Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	speak_v	spirit_n	worship_v	2,123	5	8.9605	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A25463	Panem quotidianum, or, A short discourse tending to prove the legality, decency, and expediency of set forms of prayer in the churches of Christ with a particular defence of the book of common prayer of the Church of England... / by William Annand ...	Annand, William, 1633-1689.	1661 (1661)	Wing A3222; ESTC R38624	47,207	64

The substance of it which is To turn to the Lord. 2. The manner of it or how they must turn is by saying these words Say unto him In the Direction which is it self a Prayer instituted by the Prophet for them and given by the Prophet to them there is 1. A Supplication to be made by all for the removing the sins of all of what person or degree soever Take away all iniquity It was sin that first brought down judgments from God and therefore sin must first be removed by God 2. There is an Intercession of all for each other and of every one for all Every single person desires that God would be favourable to his Brother as he desires God to be merciful to himself Receive us graciously 3. There is a Covenant-condition or promise made of all That if God will receive them they will render to him praises called the calves of their lips so will we render the calves of our lips which is a giving thanks to his Name Heb. 13. 15. In this promise every one engageth for himself and each man becomes a Surety for his Brother so will we render and because optima poenitentia est nova vita they will trust no more to the work of their own hands but in God only as fatherless children have hope and from him only when they are in want expect mercy in the following words Ashur shall not save us c. We shall let pass many truths that might arise from the substance and method of this Prayer appointed to and given by this Holy Prophet for the people to collect and cull out one that makes for the clearing up of that truth to the obeying of which we are by Authority now commanded and from which we are by Turbulent spirits eagerly dehorted viz. Touching the lawful use of the Common-Prayer-Book established in England by all Legal Power since the Reformation A Book which hath been often Crucified among and between Thieves yet never could be put to death by them The Doctrine is this That Gods best Servants or his peculiar people may lawfully use Set Forms of Prayer in their approaches to him and begging blessings of him To him that reads this Text with understanding this observation needs no farther proof nor debate yet I shall not impose a belief of it upon any untill that I have 1. Shewed what the nature of a Set Form of Prayer is 2. Whether such a Form may lawfully be used 3. Whether such a Form is decent or comely for a Saint to use 4. Whether granting all this it be expedient for a Saint or for the Church now as it is constituted and increased to use such a Form 5. At what seasons this Form is chiefly to be used 6. In what place it is most expedient to use this kind of Form 7. Answer some Objections that are urged against such a Form All which if God permit we shall handle in these seven several Sections briefly and plainly SECT I. LET us in the first place see what the nature of a Set. Form of Prayer is and that may be done by this description It is a hearty calling upon God in the name of Christ in words prescribed by another or premeditated by our selves for the removing of judgements or receiving of mercies from or for our selves and others In all these points it agrees to and holds affinity with other prayers of what kind soever save in this that it calls upon God through Christ in using the word which have been either recommended to us as the Lords Prayer Luke 11. 2. Or 2. Prescribed by another and enjoyned to us as David required his Subjects the Levites to praise the Lord in a publick Assembly for the bringing home of the Ark in the words of that Psalm which he had composed for the same purpose It was the first Psalm as it appears that ever he publickly gave for the use of his people in the Temple or Sanctuary 1 Chron. 16. 4 6 7 3. Or 3. Such as hath been premeditated by us for our own use and as occasion served used of us And such was the prayer of the Prodigal Luke 15 he sits down and deliberates within himself what to say that his Father might again receive him I will arise saith he and go to my father and will say unto him Father I have sinned against Heaven and before thee and am no more worthy to be called thy son c. Ver. 18. And at his coming to the father used the same words before resolved upon Such a prayer was also almost that of our Saviours Father if it be thy Will let this Cup pass from Me which He ●…ttered three several times in His passion Mat. 26. 