The Power of Godliness, Book 5 · Chapter 6
CHAP. VI. Prayer is to be made in a Language that we our selves understand, and those that joyn with us. How we are to address our selves unto God, and whether to begin our Prayers with Petition or Thanksgiving.
Question: IN what Language must our Prayers be offered unto God?
A. In a known Language that we understand: for if we joyn with others an unknown Language profiteth not: If we pray alone, what is more ridiculous than to speak words which we understand not. Seeing the Scripture requireth, that all that is within man should praise the Lord:Psal. 103.1. It followeth that as he committeth sacriledge, that withdraweth and stealeth away his affection from the exercise of Prayer, so doth he also, which hath not his understanding attending upon his Prayer. And so much the more the latter then the former, as the understanding may be perfect and full in a sort without the affection and devotion, whereas the affection roveth and wandereth uncertainly, when it hath not the light of understanding carried before it. Again, when God speaketh unto us, all the powers of our soul (both in understanding and affection,) ought to stand up, to receive that which is spoken: and so when we speak unto him, there is no faculty of the soul, which may withdraw it self from the attendance upon the service and gift that we present unto him.Deut. 6.9. Mat. 22.3…. And therefore the Law in the whole worship of God, requireth it be done, with all the heart, with all the soul, with all the understanding. Against common Prayers in an unknown tongue, the Apostle reasoneth thus: All Prayers to which the hearers cannot say, Amen, 1 Cor. 14.16.ought to be chased out of the Church: which general reason wipeth away all private Prayers, wherein a man knoweth not what he saith. For thereof it followeth, that not being able to understand what he saith, he is not able to say Amen to his own Prayers. In like manner it may be said of him that prayeth in an unknown tongue, that he heareth not himself, that he is barbarous unto himself, speaketh in the ayr, not understanding himself, is more than childish, not only not understanding what others say, but not what he himself saith: hath the marke of Gods wrath upon him, in that in things belonging to his salvation, he heareth a Language which he understandeth not. This may suffice to shew, that Prayer must be uttered in a known Language: the speciall reasons of this Point will come to be considered in the severall Kinds and Parts of Prayer.
Q. If I pray with the tongue, my spirit, that is, my affection prayeth well, Cor. 14.14.but my understanding is without fruit.
A. It is absurd to imagine the gift of tongues to be severed from his understanding, that by the gift of the Spirit did speak them. Was that gift (to the zealous pursuit whereof the Holy Ghost exhorteth) a rapping out of words without understanding? Is this the great bountifulness and largess of Christ towards his (so highly commended of the Prophet) to inable them like a Popingay to prattle, or like Balaams Asse to tumble out words without any knowledge? Finally, where ever was it read (either in prophane or holy Writer) that man should be said to have the gift of that tongue, the syllables whereof his mouth can speak, when his mind knoweth no signification of them? But this conceit is confuted of the Apostle, who affirmeth that every one of those that spake with tongues edified himself, and that in such sort,1 Cor. 14.4. as the Church is edified by him that speaketh unto it, in a tongue which it understandeth. And in the 28th verseVers. 28. it is said, that he which speaketh with tongues, speaketh unto God and to himself: Seeing therefore he so speaketh unto himself, as he speaketh unto God, to deny that he understandeth himself when he speaketh with tongues, is to deny that God doth understand him which speaketh with tongues. And how sottish is it, that a man that understandeth not himself, should edifie himself in spirit and affection, when the affection is dead without knowledge? neither can a man desire or affect that which he understandeth not. And if speaking in a tongue which he understandeth not, he can edifie himself in spirit and affection, why may he not also edifie the Church in spirit and affection which heareth the sound of the words as well as he? But the Apostle saith, that the Church heareth not him, that is, receiveth no more fruit by that speaker in a tongue which it understandeth not, than if it had not heard him at all. As for those words, my understanding is unfruitfull, they are not to be referred to him that speaketh, but to those which are spoken unto in an unknown tongue. This doth first appear by the adjunct of unfruitfulness, which is annexed unto understanding. For whereas it is a borrowed speech and similitude taken from Trees, which are called unfruitfull, not in regard that they bring not forth fruit to themselves, but in regard that they are barren and fruitless unto others, it is evident, that when the Apostle saith, My understanding is fruitless, he meaneth not in regard of the speaker with a tongue, but in regard of those which heard him. Secondly, This is evident by the 16th verse, where he saith,1 Cor. 14.16. that if thou praise God in the Spirit, an ideot cannot say Amen unto thy thanksgiving, because he knoweth not what thou sayest: he saith not, that thou canst not say Amen unto thy thanksgiving, or knowest not what thou speakest, which he ought to have said, if the Interpretation of our Adversaries had been true. Thirdly, In the 17th verseVers. 