divine aids that is by our endeavours in hearing reading Catechizing desires to obey and all this blessed and promoted by God this produces faith And if the spirit of Prayer be of greater consequence and hath a promise of a speciall prerogative let the first be proved and the second but shewne in any good record and then I will beleeve it too 4. And the parallel of this argument I the rather urge because I find praying in the holy Ghost joyned with graces which are as much Gods gifts and productions of the spirit as any thing in the world and yet which the Apostle presses upon us as duties and things put into our power and to be improved by our industry and those are faith in which I before instanced and charity Epist. Iud. ver. 20. But ye beloved building up your selves in your most holy Faith praying in the holy Ghost keep your selves in the love of God All of the same consideration Faith and Prayer and Charity all gifts of the Spirit and yet build up your selves in faith and keep your selves in love and therefore by a parity of reason improve your selves in the spirit of prayer that is God by his spirit having supplyed us with matter let our industry and co-operations per modum naturae improve these gifts and build upon this foundation So that in effect praying in the holy Ghost or with the spirit is nothing but prayer for such things and in such manner which God by his spirit hath taught us in holy Scripture Holy Prayers Spirituall songs so the Apostle calls one part of prayer viz. Eucharisticall or thanksgiving that is prayers or songs which are spirituall in materiâ And if they be called spirituall for the efficient cause too the holy Ghost being the author of them it comes all to one for therefore he is the cause and giver of them because he hath in his word revealed what things we are to pray for and there also hath taught us the manner And this is exactly the Doctrine I plainly gather from the objected words of Saint Paul The spirit helpeth our infirmities How so it followes immediately For we know not what we should pray for as we ought So that therefore he is the spirit of supplication and prayer because he teaches us what to ask and how to pray so he helps our infirmities {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} it is in the Greek Collaborantem adjuvat It is an ingeminate expression of helping us in our labours together with him Now he that shall say this is not sufficiently done by Gods spirit in scripture by Prayers and Psalmes and Hymnes and spirituall songs and precepts concerning prayer set downe in that holy repository of truth and devotion undervalues that inestimable treasure of the spirit and if it be sufficiently done there he that will multiply his hopes farther then what is sufficient may possibly deceive himselfe but never deceive God and make him multiply and continue miracles to justifie his fancy 5. Better it is to follow the Scriptures for our guide as in all things else so in this particular Ephes. 6. 17 18. Take the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God Praying alwayes with all prayer and supplication in the spirit The Word of God is the sword of the Spirit praying in the Spirit is one way of using it indeed the onely way that he here specifies Praying in the Spirit then being the using of this Sword and this Sword being the Word of God it followes evidently that praying in the Spirit is praying in or according to the Word of God that is in the direrections rules and expresses of the Word of God that is of the holy Scriptures The summe is this Whatsoever this gift is or this spirit of Prayer it is to be acquired by humane industry by learning of the Scriptures by reading by conference and by whatsoever else faculties are improved and habits inlarged Gods Spirit hath done his work sufficiently this way and he loves not either in nature or grace which are his two great sanctions to multiply miracles when there is no need 6. So that now I demand Whether or no since the expiration of the age of miracles does not Gods Spirit most assist us when we most endeavour and most use the meanes He that sayes No discourages all men from reading the Scriptures from industry from meditation from conference from humane Arts and Sciences and from whatsoever else God and good Lawes provoke us to by proposition of rewards But if Yea as most certainly God will best crown the best endeavours then the spirit of Prayer is greatest in him who supposing the like capacities and opportunities studies hardest reades most practices most religiously deliberates most prudently and then by how much want of means is worse then the use of means by so much ex tempore Prayers are worse then deliberate and studyed Excellent therefore is the counsell of S. Peter 1 Ep. Chap. 4. ver. 11. If any man speak let him speak as the Oracles of God not lightly then and inconsiderately If any man minister let him doe it as of the ability which God giveth great reason then to put all his abilities and faculties to it and whether of the two does most likely doe that he that takes paines and considers and discusses and so approves and practices a forme or he that never considers what he sayes till he sayes it needs not much deliberation to passe a sentence 7. Lastly did not the Penmen of the Scripture write the Epistles and Gospels respectively all by the Spirit Most certainly holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the holy Ghost saith Saint Peter And certainly they were moved by a more