Prayer

PRAYER. The Prayers that we direct to God, are the ordinary Conveyance of the Graces that we receive from him. The Prayers of a just Man are of great Power with God. The Saints both of the Old and New Testament have pray’d; Jesus Christ himself, the great Example of the Righteous, and of the Elect, taught us to pray, to inform us, that ‘tis by that we honour God, and draw down upon our selves his Favours and his Graces. Multum valet deprecatio justi assidua, says St. James. The Apostle Jac. v. 16, 17.St. Paul throughout almost all his Epistles, entreats the Faithful to pray for him, or offers to God his own Prayers for them.

Publick Prayer. Quite down from the first Promulgation of the Law, the Hebrew Nation did not intermit to have publick Prayer in the Tabernacle, or in the Temple, as Time served. This publick Prayer consisted in the Offering of the Evening and Morning Sacrifices, every Day of the Year, and in the Prayers that the Priests and Levites offer’d up in this Place. We do not pretend to affirm, that there was then a regular Form or Office established in the Temple, something like what we see in our religious Communities: But there was something equivalent to it; every Day they offer’d there Sacrifices, Incense, Offerings, First-fruits; they perform’d there every Day the Ceremonies for the Redemption of the First-born, for the Purification of such Men or Women as had contracted any Pollutions; in a Word, they came thither from all Parts of Palestine, to discharge their Vows, and to satisfy their particular Devotions, not only on the great and solemn Days, but also on ordinary Days; but nothing of this was perform’d without Prayer.

The Author of Psal. cxix. says, that he pray’d to God, or praised him seven times a -day. Septies in die laudem dixi tibi. And the Author of Psal. lv. says; Evening and Morning, and at Noon will I pray, and cry Dan. vi. 10.aloud, and he shall hear my Voice. Daniel bent his Knees three times a-day, and worshipped the Lord, opening his Windows, and turning himself towards Jerusalem. Tribus temporibus in die flectebat genua sua, & adorabat. The Levites that were appointed to take Care of the Temple, lifted up their Hands in the Night-time, and encouraged one another to adore the Lord. In noctibus extollite manus vestras Psalm cxxxiii. 2. Psal. cxviii. 62.in sancta, & benedicite Domino. The Psalmist says, that he arose in the Middle of the Night, to praise the Lord. Media nocte surgebam ad confitendum tibi. In NehemiahNehem. ix. 3. we see four Hours of Prayer on a Fast Day. Surrexerunt ad standum & legendum quater in die, & quater confitebantur & adorabant Dominum.

Misnah in Barachot. c. 4. §. 3.Some Rabbins inform us, that Abraham instituted Morning-prayer, Isaac that at Mid-day, and Jacob that at Evening. Others think, that nothing was fix’d relating to the Hour or Form of Prayer, ‘till the Time of the Captivity of Babylon. a Before that Time every one pray’d as his Devotion prompted him, and according as his Heart was disposed. But during the Captivity, Esdras observing that several Jews mingled foreign Terms with their Prayers, which were not suitable to the Sanctity of that Exercise; he compos’d eighteen Benedictions, which every Israelite is obliged to learn, and to repeat every Day. The Rabbi Gamaliel added a nineteenth to them, a little while before the Destruction of the Temple. It is against Apostates and Hereticks, and it is not doubted but under these Names he meant the Christians. Sure it is that these eighteen Prayers are of great Antiquity; for the Misnah speaks of them as of a Formula that had been for a long Time established.

The same Esdras also fix’d the Time for Prayer.¹ And as they offer’d to God the perpetual Sacrifice in the Evening and Morning,² Morning, he appointed two solemn Prayers for these two Seasons. On Festival Days and the Sabbath there was a Sacrifice about the Middle of the Day; he order’d a third Prayer for this Time also. And because the Evening Sacrifice was consuming in the Night-time, he appointed a Nocturnal Prayer.

