* Doctrine of the Saints' Perseverance Explained and Confirmed, vol. xi.
OF PRAYER. 577
CHAPTER XXXIV.
Of prayer; and whether Christ prescribed a form of prayer to he used hy believers ; and of praying unto him and in his name under the old testament.
The first question is: —
Ques. 7s prayer a Christian duty ?
Ans. 1 Thess. v. 17, "Pray without ceasing."
If by " a Christian duty" a duty wliereunto all Christians are obliged is understood, we grant it a Christian duty. The commands for it, encouragements to it, promises concerning it, are innumerable; and the use and benefit of it in our communion with God, consider- ing the state and condition of sin, emptiness, want, temptation, [and] trials, that here we live in, inestimable. If by " a Christian duty" it be intended that it is required only of them who are Christians, and is instituted by something peculiar in Christian religion, it is denied. Prayer is a natural acknowledgment of God that every man is ever- lastingly and indispensably obliged unto by viitue of the law of his creation, though the matter of it be varied according to the several states and conditions whereinto we fall or are brought. Every one that lives in dependency on God and hath his supplies from him is, by virtue of that dependence, obliged to this duty, as much as he is to own God to be his God. He proceeds: —
Q. Hoiv ought men to pray?
A. " Lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting," 1 Tim. ii. 8.
The inquiry being made of the manner of acceptable prayer, the answer given, respecting oiily one or two 2^CLrticidars, is narrow and scanty. The qualification of the person praying, the means of access to God, the cause of acceptation with him, the ground of our confidence in our supplications, the efficacy of the Spirit of grace as promised, are either all omitted or only tacitly intimated. But this and many of the following questions, with the answers, being in tiieir connection capable of a good and fair interpretation, though all be not expressed that the Scripture gives in answer to such questions, and the most material requisite of prayer, " in the Holy Ghost,'' be omitted, yet, drawing to a close, I shall not farther insist upon them, having yet that remaining which requires a more full animadversion.
Q. Did not Christ prescribe a form of prayer to his disciples, so that there remaineth no doubt touching the laiifulness of using a form? A. Luke xi. 1-4.
Ans. If Christ prescribed a form of prayer to his disciples, to be used as a form, by the repetition of the same words, I confess it will be out of question that it is lawful to use a form ; but that it is lawful not to use a form, or that a man may use any pi'ayer but a form, on
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578 VINDICI^ EVANGELIC^.
that supposition will not be so easily determined. The words of Christ are, " When ye pray, say. Our Father," etc. If in this pre- scription, not the matter only but the words also are intended, and that form of them which follows is prescribed to be used by virtue of this command of Christ, it will be hard to discover on what ground we may any otherwise pray, seeing our Saviour's command is posi- tive, " When ye pray, say, Our Father," etc.
That which Mr B. is to prove is, that our Saviour hath prescribed the repetition of the same words ensuing ; and when he hath done so, if so he can do, his conclusion must be that that form ought to be used, not at all that any else may. If our Saviour have prescribed us a form, how shall any man dare to prescribe another? or can any man do it without casting on his form the reproach of imperfec- tion and insufficiency? "Our Saviour hath prescribed us a form of prayer, to be used as a form, by the repetition of the same words, therefore we may use it, yea, we must," is an invincible argument, on supposition of the truth of the proposition. But, " Our Saviour hath prescribed us such a form, etc., therefore Ave may use another which he hath not prescribed," hath neither show nor colour of reason in it.
But how will Mr B. prove that Christ doth not only here instruct his disciples in what they ought to pray, and /or what they ought in prayer to address themselves to God, and under what considerations they are to look on God in their approaches to him, and the like, but also that he prescribes the words there mentioned by him to be repeated by them in their supplications? Luke xi. 2, he bids them say, " Our Father," etc, ; which at large. Matt. vi. 9, is, Fi^ai/ after this manner, — ovrug, to this purpose. I do not think the pro- phet prescribes a form of words to be used by the church when he says, " Take with you words, and turn to the LoRD: say unto him, Take away all iniquity," Hos. xiv. 2 ; but rather calls them to fervent supplication for the pardon of sin, as God should enable them to deal with him. And though the apostles never prayed for any thing but what they were for the substance directed to by this prayer of our Saviour, yet we do not find that ever they repeated the very words here mentioned, or once commanded or prescribed the use of them to any of the saints in their days, whom they exhorted to pray so fervently and earnestly : nor in any of the rules and directions that are given for our praying, either in reference to ourselves or him by whom we have access to God, is the use of these words at any time in the least recommended to us, or recalled to mind as a matter of duty.