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.

TO The very much Honoured, John Crew, Esq

SIR,

YOu may, perhaps, wonder, that the ensuing Treatise, being, for the maine, the substance of a Ser∣mon lately preached in your eares at Brackley, should now be presented

to the eye of the world: And again, that it should come forth after this manner, fronted with your name: And the ra∣ther at both, because you will finde your selfe sur∣prised without the least fore knowledge, or fore-thought of either. My answer for the first of these shall be this, That it containes an Apology for the use of the Lords Prayer, and consequently, a justification of my own, and many of my deare Brethrens practise, con∣formable to the Directory for publique Prayer, com∣piled by the Reverend

Fathers of the late As∣sembly, and authoriZed to be observed by Ordinance of Parliament, whereof you were a Member. I would not have it said, No Leiturgie, no Lords Prayer; that, since the Church of England hath laid aside the former, as unnecessary, or inconve∣nient; she hath cast out the latter, as unlawfull. And my desires and en∣deavours are, that as in the Marian times, times of Idolatry & superstition, some were martyr'd upon occasion of their saying the Lords Prayer in En∣glish;

now in these dayes of reformation, the Lords Prayer it selfe may not be made a Martyr, and they suffer in their names and reputations, that dare to use or rehearse it at all as a Prayer.

Now as for the present addresse to you, give me leave, Sir, to say, for say it I must, that when I con∣sider how many yeares you have been an eminent Patron of Preaching and Prayers in these parts of the Nation; and withall, that you were an Auditor of the Sermon, that your own house is an house of

prayer, that God hath re∣markably endued and blessed you with an under∣standing Head, an honest Heart, a fixed and stable Soule, and so qualified you to be a fit judge of Truth; I must confesse, looking about, I doe no where see such another excellent Theophilus, un∣der whose name and pa∣tronage I may with so much reason and boldness commit the following Treatise to the Presse. I am not without some hope, that it may meet with the better entertain∣ment in the world, be∣cause

it comes forth with the priviledge of your name: so that, if the ob∣scurity of the Author should hazard to darken the present Truth, the lustre of your name may be a meanes to scatter that cloud, and to cleare up that truth to the other∣wise blere-ey'd (i. e.) pre∣judic'd Reader.

And now, Sir, not de∣spairing of your pardon for ingaging you thus far let me beg your patience a little farther, viz. whilst by way of supplement to the Sermon I premise in this Epistle a few words

concerning this six fin∣ger'd Monster of errour about the Doctrine of Prayer herein handled. Sir, there are three paire of Errours (if I may so speak) contrary to this Truth, and each paire consisting of two ex∣treames, the one contrary to the other.

The first pair this, That we ought to do nothing at all but pray; and, that we ought not to pray at all: the first an error of some in the Primitive times, the latter a fancy of these last daies.

The second paire this,

That 'tis absolutely neces∣sary alwaies when we pray, to use a form; and, that 'tis utterly unlawfull at any time when we pray, to pray with, or by a form: the former the opinion of some chiefly raised by Prelacy, when at its height, the latter origi∣nally the conceit of others cast down and kept under by the Hierarchy.

The third paire this, That the often bare repe∣tition of the Lords Pray∣er merits pardon of sin, and heaven; and, that the once rehearsing it for a Prayer, is a sin, and so

deserves Hell: the for∣mer the tenet of some Papists, and fancy of ignorant Protestants; the latter the error of some reall enemies both to Po∣pery and Formality.

Sir, these are the seve∣ral errors to the followers and patrons, of which may I have your leave and patronage to speak a few words.

To the poore Euchite (if any such there be in these daies) who will doe nothing else but pray, I say, and that justly, Wherefore is this losse? who hath required these

things at your hands? Go to Paradise, and there learn of Adam, by Gods own direction and com∣mand, to keep and dresse the Garden, as well as to sanctifie or keep holy the Sabbath day. As for those who are guilty of the second error, viz. who will not pray at all: I have preached to them the following Sermon, & here shall tell them, I pray for them, because they pray not for them∣selves; and, that I think it more necessary to write The Lord have mercy on their doores, in

whose houses Prayer is not, than where the Plague is.

