hands of God their Father for the good both of their bodies and soules their temporall and eternall welfare Matth 6.11 12. So that 't is not faith in Christ and a promise that in it selfe simply considered makes us partakers and possessors of the good things of God with comfort but faith exercised and put forth in prayer and use of holy Duties and Ordinances of worship Faith in Christ and the covenant of Grace layes claime to the good things of God yea God himselfe blessed for ever is his Portion but Prayer fetcheth them in to the soule through Jesus Christs mediation And therefore as persons living in the neglect of duties discover themselves to be destitute of the Spirit of Christ and consequently of true faith in Christ so they manifest themselves to have no true right to what they enjoy as men and women in Christ nor to have them in mercy from God or in a capacity to enjoy a holy and sanctified use of them but are under all with the curse of God upon them so that as the wise man saith the very prosperity of such fooles destroyeth them Prov. 1.32 The second ground upon which people build their neglect of duties and casting off ordinances is the Eternall purposes and decrees of God who hath by them appointed how things shall be and there is no altering of them by our fasting praying c. or performing any duties of worship whatsoever Shall wee think say some that the judgement of the Sword Pestilence and Famine that walked up and down the Kingdome as the Executioners of divine Justice in an uncontrollable manner have been in so great and wonderfull measure removed from the prayers and supplications of any or all the Saints in England and not rather from the predeterminate Councell and decrees of God To which I answer That the Decrees of God doe not exclude in the least the use of the means towards the effecting bringing about of them but as God hath determined in his eternall counsels what he will doe for the good of any of his people so he hath also determined that the means shall be used for the obtaining it Yea we finde in Scripture that this is made a certain signe that God hath determined to do us some great good when he stirreth up our hearts to be earnest with him in prayer and the use of other lawfull meanes for the obtaining it as we may see in Daniel 9.2 compared with Jer. 29.10 11 12 13 14. where we finde in these two Scriptures two things to our present purpose 1. That God had purposed the deliverance of his people from their Babylonish captivity after 70. yeares were expired 2. That he purposed also and foretold by Jeremy that neare about the expiration of those 70. yeares a Spirit of Prayer should bee given to them and they should goe and pray unto the Lord for their deliverance and hereupon Daniel is stirred up about the end of those 70. yeares to a more then ordinary seeking to God by fasting and prayer for the accomplishing of his promise as is cleare from Dan. 2.3 and how much is the Lord taken with it verse 20 21 22 23. so that we may from hence easily see that

〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We may read the nature of many things in their offects All the Ordinances of worship bear this Inscription Holinesse to the LORD and are appointed to work holinesse in man Caryls duty and endeavour of the Saints p. 28. 1 Pet. 2.5 Col. 3.16 c. And whether there may not bee abundance of sweet delight and soule-satisfying comfort and content found if holy and spirituall hearts meet with them and are acted on Christ in the use of them 9. Whether those Divine and Spirituall Offices Officers and Ordinances instituted by the Lord Jesus Christ are not his u 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rota Chariots using to run on wheeles Chariot in which he rides gloriously in his Church and Kingdome and by which through his Spirit he not onely subdues his enemies and conquers the hearts of Sinners to himselfe that his father hath given to him from all eternity but more and more workes over the hearts of the Saints themselves to a further degree of subjection to his Scepter Cant. w Ainsworth by this Chariot understands more especially the Church and Ministers of the Gospel holding forth the word of Truth and Christ in the midst of them sitting teaching governing and triumphing So Merc. in loc 3.9 10. Psal 45.4 Rev. 6.2 And I saw and behold a x By white Horse Paraens on the place understands the Church puritate doctrinae disciplinae nitidam and by him that sate on it Christ who is carried or born as it were in the Ordinances with great triumph according to Acts 9.15 white horse and hee that sate on him had a Bow and a Crown was given to him and hee went forth conquering and to conquer 10. Whether there be not many singular choyce y 1. Promises of salvation to worship in generall Rom. 10.12 13. 