Selected quad for the lemma: prayer_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
prayer_n	forgive_v	lord_n	trespass_n	3,485	5	11.3824	5	true

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

particulars of every mans wants neither are nor can be expressed in this or any other prayer Yet here we find their total sum cast up and couched under general terms For when it is said give us this day our daily bread Herein the Souldier is remembred who prayeth for all things necessary for his condition when saying give us this day our daily bread Except it be so that being guilty to himself that he is rather a plunderer than a fighter more maintaining his livelyhood by violence than valour rapine than conquest he conceiveth himself excluded who cannot truly call it our daily bread as conscious it is none of his but snatch'd from the true owners thereof The Husband-man in this Petition prayeth for all things which may tend and conduce to the seasonable fruits of the earth A snowy January frosty February dry March showry April cold and windy May moist and fair June hot and dry July fair and sunny August c. For how easily can God destroy in one unseasonable Moneth in Harvest what the concurrence of many foregoing Moneths hath hopefully advanced In a word let not the shortness of this prayer which being consistent with so much clearness is a principal honour thereof be charged upon it for a defect Consider how it was intended for old folk who were past their memories for young Children who as yet are not come to their memories for simple folk who never had nor will have memories Last Cavil This Prayer hath notoriously been abused by the Papists to Superstition and therefore the more surely to avoid offence the use thereof may safely be waved and declined Answ. It is confessed that this most excellent Prayer hath been unworthily abused by the Romish Church First by locking it up in the Latine tongue whereof the generalitie of their Layetie is ignorant praying as S. Peter spake at Christ his transfiguration Luke 9. 33. Not knowing what they said Secondly Because it hath been abused in Spels and Exorcisms to the great dishonor of God and advantage of Satan Thirdly Because wronged with needless and impertinent repetitions of their Beads till their tenth bead become a Decurion and the same ten times told over a Centurion in their mumbled and multiplied Devotions Here is it worth our observation that the Lords prayer is abused by that very sin for the rectifying and reforming whereof it was originally by our Saviour instituted and intended Matth. 6. 7. But when you pray use not vain repetitions as the Heathen do for they think they shall be heard for their much speaking Now to repress former and prevent future tautologies was one principal end for which this prayer was appointed Matth. 6. 9. After this manner therefore pray Therefore that is that you may not run on the rock of frivolous repetitions use this prayer so free from Battologies that excepting some necessarie Pronouns of Our and Us the same word recurreth not twice in the whole extent thereof Yet see I say how the Papists abuse the same by repetitions Doth it not argue a very foul stomack when the Physick intended to correct and remove the vicious humours is turned against the true nature thereof to increase the disease of the Patient and how doth it speak the malignitie of the Popish practice abusing this prayer to end with repetitions designed originally to prevent that ill custome However though it cannot be denyed that the Papists have shamefully abused this prayer it followeth not but that Christians may retain the true use thereof They must {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} purge away Popish superstitions from the same but may not on that pretence {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} utterly take it away and expel it out of their publick or private devotions First Use It serveth to confute those who over-esteem the Lords prayer Quest Is this possible are men capable of excess in this kinde of giving too much reverence or respect to this prayer or any other part and portion of Gods word Surely if it be an errrour it is one on the right hand rather to be pitied and pardoned than publickly reproved I confess an utter impossibility of overprising any part if Gods word but men may be immoderate unadvised in their undiscreet manifesting declaring of their esteem of the Lords prayer who in some sense may be said to over-value it though in fine and effect it doth prove an under-valuation thereof Such therefore are faultie in undiscreet expression of their respect to the Lords Prayer who confine all persons at all times to that alone not allowing them libertie to make use of other forms as occasion shall require Where we may observe That the Apostles of Christ in the Acts and elsewhere on the emergencies of sundrie matters which called for their prayers expressed themselves in other language accommodated to the occasion and waved these very words of our Saviours prescription as too general and not coming up close enough to their urgent necessities Wherefore though we will not say of the Lords Prayer none but it I may say as David did of Goliah's sword None is like unto it Though it be not to be used Exclusively to shut out all other yet is it Eminently to be preferred before the rest I will add one thing more What metals soever the ring of thy devotions be made of the Lords Prayer is a good Diamond to close and conclude with of what wood soever the shaft of the darts of thy prayers doth consist the Lords Prayer is the best sharp Pile to pierce heaven and to be put on at the end of thy own devotions Greater is the folly of such people who in a manner Idolatrize to the very words and syllables of the Lords Prayer as if men were so strictly tied up thereunto as not to recede one tittle from the same Whereas we may perceive some small difference in the two forms presented in S. Matthew and S. Luke's Gospel The variation of one and transposition of two or three words not to add that the Doxologie inserted in the one is omitted in the other as if purposely done to confute and discompose the superstition of such who stick in such syllabical curiosities Truly I am afraid if some might have had their wills Christian libertie might have been much prejudiced by the obtrusion of this prayer alone upon their practice and dare boldly say that some mens too much crying up of the necessitie of this prayer at all times hath occasioned others out of their spirit of opposition a mischief which mortal frailtie is much subject especially in controvertial days and in the frowardness of the aged world too much to slight neglect and under-value the same For where the former humour of overprising this prayer hath infected their hundreds the latter of under-esteeming the same hath infected their thousands who in their uncivil not to say profane expressions have vented much contempt of this holy heavenly prayer pattern thereof And here let me safely express what I fear may be the true cause thereof and let such who are faulty therein make a scrutiny in their own consciences whether I speak not too much truth in this point Are they not out of charity with the Lords Prayer because there is so much charity in the Lords Prayer There is one Petition therein which if they leave out they make the Prayer lame and if they put it in they make themselves liars Namely and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us doth not their revengefull and vindicative hearts harbour so much malice against their adversaries that they are loath to forgive them and desire forgiveness from God on the condition that they forgive others now though I will not positively affirm the same yet because it carrieth with it a great probability Ministers may be jealous of their people with a godly jealousie as they may be jealous over their own hearts and if their conscience acquit them on this enquiry happy are they and no hurt is done by this causeless suspition To conclude Parents of Children and especially Mothers may take notice that their little ones in saying the Lords Prayer are generally out at this Petition And forgive us our Trespasses as we forgive them that Trespass against us Not one little Child of ten sayeth it a right and in the right place some pass over and wholy omit it some transpose it very few truly pronounce it whereof this the reason Trespasses once and again in this Petition is as bad as a Shiboleth to try the lisping tongue of a Child there being a conflux of several Consonants some hard sounded therein so that it poseth all the offices of speech in a Childs mouth distinctly to utter the same Let not Parents be angry with their Children for not speaking it but with themselves for not practicing it they beat their Children for not saying it God may justly beat them for not doing it I confess such forgiveness goeth against flesh and bloud but flesh and bloud shall never enter into the Kingdom of Heaven we must be acted with higher principles if we hope to come thither whither the mercie of God bring us through the merits of Jesus Christ Amen FINIS * In the Order of the Administration of the Communion or at the least declare himself to be in full purpose so to do as soon as he conveniently may * Fox Act. Mon. pag. 1503. * Fox Act. Mon. pag. 2079. * Infants Advocate Ca. 8. pag. 71. * Anno Dom 1645. die lunae Oct. 20. Fox 2 Tom pag. 278 Matth. 3. 9. Luke 3. 16. John 1. 27.