Judgment and Expression because it is not spoken of prescribed Words but of a prescribed Method of Prayer as if any one should desire me to inform him how or in what Method he must pray I tell him as Origen doth in this place that first he must begin with an Invocation of God by his Titles and Attributes then he must proced to praise God for his Mercies and Benefits confessing withal his Ingratitude and Unfruitfulness then beg pardon for past Sins strength against future and conclude all with praising God through Christ and that he must do all this according to the utmost of his Ability What could any one imagine that I should intend by this Advice of following this Method to the utmost of his Power but by the exerting of his own Abilities Understanding Memory Invention Expression and the like since I direct him not to any prescribed Words but only to the Observation of those General Heads and Parts of Prayer So that the Ministers Praying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or according to the utmost of his Ability imports the exerting his Gifts and Parts in suitable Matter and apt Expressions and that the Primitive Prayers were so appears yet farther from a Passage in Origen who thus explains that Verse in Matth. 6. But when ye pray use not vain Repetitions as the Heathens do But when we pray let us not Battologise that is use not vain Repetitions but Theologise But we Battologise when we do not strictly observe our Selves or the Words of Prayer which we express when we utter those things which are filthy either to do speak or think which are vile worthily reprovable and alienated from the Purity of the Lord. Surely this Caution had been needless of strictly observing the Words that they uttered and this Fear had been groundless of expressing themselves undecently or sinfully if they had had a Prayer-Book to recur to but that they had no such Prayer-Book appears yet more evidently from Tertullian who describing their Publick Prayers says that looking up to Heaven they spread abroad their Hands because innocent uncovered their Heads because not ashamed and without a Monitor because they prayed from the Heart Now what is to be understood by praying from the Heart will best appean from enquiring into what is opposed to it viz. The Praying by a Monitor Now the praying by a Monitor as is acknowledged by all was praying by a Book But thus Tertullian affirms the Primitive Christians prayed not We do not pray saith he with a Monitor reading our Prayers out of a Book No but on the contrary we pray de Pectore from the Heart our own Heart and Soul dictating to us what is most proper and fuitable to be asked having no need of any other Monitor besides Hence their Prayers were suited to their Emergencies and present Circumstances as Tertullian writes that having premised the Lord's Prayer we may offer up accidental Requests and Petitions of which occasional Requests we find some Instances as in the sixteenth Epistle of Cyprian where that Father assures Moses and Maximus two Roman Confessors That he remembred them in his Publick Prayers with his Congregation And in another Epistle where he congratulates Pope Lucius upon his Return from Banishment he assures him That he did not cease in his publick Prayers to bless God for so great a Mercy and to pray him that was perfect to keep and perfect in him the glorious Crown of his Confession And so when the Church of Carthage sent a Sum of Money to the Bishops of Numidia for the Redemption of some Christian Captives they desired those Bishops to remember them in their publick Prayers So that their Prayers could not be 〈◊〉 invariable Forms because they could add new Petitions as their Occasions and Circumstances did require Firmilian reports of an Exorcist Woman that being acted by the Devil she did wondrous Feats taking upon her to perform Ecclesiastical Administrations as to Baptize and Celebrate the Eucharist the Elements whereof she Consecrated with an Invocation not to be despised that is as seems to be most agreeable unto the Place and to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Justin Martyr The Matter Invention and Expression of that Prayer wherewith she consecrated the Elements was not mean of contemptible but indifferently well performed So that it seems evident that though the Method of their Prayers might in the main be the same yet every one was left to follow his own Fancy and Expression therein But that I may hasten to the Conclusion of this Section it is very unlikely that they were obliged to prescribed Forms because they never read a Syllable of their Prayers out of any Book whatsoever which is evident from their Posture of Prayer which was two-fold Either with their Hands and Eyes lifted up to Heaven or with their Eyes shut That they prayed with their Eyes and Hands lifted up to Heaven has been already shewn in the Third Section of this Chapter to which I shall only add this farther Observation that they stretched out their Hands in the Figure of a Cross. That they also prayed with their Eyes shut is evident from Origen who having explained what is meant by that Injunction of our Saviour in Matth. 6. 