Upon this commandment it may well be demanded, whether it be1 profitable and necessary to use a set form of prayer, either privately or publicly in the service of God? Ans. I take a set form of prayer, either publicly or privately, to be both profitable and necessary; set (I say) both fer the matter and manner, and if need require, for the very words2 also: my reasons are these; I. That which God hath ordained is both profitable and necessary: but God hath ordained that men should use3 set forms of prayer, for the Priests were enjoined a set form of prayer in blessing the people, Num. 6. •3, 24. and the 92. Psal. is a set prayer for the Sabbath day: yea, all the Psalms of David (some few Psalms of doctrine only excepted) are set forms of prayers to be used of the church of God for ever: & in this place Christ prescribes a set form of prayer, not only for the matter and manner, but also for the words: and the ⟨p. 250⟩like did John Baptist when he taught his disciples to pray. II. Reason. In man there be sundry wants in prayer, as ignorance in the understanding,4 distractions in the mind, oblivion in the memory both of Gods commandment and promises; in the heart is much deadness, dullness, and distrust; in the tongue many times, is want of such convenient utterance as should be in him that would speak unto God; and in most men there is that bashfulness, that they cannot utter and dispose the desires of their heart before others in that order which were meet. Now to make supply of all these wants, a set form of prayer is to be used, whereunto all the powers of body and soul may be well fitted. III.5 Reason. The ancient Church of God, long before the time of Popery, used a set form of prayer: indeed for the first three hundred years after Christ, by reason of continual persecution, they could not do so, but after those times there was a set form of prayer used in all Churches, in so much as the soldiers in the field had their set prayers. And in many Councils it was decreed, that no Church should use any form of prayer, but such as was allowed and appointed, and that for these causes: first, that there might be an uniformity in the solemn worship of God: and secondly, that the ignorance and negligence of many Pastors might be prevented, who otherwise would have omitted this duty in their congregations:
Vpon this commandement it may well be demanded, whether it be1 profitable and necessarie to vse a set forme of praier, either priuately or publikely in the seruice of God? Ans. I take a set forme of praier, either publikely or priuately, to be both profitable and necessarie; set (I say) both fer the matter and manner, and if need require, for the very words2 also: my reasons are these; I. That which God hath ordained is both profitable and necessarie: but God hath ordained that men should vse3 set formes of praier, for the Priests were inioyned a set forme of praier in blessing the people, Num. 6. •3, 24. and the 92. Psal. is a set praier for the Sabbath day: yea, all the Psalmes of Dauid (some few Psalmes of doctrine only excepted) are set forms of praiers to be vsed of the church of God for euer: & in this place Christ prescribes a set forme of praier, not onely for the matter and manner, but also for the words: and the ⟨p. 250⟩like did Iohn Baptist when he taught his disciples to pray. II. Reason. In man there be sundrie wants in prayer, as ignorance in the vnderstanding,4 distractions in the minde, obliuion in the memorie both of Gods commandement and promises; in the heart is much deadnes, dulnes, and distrust; in the tongue many times, is want of such conuenient vtterance as should be in him that would speake vnto God; and in most men there is that bashfulnes, that they cannot vtter and dispose the desires of their heart before others in that order which were meete. Now to make supplie of all these wants, a set forme of praier is to be vsed, whereunto all the powers of bodie and soule may be well fitted. III.5 Reason. The ancient Church of God, long before the time of Poperie, vsed a set forme of praier: indeede for the first three hundred yeares after Christ, by reason of continuall persecution, they could not doe so, but after those times there was a set forme of praier vsed in all Churches, in so much as the souldiers in the field had their set praiers. And in many Councels it was decreed, that no Church should vse any forme of praier, but such as was allowed and appointed, and that for these causes: first, that there might be an vniformitie in the solemne worship of God: and secondly, that the ignorance and negligence of many Pastors might be preuented, who otherwise would haue omitted this dutie in their congregations:
- 1Of a set form of prayer.Of a set forme of praier.
- 2Reasons for it.
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