Selected quad for the lemma: duty_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
duty_n	day_n	prayer_n	time_n	3,022	5	4.0718	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A86601	Preces & Lachrymæ. A sermon on Act. chap. XX. vers. 36, 37, 38. Vers. 36. And when he had thus spoken, he kneeled down, and prayed with them all. 37. And they all wept sore, and fell on Pauls neck, and kissed him. 38. Sorrowing most of all for the words which he spake, thay they should see his face no more, and they accompanied him to the ship. / By William Houghton, preacher at Bicknor in Kent.	Houghton, William, preacher at Bicknor in Kent.	1650 (1650)	Wing H2938; Thomason E602_3; ESTC R206405	33,827	37

be spoken of the first act of Pauls love Preaching When he had so said what then He kneeled down and prayed which is the second act of his love wherein observe with me these four particulars 1. The action it self He prayed 2. The time when When he had so said 3. His gesture kneeling He kneeled down 4. The parties with whom With them together With the extent of it in that word All. He prayed with them and with them all My matter you see multiplies under my hand I will therefore be as brief as I can Doct. First for the action Prayer he Preached Phil. 1.7.9 yet he prayed too Prayer then is an act of our love as well as Preaching Paul tells the Philippians that he had them in his heart that is he loved them then he adds and this I pray as if he had said I know not how better to expresse my love then by praying for you Samuel he prayeed for the Israelites Moreover as for me 1 Sam. 12.23 God forbid I should sin in ceasing to pray for you but I will teach you the good and the right way Teach them he would yet pray too else God forbid it is an act of love to speak for one to some great man wouldst thou be spoken for to the King or Captain of the host 2 King 4.13 said Elisha to the Shunamite there was love in that how much more when we speak for men that is in their behalf to the king of heaven Thus Paul prayed for those Churches which he had planted he was continually speaking to God for them that he would build them up by the word of his grace Reson 1 And this is to be done both in regard of our selves and in regard of those that hear us First our selves for this will make us more earnest in the work of the Ministery for look which way our desires set themselves our pains and endeavours usually go the same way if we desire the good of Gods people and pray for them our talents will be employed our pains will not be wanting to do them good Rom. 10.1 Paul saith My hearts desire and prayer for Israel is that they may be saved that is he did earnestly desire their salvation and this made him strive so much in preaching the Gospel of Christ Col. 2.29 This will also make us deny our selves and not to play the hucksters as many do with Gods word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 2.17 mangling it with their watry inventions but to approve our selves to every mans conscience in the sight of God take a man that loves to breathe in a popular air such a one aims at the praise and applause of men he desires nothing more then a fine come off a full and clear delivery to utter and set forth his matter with a good a grace as he can this is all he regards which makes many Sermons to be such cold and languid discourses but when a man hath an higher end and aim to wit the edification of his hearers when that he most desires is to do good to the souls of Gods people then more earnest endeavours will put forth themselves matter will be studied as much as words and what may profit as what may please thus in regard of our selves prayers and earnest desires will cause in us answerable endeavours Reason 2 Secondly in regard of those that hear us through Gods blessing they shall become more attentive hearers Joh. 15.16 Whatsoever ye ask saith Christ in my name I will do it If prayer be a means to obtain any blessing at Gods hands why not this and why may not our Prayers as well as our Preaching further the spirituall good of our hearers Let us not therefore be defective in this duty what a blessed thing is it when we do not onely Preach but Pray for men I am perswaded this is the reason many find so little fruits of their labours because they pray so little did we earnestly pray for them God would cause them to hear us with greater reverence and attention Doct. This for the Act he Prayed The next is the circumstance of time when he did it When he had so said that is when he had ended his Sermon So our blessed Saviour when he had taught his Disciples he lift up his eyes to heaven and prayed for them Joh. 17.1 Hora verò jam in supplicationem sermonem solvere tom 5. p. 135. Thus Chrysostome shuts up one of his Homilies Let us now break off saith he for this time and turn our speech into prayers So Paul here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as he was saying these things he brake off and fell to his Prayers Inference 1 As the former Point then taught us to Pray so this when to Pray namely when we have Preacht It commends prayer after Sermon whether publick or private In the * Hic taxantur qui se à precibus Ecclesiae subducunt ilico atque concio absoluta est non expectta tanquam concionis coronida precatione Cartier Prov. 30. publick Assembly craving a blessing upon what hath been delivered that what we have heard with our outward ears the Lord would be pleased to write the same upon the tables of our hearts or else in our private devotions commending the truths delivered to Gods blessing when we have preacht a Sermon to the people desire God to preach it over again to them What is seed better for being sown if it be not watered afterwards when we preach we sowe the seed of Gods word when we pray for the divine benediction upon it we get it watered with the dew of heaven and then it prospers Secondly you may here see what a painfull calling the calling of the Ministry is When he had so said he prayed when we have taken pains in Preaching then we must Pray and when we have prayed Preach and when we have Preacht Pray again Thus the Apostles Act. 6.4 Redit labor actus in orbem Frequens meditatio carnis est afflictio Eccles 12.12 Mat. 14.23 We will give our selves say they to prayer and the ministry of the Word these two must run in a course and take up the whole life of a Minister Therefore they slander our calling who report us idle and slothfull little do they consider the greatnesse of our work that say so you do not feel the killing pains we indure When our Saviour had spent the whole day in working miracles at night he went apart to prayer So many a Minister when he hath laboured hard all day in the Word and Doctrine may be found praying in his Study at night when othere are asleep Thirdly let this also commend this duty of Prayer to you after Sermon When you have heard God speaking to you then will your hearts be in good plight to speak to him when we have taken pains in Preaching we pray that God would blesse our labours to you

