Selected quad for the lemma: lord_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
lord_n	aaron_n	bless_v	joseph_n	45	3	9.6525	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A85035	A triple reconciler stating the controversies whether ministers have an exclusive power of communicants from the Sacrament. Any persons unordained may lawfully preach. The Lords prayer ought not to be used by all Christians. By Thomas Fuller, B.D.	Fuller, Thomas, 1608-1661.	1654 (1654)	Wing F2472; Thomason E1441_2; ESTC R202064	51,442	150

we now to answer those Cavils which this age hath devised against the Lords prayer a subject not unnecessary in our days Indeed when one had made a large discourse in the praise of Hercules and expected great commendation for the same his Audience onely answered his expectation with this question quis unquam vituperavit Herculem whosoever spake in the disparagement of Hercules Intimating thus much that his pains might very well be spared in a needless subject all the world acknowledging the worth and valour of Hercules The same will be said of the ensuing part of my sermon ut quid haec perditios what needeth this wast of words and time were ever any so impious so prophane as to doubt much less deny the divine inspiration and dayly necessary and profitable use of the Lords prayer Ans. Thirdly I believe it is almost unprecedented in former ages which maintained a constant reverence and esteem thereof as the Lords prayer and Lord of prayers But alas we are fallen into such an impudent age wherein many begin to slight it of whom I will say no more than this If they begin to think meanly of Gods prayer what cause hath God to think basely of theirs And now I remember what John the Baptist said to our Saviour Matth. 3. 14. I have need to be baptized of thee and comest thou to me In humble allusion whereunto I may say my prayers have need to come to Christ to mediate and intercede to God for them and to present them with his merits to the Throne of grace And now his prayer comes to me so the all disposing providence of God hath ordered the matter that in the prosecution of my Text I must be a weak Advocate in the defence thereof The best is it mattereth not who is the Pleader when God is the Clyent and what is wanting in my weakness and worthlesness will be abundantly supplyed in the might and merit of the subject which I undertake First it is objected that it is a set form of prayer and therefore doth pinnion and confine the wings of the Dove which ought to be at liberty and freedom to make choice of his own expression of it self It is said Rom. 8. 26. The spirit it self maketh intercession for us with groans which cannot be uttered It is therefore presumption in man to make himself Gods Interpreter and to dictate those words whereby his Spirit is to impart and communicate it self to the Throne of grace It was charged on the Rebellious Israelites Psal. 8. 41. That they limited the holy one of Israel no better is their practice who offer to score out both the path pace to Gods Spirit in prayer by pre-designing the Numericall words which are to be used thereby Gods servants are said to be led by the spirit Ro. 8. 14. And so also if ye be led by the spirit Galatians 5. 18. But this is leading the spirit when men will guide their Conduct-our and draw up a set form whereby the same shall be directed Ans. That set forms are no restrainings of the holy Ghost in us appeareth by the practice of our Saviour himself Matth. 26. 44. And went away again and prayed the third time saying the same words namely the same words which he uttered the second time viz. O my Father if this cup may not pass away from me except I drink it thy will be done See we here he who made the tongue to speak who was the frauder and confounder of all languages who needed not by premeditation to press words for his service seeing millions of volunteeres proffered themselves to be used by him See I say him pleased notwithstanding to resume the same individual terms which he had uttered before Secondly next to our Saviour who may be presumed most able to pray then the High Priest Aaron and his two inspired Sons Eleazer and Phineas Yet God in their publick blessings left them not to the liberty of their own expressions Num. 6. 23. Speak unto Aaron and unto his Sons saying on this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel saying unto them the Lord bless thee and keep thee the Lord make his face shine upon thee and be gracious unto thee the Lord lift up his countenance upon thee and give thee peace I confess they were not confined to these words on all ennergencies and occasions having the latitude allowed them that in the Temple they might varie from this form according to their own discretions Witness the blessing of Eli to Hannah 1 Sam. 1. 17. Go in peace and the God of Israel grant thee thy Petition which thou hast asked of him But otherwise God had ordered them not to decede from this form and as Moses was to make all things according to the pattern in the Mount Heb. 8. 5. So no doubt the Priests conformed themselves in their prayer to every word syllable and etter of Gods prescription neither detracting thence nor adding thereunto Thirdly the Ministers conceived prayer under the Gospel is a stinted and premeditated one to such people his Auditours who ay Amen thereunto Their fancies and which is more their hearts do or should go along with the Ministers words so that he boundeth their meditations Hither shall they come and no further If any say that notwithstanding this Obligation to the words of the Minister they may make their own Salleys and excursions by Gods spirit in their hearts to enlarge themselves and as it were to comment in their sighs and groans on the Text of the prayers of their Ministers it is said that no less liberty is allowed them in all premeditate forms of prayer where on the plain song of the set words the devotion of their hearts may descant to their own spiritual contentment Fourthly none will deny but Songs and Hymns are prayers of thanksgiving both those which David made in the Old Testament and those that were used by Christians in the Primitive times Ephes. 5. 19. Speaking to your selves in Hymns and spiritual songs Colos. 3. 26. Admonishing one another in Psalms and Hymns and spiritual songs Now surely such Ditties would be bad and Notes worse and the Harmonie rather ridiculous to move laughter than melodious to raise Devotions if the singers thereof were not predirected to the very words and syllables of what they sung and chanted in the Church Excellent was the expression of Doctor Preston in point of preaching and is applyable equally to prayer He would have a Minister take such pains in studying his sermon as if he relyed not only on Gods assistance but when he cometh to preach the same so wholly to cast himself on divine asisstance as if he relyed not at all on his own studies Proportionable whereto a Christian soul may compile and compose his prayer as trusting nothing to the Spirit and yet in the minute of the utterance thereof to God so quit and renounce all efficacie of premeditation as consisting onely in the concurrence of Gods