2. Promises in particular and so 1. to the duty of prayer 1. Of Preparation and assistance Psa 10.17 Rom. 8.26 2. Of Acceptation Esa 60.7 Ezek. 43 17. 1 Pet. 2.5 3. Of consolation Esa 56.7 4. Of answering and recompensing Psal 86.5 145.18 Ephes 6.8 Matth. 6.6 Jam. 5.15 16. Joh. 14.13 15.16 16.23 2. To preaching and hearing of theword and administring the Seales Matth. 28.20 Prov. 8.34 35. Esa 55.1 2 3. 1 Cor. 10.16 Esa 25.6 Psal 36.8 Cant. 2.3 4. 5. 1. Esa 12.3 3. To conference Mal. 3.16 17. 4 To sanctifying the Sabbath or Lords day Esa 58.13 14. Esa 56.2.5 6 7. Jer. 17.24 25. 5. To praising of God Psal 50 23. Psal 7.5 6. 6. To the Assemblies and Church-meetings of the Saints to worship God 1. Of Christs presence with it Mat. 18.20 2. Protection over it Mat. 16.18 Psal 84.11 Esa 33.20 21. Esa 4.5 3 Blessings of all sorts upon it Temporall spirituall eternall Psa 84.11 1 2.15.128.56.92.13 14. and 94.14.65.4 Promises made by Christ to beleevers whiles they abide and continue in the right pure use of those Ordinances and duties of Worship and many sad and direfull threatnings and comminations to those that neglect leave and forsake the use and practise of them Psalm 97.7 Ier. 10.25 Heb. 10.38 39. Luke 10 11 12. Heb. 12.25 11. Whether to cast off the use of Gospel-ordinances to pretend onely to live in God be not to make Christ and his Spirit to act contrary to their own Sacred Lawes Institutions and Injunctions of Worship given to beleevers in the Scriptures to follow and when or where it was or is to be found in all the Scriptures that Jesus Christ hath or doth so lead the Saints out of or take them * Vid. Quaest 39. off from the duties of his worship and bid them to cease calling upon the Name of the Lord seeing the Scriptures hold forth the contrary 1 Thess 5.17 Pray without ceasing 12. Whether a beleevers living in God or in the Spirit and bosome of the Father and using of Gospel-ordinances may not very well stand z The nearer we are to God the more in love we shall be with spirituall exercises and with all meanes to draw nigh to him as Bookes Sermons good company c. Dr Sibbs in his Saints Happinesse p. 65. together And whether the right use of those a Therefore the Lord converghes himselfe to the poore soule by an ordinance which is such a thing as consists of a spiritual and yet an external and sensible nature An Ordinance is the subject by which God communicateth himselfe and his goodnesse with a power of his Spirit to carry them to the soule as by preaching of the word to the care through the sound of a mortall voyce by prayer consisting outwardly of sentences and order by the Sacrament also standing of outward weak Elements The Lord carries to the soule by these most inward and spirituall things Rog. Treat de Sacram. p. 247. Ordinances which Christ hath commanded will not very much further and advance a persons living in the God of those Ordinances considering that through the presence of Christ with them and the blessing of Christ upon them the heart of a beleever is made the more spirituall and heavenly 13. Whether the Scriptures doe not joyn the greatest enjoyments of God with the greatest performance of duty towards God and the greatest faith with the greatest obedience and the greatest sense of love with the greatest care of service as Psal 119.32 2 Cor. 5.15 1 Thess 5.16 17 18 19 20. Luke 12.48 b The Apostles meaning is that we not onely try approve and practise those things which possibly may be pleasing to God in some low degree such things as set us a step beyond his displeasure but we must search and doe those things which give him highest content and carry us furthest into his favour Things which come up to the exactest Rule and beare truest proportion to the standards of Truth and Holinesse Car. present duty and endeavours of the Saints p. 9. Eph. 5.10 Luke 7.47 14. Whether to live in God and neglect the use of Ordinances be not a dividing between the end and the meanes Christ having sanctified Ordinances as pretious c Experience teacheth that the fellowship of the Word Prayer and the like is the life strength blood and marrow of communion Hence it is that they are called the Banners Ensignes Standards of Christ and the Ministers the hearers thereof For as Souldiers flock to the Standard and Ensigne so doe the Doves of Christ to these windowes c. Rog. pract Chat. p. ●01 helps and furtherances to the Saints in their fellowship with God and one another 1 Ioh. 1.3 4. Acts 20.32 1 Cor. 10.16 1 Pet. 2.2 And whether to divide between the end and the meanes which God hath decreed and Christ instituted bee not to make in this respect the will and minde of God and Jesus Christ voyd and of none effect 15. Whether those that are true beleevers should in the least refuse to own and to act

