them in, and continued them, in the ministration of the temple. Fifthly, That in the reformation by Hezekiah, the priests and Levites were commanded to praise the Lord, 'in the words of David and Asaph P.' Sixthly, That 'all Scripture is written for our learning;' and since all these, and many more set forms of prayer, are left there upon record; it is more than probable, that they were left there for our use and devotion; and certainly, it is as lawful, and as prudent, to pray Scriptures, as to read Scriptures; and it were well, if we would use ourselves to the expression of Scripture, and that the language of God were familiar to us, that we spake the words of Canaan, not the speech of Ashdod; and time was, when it was thought the greatest ornament of a spiritual person, and instrument of a religious conversation; but then the consequents would be, that these prayers were the best forms which were in the words of Scripture, and those psalms and prayers there recorded, were the best devotions, but these are set forms. 7. To this purpose I could instance, in the example of St. John the Baptist, who taught his disciples a form of prayer; and that Christ's disciples begged the same favour, and it was granted as they desired it. 74. And here I mean to fix a little, for this ground cannot fail us. I say, Christ prescribed a set form of prayer to be used by all his disciples, as a breviary of prayer, as a rule of their devotions, as a repository of their need, and as a direct address to God. For in this prayer God did not only command us to make our prayers, as Moses was bid to make the tabernacle, after the pattern which God shewed him in the mount, and Christ shewed his apostles; but he hath given us the very tables written with his own hand, that we should use them as they are so delivered; this prayer was not only a precedent and pattern, but an instance of address, a perfect form for our practice, as well as imitation. For, 75. First, When Christ was upon the mount, he gave it for a pattern οὕτως οὖν προσεύχεσθε ὑμεῖς. • So pray ye, or after this manner; which we expound only to the sense of becoming a pattern, or a directory, it is observable, that it is not only directory for the matter, but for the manner too; and if we must pray with that matter, and in that manner, what does that differ from praying with that form? however, it is well enough, that it becomes a precedent to us, in any sense, and the church may vary her forms, according as she judges best for edification. 76. Secondly, When the apostles, upon occasion of the form which the Baptist taught his disciples, begged of their Master to teach them one, he again taught them this, and added a precept to use these very words'; ὅταν προσεύχεσθε, λέγετε, “ when ye pray, say, Our Father,” ἔδει γὰρ μηδὲν ἴδιον αὐτοὺς Aéyɛ: when they spake to God, it was fit they should speak in his words, in whose name also their prayers only could be acceptable'. 77. Thirdly, For if we must speak this sense, why also are not the very words to be retained? Is there any error or imperfection in the words? Was not Christ master of his language? And were not his words sufficiently expressive of his sense? Will not the prayer do well also in our tongues, which as a duty we are obliged to deposit in our hearts, and preserve in our memories, without which it is in all senses useless, whether it be only a pattern, or a repository of matter? 78. Fourthly, And it is observable, that our blessed Saviour doth not say, 'Pray that the name of your heavenly Father may be sanctified, or that your sins may be forgiven,' but say, "Hallowed be thy name," &c. so that he prescribes this prayer, not in 'massa materiæ,' but in forma verborum,' not 'in a confused heap of matter,' but in 'an exact composure of words,' it makes it evident he intended it not only 'pro regula petendorum,' ' for a direction of what things we are to ask,' but also pro forma orationis,' 'for a set form of prayer.' Now it is considerable that no man ever had the fulness of the Spirit, but only the holy Jesus, and, therefore, it is also certain, that no man had the spirit of prayer like to him; and then, if we pray this prayer devoutly, and with pious and actual intention, do we not pray in the Spirit of Christ, as much as if we prayed any other form of words pretended to be taught us by the Spirit? We are sure that Christ and Christ's Spirit taught us this prayer; they only gather by conjectures and opinions, that in their extempore or conceived forms, the Spirit of Christ teacheth them. So much then as certainties are better than uncertainties, and God's word better than man's, so much is this set form, besides the infinite advantages in the matter, better than their extempore and conceived forms, in the form itself. And if ever any prayer was, or could be, a part of that 'doctrine of faith' by which we received the Spirit',' it must needs be this prayer, which was the only form our blessed Master taught the Christian church immediately, was a part of his great and glorious sermon in the mount, in which all the needs of the world are sealed up as in a treasure-house, and intimated by several petitions, as diseases are, by their proper and proportioned remedies, and which Christ published, as the first emanation of his Spirit, the first perfume of that heavenly anointing, which descended on his sacred head, when he went down into the waters of baptism. 