5. And when thou prayest thou shalt not be as the Hypocrites are for they love to pray standing in the Synagogues and in the Corners of the Streets that they may be seen of Men verily I say unto you they have their Rewards thus explains the following Verse But thou when thou prayest enter thou into thy Closet and when thou hast shut to thy Door pray to thy Father which is in secret and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly But he that is no Hypocrite enters into the Closet of his Heart to the Riches that are treasured up there and shutting himself in amongst those Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge and not fixing his Eyes on external Objects as looking after any thing without and closing every Gate of the Senses lest he should be drawn aside by them and their Species or Fancies should creep into his Mind he prays the Father who never flies from or leaves such an one but together with the Son dwells in him So the same Father writes that a true Christian prays in every place closing the Eyes of his Senses but erecting those of his Mind Now let them have prayed iu either of these Postures and it is very evident that they could read in neither of them for it is very improbable that they could turn over the Leaves of a Book whilst their Hands were extended towards Heaven in the Form of a Cross or that they could read in a Book whilst their Eyes were lifted up or else quite shut and closed If therefore there had been prescribed and imposed Forms they must of necessity have remembred them which would have been an intolerable Load to the strongest
Tertullian mentions some in his Days who at Prayers would throw off their Gown or Cloak which he condemns as a Superstitious Affectation and an Heathenish 〈◊〉 So saith he the Heathens pray to their Gods which if 〈◊〉 ought to have been done would have been enjoyned by the Apostles who have given Directions concerning the manner of Prayer unless some think that when Paul had put off his Cloak at Prayer he forgot it and left it behind him at Carpus's § 5. But quitting the Habit of him that 〈◊〉 let us return to his Prayer which he pronounced with a modest and bashful Voice that being most proper for those who came to acknowledge the multitude and heinousness of their Sins and to beg God's Pardon and Grace which is the End and Design of Prayer Musical Singing is best agreeable to the praising and adoring of God but our Petitions to God ought to be sent up with most fervent Prayers with Tears and Cries and Groans Doubtless the Minister so prayed as did most affect the People whose Mouth he was to God for they did not vocally 〈◊〉 with him in the Prayers but only testified their Assent to what the Minister prayed by saying 〈◊〉 or So be it Thus in the Prayer at the Celebration of the Lord's Supper the President of the Assembly only prayed and the People concurred with the Amen So writes Justin Martyr The Bishop makes a long Prayer over the Elements and when he ends all the People present give their Approbation by saying Amen And When the Elements are blessed by the Minister's Prayer and the People have approved it by saying Amen Then they are distributed And the Bishop according to his Ability prays over the Elements and the People give their Acclamations saying Amen So that scrupulous Person mentioned by Dionysius Alexandrinus in his Epistle to Xystus is said to have frequently heard the Eucharistical Prayer and with the rest of the Congregation to have answered Amen Henricus Valesius in his Notes on this Place as likewise Dr. Hammond in his Annotations on 1 Cor. 14. think that St. Paul had reference to this Custom of the Peoples saying Amen at the Conclusion of the Eucharistical Prayer in 1 Cor. 14. 16. Else when thou shalt bless with the Spirit how shall be that Occupieth the room of the unlearned say Amen at thy giving of Thanks seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest In which place St. Paul condemns as absurd and senseless the Practice of some Men who would consecrate the Sacrament in Hebrew or Syriack before Greeks who understanding not those Tongues could not bear their share in the Eucharistical Prayer which consisted not in Antiphonal or Responsory Replies to the Minister but only in saying 〈◊〉 or So be it to what he had prayed It is true indeed that these Citations are spoken in particular of the Prayer before the Lords Supper but yet they may be also applyed to their Prayer after Sermon since we have no reason to imagine that in the one they should use Responsals and in the other none But that in all their Prayers the Priest only prayed seems to be apparent from that it was one part of his Office to pray for the People The Priests says Cyprian pray for the safety of the Lord's People And the Priests who have Sacrificed to Idols cannot assume to themselves the Priesthood or make any Prayer in God's sight for the Brethren Therefore those ought to be chosen into the Priesthood whom God will hear It was the Priest that solely pronounced the Publick Prayers without the Voices of the People And indeed it was impossible for the People to respond since they had no fixed publick Form of Prayer except the Lord's Prayer which Lord's Prayer they frequently though not always repeated And then as to their other Prayers every Bishop or Minister of a Parish was left to his own Liberty and Ability therein § 6. As for the use of the Lord's Prayer it must first be observed that the 〈◊〉 repeating of it with other Prayers was not esteemed necessary but frequently it was omitted Thus in the Heavenly Prayer of Polycarpus at the Stake the Lord's Prayer is neither at beginning nor ending