4. And all this is done for the more orderly helping of us in our calling upon God Now some there are that say this is not to be done That Christians in this clear Sun-shine of the Gospel are not to give themselves or limit themselves this day or this week or this year to that kind of prayer framed or composed by or for our selves or others last week or last year but hold it altogether sinful and unlawful Others there are that suppose such prayers at some times for none that ever I heard of maintain them in all points places or in all times necessary but neve●… unlawful to be good and helps against their speaking any thing rashly before God and unadvisedly with their lips before him who will be worshipped in spirit and in truth fearing lest they offering strange fire from the censers of their deceitful hearts might bring fire from the Almighty to consume their souls Supposing and upon good grounds that to come every day to Heaven in the same suit may make us at last to be known for good Subjects though not for great Gallants And this opinion from the Text is the substance of our observation which to confirm take these three substantial Witnesses The first where of shall be 1. Ioel a Prophet of God he commanding the people of Iudah that grievously had fallen by their iniquity to turn unto God will have a Trumpet blown in Zion Ioel 2. 1. enjoyning all to come to mourning and weeping for their sins and offences makes a Set Form of prayer for and prescribes a prayer to the Priests themselves who are especially excited and enjoyned to weep between the Porch and the Altar and are commanded to say Spare thy people O Lord and give not thy heritage to reproach c. Ioel 2. 17. The second Witness is 2. Moses a man of God Exod. 15. where after the peoples delivery from Egypts slavery and Phardohs bondage and after they had seen the Egyptians dead upon the shore not one of the●… being killed by them Moses and Israel sing a Psalm of Thanksgiving ver 1. If it were enquired Who made or composed that Song it must be answered Moses by Revel 15. 3. and as a set Form used by the people To

him 4. Set Forms have been used by an holy Apostle in the Church of God What was spoken by holy men of Old was spoken by the Holy Ghost Paul informs the Thessalonians 2 Thes. 3. 17. concerning the mark and note that he gives all his Epistles to make them the more assured or beget in them a greater saith touching the truth of what 〈◊〉 Writ or certainty of that that he had written the mark it self was a salutation a prayer used in every Epistle It'●… this The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ be with you all and this prayer indeed is the close of every Epistle As Rom. 16. 24. 1 Cor. 16. 23. 2 Cor. 13. 14. Gal. 5. 18. Ephes. 6. 24. Phil. 4. 23. Col. 4. 18. 1 Thes. 5. 28. 1 Tim. 6. 21. 2 Tim. 4. 22. Titus 3. 15. Phil. 21. Doth not the Holy Ghost constantly using this Form declare that a set form of prayer is no sin As in the close so how frequently in the entry of every Epistle is this prayer put up by the s●…me Spirit Grace mercy and peace from God our Father and the Lord Iesus Christ To all that know that there is a Holy Ghost the lawfulness of this practice may by this be known 5. Set Forms of prayer hath been and still are used in and by all the Churches of the Saints our enemies themselves or many of them being contented therewith It hath been and is now the Universal practice of the whole body of the Catholick Church in all Ages present and past and commanded for the future to use 〈◊〉 forms Suppose a Christian Congregation were singing Psal. 6. 1. Lord in thy wrath reprove me not Though I deserve thine ire Ne yet correct me in thy rage O Lord I thee desire would not all that heare them know and might not all that understand them say That they were using a Set Form of prayer And what is more frequent in the Churches of the Saints and what was more usual in the Congregations than to sing praise to the Lord in Songs composed by others It is true the first singing we read of was in the dayes of Moses Exod. 15. a prayer being there composed by some holy man in all probability Moses Revel 15. 3. and used by the whole people in praising God Yet as we are not to suppose that the Fathers before the Flood kept no Sabbath nor they after the Flood knew not or kept not the Seventh day holy though we read of none untill Moses so neither are we to suppose that the Saints in those dayes were without this eminent point of worship as Singing and yet if they were we know that that part of the Church now under the Gospel universally useth it both privately and publickly and by Saint Paul we are enjoyned so to do Colos. 3. 18. Argum. 4. Set Forms seem to be lawful for whatever is required for the sanctifying of a prayer by God may be found in a Set Form of him It is not the word that God regards he takes prayers by weight and not by measure as he takes no delight in the legs of a man neither is he satisfied with the tongue of a man he regards the fixedness of the heart and not the variety of the expression Now there are three graces that God requires in every prayer without which no prayer is accepted and with which no prayer shall be rejected As 1. Faithfulness or sincerity we must pray in faith if ever we would obtain in truth Iames 1. 