However, there are but three Hours that are obligatory each Day for Prayer, in the Morning, at Noon, and in the Evening. Morning Prayer might be perform’d any time from Sun-rising to the third Hour of the Day; that is, ‘till nine o’Clock in the Morning in the Equinox. That in the Middle of the Day, from the third Hour to the sixth; that is, from nine in the Morning ‘till Noon. That in the Evening from three o’- Clock in the Afternoon ‘till six in the Evening, during the Equinox. The Prayer that was added on Festivals was said about nine o’Clock, and might be compleated at Noon. That upon Fast Days was not settled.

The publick Prayers that were celebrated in the Synagogues, were perform’d thrice every Day. The Minister began the Service with a Prayer which was call’d Kaddish, because therein they ask’d of God to sanctify his Name, after this Manner; O God, let thy Name be magnify’d and sanctify’d in the World, which thou hast created according to thy good Pleasure. Let thy Kingdom have Dominion therein, let Redemption flourish, and let the Messiah come speedily, that thy Name may be glorify’d, &c. This Prayer passes for the most antient that the Jews have preserved; and as it is rehearsed in the Chaldee Language, it gives Room to think, that it was composed during the Babylonian Captivity, or a little Time after the Return from that Captivity. The People answer, Amen. It seems to be from hence that our Saviour borrow’d those Words in the Lord’s Prayer; Hallowed be thy Name, thy Kingdom come.

After this Anthem, or Benediction, they heretofore repeated the Decalogue, which is the Foundation of the Jewish Religion. But at present they content themselves with reading a Passage out of the fifth Chapter of Deuteronomy, which begins with these Words; Hear, O Israel. When this Lesson is ended, as also the Benediction that follow’d, the whole Assembly arose, and pray’d standing with a low Voice, the Minister as well as the rest. After this private Prayer, every one goes three Steps backwards out of Respect, and the Minister repeats the eighteen Prayers, of which the three first contain the Praises of God, the twelve following regard the Necessities of the Church and of private Persons, and the three last contain a Confession of their own Unworthiness and Insufficiency. It is allow’d after the third Blessing to resume their Places again, that is, to advance three Steps forwards.

When they are come to the Prayer which is call’d Modim, they must stoop a little. They sit down while they repeat other Prayers, sometimes they hang down their Heads, at other Times they lift up their Voice, according to the Tenour of the Prayer that is pronounced. After several Benedictions and several Psalms, they repeat the Anthem, by which the Office was begun. Then the Minister pronounces the Benediction to the People, who withdraw, saying; Lord, do thou guide me in thy Justice, and prepare the Way before me, because of my Enemies. And such are the Morning Prayers.

Those at Noon and at Evening are also perform’d regularly every Day. The Minister of the Synagogue presides therein, and the Prayers, the Benedictions, and the Lessons are different, but yet almost in the same Order. The Language they use is the Hebrew, with some Forms of Prayer in the Chaldee Tongue. The Generality of the Jews do not perfectly understand either of these Languages; but the long Use they have had, of praying in these Tongues, and the great Number of Words they are still acquainted with in both, are the Reasons that they do not answer Amen without some Understanding of what they say. Just as among us [Roman Catholicks] many Persons that never study’d the Latin Tongue, yet, however, understand it pretty well in the Reading of the Gospel, and in the Pronunciation of the Prayers of the Church, so as to join their Attention to that of the Priests.

Every Jew is oblig’d to repeat an Hundred Benedictions in a Day. To these Benedictions they must add certain Extracts out of the Psalms, which are the most effectual for raising a Spirit of Piety. They chiefly make Choice of the latter Verses of the hundred and forty-sixth Psalm, and every one sings them according to the Custom of his Country. The Germans sing them higher, and with greater Vehemence than others. The Spaniards and those of the Levant approach nearer to the Turkish Way of Singing; and the Italians sing them composedly, and with Ease.

When they have sung these Psalms, they read the Shema, that is to say, three different Sections taken out of Deuteronomy vi. 4, 9. xi. 19, 21. and Numbers xv. 37, 41. They are call’d Shema, because the first of these Sections begins by the Word Shema, which signifies, Hear. These Sections of שמע Shemah, Audi.Scripture are interrupted by Prayers and Blessings, which often mention the Unity of God. These Prayers are ended by blessing God who redeems Israel; and when they pronounce these last Words, they rise up, and begin to repeat the eighteen Prayers and Benedictions, which Esdras left to the great Synagogue, to be a Rule and Standard for all their Prayers. When they have rehearsed these Benedictions, they sit down, they stoop with their Faces to the Ground, they raise their Heads a little, and begin their private Prayers. They repeat the hundred and forty-sixth Psalm, and then go about their Business.

