purposes about or concerning Prayer If the promise of the teaching of the holy Ghost if those Scriptures Ye have an anointing that teacheth you all things and when he comes he shall lead you into all truth doth not discharge us from the use of mens teaching us and preaching unto us and from our own reading the holy Scriptures the doctrine of the Prophets of our Saviour Christ of his Apostles no more doth the other promise of the spirit of Prayer take away all use of Scripture-prayers especially of our Lords Prayer The promise of baptizing with the holy Ghost when it was fulfilled did not make void or take away Baptisme of water no more doth the promise of the holy Ghost to help us to pray and in prayer take away the use of the Lords Prayer It was the work of the holy Ghost to teach and to help Christians to offer up this Prayer and all other their prayers in the name merits and mediation of Jesus Christ to stir up in them good and holy desires agreeable to the requests or petitions continued in this prayer and to descend to many particular desires and petitions and to expresse those desires in proper words and significant expressions all which desires were summarily comprehended in the Petitions and words or expressions of the Lords prayer I say this was the office and work of the holy Ghost which doth in no wise take away all lawfull use of the Lords prayer as a prayer For surely the holy Spirit will not therefore refuse to assist us when we pray this prayer because it is a prayer made by Jesus Christ and registred in the holy Scriptures written by those who were full of and moved by the holy Ghost in that work Nor doe I believe that God the holy Ghost who is the God of Order and not of Confusion will suggest or infuse into us such desires as shall necessarily turn us out of the Lords prayer whilest we are using it in a right manner It is not probable that the holy Spirit will turn us out of the road wherein the Sonne appointed us to goe to the Father And I pray what desires are there that are holy just and good such are all the desires of which the holy Ghost is authour but are comprehended in this prayer Doubtlesse as the Spirit of the Prophets in the Apostles dayes was subject to the Prophets so t is no disparagement to the spirit of prayer which Christians have in these dayes to be regulated by the spirit of prayer which was in Christ and so consequently by that forme which he hath left us Must the whole congregation be tyed up to the forme of the speaker whether Minister or other in prayer and may he in no wise be guided by Christs Prayer Beloved brethren whilst ye so judge are ye not partiall in your selves and to your selves If it be asked what 's the reason that when we have been praying a long time either according to a premeditated forme or a conceived prayer or in a mixt way betwixt both for the things contained in the Lord prayer we yet conclude our prayers with the Lords prayer Is not this a vaine repetition Answ For as much as when we have prayed our best we may have failed in something our prayer may have been defective imperfect It is not therefore vaine but to purpose and very reasonable to rehearse that prayer wherein is nothing defective nothing superfluous nothing out of its due place and order Nor is this an Innovation it was the practice of the antient Church Quam totâ—m pâ—titionem fere omnis Ecclesia Dominica oratione concludit if we will believe Austin in his 59. Epistle q. 5. where he tells that the Church did generally conclude their prayers and blessings at the consecration and distribution of the Elements at the Lords Supper with the Lords Prayer And it hath been observed that they who wholly omit or disuse the Lords Prayer as a prayer doe seldome follow the Lord Christ fully in it as a patterne namely in this particular they seldome plead with God for forgivenesse of sinnes with this argument as or because we forgive those who trespasse against us and doe not alwaies pray against Temptation If they seek to justifie their not using the Lords Prayer and their not imitating it in the former of these particulars lest they should occasion many to pray against themselves because they cannot finde in their hearts to forgive their brethren To this we reply that all our prayers ought to be according to this modell or pattern themselves being Judges To the Lords Prayer bring we all our prayers if they are not according to this rule it is because as to that thing wherein they are irregular or not conforme hereto the true spirit of prayer is not in them 2. If we will not heare Gods Commandement to forgive our brethren how should we expect God should heare our prayers for forgivenesse we must both pray and practise according to Gods will if we would have our wills done if we would have God fulfill our desires 3. The crookedness of mens hearts and waies can be no right rule for Gods Minister in publick prayer but the Word of God and prayer of our Lord Christ 4. The using of this prayer may be instead of a Sermon to such malitious ones to minde them of and move them to forgivenesse However I doubt not but some of the Israelites might be guilty of some of those sins against which the curse was denounced by the Priests on Mount Ebal and to