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spirit_n ghost_n holy_a receive_v 18,187 5 5.7163 4 true
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A38615 The use of the Lords prayer maintained against the objections of the innovators of these times by John Despagne ... ; Englished by C.M.D.M.; Usage de l'Oraison Dominicale maintenu contre les objections des innovateurs de ce tems. English Espagne, Jean d', 1591-1659.; C. M. D. M. 1646 (1646) Wing E3273; ESTC R21607 17,444 92

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from me In one and the same Psalm which is the 136. so many verses so many times this clause The mercy of God endureth for ever The same words are there pronounced 26 times 3. What repetitions then are there found forbidden Those which are vain Vain they are when one thinks that their multiplication carryes some vertue Vain also if there be want of understanding of affection or of Faith But the repetition of a Prayer animated alwayes with the same Spirit which ought to act in this exercise can never be vain As on the contrary a Prayer destitute of this Spirit shall not cease to be vain though it be pronounced but once Besides if it be permitted to repeat the same thoughts which I have already had why may I not rehearse them in the very same words wherein I have already expressed them There may be as much vanity in reiterating the sighs every moment as many now adayes have made a fashion of it as to repeat the words of Jesus Christ 4. Moreover I marvel that these men make profession that they so much hate repetitions seeing the greatest part of their Prayers is built on nothing but repetitions A repetition consists not onely in rehearsing the same words but also in rehearsing the same thing though in different terms Is not this a rehearsal when a man having named dirt comes a little after to name it mud or after he hath spoken of a Sword he comes to speak of a Rapier Their Synonyma's and Periphrases wherewith their Prayers are wholly stuft are they not so many repetitions 5. We may observe hereupon that this passage which they object against us Matt. 6. 7. forbids not onely vain repetitions but also multitude of words Wherefore do not these men apprehend that there may be as much vanity in the length of their Prayers wherein they spend as much time as would suffice for a good Sermon as in saying once the Lords Prayer Or is the tediousnesse of their Prayers more contrary to vain babling then the brevity of this It may be they will ask How many times we may pronounce it in a day or in an hour But this is all one as if they should ask How many times ought we to pray to God For we are enjoyned to pray without ceasing Not that God requires of us a continual act but neverthelesse it ought to be frequent Besides the worth of our Prayers lies not in the number nor in the measure but in the weight OBJECTION IV. Behold another Objection The words of him which prays must second his thoughts but it will come to passe that one being attentive to the words of the Lords Prayer his good thoughts will straggle and his spirit shall be diverted Answer 1. IT is false and a very strange thing to say that the words of Jesus Christ divert good thoughts If they well understood this Prayer they would never speak in this manner Can we have better thoughts in Prayer then those which are included in the words of this Prayer 2. It is false and cannot be said without blasphemy that they make the spirit wander On the contrary they guide the spirit Can we better rank our thoughts then by making them march according to the Order traced by Jesus Christ himself 3. It is false and abominable that the words by which we receive the Spirit of God distract the spirit of man for this Prayer is a parcel of that Doctrine of Faith by which we receive the holy Ghost Galat. 3. 2. 4. Are these men so full of good thoughts that having spent whole hours in venting their conceptions as they would that they cannot bestow three or four minutes on the Lords Prayer 5. But if we ought to abstain from the words thereof under colour that they do not alwayes meet with those thoughts which may come upon us in the act of Prayer I demand of these men When any one of them makes a Prayer in publike whether he be assured that all the thoughts of his Auditors just meet alwayes and at such a point with his own or with the words by the which he expresseth them It should be very hard for him in a great Assembly to finde one man that hath so perfect a concurrence with him Is there not then the same danger lest the words of his Prayer should divert the good thoughts of them that hear him Or is there more disturbance in hearing a Prayer dictated by Jesus Christ whereunto we have already prepared and conformed our thoughts then to hear one of a man whose thoughts prevent and oftentimes stifle ours OBJECTION V. This same shall serve for an answer to another reason which they alledge The spirit say they ought to be free and we ought not to shut it up in the bonds of a Form Answer 1. MUst the spirit of man that it might be free be without Rule Or is it inslaved if it pronounce the Lords Prayer God grant we have alwayes the liberty to pronounce it 2. This Prayer is indeed short in words but in substance it is of so great extent that it comprehends the Heaven and the Earth the present and all ages to come Is the spirit of these men so vast that this Prayer cannot contain it 3. Or if it be captivity to hear this Prayer pronounced Is the spirit of the hearers more captived in hearing the Prayer of Jesus Christ or in hearing the Prayer of another OBJECTION VI Thereupon they say This Prayer doth not sufficiently particularize it expresseth not our necessities but in terms very general but we ought according to occurrences to expresse the particularities every one by its own proper name Answer 1. THese men fear it seems lest God should not well understand unlesse they shewed him with the finger and unlesse they deciphered out unto him particularly all their petty necessities And verily under colour of particularizing many instead of presenting their Prayers to God seem to give him instructions Many also expressing particularities expresse their impertinences And many too thinking they desire an Egge desire a Scorpion Certainly it is often necessary to particularize but there needs great discretion whereof all are not capable General requests as those of the Lords Prayer are as the Stars which have their station certain and their motion regular But when we come to particulars then one descends as it were to the Elementary region where all things are various and turbulent and where one shall meet with a perpetual conflict of reasons as waves driven with contrary winds 2. Moreover If a man would undertake to name all the favours which are necessary or expedient for him he shall never end his Prayer Is there any man that can particularize all the things which are requisite either for his being or for his wel●being all the kindes of temptations all the depths of Satan all his own offences Who is he that knows his transgressions Psal. 19. And besides all the necessities of the