Those of the third rank, who will allow of no pray∣er, except with, or by a form; supposing they will not decline the judge∣ment and practise of the Ancients, without weigh∣ty reasons, I referre to * 1.1 Justin Martyr and Ter∣tullian, and if their testi∣mony will not amount to this, that it was their judgement,* 1.2 and the pra∣ctise of Christians in their time, to pray accor∣ding to their ability, without any Booke or

Prompter, and so without any set form, yet let them shew us how to construe their sayings, so as to re∣concile them to their opi∣nion. And again, I beg of them to heare King James, who, in his ad∣vice to Prince Henry, counsels him to pray as his heart moves him, pro re natâ, and not bee as the ignorant ones, who pray nothing but out of a book: I would desire men of this perswasion to con∣sider, that they make the way to the throne of grace onely in a beaten path, or road, and narrower than

God and the holy Scri∣ptures have made it; and that, probably, this their inordinate Zeale for set Formes, and their intem∣perate heat against con¦ceived Prayers, gave the first occasion of throwing out all Liturgies out of the Church. When they who are allowed crutches or staves to help their weaknesse, make use of them to fight withall, and to break the heads of those who offer to goe without them, then 'tis thought no injustice or imprudence to take them away. When once the Liturgie, that

Sheepherds staff, would pretend to be like that rod of Aaron, when it devoured the rods of the Egyptian Magitians, that is, would become a Ser∣pent, and devour all o∣ther prayers in the Church, as if they had not been the product of the ho∣ly Spirit, but a delusion, then it was thought high time to remove it.

Those in the fourth place, who decry all forms as utterly unlawfull, are reasoned withall in the following Discourse. It shall suffice here to in∣treat them to goe to the

pattern in the Mount, I mean the Lords Prayer there delivered, Matth. 6.9. which I take to be a warrant and pattern for formes of Prayer, even in Gospel-times. I assert not here the necessity or expediency of formes for all; but this I say, that, meerely to use a forme, is not sinfull; and further, that some formes may be a meet help for some men; that Prayer by a forme is better than no Prayer at all; and that, if I could preach Prayer, though by a Form, into all those houses and closets in En∣gland

where now there is no Prayer at all, I think I should, through Grace, doe God and his Church an acceptable ser∣vice.

The fifth sort, namely those who look upon the meere rehearsall of the words of the Lords Pray∣er, though without a right understanding, and suit∣able affections, to bee a meritorious Act; these are the men for whose sake the way of truth, wherein good men goe in this matter, is evil spoken of. It is the Idolizing the very words and sil∣lables

of this prayer, with∣out regard to the sense of it, or using it with Faith and Fervency, which hath occasioned others, who have a zeale, but not according to knowledge in this thing, to deal with this golden Prayer, much like as Hezekiah did with the Brazen Serpent. Let me not become their enemy, and I will tell them the truth; the Lords Prayer, in the mouth of an ignorant and profane person, is like a Pearle in a Swine's snout. As it is not every one that saith, Lord, Lord,

(that prayers with some enlargement and earnest∣nesse, so some interpret that saying, Mat. 7.21.) so 'tis not every one that prayes Our Father, &c. shall enter into the King∣dome of Heaven. Let us not therefore make that prayer guilty of vain re∣petition, which was or∣dained for a remedy thereunto; cause no man to say this Proverb unto it, Physitian heale thy selfe.

Lastly, to them that scruple the Lawfulnesse of using this prayer; I say there is no scripture,

nor sufficient reason a∣gainst it, and there is both Scripture and reason for it. What plainer words needed our Lord to have used, upon supposi∣tion he would have us to use this Prayer? Surely if he had meant we should not have used it, he would never have expressed himselfe in such words as these, when ye Pray, say, &c. Had our Lord meant it only as a patterne, & in no case to be used as a Prayer, he would probably have bid them (when they asked to be taught to pray as John taught

his Disciples) pray, that Gods Name might be san∣ctified, his Will done, &c. and not have framed it into the forme of a Pray∣er, and so have put it in their mouths with a when ye pray, say, &c. Cer∣tainly there is no text so plaine against, as this is for the lawfulnesse of u∣sing it. As for the Pray∣er it self, I will confident∣ly say of this Prayer, what was too boldly, in my judgement, said of the Common-prayer, viz. that it is impssible for Men and Angels to mend it: yea, though I will

not say, Our Lord Christ could not; yet I dare say, hee never did give a more perfect form than this.

It is in charity to be ho∣ped, that, through some mistake, Mr. Rosse hath done the adverse opinion too much honour, in fa∣thering it upon Indepen∣dents; though I conceive he hath done those godly and learned men no ho∣nour at all thereby, especi∣ally if it be true which Mr Perkins (who taught England to preach) saith,* 1.3 viz. That it is an opinion full of ignorance and er∣ror.

I do therefore here hum∣bly beseech all the rest of the Apologists to do as one of them, viz. Mr. Jer. Burroughs, whose name is pretious still amongst the Saints, was wont to do, namely, sometimes to use the Lords Prayer in the Congregation.

