another forme without premeditation is to abandon the Spirit This monstrous conceit of conceived prayers without any premeditation Pur. and Br. pag. 9. spoyleth both the Father and the Sonne as King James saith in his learned and godly exposition of the Lords prayer I justly call it monstrous saith he since they will have a thing both conceived and borne at once contrary to nature which will have every thing to lie in the belly of the mother a certain time after the conception there to grow and ripen before it be produced and this is the universall course of nature as well in animal as vegetable things yea even in minerals within the bowels of the earth And in this Grace imitates Nature not producing any perfect worke at the first but by degrees Yet I confesse when a man can swimme well he may cast away his bladders when the Cripple can walke well he may throw away his staffe yet there is a decorum to be kept even by him that hath the best gift that way If a man hath the gift of praier it is not unlawfull to use a set forme especially in publike for when we know before what to pray it is a meanes to stirre up our affections and to keepe them in good tune but by accident it is a meanes to coole our zeale when we have a prayer by roat when we mind the words onely Yet certainly it is a good helpe to those which are not come to a degree of excellency in this gift therefore as one saith so keepe a set forme as that ye varie and so varie as that it be grounded upon this forme and then conclude saying Our Father c. Thirdly this prayer is to be commended A plain form because it is a most plaine and perspicuous forme being easie to such as desire to informe themselves what and how to pray Obscurity is in nothing so odious as prayer they which pray in an unknown tongue pray not by the spirit because to pray without understanding is to offer strange incense so that I may use the words of Malachy Mal. 1.8 to such as put up prayers to God which they understand not Goe now and offer this to thy Prince and see if he will accept thy person will not he thinke himselfe abused and dismisse thee with some sharpe punishment the bruit Beasts may pray better for they have naturall and inarticulate voices Psal 147.9 the Ravens are fed of God when they call upon him their croaking is a kind of invocation the Lions roaring after their prey is a prayer When men know not what they pray Praedatio eorum precatio Aug. how can God or themselves say Amen to their prayers their praying is neither a spirituall nor a reasonable service Therefore the Fathers doe paralell this praying in an unknowne tongue to Caligula's banquet who did set before his friends golden dishes and bad them eate but they found them hard meat and rose up more hungry then before The Romish Priests doe set before the people rather brasen dishes their soules are starved because they cannot eate But if they were golden Quid prodest clauis aurea si non aperiat quid obest lignea si aperiat Aug. what good could they get by them What doth a golden key profit us if it cannot open our doore what doth a wooden one hinder us if it can open our doore Caelius Rhodoginus writeth that Cardinall Ascanius had a Popinjay Lib 3 32. that could pronounce distinctly all the articles of the Creed such Popinjayes or Dauâ—s are the Papists who can say Pater noster yet not Our Eather If the Priest juggle as well in this as in other things he may teach the common people as well to curse as blesse God for ought they know Let us therefore pray with the spirit 1 Cor. 14.15 but let us pray with understanding also Lingua sonet menâ—autem scâ—utetur sensum â—orum quae dicuntur Basil in Ps 28. Let us take Saint Basils rule Let thy voice be heard but let thine understanding find out the sence of those things which are spoken and so let us say Our Father which art in heaven c. Fourthly this prayer is to be commended because it is a briefe forme A brief form Lycurgus injoyned the people to offer little sacrifices unto their Gods for saith he they respect more the inward affection then the outward action Matth. 6.8 Matth. 