The Conclusion of it is Lord I will praise thee I will bless thee I will magnifie thee through the Eternal High Priest Christ Jesus thy beloved Son by whom to thee with him and the Holy Ghost be Glory now and for evermore Amen So Clemens Alexandrinus concludes his last Book of Pedagogy with a Prayer which neither ends nor begins with the Lord's Prayer and Origen prescribing a Method of Prayer speaks not a Word of the Lord's Prayer but advises both to begin and end with Doxology or a giving Praise to God In this Respect they regarded the Lord's Prayer as given by Christ for a Pattern of all other Prayers according to which they were to be made whence Cyprian calls this Prayer the Law or Rule of praying so that to pray otherwise than that Prayer directed was Ignorance and Impiety Wherefore says Cyprian Let every one pray to God not only for himself but for all the Brethren as the Lord hath taught us to pray for all And so writes Clemens Alexandrinus that a good Man never remembers the Affronts that are offered him but always forgets them wherefore he justly prays saying Forgive us as we forgive others that is he prays according to the Sense of the fifth Petition for it is the Sense not the very Words of that Petition that he here recites But tho' the Repetition of the Lord's Prayer was not necessary yet it was usual whence saith Origen Christ gave us a Prayer with which he commanded us to pray unto the Father And Tertullian writes That our Lord Jesus Christ gave to his Disciples a new Form of Prayer Whence he calls the Lord's Prayer The Lawful Prayer And Cyprian yet more fully writes that Christ hath given us a Form of Prayer he hath admonished and instructed what we should pray for He that made us live hath taught us to pray that whilst we offer unto the Father the Prayer which the Son taught we may be the more easily heard For what Prayer can be more Spiritual than that which was given us by Christ who gave us also the Holy Spirit And what Prayer can be more prevalent with God than that of his Son who is the Truth proceeding out of his Mouth So that to pray otherwise than he hath taught is both Ignorance and Impiety Let us pray therefore dearly beloved Brethren as God our Master hath taught us It is a friendly and familiar Prayer to ask God with his own and to present the Prayer of Christ to his Ears the Father will acknowledge his Sons Words When we pray let him that dwells in the Heart be in the Voice and since we have him an Advocate with the
Father for our Sins when we beg pardon for our Sins let us use the Words of our Advocate and since he says that whatsoever we shall ask of the Father in his Name he will give it us how much more efficaciously shall we prevail for what we beg in Christ's Name if we ask it in his Prayer To this Prayer it is that Tertullian gives this Encomium In the Compendium of a few Words how many Declarations of Prophets Evangelists and Apostles how many Speeches Parables Examples and Precepts are contained How many Duties towards God! Honour to God in the Preface Faith in the first Petition Hope in the Second Resignation in the Third Petition for Life in the Fourth Confession of Sins in the Fifth Watchfulness against Temptations in the Sixth What Wonder God alone could teach how he would be prayed to § 7. But tho' they frequently used the Lord's Prayer yet they did not only use that but other Prayers also for immediately to the foregoing Encomium of the Lord's Prayer Tertullian adjoyns That we may add thereunto and offer up Prayers unto God according to the Variety of our Circumstances and Conditions From which Passage of the said Father we may guess their usual Method of Prayer was first to begin with the Lord's Prayer as the Ground and Foundation of all others and then according to their Circumstances and Conditions to offer up their own Prayers and Requests Now that this Conjecture may appear to have some Foundation it will be necessary to translate at large this place of Tertullian and to shew the Introduction or Occasion of it which was this After this Father had as before Commented on summ'd up and magnify'd the Lord's Prayer he concludes that nevertheless We may add thereunto for since the Lord the Observer of all Humane Necessities has in another place after he had delivered this Prayer said Ask and ye shall receive And every one has particular Circumstances to beg for therefore having premised the lawful and ordinary Prayer there is place for accidental Requests and a Liberty of offering up other Petitions so as they do agree with the Precepts As far as we are from the Precepts so far are we from God's Ears the remembrance of the Precepts makes way for our Prayers to Heaven of which it is the chief Now these other Prayers which made up a great part of Divine Service were not 〈◊〉 and imposed Forms but the Words and Expressions of them were left to the Prudence Choice and Judgment of every particular Bishop or Minister I do not here say that a Bishop or Minister used no Arbitrary Form of Prayer all that I say is that there was none imposed Neither do I say that having no imposed Form they unpremeditately immethodically or confusedly vented their Petitions and Requests for without doubt they observed a Method in their Prayers but this is what I say That the Words or Expressions of their Prayers were not imposed or prescribed but every one that officiated delivered himself in such