Selected quad for the lemma: church_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
church_n	form_n	prayer_n	set_a	6,981	5	11.4340	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A77436	[A brief e]xhort[ation], with the means to [promote] pie[ty] especially directed to th[e] [...] of London. / By a lover thereof, a[nd] of all sincere Christians.		1669 (1669)	Wing B4591aA; ESTC R176327	10,189	27

which hath too often come to pass 3. I shall desire them seriously to consider what a multitude of ●●●nilies there have been wherein there 〈…〉 been any which have had either the ●●●ity or confidence to pray ex tempore 〈◊〉 how many of them which have ha●● the ability and confidence to pray before their own Families upon the visiting of Friends or such like small excuses have often omitted this duty for several daies together to the great damage of their Families And how many Families upon the absence sickness or death of such persons have for want of Forms lived prayerless for several weeks or months if not the greatest part of their life scarce using a grace before or after meat whereby the Lord knows how many Families have been utterly ruined Moreover I shall desire them seriously to Consider the inconveniencies which many auditours of ex tempore Prayers have been usually exposed to 1. How oft very many of them not understanding their obscure words phrases metaphorical expressions c. have been forc't as St. Paul long since observed among the Corinthians boasting of their great gifts and profound wisdom counting St. Paul's Preaching and Praying mean and despicable in comparison of theirs to return Barbarians deprived of the priviledg of sending 〈◊〉 to Heaven their hearty Amen to what they 〈…〉 heard 2ly How oft very many eit●●● 〈…〉 listning after or over curiously taking 〈…〉 of their new words phrases c. or el●●●●y reason of the extemporist's apparent mistakes inadvertencies fears precipitances c. have been very much hindred in their devotions to their great damage if not utter ruine of their immortal Souls And after all these things ex tempore prayers are in every respect meer Forms to their auditors their own phancy and invention yea and the Spirit of God which they suppose to dwell within them being as much limited or stinted to the words phrases method and matter of those ex tempore Prayers as to the words phrases method and matter of other Forms 2ly If by reason of the ill opinion they have of Forms themselves I shall desire them seriously to Consider whether it be not a very unreasonable and sinful thing to Imagine that God should command the Jews to use Forms that the Prophet David should compose Forms for his own use and the use of the Temple That the Prophet Hosea should command all Israel to take words with them when they confessed their sins and asked pardon for them That our Saviour should give such a compleat Form to his ●●●isciples upon their request that many thousands of holy Martyrs and devout Saints should from age to age constantly use our Saviours Form and make daily use of other Forms composed by themselves or others if they were not beneficial and necessary for us and rather furtherances than hinderances to our Devotion And more over I shall desire them seriously to Consider whether we have not just cause to stand amazed at the inconsiderate presumption of those who with much considence endeavour to perswade the People that Forms do hinder the operation of Gods Spirit upon their hearts whereas they never did or could alledge any good reason or plain proof of Scripture for this their confidence But on the other side not only St. James doth recommend unto us in our mirth the singing of Psalmes which certainly he never would have done had they been any cause of quenching the Spirit of God But St. Paul Ephes 5.18 19. doth tell us that we should be filled with the Spirit speaking to our selves in Psalmes and Hymns and Spiritual Songs singing and making melody in our hearts to the Lord And moreover St. John in his Revelations Chap. 14.3 and 15.3 and else-where endeavouring to Reveal unto us the Spirit●●● 〈◊〉 lights Seraphical joys of the Heavenly Hosts before the Throne of the Lamb could find no better thing to resemble them to than those Spiritual Raptures which the Saints here enjoy in singing to their Heavenly Father Now Psalmes when they are sung are double Formes wherein we are bound to observe not only a just number of Syllables in every line but also a more accurate and difficult form of tunes or soundes and if the Spirit of God doth Manifest his most powerful operations in these certainly it can't be imagined that he hath less liberty to work upon our affections when we are confin'd only to a Form of Words which is farr the easier Form of the two If there be any that can harden their hearts against the force of these Considerations O Blessed Jesu by thine Agony and Bloody Sweat which thou didst suffer in those most fervent Prayers of thine wherein thou didst Thrice use the same words do thou constrain them to confess that often to use the same words in our Prayers doth rather promote than hinder the fervency of a devout Soul or the operations of the Spirit of Supplication 2ly If they who are against our Publick Prayers in particular for the daily use of Families or private Persons would but diligently peruse them and impartially compare them with their own or daily extempory Prayers of any other person or with any other Printed Forms I question not but they will be soon convinced that whatsoever they do or can daily say the sence thereof is plainly comprehended in our Publickdaily-Prayers and consequently that as I said at first none can be more suitable for our daily use than those Provided onely that Single or Particular Persons use the Singular for the Plural Number and instead of St. Chrysostom's Prayer they may use this Prayer in the Singular Number Almighty God who hast promised to hear the petitions of them that ask in thy Sons Name I beseech thee mercifully to incline thine ears to me that have made now my Prayers and supplications unto Thee and grant that those things which I have faithfully asked according to thy will may effectually be obtained to the relief of my necessity and to the setting forth of thy Glory through Jesus Christ our Lord. Or any of the other Prayers after the Communion-Service The pronouncing of Absolutions and Benedictions Authoratively God hath appropriated to the Ministers of his Word as their peculiar Prerogative and therefore no other persons either in Families or else-where ought to arrogate that Power unto themselves yet I deny not but that other persons may use them in an Optative-way desiring God to pardon or bless either themselves children or friends c. Lastly for some extraordinary Cases any private Family or Person may frame or procure such set Forms as may be most suitable to their present condition which they may use with their daily Prayers as long as those special emergencies last according to the custom of our Church in the time of Famine Pestilence Warr and upon the receipt of some signal mercy c. But besides our constant morning and evening Sacrifices of Prayer there be several other times wherein it highly concerns every