which the Congregation said Amen Obj. Papists and profane ignorant Protestants make an ill use of this good prayer make a kind of Idoll of it and therefore we should lay it aside after the example of Hezekiah who demolished the brazen Serpent when it was abused to Idolatry 2 King 18.4 Answ Some mens abuse of naturall things must not hinder or prejudice others in their right to use them lawfully much lesse must mans abuse annull or make void Gods Institutions Our Saviour sanctifyed the Sabbath although the Jewes were superstitious in their manner of observation of it We must not lay aside the first part of the Gospell written by the holy Evangelist John because it hath been abused in charmes c. And we may still use the words of Christ This is my body in celebration of the Lords Supper notwithstanding that Papists thereupon ground Transubstantiation and Artolatry or worship of the bread believing it to be the body of Christ corporally and not only Sacramentally As the Apostle Paul to Timothy 1 Epist Chap. 1.8 saith of the law of God The law is good if a man use it lawfully So say I of the prayer of our Lord The Prayer is good if a man use it lawfully If the meer abuse of things should take away all lawfull use of them we should soon be deprived of the benefit both of Gods creatures and of his ordinances
owne Surely we cannot have better matter better method better words than is contained in Christs owne Prayer Let us therefore not so requite the kindness of Christ in teaching us a form of prayer and his condescention in allowing us to pray after this pattern and giving us his spirit to help us in prayer as wholly to lay aside the very words of Christ but as we judge it lawful to praise God in the words of David so let us not scruple the praying unto God in the words of the Messiah the Son of David yea Davids Lord. Let us thus honour our Lord and Master as by reading his Word so by praying his Prayer I shall now come to endeavour to remove some of those rubs or stumbling-blocks I mean Objections which already lye or possibly may be cast in the way to hinder this Doctrine from having a cleare passage amongst us Obj. If Christs meaning was that we should say these words when we pray then we must alway say these words and no other words when we pray and so if this text make the saying of this Prayer lawfull it makes all other Prayers besides this unlawfull Answ It doth not follow that if we may say these words then we may say no other or that we must necessarily rehearse these very words as oft as we goe to prayer I le instance in two parallel texts Our Saviour saith Mat. 6.6 But thou when thou prayest enter into thy closet and when thou hast shut thy doore pray c. It doth not hence follow that we must never pray but privately or privately but in our closet or with our doores shut and yet we may pray in our closets and with our doores shut Our Saviour prayed oft in the Mount of Olives Again our Saviour saith Luke 12.13 When thou makest a dinner or a supper call not thy friends nor thy brethren neither thy kinsmen nor thy rich neighbours lest they also bid thee again and a recompence be made thee But when thou makest a feast call the poore the maimed the blind From hence it follows that we may call the poore the blind the halt the maimed when we make a feast and yet from hence it doth not follow that we must never make a feast but they must be called or none else but such And so because our Lord saith when ye pray say Our Father c. I gather I think rationally that we may say these words and yet conceive it unreasonable that then we may say no other or that we must say these words as often as we pray The King was bound to read in the book of the Law all the daies of his life and yet he might and was to do other things besides read in the book of the Law and might without sin read in other books daily besides the book of the Law Affirmative precepts bind semper but not ad semper and so though we should say it was a commandement of Christ When ye pray say c. as it looks more like a Precept Injunction or command than a Prohibition yet it followes not that we must pray no other prayer or never pray but that we must adde this Prayer also I say we may pray saying these very words because Christ saith When ye pray say And I say we may pray in other words after this pattern or model because I read Mat. 6.9 After this manner pray ye Our Father c. And because I read that the Apostles prayed other prayers Acts 4.24 25. and in many other Scriptures If any say But we never read that the Apostles used this Prayer at all To this I return answer That though we read not that they ever did use this Prayer yet we no where read in Scripture that they did not and we have the authority of the Ancients that they did use it and particularly in the consecration of the elements in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper Hieron adversus Pelag. Greg l. 7 â—p 63. Again it followes not because the Scripture is silent as to the Apostles practise whether they used or not used the Lords Prayer that therefore they did not use it at all To plough a little as to the substance of what I say with Monsier de Spaign's Heifer in answer to this Objection We never read that the Apostles baptized