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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A81232	A vindication of the Lords prayer, as a formal prayer, and by Christ's institution to be used by Christians as a prayer: against the antichristian practice and opinion of some men. Wherein, also their private and ungrounded zeal is discovered, who are very strict for the observation of the Lords Day, and make so light of the Lords prayer. By Meric Casaubon, D.D. one of the prebandaries of C.C. Canterb.	Casaubon, Meric, 1599-1671.; Grotius, Hugo, 1583-1645.	1660 (1660)	Wing C817; Thomason E1921_3; ESTC R209969	43,421	134

they did use set forms all Prorestants and Papists as many as I have seen or at this time remember are consenting First of Numb 23.4 6. who can doubt but the words contain a prescript form of Blessing In this wise or in this set forme of words the Annotations there But it is one thing to bless another to pray say some Indeed a man may pray and neither bless nor curse that is certain but to say that blessing may not be the Subject of a prayer either publick or private as well as any thing else is as ridiculous as it is apparent that this blessing here prescribed is a very formal prayer The Text is as clear 2 Chron. 29 30. Hezekiah the King and the Princes commanded the Levites to sing praise unto the Lord with the words of David and Asaph the Seer And 1 Chron. 16. the Psalmes or psalme as there joyned stand upon Record that were appointed by David and particularly verse 35. And say yea c. the Annotations there It is a phrase of incitation c. or it is a direction to use this form Hos 14.2 Duke 11.2 The latter Quotation Luke 11.2 referring to these very words and subject we are now upon Psalm the 20. is a form of prayer or intercession as the psalm following of Thanksgiving as most Interpreters do agree Divers others psalmes there be intended for set forms upon several occasions observed by most Interpreters Ainsworth upon the 24. psalm out of a passage of Maimonides shews what psalm was appointed for every day of the weeke at the time of Divine service long before Christ and some of those psalms I am sure though commonly called psalms or songs are prayers and intercessions and nothing else as particularly Psalm 94. Others tell us of whole Liturgies or publick service-service-books of those dayes yet extant in part after which I shall not need to make further enquiry at this time because I think I have said enough to this purpose and no more I think but will easily be granted It was proper enough I think to take notice of those things observed by St. Luke certainly for their further satisfaction in this very point that should need it But now we are come to the words themselves I would desire the Reader for a while to forget all that hath been said hitherto but withal to lay aside if it were possible all prejudice and partiality and when he hath read the words in St. Luke And he said unto them When ye pray say Our Father c. to consider with himself whether he think any thing wanting to them to make them plain and express enough I will say more let it be granted for a while at least that Christ intended those words as a form of prayer to be used by his Disciples and by consequent by such as should pretend to him in after-ages I would have the Reader to pause and consider with himself what words more express more pregnant and significant could be used to that purpose to prevent all doubts and evasions The words themselves run in the form of a prayer that no man doth deny and therefore a man would think had there been no more in the Text but And he said Our Father c. his intention had been plain enough You shall pray thus that is not more express but more binding But when you pray say for my part I must confess what words could have been used more express or more binding I can think of none I deny not but Christ might have used more words He might have said had he pleased or thought fit You shall have your desire I will teach you what you shall say You shall have a form of prayer from me which you may use nay what you made your request I shall lay upon you and all Christians of all ages as a duty When ye pray say In your best devotions though you use other prayers as your particular occasions shall require yet use this as your best prayer Our Father c. He might have said I know the time will come when men out of an high conceit of their own parts and in opposition to others whom they shall use or have used so and so will not allow these words to be prescribed by me as a form of prayer c. Some such words I grant might have been spoken but as there is no part of Scripture so clear or so generally received but may be abused quarrelled denyed so is there as little reason for any such words in this as in any other place that hath afforded matter of strife and contention in any age of the world After such evidence of Scripture that is of the word of God the consent or authority of man may be thought superfluous And what if all men all Christians that have been hitherto in all places in all ages of the world had not all been of one opinion about it would not should not the greatest part have served would it not have become men that pretend to honour the Scripture so much as the Word of God and to be such enemies to them