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A86435 A treatise concerning prayer; containing particularly an apology for the use of the Lords prayer. / By Thomas Hodges, B.D. Rector of the Church of Souldern. Hodges, Thomas, d. 1688. 1656 (1656) Wing H2323; Thomason E1712_1; ESTC R209609 38,565 187

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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 tot●m p●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
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.