The Sum of Christian Religion, Catechism · Part 3 · prayer · Question 119
ON THE 46. SABBATH.Queſt. 119. What Prayer is that?
Anſ. Our FatheraMat. 6.9, 10, 11, 12, 13. Luk. 11.2, 3, 4., which art in heaven: Hallowed be thy Name: Thy kingdome come: Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven: Give us this day our daily bread: And forgive us our treſpaſſes, as we forgive them that treſpaſſe againſt us: And leade us not into temptation, but deliver us from evill: For thine is the kingdome, the power and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
The Explication.
THe forme of prayer preſcribed by Chriſt unto us is recited by the two Evangeliſts, Mat…hew and Luke. This, queſtionleſſe, is the beſt, moſt certain, and moſt perfect forme of prayer; for it was delivered by Chriſt, who is the Wiſdome of God, and his words his heavenly Father alwaies acknowledgeth and heareth. Moreover, it containeth moſt briefly all things that are to be deſired, neceſſary for the ſoule and body. Laſtly, it is a rule whereby all our prayers muſt be directed.Two cauſes why Chriſt del…vered unto us this form of prayer. Some demand, Whether wee be ſo tyed to this forme of prayer, that in praying wee may uſe no other. Anſw. Chriſt delivered this forme unto us, not that wee ſhould be tyed to theſe words; but that wee might know. 1. What things aske. 2. How to aske them. For it is a generall forme of the manner whereby, and the things which we are to aske. Now it falleth out oftentimes that particular benefits are neceſſary for us, which we muſt aske of God, according to thoſe ſayings of Scripture: Whatſoever ye ſhall aske the Father in my name, he will give it you. John 14.13. James 1.5. Matth. 24.20.If any of you lack wiſdome, let him aske of God, and it ſhall be given him. Pray that your flight be not in the winter. But theſe, as touching the words, are not in this prayer. There are alſo many examples of prayer in the old and new Teſtament, which, as concerning the words,2 Chron. 20.6. 2 King. 8.15. Dan. 9.4. John 17.1. Acts 4.24. differ from this: as the prayers of Joſaphat, Salomon, Daniel, Chriſt himſelfe, the Apoſtles, and others, which nevertheleſſe were heard of God. Wherefore the forme of prayer delivered unto us by Chriſt, is wholly a thing indifferent. Object. Wee may not be wiſer than Chriſt: Therefore ſeeing hee hath appointed us a certaine form of prayer; we muſt hold us contented therewith: and therefore we do amiſſe, when we uſe other formes of prayer. Anſ. We may not depart from that forme, if Chriſt will have us tied unto it: but he will not have us tyed to theſe words; becauſe his purpoſe was, when he taught his Diſciples to pray, to deliver a briefe ſumme of thoſe things which we are to aske of God. Repl. That is to be retained, than which no better can be invented. Wee cannot invent a better forme, and better words than are theſe of Chriſt himſelfe: Therefore wee muſt retaine alſo the forme and words of Christ. Anſw. We cannot invent better words, neither a better forme, to expreſſe this ſumme of ſuch things as are to be deſired, which is as it were the generall of all things that are to be deſired. Theſe generals of Gods benefits which Chriſt in this forme hath preſcribed unto us to be deſired, cannot be propoſed in a better forme: but Chriſt will have us alſo to deſcend to ſpecials, and aske particular benefits according to our neceſſity. For that form preſcribed by Chriſt, is nothing elſe but a ſet or courſe of certaine heads or generals, whereunto all benefits, as well corporall as ſpirituall, may be referred. And when Chriſt willeth us to deſire the generals, hee willeth us alſo to deſire the ſpecials. And further alſo, thoſe which are here put in generall, we are in like manner for this cauſe to declare in ſpeciall, that we may be led into a conſideration of our neceſſity, & to a deſire of making of our petition to God to help our neceſsity. Now that we may doe this, we have need alſo of ſpeciall formes of praying: For, to the explication of generals by their ſpecials, we have need of another form. But yet all other formes of prayer muſt agree with this forme preſcribed by Chriſt. Hence Auſtine teſtifieth,Auguſt. ad Prob. that All the prayers of ſaints extant in Scripture are contained in the Lords Prayer. And he addeth farther, that It is free for us to ſay the ſame things in other words, when we pray: but it is not free for us to ſay or mention other things than are compriſed in this forme of prayer.