Selected quad for the lemma: book_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
book_n	law_n	lord_n	people_n	2,758	5	4.7826	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A50383	Unity restor'd to the Church of England by John Mayer.	Mayer, John, 1583-1664.	1661 (1661)	Wing M1426; ESTC R28824	26,506	53

are Idolaters may be undeceived and turn from deifying of the Bishop of Rome unto us whom they for our being against him count Hereticks and that the ancient People of God the Jewes may have the vail taken away from their eies that they may see into the end of the Law Christ Jesus and believe 2 Cor. 3. and be saved as the Apostle Paul saith that they shall then we ought to pray for Kings and Magistrates under whom we live and for the Ministry of the Word for all such as are afflicted whether within our Land or without that be our brethren being sorry for their sufferings as for our owne Thus for publick Prayers For Thansgivings they are also to be made commonly 1 Tim. 2. first for gracious and godly Kings when such are set over us and like Magistrates under them for the light of the Gospel shining amongst us by the Preachers thereof beseeching the Lord of the Harvest from time to time to send forth Labourers into his Harvest We ought also to have Thanksgivings for Rain and fruitfull Seasons for deliverance from Plague Pestilence or Famine for Victory over our Enemies and Cessation of War which hath been in our Land and particularly for Women preserved from the great danger of Child-birth when God hath made themable to come again to his house to give him thanks as we ought to pray for them that are labouring with child and for such as we have in their dangerous sicknesses prayed for when they are restored to health again and if we look into our Book of Common prayer injoyned every Minister to use in his Church under a great penalty by statute Law made 10. The book of Common-Prayer of Elizabeth we shall find therein formed a Common Prayer prescribed in confessing of our sins and in all the particulars beforegoing so pious and effectual as any that can be conceived that only which can by any that are conscientious be excepted against is so great a multitude of prayers to the tiring of the spirits both of the Minister and people although for the most part they be but short yet being so many and some often repeated the saying of them all cannot but be a wearinesse to most men whose devotion is but weak and therefore it were to be wished that his Majesty and his great Councel would refer the amending of this fault to some Godly judicious Divines in whom there is no prejudice against a reformation herein as there is in some who are so addicted to our Liturgy as it is that they say it cannot by all the Divines in England be amended which I grant is true for the matter and form of these Prayers but for the multiplicity and repetitions it must needs be yeelded for the reasons aforegoing that the Book may be amended to the better liking of the whole Nation for when the reading of all these Prayers was injoyned there were but few able Preachers in England but abundance of Churches and Parishes to meet there to offer up their Prayers to Almighty God and to hear his holy word read and taught insomuch as that in most Churches Sermons were seldom preached but only Divine Service said and some homily read in the forenoon and in the afternoon only Divine Service said wherefore that a competent time might be spent both times the Liturgy used of old before the Reformation of Religion when in most Churches they came only to hear Masse was translated into our mother tongue that which was Idolatrous being left out so appointed to be used in all Churches with the prayers therein contained being so good and effectual could not but be a commendable way for that time but now thanks be to God the number of learned and able preachers being greatly increased who labour almost in every Church in preaching forenoon and afternoon it were too great a burthen to enjoyne them the reading of so many prayers an Epistle and Gospel beside Psalm and Chapters every forenoon and it would be too great tediousnesse to the people and wearying of their affections to the making of them to worship God with their bodies but not with their spirits which is vain for what difference between their praying Esay 9. that are so long and full of repetitions condemned in Scripture as Pharisaical and such a multitude of prayers and some again repeated being altogether as long as their own prayer yea doth it not come near to the superstitious devotion of the Papists who pray upon beads saying a great number of prayers at once thinking for the great multitude of them to be the more accepted before the Lord we have no hint given us in Holy Scriptures of multiplying many prayers when we come together in the publick place but of praying there together and then spending the greatest part of the time in reading and preaching the whole time for the most part in preaching and expounding the Scriptures For when at any time Christ came into a Synagogue on the Sabbath day we read of a lecture of the Law and the Prophets then Read and then of his Preaching but of Praying we read nothing at that time Luke 4. although there was certainly praying also for my house saith the Lord shall be called the house of Prayer and as he did so he gave Commission to all his Disciples to do saying Goe and teach all Nations Baptizing them c. But of saying any prayers before preaching he said nothing although the Apostles after his Ascension and other believers assembled together to pray Act. 1.14 and they again after the converting of 3000 continued together in teaching breaking Bread and prayer and many other passages there be which shew that there was Praying in the House of God as well as preaching But most time by far was spent in Preaching and Reading as appeares by Nehemiah 8. where first it is said That Ezra read in the Book of the Law before the people assembled together from Morning till Midday ver 3. Then he prayed all the people saying Amen ver 6. After which by other Ministers of the Lord the people were further instructed in it ve 8 All which considered who can stand yet for saying so many Prayers at every assembling together to the house of God And not acknowledge that the Book of Common Prayer hath need to be corrected by putting out the repetition of the Lords Prayer after the rehearsing of the Creed of the Apostles and then after the Letany which is a most excellent and general Prayer for all things and all persons that we should pray for concluding Morning-prayer with two Prayers only following and the three prayers for Good-Friday which is for the conversion of Jews Turks and other Infidels the versicles and repeating of the Lords Prayer there being left out Against Letay exceptions and the Prayer of the Kings Royal Progeny and Bishops Curates and People as being prayed for before in the