23.14 A rule which our Master Christ hath given us When ye pray use not much babling And he condemned the Pharises for their long prayers And behold this prayer which he hath given us to say is a short one that for these Reasons which Ludolphus reciteth First to be easier learned Secondly to be better remembred Thirdly to be oftener repeated Fourthly Non tumultuosa loquacitas sed affectio cordis apud Deum praevalet Aug. to assure us that God heareth us the sooner Fifthly that we may not so much respect words as devotion It sheweth us that it is not tumultuous babling but fervency of affection that prevaileth with God The forme of the Decalogue is reduced unto ten words nay by Christ unto two nay to one word love mica salis it is the grain of salt which seasoneth every part of our obedience Likewise the Creed is reduced unto twelve Articles those twelve to six those six to two what we beleeve in and what we beleve of This Prayer for brevity sake is reduced to six petitions for those prayers are best which are shortest and most full of affection Sir Rich. Bak. With the length or elegancy of our prayers as God is not wearied so he is not delighted but Devotion is the length and Faith is the Eloquence which while with perswasions they importune him with importunity they perswade him And therefore the Church hath prescribed Collects prayers answerable to this short prayer of our Saviour Christ Let it not then be irksome unto us when we pray to say Our Father which art in Heaven c. Lastly this prayer is to be commended A perfect forme Quantum restringitur in verbis tantum dissunditur Tertul. lib. dâ— orat because it is a perfect forme By how much it is streightned in words by so much it is defused in signification It may well be called a world of prayer for this is the little world which Christ made upon earth As the world consisteth of Heaven and earth so this prayer consisteth of heavenly and earthly petitions As the whole frame of Nature was made in six dayes so Christ giveth us a forme of prayer in six petitions answerable to the six dayes Protegenes the Painter being from home Apollo in the meane time came to his shop and drow a line by the evenesse and straightnesse thereof Protogenes knew that Apollo had beene there so by the evenesse and straightnesse of this prayer and excellent ontracting of the Petitions though
impose a prescript forme of prayer upon mens consciences although Scripture it selfe But cannot we prove that a prescript forme of prayer may be imposed upon the Church let the Author and his followers take notice of 1 Chro. ch 16. v. 7 8.35.36 Again of Joel chap. 2. ve Apparet hunc Pâ—â—â—mum c. Musc in Psal 95. 15 16 17. The 95. Psalme in the judgement of some learned men was used in the publike assemblies of the Jewes even upon the Sabboth day Master Calvia wâ—â—ting to the Lord Protector in the time of King Edward the sixth hath these words Quod ad formulam precum Mr. Calvin Epist ad Proteâ— Angl. 87. pag. 69. rituum Ecclesiasticorum valde probo c. Concerning the forme of prayer saith he and Ecclesiasticall rites I doe very well like that they should be certain in a prescript order and that the Pastors be not suffered to swarve from it as well for the helpe of the simple is also that a consent of all Churches may he held and lastly to prevent the rashnesse of those that affect novelties But againe Object 2 the Admirer of the Lords Prayer said We ought not my Beloved to say the Lords Prayer as a prayer especially the Minister in a publike Congregation because there be many ignorant persons which understand it not To which I answer Answ first that it is very plaine and easie to such as desire to in forme themselves What and How to pray Again I answer that if we must not say the Lords Prayer unlesse we understand it it is unlawfull to teach our children to say it Master Br. of Saint D. E. who as yet are not come to the yeers of discretion But consider these places Deut. 6.7 11.19 Pro. 22.6 Lastly if it be so that none must say or hear the Lords Prayer but those that throughly understand it then it is unlawful to command our children to read the Scriptures or to heare them read especially the 6. chap. of Saint Mathew and the 11. of Saint Luke But this learned Doctor falleth from objecting against the Prayer in generall and betaketh himselfe to particulars First ye ought not to say the Lords prayer Object 1 because if you be in the state of nature you abuse God in that you say Our Father Is God a Father of regenerate persons onely Answ Is not he a Father generally of all creatures All men may say Our Father by a fourfold right Of Creation the Father of our being Of providence the Father of our continuance Of infusion of the spirit Of regeneration In the two first sences not men onely but all other creatures may call God theirs because he created them and provideth for them In the third not onely Saints but all men may generally call God theirs In the fourth th' Elect onely The first is the voice of nature the second of sence the third of reason the fourth of grace But unregenerate persons ought not to say the Lords prayer as a prayer for if they doe Object 2 they desire their owne damnation because they pray Thy Kingdome come I perceive that this famous Teacher never read of the Kingdome of power Answ which enforceth to the Kingdome of the Gospel nor of the Kingdome of the Gospel which makes way to the Kingdome of grace nor of the Kingdome of grace which prepares for the Kingdom of glory yet this petition comprehends