Selected quad for the lemma: church_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
church_n	age_n	scripture_n	word_n	2,726	5	3.8894	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A36374	Reform'd devotions, in meditations, hymns, and petitions, for every day in the week, and every holiday in the year divided into parts.	Dorrington, Theophilus, d. 1715.; Birchley, William, 1613-1669. Devotions in the ancient way of offices.	1687 (1687)	Wing D1946; ESTC R10442	174,240	506

REFORM'D DEVOTIONS IN MEDITATIONS HYMNS AND PETITIONS FOR Every DAY in the Week AND Every HOLIDAY in the Year Divided into Two PARTS The Second Edition Ex Aedibus Lambeth May 7. 1686. Imprimatur Jo. Battely LONDON Printed by J. A. for Joseph Watts at the Angel in St. Pauls Church-yard 1687. TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THE LADY ANN BOSCAWEN MADAM WHen the best Things of the World are presented to the Great this is a piece of Justice done both to those Honourable Persons and to the things that are presented for thus much is undoubtedly due to the deserts of both And when such exalted persons are pleased to receive those things and approve by using them this becomes an advantage to both They have the service of what is most useful in its kind and their using it recommends it to others For the inferiour ranks of Mankind commonly derive their Estimates of things from the Opinions and Practices of those that are above them It is because I account this Book very Excellent in its kind and worthy to be recommended as such to the World which makes me presume Madam to dedicate it to so high a Person as your Honour I hope if you please to acquaint your self with it that I shall have the honour to be approv'd in my Judgment of it and It may have the great advantage to be recommended by you I know that your accomplisht Mind is disposed to approve of what is ingenious and devout Here presents it self to your Honour Divine Truth in a decent and fashionable Attire it were not fit for any one to make you a Visit in a careless Undresse The Beauty here is not conceal'd and disguised by too much external Ornament nor expos'd to Contempt by too little This Book you may be pleas'd to observe is fitted to possess mens Minds with that pure and peaceable Wisdom which is from above to excite Devotion in the coldest and most careless Hearts and to possess with a love of Devotion our too nice and witty Age since here it appears so rational and ingenious even in its highest flights Madam I must readily acknowledge the Hand that makes you this Present is too mean and unworthy but since you have not thought me too mean to receive Obligations from you I must not believe my self thereby excus'd from bringing all such Testimonies of Respect and Gratitude as I am able Yet I most humbly crave your Pardon for this Presumption as what it were still greater presumption to expect without seeking it And doing thus it were a very guilty despair on the other hand if I should not hope to obtain it from a goodness such as yours Your Honour cannot want any Noble Quality in an answerable degree who derive your high Birth from two Illustrious Families and are furnisht in them with so many excellent Presidents While I present this Book to you I present also my Prayers to Almighty God to the giver of every good and perfect Gift that by his Blessing it may become to your Honour a very profitable Entertainment That it may nourish in you those good Advances of Piety and Vertue which adorn your Youth That it may help to maintain still that prudent constancy which has shown it self able to conquer the violent current of present Wickedness while such a number of unthinking Sinners are carryed along with the fatal stream I pray that the God who has blest you with Beauty and Wealth and Honour the three greatest Gifts of this World may still continue favourable ●ou in the Dispensations of 〈◊〉 Providence and after a ●…g and happy Life may re●●●ve you to Heaven Thus 〈◊〉 Prayers shew what I am ●…dy in any other possible way express that I am MADAM Your Honours Most Humble most Obedient And devoted Servant T. D. THE PREFACE SOme Account of the Following Book I am bound to give in point of Justice both to it and my self and something may be said tending to promote the Vsefulness of it Which things will be the matter of this Preface and in such matter it will not be impertinent to detain the Reader for a little while It was a Book of Devotions dispos'd into the Form and Method of the Roman Breviary and though the matter of it was not the same with that yet therein were the Truths of Christian Religion frequently mixed as in the Belief of that Church with those erroneous Doctrines which in latter Ages have been added to Christianity What I thought to be such by the direction of Holy Scripture and the Articles of our Church which are drawn from thence according to the usual Interpretation made of it by the most pure and primitive Ages of Christianity that I have taken away and connected