any in the name of the Father the Son and the holy Ghost shall we therefore believe they did not or that is was unlawfull for them to doe so Because our Saviour saith Goe teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father of the Son and the holy Ghost I conclude that they might lawfully and so may we now use that very form of words in Baptisme notwithstanding that I read not in the holy Scriptures of any baptised in that form but the Scriptures speak expresly of some who were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus either by some of Johns Disciples or by the Apostle Paul Acts 19.5 but it no where records the baptisme of any expresly in the other forme Now because of this practise of the Church I collect they sinned not who baptised in the name of the Lord Jesus and because of Christs command Mat. 28. latter end I believe it very lawfull to baptize in the name of the Father the Son and the holy Ghost and that it is now lawfull and I think most expedient at least to say no more to baptize now in this same form of The Father the Son and the holy Ghost And so in the present case although I read not in Scripture that the Disciples did use the Lords Prayer for a Prayer yet it seemes very strange if they never should our Saviour speaking so expresly When ye pray say Our Father c. yet I judge it lawfull for them and so for us to use it because of this text yea I will adde that put the case those who had the extraordinary miraculous assistance of the holy Ghost in praying did not actually use this very forme yet I think it lawfull and expedient for us to use it who have necessarily no such infallible assistance and guidance in our prayers Obj. But the Evangelist Matthew chap. 6.16 and this Evangelist Luke here set down the Lords Prayer with some difference In the one it is Forgive us our sins for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us in the other it is Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors In the one For thine is the Kingdome the Power and the Glory for ever is added to the Petitions in the other it is omitted from hence it may be gathered that we are not to use the very words for if so which forme should we follow Ans I answer with Mr. de Spaign the Evangelists and the Apostle Paul relate Christs words in the celebration of the Lords Supper diversly may we not therefore use the words of any of them yes surely of any one of them
Dominicam idcirco mox post precem dicimus quòd nos Apostolorum fuit ut ad ipsam solummodò orationem oblationis hostiam consecrarent Greg. Epist lib. 7. Epist 63. And to say the truth I have not read or heard that ever any of the Fathers or Councils judged it either unlawfull or inexpedient to use the Lords Prayer for a Prayer And now Sir having by this time I suppose sufficiently tried if not tired your patience in detaining you so long a spectator of our contests with this half doZen of errors I shall adde no more but desiring that this Epistle may remain as a publique acknowledgement or expresse of gratitude for those Respects and Favours wherewith you have been pleased to oblige our Brackley-society I shall onely bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus for you that you may be the blessed of the Lord and your off-spring with you and particularly sith you are one who can say Amen to the Prayer of Moses for Levi Deut. 33.11 and to the Prayer of Christ Mat. 6.9 c. and Luke 11.1 2 c. that you may beare a part in the Song of Moses and of the Lamb. Sir this is and shall be the heartie prayer of Your very humble Servant in the Lord Tho Hodges Decem. 1. 1655. A TREATISE OF PRAYER And particularly An Apology for the use of the Lords Prayer On LUKE 11.1 2. And it came to passe that as he was praying in a certain place when he ceased one of his Disciples said unto him Lord teach us to pray as John also taught his Disciples And he said unto him when ye pray say Our Father c. GOd having but one Son made him a Minister of the Circumcision that is he ordained him a preacher of the truth to his own people the Jewes This man was not meerely as other Priests taken out from amongst men but that in all things he might have the preheminence he was taken from amidst the persons of the ever blessed Trinity to deale in things pertaining unto God And now being made an Officer in the Church it behoved him to wait on his office and to fulfill his Ministry which he had received of the Lord. And accordingly he did he gave himselfe continually to Prayer and to the Ministry of the word and so he became an example and pattern to his Apostles which they did follow Acts 6.4 and to all Ministers that come after that they should tread in his steps And upon occasion of his frequent going to prayer at a certain time when he had been about that holy performance one of his Disciples whether one of the Apostles for they were all called Disciples or one of the seventy Disciples or some other of his followers I determine not but one of them desires of him to teach them to pray as John Baptist had taught his Disciples It may seem either that this Disciple was not present at our Saviours Sermon on the Mount wherein as you have it Mat. 6.9 he taught his Disciples and in them all Christians to pray after