Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	heart_n	pray_v	prayer_n	13,124	5	6.7659	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A81232	A vindication of the Lords prayer, as a formal prayer, and by Christ's institution to be used by Christians as a prayer: against the antichristian practice and opinion of some men. Wherein, also their private and ungrounded zeal is discovered, who are very strict for the observation of the Lords Day, and make so light of the Lords prayer. By Meric Casaubon, D.D. one of the prebandaries of C.C. Canterb.	Casaubon, Meric, 1599-1671.; Grotius, Hugo, 1583-1645.	1660 (1660)	Wing C817; Thomason E1921_3; ESTC R209969	43,421	134

Lactantius or any other against it is very impertinent as to them that are versed in these things will appear Most antient Heathens when they treat of Superstition insist upon this particular of Parents Now if we shall appeal to davly experience How many Fathers and Mothers who prayed for such and such Children before they had them or when sick or in danger as the only thing almost that made them happy and which they would expect from God in this world at least afterwards have thought both themselves and those very Children had been very happy if they had never been born or dyed young and that God had been very mercifull unto them if he had not heard their prayers It is so of all worldly things habet has vices conditio mortalium ut adversa exsecundis ex adversis secunda nascantur Occultat utrorumque semina Deus plerumque bonorum malorumque causae sub diversa specie latent So the Orator very wisely and truly How then can it be otherwise The Comick therefore not less truly than elegantly Stulti haud scimus quam frustra simus quum quod cupienter dari Petimus nobis quasi quid in rem sit possimus noscere Certa amittimus dum incerta petimus atque hoc evenit In labore atque in dolore ut mors obrepat interim How much safer then as we said before when we have laid open our case and present apprehensions upon it before God to betake our selves to this Holy Prayer which from his authority that commended it to us and other good considerations that should endear it to us will both teach and help us to elevate our hearts from those wordly transitory petty things Wives Hu bands Children c. in comparison into better objects The glory of our Creatour in heaven the advancement of his Truth in the world humble submission to his heavenly Will and Wisdome in all things from whom all that is truly good and nothing but good doth proceed from which things so thought upon and desired as we are taught by this Holy Prayer our own eternal happiness doth depend And here it may be observed that whereas Mat 7.2 it is said If ye then being evil know how to give good gifts unto your Children how much more shall your Father which is in beaven give things to them that ask him In St. Luke we find it If ye then being evil know how to give good things unto your Children how much more shall your heavenly Father give the holy Spirit to them that ask him as if heavenly things encrease of Grace that the only thing either considerable or that we can safely securely pray for And if we so use the Lords Prayer with these thoughts this preparation of heart we may I said before if occasion be use it often in one day to our great comfort and with less superstition I dare say than some others their Battologies or affected long prayers condemned both in the Old and New Testament All this while I have not forgotten what St. James saith The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much Elias was a man c. Though somewhat might be said to that particular case there be extraordinary times and occasions yea and persons too 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the same nature as we are Mortals similes aliis as the vulgar Latin very well Acts 14.15 not Gods yet endowed with extraordiuary zeal and raised of purpose sometimes for some extraordinary Act but we have said enough already to prevent Calumny as though we disliked others whilst we commend and vindicate the Lords prayer To tell us that this prayer hath been or is yet being mumbled upon beads in an unknown language and the like much abused and to make that an objection against the use of it after it hath been so cleerly proved that no one duty of Christian Religion can pretend to more evidence of either Scripture-authority or universal consent every man that is not very simple and ignorant must needs understand what will be the consequent of such an argument For what was ever or is yet more abused than the divine Scriptures what more than praying or preaching what more than Religion in genetal under the mask whereof what mischiefs what miscarriages both publick and private have been contrived What indeed is so generally abhorred among men that hath not been acted under that sacred name Neyther is it so among Christianr only Look into ancient stories when Paganism was the Religion of the world look into latter stories of the Turks or any other Nation even now the present divisions of the Turks among themselves as our News books tell us go under the name of Religion and Reformation Tantum relligio potuit suadere malorum in every mans mouth and observation And of Christian Religion particularly we are told in some late Relations that the Turks themselves some of them at least confefs Christian Religion to have been a good Religion for a long time till it came to be corrupted and abused by the Professours of it which they say made God to send Mahomes to establish a new This may serve for a warning to others sober men will not use such arguments We did promise Mr. Perkins before his words are these And whereas sundry men in our Church I must appeal to the knowledge of them that know more than I for in all my time I never heard of any except Mr. Perkins understood men that were borne of the Church of England but since divided from it by faction and singularity such as the forenamed Johnson and his adherents hold it unlawfull to use this very form of words as they are set down by our Saviour Christ for a prayer they are far deceived as will appear by their reasons First say they it is Scripture and therefore not to be used as a Prayer I answer that the same thing may be the Scripture of God and also the prayer of man else the prayers of Moses David and Paul being set down in the Scripture cease to be prayers again say they That in prayer we are to expresse our Wants in particular and the Graces which we desire Now in those words all things to be prayed for are onely in general propounded I answer That the maine wants that are in any man and the principal Graces of God to be desired are set down in the petitions of this prayer in particuler Thirdly they plead that the patterne to make all prayer by should not be used as a Prayer I answer that therefore the rather it may beused as a Prayer sure it is that ancient and worthy Divines have reverenced it as a prayer chusing rather to use these words then any other as Cyprian De Orat. Domini and Tertul. lib. de sugâ in persecut and August serm 12.6 de tempore Wherefore this opinion is full of ignorance and error So he You may see by the begining that Mr. Perkins had no

