Selected quad for the lemma: book_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
book_n	church_n	prayer_n	rite_n	1,828	5	9.9653	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A85836	A petition for the vindication of the publique use of the Book of Common-Prayer, from some foul, but undeserved aspersions lately cast upon it And for the asserting of the publique use of set-forms of prayer, and dispensing the holy Sacraments. Occasioned by the late ordinance for the ejecting of scandalous, ignorant, and insufficient ministers and school-masters. As also thirty seven quæres concerning the said ordinance, and the particulars thereof. Humbly presented to the most Honourable and highest court of Parliament, now convened at Westminster, anno 1654. With a true account rendred in an epistle prefixed, and an appendix subjoyned, both of the printing and presenting the same. By Lionel Gatford, batchelour in Divinity.	Gatford, Lionel, d. 1665.	1654 (1654)	Wing G336; Thomason E818_17; ESTC R207397	22,484	48

readeth or useth it to be therefore so scandalous as to deserve to be ejected out of his Cure or Charge be not to say the least of it very injurious and prejudicial to the true Reformed Protestant Religion it self and highly dishonorable both to it and to the true Professors thereof as also much advantagious to the enemies of both as well in their now more then ordinarily endeavoured and more then wontedly prevailing seducements and temptations for the perverting and corrupting many weak brethren as otherwise when it cannot be denyed but that the said Book was at first composed by most pious and religious as well as Learned and Orthodox men eminent for their wisdome and prudence in assis●ing the Reformation of Religion a●d renowned for their fidelity and c●●●tancy in sealing their profession with their bloud And hath been since revised and farther approved and established by all our pious Protestant Princes with the advice and consent of their most Judicious and Religious Parliaments And contains in it the form and matter of the publique worship of God by Prayer and the form and manner of the publique dispensing the holy Sacraments and other necessary publique observances constantly practised and observed by the Protestants here in England ever since the Reformation and no ways repugnant in any essential part thereof to the publique form of Prayer and Administration of the Sacraments used in other Reformed Churches So that if that way and manner of the publique worship of God by Prayer and of the publique dispensing or administring the Sacraments which hath bin the only constant and approved way here in the Church of England be such as deserves not onely utterly to be abolished and suppressed but to be joined in the abolishing and suppressing it with those sinks of sin and nurseries of vice common Ale-houses and to have the using that way and manner reputed amongst such horrid crimes as by the said Ordinance 't is reputed and to be adjudged so scandalous as that they who use it ought to be deemed and censured as unfit unworthy to officiate in the Church and for that cause alone to be ejected and displaced It will thereupon easily be inferred and concluded that the Church of England the acknowledged Bulwark and Fortresse as well as asyle and refuge of all the Protestants in Christendome hath hitherto foully and grosly yea criminously and scandalously erred in two main Fundamentals of Religion and discriminating notes of a true Church viz. the true worshipping of God and the right and lawful administration of the Sacraments And whether the granting or supposing this be not very injurious and prejudicial to the true Reformed Protestant Religion it self and highly dishonourable both to it and to the true Professors thereof c. as is before alledged is humbly submitted to your Judgements Secondly for the vindicating of the true Reformed Protestant Religion and the professors thereof from this foul but most unjust scandal and aspersion and from the injury prejudice and dammage that it and they may suffer thereby Your humble Petitioner further prayeth that his Highnesse the Lord Protector may be so fairly and observantly treated with and advised by your Honours his now greatest Council concerning that particular that without the least reflection of diminution upon his Honour and Wisdome so far as is possible his own opinion or rather sudden conception upon others suggestions concerning the Book of common-Common-Prayer may bee taken off changed into better thoughts and so the honour of that Book so far at least as concerns the honour of God himself and the true Reformed Protestant Religion be preserved which is no more then the Apostles themselves did in the abolishing of Jewish Rites and Ceremonies how inconsistent soever with the Christian Profession and practise and may much more be indulged to the reverend and religious worship of many thousands and ten thousands eminently renowned Christians And for the same ends your Petitioner in the third place offereth to your Honors this humble motion and earnest supplication That you would be pleased with the consent of his Highnesse first obtained to publish a decree or command That all persons of what religion or profession soever that have ought to object or except against set forms of publique Prayer and administration of the Sacraments in general or against the Book of Common-Prayer in particular do by some few of their own religion and profession chosen by them for that purpose for the avoidng of tumults and confusion within such a time give in to your Honours either written or printed all or the chief of the reasons grounds of those their objections and exceptions And that your Petitioner though very weak and unworthy to appear in so great a cause together with some few other of those many that are of his judgement may upon sufficient notice thereof given to them and some small charges by reason of his and their known poverty allowed them be admitted to return answer to those objections and exceptions and then have some further time assigned them to clear and make good to his Highnesse and to your Honours these three Assertions I. That Set Forms of publique Prayer and dispensing of the Saeraments are more agreeable to and consistent with the precepts and rules of Prayer and dispensing the Sacraments contained in sacred Scripture then ex tempore Prayers and Arbitrary modes of dispensing these Ordinances are II. That it is requisite and necessary for every settled Church in every Nation to have as anciently and lately they had known Set-Forms both of publique Prayers and of publique dispensation of the Sacraments that so errors in both may be the better avoided and the uncharitable judging of each other prevented and peace and truth preserved III. That the Book of common-Common-Prayer and administration of the Sacraments formerly established and used here in England is absolutely the best Form and freest from all just exceptions in all essentiall points and practises of Religion that ever yet saw light in the Christian world and none of the weakest Forts that the Church of England had against Popery and other errors and heresies And therefore may by your Honours mediation to his Highnesse and with his and your joint approbation and confirmation be still continued in this Church at least in those Congregations that shall accept and desire it without the scandal of any or prejudice to those that shall use it And for this your justice and zeal for the honour of God and the true Reformed Protestant Religion your Petitioner with many thousands shall faithfully and devoutly pray c. CERTAIN QUAERIES Concerning the Ordinance for ejecting of Scandalous Ignorant and Insufficient Ministers and Schoolmasters Humbly presented to the Highest Court of PARLIAMENT now convened at Westminster By L.G. B.D. Quaer 1. WHether the Ordinance it self be not contrary to the known Lawes and other just claims of the Subjects of this Nation as Magna Charta and the Petition of Right