Selected quad for the lemma: church_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
church_n	bind_v	earth_n	loose_v	5,255	5	10.5190	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A41725	A discourse deliver'd in two sermons preached in the cathedral at Ely, in September 1684, not long after the death of the Right Reverend Father in God Peter Gunning, late Lord Bishop of Ely / by Humfrey Govver ...	Gower, Humphrey, 1638-1711.	1685 (1685)	Wing G1458; ESTC R18728	39,015	72

the Elders of the Church and let them pray over him But how very effectual the fervent prayers of such men sometimes are appears sufficiently from the instance here before us of the great Elijah singled out by St James for the same purpose and alledged soon after the words already cited James 5. 17. He I say who tho a man subject to like passions as we are opened and shut the Heavens at his pleasure kept up the dew and rain but brought down showres of fire so that all things hapned according to his word 1 Kings 17. 1. The Ministers of Gods holy Word and Sacraments in respect of one part of their Function are Gods Ambassadours to the people but in this of prayer they are their Agents and Solicitours with God constituted by himself as a sort of Mediatours for and amongst men Masters of Requests resident on Earth appointed to present and offer up the petitions of the people to and in the name of the one great Mediatour between God and Man 1 Tim. 2. 5. And to him those addresses cannot but be the more acceptable as coming in his own Method and way and thro' those hands to which he has committed so great a power as to bind and loose in Heaven and on Earth a power not vouchsafed as St Chrysostom somewhere expresseth it either to Angels or Arch-Angels or any other of the most glorified favourites of Heaven If then persons set aside and consecrated for the service of God and his Church be ordinarily acceptable and powerfull Intercessours how much does this Church and Nation and indeed the whole Christian world owe to the pious Devotions of the Holy Prelate of whom we are now speaking Twice a day most duly besides his family Prayers He offer'd up to Heaven either in the Publick Congregation or when his health could not allow that more privately his daily Homage and Sacrifice of Morning and Evening Prayer and Thanksgiving according to the Prescript of the Church of England He that had so throughly studied and did so perfectly understand the Beauties and Excellencies of the English Liturgy and so frequently and affectionately recommended the conscientious and devout use of it to all both Clergy and others and had himself received great Spiritual Comfort and Advantages by a long and Religious attendance on it He I say as you will easily believe could not allow himself in the least neglect of it but went to it and called for it as his daily bread the necessary food and refreshment of his soul I need not tell this Congregation I am sure how Solemn and Reverend his approaches were to this Sacred place how Holy and Saint-like his behaviour here Almost every thing that Good man did or said was edifying and instructive but nothing could well be more so then his devout deportment when he had audience with his God The Faith and Fervency the Humble yet Restless and Irresistible importunity of his Spirit strugling and contending with God in Prayer could not be conceal'd from those that saw him but flam'd up from his heart into his eyes and discover'd it self by so many natural indications of Holy and transported Affections that the Example was enough to rouze and warm the most sluggish and frozen Devotion of any that did observe him It is no wonder that his devout Soul found so Divine a rellish in those Prayers to which He attended with so much Reverence and Religion The Prayers of the Church are a dead letter to none but such as bring dead hearts to them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 disc 16. as our Martyr'd Sovereign observed long since And I dare say that all that use them unless the blessed effect be hindred by prejudice or prophaness do experience that those united and well advised Devotions are most excellently contriv'd to kindle and keep alive in us such pious dispositions of mind as are most suitable to that duty I shall not presume to conduct you from the Church to the Good mans Closet or pretend to reckon how often in a day He was upon his knees He that did nothing for ostentation and understood so well the Reward reserv'd for good things done in secret knew how to conceal those Addresses from the eyes of man which He intended only for the notice of his God But his constant and steddy Practice of all Christian duties the general Holiness of his Life the visible delight He took in Prayer that great Priviledge as well as Duty of mankind besides other Evidences that could not always be kept from the observation of those that had the honour and happiness to be near him serve to assure us that He watch'd unto Prayer pray'd always without ceasing and at all seasons according to a due understanding of those expressions in Holy Writ It was to him a pleasant performance of which He could not be weary What a Benefactour I say then was He to this Church and State which had so great a share in his publick and private Petitions sent up to a Gracious God with such an unfeigned Piety and ardent Zeal Luke 18. 1. Shall not God hear his servants that cry day and night unto him He that ask'd such a question when He was on Earth will be sure to answer such prayers now he is in Heaven And then I am sure the publick has received manifold advantage from the Bishop's earnest supplications put up in the behalf of the whole Kingdom The interest of which was as dear to him as his own Soul and for which He was almost hourly breathing out fervent ejaculations Rev. 5. 8. and night and day praying exceedingly The prayers of Saints we are told are as golden vials full of odours and those odours are sacrifices of sweet savour unto the God of Heaven Such Sacrifices of Supplications Intercessions and giving of Thanks was this Holy Prelate almost constantly offering up unto Almighty God for the King and all in Authority for the Holy Catholick Church and for all Men. Three most signal Favours and Blessings on this Land within our memories I have often heard his Lordship mention with most feeling and affectionate expressions of Religious Gratitude and Joy The first was that Abundance of Heavenly Graces which adorn'd the Person of our late Martyr'd Sovereign and those particularly which did so Gloriously shine forth in him under the most barbarous indignities and bloody violence offer'd him by the Rebels Another was that stupendous revolution of Affairs brought about by the miraculous Providence of God in the Restitution of His present Majesty and the Church in Honour and Peace to the astonishment and confusion of the Adversaries of them Both. The Third was the wonderfull disappointment and most happy Discovery of the late Fanatical and Republican Conspiracy against the Life of His Sacred Majesty and His Royal Brother And to these He added that more Publick and General Mercy of God in appearing so seasonably and so mightily for the