this manner Our Father c. or else that he did not apprehend our Lords meaning at that his first delivery of this form of Prayer but took it for a model or pattern of Prayer onely And as probably the chief Masters or Rabbies amongst the Pharisees had framed certain formes of prayer for their Disciples and John the Baptist had given his a forme of prayer suitable likely to their present condition wherein it may be one great request was that the Messiah whom John preached and they expected and longed for might suddenly come into his Temple So this Disciple prayeth Christ to prescribe his Schollars and followers a form also both as a badge and cognizance of being his Disciples and as a help and furtherance to them in their devotions Possibly the Liturgy of the Scribes and Pharisees might now be leavened with evil as well as their Sermons Observable it is that our Saviour sometime adviseth on this wise saying the Scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses chaire whatsoever they say unto you that observe and do but we never finde that he counselled to pray their prayers And again it may be that the form which John Baptist the Lord Christ his Harbinger taught his Disciples to prepare the way for Christ was not sufficiently accommodated or fitted to the condition of them who believed him already come followed him professed Faith in him and were ready to or actually did preach him Upon these or such like considerations this Disciple might make this motion to our Saviour saying Lord teach us to pray as John also taught his Disciples and occasion our Lord more plainly and fully to expresse himself concerning the use of that form of prayer formerly delivered now not to say as before After this manner pray yee but when ye pray say Our Father c. It is the saying of learned Mr. Mede As the dream was doubled unto Pharaoh because the thing was established by God so the Lords Prayer was twice delivered that we might not scruple the using but know it for a truth that Jesus Christ did recommend it to his Church to be used as a forme of prayer and not a patterne of prayer onely Let this serve for the occasion and scope of the words There are three observations which I shall raise and prosecute in part in my treating on this text 1. Gods Children or People or right Christians are a praying generation 2. It is lawfull to use a Form of Prayer 3. It is lawful to use this Form the Lords Prayer for a Prayer I. Of the first Gods Children or right Christians are a praying generation That John the Baptist the Elijah who was for to come was also noted for prayer I gather hence because 't is said that hee taught his Disciples to pray And that they viz. his Schollers or Disciples learnt this lesson and practised this duty seems implied in the same phrase And as for Christ himself the onely begotten Son of God and his Disciples the adopted children of God that they were men of many prayers those who much frequented and highly valued this Ordinance the very words of the text import or at least insinuate From these premises I inferre my first conclusion and ground my following discourse thereupon I shall endeavour to shew what Prayer is That all men ought to pray That the children of Men as well as the children of God That very Heathens without the pale of the Church and profane or scandalous Persons Formalists and Hypocrits within do sometimes pray That Gods own People his dear Children or right Christians are most frequent and most excellent at prayer They take the most pains about it and the greatest pleasure in it Prayer is a making of our requests known unto God It is an offering up of the first born of our soules i. e. of our desires unto God To pray well there is nothing required
for Non-subscription to the Book and Ceremonies and to prosecute divers private Christians for Non-observation or else their opposition to the Ceremonies therein contained Insomuch that many like the children of faithfull Abraham forsook their owne country and fathers house and went into a strange Land viz. into America to the end they might have their consciences freed from these yoaks and burdens as they thought intolerable Besides in divers places the Ministers were forbidden to exercise their own gift of Prayer and others did voluntarily suffer parts and gifts to dry up for want of using because they had this book at hand in all their administrations Further it was observed many of the people did so idolize it that they judged no other way of worshipping God like it or to be allowed by men and accepted by God but that To prevent these or such like mischiefs and inconveniencies for the future as also it may be for that some judged it not necessary if tolerable that all men should be bound to use Crutches because some could not well goe without them and also that they might bring the Churches of England Scotland and Ireland to the neerest conjunction and uniformity in Religion particularly in a Directory for worship catechizing according to their Covenant newly entred into with the Kingdome of Scotland lately set all on a flame with a Service-book which in some things was more though in others lesse liable to exception than the English Liturgy sent thither from hence by the Archbishop of