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A47146
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The fundamental truths of Christianity briefly hinted at by way of question and answer : to which is added a treatise of prayer in the same method / by George Keith.
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Keith, George, 1639?-1716.; Barclay, Robert, 1648-1690.
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1688
(1688)
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Wing K168; ESTC R14276
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61,969
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152
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And although Luke 11. 2. hath it When yee Pray say Our Father c. Yet Luke may be expounded by Matthew as one place of Scripture is oft expounded by another So that Luke may very well be understood according to Matthew his words thus When ye Pray say viz after this manner Our Father c. Nor can this one only short Form of Prayer be a sufficient argument to make a large Book of Forms of Prayer and impose them by constraint upon Christians For either this one Form of Prayer taught by Christ was sufficient for the Apostles without any other or it was not if sufficient for them why not also for all other Christians And yet I know not any sort of these called Christians who confine themselves only to it or are willing so to do but think it needful to express their Prayers frequently in other Words for variety and change of Words when the matter is the same doth help to stir up and beget in men the more Fervent Affections But if that one only Form was not sufficient to the Apostles it is clear that Christ did not intend by teaching them that Form to give them or their Successors an intire System or Scheme of Common Prayer but as is already said to be a Pattern or Example unto them and also to afford unto them matter of Meditation as the Holy Spirit should open the deep and comprehensive Sense of it unto them so that by a due and serious and deliberate Meditation upon all the parts and words of it by the help of the Spirit they might be stirred up unto Prayer their hearts being lifted up unto God upon the Meditation on every part of it by saying Amen thereunto or expressing the inward desire and prayer of their hearts in the same or more words as the Holy Spirit should be pleased to enable and assist them And though I cannot and dare not recommend it to be read or said as a Prayer twice or thrice every day in a dead formal customary way as too many do nor can I limit any to the strict and precise number of words in it to pray by without using any more or less words lest thereby I should seem to limit the Holy Spirit who is most free in all his Workings Yet I can and do freely thus far recommend it even unto all Christians as well great as small as a most worthy subject of their frequent Meditation which the Spirit of the Lord will not be wanting to incline them unto and assist them in And how often in the Day Week Month or Year they are to Meditare upon it or how long their Minds and Hearts are to dwell upon the Thoughts and Meditations of it or any other places of Holy Scripture no outward rule can be given but must all be left to the free ordering and leading of the Spirit which I certainly believe as it is regarded and minded will be found very frequent For it is a great part of the Spirits Work and Office to bring the Scripture words and especially the words of Christ to our remembrance and the more useful and necessary any words of Scripture are unto us no doubt the Holy Spirit that Faithful Remembrancer will bring them to our Minds the more frequently and seasonable And I know no words in all the Scripture that are more necessary and profitable unto us to be remembred and often meditated upon than those very words contained in this excellent Form of Prayer taught by Christ. And indeed not only these few Words of Prayer taught the Apostles by Christ but any other words of Prayer whither Recorded in Scripture or that are Writ and Recorded any where else that have proceeded from a true Breathing and Spring of Life in these who first conceived and expressed them in word or writing may be and are of great service So that Forms and words of Prayer which proceed in the least measure from the Spirit of Prayer we are not against but for and our Souls have oft been greatly refreshed and quickned by them and the Spirit of Prayer yea true Prayer and Supplication hath oft been excited in us at the reading or hearing read such Prayers as are frequently to be found not only in the Scriptures but in the Books of true Martyrs and Witnesses of Jesus What precious Words of Prayer have oft dropped from them althongh but a little of those is recorded and it might be wished more of these precious words of Prayer or Thanksgiving and other Testimonies that came from the Spirit of God in them which flowed from them had been preserved if it had been the will of God. How oft when we hear or read or call to mind these precious Words of Prayer or some part of them that any Servant or Hand-maid of the Lord has uttered either at the Hour of their Death or any other time by the Spirit of the Lord which we find upon record in true History How oft I say and how purely doth Life spring in us and bear its Living Witness to the Original and Fountain of those Prayers out of which they have proceeded even the Pure and Holy Spirit of God and Christ And what pure inward living powerful and comfortable Touches of the same Spirit have we felt at such times confirming our Heavenly and Spiritual Unity with those dear and precious Servants of the Lord. Therefore I say we are not against Words or Fruits of Prayer for all Words have a Form that have at any time come or do and may come from the Spirit but are very much for them as fit and proper Subjects of Meditation and Occasions as the Spirit of the Lord is pleased to concurr to excite the Grace of Prayer in us thereby or any other Divine Grace and Gift as doth oft come to pass Also all such Prayers are excellent patterns and examples unto us of Prayer but yet we cannot set them up to be read or heard as our Prayers so as to tye and confine our selves or others to the precise number of the words contained in them Not can we acknowledg that the bare reading or repeating the Words are a Prayer as many do ignorantly imagine for all true Vocal Prayer comes from the Heart as it is moved and wrought upon by the Holy Spirit and the Words of Prayer simply considered are not properly the Prayer otherwise every one that hath and useth the words should pray those Prayers which is far otherwise but the words are but the signs and expressions of the Prayer which was in those who first conceived them and are called Prayer only by a Figure or Metonymie of the Sign for the thing signified And whereas it is objected by some that these Forms of Prayer as they are good and fit patterns of our Prayers so they may be used by us as Prayers even as some Weights and Measures which are kept as Standards to make other Weights by may be used themselves as