all these Not any longer wil I trouble my self to sweep away these slender cobwebs or to presse these rotten grapes onely let me tell you that the chiefest reason as I gesse why the Novelists doe relinquish the sacred prayer of our Saviour is because it containeth this petition Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespasse against us And behold now I meet with the third and last sort of adversaries unto this prayer which I may call lukewarme Laodiceans they are the more moderate Brownists and Separatists King James conter a Ham. Coaâ—t they will not quite forsake this prayer but they will have as little of it as they can peradventure none oâ— it if they durst appeare to their secret dislike for do not their famous Lecturers refuse to say it except once in a quarter of a yeere and then must it not be said upon the last lecture-day of the quarter because some worthy Citizens else willdeny their liberall Contribution shal I compare these men to those Spanish Friers of whom I read who would say their Pater noster but once a weeke and that was upon the Lords day Nay may I not compare them rather to an honest brother of theirs who being lately asked by a worthy Citizen what he thought of the Lords prayer At Master M. house in G.H. answered I think it is a prayer of all prayers being asked againe why then he did not say it oftener at the end of his owne prayers answered I will give my Audience content Is not that saying of the Apostle verefied of these men Phil. 2.21 all seeke their owne not the things which are Jesus Christs It is a prayer that cannot be said too often and I dare presse the frequent use thereof upon warrant of this plaine and cleare Text Luke 11.2 Quando oratis dicite c. quando is as much as quandocunque quandocunque is as much as quotiescunque whensoever ye pray or as often as ye pray If we repeate the same words to iterate the same petitions to God is it any more blameable in us then in Christ himselfe Mat. 26.44 â— Cor. 1â— 8 who in the Garden is said to have used three times severally the same words not the same petition onely Or then in Saint Paul who when Sathan buffered him did three times pray the same prayer as he confesseth Away then with these proud ignorant wilfull dissembling Novelists for those which are ashamed of the Lords prayer here on earth of those shall the sonne of man be ashamed when he commeth in the glory of his Father with the holy Angels But these are Brethren and I heartily wish therefore that by some good means they were reformed if not it is the Apostles precept that they be avoided Mark those saith he that make contentions Rom. 16.17 and avoid them Marke them as you would the Basilisk avoid them as you would a Pest-house And if ever my beloved you desire to find true comfort by your prayers here on earth or to see the face of Christ in Heaven let me perswade you to honour the Author for the prayers sake the prayer for the Authors sake First let us honour the Author for the Prayers sake It was a good memorandum which Marke the Heremite gave to one of his Schollers for his direction in his duty of thanksgiving unto God which was that he was not onely to blesse God for the good workes which he did but also for the good words which he spake A man must as well blesse God for his good words as for his good actions if we come by the good word of grace to have the grace of words in our speech we are as well to blesse God for it as for good workes because as we are not able to doe any good work no more to speak any good word of our selves for it is not in him that willeth nor in him that speaketh but in God that giveth the power If we must blesse God for our words much more for our prayers and if for our prayers much more for this prayer and the gift of the spirit in it and for his assistance in it And as we must honour the Author for the Prayers sake so let us honour the Prayer for the Authors sake How readily will God heare the Prayer of his sonne and how readily will the son acknowledge his owne Prayer made in his owne name when we offer up this prayer we may say as Saint Bernard of himselfe Nunquam abs te absque te recedo J never goe from thee without thee Cypr. de Orat. Dome Oremus itaque fratres dilectissimi sicut magister Deus docuit Let us therefore my beloved brethren pray as God our master hath taught us Since he hath framed us a prayer of which we are assured that he is pleased with the hearing it let us be delighted with the saying it and let our zeale towards it like true love which groweth by the enjoying encrease by the practising that the oftener we say it the more we may love it and the more we love it the oftener we may say it Amen Amen FJNJS