Terms as best pleased him and varied his Petitions according to the present Circumstances and Emergencies Or if it be more intelligible that the Primitive Christians had no stinted Liturgies or Imposed Forms of Prayer Now this being a Negative in Matter of Fact the bare Assertion of it is a sufficient Proof except its Affirmative can be evinced Suppose it was disputed whether ever St. Paul writ an Epistle to the Church of Rome the bare Negation thereof would be Proof enough that he did not except it could be clearly evidenced on the contrary that he did So unless it can be proved that the Ancients had fixed Liturgies and Prayer-Books we may very rationally conclude in the Negative that they had none at all Now as to these prescribed Forms there is not the least mention of them in any of the Primitive Writings nor the least Word or Syllable tending thereunto that I can find which is a most unaccountable Silence if ever such there were but rather some Expressions intimating the contrary as that famous controverted place of Justin Martyr who describing the manner of the Prayer before the Celebration of the Lord's Supper says That the Bishop sent up Prayers and Praises to God with his utmost ability 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is that he prayed with the best of his Abilities Invention Expression Judgment and the like I am not ignorant that there is another Sense given of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or According to his Ability But I must needs say that I generally if not always found this Phrase to include personal Abilities Thus as to the Explanation of Scripture Origen writes that he would expound it according to his Ability 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that he would Comment on that Parable of the Blind Man that was healed near Jericho mentioned in Luke 18. 35. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And so on the Parable concerning the Husbandman 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and on the Marriage of the King's Son 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that he would search out the Sense of the Gospel of St. John 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now what doth Origen intend by his searching out the Sense and expounding the meaning of the Scriptures to the utmost of his Power and Ability Is it a bare reading and transcribing of other Mens Works or an Employment of his own Abilities and Studies to find out the Sense and Meaning of them Certainly every one will think the latter to be most probable So as to the Argumentative Defence of the Truth Origen promises that he would answer the Calumnies of Celsus according to his Power 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that he would defend and confirm his Arguments against Celsus according to his Power 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and demonstrate the Reasonableness of the Christian Religion according to his Power 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and dispute against Celsus according to his Power 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now whether Origen's defending the Truth and disputing against Celsus according to his 〈◊〉 Ability and Power consisted in a reading or in a bare transcribing out of a Book the written Arguments of other Men or in an Employment of his own Abilities Inventions and Expressions is no difficult matter to determine I have not found one place wherein this Phrase of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth not comprehend personal Abilities and several scores more might I cite where it is so to be understood which I shall omit and mention only one more spoken by Origen with respect to this Duty of Prayer where it must of necessity imply personal Abilities and that is in his Book De Oratione where he prescribes the Method and Parts of Prayer the first whereof was Doxology wherein says he he that prays must bless God according to his Power 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must signifie the Performer's Abilities of
Memory especially to have repeated Word after Word the Prayers of their Fast Days which must have been several Hours long since some of their Fasts as will be shewn in another place were prolonged from the Morning of one Day to the beginning of another § 8. There remains now but one Question more with respect to their Publick Prayers and that is Whether they were divided into several Collects To which I have not much certain to Answer probably on their Assemblies on Fast Days when they continued together treble the usual time for the Ease of the Bishop and his Assistants they made several 〈◊〉 Prayers and probably at their Ordinary Meetings their Prayer after Sermon was but one entire Piece But all this is but Conjecture all that I find positive is touching their Prayer that preceded the Consecration of the Eucharistical Elements which as Justin Martyr writes was one long Prayer to which the People said Amen CHAP. III. § 1. Of Baptism The Persons Baptizing § 2. The Persons Baptized First Infants § 3. Next Adult Persons The Qualifications that were required in them § 4. The manner of Baptism The Person to be Baptized abjured the Devil the World and the Flesh and gave his Assent to the Fundamental Articles of the Christian Faith § 5. A Digression concerning the Ancient Creed The Creed commonly call'd the