AN EXERCITATION Concerning the frequent use of Our LORDS PRAYER In the Publick Worship of God And A view of what hath been said By Dr. OWEN concerning that Subject Ignatius ad Magnesios p. 55. per Vedelium 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chemnitius in Harmo p. 785. Fastidere vel brevitatem vel simplicitatem Orationis Dominicae quasi meliorem Orandi formam tu possis excogitare componere non tam temeritas quà m Impietas est By THOMAS LONG Preacher of the Gospel LONDON Printed by J. G. for R. Marriot and are to be sold at his shop in St. Dunstans Church-yard Fleet-street 1658 THE DEDICATION Blessed Saviour WHo hast put into the heart of thy meanest Servant to vindicate one of the highest Ordinances and hast in some measure given him strength to bring forth what thou gavest him grace to conceive Pardon I humbly beseech thee the weakness of these endeavours and prosper them by thy Almightie Spirit to the reviving of thine own despised Institution Thou hast the hearts of all men in thy hand remove I pray thee all ignorance and prejudice all pride and partiality all carnall interests and inordinate passions from their hearts into whose hands these unworthy labours shall come and cause them and the dayly prayers of thy Servant to become effectuall through thy blessing for the production of that good end to which it is intended And let the Power and the Praise be onely thine who bringest greatest things to pass by the weakest means and out of the mouths of babes and sucklings dost ordinarily perfect thy praise Suffer not blessed Lord the spirit of errour and division to prevail against those whom thou hast purchased with thy blood but let that blood be effectually applied unto them to cleanse them from their sins to confirm them in thy truth and to cement them inseparably in brotherly love and unity That as we have One Lord one Faith and one Baptisme so we may be all of one heart and of one mind in all things that concern the purity of thy worship the peace and edification of thy Church and may have all our requests together with the Incense of thy Almighty Intercession dayly presented unto our heavenly Father in that golden Censer which thou in great mercy to our infirmities hast consecrated for the offering up of the prayers of thy Servants commanding us when we pray to say Our Father c. To the VVorshipfull JOHN MAYNARD ESQUIRE Serjeant at Law Honoured Sir I Have made my Dedication laying down my self and all my poor endeavours at the feet of Jesus Christ my great Master And having payed my vowes I come now to pay my debts or rather because they are greater then I can satisfie to make my acknowledgement presenting this Pepper-corn to your hand All the hope that I have of your acceptance is because I have intitled you to a righteous cause and such as can plead for it self No eminency of learning or authority can give any opponent so great advantage against him that pleadeth the cause of Christ is the truth and goodness of that cause can administer to him that defends it against all opposers be they never so numerous or clamorous And yet Worthy Sir lest the weakness of the Advocate should seem to prejudice the cause I have chosen to plead it mostly in the Language and Arguments of men as famous for excellent learning and exemplary Pietie as any this Age can boast of And I am sure too that there are many Persons alive of that Character who will readily appear and plead for it still but if all should forsake it if all should oppose it Our great Master can plead his own Cause and I doubt nor Sir but you will be of his Councel and then though the Solicitor be an Ignoramus yet there is no fear of the Verdict And thus having done my devoir and told the world that no man on Earth hath better Title to my Labours then your self I beseech the God of Heaven to make you as eminent in Spiritual as you are in Temporall blessings that the inner man may prosper as the outward doth So prayeth Your Servant in all good Offices THO. LONG The Preface WHile our generation hath been so busie in casting out the rubbish of the Sanctuary it should have been the special care and inspection of the publick Servants of God attending holy things that none of the sacred vessels and utensils of that house which had Holiness to the Lord written on them were thrown out But the enemy haveing prevailed with too many to lay aside some as vessels and to trample on others as outworn beggarly implements hath also raised so much dust as hath buried many and sullied the glory of all the rest yea and as if the Christian Church had its cloud too the understandings of the beholders are so darkned that it is become as difficult to discern and separate between the precious and the vile as it is easie familiar to call evil good and good evil In this great confusion wherein Jerusalem hath been made an heap that Golden Censer wherein the Prayers of the Saints were wont to be offered up to the God of Heaven and that which hath been used in all ages as the Salt to season all Christian services hath it self been hudled up as useless or cast out as unsavoury And no wonder for when the enemy opposeth no Ordinance more then Prayer and of all Prayers this of our Lord is incomparably the most excellent of which we may justly say as the People did of David Thou art worth ten thousand of others we may not think it strange if as the King of Syria did he so order it that his Instruments fight not against small or great but onely this King of Prayers And indeed fought they have against it many a time since Pelagius first blew the trumpet and marshalled his forces against this and other important truths of Christ but never were they so unhappily succesful as in our generation That the professed enemies of Jerusalem should cry raze her raze her even to the ground is a voice that the Church hath been acquainted with in all ages that they should assault her foundations and trample upon all the holy Ordinances disannul the Office and despise the persons of the Ministry call their Prayers charmes and their Preaching foolishness is so far from wonder that it would be a great wonder if they should not but that they who are named by the name of Christ should doe these iniquities that his veterane Souldiers and houshold-servants who yet remain in his Tents should conspire with his enemies to betray his foretresses cast away their armes and desert his cause is of very sad consideration Such practices as these have weakned the cause of Christ and given great advantage to the adversary yea and a just ground of scandall is hereby offered to all sober Christians both at home and