come not thou into their secret Gen. 49.6 unto their assembly mine honour be not thou united Let us not like the Cocke in the Fable preferre the barly corn before the precious gemme or like Chius sell the good Wine and drink the dregges our selves or like Glaucus change our gold for copper Let us not take darknesse for light Isa 5.20 and light for darknesse bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter shall we make this blessed Prayer of none effect to promote our owne Rom. 3.4 God forbid yea let God be true and every man a lyar let the whole treasure of our prayers be contained in this treasury let us offer the gold frankincense and myrrhe of prayers and thanksgiveings alwayes on this holy Altar for whosoever walketh according to this rule Gal. 6.16 peace shall be upon him and mercy and upon the Israel of God So much for the first consideration of this prayer viz. as it is Regula or a rule of prayer Come we â—ow to the second consideration of it viz. as it is Forma A prayer of it selfe or a prayer of it selfe All the Petitions contained in this prayer were used by our Saviour Christ in the dayes of his flesh as he tooke our nature for sometimes he prayed for the honouring his Fathers name sometimes for the inlarging of his Kingdome sometimes for fulfilling of his will sometimes for multiplication of bread sometimes for deliverance from temptation But one petition seemeth repugnant forgive us our trespasses Quest for how could he pray so who never knew sinne He might pray this Sol. 1 having a fellow-feeling of the Churches miseries he was the head of a body 2 Cor. 5.21 and was made sinne for us and so did not onely confesse himselfe a sinner but suffered the wrath of God for it which made him cry Deus mi Mat. 27.46 Rom. 15.3 Psal 69.9 Deus mi My God my God why hast thou forsaken me The rebukes of them that rebuked thee fell on me Againe Sol. 2 you may beleeve that our Saviour did not recite it as his prayer unto God but left it as a prayer unto his Church There is a distinction made of the whole prayer in the Lesson and in the Liturgie In the Lesson it is commended by God to us in the Liturgie we commend our selves to God by it And although Christ did not use it as a prayer though it might be so yet certainly he commended it as a forme unto the Church And albeit wee read not in any place of holy Scripture that the Apostles used this forme of prayer in reason we are to suppose that as they were Disciples and were ignorant they used it as a prayer as they were Apostles and had the gift of prayer they used it as a patterne to others That it was given as a prayer we need not wee ought not to doubt therefore we see it used in all the Liturgies of the Primitive Church as in the Liturgies of Saint James of Saint Basil of the Syrians of the Ethiopians Marg. Bibliotheâ— pat and in the Liturgie of Saint James there are these words prefixed Vouchsafe us O Lord this confidence that we may dare to pray unto thee and say Our Father which art in Heaven c. And that it was thus intended it is plaine by the words Our Saviour doth not say pray that Gods name may be hallowed his Kingdome come c. in any other forme but he bindeth them to the same words as upon a just occasion he saith pray non in hunc modum sed haec verba When ye pray say Our Father c. And this is the reason why it is so often used in the Liturgie Communion Baptisme and every particular Rite in our Church It is so that if any thing be defective in our prayers or forgotten which were fit to be asked we may quicken our senses and recollect our selves by the sweet recitall of this prayer which if a man could speake with the largenesse of affection that the words will beare he needeth no other prayer And therefore we make it at the least we ought the clause and end of all our prayers Cyprian de orat Dom. It is good saith Saint Cyprian to aske God in his owne words for what is more likly to prevaile with God Quae potest esse magis spiritualis oratio quam quae a Christo nobis data est a quo nobis spiritus saneÌ„tus mâ—ssus est c. then that which was made by God himselfe It beginneth with Kingdome and endeth with Glory It is the best forme that ever was made saith that holy and blessed Martyr for what more excellent and true prayer can there be then that which was made by excellency and truth it selfe It is the most spirituall forme for it was given by the holy spirit Saint Austin preaching upon this prayer Aug. de temp serm 126. doth fall into admiration of it saying O vere coelestis oratio quae tota est oratio O truly celestiall prayer which is all prayer Mr. Calvin And reverend Calvin likewise learnedly and judiciously falleth into admiration of the loving kindnesse of Christ towards us Dum unigenitus Dei filius nobis verba in os suggerit quae mentem nostram omni haesitationâ— expediant In that he putteth words into our mouth which may free our mind of all doubting For five things is this Prayer to be commended First it is to be commended because it is a publike forme it was so intended by our Saviour Christ A publike forme as it plainly appeareth by its running in the plurall number Not my Father but Our Father c. Hence it was well noted by Saint Greg. that although in the latine Church it was said by the Priest onely yet in the Greek Church it was said by all the people as being intended publike forme not but that we should use it in private as a clause of our prayer for it is a prayer as well for the closet Matth. 