the Sence with what those Rules suggested to be truth Therefore has this Book the Title of Reform'd Devotions And I dare say if Holy Scripture may be the Rule to judge by in these matters as it must be in all such matters the Book is now more truly corrected and amended than it was in any of the former Editions though it pretends to have been four times printed and twice with that Advantage In the fourth and last Edition which is dated Roan 1685. it is said to be corrected and augmented and there is added to it in that a whole Office for the Virgin Mary which being very different from the former Book and much inferiour to it in all Respects and more corrupted I have wholly left it out and having made use of that part of the former Book which provided for all the Saints Dayes I should have wanted a good Reason for so regarding one particular Saint if I had used that part of the Book distinct And there being enough of the other to serve my Method I did not trouble my self to pick out the best Sentences of that to mix with the rest This I did out of one Office in the other Book because in the present Method I had no occasion for it distinct and because the greatest part of that Office related to the Souls suppos'd to be in Purgatory I am justified in the reforming of this Book and purging out those fore-mention'd Doctrines by the Authority of our Nation which did for the sake of them a few years ago condemn the Book to a publick burning And because there was a great deal of it very good Sence and that compos'd in a very devout strain and an ingenious style and mixt with several curious Hymns I thought it was worthy of a Reformation and as well too good to be thrown away whole as too bad to be used whole Which I doubt not all ingenious and devout Readers will acknowledge upon perusing what is here presented when I shall have said that the most of it is but what I found in that Book Yet I subscribe to the Wisdom and Justice of that Condemnation which it underwent as it was for the better it was in some respects since many offensive

secur'd of the enjoyment of our God who by the sole perfection of his own free Goodness can never deny himself to those that love him else would their very loving him be a cause of great misery since the misery of a Soul is the want of what it loves Indeed he that is possest with love is so far already a partaker of a divine nature for thou hast told us O Lord that God is Love and he that dwelleth in Love dwelleth in God and God in him He then that loves must needs be proportionably happy too for so much as he has of God so much he possesses of his true good Thus Lord Jesus whatever thy holy books do record of thee in expressions suited to our low capacities Whatever they say of thy restoring all things and repairing again the ruines of Mankind All is exactly verified with this one line which our thankful Hearts should repeat with joy Heaven is attain'd by Love alone and Love alone by thee MEDITATION III. STill my Soul let us repeat a few Lines more to the praise of him whose Mercies are no fewer than infinite Of him whose pity took us by the hand and kindly led us into his own light Of thee O Blessed Jesu our Lord our God who alone art the source of all our Happiness The World till thou camest sate wrapt in darkness and few discern'd so much as a shadow of thee They follow'd the Appetites of Sense and Humour and plac'd their felicity in being prosperous here Little considering the Life to come and less the joyes that entertain that Life This was alas their miserable State and which was worse than this they had no power to help it How could they believe what they never heard of or love what they never believed How could they desire what they never lov'd or be glad to receive what they never desir'd It was thou O Lord didst first teach us our true end the blissful Vision of the Eternal Deity It was thou didst first teach us the true means to attain that end by a hearty love and desire to attain it O the blest change which thy hand has wrought the happy improvements which thy coming has produc't Now every Woman and illiterate Man can discourse familiarly of the highest Truths The Creation of the World and the fall of Adam the Incarnation of God and Redemption of Man the mystery of the Trinity and Miracle of the Resurrection the day of Judgment and State of Eternity All these we know but it was thou O Lord who taught'st us and by thy holy Church first spread them over the World. Now thou hast opened our Eyes we plainly see what unassisted nature could never have reacht We see the framing right of our Affections here is both cause and measure of our Happiness hereafter If we supreamly esteem the goods of the future life we shall find them there and be happy If we love Heaven with our whole Soul and press on strongly with all our force we shall enter its Glories with a strange surprizing delight and possess them for ever in a perpetual extasie We see our Souls are made to know and perfect themselves