Publisher's Synopsis
Excerpt from Christian Prayers and Holy Meditations: As Well for Private as Public Excercise
Have their minds carried away with 'earthly cogita tions and vanities. And though it be hard to be so bent to prayer, but that we shall find that many by-thoughts will creep upon us to hinder our prayer; yet the more hard it is, the more earnestly we must wrestle to overcome all lets and hinderances, and 1a bour with inward groanings unto the Lord, that he will link our hearts fast unto him 1, and not suffer us to be led away from him by the vain suggestions of Satan, who, at all times compassing us about, is never more busy than when we address and bend ourselves to prayer, secretly and subtilly creeping in to our breasts, calling us back from God, and causing us to forget what we have to do: so that oftentimes, when we with all reverence should speak to God, we find our hearts talking with the vanities of the world, or with the foolish imaginations of our own hearts. Finally, we must be in christian charity, love, and concord with all men, seeking unfeigned, hearty, and brotherly reconciliation, if we have offended any man, before we enter into prayer, or else God will not hear our prayers; yea, they are otherwise exe crable, and full of damnable hypocrisy in God's sight. And this that is spoken of prayer may be said 'also of the hearing of God's word, or any other service of God. We must therefore lay aside all malice, envy, wrath, grudge, contention, wrangling, dissi mulation, all guileful, crafty, and subtle dealing; and with a single heart do to other as we would they should do unto us. Therefore St. Peter willeth that such as have once tasted how good and bounteous the Lord is', and are become new creatures, new-born babes, by the heavenly regeneration through the doc trine of the gospel, should, like holy and innocent babes, lay aside all such works of the flesh 3, as St. Paul calleth them, which do deprive a man Of the kingdom of God. And 'st. Paul saith, My brethren, be not children in' understanding, but as concerning malicious ness be ye children. Whereunto agreeth this sentence of Christ, Except ye become as little children, ye shall.
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