6.6 as for the Church When thou entrest into thy closet pray after this manner for though then a man prayeth alone yet must he not pray for himselfe alone qui sibi soli orat solus orat saith Saint Austin whosoever prayeth for himselfe alone prayeth alone and hath not God hearing him therefore in the publike Congregations and in our closets let us say Our Father which art in Heaven c. Secondly this prayer is to be commended A set forme because it is a set forme it is plaine and evident by the giveing of it Christ gave it twife in the same words and same forme nay if he had beene desired a forme of prayer a thousand times he would have given the same forme Therefore justy may we dislike Conceptuaries which conceive of other formes and say it is a stinting of the Spirit to pray in a set forme for rather we may say to pray in
the Gospell had not mentioned the Author of it we might have easily gessed that Christs spirit had been there This Prayer is perfect in respect of the Author Order Matter First Author 1 Cor. 13. it is perfect in respect of the Author of it The Apostle saith If J had the tongue of men and Angels His meaning is that the tongues of Angels were more glorious then the tongues of men and therefore that song of the Angels Isa 6.3 Holy Holy Holy is magnified in the Church But this prayer was formed by the tongue of Christ who is the Lord of Angels It was compiled by him who is the wisdome of God and therefore cannot be but perfect Deut. 32.4 quia perfecta sunt opera Jehovae because all the workes of the Lord are perfect Secondly Method it is perfect in respect of the Method or Order of it If man did make a prayer he would begin at daily bread Matth. 6.33 but Christ in this prayer teacheth us first to seeke the Kingdome of God The Lacedemonians used to aske of their Gods 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Things usefull Things excellent So in this prayer we begge things excellent in the three first petitions and in the two last and things usefull or necessary in the fourth It is a most excellent order for therein we first seeke Gods glory afterward our owne good The three first petitions concerne God and doe begin with his glory The first bringeth it in the second amplifieth it The third consummates it The three last doe concerne our selves the fourth is for temporals the fifth and sixth are for spirituals For temporals in removing things occasionally evill as afflictions for spirituals in removing things simply evill as sinne Others doe thus distinguish them The first petition respecteth God All the rest respect us in a threefold estate first of Glory Thy Kingdome come Secondly of Grace Thy will be done even in earth as it is in Heaven Forgive us our trespasses c. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evill Thirdly of Nature Give us this day our daily bread As it is thus perfect in respect of the Method So in respect of the Matter Matter It is so large a Theme that we may lose our selves in it The consideration whereof made Saint Cyprian cry out Qualia quam malta Sacramenta How many excellent mysteries in this prayer It is a prayer of it selfe and every word in it is a prayer There is not one word wanting that should be put in nor any word more then ought to be It containeth in it all the Articles of the Creed The Creed they are twelve here are six petitions Those twelve may be reduced to six answerable to these six petitions First as we beleeve in God so we pray that God would shew himselfe Omnipotent in preserving us in the way to Heaven by giving us things necessary for this life The fourth petition answerable to the first article As in the other articles which concerne Christ we beleeve that Christs merits are sufficient so we pray here that whatsoever Christ did suffer might be efficacions to bring us to his Kingdome to doe his will to assure us of remission of sins and preservation from all evill As in the Creed we beleeve that the Holy Ghost is a sanctifier so here we pray that he would be so to us In the Creed we beleeve the Communion of Stints here we pray for it Againe it containeth all the ten Commandements for as in them are contained all good things to be done The ten Com. so here we begge grace to doe them As all the Commandements