by the worthiest objects We see their Nature is free and unconfin'd and nothing can fill them but that which is infinite All other knowledges enlarge our faculties and breed new desire to know still more which if unsatisfi'd we yet are miserable since none can be happy who want their desire Only the sight of God fills us to the brim and infinitely overflows our utmost capacities It fills and overflows all the powers of our Souls with joy and wonder and inconceivable sweetness O blest and glorious sight when will the happy day appear and open to my Soul that beauteous prospect When dearest Lord shall I fee thee face to face when shall I heartily at least desire to see Thee Thou art my full and high felicity and only and alone sufficient for me PETITIONS O Most Gracious and adorable Jesu who so lovedst this sinful World as to die for us we cannot think thou wilt deny us any thing that we humbly ask of thee according to thy will. Those that believing come unto thee thou wilt in no wise cast out Let me then obtain I beseech thee these important favours and whatever else thou seest conducing to my Happiness Teach me I pray effectually that this low world can never make me happy that I must set my affections on things above Make me seek therefore in the first place the Kingdom of God and the Righteousness thereof to love with my whole affections the enjoyment of God since nothing but love can qualifie me for that enjoyment and nothing without that enjoyment can ever render me happy O my God make me ardently love thee that I may eagerly desire thee and eagerly desire thee that I may with joyful transport enjoy thee Make me O Blessed Jesu so meditate on thy infinite Mercies that my whole Soul may be fill'd with the memory of thy love that the frequent remembrance of it may diffuse a vigorous love of thee into all my powers let the mark and badge which they all bear be the love of Jesus Let every step of thy love dear Lord in redeeming lost Mankind confirm my Soul in Love and Duty fortifie me thereby against all Persecution and discouragement and so effectually draw me into thine own Kingdom of Glory by thy Holy Life and precious Death and glorious Resurrection Make me to persevere in thy obedience to the end that I may die in thy favour and rise again to rejoice with thee for ever Who with the Father and the Holy Ghost livest and reignest one God World without end Glory be to c. Amen For the Evening MEDITATION I. REtire now my Soul from thy common thoughts that are permitted to entertain thy less serious hours Retire and call thy wandering Fancies home and speedily range them in peace and order that thou may'st be so prepar'd to hear thy Lord who invites thee among the rest to taste his sweetness The Prince of Love and Bounty sayes Come to me all you that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest Take my yoke upon you and learn of me for I am meek and lowly in heart and you shall find rest to your Souls For my yoke is easie and my burthen is light Enough dear Lord enough is said to draw all the World to thy holy Discipline What can be offer'd so agreeable to our Natures too much alas inclin'd to pleasure and profit What can be offer'd so powerfully attractive as to make our work delightfull and then reward it As to propose an Employment like the Musick of Churches devout sweet and gainful to the Performers Whither O my God should we go but unto thee Thou alone hast the words of eternal Life Thou art our wise Instructor to know what to do and our onely Enabler to do what we know Thou

art the free Bestower of all we have the faithfull Promiser of all we hope for Thy kind Saviour my Soul has given thee a gracious Call to thee has he sent the Invitations of the Gospel Shall he call and wilt thou not hear his voice and constantly follow it till thou come to him Wilt thou be so foolish as still to go astray like a lost sheep wandering up and down in thine own By-wayes Wandering out of his wayes and the wayes of Happiness pursuing only thine own Perdition By seeking our selves in this World of Vanity we lose both thee O Lord and our own Souls By seeking our selves in thee and in thy Love we find both thee and our own Happiness O how unspeakable are thy sweetnesses O Lord which thou hast hid for those who fear thee which thou hast partly reveal'd to those who love thee and keep their taste uncorrupted with the World. But O! what are they then to those who see thee and in that sight see all that is necessary to their Happiness to those who rejoyce perpetually before thee and in that joy find all joyes beside O beauteous Truth which known inforces Love and which well lov'd begets Felicity Live thou for ever in my faithfull Memory and be my constant Guide in all my wayes Still my Soul let us think of the Joyes above and undervalue all things compar'd with everlasting Salvation Still contemplate thy dear Saviour's Love that purchased for thee all those unutterable joyes MEDITATION II. MY God when I remember those Words of