immediate motion and a motion neerer to an Enthusiasme then now adayes in the gift and spirit of Prayer And yet in the midst of those great assistances and motions they did use study art industry and humane abilities This is more then probable in the different styles of the severall Books some being of admirable art others lower and plaine The words were their own at least sometimes not the holy Ghosts And if the Fathers and Grammarians were not deceived by â—alse Copies but that they truely did observe sometimes to be propriety of expression in the language sometimes not true Greeke who will think those errors or imperfections in Grammar were in respect of the words I say precisely immediate inspirations and dictates of the holy Ghost and not rather their own productions of industry and humanity But cleerly some of their words were the words of Aratus some of Epimenides some of Menander some of S. Paul This speak I not the Lord 1 Cor. 7. and yet because the holy Ghost renewed their memory improved their understanding supplyed to some their want of humane learning and so assisted them that they should not commit an error in fact or opinion neither in the narrative nor dogmaticall parts therefore
it is all alike to him for in it selfe it is to him as nothing But God accepts it by its proportion and commensuration to us That which we call our best and is truly so in humane estimate that pleases God for it declares that if we had better we would give it him But to reserve the best sayes too plainly that we think anything is good enough for him As therefore God in the Law would not be served by that which was imperfect in genere naturae so neither now nor ever will that please him which is imperfect in genere morum or materiâ intellectuali when we can give a better Well then in the nature of the thing ex tempore forms have much the worse of it But it is pretended that there is such a thing as the gift of Prayer a praying with the Spirit Et nescit tarda mâ—limina spiritus sancti gratia Gods Spirit if he pleases can doe his work as well in an instant as in long premeditation And to this purpose are pretended those places of Scripture which speak of the assistance of Gods Spirit in our prayers Zeth 12. 10. And I will poure upon the house of David and the inhabitants of Ierusalem the spirit of grace and supplication But especially Rom. 8. 2â— Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities for we know not what we should pray for as we ought but the Spirit it selfe maketh intercession for us with groanings that cannot be uttered c. From whence the Conclusion that is inferred is in the words of Saint Paul That we must pray with the spirit therefore not with set formes therefore ex tempore The Collection is somewhat wild for there is great independence in the severall parts and much more is in the Conclusion then was virtually in the premises But such as it is the Authors of it I suppose will owne it And therefore we will examine the maine designe of it and then consider the particular meanes of its perswasion quoted in the objection It is one of the priviledges of the Gospel and the benefit of Christs ascension that the holy Ghost is given unto the Church and to become to us the fountaine of gifts and graces But these gifts and graces are improvements and helps of our naturall faculties of our art and industry not extraordinary miraculous and immediate infusions of habits and gifts That without Gods Spirit we cannot pray aright that our infirmities need his help that we know not what to aske of our selves is most true and if ever any Heretique was more confident of his owne naturals or did ever more undervalue Gods grace then ever the Pelagian did yet he denyes not this But what then Therefore without study without art without premeditation without learning the spirit gives the gift of prayer and it is his grace that without any naturall or artificiall help makes us pray extempore No such thing The Objection proves nothing of this Here therefore we will joyn issue whether the gifts and helps of the Spirit be immediate infusions of the Faculties and powers and perfect abilityes Or that he doth assist us onely by his aydes externall and internall in the use of such meanes which God and nature hath given to man to ennoble his soule better his Faculties and to improve his understanding That the aydes of the holy Ghost are onely assistances to us in the use of naturall and artificiall meanes I will undertake to prove and from thence it will evidently follow that labour and hard study and premeditation will soonest purchase the gift of prayer and ascertain us of the assistance of the spirit and therefore set formes of prayer studyed and considerd of are in a true and proper sense and without enthusiasme the fruits of the spirit 1. Gods Spirit did assist the Apostles by wayesâ— extraordinary and fit for the first institution of Christianity but doth assist us now by the expresses of those first assistances which he gave to them immediately So that the holy Ghost is the author of our faith and we beleeve with the spirit it is Saint Pauls expression and yet our beliefe comes by hearing and reading the holy Scriptures and their interpretations Now reconcile these two together Faith comes by hearing and yet is the gift of the Spirit and it sayes that the gifts of the Spirit are not extasies and immediate infusions of habits but helps from God to enable us upon the use of the meanes of his owne appointment to beleeve to speak to understand to prophecy and to pray 2. And that these are for this reason called gifts and graces and issues of the Spirit is so evident and notorious that the speaking of an ordinary revealed truth is called in Scripture a speaking by the Spirit 1 Cor. 12. 