But if all these attempts prove successless, there is that yet behind which shall justify the whole charge, or at least the author, in filling up his bill with so many prodigious falsities ; and this is my " bias-
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pheming the Lord's prayer," which is exaggerated with many tragi- cal expressions and hideous exclamations; — as, indeed, who can lay too heavy a load on so horrid a crime? But how if this should not prove so? how if, by all his outcries, he should but adorn and set forth his own forgeries? This I know, that I do, and ever did, be- lieve that that prayer is part of the canonical Scripture ; which I would not willingly blaspheme, I do believe that it was composed by the Lord Jesus Christ himself, and have vindicated it from being thought a collection and composition of such petitions as were then in use among the Jews, as some learned men had, I think unad- visedly, asserted it to be. I do, and ever did, believe it the most per- fect form of prayer that ever was composed, and the words of it so disposed by the divine wisdom of our blessed Saviour that it com- prehends the substance of all the matter of prayer to God. I do, and did always, believe that it ought to be continually meditated on, that we may learn from thence both what we ought to pray for and in what manner ; neither did I ever think a thought or speak a word unsuitable to these assertions. Wherein, then, doth this great blas- phemy lie? Unto two heads it must be reduced: —
1. That I judge not that our Lord Jesus Christ, in the giving of this prayer unto his disciples, did prescribe unto them the precise use or repetition of those words, but only taught them what to pray for or how.
Now, although it may be this man doth not, yet all men of any tolerable learning or reading know that this assertion, relating only to the different interpretations of one expression, indeed of one word, in one of the evangelists, hath been owned and allowed by learned men of all parties and persuasions. He may, if he please, consult Grotius, Musculus, and Cornelius a Lapide (to name one of a side), for his information. But, —
2. I have delivered other things concerning the use of it in my book against the Socinians.
Whereunto I shall only say, that he who differs from others in the manner of the use of any thing may have as reverent an esteem of the thing itself as they; and herein I shall not give place unto any man that lives on the earth with respect unto the Lord's prayer. It is true, I have said that there were manifold abuses in the re- hearsal of it amongst people ignorant and superstitious; and I did deliver my thoughts, it may be, too freely and severely, against some kind of repetition of it. But as for the ridiculous and impudent charge of blasphemy hence raised by this pitiful cakimniator, I am no way concerned in it; no more am I with that lie which hath been now reported to the satiety of its first broachers and promoters, — namely, that I should " put on my hat upon the repetition of it."
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It was, as I remember, about fifteen years ago tliat such a rumour was raised ; by I know not whom, nor on what occasion. It was somewhat long before I heard any whisper of it, — as is the manner in such cases. But so soon as I did attain a knowledge that such a slander had been reported and scattered abroad, I did cause to be published, in English and French, a declaration of its notorious fal- sity, in the year 16-55. But so prone are many to give entertainment to false reproaches of them whom on any account they are displeased with, so unwilling to part with a supposed advantage against them, though they know it to have been put into their hand by the mis- takes, folly, or malice of others, that the same untruth hath been several times since repeated and republished, without the least tak- ing notice that it was publicly denied, condemned, and the authors of it challenged to give any tolerable account of their report. Only of late one learned person meeting it afre.sh, where its admittance would have been to his advantage (namely, Mr Durel, in his answer ■unto the apology of some nonconformists), had the ingenuity to ac- knowledge the public disclaimure of any such practice so long since made and published, and thereon at. least to suspend his assent to the report itself.
I am, sir, quite weary of repeating the instances of this man's notorious falsehoods and unjust accusations; I shall therefore over- look the remainder of them on this head, that I may give you one of his intolerable weakness and ignorance, and this lies in his attempt to find out contradictions between what I have written in several places about toleration and liberty of conscience, p. 67. For because I say that " pernicious errors are to be opposed and extir- pated, by means appointed, proper and suitable thereunto," as also that " it is the duty of the magistrate to defend, protect, counte- nance, and promote, the truth," the man thinks that these things are inconsistent with liberty of conscience, and such a toleration or forbearance as at any time I have pleaded for. But if any man should persuade him to let those things alone which either he hath nothing to do withal or doth not understand, it may be he would accommodate him with a sufficient leisure, and more time than he knows well how to dispose of.