Preces Lachrymae A SERMON ON Act. chap. XX. vers 36 37 38. Vers 36 And when he had thus spoken he kneeled down and prayed with them all Vers 37 And they all wept sore and fell on Pauls neck and kissed him Vers 38 Sorrowing most of all for the words which he spake that they should see his face no more and they accompanied him to the Ship By WILLIAM HOUGHTON Preacher at Bicknor in Kent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost ad pop Antioch hom 3. edit Harm p. 53. De inhabitatione Dei in cordibus sanctorum est in ipsa facie eorum redundantia c. Paris de poenit 555. Quantò quisque est sanctior sancti defiderii plenior tantò est ejus in orando fletus uberior August de civit Dei lib. 20. c. 17. And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction yet shall not thy Teachers be removed into a corner any more but thine eyes shall see thy Teachers Isa 30. 20. LONDON Printed by Roger Daniel for Samuel Cartwright at the Signe of the Bible in Duck-lane 1650. TO The Right Honourable ELLENOR Countesse of VVarwick c. Right Honourable THe substance of this Sermon was delivered upon the death of a Reverend Minister in the City the Copy thereof hath been desired by some to whom by promise I became a debtour Before it passe to other hands Duty binds me first to present it to your Honours Such an occasionall Piece perhaps may not be so welcom as some other which if God give time and strength I shall hereafter provide Having nothing else for the present I offer this not as worthy your Honours Acceptance but as a testimony of the due observance of Your Honours old Chaplain and Servant HOUGHTON To the READER THe reasons of publishing these Meditations are First the miserable calamitie of the times wherein every one may take up Jeremy's wish Oh that my head were waters and mine eyes a fountain of tears that I might weep day and night Jer. 9.1 I will weep with the weeping of Jazer I will water thee O England with my tears because the spoiler is faln upon thee Isa 16.9 Jer. 48.32 A discourse of tears and weeping cannot be out of season in such weeping times Secondly the main scope of this Treatise is to shew what love hath been and should be between Minister and People Paul was willing to impart the Gospel to the people of God and to part with his life too because they were dear unto him 1 Thes 2.8 And they that found the comfort of his Ministery were ready to receive him as an Angel of God Galat. 4.14 Such love there hath been such should be still though it now seems to be gone out of the land The Priests sigh as Jeremy complains Lament 1.4 And they respected not the persons of the Priests they favoured not the Elders Lament 4.16 Perhaps the reading of these Meditations may move some to pray for the return of that antient love between Pastour and People that though the Lord give us the bread of adversity and the waters of affliction yet may not our Teachers be removed into corners but our eyes may see our Teachers Isa 30.20 Thirdly It is the saying of Chrysostome that The holy Scriptures are a fruitfull garden and pleasant paradise Would we find comfort in these sad times it must be in walking and breathing in this garden of God Some of my brethren have of late by their great pains and industry brought much light to many Chapters and Books of Scripture for which I blesse God beseeching him to stirre up others to do the like that the plain paths of the Lord may be made yet more plain and dark places of Scripture lesse dark and obscure For this that I have here opened not opened before to my knowledge in any Sermon or Treatise it is indeed a plain Scripture and easie to be understood yet it may be the method I have cast it into will make it be the better remembred If thou hast that love that is here discoursed of thou wilt passe by all my Errata's If it help to stirre up holy affections in thy heart thou shalt reap profit by it and I shall have my aim Commending thee and it to Gods blessing and praying help of thy prayers for me I rest Thine in the Lord Jesus William Houghton Acts 20. ver 36 37 38. And when he had thus spoken he kneeled down and prayed with them all And they all wept sore c. WHen our blessed Saviour was to be received up Luke 9.51 he set his face to Jerusalem S. Paul is now looking that way setting his face to Jerusalem And as our Saviour held on his way John 11.8 though the Jews not long before sought to stone him in like manner Paul though his friends prayed him to stay and strengthened their prayers with their tears yet they could not prevail When they desired him to tarry longer time with them Acts 18.20 he consented not but bad them farewel saying I must by all means keep this feast that cometh in Jerusalem To Jerusalem he must and if you ask what wind drive him thither He saith It was the wind of the spirit I go bound in the spirit Acts 20.22 What made he there his businesse He tells you in the next Chapter It was to die for Christ See here the stedfastnesse of holy resolutions 2 Cor. 1.17 When I determined to come to you did I use lightnesse The determinations of Gods children are not light and inconstant their resolves hold though there were a bear or lion in the way dangers they are not afraid of in this case Luther being determined to go to Worms his friends came to him told him of some that lay in the way for him and sought his life therefore desired him not to go Not go saith he Though there were as many devils in my way Fox pag. 84● as there are tiles upon their houses yet Luther shall go and by Gods grace enter into Worms So Paul here Agabus told him he should suffer bonds at Jerusalem the Jews would bind him hand and foot What tell you me of bonds Act 5 21.13 saith he What mean you to weep and to break my heart For I am ready not to be bound onely but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus As if he had said There Christ died for me and thither am I going if it be his will to die for my Christ But in his way he takes occasion to see and salute divers Churches amongst the rest the Church of Ephesus having called them together he preacheth to them his farewell Sermon set down at large from the 17. verse of this Chapter to the words of my Text and here after many offices of love and mutuall embraces the Evangelist shews the manner of their parting The words are very patheticall Quid