8. No man can say that Iesus is the Lord but by the holy Ghost For if the holy Ghost supplyes us with materials and fundamentals for our building it is then enough to denominate the whole edifice to be of him although the labour and the workmanship be ours upon another stock And this is it which the Apostle speakes 1 Cor. 2. 13. Which things also we speak not in the words which mans wisdome teacheth but which the holy Ghost teacheth comparing spirituall things with spirituall The holy Ghost teaches yet it is upon our cooperation our study and endeavour while we compare spirituall things with spirituall the holy Ghost is said to teach us because these spirituals were of his suggestion and revelation 3. For it is a rule of the Schoole and there is much reason in it Habitus infusi infunduntur per modum acquisitorum whatsoever is infused into us is in the same manner infused as other things are acquired that is step by step by humane means and cooperation and grace does not give us new faculties and create another nature but meliorates and improves our owne And what S. Paul said in the Resurrection is also true in this Question That is not first which is spirituall but that which is naturall and then that which is spirituall The graces and gifts of the Spirit are postnate and are additions to art and nature God directs our councels opens our understandings regulates our will orders our affections supplyes us with objects and arguments and opportunities revelations in scriptis and then most when we most imploy our owne endeavours God loving to blesse all the means and instruments of his service whether they be naturall or acquisite But whosoever shall looke for any other gifts of the spirit besides the parts of nature helped by industry and Gods blessing upon it and the revelations or the supplyes of matter in holy Scripture will be very farre to seeke having neither reason promise nor experience of his side For why should the spirit of Prayer be any other than as the gift and spirit of faith as S. Paul calls it 2. Cor. 4. 13. acquired by humane meanes using
they writ by the Spirit Since then we cannot pretend upon any grounds of probability to an inspiration so immediate as theirs and yet their assistances which they had from the Spirit did not exclude humane arts and industry but that the ablest Scholler did write the best much rather is this true in the gifts and assistances we receive and particularly in the gift of Prayer it is not an ex tempore and an inspired faculty but the faculties of nature and the abilities of art and industry are improved and ennobled by the supervening assistances of the Spirit And now let us take a man that pretends he hath the gift of Prayer and loves to pray ex tempore I suppose his thoughts goe a little before his tongue I demand then Whether cannot this man when it is once come into his head hold his tongue and write downe what he hath conceived If his first conceptions were of God and Gods Spirit then they are so still even when they are written Or is the Spirit departed from him upon the sight of a pen and Ink-horne It did use to be otherwise among the old and new Prophets whether they were Prophets of Prediction or of ordinary Ministery But if his conception may be writtâ—n and being writtâ—n is still a production of the Spirit then it followes that set forms of Prayer deliberate and described may as well be a praying with the Spirit as sudden formes and ex tempore out-lets Now the case being thus put I would faine know what the difference is betweene deliberate and ex tempore Prayers save onely that in these there is lesse consideration and prudence for that the other are at least as much as them the productions of the Spirit is evident in the very case put in this very argument and whether to consider and to weigh them be any disadvantage to our devotions I leave it to all wise men to determine So that in effect since after the pretended assistance of the Spirit in our Prayers we may write them downe consider them try the spirits and ponder the manner the reason and the religion of the addresse let the world judge whether this sudden utterance and ex tempore forms be any thing else but a direct resolution not to consider before-hand what we speak But let us look a little further into the mysterie and see what is meant in Scripture by praying with the spirit In what sense the holy Ghost is called the spirit of prayer I have already shewne viz. by the same reason as he is the spirit of faith of prudence of knowledge of understanding and the like But praying with the spirit hath besides this other senses also in Scripture I find in one place that then we pray with the Spirit when the holy Ghost does actually excite us to desires and earnest tendencies to the obtaining our holy purposes when he gives us zeale and devotion charity and fervour spirituall violence and holy importunity This sense is also in the latter part of the objected words of Saint Paul Rom. 8. The spirit it selfe maketh intercession for us with groanings c. Indeed this is truly a praying in the spirit but this will doe our reverend Brethren of the Assembly little advantage as to the present Question For this spirit is not a spirit of utterance not at all clamorous in the eares of the people but cryes loud in the eares of God with grâ—anes unutterable so it followes and onely He that searcheth the heart he understandeth the meaning of the spirit This is the spirit of the Sonne which God hath senâ— into our hearts not into our tongues whereby we cry Abba Father Gal. 4. 