praestantissimo artifice eam orationem esse compositam praeformatam In another Treatise he saith Cum haec Oratio à Christo habeat originem debet indubitanter eminentissima nobilissima optimaque censeri quâ si meliorem scivisset integerrimus ac fidelissimus magister eam quoque nos ille docuisset I will not undertake for the exactness or propriety of the expression in those words si meliorem scivisset which the vehemency of his admiration and affection suggested unto him It would make a man suspect that even in those dayes he had met with some that thought they could pray as well if not better and perchance under pretence of imitation would have been content if they might to leave it out of their publike devotions But I do but suspect It is apparent he was a great admirer of it and had very great zeale to it and for it Luther's zeale to this prayer puts me in minde of Ludovicus Vives a Papist indeed not a Protestant but generally acknowledged a learned wise devout man he hath written a Commentary as he calls it upon the Lords prayer How zealously he was affected towards it and how much he had it in admiration his preface will shew it is well worth the reading But of Protestant Divines I make no question but a man might make a whole book that should collect their several Elogies and testimonies concerning this Prayer as it is a forme of prayer but that it is not our business here Generall consent is the thing that we contend for and upon which we have in part grounded our case in the stating of it And for that we have appealed to the Formularies that are extant of most Protestant Churches beyond the seas which is the most direct and pertinent proof that any man can expect And if we knew any thing objected by any body in opposition to what we mantaine we would take notice of it I find nothing of that nature in Johnson before spoken of though Carpenter had not omitted it but put it to him in direct termes Nullane Protestantium Ecclesia praeter vestram Synagogulam oculos habuit aut mentem An vos soli sapitis c. in St. Augustin's words against Donatus to which particular I finde no answer at all though the answer as called be large and tedious in general beyond measure It seemes therefore he could not deny it but all Protestant Churches were of another mind If he had known any certainly we should have heard of it What notice therefore I have taken of particular men as Luther and Calvin is over and above because of their eminency Perkins in England his authority would once have gone a great way with those men especially that pretended to more than ordinary strictnesse in religion What his opinion was in this matter shall be seen at the end where we take notice of some objections But now since we have named some particular men and have seen what devotion they had Luther especially to this holy Prayer with what zeale and admiration they speak of it let it not passe without some further observation I make no question but the like may be said and observed of divers others eminently pious and learned in all ages I have heard of some particularly in our age men of great fame that have professed to receive singular comfort of it which might also be gathered by their frequent use of it in time of sicknesse Now I would gladly know of those men and I wish they would take it into their serions consideration of those men I say who not only forbeare the use of it themselves but also forbid it to others and when used in their presence have shewed much trouble and indignation as it is reported of some and may be true for ought I know of many more whether it be likely or possible that such averseness and antipathy in them such zeale and devotion in others whom themselves perchance will not deny to have been pious and religious should proceed from one and the same spirit And if they cannot find in their hearts to say or to thinck that it was a spirit of illusion that led those good and godly men unto such esteeme and admiration of this prayer from what spirit can their antipathy proceed For my part and I doubt not but it is the mind of many thousand Christians in England besides though I know my self too great a sinner to expect that God should afford me those extraordinary ravishing contentments and delights of the soule which I believe he hath done and doth unto many more deserving in the use of this holy prayer Yet I should be very sorry it should be in the power of any man living to bereave me of that right and priviledge I have as a Christian unto it and the use of it whilest I live and I shall ever believe that a reverent use and high esteem of it as immediately proceeding from and commended unto us by such a ONE to whom all manner of adoration is due is no small part of that worship we owe unto God All things that have been said hitherto well considered it may perchance make some wonder in some what should induce men some learned and conscientious otherwise as it is to be hoped but however men that professe Christianity to be so set against this prayer that beareth the name of the Lord and Saviour of men and I remember an observation in Aristotle that to give full satisfaction in a doubtful busines 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. We should not only tell what is truth but also take paines to discover the ground of the error or that which is false First then it must be granted that even before these times there were some in the world that begun to hatch this monster but being but few and inconsiderable standing divided from all the Reformed Churches in Europ it leaves a wonder still their opinion should be embraced by men accounted sober and making profession of the protestant Religion We say therefore in the second place that the spirit of Enthasiusme since the reines of order and discipline have been loose and all liberty left unto men Papists and Prelaticall for so it pleaseth them to joyne us only excepted to follow their own fancies in all things belonging to Gods worship having much prevailed as it hath done in some ages of the world before this among us men have been very prone to think themselves inspired in the use of their extemporary faculty which formerly and it may be formerly too much neglected they had not been so well acquainted with and through ignorance of Nature and former times as hath been declared and proved at large elsewhere did apprehend a supernatural cause where indeed there was no cause at all and this probably might make them by degrees to loath and contemn this holy prayer A third reason may be the violence of opposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as St. Basil