Canterbury I say for these or the like reasons the Assembly advised and the Parliament which the King had confirmed by Act thought good by an Ordinance to lay aside wholly the Common-prayer-book judging it as lawful to doe it as was for Hezekiah to break in pieces the Brazen Serpent made by Moses when once abused to Idolatry The Parliament having thus removed the Booke by an Ordinance or two who were we that we should resist God and them and hazard our own and the Kingdomes and Churches peace to maintain a Form when as without charity all Prayers whether with or without a Form or Book are lost If it shall be further objected that the Service-book was setled by an Act and removed or abolished by an Ordinance To this all I think good to answer here at present is this That I have heard that an Ordinance of Parliament was of validity to suspend an Act And that that Ordinance of Parliament hath not been as yet suspended nor the Act for the Liturgy hitherto revived by any other Act. Let this suffice to justifie our non-using of the English Liturgy III. I come now to my last Observation that is to justifie our continued use of the Lords Prayer And here let me minde you that the same reverend godly and learned Assembly which judged it expedient to take away the Common-prayer did yet recommend the Lords prayer to be used in the prayers of the Church because it is take their owne words in the Directory Not onely a pattern of Prayer but it selfe a most comprehensive Prayer As the same measure may be a standard to frame and try other measures by and may besides be used to measure withall So may this Prayer of our Lord be used both as a Pattern of prayer to frame our prayers by as a Standard to examine them by and as a Prayer it selfe also And truly if our Saviour had meant this Prayer onely for a pattern and that it should be unlawful to uss it as a Prayer I believe him so plain and so good a speaker for never man spake like him and in his mouth was found no guile that he would never have answered such a request Lord teach us to pray as John also taught his Disciples in such expresse language When ye pray say Our Father c. without some caution limitation or restriction to prevent mistakes For had it been possible that when our Lord said When ye pray say Our Father c. that his sense and meaning should be when ye pray ye must not say Our Father c. ye must not say these words at any time or in any case but onely pray alwaies after this patterne we may suppose the holy Ghost would have added some explanation or interpretation as in other cases viz. John 7.38 39. and John 2.20 21. the rather considering there is no room here as in other places for a figurative sense and that it is the office of the holy Ghost to lead us into all truth and so to preserve us from error and that the words are so plaine a forme of Prayer and so plain for the using of them so that plainer needed not upon supposition that it was the minde of Christ that these words should be used as a Prayer Let us reason the matter a little what can be said against using this Prayer of Christ now which might not have been objected or pretended by Aaron and his Sons for their not using the forme of blessing prescribed of old Numb 6.23 24. Yea how shall we now justifie our practice of blessing or praying for a blessing in the words of the Apostle Paul in the close of our Sermons if it be utterly unlawfull to pray unto God in the words of our Lord Jesus in the beginning of our Sermons What is the Disciple come to be above his Master and the Servant above his Lord Again how can we think that God that hears our prayers who have not the Spirit in such a measure as the Apostles had should not regard his Sons prayer should therefore not heare his childrens prayers because presented unto him in his owne and onely Son's words Yea will God the Father heare our prayers indited by the holy Spirit not hear us when we pray that which his Son made put in our hands hearts And did not the same holy Spirit that indited our prayers indite the prayer of Christ too and do not we who have the Spirit by measure receive of Christs fulnesse as all other graces so also the spirit of Grace and Supplication I dare say that the holy Ghost is not therefore out of love out of conceit with his own conceptions because they are not new Must all our prayers necessarily be put up in our Saviours name if they finde acceptance if they be heard and answered and must they in no wise at no time in any case be sent up in his owne words or will Jesus Christ the great Favourite and Master of Requests in heaven refuse to present our Petitions because of his own drawing or inditing Must we alway when we pray pray after this manner and must we never when we pray say Our Father c If one be Scripture is not the other also yea doubtlesse both and in both we have the minde of Christ for he that said that said this also Must we alway keep to Christs sense and meaning and yet never use his words but our