of the Decalogue are reduced to two heads so all the Petitions of the Lords Prayer are reduced to two heads we begge things for Gods glory and our owne good The summe of the first Table is answerable to the three first Petitions and the summe of the second Table is answerable to the three last Totius Evangelu breve compend â—m Tertul. lib. de orat cap. 1. As the old Testament is a Comment upon the Decalogue so is the New upon this Prayer which is saith Tertullian the Gospels Epitome Thirdly it is a Compendium of all wants Upon aloccasons All wants we may have recourse unto this prayer When Gods Name is blasphemed we may fly to the first Petition and say Lord sanctifie thy holy name When Piety is trodden under foote we may runne to the second and say Thy Kingdome come When we find in us an inability to doe Gods will we may have recourse unto the third beseeching God so to enable us to doe his will here on earth as it is done in Heaven by the blessed Angels When we stand in need of tempor all things we may expresse the fourth saying give us this day our daily bread When we find our selves burthened with sin we thirst after the fifth and say Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespas against us When we are assulted by temptations we may with comfort imbrace the sixth and say lead us not into temptation but diliver us from evil Fourthly and lastly All kinds of prayer it is a Compendium of all kinds of prayer It containeth all that were made by the Prophets of old the prayers of Moses David Samuel Daniel c. And all the prayers of the Apostles in the new Testament The Apostle Paul doth set downe four kinds of prayer in 1 Tim. 2.1 The first is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deprecation of evill 1 Tim. 2.1 The second is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Comprecation of good The third is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Interpellation or Intercession for others The fourth is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thanksgiving or Blessing God for our selves and others All these are contained in this Prayer First Deprecation is contained in the two last petitions Forgive us our trespasses c. lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evill Secondly Comprecation is comprehended in all the other petitions Thirdly Intercession shineth in every word Our Father give us forgive us c. Fourthly giving of thanks appeareth in the Doxologie For thine is the Kingdome the power and the glory for ever Amen Nay there are all these in every Petition For as in the Commandement it is a generall rule that where the affirmative part is commanded there the negative is forbidden and on the contrary So in these Petitions where we pray for any good there we pray against the contrary evill And in every petition there is intercession because we pray for others And when we pray for the obtaining of any good or removing of any evill there must of necessity be giving of thanks for any degree of having the one or removing the other Thus find we to our great comfort that never man spake as Christ when he spake to man never Angel spake as he when he spake to God
He hath left us a Prayer which is as perfect for a prayer as Christ for a Saviour in its spheare and proportion Good God! Ap. Rom. 1.25 Heb. 10.29 what phrensie then hath possessed the practicke and pragmaticke spirits to turne the truth of God into a lie to trample under foote this sacred and unparelled prayer Doe not they count it an unholly thing do not they cry out against it as the Edomites against Jerusalem Psal 137.7 saying down with it downe with it even to the ground Or else doe not they cry out against it as the two possessed with devils cried out against our Saviour saying Matth. 8.29 what have we to doe with thee art thou come to torment us before the time If not why doe not they say it shall I say in their private houses Tâ—r. 1.12 Alwayes liars nay in our publike Congregations three sorts of Christians there are I should say Cretians which doe stand out as professed enemies unto it First there are some who cannot be content to turne it out of doores onely as Sarah did Hagar but they must send a scourge of small cords after it with a pasport of ignomine and disgrace Test Some have not bin ashamed to say that if Christ were upon earth againe he would not give his Church a set forme of prayer because it stinteth the spirit An idle and impudent minion said not long since that shee did thank God A sern in Br. Str. Test she had forgotten the Lords prayer A woman walking up Col. hill within these few weeks said J am very glad that J have not said the Lords prayer for above a twelve-moneth Another farre worse then these if worse can be said A seru in T.P. Test J thinke in my conscience J shall offend God more