which is unspeakable A Prayer saith Dr. Espaigne dictated by the supreme wisedom of God that great and eternal Mediator who presents all our prayers to God and perfectly knowes his Fathers mind the most compleat Prayer that can be made summing up all lawful requests which can be imagined The Epitome rule and mi rour of all others A Prayer which in its wonderful brevitie includes so great a plentie of matter as if it would cause a Camel to pass through the eye of a needle a Prayer which contains more matter and mysteries then words the most Methodical Emphatical and Divine that can be found All the parts cohere with an admirable symmetrie and proportion all full of torches inlightning each other and it is confest by all that all the wits on Earth and all the Angels in Heaven were not able to dictate the like Tantum series res junctur aque pollet Its body is compos'd with so much art That Christs soul breaths in all and every part There is not in it perhaps so large an enumeration of particulars as to some weak apprehensions may seem necessary nor indeed can all the necessities of particular persons be fully and to their apprehension exprest by any Minister that hath the best facultie and takes the most time to do it but this excellencie is eminently in our Lords Prayer that there are both general heads and significant words under which an inlarged heart may conceive and present to God all his grievances and necessities and beg any blessing that concerns life or godliness as some of the Rabbines say of Manna that it yielded to every man the relish of that daintie which his appetite and palate did most desire and delight in It is like a well-limm'd Picture that respects all and yet seemeth intent upon everie one in the roome sit pro omnibus Christianis omnes Christiani vicissim illam pro nobis recitant as Alsteed saith It is made for all Christians and by all Christians for each other It is a dayly miracle whereby our Saviour with six Petitions supplies all things necessarie for souls and bodies not for a few thousands but the whole Christian world and there remain fragments for the heathen world too When thou comest to God to present thy prayers in the Congregation the Minister ufeth his own words to express his own conceptions and confines himself sometime to one or two particular heads of Prayer so as thou maist not meet with any expressions that may signifie thy desires which therefore may languish and never ascend up to the Throne of Grace but our Lords Prayer hath this certain advantage above others that it is accommodated to all persons things times and places and to all sorts and conditions of people Capi potest as Alsteed It may be understood and used of children and all people of those that are sick at home and busied abroad those that are of a slow memorie or of the quickest invention there is such an ocean of matter that the Elephant may swim the most inlarged spirit may expatiate in it and yet the tender lamb that hath any knowledge of other essential parts of Christian Religion may wade through it without either sin or danger Herein though we are alone we are sure to hold communion and joyn in consort with the Universal Church and to have the united aid of the Prayers of all Gods people and what a comfort is it what an incouragement to pray in faith when we know all the people of God agree with us and there is a promise to two or three to aske the same things in one and the same effectual Prayer compassing the Throne of Grace with many hands and eies but with one heart and lip as if they would offer violence to the Kingdome of Heaven and take it by force And now I beg leave to reason the case briefly with my dissenting brethren Quae tanta fuit causa what great cause prevailed with them to neglect so good a practice was it any thing intrinsecal and essential to the Prayer that cannot be It is a land that flowes with Rivers of pleasure infinitely beyond those of milk and honey a Paradise wherein everie tree is a tree of Life whose fruits never fade nor fail Uno avulso non deficit alter Aureus Of which as eloquent and pious Mr. Herbert in like case I value this Prayer so That were I to leave all but one Wealth fame endowments vertues all should go I and this Prayer would together dwell And quickly gain for each inch lost an ell Let us view this Canaan in a Map and we shall find it to be full of all perfections 1. The Preface what term of invocation gives better incouragement then Father what works greater reverence then Heaven what can raise the soul to a higher plerophorie of of faith then when Christ that made the God of Heaven to become our Father bids us also call him ours Then for the matter and method of all the Petitions which accord like Beautie and Bands they are equally admirable In them we ask first that which is the principal end of our being viz. Gods glorie in the first Petition then the subordinate our own salvation in the second Petition and thirdly the things conducing to both ends either principal as Sanctification in the third or secondary as sustentation of life in the fourth Petition and lastly the removing of impediments all our former sins in the fifth and all occasions of offending for the present or the time to come in the last Petition and so we conclude all in a Hymne of praise which doth no less incourage us to expect then it doth acknowledge Gods Power to grant the things prayed for to all which things there is no Christian but will say Amen so be it Thus there is nothing intrinsecal as to the matter or method that may make us offended at it it must be in the form therefore or not at all But first S. Paul cōmends a form of wholesome words and approves the observation of it And when our Saviour did not onely make it a forme in St. Matthew but use it as such in St. Luke and having fitted it for publick Devotion prescribed it to his Disciples it is an invincible Argument that the use of a form quà talis is not offensive to God or man we may safely follow that Lambe whereever he leads us In the next place therefore they must be some extrinsecal arguments that have perswaded to this omission But if it appear as I hope it doth to be a Precept of Christ when we pray to say Our Father let the motive that prevailed with us be what it will be it can never excuse us for as we may doe no evil that any good may come of it so neither may we constantly omit any good dutie that is prescribed on pretence that it may occasion evil Si de veritate scandalum sumatur