and the other many have been the Avoidances of Incumbents and substituting of new ones in their room in a short time so that if communicants were of necessitie reexaminable on every alteration some Parishes would be in a perpetual Probashionership and constant Candidate-ship for receiving Not to say but that in some Parishes large in extent and numerous in people were monthly communions observed which formerly was the commendable practice and still is the just desire of many Ministers it would be the constant work of the Minister to do nothing else but examin his people the which would engross take up his whole time And then if all his care be examining where is his praying his preaching his studying his visiting the sick and his other performances Secondly Excluding the Communion for refusing re-examination is a severitie unreasonable at this time We read of King Amaziah 2. Chron. 25. 3. Now it came to pass when the kingdom was established to him that he slew his servants that had killed the King his Father Why did Amaziah so long connive at murther the worst of sins Treason the worst of Murders and Treason against his own Father the worst of Treasons as to suffer the Actors thereof so long to enjoy their lives A satisfactorie reason is rendered he was not as yet fastened on his Throne To strike fiercely with ones hands before he standeth firmly on his feet is the readie way for one to overturn himself People must till they are well settled themselves and well rooted riveted in their power be cautious of provoking any and may justly suspend the punishing of what is faultie till a fitter oportunitie And now to commend unto you a double expedient which may in some sort mitigate the rigor of proceedings First know it is one thing Magisterially and Imperiously to thrust people from the sacrament and another thing to request and intreat them as they tender their own good to abstain from the receiving thereof Both meet together in the same end effect the same thing though embracing several ways in order thereunto The first way being rough rugged full of displeasure and distaste the second soft smooth more easie both for Pastor and People and most proportionable to the meekness of the Ministers in the Gospel Let this later way therefore be used by you when you see just cause to seclude a Parishioner from receiving of the sacrament for suspected or detected insufficiencie when ingenuitie and hope of amendment is legible in him As It is said of Titus Vespasian for the sweetness of his nature stiled the delight of mankind the neminem demisit tristem he never sent any suitors sad away from him Yet it must certainly be presumed that he denied many their desires it being usual at Court that there be several Petitioners for the same Office which onely one can receive but then that Emperour had the happiness so to qualifie his denials with good language that he made them but one degree from a grant Sometimes he would convince such Suitors in their judgements that they requested that which was not in his present power to grant Sometimes he shewed them that their desires were destructive unto themselves at leastwise that they were unfit and improper to receive them Sometimes he would promise them the next preferment far better and fitter for them In a word without any falshood or flatterie as beneath the Majestie of a Prince his soft supple and complying nature so applied it self to all dispositions that people contentedly yea thankfully chearfully departed from him with denials God hath given you such sinews of Logick and such colours of Rhetorick such perswasive tongues if pleased to improve them that except you meet with unreasonable men 2. Thess 3. 20. from whom God delivere you {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} from those that have no Topicks no sence of reason or arguments you may convince such whom you account unfitting to receive for their own good to abstain from the same Neighbour with Joseph I would be a just man that is in Gospel acception an equal man Matth. 1. 19. I am not willing to make you a publick example that others should take any occasion to slight any neglect you I am tender of your credit conceiving it to be wrapped up in my own such the near relation betwixt the Shepherd and his Sheep I will not in a disgracefull way forbid you the Lords table but with Joseph I am minded to put you away privily or rather do entreat you willingly to put away your self I am jealous over you with a godlie jealousie that you have not as yet such a measure of knowledge as may fit you for these mysteries I say as yet for I doubt not but on your prayers to God for your self and mine for you hereafter you may seasonably be admitted to the Sacrament but it is better to stay a year too long than come a day too soon Know I could interpose my power if so disposed and command you forbearance but what saith St. Paul Philemon 8. Wherefore though I might be so much bold in Christ to enjoyn thee the which is convenient yet for loves sake I rather beseech thee and know the strength of my affection to thee inditeth this counsel and no other by-respect A soft tongue saith Solomon Prov. 25. 15. breaketh the bones It is impossible but that an ingenious nature will be affected therewith and cannot take just exception thereat The second expedient I recommend is this even to practice our Saviour his precept Matth. 9. 17. Neither do men put new wine into old bottles else the bottles break the wine runneth out and the bottles perish but they put new wine into new bottles and both are preserved I apply it thus put old wine into old bottles your ancient Communicants which formerly have frequently received of your selves or your Predecessors and are habited to the ancient custom of receiving admit them without any scruple except excludible according to the premises for some notorious sin charitably presuming nothing appearing to the contrary that they are improved in sufficiencie for the same Now put new wine into new bottles Such novices which never before received and remember not the old Temple I mean the former discipline of the Church under Episcopacie whose maturitie to receive bears date onely from the beginning of our differences Let them on Gods blessing be solemnly tried and examined before they be admitted unto the receiving of the sacrament And here by your leave and favour I humbly conceive that the * Ordinance of Lords and Commons if seriously perused according to the genuine and natural sence of the words speaks onely de admittendis and not de admissis and impowereth Ministers onely to the Examination of such who received it not before who ought now more strictly to be examined in England than ever before for the Church of Rome erroneously advanced Confirmation to