79. This we are certain of, that there is nothing wanting, nothing superfluous and impertinent, nothing carnal or imperfect in this prayer, but as it supplies all needs, so it serves all persons, is fitted for all estates, it meets with all accidents, and no necessity can surprise any man, but if God hears him praying that prayer, he is provided for in that necessity and yet, if any single person paraphrases it, it is not certain but the whole sense of a petition may be altered by the intervention of one improper word, and there can be no security given against this, but qualified and limited, and just in such a proportion as we can be assured of the wisdom and honesty of the person, and the actual assistance of the Holy Spirit. 80. Now then I demand, whether the prayer of Manasses be so good a prayer as the Lord's Prayer? or is the prayer of Judith, or of Tobias, or of Judas Maccabeus, or of the son of Sirach, is any of these so good? Certainly no man will say they are; and the reason is, because we are not sure they are inspired by the holy Spirit of God; prudent, and pious, and conformable to religion they may be, but not penned by so excellent a spirit as this prayer. And what assurance can be given, that any minister's prayer is better than the prayers of the son of Sirach, who was a very wise, Gal. iii. 2. and a very good man, as all the world acknowledges; I know not any one of them that has so large a testimony, or is of so great reputation. But suppose they can make as good prayers, yet surely they are apocryphal at least, and for the same reason that the apocryphal prayers are not so excellent as the Lord's prayer, by the same reason must the best they can be imagined to compose, fall short of this excellent pattern, by how much they partake of a smaller portion of the spirit, as a drop of water is less than all the waters under or above the firmament. 81. Secondly, I would also willingly know, whether if any man uses the form which Christ taught, supposing he did not tie us to the very prescript words, can there be any hurt in it? Is it imaginable, that any commandment should be broken, or any affront done to the honour of God, or any act of imprudence, or irreligion in it, or any negligence of any insinuation of the Divine pleasure? I cannot yet think of any thing to frame for answer, so much as by way of an antinomy or objection. But then supposing Christ did tie us to use this prayer pro loco et tempore,' according to the nature and obligation of all affirmative precepts, as it is certain he did, in the preceptive words recorded by St. Luke, "When ye pray, say, Our Father," then it is to be considered that a Divine commandment is broken by its rejection; and therefore, if there were any doubt remaining, whether it be a command or no; yet since, on one side, there is danger of a negligence, and a contempt, and that on the other side, the observation and conformity cannot be criminal or imprudent; it will follow, that the retaining of this prayer in practice, and suffering it to do all its intentions, and particularly becoming the great ailɛvría, or authority' for set forms of prayer, is the safest, most prudent, most Christian understanding of those words of Christ, propounding the Lord's prayer to the Christian church. And because it is impossible that all particulars should be expressed in any form of prayer, because particulars are not only casual and accidental, but also infinite; Christ, according to that wisdom he had without measure, framed a prayer, which, by a general comprehension, should include all particulars, eminently and virtually; so that there should be no defect in it, and yet so short, that the most imperfect memories might retain, and use it. 82. And it is not amiss to observe, that our blessed Saviour first taught this prayer to be a remedy, and a reproof of the vain repetition of the Pharisees; and besides that it was so 'à priori,' we also, in the event, see the excellent spirit and wisdom in the constitution; for those persons who have laid aside the Lord's prayer, have been noted by common observation, to be very long in their forms, and troublesome, and vain enough in their repetitions; they have laid aside the medicine, and the old wound bleeds afresh; the Pharisees did so of old. 83. And after all this, it is strange employment, that any man should be put to justify the wisdom and prudence of any of Christ's institutions; as if any of his servants, who are wise upon his stock, instructed by his wisdom, made knowing by his revelations, and whose all that is good, is but a weak ray of the glorious light of the Sun of Righteousness, should dare to think that the derivative should be before the primitive, the current above the fountain; and that we should derive all our excellency from him, and yet have some beyond him, that is, some which he never had, or which he was not pleased to manifest; or that we should have a spirit of prayer, able to make productions beyond his prayer, who received the Spirit without measure. But this is not the first time man hath disputed against God. 84. And now let us consider, with sobriety, not only of this excellent prayer, but of all that are deposited in the primitive records of our religion. Are not those prayers and hymns in holy Scripture, excellent compositions, admirable instruments of devotion, full of piety, rare and incomparable addresses to God? Dare any man, with his gift of prayer, pretend, that he can extempore, or by study, make better? Who dares pretend that he hath a better spirit than David had? or than the apostles and prophets, and other holy persons in Scripture, whose prayers and psalms are, by God's Spirit, consigned to the use of the church for ever? Or will it be denied, but that they also are excellent directories and patterns for prayer? And if patterns, the nearer we draw to our example, are not the imitations and representments the better? And what then, if we took the samplers themselves? Is there any imperfection in them, and can we mend them, and correct the Magnificat?' The very matter |