Some repeat their hundred Benedictions one after another, that they may be discharged of them, as of a Task and Labour imposed upon them. But the Doctors condemn this Custom, because each Benediction should be placed in its proper Place, and connected to its proper Subject. In the Evening they begin their Prayers again, pretty nearly in the same Form; at least Maimonides tells us so, and he is the most exact of the Jewish Authors, and one whom Christian Writers chiefly rely upon.

Leo of Modena, Ceremonies of the Jews, part. 1. c. 9.Leo of Modena says, that the Custom of the greatest Part of the Jews is, to repeat along with their Morning Prayers in the Synagogue, the hundred Benedictions we now spoke of. For which Reason they call these Prayers in the Morning, Meah Beracoth, that is, the hundred Benedictions. He says, moreover, that the Rabbins have obliged the Jews to repeat Blessings and Praises peculiar to God, not only in their Prayers, and every Time they receive any Favour from him; but also on all unforeseen Occasions, and at every Action they do, whether they eat or drink, or smell any sweet Savour; lastly, for every Precept of the Law, or of the Rabbins. And this they extend to whatever new or extraordinary Thing presents itself to them. For they have different Benedictions for every thing. The Particulars of this may be seen in a large Treatise, which the Rabbins have composed about this Matter.

In the Morning, as soon as they are up, they say; Blessed be Thou, O Lord our God, King of the World, who restorest Life to the Dead, who enlightenest the Blind, and who spreadest the Earth over the Waters: And several other Things of a like kind. If they wash their Hands, according to the Precept, they say; Blessed be Thou, O Lord our God, King of the World, who hast sanctify’d us by thy Precepts, and hast commanded us to wash our Hands. When they apply themselves to study the Law; Blessed be Thou, &c. who hast given us the Law. When they take Food; Blessed be Thou, &c. who bringest Bread out of the Earth. When they drink; Blessed be Thou, &c. Creator of the Fruit of the Vine. At eating such Fruits as grow upon Trees; Blessed be Thou, &c. Creator of the Fruit of the Tree. For Fruits of the Earth; Blessed be Thou, &c. Creator of the Fruits of the Earth. For good Scents; Blessed be Thou, &c. who hast created such a Smell or Scent. When they see a high Mountain, or a wide Extent of Sea; Blessed be Thou, &c. Creator of all Things at the Beginning. At the Commencing of solemn Festivals, or when they eat, or put on any thing new; Blessed be Thou, &c. who hast given us Life, and hast preserved us to this Day. If any one dies that belongs to them; Blessed art Thou, Judge of Truth.

Lastly, On all Occasions, before and after every Action, they repeat some Blessing to God, thinking it to be a Sin of Ingratitude, to enjoy or make use of any thing in this World, without first acknowledging by some Thanksgiving, that they hold it from God, and that he is Lord and Master of every thing.

In the Jewish Prayers we may observe in Basnage, History of the Jews, t. 5. l. 7. c. 17. Matth. vi. 7. Heb. v. 7.general, their excessive Length, and their Battology, or their tedious Repetitions, which Jesus Christ reproaches them with in his Gospel. When ye pray, use not vain Repetitions as the Heathen do; for they think that they shall be heard for their much Speaking. They are not at all reform’d by this, in the Length of their Prayers. Secondly, as to their Posture. They generally pray sitting, or stooping with their Faces towards the Ground. They stretch out their Feet and their Hands, and make a loud Cry. Jesus Christ pray’d thus in the Garden of Olives. He prostrated himself, and sent forth a great Cry. Who in the Days of his Flesh, when he had offer’d up Prayers and Supplications, with strong Crying and Tears. Thirdly, they think that Prayers are to supply the Place of Sacrifices, which are ceased by the Destruction of the Temple and its Altars; they give them the same Name, and impute to them the same Efficacy.