6. And this is the great {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} for mentall Prayer which is properly and truly praying by the Spirit Another praying with the Spirit I find in that place of Saint Paul from whence this expression is taken and commonly used I will pray with the spirit and I will pray with the understanding also Here they are opposed or at least declared to be things severall and disparate where by the way observe that praying with the spirit even in sense of Scripture is not alwayes most to edification of the people Not alwayes with understanding And when these two are separated S. Paul prefers five words with understanding before ten thousand in the spirit For this praying with the spirit was indeed then a gift extraordinary and miraculous like as prophecying with the spirit and expired with it But while it did last it was the lowest of gifts Inter dona linguarum it was but a gift of the tongue and not to be the benefit of the Church rectly or immediately By the way onely If Saint Paul did so undervalue the praying with the Spirit that he preferred edifying the Church a thousand degrees beyond it I suppose he would have beene of the samâ— mind if this Question had beene between praying with the Spirit and obeying our superiors as he was when it was between praying with the Spirit and edification of the Church because it I be not mistaken it is matter of great concernment towards the edication of the Church to obey our superiours not to innovate in publick formes of worshâ—p especially with the scandall and offence of very wise and learned men and to the disgrace of the dead Martyrs who sealed our Liturgy with their blood But to return In this place praying with the Spirit is no more than my spirit praying For so S. Paul joynes them as terms identicall and expressive one of anothers meaning as you may please to read ver. 14. and 15. 1 Cor. 14. I will pray with the Spirit and my Spirit truly prayeth It is the act of our inner man praying holy and spirituall Prayers But then indeed at that time there was somthing extraordianary joyned for it was in an unknowne tongue the practice of which Saint Paul there dislikes This also will be to none of their purposes For whether it were Extempore or by premeditation is not here expressed or if it had yet that assistance extraordinary in prayer if there was any beside the gift of tongues which I much doubt is no more transmitted to us then the speaking tongues in the spirit or prophecying Extempore and by the spirit But I would adde also one experiment which S. Paul also there addes by way of instance If praying with the spirit in this place be praying ex tempore then so is singing too For they are expressed in the same place in the same manner to the same end and I know no reason why these should be differing senses put upon them to â—erve pâ—rposes And now lâ—t us have some Church-musicke too though the Organs be pulled down and let any the â—est Pâ—almâ—st of them all compose a hymne in â—etricall forme and sing it to a new tune with perfect and true musick and all this extempore For all this the holy
the supplying the place of a Vocabulary and a Copia Vâ—rborum For as for the matter it is all there described and appointed and to those determined senses the spirit must assist or not at all onely for the words he shall take his choyce Now I desire it may be considered sadly and seriously Is it not as much injury to the spirit to restraine his matâ—er as to appoint his words Which is the more considerable of the two sense or Language Matter or Words I meane when they are taken singly and separately For so they may very well be for as if men prescribe the matter onely the spirit may cover it with severall words and expressions so if the spirit prescribe the words I may stiâ—l abound in variety of sense and preserve the liberty of my meaning we see that true in the various interpretations of the same words of Scripture So that in the greater of the two the Spirit is restrained when his matter is appointed and to make him amends for not trusting him with the matter without our directions and limitations we trust him to say what he pleases so it be to our sense to our purposes A goodly compensation surely 5. Did not Christ restraine the spirit of his Apostles when he taught them to pray the Lords Prayer whether his precept to his Dâ—sciples concerning it was Pray this or Pray thus Pray these words or Pray after this manner or though it had been lesse then either and been onely a Directory for the matter still it is a thing which our Brethren in all other cases of the same nature are resolved perpetually to call a restraint Certainly then this pretended restraint is not such formidable thing These men themselves doe it by directing all the matter and much of the manner and Christ himselfe did it by prescribing both the matter and the words too 6. These restraints as they are called or determinations of the Spirit are made by the Spirit himselfe For I demand when any Assembly of Divines appoint the matter of Prayers to all particular Ministers as this hath doâ—e is that appointment by the Spirit or no If no then for ought appeares this Directory not being