Of the Use of the Lord's Prayer

Question 1: Whether a man is to use a voice in prayer? Answer: In public prayer it is requisite that there be a voice: for the minister is the mouth of the people, and to the prayer which he conceives, they give assent. For private prayer, using of a voice is convenient; yet so as it may be done in silence. 1. The Lord gave us the voice, as well as the heart to bless him with (James 3:9). 2. God created the tongue as well as the heart; and so will be praised by both. 3. The voice often stirs up the heart: and again, the vehemence of affection does often draw out a voice: the voice then in private prayer is requisite, yet in some cases may be omitted, for it is not absolutely necessary. Moses and Anna prayed in silence.

Question 2: What gesture is to be used in prayer? Answer: The word does not afford any particular direction. Our Savior and his disciples prayed in various gestures: kneeling, standing, groveling, looking to heaven, looking down to the earth, sitting, lying, etc. (Luke 11:41; Acts 7). God respects not the gesture, but the affection of the heart: yet two things must always be in gesture: first, that it be comely: secondly, that it do fitly express the affection of the heart: as when we ask mercy, to look to heaven: when we bewail our sins to look downward, and to humble our bodies, etc.

Question 3: What place must we pray in? Answer: The place is set down (1 Timothy 2:8). We may pray in all places: of which there is no difference. Some will say, that in the time of the law, the tabernacle and temple were places of divine prayer. Answer: The temple and tabernacle were types of Christ and his church, and the unity of it: but now, we having the thing itself signified thereby, may pray in all places. Our Savior prayed in the wilderness, on the Mount, Peter on the housetop, Paul by the sea shore: yet so, that public prayer must be used in public places, as churches, Chapels, etc., not because in them is more holiness, but for order's sake.

Question 4: What is the time appointed for prayer? Answer: Pray continually (1 Thessalonians 5:17), that is, upon all occasions: or when a man begins any business, whether it be in word or deed (Colossians 3:17): or as Daniel, who prayed three times every day (Daniel 6:11): or as David, who prayed at evening and morning, and noontime (Psalm 55:18) and seven times a day: that is, many times (Psalm 119:140). Thus we shall pray continually. Every day affords three special occasions. 1. The entrance to our callings in the morning. 2. The receiving of God's creatures at noontime. 3. The going to rest at night. Again, beside set and solemn prayers, there are certain kinds of short prayers which the fathers call Eiaculationes, that is, the liftings up of the heart into heaven secretly and suddenly: and this kind of praying may be used as occasion is offered every hour in the day.

Question 5: Whether may we pray for all men or not? Answer: We may and we may not. We may, if all men, or mankind be taken distributively, or severally. For there is no particular country, kingdom, town, person, but we may make prayers for it. And though men be Atheists, Infidels, Heretics, yea devils incarnate, yet for anything we know, they may belong to the election of God: except they sin against the Holy Spirit, which sin is very seldom and hardly discerned by men. And in this sense must the commandment of Paul be understood: I exhort therefore that first of all supplications, prayers, etc., be made for all men (1 Timothy 2:1). We may not pray for all men, if all men or mankind be taken collectively, that is, if all men be considered wholly together as they make one body or company, and be taken as we say, in gross. For in this body or mass of mankind there are some, though they be unknown to us, yet I say, there are some whom God in his just judgment has refused, whose salvation by prayer shall never be obtained.

Question 6: Whether is it possible for a man to pray in reading of a prayer? Answer: It pleases some to move this question; but there is no doubt of it. For prayer is a part of God's worship, and therefore a spiritual action of the heart of man standing specially in a desire of that which we want, and faith whereby we believe, that our desire shall be granted. Now the voice or utterance, whether it be in reading or otherwise, is no part of the prayer, but an outward means whereby prayer is uttered and expressed. Therefore there is no reason why a form of prayer being read, should cease to be a prayer, because it is read; so be it the spirit of grace and prayer be not wanting in the party reading and the hearers. Objection: To read a sermon is not to preach: and therefore to read a prayer is not to pray. Answer: The reason is not alike in both. For the gift of preaching or prophecy cannot be shown or practiced in the reading of a sermon: and for this cause the reading of a sermon is not preaching or prophecy: but the grace and gift of prayer may be shown in reading of a prayer: otherwise it would go very hard with them that want convenient utterance, by reason of some defect in the tongue, or by reason of bashfulness in the presence of others.