For though there are published reasons of dissenting brethren a∣gainst Presbytery, yet I never either saw or heard any of their Reasons a∣gainst the use of the Lords Prayer, recom∣mended by the Assembly to be used in the Prayers of the Church.

Oh that Christians un∣der all the several Forms of Church government would agree together on earth, with one heart, and one mouth, to lift up this one prayer to our Father in Heaven, in all the Churches of CHRIST throughout all Ages. And though it hath beene thought expedient to lay aside the Liturgy, com∣piled, though by good men, yet but by men; yet let it in no wise bee thought convenient to disuse the Lords Prayer, composed and recommen∣ded by him who was both

God and Man. Though all Liturgies, though all Set Formes composed and imposed by men, should fall, yet let this stand. And truly it would well become, in these contests, all Formes of mens com∣posing, not to engage the Lords Prayer in the bat∣tell with them, but rather, as King David's loyall Subjects said to him, 2 Sam. 18.3. Thou shalt not go forth: for, if we flee away they will not care for us; neither if half of us die or perish, will they care for us: but now thou art worth

ten thousand of us, there∣fore it is better that thou succour us out of the city, it is better that thou be a warrant to us, and a strong city, and that of Refuge to us, if we be put to flight. As for other Prayers, they may have done vertuously, but this excelleth them: all o∣thers may possibly de∣serve their thousands of praises, this its ten thou∣sand. Let not the Streams contend with the Foun∣tain, the Diall with the Sun, the ordinary Mea∣sures with the royall Standard, nor our Pray∣ers,

whether composed or conceived with the Lords Prayer. But if any should say, Daies should speak, and multitude of Yeares should teach wisdome, ask the Fathers and they shall tell us: My Answer is, I joyn issue with them. I appeale to the judgement of Tertullian, Cyprian, Hierome, Austin, Gre∣gory* 1.4.

And to say the truth, I have not read, or heard, that ever any of the Fa∣thers or Councils, judged it either unlawfull, or in∣expedient, to use the Lords Prayer for a Pray∣er.

And now Sir, having by this time, I suppose, sufficiently tried, if not ti∣red, your patience, in de∣taining you so long a spe∣ctator of our contests with this half doZen of errors; I shall adde no more, but

(desiring that this Epistle may remain as a publique acknowledgement, or ex∣presse of gratitude, for those Respects and Fa∣vours wherewith you have been pleased to ob∣lige our Brackley-socie∣ty, I shall onely bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus for you, that you may be the bles∣sed of the Lord, and your off-spring with you; and, particularly, sith you are one who can say Amen to the Prayer of Moses for Levi, Deut. 33.11. and to the Prayer of Christ, Mat. 6.9. &c. and Luke

11.1, 2, &c. that you may beare a part in the Song of Moses, and of the Lamb. Sir, this is, and shall be, the heartie prayer of

Your very hum∣ble Servant in the Lord, Tho: Hodges.

Decem. 1. 1655.

Notes

• * 1.1

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Just. Mart. Apol. 2.
• * 1.2

  Sine mo∣nitore quia de pectore oramus. Tert. Apol. cap. 30.
• * 1.3

  Mr. Perk. of the Lo: Prayer.
• * 1.4

  In le∣gitima oratione, cùm dicimus ad patrem, ne nos inducas in tentationem (quae au∣tem major tentatio quam persecu∣tio) abieo illam profitemur accidere, à quo veniam ejus deprecamur. Tertul. de fuga, &c.

  Amica & familiaris oratio est, Deum de suo rogare, ad aures ejus ascendere, Christi orationem agno∣scat, Pater Filii sui verba, cum pre∣cem facimus. Cypr de Orat. Dom.

  Sic docuit Apostolos suos, ut quo∣tidie, in corporis illius sacrificio cre∣dentes, audeant loqui, Pater Noster qui es in coelis, &c.

  Statim in prima corporis Christi communione dicunt, Dimitte nobis debita nostra. Hierom. adversus Pelag.

  Oratio vobis quotidie dicenda est, cùm baptizati fueritis; in Ecclesia enim ad Altare Dei quotidie dicitur ista oratio Dominica, & audiunt istam fideles: non ergo timemus, ne minùs illam teneatis diligenter, quia siquis vestrùm non poterit tenere perfecté, audiendo quotidie tenebit. Aug. Hom. 42.

  Orationem Dominicam idcirco mox post precem dicimus, quòd nos Apostolorum fuit, ut ad ipsam so∣lummodò orationem oblationis ho∣stiam consecrarent. Greg. Epist. lib. 7. Epist. 63.