6. we must lift up pure hands without wrath and without doubting 〈◊〉 set form of prayer may be sent up to heaven with a great deal of faith and if it hath faith though but as small as a grain of mustard-seed it shall not miscarry Did not Christ pray in faith when he cryed thrice to his Father that the Cup might pass from him was not Paul a sinner did not his heart say Amen when his Pen writ so often Grace and Peace be with you Was not the Prodigal in his prayer to his Father strong in faith and was he not heard in what he prayed yea in more than he prayed for which argues that his prayer was mixed with abundance of faith and sincere acknowledgement of his sin 2. Men must pray with earnestness or feelingly there must be a fervency in the breast an earnest desire for the obtaining of that they pray for or for the removing of that they pray against How earnestly will a poor afflicted soul upon a Road beg an Almes of the Passenger and will with as much earnestness beg of another and to both use one kind of Petition Let any put their hands to our Saviours sides in the Garden and put their fingers to his brow and they will feel blood coming out of his flesh surely denoting the earnestness of the soul that was within How feelingly doth the Prodigal pray that he might be but admitted as a servant to his Fathers house since he is no more worthy to be called a son He knows it is better to be his Fathers servant than his own Master and if a man look the space between the Porch and the Altar Joel 2. 17. he shall see it wet with the tears of them that are praying in a set form 3. Men must pray with submissiveness and humility in this grace a set form hath an eminent excellency the gift of extempory fluency may even puff up I speak not this in opposition to the thing Mens hands may even tremble when they pray Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil See Christ prostrating himself upon the ground and he is a Witness of this To conclude if grace might not be in the heart in the time of using a set form that of St Paul Colossians 3. 16. where he would sing Psalmes with grace in their hearts might be in vain Argum. 5. It seems it is lawful to use a set form of prayer for the Church in the vision of God is shown to the Divine making use of and using in heaven a set form of prayer Revel 15. 3. If Heaven here be taken for the seat of the blessed the New Ierusalem the seat of God then a majore ad minus we argue What 's done by that part of the Church Triumphant above may lawfully be done by that part that is Militant beneath If by Heaven here be signified the Church as it often in this Book doth then it holds out the same truth the songs are two First the song of the Lamb of which we have only a negative description showing its ekcellency Revel 14. 3. And Secondly the song of Moses of which we have a large Narr●…tion Exod. 18. However it be set forms being in Heaven holds out 1. That God is contented with and delighted in such a form Nothing is in Heaven but what the mind and goodness of God to the highest degree is satisfied with and by God therefore whose eye cannot behold

appointed by Authority and every one in that Nation at that time to be praying or using that set form of prayer appointed in the Common Prayer viz. Almighty God which in thy wrath in the time of King David didst stay with the plague of Pestilence threescore and ten thousand and yet remembring mercy didst save the rest have pity upon us miserable sinners that now are visited with great sickness and mortality that like as then thou didst command thine Angel to cease from punishing so it may now please thee to withdraw from us this plague and grieveous sickness through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen This I say in a general sickness to be generally used is both proper and seasonable and as God both in Ioel 2. 17. and here did behold his people with his mercy and heal their Land so might he be also reconciled to that people through the hearty pouring forth of their souls before him in the using of that set form 2. Answ. It may be used when all generally are partakers of the same present mercies or would be partakers of the benefits of future blessings When our Kingdoms peace and happiness consists next under God in His Majesties Person it 's fit for all true Christians and all Loyal Subjects at once or in an houre to be praying O Lord save the King and this being all the Land over must needs be effectual When our Oxen are strong for labour and our sheep bring forth thousands in our streets when there is no complaining in our gates then for that Kingdom at once to be praising His Name as in the Common Prayer O most merciful Father which of thy gracious goodness hast heard the devout prayers of thy Church and turned our dearth and scarcity into cheapness and plenty we give thee most humble thanks for this thy especial bounty beseeching thee to continue this thy loving-kindness unto us that our Land may yield her fruits of encrease to thy glory and our comfort through Iesus Christ our Lord. May not Heaven be delighted at this Hymne so much the more as the whole Nation in their sever●l Assemblies uses and sends up the same praises as Israel did Exod. 15. or as Deborah did Iudg. 5. 