Begin we with Justin Martyr, one of the first Writers left us of unquestioned credit, after the Apostles times: Who, Apol. 2. p. 139. hath these words, [Greek or Hebrew] ⟨p. 115⟩[Greek or Hebrew]. We are not Atheists since we worship the Maker of all things, affirming, as we are taught, that he hath no need of Blood, Drink-offerings, or Incense; in all our Oblations, with Prayer and Thanksgiving, according to our ability praising him. In his time, they Prayed and gave Thanks according to their ability. Now certainly, the1 abilities of the Pastors, at least, of those times, reached further without stretching, than the reading or reciting of some Prayers, composed for them by others. They were persons ordinarily of greatest abilities amongst the Christians. When ordinary Christians were superior to the Pastors of after times, they wanted not the knowledge of Divine things, nor the sense of their Spiritual condition, or their Peoples, nor a faculty to express tolerably what they knew and felt. They were not besotted by intemperance, nor had lost the use of their faculties for want of exercise, nor were their gifts shrivelled up by a curse, because they did not employ them: They had ability to frame their own Prayers, as well as to make their own Sermons; and if they confined themselves to Prayers made by others, they did not give Thanks and Pray, as the Holy Martyr says they did, [Greek or Hebrew], according to their ability, or as they were able. The phrase hath been sufficiently vindicated before; but because it here occurs again, let this be added for further satisfaction. It is said, that it denotes not the exercise of abilities for Prayer, but earnestness in Praying, neither less nor more: But this is only said, without any proof, without any instance where it is so taken, either in Justin Martyr, or any other. ⟨p. 116⟩The best way to discern the import of it, will be to observe, how this and other of the same signification are used commonly in this or other Authors. Now Five hundred instances might be produced, wherein this expression, and others of the same import, do clearly denote the exercise of abilities for the work, to which they are applied. I will but give a taste hereof in a like case, preaching or writing, pastoral works, as Prayer is.
Begin we with Justin Martyr, one of the first Writers left us of unquestioned credit, after the Apostles times: Who, Apol. 2. p. 139. hath these words, 〈non-Latin alphabet〉 ⟨p. 115⟩〈non-Latin alphabet〉. We are not Atheists since we worship the Maker of all things, affirming, as we are taught, that he hath no need of Blood, Drink-offerings, or Incense; in all our Oblations, with Prayer and Thanksgiving, according to our ability praising him. In his time, they Prayed and gave Thanks according to their ability. Now certainly, the1 abilities of the Pastors, at least, of those times, reached further without stretching, than the reading or reciting of some Prayers, composed for them by others. They were persons ordinarily of greatest abilities amongst the Christians. When ordinary Christians were superiour to the Pastors of after times, they wanted not the knowledge of Divine things, nor the sense of their Spiritual condition, or their Peoples, nor a faculty to express tolerably what they knew and felt. They were not besotted by intemperance, nor had lost the use of their faculties for want of exercise, nor were their gifts shrivled up by a curse, because they did not imploy them: They had ability to frame their own Prayers, as well as to make their own Sermons; and if they confined themselves to Prayers made by others, they did not give Thanks and Pray, as the Holy Martyr says they did, 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, according to their ability, or as they were able. The phrase hath been sufficiently vindicated before; but because it here occurs again, let this be added for further satisfaction. It is said, that it denotes not the exercise of abilities for Prayer, but earnestness in Praying, neither less nor more: But this is only said, without any proof, without any instance where it is so taken, either in Justin Martyr, or any other. ⟨p. 116⟩The best way to discern the import of it, will be to observe, how this and other of the same signification are used commonly in this or other Authors. Now Five hundred instances might be produced, wherein this expression, and others of the same import, do clearly denote the exercise of abilities for the work, to which they are applied. I will but give a taste hereof in a like case, preaching or writing, pastoral works, as Prayer is.
- 1Chrysost. in Eph. Hom. 6. p. 792, 793.