that dishonour it have become them I say where the Text is so clear and express to have adhered unto it even against the consent of the major part Should we believe nothing as Christians but what is cleerly declared in Scripture may be said to have been assented unto by Christians in all ages and places without any contradiction or opposition I doubt our faith would be much abridged But we must be as good as our undertaking If we have not general consent of former and latter ages so far as can be found out by History those new men of the late reformation excepted evidence of Scripture shall be no good plea for us will forfeit our cause Some it may be will here expect that we should begin to search into ancient Records and Monuments for the opinion and practice of the ancient Christians and primitive times of the Church which with all that are not blinded by faction and self-love must needs be of great Authority But others with more reason would think I might better have spared this labour since I have to do with men who as either sufficiently convicted of the truth of our plea in this particular or because they think it not worth the while trusting to their own pretended illumination to take the pains to enquire further into it will sooner yield to us the matter of fact then contend about it and only except against the validity of the example or authority alledging for themselves that whether it be so or no they do not think themselves bound to follow them If you ask them the reason they will tell you because they were but men and might err Let the Reader remember that the express letter of the Word of God was yielded unto us before and now we are to come to the consent or authority of men we are told that men

A VINDICATION OF THE LORDS PRAYER AS A FORMAL PRAYER And by CHRIST'S INSTITVTION To be used by Christians as a Prayer against the Antichristian Practice and Opinion of some men Wherein Also their private and ungrounded zeal is discovered who are very strict for the observation of the Lords Day and make so light of the LORDS PRAYER By MERIC CASAUBON D. D. one of the Prebandaries of C. C. Canterb. LONDON printed by T.R. for Thomas Johnson at the Key in St. Paul's Church yard 1660. TO THE READER THE first occasion of this Treatise Christian Reader was the Relation of a strange affront done publickly unto Christ or if you will more punctually to the Lords Prayer in the chief Church of Oxford by one that had then under usurping Powers the chief Government of that famous University When the thing was done for I have heard it confirmed by divers I know not precisely this I know that ever since I heard of it I never was at rest in my mind though it might be a good while before I had the opportunity until I had written somewhat in Vindication of it It did trouble me that any man professing Christianity should so much dishonour Christ much more that he durst an argument of dismal times do it in such a place most of all that when he did it so many Christians then present had the patience to see it or the confidence to tarry in the place where such an Affront was done unto him they call Saviour Since that much hath been added to my indignation both admiration when I have been told that many that professed another way and went under another Title notwithstanding what they had said of it publickly did shamefully comply with the Court-Preachers and Parasites of the times and had given it over they also many or most of them I know somewhat is said in their defence but that somewhat if I be not mistaken in this Treatise makes the case rather worse and if such poor shifts may serve for so fowl Acts let us talk no more of Scripture against Papists or ony others I know nothing so gross but Scripture may be pretended for it with as much or more probability What is here presented unto thee Good Reader was written and ready for the Press above a year ago as some can witness that have seen it and read it How it happened that it was not printed before one occasion was that I have been often away and when in Town not always at leasure to think of it But if it be now seasonable as I hope it is it is nedless to make any further Apology why not before Only this it is fit thou shouldst know that if it had been now to do since this blessed alteration for which God make us all thankfull my expressions might have been fuller and plainer in some places In a place where I say this might happen to them as a Judgement for opposing yea persecuting somewhat once the glory of the English Reformation and the best of things that have been by humane contrivance and Authority established among men I hope I shall be understood to mean this of the English Liturgie or Book of Common Prayers Indeed that is my meaning and I hope I say no more of it than I can with the help of God make good against any that shall pretend to oppose it by either reason or Scripture Yet I know even of late what out-cries are made against it Will the Reader give me leave to give him a taste of their objections It doth much trouble them that by it some Lessons out of the Apocrypha are appointed Well if that were thought fit to be altered that is little or nothing to the substance of the book But is this such a thing in the mean time that deserves such out-cries O but things fabulous false