Selected quad for the lemma: book_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
book_n	read_v	scripture_n	see_v	3,134	5	3.6292	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
B01762	An humble petition unto the high and most honourable Courts of Parliament, that they would be pleased to condiseend [sic] to the perusing of these short notes, tending to the refining of the Booke of Common-Prayer, in a few things. / By Theophilus Brabourn.	Brabourne, Theophilus, b. 1590.	1661 (1661)	Wing B4093; ESTC R208011	3,675	1

An Humble PETITION unto the High and most Honourable Courts of Parliament that they would be pleased to condiscend to the perusing of these short Notes tending to the refining of the Booke of Common-Prayer in a few Things I Do not mislike the holy Prayers of our Church because some things in or about them may be amended but I desire an amendment of such things as do either give scandall or from which weak conscientious persons do take scandall that so love peace and unity may be preserved in our Church from which will follow Vniformity and Conformity For this end I shall give Instances of something to be Added to the Book of Common-prayer of some things to be Altered and of some things to be Removed 1. Of some things to be added I read in the Common-prayer Book of Edward the sixth printed 1552. In the 10th Petition of the holy Letany this prayer From the tyranny of the Bishop of Rome and all his detestable Enormities c. O good Lord deliver us But in our Common-prayer Books in these dayes this Protestant prayer is quite left out as if it were unlawfull for us to pray against Romish tyranny and Popish detestable Doctrines It is meet therefore that this Prayer should be added and restored to our Books of Common-Prayer as it was in Edward the sixths time 2. Of some things to be altered As 1. As you may see in the Kalender for the first and second Lessons many Chapters of the Apocrypha Scriptures are appointed to be read as well as the Canonicall Scriptures Now it is not meet that Apocrypha Scriptures which are of a doubtful verity should be made of equall authority with the Canonicall Scriptures wherefore it is meet that there be an alteration by putting away the Apocrypha Chapters and putting in their rooms so many Canonical Chapters 2. After the first and second Lessons for Morning-Prayer it is ordered that these Lessons or Chapters shall be sung in a plain Tune Now is this decent when a man reads a Chapter to sing it Or is it so edifying to sing it as it is to read it in a sober and grave tone of voice Like as a Judge on the Bench speaks his Charge or as the Sheriffe reads the Kings Proclamation or as a School-Master reads a Lecture to his Schollars In the Chapters sometimes God threatneth us for our sins and sometimes that glorious and fearfull name of the Lord our God is read which we ought to fear Deut. 28.58 And is it decent for a Minister to read these things merrily and with a singing voice Is it not meet then that this singing should be altered Besides in Cathedrall Churches they sing their Prayers and is it not meet that this also be altered 3. The Book of Common-Prayer lacks a good Method for the Minister is forced in reading of Service to turn some leaves backward and then some leaves forward and cannot read on to the next thing following as he might if things were methodically disposed now this would be altered 4. The last thing in the Book of Common-Prayer is the forme for Consecration of Bishops to their office which gives them their being makes them Bishops Now as I conceive this Consecration ought to be in the Kings name For the King is supream head of the Church and next under Christ in authority And therefore Bishops ought to derive their office and authori●y therein from the King as next under the King but they are consecrated not in the name of the King but in the name of another and higher power as from Christ the holy Ghost and the Metropolitan and so they make themselves to be next under Christ and so shoulder out of place the King and deny his supremacy Now ought not this Consecration therefore be altered 5. The Prayers of the Church ought to be without Tautologies and unnecessary repetitions For Christ said that his Disciples should not be like the heathen in prayer using vain repetitions Mat. 6.7 But our Common-Prayer Book is full of unnecessary Repetitions For 1. the Lords Prayer is used in an hours time over and over again as twice in Morning-prayer and once in the Pulpit in the Ministers former Prayer 2. Gloria Patri or Glory be to the Father is in one hours time appointed to be said and repeated over and over again six or seven times I could add other prayers also of like kind Now is it not meet to alter this 6. In our Cathedral Churches they say their second Service in the Chancell or on the High Altar not in the body of the Church where the other set Service is said Now the high Altar is no more holy than the body of the Church nor is it so convenient for the peoples edification because they being afar off in the body of the Church they can hardly hear what is read And what reason can be rendred why one part of the Service should