17. he saith of him that speaketh in the Spirit, Thou verily givest thanks, but another is not edified. And most evidently in the 19th verse,Vers. 19. where (saying that in the Church he would rather speak few words with his understanding, than ten thousand with the tongue) he noteth the effect of speaking with his understanding, namely, that he might instruct others. If therefore (in the Apostles language) speaking with a mans understanding be to instruct others, and not himself: it followeth, that to speak without his understanding, is to speak to others, with understanding and profit to himself, and without instruction and profit to others. Lastly, To pray in spirit, is not to pray with the affection, but in the strange language or tongue which is spoken: which (by a trope of the cause for the effect) the Apostle calleth Spirit: because that they who spake it, spake by the miraculous gift of the Spirit: and so are those extraordinary gifts called Spirits.Vers. 12. Vers. 1. And so (by another trope of one part put for the whole) they are called spiritual. So that to pray or to speak in or by the Spirit, is the same which Luke saith of them which had received the Holy Ghost at Pentecost, Act. 2.4.that they spake with strange tongues, even as the Spirit gave unto them to utter. This exposition also the Scholiast setteth forth. And that it cannot be understood of the affection or devotion of the soul, it is evident by the 16th verse, where he affirmeth that an unlearned man cannot say Amen unto the thanksgiving that is made in or by the Spirit, yet we know that the affection or devotion hindereth not the understanding of the rude and unlearned, but the uttering of things in such language as he understandeth not.
Q. Is it fittest in Prayer to say our God, or my God, our Father, or my Father?
A. In publique Prayer, or in Prayer with others, we must say Our God or Father: because we are the mouth of the rest, who stand in the same relation to God that we do. But in solitary Prayer it is lawfull to use either form of speech.Jer. 3.19. Job 34.36. Psal. 22.1. 1 Cor. 14.18. Jer. 3.4. Mat. 6.6. Ezra 9.6. When we would express our particular faith and dependance upon God, we may say, My Father, or My God. But as a Christian belongeth to the Communion of Saints, and prayeth as a member of the whole body, it is lawfull and convenient in his most retired and solitary Prayers, to say Our God and Father: whereby he noteth that relation and respect of God to him, which is common with his Brethren. Thus Hezekiah useth it saying, O Lord our God, 2 King. 19.19. Ezra ….8, 10. Isa 37.20. Dan. 9 7.I beseech thee save us, &c. Ezra, O our God, what shall we say after this? Daniel praying alone, saith, Now therefore, O our God, hear the Prayer of thy servant. And so it is lawfull for a Christian in private Prayer to say Our Father, especially if before he begin, he use (as is most meet) some short meditation, and think of Wife, Children, Parents, Kinsfolks, Neighbours, yea of the whole Church.
Q. Whether is it expedient to begin our Prayers with Petition or Thanksgiving? with praise or complaint and confession of sinnes?
A. Herein we may use our Christian Liberty, as God shall minister occasion by his providence, and move our hearts by his holy Spirit. We have Examples of both kindes in the holy Scripture, both in the Prophets and Apostles, and in Christ himself, who have sometimes begun with the one, and sometimes with the other. When God doth shew us any special mercy and favour, it will be most fit to begin with thanksgiving and admiration of his goodness, as Peter did:Act. 12.11. and when he doth frown upon us, and bring us into danger and trouble,1 King. 22.23 it is most fit to begin with petition and request, as Jehoshaphat did: yet in our ordinary and usuall Prayers, and offering up of our Morning and Evening Sacrifice to God, we may begin indifferently with either. Abrahams Servant first makes his request to God, and seeing the success answerable to the desire of his heart, he returneth praise:Gen. 24.27. 1 Sam. 25.22, 33. Blessed be the Lord God of my Master Abraham. When David was stayed by the wise admonition of Abigail from shedding innocent blood, he had occasion to acknowledge his sinne, as his rashness and bloody resolution to have made a massacre of so many innocent persons: yet the mercy of God preventing him by his blessing, did so affect him, that it made him break out into thanksgiving, and put praise before petition.Luk. 1.68. The like may be said of Zachary the Father of John the Baptist.