contradictorie out of them are read Indeed this were a grievous imputation if they were proposed unto the people as any part of the Word of God Though this we may say withal that many things may appear false ridiculous contradictory at first hearing as they may be set out which upon better examination will not be found so But if nothing must be read or heard in a Church but what is unquestionably true and good that is divine Lord what will become of Sermons then such especially as we have had of late years in many places Men indeed make bold to call them generally the Word of God but I hope no body is so stupid as to think all treason blasphemy non-sense false doctrine delivered out of Pulpits to be truly the Word of God But Sermons some will say perhance are the Ordinance of God However so much will follow that somewhat may be tolerated in the Church for a greater good that is lyable to some inconveniences And I think no sober impartial man will deny but that Wisdome Ecclesiasticus and other Books that go under that title of Apocrypha do afford as good things for the Instruction of people as many Sermons usually that are not of the worst Well what are Prayers that are made extempore or would be thought so at least so much in request in these late times are they not lyable to the same inconvenience If any man shall inferre hereupon that therefore none but prescribed Prayers allowed by publick Authority are so fit to be used in a Church I for my part should readily subscribe but I doubt the necessity of the inference will not so easily be granted by all men Truly It might have been hoped that the sad experience of these late times since every man Papists only and Prelatical men excepted have been left to their liberty would have disposed men truly zealous for the Protestant Interest to a better Opinion of former times when to the grief of the Adversaries of it the Protestant Religion here flourished and to entertain now with joy what once in peevishness and love of Novelty they did not so much care for But I doubt there is somewhat else in it What that is if not already too visible to the world I rather leave to their own consciences One passage or Testimony for the Eminency of the Author and his exquisit Judgement in such things our late Gracious Soveraign now a glorious Martyr in heaven I would have added to this Treatise where the Reader shall think most convenient It was not then in my thoughts when I was upon it though indeed the Book highly deserve never to be out of our hands The words are Some men I hear are so impatient not to use in all their Devotions their own invention and gifts as they not only disuse as too many but wholly cast away and contemn the Lords Prayer whose great guilt is that it is the warrant and original pattern of all set Liturgies in the Christian Church † King Charles the First in His Sacred Meditations ch 16. upon the Ordinance against the Common prayer

book I will not excuse my self for this passage in the rest if the Reader think I have said more than I needed I crave his pardon and bid him Farewell A POSTSCRIPT SInce this was printed and ready to come forth a book or Pasquil rather it is so full of railing intitled The Common Prayer Book unmasked c. came to my sight and I thought my self engaged by the Argument to look upon it It is such a peece of exquisit Non-sense of groundlesse impudent Sophistry with bitter rayling and much profane jeering all along that I must needs think they that have patience exceptengaged by some particular consideration to read such stuffe without detestation may as plausibly be perswaded to sing Ballads in stead of Holy Hymes and to think that men serve God best in Tap-houses-The whole strength of the Book lyeth in this The Masse-Book Breviaries c. are idolatrous popish-Books therefore whatsoever is taken out of them or may be supposed to be taken out of them because to be found there is popish and idolatrous Now a good part both of the Old and New Testament besides the whole Book of Psalmes is to be found in Mass-books and Breviaries Is any man so blind that dooh not see what will follow And is it not the same reason for many godly prayers ond forms not to speak of Ceremonies though it be true of them also that were in use in time of purest Christianity long before Popery was heard of yet to be found in mass-Mass-books and Breviaries Or is it the bare word Mass that turneth all into Idolatry why might not it be a good word whatever it is now a thousand years ago Many ages are not yet passed when Canticles or the Song of Songs as it is in the Original was called in English the Ballad of Ballads Now many if not most ballads we now so call are profane or ridiculous and that word now a word of Scorn therefore the Canticles or Song of Songs shall be no longer part of Scripture but meer Idolatry Certainly it must be granted that wise Governours see much more than ordinary men else such senslesse impious stuffe a man would think would not be permitted to be publick But what is all this may some say perchance to the Lords Prayer our subject Alas who seeth not if all that is in Missals and Breviaries or say taken out of them immediately perchance not originally be idolatrous then we know what must become of the Lords Prayer being there more than once upon several occasions and the first thing there that offers it self to the view in some of those Books This did oblige me to take some notice of the book and so I have done ERRATA PAg. 4. l. 7. r. whom p. 18. l. 7. r. independents p. 19. l. 2. r. transsubst p. 29. l. 17. r. end of f. p. 32. l. 2. r. had p. 54. l. 12. r. Enthusiasm p. 80. l. 5. r do but lat p. 81. l. 10. r. quaeram p. 92. 