1. 3. Answ. It may chiefly be used when men are gathered into one place to worship in one way the great God this is a fit time to pray for and with each other to say O Lord open thou our lips and our mouth shall shew forth thy praise at our first meeting is very meet and proper When we come to the great Congregation and those about us with lifted up voices call Uenite exultemus O come let us sing unto the Lord let us heartily rejoyce in the strength of our salvation it is able to lift up the heart of him that is otherwise not taken with a sence of that Gods presence in whose House he now appears and fills a Seat One live Coal cast among many dead may and will quicken many so one sinners zeal may be enflamed with the zeal of that Christian that sits next him and the practice of many in prayer may rather provoke him than a single or silent Petitioner The Angels and Church writes us one way of Thanksgiving in the heavenly Kingdom R●…v 4. 11. sure then the Saints may joyn in one in the Kingdom of Heaven even in the Assembly of the Elders and with one mouth since they are frail may use this one Petition before they go O God make clear our hearts within us and take not thy Holy Spirit from us and that without sin and without offence 4. Answ. It ought to be done when it is enjoyned by Supreme Authority There are some that are borne to be ruled others are born to be Rulers What Supreme Authority enjoyns if lawful is to be obeyed if possible this was the case with the Levites 2 Chron. 29. 30. the King and his Princes commanded them to use the words of David unto which they yielded all obedience God promises to give to his Church Kings for its Nursing Fathers and Queens for its Nursing Mothers They ought therefore to look to all their Family and provide food and rayment for the weak and infirm and by some means remove the ignorance of them that are unlearned if he command us to teach them to praise the Lord at such a time and that in a set form it 's our duty to obey though our parts and abilities were never so great or eminent and since he commands it let the greater serve a while the l●…ss and he that is old for a small season teach him that is the younger and if we that are grown in years must eat of the childrens Mess by our Fathers direction for such a one is every King let us fall to it chearfully especially since the meat is wholesome that it may be seen we are not so much wedded to our own pallate-pleasing humor but that we can eat of any wholesome dish that is set before us else how shall our moderation he known to all men SECT VI. THE second circumstance to be spoken of touching set forms of prayer is the place where they may be made That that 's lawful may be done in any place that suits to the nature of the thing done We shall not speak of this in an absolute or positive way but by way of comparison only And shall defend this conclusion That set forms of prayer are rather to be used in publick than in pri●…ate Most of those set forms we read of in Scripture seem to make for this truth they being publick our Saviours indeed was private and used only for that time whether the Prodigals was publick or no in the Parable it is not so easie to be determined It seems to be of a mixed kind since the Servants of the House are spoken to by the Father immediately at the close of his Petition The Church therefore or if that offend the Congreation of the Elders is judged a more proper place for set forms than any other The reasons that induceth to this opinion are such as these 1. Reason Set forms are rather to be used in publick than in private for there men are and must be more close than they are or ought to be in private There are many secret sins which the conscience of man in a powerful way accuseth him of and many and great temptations befalls him which he must pray against and yet it is not expedient that either the one or the other should be known of the whole Assembly In publick we insist upon generals and confesse so that every man knows himself to be as guilty as he that makes that confession But now in private we must unbosome our selves to God and show him all our heart take shame to our selves by enlarging our selves upon the particular aggravations of our beloved sins and make known our soulest iniquities with David saying Against thee only have I sinned and done