Selected quad for the lemma: lord_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A54721
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The vvay to heaven most clearly discovered and the manner how to walk in this way exactly described. With a brief vindication of the Church of England against all her enemies. By Nicholas Philips, late chaplain to his Majesty's garrison in the Isles of Silly.
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Phillips, Nicholas.
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1681
(1681)
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Wing P2038; ESTC R213941
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16,756
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24
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return to the Lords Table and thereby reading some Select portions of Scripture to stir up the people to acts of Alms-giving Charity and Piety yet to the eternal stain of the Piety and Charity of our Priests and people be it spoken it is but in very few places observed Many of our Priests who seem to be zealous observers of the Liturgy of our Church are notwithstanding to save their own purses and because they will not give good example unto others very loose in practising this principal part of it and rarely or never unless upon some extraordinary occasion do they stir up their people to Almsgiving and Charity exposing themselves thereby to that woe which our saviour in the Gospel pronounced against the Scribes and Pharisees Mat. 23.23 for their strict observing the lesser matters of the law the tything of Mint Annise and Cummin and their neglect of the weightier matters thereof the practise of Judgment Mercy and Faith And though most of our people think that their ready and chearful paying of these rates and taxes which are required of them for the relief of the poor and the repairing of the Church will excuse them for not giving any thing at the Offertory yet they must know that in paying these rates and taxes there is nothing of Religion more then obedience unto the Law and it is no more than Turks and Pagans if they lived amongst us should pay or than the Heriticks and Schismaticks that do live amongst us do pay God approves of no forced oblations and nought but Free-Will offerings will please him and therefore if you will find favour in his sight and be accepted when you present your selves before him you must not come empty handed but must bring your presents with you when you come into his Courts saith David Psal 96.8 your gifts when you come to his Altar saith Christ Matth. 5.13 Never Oh never think brethren that God who hath given you all that you have will accept at your hands those cheap sacrifices of Prayer Praise or Hearing that lost you but a little lip and ear-labour You know who it was that said It is a more blessed thing to give then to receive And there is assuredly more of Christianity and true Religion in one merciful tender hearted compassionate act of mercy and charity than there is in the fruitless hearing of an hundred Sermons or in the vocal uttering a thousand Prayers and Praises And verily if men would but spare something out of their weekly superfluities and idle expences to bring with them on Gods day to Gods house there to offer it up unto him as a Testification of their gratitude and thankfulness unto him for the many Mercies he hath bestowed upon them they would find it so far from impairing that it would improve their estates and draw down a blessing upon all the works of their hands The 3. Thing that we must learn of these Primitive Christians if we will keep and preserve our selves in the Church and in the State of Salvation is to be constant Guests at Gods holy Table and to continue stedfast in the breaking of bread for they c. By breaking of bread is here signified the holy Communion and the Sacrament of the Lords Supper in the Celebration of which for our better apprehension of his Death and Passion and to set him forth as it were evidently crucified before our Eyes our Lord commanded that bread should be broken and Wine poured out and delivered to the Church and Congregation of the Faithful Breaking of bread and eating of bread are oft I grant in the Old Testament used to signifie an ordinary and common meal but in the New Testament especially after our Saviours instituting of his holy Supper it is used to signifie the Holy Communion of the Body and Bloud of our Lord and in this sense it is not only used here but also in Acts 20.7 And in this sense it is still used by some of our Sectaries who usually express the Sacrament of the Lords Supper by the terms of breaking of bread And verily the thankful remembrance of his Death which Christ hath required of us so oft as we eat of this Brend and drink of this Cup should to manifest the gratitude that lodges in our heart and that we always carry about in our Bodies the dying of the Lord Jesus be always i.e. as oft as opportunity is offered celebrated in us Seldom met the Fathers of our Faith the Apostles and primitive Christians especially on the Lords Day but they had with the Word preached and Prayer the Holy Sacrament also administred among them And in imitation of this Apostolical primitive practise it is the constitution of our Mother the Church of England That the Holy Sacrament of the Lords Supper should in Cathedral and Collegiate Churches where there are many Priests and Deacons who being Christs menial Servants ought chiefly to commemorate his Death should on every Lords Day and Festival be administred in Oppidal and great Congregations monthly in Rural and the least Assemblies quarterly And to mind the people of this most Christian Duty and to shew his readiness to administer if the people were piously disposed to receive the Holy Sacrament is the Priest by the Rubrick of our Church injoyned on every Lords Day and Festival to stand at the Communion Table and there to read all the Communion Service appointed for that Day No greater testimony assuredly can any man give of his Christianity and that he is truly thankful unto God for giving his Son to dye for his sins and hopeful by virtue of his death to escape eternal death and damnation than when he finds joy and delight and spiritual pleasure in that great mistery of our Religion the oft communicating and feeding on the Body and Bloud of his Saviour the only means which he hath ordained to make us always mindful of what he did and suffered for us This this the truely Pious man wishes might not only be his yearly quarterly and monthly food but even his daily bread and he is even sick of spiritual hunger when he comes to the Church and finds not a Communion there And surely they who when the Holy Sacrament is administred in that particular Church and Congregation whereof they are members refuse without some lawful cause and impediment to come and Communicate with the Church ipso facto Excommunicate and put themselves out of the state of Salvation The 4. Thing which we must learn of these primitive Christians here is to continue stedfast in prayer For they c. By Prayer is not here meant private prayer the prayers that are composed by private persons and said in private places but by prayer is here meant publick or common Prayer the Apostles Prayer the Churches Prayer such Prayers as by the Apostles and their Successors the Governors of the Church are composed for the use of the Church with which all the Congregation are well acquainted