Apostles not known within the first Three Hundred Years after Christ. In those Days they had other brief Summaries of Faith agreeing in Sense but not in Words § 6. All the ancient Creeds transcribed in their Original Language § 7. The Creed commonly call'd the Apostles compared with the Ancient Creeds § 8. How the Creed was composed § 1. HAving in the former Chapter discoursed of their Publick Prayers I 〈◊〉 in the next place to consider the Two Sacraments viz. Baptism and the Lord's Supper And first of all to treat of that of Baptism together with its Appendix and Confirmation for the more methodical and distinct handling whereof I shall enquire into these three Things viz. The Persons Baptizing the Persons Baptized and the manner of Baptism First As to the Persons Baptizing usually they were the Bishops or Pastors of their Respective Parishes as Justin Martyr describes Baptism as performed by the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or President and Tertullian by the Antistes or Superintendent and by the High Priest who is the Bishop but with his Permission and Consent It was allowed to Presbyters and Deacons and in case of Necessity even to Lay-men to Baptize but never under any Necessity whatsoever was it permitted to a Woman so to do § 2. As for the Persons that were Baptized they were two sorts either Infants or Adult persons That Infants were baptized will be evident from this single Consideration Baptism was always precedent to the Lord's Supper and none were admitted to receive the Eucharist till they were baptized This is so obvious to every Man that it needs no proof If any one doubts it he may 〈◊〉 it clearly asserted in the Second Apology of Justin Martyr p. 97. Children received the Eucharist in the Primitive Church which is also a thing so well known as that for the proof of it I shall only urge one passage of Cyprian's where he tells a long Story of a Sucking Girl who so violently refused to taste the Sacramental Wine that the Deacon was obliged forcibly to open her Lips and to pour down the Consecrated Wine Therefore it naturally follows that Children were baptized for if they received that Ordinance which always succeeded Baptism then of necessity they must have received Baptism its self But I needed not to have mentioned this Consideration since Infant-Baptism is as clearly asserted in Words at length in the Primitive Writings as a thing can possibly be Thus Origen writes that Children are baptized for the Remission of their Sins fer the purging away of their natural Filth and original Impurity which is inherent in them according to Job 15. 14. What is Man that he should be clean And he which is born of a Woman that he should be Righteous And that of the Prophet Isaiah chap. 4. v. 4. When the Lord shall have washed away the Filth of the Daughter of Sion and shall have purged the Blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof No one is clean from the Filth no though he lived but one Day upon the Earth Wherefore because through the Sacrament of Baptism the Uncleannesses of our Birth are purged away therefore Children are baptized And the same Father Commenting on that place of our Saviour Matth. 18. 10. See that ye despise not one of these little ones alledges this as one Reason why we should not do so because of the Angels that guard them on which reason he makes this Query At what time the Angels begin their Guardianship over those little ones whether at the time of their Birth or their Baptism So that little ones were Baptized by which little ones he means Infants and Children as is most evident from those other Titles which he gives them in the same Tome as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 little Children 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Infants and in one place he supposes them to be under three or four Years old To these Testimonies of Origen I might also add those of Irenaeus Lib. 2. cap. 39. p. 137. and of Cyprian De Lapsis § 7. p. 279. But I shall chuse to wave them because I would willingly translate at length the Determination of an African Svnod held Anno 254 whereat were present Threescore and Six Bishops the occasion of which Determination was this A certain Bishop called Fidus had some Scruples not concerning the Baptism of Infants but concerning the time of their Baptism whether they might be baptized before the Second or Third Day after their Birth or before the Eighth Day as it was observed with respect to Circumcision under the Mosaical Oeconomy the Reasons or Grounds for which his Scruples he proposed to this Synod who having seriously examined them 〈◊〉 decreed That Childrens Baptism was not to be deferred to long but that the Grace of God or Baptism should be given to all and most especially unto 〈◊〉 which Synodical Decree because so pertinent to my purpose I have at large transcribed as follows Quantum vero ad cansam Infantium pertinet quos dixisti intra secundum vel tertium diem quo nati sint constitutos baptizari non oportere considerandam esse legem Circumcisionis antiquae ut intra octavum diem eum qui natus est baptizandum sanctificandum non putares longe aliud in consilio nostro omnibus visum est in hoc enim quod tu putabas esse faciendum nemo consensit sed universi potius judicavimus nulli hominum nato misericordiam Dei gratiam denegandam nam cum Dominus in Evangelio suo dicar Filius hominis non venit animas