Ephes. vi. 18.It is very likely that the Prayers of the first Believers were formed upon the Model of those of the Jews. We have seen some Traces of the first and chief Benediction of the Jews, in the first Articles of the Lord’s Prayer. Our Saviour principally intended to oppose its Brevity to the Battology of the Jews. St. Paul gives Directions, that the Faithful should pray in all Places, and 1 Thes. v. 17. 1 Tim. ii. 8. 1 Cor. x. 31.at all Times, lifting up pure Hands towards Heaven, and blessing God for all Things, whether in eating or drinking, or doing any other Action; and that every thing may be done to the Glory of God. In a Word, our Saviour has recommended to us, to pray Luk. xviii. 1. xxi. 36.without ceasing. Vigilate omni tempore orantes.

The Reader will not be displeased to see here the eighteen Prayers appointed by Esdras, and the nineteenth appointed by Gamaliel. This is commonly placed in the twelfth Place, and we shall not remove it from thence.

I. “ Blessed I. “ Blessed be thou, O Lord our God, God of our Fathers, God of Abraham, God of Isaac, God of Jacob; the great God, the powerful, the terrible, the high -exalted, the liberal Dispenser of good Things, the Creator and Possessor of the Universe; who remembrest the good Actions of our Fathers, and who in thy Love dost send a Redeemer to their Posterity, for the Love of thy Name. O King our Succour, our Saviour and our Buckler: Blessed be thou, O Lord, the Shield of Abraham. II. “ O Lord, thou art potent for ever. Thou raisest up the Dead, thou art powerful to save, thou sendest the Dew, thou suppressest the Winds, thou makest the Rain to descend upon the Earth, and by thy Goodness thou supportest all living Creatures. Thy rich Mercy raises up the Dead, thou liftest up those that fall, thou curest the Sick, thou unbindest those that are in Fetters, thou shewest the Truth of thy Promises to those that sleep in the Dust. Who is comparable to Thee, O Lord Almighty? who is like to thee, O King? who killest and makest alive, and who makest Salvation to spring up like the Grass of the Field. Thou art faithful, even to raising us from the Dead. Blessed be Thou, O Lord, who raisest up the Dead. III. “ Thou art holy, and thy Name is holy, thy Saints praise thee every Day, for Thou art a great and an holy King. O God, blessed be Thou, O Lord, O God most holy. IV. “ ‘Tis Thou whose Goodness givest Men all their Knowledge, and teaches them Wisdom. Grant us thy Mercy, give us Knowledge, Wisdom, and Prudence. Blessed be Thou, O Lord, whose Goodness gives Understanding and Knowledge to Men.

V. “ Bring us back, O Father, to the Observation of thy Law, and grant that we may continue firm to thy Precepts, devoted to thy Worship, O King, and converted to Thee, by a perfect Repentance in thy Presence. Blessed be Thou, O Lord, who art willing to receive us to Repentance. VI. “ Have Mercy on us, O Father, for we have sinned. Pardon us, O King, for we have transgressed thy Laws. For thou art a merciful God, and ready to forgive. Blessed be Thou, most merciful Lord, who so abundantly displayest thy Mercies, in the Pardon of our Sins. VII. “ Look with Pity on our Afflictions, we beseech Thee. Take our Side in all our Quarrels. Plead our Cause in all our Differences. Make haste to redeem us by a perfect Redemption, for the Love of thy Name. For Thou art our God, our King, and a powerful Redeemer. Blessed be Thou, O Lord, the Redeemer of Israel. VIII. “ Cure us, O Lord our God, and we shall be cured, save us, and we shall be saved, for thou art our Praise. Send us Health, give us a compleat Remedy for all our Weaknesses, our Pains, and our Wounds. For thou art a God that curest, and thou art merciful. Blessed be Thou, O Lord our God, who curest thy People Israel. IX. “ Bless us, O Lord our God, in all the Works of our Hands. Bless all the Seasons of the Year for our use. Give us Rain and Dew, with thy Blessing upon all our Country. Replenish the whole Earth with thy Benedictions, and send necessary Moisture upon all the Places of the habitable Earth. Blessed be Thou, O Lord, who extendest thy Benediction upon the Year.