if J should say the Lords prayer then if J should lie with a man O intolerable impiety O impudent atheisme O horrid blasphemie Doe not these strip off the white and keep the black are not these prophane and without shew of the contrary Rom. 2.5 Doe not they virtually betray the Lord of life Doe they not treasure up unto themselves wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God Certainly they are such as Saint Paul speaketh of in 2 Tim. 4.3.4 2 Tim. 4.3.4 The time will come saith he when they will not indure sound doctrine but after their owne lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers having itching eares And they shall turne away their eares from the truth and shal be given unto fables Againe there are some which doe commend this prayer I feare The Brownists and Anabap. Barrow and Green wood c. in the reign of Q. Eliza. not cordially for an excellent copy to write after a mould to make prayers by but they say it is not a prayer it selfe and therefore they will never conclude their Prayers with it They have put this abominable errour in Print and have likewise published the same lately in our London Pulpits taking upon them to shew reason why it should not be used for a prayer First let us weigh their reasons that are in Print although indeed they are not worth the weighing they are so small First Object 1 say they it is not lawfull to use the Lords Prayer as a prayer because we have no warrant or example for it I Answer Christians have a sufficient warrant Answ for they are commanded Luke 11.2 and taught by the Lord Jesus to pray so When ye pray say this not thus say Our Father c. These words are a contradiction to their ne dicite Disciplina discipuli doctrina Magistri The Masters doctrine is the Schollers discipline Againe Object 2 The Lords Prayer is the patterne or grand-worke of prayer therfore it is not lawfull for a Christian to use it as a prayer The Antecedent is true Answ Matth. 6.9 but I deny the Argument Is it no prayer because it is the groundworke of prayer The argument is like unto these two arguments First the Articles of our Creed are the summe and groundworke of our Faith therefore it is not lawfull to repeat them as the confession of our saith Secondly Concupiscence is the groundworke and originall of sinne Rom. 7. Jam. 1.14.15 therefore concupiscence is not sinne which Popish argument is very false and followeth not for concupiscence is both sinne and the cause of sin Thirdly Object 3 they alleage that Prayer must expresse our wants to God in particular but the Lords Prayer is generall Our Answer is Answ that both in generall and in particular we must pray to God and therefore our larger prayers do refer themselves to the generall heads of this prayer and this concludeth them all Moreover this prayer is full even in particular Petitions Fourthly Object 4 they alleage that our faith cannot arrive to all expressed in the Lords Prayer 1 Cor. 13. therefore it is unlawfull to use it publikely or privately as a prayer The argument is very silly Answ and is like unto this Our knowledge is imperfect and cannot reach unto very many things contained in the Canonicall Scriptures therfore a godly Christian may not travail in the body of the Canonical Scriptures That man that should dispute thus deserveth to be called an Ignaro Fifthly Object 5 the Lords Prayer is Scripture therfore it is not lawfull to use it as a prayer A very good argument it is to justifie the use of it Answ Wherefore doe we use Davids Psalmes and the holy hymues of Scripture but to apply them to our occasion Lord into thy hands I commend my spirit Psal 31.6 Luke 23.46 Is not this Scripture yet our Saviour used it for a prayer on the Crosse But we will passe from the Reasons in the Presse to the Reasons in the Pulpit which are of the same vertue and value First Master T. Object 1 it is said the venerable Sir Antichristian to say the Lords Prayer as a Prayer because it is imposed upon mens consciences Seemeth it a small thing unto him to have eaten up the good pasture Answ Ezek. 34.18 but he must tread downe with his feet the residue of his pastures and to have drunke of the deepe waters Reve. 13.1 but he must trouble the residue with his feet Is not the name of blasphemy upon his head I am sure it is upon his tongue Is Christ Antichrist light darkenesse heaven hell Is it Antichristian to say that prayer which Christ hath commanded us will dare any man question his authority Consider this ye that thus forget God lest he teare you in peeces Psal 50.22 and there be none to deliver you But doth not the Author meane forgetting Christ that this prayer the Church hath imposed upon mens consciences to be said as a prayer therefore it is Antichristian It seemeth then that the Author will not allow the Church so much power as to