The exposition of Dionysius Syrus written above 900 years since on the evangelist St. Mark / translated by Dudley Loftus ... anno 1672 ; wherewith are bound up several other tracts of the same authour, and an ancient Syriack scholia on the four evangelists, as also some Persian, Armenian, and Greek antiquities, translated as aforesaid : the titles whereof are set down immediately after the Epistle to the reader, with refereuce [sic] to the several pages where they are.

An EXPOSITION of the LORDS PRAYER, taken out of DIO∣NYSIƲS SYRƲS his CATENA, on the Sixth Chapter of St. Matthew: And Translated by D. L.

PRay thus. That is to say, Not as the Gentiles and Hypocrites, but as I teach you.

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉Prayer is sometimes taken for a pro∣mise of Vows which are separated or desig∣ned by us to God, according to what David said, I will perform my vowes to the Lord: As also for whatsoever cometh from the lips.

And 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Prayer is an Oblation made to God af∣ter the performance of a promise, therefore 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ought first to be accomplished, and then 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 to fol∣low.

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Prayer is taken three manner of wayes.

• First, For Words; as that of Hannah, who prayed with her mouth.
• Secondly, For matter of Fact; as that of Phinehas, who prayed by a zealous deed.
• Thirdly, For that of the mind; according to that, I will pray in the Spirit, and I will pray with know∣ledge.

And every one of these three manner of wayes, bodily, mentally, spiritually, our Lord recommends unto us the latter.

Our Father who art in Heaven.

Our Father may be termed several wayes.

• First, Our remote Father, as Adam the Father of us all.
• Secondly, Our next Father, as Abraham, who was the Father of Isaac.
• Thirdly, Accidental Fathers.
• Fourthly, An Instructer of Youths is called a Fa∣ther:
• Fifthly, An aged man is called a Father.
• Sixthly, The High Priest is called Father.
• Seventhly, The Three hundred and eighteen Do∣ctors are called Fathers.

Moreover, Satan is called the Father of them who are subject unto him; but in none of these kinds do we call God our Father, but by reason of Baptism; and forasmuch as Christ and we also are born in Baptism, we are Brethren unto him, and Sons to the Father, as David said, I will declare thy Name to my Brethren, and he gave them authority to be called the Sons of God. And we call the Father our Father. Christ was the natural Son of his Father, but we are the Sons of Grace. Unto whom doth it belong to call God his Father? He who is perfect in a good Conversation, is he who calls God our Father; but he who is of a sordid and evil Conversati∣on, calls Satan his Father, because he fulfills his Will.

Why doth he teach us to say Our Father generally, and not peculiarly every one of us, My Father who art in Heaven? That he might shew that we are one Body, and that our Father is one; and that we might pray for the intire body of Brethren.

Moreover, by the words Our Father, he beats down Pride, and exalted Opinions of our selves, shewing, That Kings and Beggars are equal in that glorious Pe∣digree; if ye all have one Father, ye are also of one kind in the Spirit:

Our Father who art in Heaven.

Not that he is confined to Heaven, but that he might divert the mind of him who prayeth from earth∣ly Cogitations, and raise it to Heaven.

Again, He saith in Heaven, That we might be wean∣ed from earthly Parents, and to shew that his dwelling is in Heaven.

Hallowed by the Name.

That is to say, That by our glorious and gracious living, the Name of God may be sanctified and glori∣fied.

Again, That we might consecrate our lips and our mouths to his Name, because he is Holy before we can call him Holy.

Again, Hallowed. That is to say, Let thy Holy Name be praised or celebrated, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is an Hebrew name, and signifieth separation. And whatsoever thing is separated from another, whether it be in beauty, or in riches, &c, the Hebrew calls it 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Holy, ac∣cording to that, The Holy in the Land, and Re∣nowned.

Thy Name.

Thy Name is used in the place of God, according to the phrase of Scripture, Praise the Name of his holiness, and let them know that thy Name is the Lord onely.

Thy Kingdom come.

That is to say, That thou may'st deliver us from evil.

The word Kingdom is taken in sundry senses, as we have hinted heretofore.

Kingdom, The Beatitude of the World to come, wherein we shall be made immortal.

Kingdom, The time after the Resurrection of Christ, according to that, I will not drink of the fruit of the Vine, until I drink it anew in the Kingdom.

Kingdom, The Gospel.

Kingdom, The Theory of Things of small quantity, according to that, The Kingdom is like unto Leaven.

Kingdom, The Contemplation of the Trinity, ac∣cording to that, The Kingdom cometh not by observation, and the Kingdom of God is within you. Here he calls the Kingdom, the Grace of the Holy Spirit which we receive in Baptism.

Again, Thy Kingdom come. He teacheth us to pray for Faith in him, therefore he calls Faith the Kingdom.

Thy Will be done.

He teacheth us to pray for a vertuous and chaste Conversation.

Moreover, Be pleased that we who dwell on earth may glorifie thee.

As in Heaven, so also in Earth.

That is to say, As thou art well-pleased with the Angels in Heaven, so also be pleased with us who dwell on Earth.

Give us the Bread of our Exigency.

By Bread, is understood all things necessary for the Body, Meat, Drink, Rayment and Lodging, all which are requisite for the Body.

This day.

In that he saith the day, he means the present time.

Remit unto us our debts, as we also.

For remission, he gives remission; we as men, re∣mit unto men; but he as God, remits unto us our ma∣ny Trespasses: And as is the disproportion between a grain and a Mountain, between a drop and the Sea, so little is our remission in comparison of that remission he grants us.

Lead us not into Tentation.

That is to say, Let us not be the occasion of their being condemned, who are to bring Tribulations up∣on us.

And again, It doth not befit us to presume of our own accord the exposing of our selves to Tentations; for Satan himself continually raiseth them up against us, and therefore let not us excite them.

But deliver us from Evil.

That is to say, It behoveth us alwayes to pray, that we may be delivered from the Temptations which the evil one raiseth against us.

For thine is the Kingdom.

If the Kingdom be his, then Satan is his Slave, and cannot presume to attempt any thing, unless he per∣mit him, as he gave him permission in the case of Job, and of the Swine.

The Power and the Glory

His is the Power, for he is able to do all Things.

And Glory for ever.

For as his Kingdom is sure, and his Power great, so also shall his Glory, without end, remain for ever. He comprehends the Prayer in Ten sentences, according to the Mystery of the Ten Commandments, and the Ten Beatitudes; and Jud (which signifieth Ten) is the letter of Jesus, and the five first sentences concern the Soul, and the five latter concern the Body, that we may purge the Ten senses. He applies himself after Prayer to root out of the mind anger and wrath, which if it be not done, Prayer is not accepted.