11. r. Isa 66.11 A VINDICATION OF THE LORDS PRAYER As a formal Prayer and by Christs Institution to be used by Christians as a Prayer against the Antichristian Practise and opinions of some WE will forbear all Prefaces and Rhetorical insinuations and hasten to the main business Truth may need such sometimes by reason of mens infirmities and there be examples in Scripture that may contend with the choicest Rhetorick humane Authors afford to justifie it if need were But in such a case as I conceive this is where common sense best reason Authority divine and humane all that can be desired in a cause are so manifestly visible the best Rhetorick we can use is to use no Rhetorick at all It is the nature of Truth to be most lovely when seen naked but it is not the luck of all Truth to carry so much light and lustre with it as will pierce thorow all Obstacles and make it visible to all eyes I hope it is the luck of this that we contend for here the Reader will quickly see let him but read I will not say without prejudice for that is not to be hoped but not obstinately resolved against the ingenuity of his confession though his conscience be convicted And here in the first place we profess we pretend not to write against any who say or teach that what Christ hath commanded so commanded without limitation of time or place absolutely and generally to be observed ought not to be done by men that profess Christianity There is no man so simple but would presently make this inference This were to deny him in deed whom we profess to honour and worship in words Except we should perchance establish such a power upon Earth equivalent or superiour to the power of Christ a power to abrogate or ratifie at pleasure what is commanded Which opposeth and exalteth it self above all that is called God c. 2 Thes 2.4 How far this may belong to the Pope of Rome who by his Canonists and others doth take upon himself to have a power Supra contra omne jus contra jus naturale gentium civile humanum divinum c. contra Apostolum Vetus Testamentum c. to make de peccato non peccatum de non peccato peccaum how far I say the Pope of Rome may be concerned in that place of Scripture I will not enquire There be even of that side professed Papists that have laid it to his charge and applyed those very words unto him But it is not to our purpose to enquire They are not Papists who we have to do with We say therefore once again We do not pretend to write against any who maintain positively Christ should not be obeyed Or yet more particularly not against any who acknowledging these words of Christ recorded Mat. 6. and Luk. 11. Our Father which art in Heaven c. to be a prescript form of Prayer forbid us and forbear themselves to use it as a Prayer but against them who allow not these words to be a Prayer but a bare direction or platform of Prayer only and upon that account forbid and forbear as I have said who therefore will be ready to say The question is not properly of honour or dishonour done unto Christ but of the right use or understanding of his words This may seem plausible at first hearing But here I must desire the Reader to consider that scarce ever was any opinion so false or so impious but men could find some words to set it out in another shape if we will content our selves with a superficial view or will look at a distance through such prospectives as shall be put into our hands We charge the Papists with impiety for denying to ordinany Christians the use of Gods Word They will say they honour the Scripture in keeping them from it who through ignorance and simplicity are more likely to abuse it than to make that use of it for which it was

praestantissimo artifice eam orationem esse compositam praeformatam In another Treatise he saith Cum haec Oratio à Christo habeat originem debet indubitanter eminentissima nobilissima optimaque censeri quâ si meliorem scivisset integerrimus ac fidelissimus magister eam quoque nos ille docuisset I will not undertake for the exactness or propriety of the expression in those words si meliorem scivisset which the vehemency of his admiration and affection suggested unto him It would make a man suspect that even in those dayes he had met with some that thought they could pray as well if not better and perchance under pretence of imitation would have been content if they might to leave it out of their publike devotions But I do but suspect It is apparent he was a great admirer of it and had very great zeale to it and for it Luther's zeale to this prayer puts me in minde of Ludovicus Vives a Papist indeed not a Protestant but generally acknowledged a learned wise devout man he hath written a Commentary as he calls it upon the Lords prayer How zealously he was affected towards it and how much he had it in admiration his preface will shew it is well worth the reading But of Protestant Divines I make no question but a man might make a whole book that should collect their several Elogies and