duties are not so consistent when they can grant that living in God and dicing drinking dancing drabbing c. with divers other abominations that are done of them in secret and too too openly that a man may be a shamed to mention Eph. 5.12 are consistent and may very well stand together But ô tempora ô mores Oh the desperate wickednesse of men and women in this Age Can the wayes and workes of darknesse that the Lord hath forbidden stand with a persons living in God which is such a blasphemous abomination as hell it selfe can hardly afford a fouler and cannot the wayes and works of righteousnesse and godlinesse the serving and worshipping of God stand with living in God O quintessence of impiety thou child of the Devill thou enemy of all righteousnesse wilt thou not cease to pervert the right wayes of the Lord Acts 13.10 What shall be given unto thee or what shall be done unto thee thou false tongue Sharp Arrowes of the mighty with coales of Iuniper Psal 120.2 3. 3. Whereas they say That God doth use to lead his people out of those low and childish dispensations to a more high enjoyment of Himselfe I answer briefly Is it not a childish reasoning to say God leads children from their childish words and actions they manifest whiles they are children therefore hee leads them from speaking and reasoning and discoursing and studying and other actions that belong to a rationall creature when they grow old So here what weaknesse doe men discover to the world when they say God leads his people out of the use of ordinances and wayes of worshiping and serving of him by prayer c. when he leads them out from their ignorance darknesse fleshlinesse filthinesse carnalnesse that was wont to cleave to and bee mixed with their performances Because God leads his people out of living in and trusting to their meat and drink and other creature-comforts and enjoyments to which their hearts are apt and prone to bow down therefore he leads them out and takes them off from eating and drinking and use of creature-comforts what madnesse would it be in any man to affirme this So here because God is pleased to take off his people more and more from their unbeliefe pride selfe-seekng c and other weaknesses and sinnes in the performance of the duties of his worship therefore hee leades them out of and from the duties themselves Is not this handsome reasoning Besides how can it possibly be that God should lead the Saints from the use of Ordinances when he hath ordained the perpetuall use of them to his Saints in all ages as I have shewed in the Quaeries Hee leads his people indeed to live above them but not to live without them 6. The sixth ground on which people build their neglect of Duties c. is this That none are bound to pray or performe Duties c. further then the Spirit moves them thereunto Answ To which I answer in the first place That though this be a Truth in somesense yet we should take heed how we * Though wee are to goe when Gods Spirit moves us yet are we not to neglect when wee doe not perceive such sensible motions of the Spirit c. Bolt Bounds of Christian freedome v. 202. We must doe duty sometime out of obedience although we want both a heart to it and a heart in it Id. ibid. abuse it and make a wrong use of it to bring about those ends for which it was never intended as this in particular for one viz. The willing omission and witting neglect of the duties of Gods worship both publick and secret which he calls us daily to the performance of It is true as the Spirit of Christ is the efficient cause of spirituall life in beleevers without whom we can doe nothing Iohn 15.5 and works the grace of Sanctification in their hearts so there is no performing of holy duties without him But whether a beleever so sanctified and enlivened by the Holy Ghost is not to * Though wee cannot bring the Spirit to us yet let us set our selves in the way for him to meet with us Hold up the performance of duty c. Id. ibid. enter upon religious duties before the Spirit put forth a new act of spirituall life in him I suppose can hardly be made out For I suppose after Regeneration or the new Birth when a person is implanted or incorporated into Christ he is not to be lookt upon as a meere passive in the performance of holy duties as Prayer Mortification of sinne c. but as a worker together with God And so much those eminently anoynted and qualified servants of Christ Mr. Tho. Goodwin and Mr. Ieremy Burronghes and Mr. W. Greenhill affirme Mr. Tho. Goodwin in his * Treatise of the tryall of a Christians growth p. 82 83. 