made by Gods Spirit may be an enemy to it But if this appointment be by the Spirit then the determination and limitation of the Spirit is by the Spirit himselfe and such indeed is every pious and prudent constitution of the Church in matters spirituall Such as was that of S. Paul to the Corinthians when he prescribed orders for publique prophâ—cying and interpretation and speaking with tongues The spirit of some he so restrâ—ined that he bound them to hold their peace he permitted but two or three to speak at one meeting the rest were to keep silence though possibly six or seven might at that time have the Spirit 7. Is it not a restraint of the Spirit to sing a Psalme in meeter by appointment Cleerly as much as appointing formes of Prayer or Eucharist And yet that we see done daily and no scruple made Is not this to be partiall in judgement and inconsiderate of what wee doe 8. And now after all this strife what harme is there in restraining the spirit in the present sense What prohibition what law what reason or revelation is against it What inconvenience in the nature of the thing For can any man be so weak as to imagine a despite is done to the spirit of grace when those gifts to his Church are used regularly and by order As if prudence were no gift of Gods spirit as if helpes in government and the ordering spirituall matters were none of those graces which Christ when he ascended up on high gave unto Men But this whole matter is wholly a stranger to reason and never seen in Scripture For Divinity never knew any other viâ—ious restraining of the Spirit but either suppressing those holy incitements to virtue and good life which Gods Spirit ministers to us externally or internally or else a forbidding by publike authority the Ministers of the word and Sacraments to speake such â—ruths as God hath commended and so taking away the liberty of prophecying The first is directly vitious In materia speciale the second is â—yrannicall and Antichristiaâ— And to it persecution of true religion is to be reduced But as for this pretended limiting or râ—straining the spirit viz. by appointing a regular forme of prayer it is so very a Câ—imera that it hath no footing or foundation upon any ground where a wise man may build his confidence 9. But lastly how if the spirit must be restrained and that by precept Apostolicaâ—l That calls us to a new account But if it be not tâ—ue what meanes Saint Paul by saying The spirits of the prophets must be subject to the Prophets What greater restraint then subjection if subjected then they must be ruled if ruled then limited prescribed unto and as much under restraint as the spirits of the superiour Prophets shall judge convenient I suppose by this time this objection will trouble us no more But perhaps another will For why are not the Ministers to be left as well to their liberty in making their Prayers as their Sermons I answer the Church may it she will but whether she doth well or no let her consider This I am sure there is not the same reason and I feare the experience the world hath already had of it will make demonstration enough of the inconvenience But however the differences are many 1. Our prayers offered up by the Minister are in behalfe and in the name of the people and therefore great reason they should know beforehand what is to be presented that if they like not the message they may refuse to communicate especiaâ—ly since people are so divided in their opinions in their hopes and in their faiths it being a duty to refuse Communion with those prayers which they thinke to have in them the matter of sinne or doubting Which reason on the other part ceases for the Minister being to speak from God to the people if he speakes what he ought not God can right himselâ—e however is not partner of the sin as in the other case the people possibly may be 2. It is more fit a liberty be left in preaching than praying because the addresse of our discourses and exhortations are to be made according to the understanding and capacity of the audience their prejudices are to be removed all advantages to be taken and they are to be surprized that way they lye most open But being crafty I caught you saith Saint Paul to the Corinthians and discourses and arguments ad hominem upon their particular principles and practices may more move them than the most polite and accurate that doe not comply and wind about their fancies and affections S. Paul from the absurd practice of being baptized for the dead made an excellent argument to convince the Corinthians of the Resurrection But
and ancient formes of Church service which are composed according to those so excellent patternes which if they had remained pure as in their first institution or had alwayes beene as they have beene reformed by the Church of England they would against all defiance put in for the next place to those formes of Liturgy which Mutatis mutandis are nothing but the words of Scripture But I am resolved at this present not to enter into Question concerning the matter of prayers But for the forme this I say further 4. That the Church of God hath the promise of the spirit made to her in generall to her in her Catholicke and united capacity to the whole Church first then to particular Churches then in the lowest seate of the Category to single persons Now then I infer if any single persons will have us to beleeve without all possibility of proofe for so it must be that they pray with the Spirit for how shal they be able to prove the spirit