forgive others lest they should doe as Adonijah did the words of whose Petition were spoken against his own life To the first part of the Objection Dr. Lightfoot answereth thus They that doe deny this Prayer is to be used by any but real Saints because as they say none but such can call God Father either know not or consider not how usual this compellation was among that Nation in their devotions and Christ speaketh constantly according to the common and most usual Language of the Countrey And if Christ did from the common practice of the Jewes insert it into his own prayer it argues his approbation of it too in the common devotion of Christians 2. To both parts of the Objection I Answer that every man that would pray fitly and acceptably in the congregation or in his closet ought to follow this prayer as his Rule Directory in observing the matter of it at least if not the form also otherwise Christ hath made it a form and rule in vain Now I say if our keeping of the form be dangerous so is our observing the matter too and then by this reason if the most of men may not pray in this form neither may they pray according to this matter for as no solemn prayer should be made without asking God forgiveness so no forgiveness can be expected without the condition of forgiving our brethren it is as Montanus saith Praecisa irrevocabilis sententia sine exceptione a general unalterable rule without exception If ye forgive not men their trespasses neither will your Heavenly Father forgive your trespasses And what a vain excuse this will be in the ears of God I did not pray nor aske pardon because I could not call God Father nor forgive my brethren or because there were some in the Assembly that had not faith to call God Father or charity to forgive their brethren every Christian ear can try But if this be the reason why some have so long omitted it let me mind them of what our Saviour told some of his Disciples Ye know not what spirit ye are of Now the frequent use of this Petition would lay on new and strong Obligations upon all persons to perform that most excellent Christian dutie so much wanting among us of a free and full forgiveness of our brethren to which religious practice it is well if by any Art we could oblige our people yea this very terror of the Lord which is here put into our own mouths of obtaining no forgiveness from God but on condition of forgiving others would effectually perswade us to it or else keep us under a tacite sentence in our own consciences of being Excommunicated from the throne of Grace and of receiving no benefit by all our prayers And suppose there be some such in each Congregation as cannot or at least will not joyn with the rest in saying this Prayer must the rest of the Congregation be deprived of the benefit of it for their sakes It may be all the Ministers Prayers may not be as suitable and profitable to the most and best of the people as this and it is a sad thing if a Minister shall comply rather with the weakness and malice of a few then with the devotion and benefit of many The use of holy and honest things is not to be laid aside because some are causelesly offended at them especially when the greater part are justly prejudiced at the omission And finally this also is to be considered that the yielding to scrupulous and contentious persons in lesser things although I account this one of the greatest magnitude is the way to harden them in their present prejudices and to dispose them for more and greater Amicus SOCRATES Amicus PLATO Magis amica veritas THat which Dr. Owen hath said concerning the use of this form is in his Answer to Beedles 11. Questions and the Answer thereto Beedles Question is this Did not Christ prescribe a form of Prayer to his Disciples so that there remaineth no doubt touching the lawfulness of using a form To this he answers Luke 11. 1 2 3. To this thus replieth Dr. Owen If Christ prescribed a form of Prayer to his Disciples to be used as a form by the repetition of the same words I confess it will be out of question that it is lawful to use a form Reply But Christ did prescribe a form of Prayer c. Therefore it is lawful to use a forme The minor Proposition is chiefly to be proved and the conclusion viz. the lawfulness of using a form indefinitely which is that which Beedle contends for and the Doctor here grants will be of considerable importance hereafter Now the truth of this Proposition will appear by the proof of its parts thus Either it is not a form or not prescribed to be used as such but it is a form and prescribed to be used as such Ergo. That it is a form is granted by all and made the apple of contention by most that disuse it under that notion but the rottenness of this assertion is so apparent that the next scruple is added as a leaf to cover it i. whether it is prescribed to be used as such This although it be sufficiently clear cannot be seen by those who have entertained the former prejudice for being professed enemies to all forms of Prayer they are resolved to make it good that our Saviour was no friend to them which is contrary to his own practice as hath been shewed and against a double precept also in as plain expressions as could be used to that purpose But none are more unlike to discern the mind of God in the Scriptures then they that sift them rather to find or fancy something in them to confirm their opinions then to direct and settle their judgements otherwise they that observe and use a form of words prescribed in the administration of both Sacraments might with the same eyes observe this also prescribed for use in prayer But 2. It is also granted that there is a plain and positive prescription preceding this form When ye pray say And thus pray ye And I never heard as yet that any have questioned the sufficiency of the injunction about what then is the contest this they fancy that the matter onely of that form doth fall under the prescription and not the form of words So that the truth of both assertions is granted in sensu diviso viz. that there is a form and a prescription but not insensu composito that that form is to be used as such by vertue of this prescription But what God hath joyned together let no man put asunder for the decision of this I will make my appeal to any impartial person as Judge when there is a form composed by Christ himself and commanded to his Disciples with a plain precept prefixed viz. When ye pray say how unreasonable it is to affirm that the prescript should