given That they were given us to do good being committed unto such hands as have skill to handle them not to do hurt w ch in the hands of ignorant illiterate people they are most likely If good words and fair pretences will serve the turn it cannot be denyed but in this cause such will easily be found to make it plausible though no cause can less pretend to solidity of reason if we come to the tryal of either Scripture or Antiquity to make it true Again we charge them of Sacriledge and Impiety in maiming the Sacrament of the Lords Supper of one essential part whilst they keep ordinary people from the use of the Cup. The question is not what we can prove but what they pretend No such thing as we lay to their Charge I am sure that can be called either Sacriledge or Impiety The very Anabaptists the rankest of them the Alumbradoes of Spain or Quakers of England who deny and despise all Scriptures can we charge them of any impietie if they may tell their own tale and be believed without any further reasoning They will say They honour though not what we call Scripture yet the word of God as much as any that is their inspirations and raptures and the Oracles of their own breast their inward light which they pretend to be the only true Word Since therefore it is certain that no opinion can be so impious in it self but it may be masked with words able if not to make it plausible and popular yet to hide the impiety laying aside what is pretended as altogether impertinent we will come to the true state of the question which we conceive to be this Whether it may or doth clearly appear by the plain literal obvious sense or construction of Scripture confirmed by all circumstances of the Context all probabilitie of humane ratiocination the sense and practise of all Christians since the very beginning of Christianity so far as can be traced by History in all ages in all places that these words Our Father c. as set down in St. Matthew and St. Luke were prescribed by our LORD and SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST as a very form of Prayer to be used by all professing Christianity in those very words as a Prayer yea or noe A question of very great moment as I apprehend it the consequent or consequence whereof if the affirmative part of it be proved will be First that they who either by their example or perswasions bereave Christians of it are guilty Prayer being a thing of such consequence in Religion of horrible detestable sacriledge and may seem themselves to others to renounce thereby to no small part of Christianity We speak to and of profest Ministers only in all this Discourse Secondly whilst it may probably be conceived that a main reason that leads them unto this is a great opinion they have of or to their own conceptions in praying which they therefore in ordinary construction of reason must be thought to prefer before this form this form I say by such undeniable uncontrolable to common sense and found reason evidence of Scripture made and prescribed by Christ himself The Son of God in whom all the Treasures of Wisdome are hidden c. hence it will follow that they are guilty though I hope not intended by them yet guilty of high Blasphemy against CHRIST their God and Saviour Thirdly whilest they seek evasions against such evidence of Scripture such evidence as no other point or doctrine of Christianity can pretend unto greater it must needs follow that by this their example they give a most pernicious example to the most pernicious Hereticks of present or future ages to shift all Scriptures though never so clear against them and do much countenance the Blasphemies of some Papists in calling them a Nose of Wax c. as also stop or obstruct their own mouths for ever speaking against Quakers and Anabaptists who certainly may pretend to as much ground of reason for denying all Scriptures as any can for denying the use of the Lords Prayer as a Prayer unto Christians so demonstrably grounded upon Scripture commanded by Christ himself confirmed by the practise of all Christians in the world This is the true Estate of the question as I apprehend If any think fit to add in the last place That in case we come short of our proofs and cannot make our charge good we must needs be guilty either of inexcusable ignorance or intolerable uncharitableness or both I am content If any shall think I have used aggravation in it I am sorry My conscience doth bear me witness I intended it not I pray God heartily it may never be laid to their charge as I verily believe that none of these things are really intended by them But in a business of this nature where I conceive the honour of Christ and the good of all Christians so much interested I think I should unworthily prevaricate if I should not use plainness of words and call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the old saying is But this I have said of my belief as to their intention I mean it of such as are true Christians in the main Fundamentals As for the profest Anabaptists Quakers Enthusiasts or however called who have apostatized from the right saith such as they frequently blaspheme against the Person so no wonder if they frequently and purposely blaspheme the Prayer of Christ As I have heard it reported of some some years ago great pretenders to the spirit of prayer they should often say If Christ were alive again conversant in earth amongst men intended I suppose he would be ashamed of that prayer Others have been heard wretched Miscreants to say they thanked God they had forgotten it As bad or worse hath been said of the Scripture in general we need not wonder at it Though they blaspheme not in words yet they may be thought to do somewhat in deeds of much affinity who though they allow Children perchance and simple people in private and inferiour subordinate men as Lecturers and Clerks in Churches to use the Lords prayer yet themselves will not do it that honour as to use it in that simplicity of words as delivered and commended unto us by Christ but either not at all or so dislocated which we should not except against if done in imitation and not in liew of the Lords prayer and dismembred with their own cenceptions that little or nothing of it doth appear in its own shape and form Now we are to proceed to the consideration of the Text we will first consider of a general objection or evasion rather which I find some have used in this very point We urge the plain literal sense Yes but all things say they in Scripture are not to be taken litterally We grant it but withall we say to make use of this objection upon all occasions when we find our selves pinched without any ground at all of either words reason circumstance