Selected quad for the lemma: book_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
book_n	form_n	prayer_n	use_v	4,815	5	5.9954	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A12473	Essex doue, presenting the vvorld vvith a fevv of her oliue branches: or, A taste of the workes of that reuerend, faithfull, iudicious, learned, and holy minister of the Word, Mr. Iohn Smith, late preacher of the Word at Clauering in Essex Deliuered in three seuerall treatises, viz. 1 His grounds of religion. 2 An exposition on the Lords Prayer. 3 A treatise of repentance.	Smith, John, 1563-1616.; Hart, John, D.D.	1629 (1629)	STC 22798; ESTC S117569	350,088	544

the weakenesse of such that are not able to vtter their own thoughts and desires Therefore Christ as he puts good thoughts in our hearts by his holy Spirit so here hee puts good words into our mouthes yea the words of prayer So the Lord Hos. 14. 3. Hauing exhorted the people to repent puts the very words into their mouthes saying Take vnto you words and turne to the Lord and say vnto him Take away all iniquity and receiue vs graciously so will we render the calues of our lippes In Gen. 47. 12. It is said of Joseph that he nourished his Father and his Mother and all the houshold yea put meat into little childrens mouthes So doth the true Ioseph the Lord Iesus he doth put euen meate into the mouthes of his children that is hee doth put the very words of prayer into the mouthes of such as cannot pray Quest. There hath been a question whether a man may vse a set forme of prayer or pray vpon a booke Ans. But the question need be no question amongst vs for we see by Christs example If a man haue not the gift to vtter prayer in his owne words better vse another mans helpe then quite to omit such a worthy duty The second reason why Christ giues a direction to pray was To correct a number of errours and obliquities that be in prayer This is the reason that is giuen both in this place and chap. 7. where Christ saith Be not as the Heathen but after this manner pray yee c. So the Lord prescribeth this forme of prayer as a correction of the abuses and corruptions which otherwise might creepe into our prayer Saint Paul saith Rom. 8. 26. For wee know not how to pray as we ought c. For howsoeuer we can speake wisely in the eares of men yet wee are the veriest fooles in the world when we come to speake vnto God And so as I haue said to helpe the errors and defects of prayer our Sauiour Christ hath giuen vs a direction how to pray for as Cyprian saith Hee who hath giuen life hath also taught vs how to pray Diuines shew that the inward intent without the action is as much as the action it selfe for though the action be good yet if the manner be not so also God will not accept it Isai. 58. 3. The people say We haue fasted and punished our selues c. but the Lord saith Yee fast to strife and debate and to smite with the fist of wickednesse c. So though that the action be good yet because the manner of performing it was not God did by the Prophet reprehend it So 1 Chron. 15. 13. Dauids action was good when he sought to bring vp the Arke but because the manner was not good because he did not seeke God deuoutly but put Gods Arke vpon a Cart whereas it should haue beene carried vpon Priests shoulders the Lord made a breach amongst them c. So that we see in regard of gracious acceptation the manner of the action is as much as the action it selfe And thus we may not onely pray but wee must pray to acceptation and keepe a due manner in our prayer The third Reason is That we might haue the greater assurance that God will heare vs when we pray c. As 1 Iohn 5. 14. This is our assurance that if wee aske any thing according to his will he heareth vs. Now no man can doubt that when we follow Christs direction wee aske according to Gods will and so no question but God will heare vs. When the woman of Tekoah made a report to Dauid concerning Absolom his sonne Dauid said Is not the hand of Ioab in this which when hee vnderstood that it was so Dauid did the better accept of it Euen so when a poore Christian comes to prayer vnto God and the Lord saith Is not this tongue taught by Christ Is not Christ a counseller in this action we may thinke the Lord will the rather entertaine and accept of it Saint Cyprian saith As the Lord our Master hath taught vs and of prayer It is a friendly and a familiar kind of prayer to intreat God with his owne words When any one prayes the Lord knowes the words of his Sonne So you see the Reasons why it pleased Christ to giue a direction in prayer First to helpe the weaknesse of such as cannot pray Secondly to correct a number of errours in prayer Thirdly that we might haue so much the greater acceptation with God Now we come to the second thing in the subdiuision 2 What this Direction is Which followes in these words Our Father which art in Heauen c. Of this direction there are three parts 1 The Preface 2 The Petitions 3 The Conclusion First There is a Preface for our Sauiour Christ doth not set downe the Petitions abruptly but he first begins with a solemne Preface and why with a Preface to shew that there must be a prouision for prayer a disposition of our selues and a composing of the affections before we pray We may not bluntly rush vpon this holy Duty but come forward with deuotion reiecting all worldly thoughts and prepare our selues before we pray Psal. 10. 17. Thou preparest their heart thou bendest eare vnto them Psal. 108. 10. O God my heart is prepared So that there must be first a Preparation of the Heart Now there be two Reasons why we must be prepared in our hearts for prayer 1 In regard of God 2 In regard of our selues First In regard of God That we may come with holy reuerence before him for because it is not a mortall man or earthly power that wee haue to deale with in prayer but a glorious and great God before whom we ought to tremble before whom the very Angels stand with an awfull regard and reuerence at the feete of whose Throne all Kings of this world cast downe their Crownes therefore so we must haue the more care how and in what sort we come before him If a man were to speake to a mortall King in a matter of some importance how would he labour to fit himselfe for it to compose his speech his gesture all his actions that there might be nothing to offend How much more when we who be but dust and ashes wormes meat and rottennesse come into the presence of Almighty God ought we to be prepared and labour so to bee composed that nothing offend this great God of ours Secondly In regard of our selues Because wee cannot by and by set vp our affections and stirre vp our hearts to prayer as soone as we haue occasion to pray as when the Sea is moued and rouzed with the winds though the wind lye yet the Sea workes still a good while after before it will be calme And as in the miracle of the Gospel the windes were laid at the words of Christ which were wont to