we must no more use bread and wine and water those necessary things either in or out of the Sacrament The instance of the brazen Serpent comes not up fully to the matter in hand For first now there was no possible use of it for that end to which at first God ordained it to be made Num. 21.8 9. And God did never appoint that this should be continued as a monument of that mercy Again the memoriall of the miraculous cure once wrought upon those that looked upon this brazen Serpent was sufficiently preserved in being registred by Moses Gods pen-man or Secretary in the records of the holy Scriptures And Lastly Hezekiah did remove and abolish this brazen Serpent without sin But as for the Lords prayer the case is otherwise in all these or the like particulars It is now of use both as a pattern and as a prayer It is made a portion of the holy Scriptures and so heaven and earth must passe away rather then a jot or tittle of this Prayer If this prayer should be wholy laid aside there is besides no such perfect compleat forme of prayer and rule or touchstone of prayer as this extant in all the Scriptures And lastly the Lord would not hold him guiltlesse who should blot this prayer out of the book of the Scripture But he may justly feare to have his name blotted out of the book of life Our Lord Jesus himself was a Stone of stumbling a rock of offence to many but to them that believe he was and is a choyse stone a precious foundation corner Stone c. And so I say of the Lords Prayer it may perhaps be a stone of stumbling an occasion of fall to some but to them that beleive and use it in faith it is precious and whoever so prays this prayer need never be ashamed of it Obj. Many finde by experience that their hearts are dull dead or very formall as in the use of other formes so of this also Answ Concerning formes in generall I say as before that formes of Prayer are better than no prayer at all and concerning this prayer if our hearts be dead in the using of it I dare say the fault is in us not in the Prayer It may be our hearts are dead at the reading of a Chapter what is the Scripture therefore a dead letter and must it therefore cease in the Church Oh let us never accuse Christs Prayer or Preaching of deadnesse to excuse the sinfull deadnesse of our owne hearts Our Lord Jesus himselfe prayed in the garden thrice saying the same words Mat. 26. and with as much Affection and Devotion and Life the last time as the first Let us goe and doe likewise How is it that our Devotion flags not that our hearts wander not in the joyning with one that prayes a conceived prayer for a quarter halfe an houre or more and yet cannot hold up or keep close to the duty for a moment or two whilst our Lords owne Prayer is rehearsing I should rather thinke that if our hearts have not been duly affected or that there hath been any errour whilst the Minister hath been praying according to his ability that the using of the Lords Prayer and joyning in that perfect forme with double with seven-fold diligence zeale and holy affections in the close of all is very commendable as both pious and prudent for in the generall Petitions of this Prayer are contained all the lawfull particulars both for the Church and every member of it which were mentioned in the foregoing prayer But here I must enter my Caveat I would not be interpreted by what I have said for I doe in no wise meane it God forbid to poure cold water upon any fervent or zealous desires whilst we joyne with others praying according to the gift pretending thereby to reserve all the heat and zeal of our soule for the offering up of the Lords Prayer nor doe I meane farre be it from me to justifie any irreverent gesture by-thoughts or loose and cold affections during the time the Minister or other is exercising his gift in conceived prayer Obj. But the Apostles in their writings when they exhort to prayer and give rules and directions about it never recommend unto us the use of this prayer Ans All that the Apostles did or said is not written Sure I am they have given no rule or direction against the using of this prayer and if it be true which some say that the Evangelist Luke had the Gospell he wrote from the Apostle Paul it is some evidence that the Apostle himselfe was not against the using of this prayer else probably he would not have told him such words as these When ye pray say c. without adding some caution or interpretation to prevent mistake The Apostle Paul speaks sometimes concerning Baptisme but never treats of that forme of words I baptize thee in the name of the Father the Son and the holy Ghost What may we not therefore baptize in that forme of words Surely we may and Mat. 28.19 shall be our sufficient warrant Againe the holy Apostles Col. 3.16 Ephes 5.18 19. James 5.13 give order for and direction about singing of Psalmes but neither there nor elsewhere tell us we are to sing Davids Psalmes or what other Psalmes we should sing doth it thence follow we may not sing the Psalmes of David or other spirituall Songs recorded in the holy Scriptures But put the case that some Christians in those dayes had said to the Apostle Paul teach us to sing Psalmes or teach us Psalms to sing as David the sweet singer of Israel of old taught the people of God and his answer to them had been in such words as these when ye sing sing one of the Psalmes of David one of those songs of Sion or else he himself had composed a Psalme and added this Preface to it or direction concerning it when ye sing sing after this manner