Selected quad for the lemma: book_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
book_n	holy_a	king_n	scripture_n	2,468	5	5.3009	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A00765	A treatise of prayer, and of the fruits and manner of prayer. By the most Reuerend Father in God Iohn Fisher Bishop of Rochestre, Preist and most eminent Cardinall of the most holy Catholike Church, of the title of S. Vitalis. Translated into English by R.A.B.; Tractatus de orando Deum. English	Fisher, John, Saint, 1469-1535.; Roe, Alban, 1583-1642, attributed name.; Anderton, Robert, attributed name.; Batt, Antonie.; R. A.	1640 (1640)	STC 10890; ESTC S115046	39,954	190

other good worke still imployed eyther to gett this fervour of charitie or in increasing or nourishing the same never suffering it so farre as he is able tho rough his negligence or fault to be extinguished or to grow cold nor suffers the good motions and inspirations of the holy Ghost to die in him without some fruit he without all doubt in short time shal come vnto that vnspeakble tranquilitie of mind and to such à pleasant ioy in heart as incomparablie surpasseth all wordly solace and contentment all ioy all laughing and meriment all pleasure that heere can be affoorded or expected And thus let vs come to the third qustion Wether the prayer of the heart onely is more aduantagious then that which is made both with heart and speech CHAP. IV. IT remaineth now that we treate whether prayer of the heart only or prayer which is made with the heart and lipps together be most proffitable vnto him that prayeth I doe protest heere that it is not my intention to affirme any thing in derogation of vocall prayer such as is eyther receiued by custome or ordeined by the constitutions of the Church or inflicted by way of pennance or assumed by vow or any other promise whatsoever by which a man hath bound himlselfe to vocall prayer But my opinion is that whosoever is free from theise bonds and in possession of his absolute libertie and desires to serve God after the best purest and most pleasing way vnto him it is farre more proffitable for such an one to pray with his heart only then with his tongue and heart together Because as Saint Augustine in a certaine Epistle of his to Proba speaking of the fruit of prayer affirmeth saying The office of praying is better performed by sithinge and mourning then by speech of lipps Epist 121. better by weeping then speaking Which if it be so verily the prayer of the heart from whence the sorrow breaketh is much more availeable then the wordes which proceede from the lipps And rightly by cause as saint Cyprian testifierh De oratione pau lo pòst principium God is the hearer of the heart not of the voyec he is not to be moved by clamour or noyse who sees the inward thoughts of the mind Wherefore a poore Wretch who casteth himselfe prostrate on the earth with great humilitie acknowledging himselfe to be a sinner and laying open his miseries pouring forth the bottome of his heart before God not vttering words but pittifull groanes this poore soule without all question shall soone obteine what he requireth att Gods hand Which appeares plainely to be true in Anna the mother of Samuell For she being barren earnestly desired att the hands of God that he would giue her a sonne for which cause she often frequented the temple imploring his diuine goodnesse by dayly prayer that he would be pleased to be propitious vnto her in this her suit yet did she not forme any one word att all but prayed in hart only as the Scripture sayth She prayed in her heart and novoyce was heard for her lipps onely moved Why doe I vse many words By this only prayer that is of her heart she obteined what she asked for she brought forth a sonne whome she with so many teares and soe much sorrow had begged att the hands of God and not with the noyse of her lipps and tongue To this also doth saint Hierome agree explicating that of S. Mathewe But thou when thou prayest enter into thy chamber Math. 6. and having shutt the dore pray to thy father It seemeth to me sayth he we are rather commanded to pray vnto our Lord Hier. in cap. 6. with our thougts in our breast then with our lipps as we reade in the booke of Kings that Anna did her lipps sayth the Scripture were moved and hervoyce was not heard Thus S. Hier. in this way of prayer vehemently moves his diuine Majestie and powerfullie inclines him seedily to heare vs. Moreouer the holy Ghost is our teacher and aduiser to this way of prayer as S. Paul testifieth Ro. 8. who sayth what we should pray as we ought we know not but the spiritt himselfe asketh for vs with groanings in speakeable As if he would say we know not after what manner to aske any thing but the spiritt of God inwardly stirring vp our hearts makes vs with vnspeakeable groanings to aske what is most fitting for our soules health Yet notwithstanding I doe not denie but that some deuout person may beginne his prayer with what wordes he pleaseth from his lipps But soe soone as ever he shall find himselfe a litle enkindled and as it were set on fire with that sweet flame of the holy Ghost then it will be fitt for him to leave of vocall prayer and follow the leading of the diuine spiritt and in silēce to permit himselfe to be wholy gouerned by it For as I sayd a litle aboue the end which we should prefix to our selues in our prayer is cheifely the fervour of charitie with which we begin to be possessed and inflamed then by devout prayer our minds are stirred vp and clevated vnto God on high As soone therefore as we find our selves to have atteined to this end then must we striue by all meanes to continue it in vs which to doe without all doubt we have no better way then to follow the leading of the holy ghost whose conduct farre more advanceth our affaire then any words we can invent or bring forth Wherefore must wee with all our might follow the instinct and motion of the holy spiritt whether soever it shall leade vs neyther neede we from thence forth vtter any words of our owne Not vnlike vnto him who after great labour and long travaile hath passed the sea A similitude and is arrived at his desired haven then he forsaketh the shipp that brought him and applieth himselfe wholy to the end and purpose for which he came and is no more sollicitous for the poore vessayle that brought him thither So also he that by the helpe and vse of vocall prayer as by a shipp hath atteined vnto the inward consolation of his soule and to this fervour of charitie in God must then make it his cheifest care and study that this fervour by no meanes grow cold but then leaving of his vocall prayer he must follow this holy spirit who hath brought him to this fervour wither soever it shall leade him then he must not vse his owne words but whatsoever the holy Ghost shal suggest vnto his heart that let him desire not with words but with burning sighes of ioy But that thou mayst more certeinely know that this manner of prayer to wit which is offered in spirit and mind is more excellent then that which is performed with speech and words listen to that which Christ sayth in the ghospell Ioā 4. God is a spirit and they that adore him must adore him in spirit and veritie