138 139. Treatise quoted in the Margent touching a beleevers Mortifying sinne saith We are purged from sin as the body is by Physick from humours though the Physick work yet Nature joynes with the Physick being quickned and helped by it to cast out the humours so as the meanes whereby God purgeth us are not to bee imagined to doe it as meere Physicall Agents like as the pruning-hook cuts off branches from the Tree or as when a Chyrurgion cuts out dead flesh but these meanes doe it by stirring up our graces and quickning them and by setting our thoughts and faith and affections a-worke and so God assisting with the power of Christs death he doth purge us daily by making his word afflictions c. for to set our thoughts on work against sinn It is certain that unlesse our thoughts work on the meanes as well as the meanes work upon us and so mingle themselves with them unlesse Faith and Christs death bee mingled in the heart it purgeth not And therefore it is said we purge our selves as 2 Tim. 2.20 and 1 Iohn 3.3 and Rom. 8.13 Wee by the Spirit mortifie the deeds of the flesh this is said saith hee as well as that God purgeth us because God still in going on to purge us doth it by stirring up our graces and useth therein acts of our faith and love and many motives and considerations to doe it Thus this pretious servant of Christ holds forth with much more to this purpose taking off the grand objection is made against it in the same Treatisa p. 138 139. Mr. Burroughes on Hosea speaking against wanton Professors in this Age saith We finde revealed in the Gospel that it is God that must work the will and the deed the Covenant of grace is such as that God doth not onely require but work all for us How is this goodnesse saith he mis-interpreted and abused Therefore say they what need wee doe any thing Why doe Ministers urge people to duties Your principle is good the truth is good that it is God that workes all in the Covenant of Grace but this deduction is

his subjects in righteousnesse yet still in greatest love and mercy 2. Besides secondly I answer Doth not this ground upon which people build the neglect of duties c. as it is propounded expose them to great danger of being acted by f Vid. Boltons Bounds of Christian freedom p. 199. where hee shewes how Satan may move a person to the performance of religious duties many wayes a Spirit of Delusion For suppose they staying till the Spirit move them as they speak in the former ground to pray c. that the motion to the performance of the duty be irregular and unseasonable yea altogether unsuitable to the calling and condition of the party that is moved to the duty shall they forthwith conclude that this motion is from the Spirit of God Nay are they not rather to conclude that it is from Satan who is a lying and deceiving Spirit whose depths and wiles are numerous and who knowes how to advantage himselfe against us as well by ill performing of duties as by Non-performing them and is it not the generall opinion and judgement of the godly that are taught of God that one speciall differencing character between the motions of the Spirit of God and Satan is this that the one moves orderly seasonably and suitably to the word and a persons calling and condition but the other disorderly unseasonably and contrary to or at least without the word And therefore without question those that build their performing of duties upon this ground onely may as well especially if they be not experienced Christians bee deluded by Satan as led by the Spirit of God 3. Lastly to say no more are not the Scriptures altogether silent herein and doe not in the least hold forth such a Rule as this to beleevers that none should not enter on the performance of duties till the Spirit move them nay is it not as cleare as the Sunne at Noon day that the Scriptures doe expresly hold forth to the contrary g Luk. 21.36 Rom. 12.12 Ephel 6.18 Col. 4.2 1 Thess 5.17 enjoyning beleevers to pray alwayes to pray continually to pray without ceasing to watch unto prayer with sundry the like expressions not take heed as if beleevers