or when ye sing sing c. Had not this been sufficient to ground thereupon the lawfulnesse of singing Davids Psalmes or that particular Psalmes so composed and subjoyned by the Apostle I believe it had And now if any ask How often we should pray the Lords prayer To this my Answer is That the holy Ghost in the Scriptures hath left this undetermined as also how oft we are to read the sixt Chapter of the Gospel written by the Evangelist Mathew and this eleventh Chapter of the Gospel according to the Evangelist Luke or any other particular Chapter in the Scriptures as also it is undetermined how oft we are to sing the 92. Psal entitled a Psalme for the Saboth day or any other Psalme I find these things left to Christian prudence and so I shall still leave them not being willing to binde mens consciences wherein God hath left us free as for this I know of no Commandement from the Lord. But herein I give my advice desiring and praying for that mercy
from the Lord that in this and all other things I may be found faithfull If as often as Gods people meet together to worship God publiquely and especially upon the Lords day this prayer also might be offered up to God being a Sacrifice and Incense which our high Priest hath consecrated to God and his Father and to our God and our Father I should think it might be a good supplement of the defects and some emendation of the errors in our prayers Especially in such dayes of division as ours are wherein good men are split into so many several parties and opinions in matters of Church and State that whilst some holy men in their hearts say Amen to some prayers put up in their name by the Ministers others as holy as they in their hearts say God forbid or that be far from us This is a publique Prayer and no private Christian but ought to say Amen unto it However we are divided in more particular Requests wee ought all to concenter and agree in these generall neessary things herein prayed for Forasmuch therefore as when we come together in the Church to pray there are too too often divisions amongst us though we are together in one place yet not with one heart and because the promise is especially to two or three that agree together to ask any thing and to pray with divided hearts this is in a sense not to pray this is not to seek the Lord in due order to reforme in some measure at least these abuses in prayer I should recommend to all the Churches of Christ and to every Christian in them this one prayer the Lords prayer to which Christians of all Nations Tongues and Languages may agree to say Amen For I have received of the Lord that which I delivered unto you how that the Lord Jesus the same time when he was by one of his Disciples in effect asked this question how we should pray saying Lord teach us to pray as John also taught his Disciples he said When ye pray say c.. Obj. Are these things so why then do you not justifie prescribed and imposed Liturgies or forms of Prayer Answ I shall not so far lanch forth into that controversie now as either to commend or condemne them yet this I say that this was made by an infallible Spirit And againe concerning this our Saviour Christ hath said that which he never said concerning any other After this manner pray ye or when ye pray say Our Father c. I shall conclude all with some use of the Doctrine 1. And first As the Angel said to Joseph concerning the blessed Virgin Mary whilst he thought of putting her away privily Feare not Joseph thou son of David to take unto thee Mary thy espoused wife for that is conceived in her is of the holy Ghost So say I to all those just ones who have had thoughts of putting away this prayer privily feare not to take unto you this prayer which you have loved and as it were espoused for that which is conceived in it is of the holy Ghost But be not ye as the Papists are who think to make satisfaction to God and merit at his hand by the often repetition of their Pater Noster c. although without faith without understanding without holy affections And againe doe not ye slight other prayers made according to this modell or patterne by them who have the spirit or gift of prayer and above all things my brethren beware of blaspheming the spirit of prayer or praying by the Spirit accounting and calling it vaine babling 2. And you who have the gift of prayer so that ye have no need that any one teach you so that ye can goe without crutches and swimme without bladders I meane pray without using formes made by other men yet be not ye therefore lifted up or puffed up And againe be circumspect and never presume to utter any thing before the Lord in publique which will not hold weight if weighed in the balance of the Sanctuary So speak to God as considering that men also heare you And if ever you should have any thing amisse in your prayers either for matter or for manner of expression lay not this at the doore of the Spirit but rather father it thy selfe own it though with sorrow as a brat of thy owne naughty heart or extravagant fancy And farther having such a golden talent as the gift of prayer labour to improve for thy Masters and the Churches and thy owne advantage And if yee would be mighty in prayer be much in the study of the Scriptures in prayer and meditation