A94156:409
The Christian-man's calling: or, A treatise of making religion ones business. Wherein the nature…
The Christian-man's calling: or, A treatise of making religion ones business. Wherein the nature and necessity of it is discovered. : As also the Christian directed how he may perform it in [brace] religious duties, natural actions, his particular vocation, his family directions, and his own recreations. / By George Swinnock ...
London: printed for T.P., 1662
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Secondly, I come now to the Concomitants of prayer; and herein I shall speak, 1. To the matter of our petitions. 2. To the person that prayeth. 3. To the properties of our prayers.
SEcondly, I come now to the Concomitants of prayer; and herein I shall speak, 1. To the matter of our petitions. 2. To the person that prayeth. 3. To the properties of our prayers.
1. To the matter of our prayers: Gods Word and Will must be the rule of our prayers, what we must ask of him, as well as of our practice what we must do for him: Subjects must set bounds to their desires, and take heed that their petitions do not encroach upon the Prerogative Royal. Divine precepts, what God commandeth us to act; Divine promises (what God engageth himself to do for us;) and Divine prophesies (what God hath foretold shall come to pass) are to be the ⟨p. 164⟩bounds of our prayers; he wandereth to his loss, that in his requests goeth beyond these limits. •alaam would needs ask leave of God, that he might be the Devils Chaplain to curse Israel, but mark the issue, he hath an ironical concession to go to his own destruction; the sharp razor indeed of his tongue would not pierce the Israelites, who had armour of proof, but the sword of the Israelites soon entered his body, and sent his soul to receive its wages of that Master that set him a work. The Israelites on a sudden are all in a hurry for a King, God gave them a King in his anger for their punishment, rather then for their protection (and how soon were they sick, like children, of that which they cried so loud for) the King and people, at least many of them, perished together. O how much better is a favourable denial, then an angry grant of such prayers, but immodest desires never have profitable answers.
1. To the matter of our prayers: Gods Word and Will must be the rule of our prayers, what we must ask of him, as well as of our practice what we must do for him: Subjects must set bounds to their desires, and take heed that their petitions do not encroach upon the Prerogative Royal. Divine precepts, what God commandeth us to act; Divine promises (what God engageth himself to do for us;) and Divine prophesies (what God hath foretold shall come to pass) are to be the