be read in the body of the Church and another part on the High Altar And why should it be so in a Cathedral Church more than in all other Churches Is it not meet that this be altered 2. It is appointed in the order for the Communion that the Table shall stand in the body of the Church or Chauncel where Morning and Evening-Prayers are said but now in the Cathedral Church and in many others the Table is hoisted up and stands on the High Altar But this is not the place where Morning and Evening prayers are usually said but the place for these is the body of the Church and there used in all common on Churches and why then should it be otherwise in Cathedrals 7. As touching Baptisme the Priest is appointed to take the child in his arms and to dip it into the water unless the child be weak so then strong children must all of them be dipped into the water as Anabaptists do but this dipping is out of use in our Church Is it not meet then to alter this dipping unto sprinkling of water 3. Of some things to be removed out of the Church As 1. As touching the Epistles and Gospels these are appointed to be read on Sundays in Morning and Evening-Prayers but I see no reason for it for on Sundays we have an whole Chapter read for the second Lesson out of the Epistles and another out of the Gospels what necessity is there to read a part of a Chapter out of them For we heard the Gospel out of the four Evangelists before in the second Lesson and also the Epistle out of the Epistles of St. Paul and others Is it necessary to read the same matter twice in one hour 2. After the whole Chap. of the Gospel and Epistle is read what need is there to read also a piece or a part of a Chapter out of the Gospel and the Epistles and both the whole Chapter and a piece of one to be read the same day viz. on Sunday I see no reason

for it The Epistle and Gospel therefore consisting but of a piece of the chapters read before to me seems superfluous and therefore meet to be removed out of the Church 2. As touching Baptisme 1. of Godfathers Godmothers who promise what they perform not that the child shall be vertuously brought up and learn the Creed Lords Prayer and the ten Commandements I see no need for these Godfathers c. Time was in days of persecution when the Christian parents were slaughter'd and martyr'd then there was need that other Christians should take care for the Christian education of their Infants left behind But we have no such persecution our parents live with their children ought to give them godly education and so there is no need of Godfathers to do it 2. Of the Crosse in Baptisme it is confessed by the Bishops that the Infant is fully baptized before it be crossed what ●●●d then is there of the crosse May not persons of years have a cross on their fore-heads made after the Lords Supper as well as Infants after Baptisme These things being needless may safely be removed out of the Church 3. Touching Matrimonie it is appointed that 1. the man shall say to the woman With my body I thee worship I leave it to consideration whether these words be fitting or not and whether it be meet that the more honourable person should worship his inferiour 2. It is ordered that the man shall say With all my worldly goods I thee endowe Now the Law doth not allow the woman but her Thirds but the Priest allows her all 3. The man must say With this Ring I thee wed Now what need of a Ring to testifie the Marriage when they are fully marryed before by their solemn and mutuall promises each to other made before God and the Congregation 4. Of our Ceremonies note that 1. whilst we labour to preserve in honour the prayers of our Church these Ceremonies cast dirt on them and render them odious for many do mislike the Common-Prayer Book because they see where this comes in it draws after it the Romish Ceremonies 2. Note they are Innovations being not in use in the Primitive Church 3. Some of them are Jewish as the Surplice Cope high Altar Organ-pipes c. Now the Temple where they were used being down and the Priesthood who used them changed why should we revive them But others are Romish invented at Rome or came thence as the Crosse in Baptisme kneeling at the Sacrament holy or Saints dayes with others Now being these had no good Original why should we follow Papists in them 4. They have been the cause of silencing many godly and painfull Ministers and a bone of contention in the Church for many years and one cause of the late War But many say St. Paul commanded Order and Decency 1 Cor. 14.40 Answer 1. St. Paul meant it not of our English Ceremonies for the Primitive Church used none of them they worshipped God in their Churches both orderly and decently without our Ceremonies 2. Christ forbad them as Traditions of men Mar. 7.2 c. And St. Paul forewarned us against them as Traditions which are not according to Christ Col. 2.8 Now Christ never appointed any of them and shall such Ceremonies be called indifferent things and matters of Order and Decency I wish these may be all removed the which would tend to an everlasting and well grounded Peace But I leave all to the wisdome of our most Honourable Parliament By THEOPHILVS BRABOVRN