testimonies concerning this Prayer as it is a forme of prayer but that it is not our business here Generall consent is the thing that we contend for and upon which we have in part grounded our case in the stating of it And for that we have appealed to the Formularies that are extant of most Protestant Churches beyond the seas which is the most direct and pertinent proof that any man can expect And if we knew any thing objected by any body in opposition to what we mantaine we would take notice of it I find nothing of that nature in Johnson before spoken of though Carpenter had not omitted it but put it to him in direct termes Nullane Protestantium Ecclesia praeter vestram Synagogulam oculos habuit aut mentem An vos soli sapitis c. in St. Augustin's words against Donatus to which particular I finde no answer at all though the answer as called be large and tedious in general beyond measure It seemes therefore he could not deny it but all Protestant Churches were of another mind If he had known any certainly we should have heard of it What notice therefore I have taken of particular men as Luther and Calvin is over and above because of their eminency Perkins in England his authority would once have gone a great way with those men especially that pretended to more than ordinary strictnesse in religion What his opinion was in this matter shall be seen at the end where we take notice of some objections But now since we have named some particular men and have seen what devotion they had Luther especially to this holy Prayer with what zeale and admiration they speak of it let it not passe without some further observation I make no question but the like may be said and observed of divers others eminently pious and learned in all ages I have heard of some particularly in our age men of great fame that have professed to receive singular comfort of it which might also be gathered by their frequent use of it in time of sicknesse Now I would gladly know of those men and I wish they would take it into their serions consideration of those men I say who not only forbeare the use of it themselves but also forbid it to others and when used in their presence have shewed much trouble and indignation as it is reported of some and may be true for ought I know of many more whether it be likely or possible that such averseness and antipathy in them such zeale and devotion in others whom themselves perchance will not deny to have been pious and religious should proceed from one and the same spirit And if they cannot find in their hearts to say or to thinck that it was a spirit of illusion that led those good and godly men unto such esteeme and admiration of this prayer from what spirit can their antipathy proceed For my part and I doubt not but it is the mind of many thousand Christians in England besides though I know my self too great a sinner to expect that God should afford me those extraordinary ravishing contentments and delights of the soule which I believe he hath done and doth unto many more deserving in the use of this holy prayer Yet I should be very sorry it should be in the power of any man living to bereave me of that right and priviledge I have as a Christian unto it and the use of it whilest I live and I shall ever believe that a reverent use and high esteem of it as immediately proceeding from and commended unto us by such a ONE to whom all manner of adoration is due is no small part of that worship we owe unto God All things that have been said hitherto well considered it may perchance make some wonder in some what should induce men some learned and conscientious otherwise as it is to be hoped but however men that professe Christianity to be so set against this prayer that beareth the name of the Lord and Saviour of men and I remember an observation in Aristotle that to give full satisfaction in a doubtful busines 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. We should not only tell what is truth but also take paines to discover the ground of the error or that which is false First then it must be granted that even before these times there were some in the world that begun to hatch this monster but being but few and inconsiderable standing divided from all the Reformed Churches in Europ it leaves a wonder still their opinion should be embraced by men accounted sober and making profession of the protestant Religion We say therefore in the second place that the spirit of Enthasiusme since the reines of order and discipline have been loose and all liberty left unto men Papists and Prelaticall for so it pleaseth them to joyne us only excepted to follow their own fancies in all things belonging to Gods worship having much prevailed as it hath done in some ages of the world before this among us men have been very prone to think themselves inspired in the use of their extemporary faculty which formerly and it may be formerly too much neglected they had not been so well acquainted with and through ignorance of Nature and former times as hath been declared and proved at large elsewhere did apprehend a supernatural cause where indeed there was no cause at all and this probably might make them by degrees to loath and contemn this holy prayer A third reason may be the violence of opposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as St. Basil