healing and purifying and sanctifying nature more particularly it hath these two properties 1. To kill consume and destroy Sin both in Fruit and Root Stock and Branch 2. To beget Righteousness and Holiness which comprehends all the Fruits of the Spirit such as Love Meekness Temperance Patience Humility Joy Peace Hope and Confidence c. Q. How is the Grace or Gift of God conveyed unto Men at first and how is it received A. As a small thing even as a Seed the least of all Seeds Q. And how is it multiplied and encreased in Mens Hearts A. By its growth in them for if it doth not grow in them it doth not multiply but remaineth as dead and barren as unto them though living in its own nature Q. How doth it grow in Men. A. By getting root in the Hearts even as a grain of Corn by getting root in the Earth Q. How doth it get root A. It hath a Native Vertue and Influence in it whereby it taketh root in the Heart naturally if Men do not resist it and tho the Ground where it seeketh to take Root be foul and unfit yet it hath a cleansing and fitting Vertue in it to prepare the Ground and make it good and fit but it requireth Mans consent and concurrence which it acts and God in it and with it draweth and moveth effectually the Heart of Man unto Q. But may these drawings and movings be commonly resisted A. Yea they may and so the work of Man's Salvation may be hindered by Man himself and that both in the beginning or when begun in its progress Q. Doth God teach Men all things necessary unto Faith and Godliness by this Principle A. Yea as he is faithfully and chastly waited upon believed and followed Q. But hath he not his order in teaching or doth he teach all at once A. He hath his order and doth not teach all at once but line upon line here a little and there a little according as a Man can bear through the gravity of his Principle in them Q. What are the first things he teacheth in and by this Principle A. To deny Ungodliness and Worldly Lusts to Live Soberly and Righteously to Live Godly And when they have ascended by those degrees he bringeth them into his Holy Mountain City House Kingdom oud Paradise where he giveth them to enjoy of these Pleasures and Delights that because of the Sweetness Beauty and Glory of them are beyond all utterance or thoughts of Man's Heart Q. What are the first beginnings of Gods Work in the Heart after convincement or enlightening the Understanding A. Faith and Repentance Q. What is Faith A. It is a cleaving of the Soul and Heart of Man unto God and Christ according to the inward Revelation of his Divine Power Mercy and Goodness in the shinings of his own Divine Light Life and Spirit within him Q. Is then the object of Faith God and Christ as inwardly revealed A. Yea. Q. What Faith then have they who say Inward and Immediate Revelation is not the common priviledge of Men nay not of the Saints in these daies A. They have not the true Faith which is the faith of Gods Elect that worketh by love and purifieth the Heart and is fruitful of good works but their Faith is but a Dream and Imagination which as it findetn them in their Sins so it leaveth them to live and die in them Q. What is Repentance A. It is a change of the Mind and of all the Powers of the Soul and its affections from Sin and Unrighteousness unto Holiness and Righteousness so that whereas it loved desired and rejoyced in Sin before and had a distaste of all Righteousness and Holiness and an aversion and alienation therefrom now it hath a distaste of Sin universally and an aversion and alienation from it and a true and intimate love of all Righteousness and Holiness desire after it and joy therein and more abundantly after and in God and Christ whose it is Q. How is this Repentance wrought A. By degrees through the power of God his Life his Love his Judgment his Mercy his Goodness revealed in his own Light by his own Spirit as the Heart is turned thereunto and continueth in a steddy and fixed application unto the same This naturally and gently melteth and thaweth the Heart and breaketh it into pieces yea changeth it from a Heart of Stone into a Heart of Flesh and maketh it naturally to savour and relish the things of God which it hated before and to disrelish and distaste the things of Dishonesty and Unrighteousness which it loved before Q. What Rule or Law hath God given unto Men to Serve Obey and Worship him A. Even the same Divine and Spiritual Principle aforesaid the Word of God that is nigh unto us even in our Mouths and in our Hearts that we may know it believe it and obey it This is the Law or Rule of the New Covenant who walk after this Rule Peace is and shall remain upon them neither is there any Condemnation unto them but Justification and Approbation from henceforth and for ever CONCERNING PRAYER I. Some QUESTIONS answered II. Some REASONS given why all PRAYER in Words whether only conceived in the Heart or uttered and expressed by the Mouth should be by the help of the Holy Spirit helping us to conceive those Words III. Some Objections or seeming Reasons brought for using set Forms of PRAYER read out of a Book as if that reading were PRAYER Answered Also a few Words concerning Singing or Praising God with a Psalm By G. K. Printed in the Year 1687. To the Loving and Friendly Reader SInce It pleased the Lord to give me some knowledg by experience what True Prayer is after that I was turned with many others to his Marvelous Light to believe and walk in it wherein the deep things of God are seen and opened Many true and fresh and living openings have arisen in me concerning Prayer the nature use ends and manner of it and how true and right Prayer is and ought to be acceptably performed how the Spirit of God assists and helps his Servants and Children to Pray how he works not only upon their wills and affections to quicken and excite them and make them fruitful with good and holy desires in the art or exercise of Prayer but also how he works upon the Understanding and all the Intellectual Powers to enlighten them and give to Man a true and real sense and understanding of his wants or of the wants of others for whom he prayeth and also of the Love Mercy Bounty and Compassion of the Lord and the readiness and nearness of his helping hand to supply all his and their wants abundantly When the Inward and Spiritual Eye is opened by the Lord to see the Well of Living Water where the thirsty Soul may drink And also to see the Lords Table that is richly spread where it may eat abundantly and be refreshed and bless and