thine Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand When I consider they were the first thou spakest in publick the chosen Text of the Eternal Wisdom I cannot think but they contain a very important Precept and that I ought to be deeply affected with the power of the Motive My Soul did Christ begin his publick work with this Command Apply then those searching Words to thy self and bind them fast upon thee Repent O my Soul for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand repent for the Kingdom of Heaven depends upon thy Repentance Unhappy me that I cannot live without sin but blessed be our God that I may obtain Pardon by my Repentance Practise then my Soul that safe and easie method of censuring thy self to be acquitted by him Every night sit as an impartial Judge and lay before thee all thou canst of the past day Severely examine every thought and word and strictly search every Deed and Omission And since thou art not strong enough to be perfectly innocent at least endeavour to be humble enough to be truely penitent Say Woe to the day and hour wherein I sinn'd woe to the many dayes and hours I have foolishly mispent Or rather Woe to me who abuse my dayes and hours allow'd by thy goodness to work out my Salvation Be heartily sorry for what thou hast done amiss and make firm and wary resolutions not to do again what will make thee sorry Implore for the past the Mercy of Heaven and for the time to come the same indulgent Mercy Ask it in the Name of Jesus Christ for 't is only by his Blood that our Repentance can obtain the remission of our Sins If perhaps thou find in thy Examination that some little thing has been well done return to God all the Glory for this and beg his Grace to continue thy good and improve it His is the hand that sowes the seed his is the Blessing that gives the Increase Thus I will once in a day at least look home and seriously inquire into the state of my Soul Whate're my Malice or weakness may have done I should now undo it as it were by a hearty Contrition Let not the Sun go down upon thy Wrath nor upon any other unrepented Sin. O happy man that can write at the foot of his Account Reconcil'd to my God and in Charity with all the World. Such an one may go to Bed with a quiet Conscience and fall asleep in peace and hope MEDITATION III. LOrd e're I take my leave of this Day which thy Church has devoted to the honour of thy Memory I would repeat some few words more of those incomparable many that thou hast left among us I would attentively meditate their substantial sence and settle them as Principles of my Life and Actions Thou hast said I remember O divine Wisdom and well worthy it is to be remember'd Lay not up for your selves treasures on Earth where moth and rust do corrupt and Thieves break through and steal But lay up for your selves treasures in Heaven where neither moth nor rust do corrupt nor Thieves break through and steal For where your treasure is there will your heart be also Go now you curious and study what you please for me I 'l stay and listen to my Saviour He will teach me high and sure and useful Truths he 'll teach me Truths that will bring me to Happiness Only I must receive and keep the Truths he teaches me and obey their direction in my course of Life In vain am I told this Instruction if I will still dote on the uncertain Goods of this World utterly in vain if I will not be concern'd for the more durable and certain possessions of a better Notwithstanding this wise instruction I shall be a fool if I suffer my heart to six below if I set my Affections on that which is not All our few dayes we live here my Soul are full of Vanity and our choicest pleasures are sprinkled with bitterness The things here perish in the using and our transitory joyes vanish like a Dream Besides consider there is no reason thy Heart should six here when thou thy self art design'd for a removal Thou art but a meer Sojourner and Stranger on Earth and art passing hence to an eternal home Already I am dead to all the years I have lived and shall never live them over again All must go down to the same dark Grave and none can tell how soon he may be call'd To day we are in health among our friends and neighbours and to morrow Arrested by the hand of Death Nature may faintly struggle for a time but must yield at last and be buried in the Earth At last we must take our leave of nearest Relations and bid a long Farewell to all the World. And how sad a thing my Soul will it be in that day to have no Treasure but what thou must leave and to leave the onely Treasure that thy heart is set upon Let thy chosen Treasure then be in Heaven since where the treasure is the heart will be also Ye careless Worldlings hear but this one word more which our great Master has also spoken and then I expect you will stay and observe his Instructions too if any sense of your eternal good can hold you Heark he tells us this new and glorious secret We shall be hereafter like the Angels in Heaven O precious word to them