actually to abâ—de in those single persons then much rather must we beleeve it of the Church which by how much the more generall it is so much the more of the spirit she is likely to have and then if there be no errors in the matter the Church hath the advantage and probability on her side and if there be an error in matter in either of them they faile of their pretences neither of them have the spirit But the publick spirit in all reason is to be trusted before the private when there is a contestation the Church being Prior potior in promissis she hath a greater and prior title to the spirit And why the Church hath not the spirit of prayer in her compositions as well as any of her children I desire once for all to be satisfied upon true grounds either of reason or revelation 5. Or if the Church shall be admitted to have the giâ—t and the spirit of prayer given unto her by virtue of the great promise of the spirit to abide with her for ever yet for all this she is taught to pray in a set forme of prayer and yet by the spirit too For what thinke we When Christ taught us to pray in that incomparable modell the Lords Prayer if we pray that prayer devoutly and with pious and actuall intention doe we not pray in the Spirit of Christ as much as if we prayed any other forme of words pretended to be taught us by the spirit We are sure that Christ and Christs Spirit taught us this Prayer they onely gather by conjectures and opinions that in their extempore formes the spirit of Christ teaches them So much then as certainties are better then uncertainties and God above man so much is this set forme besides the infinite advantages in the matter better than their extempore formes in the forme it selfe 6. If I should descend to minates and particulars I could instance in the behalfe of set forms that God prescribed to Moses a set form of prayer and benediction to be used when he did blesse the people 7. That Moses composed a song or hymne for the children of Israel to use to all their generations 8. That David composed many for the service of the tabernacle 9. That Solomon and the holy Kings of Iudah brought them in and conâ—inued them in the ministration of the temple 10. That all Scripture is written for our learning since all these and many more set forms of prayer left there upon record it is more then probable that they were left there for our use and devotion 11. That S. Iohn Baptist taught his Diciples a forme of prayer 12. And that Christs Disciples begged the same favour and it was granted as they desired it 13. And that Christ gave it not onely inmassâ materiae 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 onely proregula petendorum for a direction of what things we are to aske but also proforma orationis for a set forme of Prayer In which also I am most certainly confirmed besides the universall testimony of Gods Church so attesting it in the precept which Christ added When ye pray pray after this manner and indeed it points not the matter onely of our prayers but the forme of it the manner and the matter of the addresse both But in the repetition of it by Saint Luke the preceptive words seem to limit us and direct us to this very forme of words When ye pray say Our Father c. 14. I could also adde the example of all the Jewes and by consequence of our blessed Saviour who sung a great part of Davids Psalter in their Feast of Passeover which part is called by the Jewes the great Hallelu-jah it begins at the 113. Psalme and ends at the 118. inclusively And the Scripture mentions it as part of our blessed Saviours devotion and of his Disciples that they sung a Psalme 15. That this afterward became a Precept Evangelical that we should praise God in Hymnes Psalmes and spirituall songs which is a forme of Lyturgie in which we sing with the spirit but yet cannot make our Hymnes ex tempore it would be wild â—tuffe if we should goe about it 16. And lastly that a set-forme of worship and addresse to God was recorded by Saint Iohn and sung in heaven and it was composed out of the songs of Moses Exod. 15. of David Psal. 145. and of Ieremy Chap. 10. 6 7. which certainly is a very good precedent for us to imitate although but revealed to Saint Iohn by way of vision and extasie All which and many more are to meâ—as so many arguments of the use excellency and necessity of set-formes of Prayer for publike Lyturgies as and of greatest conveniencies even for private devotions 17. And so the Church of God in all Ages did understand it I shall not multiply authorities to this purpose for they are too many and various but shall onely observe two great instances of their beliefe and practice in this particular 1. The one is the perpetuall use and great Eulogies of the Lords Prayer assisted by the many Commentaries of the Fathers upon it 2. The other is that solemne forme of benediction and mysticall prayer as Saint Augustine calls it Lib. 3. de Trinit. c. 4. which all Churches and themselves said it was by Ordinance Apostolicall used in the Consecration of the blessed Sacrament But all of them used the Lords Prayer in the Canon and office of Consecration and other prayers taken from Scripture so Iustin Martyr testifies that the Consecration is made per preces verbi Dei by the prayers taken from the Word of God and the whole Canon was short determined and mysterious Who desires to be further satisfied in this particular shal find enough in Walafridus Strabo Aymonius Cassander Flacius Illyricus Iosephus Vicecomes and the other Ritualists and