were to doe nothing else but pray and perform religious duties for then there would be no place left for their civill employments in their particular Callings which in their place and order are to be done also but that they should endeavour to preserve in themselves a holy and spirituall disposition towards that duty and all other duties of the like nature that so they may be ready upon all occasions ordinary and extraordinary publique and privat to draw nigh to God in the performance of them Object But doth not this derogate from the honour of the Spirit Ans No more then the working of particular next causes do from the universall cause which seldom or never produceth particular effects without a concurrence of particular causes e. g. The Sunne is the universall cause of all the fruitfulnesse of the Earth Vide Bridge Overflowings of Christs fulnesse p. 31 32. yet it doth not produce that fruitfulnesse without the help of man So here the Spirit of God is the universall cause of all the spirituall actings of the Saints yet he doth not ordinarily produce those actings without the concurrence of those gracious habits are wrought in their hearts in their conversion Nay the concurrence of such particular causes with the universall cause can be no dishonour to it in regard that they doe not act by themselves properly but together with and from the influence and vertue of the universall without which they could doe nothing John 15.5 The seventh Ground on which people build their neglect of duties is this That the performance of duties and use of Ordinances is more legall then Evangelicall looking more to a Covenant of workes then a Covenant of Grace engendring to bondage where as the Gospel gives more grace and affords more liberty looking more to beleeving then working Ans The whole frame of this Argument is carnall and savours too much of the flesh and very much nnbeseeming those that would have the world to look upon them as more then ordinarily spirituall and such as have attained to greater enjoyments of God then others My Reason is this Because those persons that enjoy most of God and live highest in the Spirit have their hearts most enlarged and carried out in communion with God in Ordinances and especially that of prayer so that I may truly affirme it A man of most grace is a man of most prayer but a man of least grace is a man of least prayer And wee have a singular evidence of it in the Apostle Paul who was as Evangelicall a Christian and lived as highly in God I suppose as any that now cast off Ordinances how exceedingly was he given to prayer how much was he in that duty as well as in other duties but in this of prayer he was more then ordinary so frequent as if he had leasure for no other employment and tooke delight in nothing else And hence it is that he saith oftentimes that he prayed without h Rom. 1.9 Col. 1.3.9 2 Tim. 1.3 Phil. 1.4 Philem. v. 4. 2 Thess 1.11 1 Thess 3.10 ceasing that he prayed alwayes that he prayed exceedingly night and day with divers such like expressions And as it was with this pretious servant of Christ so it hath been with the most eminentst beleevers in all Ages so far have they been from looking on performance of holy Duties as Legall Services and engendring to Bondage 2. But secondly if wee diligently observe the Tenor of the Gospel and new Covenant of Grace shall we not finde that they call upon beleevers for the strictest and most exactest performanees of the duties of Gods worship not allowing beleevers to live in the willing neglect of any known duty towards God or man or themselves if wee are not convinced of it let that notable place of Tit. 2.11 12 13 14. be considered where the Apostle shewes that the Grace of God that bringeth salvation viz. the Ministery of the Gospel and new Covenant that worketh grace instrumentally in mens hearts and revealeth the freelove of God through Jesus Christ to sinners hath appeared to all men teaching us that denying ungodlinesse and worldly lusts we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present world i. e. soberly in respect of our selves righteously or justly in respect of men and godly or holily and religiously in respect of God In which words I conceive are wrapt up the whole duty of a Christian as it respects the first and second Table This is the Doctrine of the Gospel or new Covenant of grace not of the Law or Covenant of workes And the Apostle in the 14. verse goes on to amplifie it by shewing one chiefe end of Christs comming into the world was to redeem them from iniquity and to