The best way to the throne of Grace lyes by the Oracles of God And neglect not to eye and follow the cloud of Incense that is the prayers of Saints in Scripture which ascend to heaven when you would goe to God in prayer And you who have the gift of prayer pray for the Grace also and that more earnestly because one dramme of Grace is worth many talents of Gifts 3. You who have not the gift of Prayer so as to compose a Prayer but have need that some one teach you To the Lords prayer to the prayers of David Hezekiah Daniel the Apostle Paul c. in Scripture and to other formes of prayer framed by other men according to Scripture-patternes and after this manner pray ye c. As to formes of prayer composed by men of a fallible spirit use them as learners to swim use bladders so as they may be able at length to swimme without them use to goe to prayer with them as children use first to go by a bench or forme so that after a while you may as they go without them use them not as old men use staves or crutches never likely to lay them aside 4. As for those who pray not alone and with their families if they be Masters of families pretending they know not how to pray this Doctrine renders them in excusable they must needes become silent before God What can they say for themselves If they say they cannot go behold God allows them crutches to help their weaknesse Brethren if you have but a good will to come to draw nigh to God in prayer behold Jesus Christ stretches out his hand to direct you he hath left you this prayer as legs to go withall to his Father you may be welcome to God and Christ If you come but born upon the shoulders of prayers made by others if you cannot come alone of your selves goe therefore to others to teach you to pray as this Disciple did to Christ and let all Ministers Parents and Masters imitate our Lord Jesus Christ in the text and his forerunner teaching their people children servants to pray as John and Christ taught their Disciples 5. Last of all let us that use the Lords prayer ordinarily make it the patterne of our practise as well as of our prayers Let us doe as we say as we pray Let us endeavour that Gods name may be hallowed or glorified by us and others that the Kingdome of sin which is indeed the Devils Kingdome may be thrown down to the ground down to the nethermost Hell that our Lord Jesus by his good Word and holy Spirit may set up his throne in our hearts and in the world farre above the thrones of all the Kings of the earth the Prince of the aire and all the powers of darknesse Endeavour we our selves and perswade we and help we others to do the will of God on earth readily cheerfully constantly as the Saints and Angels doe it in heaven And we that every day pray for daily Bread let us take some honest calling and course to get it Operantibus dabitur your labour shall not be in vaine And content we our selves so with daily Bread with the portion for the day as to take or admit no carking or distracting thoughts for to morrow Let us who pray God to forgive us our offences against him as we forgive our brethren their offences against us let us be sure that we do not play the Hypocrites or dally with God lest our prayer be turned into sin lest our prayer to God prove like the petition of Adonijah for Abishag the Shunamite to be his wife lest it cost us our lives lest God answer and say you have spokn this against your owne lives against your owne soules you will not forgive your brethren Mites and therefore I will never forgive you Millions of talents Let not us who pray to God not to lead us into temptation goe presently and tempt the very Devill the Tempter to tempt us by throwing our selves upon occasions of sinning Whilest we pray deliver us from evill from all evill of sinne and punishment and particularly from that evill one the Devill see that we run not headlong into any sin as a horse rusheth into the battaile knowing that in so doing we cast our selves into the Lions den yea into the mouth of the roaring Lion Devill and as much as in us lieth into hell it selfe that lake that burneth with fire and brimstone And let us that fill our mouthes with Arguments to plead and wrestle with God as Princes in prayer from his Kingdome Power and Glory i. e. his ability to help us Let us with our very hearts and lives as well as with our lips praise him with the song of Moses Rev. 15.3 4. and of the Lamb ascribing to him alwayes the Kingdome the Power and Glory for ever and ever Thus sealing up our Prayer with a reall AMEN FINIS Adde this after the Title Qu. How is the Lords Prayer to be used Ans The Lords Prayer is not onely for direction as a pattern according to which we are to make other Prayers Mat. 6.9 with Luke 11.2 but may also be used as a Prayer so that it be done with understanding faith reverence and other graces necessary to the right performance of the duty of Prayer ERRATA PAge 47. line 17. instead of those words Do not open your doores to be a randevouz for Devils a habitation for Ziim and Iim and every unclean spirit read thus Do not open your doores to be a randevouz for Devils to be made like falne Babylon Revel 18.2 the habitation of Devils and the hold of every foule Spirit and a cage of every uncleane and hatefull Bird.