X. “ Assemble us all together, at the Sound of the great Trumpet, to cause us to enjoy Liberty. Display the Standard, to bring back into their own Country all those of the Captivity, from the four Corners of the Earth. Blessed be Thou, O Lord, who assemblest the dispersed of thy People Israel. XI. “ Restore us our Judges as heretofore, and our Counsellors as at the Beginning. Put away from us Affliction and Trouble. Do Thou only reign over us, in thy Goodness and Mercy, in Justice and Equity. Blessed be Thou, O Lord our God, who lovest Justice and That is, The Roman Empire.Equity. XII. (This twelfth Prayer is thought to be against the Christians.) “ Let there be no Hope for them who renounce the true Religion. Let all Hereticks, how many soever they may be, perish as in a Moment, and let the Kingdom of Pride be quickly destroy’d in our Days. Blessed be Thou, O Lord our God, who destroyest the Wicked, and humblest the Proud.

XIII. “ Let thy Compassion be moved for the Good and the Just, for the Proselytes of Justice, and for the rest of thy People of the House of Israel, O Lord our God; and reward all those who put their Trust in thy Name, and grant to us thy Law, and let us never be confounded, for we have put our Trust in Thee. Blessed be thou, O Lord, the Support and the Confidence of the Just. XIV. “ Vouchsafe to dwell in the Midst of thy City Jerusalem, according to thy Promise. Build it up so that it may continue for ever, and do it quickly in our Days. Blessed be thou, O Lord, who buildest up Jerusalem. XV. “ Let the Race of David thy Servant sprout up, grow and flourish, and let the Horn of thy Salvation be exalted; for we daily expect thy Salvation. Blessed be “ be Thou, O Lord, who causest the Horn of our Salvation to flourish.

XVI. “ Hear our Voice, O Lord our God, most beneficent Father; pardon us, and have Mercy on us. Receive our Prayers in thy Mercy and Favour, and send us not away out of thy Presence, O King, with empty Hands. For Thou hearest with Pity the Prayers of thy People Israel. Blessed be Thou, O Lord, who heareth our Prayers.

XVII. “ Accept thy People Israel, O Lord our God, and have Regard to their Prayers. Restore thy Worship in the inward Parts of thy Temple. Make haste to receive with Favour and Love the Burnt-offerings of Israel, and their Prayers; and let the Worship of Israel thy People be always acceptable to Thee. Blessed be Thou, O Lord, who restorest thy divine Presence to Sion.

XVIII. “ We render Thee our Praises and Thanksgivings, for Thou art the Lord our God, the God of our Fathers for ever. Thou art our Rock, and the Rock of our Life, the Buckler of our Salvation. We render Thee our Thanks from Generation to Generation, and we will declare thy Praises, for our Life is always in thy Hands, and our Soul is ever depending on Thee, because thy Signs are always with us; and thy Miracles and marvellous Goodness are continually before our Eyes, Morning, Evening, and Night. Thou art good, and thy Compassions cannot be exhausted. Thou art merciful, and thy Kindnesses never fail. We hope in Thee for ever, and may thy Name, O King, be for ever blessed for so great Favours. May it be magnify’d and glorify’d for all Eternity, and may every thing that breathes pay Thee its Tribute of Thanks. Selah. And may they celebrate thy Name in Truth and Sincerity, O God of our Salvation and our Succour. Selah. Blessed be Thou, O Lord, whose Name is good, and to whom it is fit always to render Praises and Thanksgivings.

XIX. “ Grant to us, and to Israel thy People, Peace, Favour, Blessing, Grace, Kindness, and Piety. Bless us, O our Father, bless us all together, by the Light of thy Face. For by the Light of thy Face Thou hast given us, O Lord our God, the Law of Life, Love, Kindness, Equity, Benediction, Piety, Life, and Peace. May it please Thee at all Times and Seasons to bless thy People Israel, and to grant them Peace. Blessed be Thou, O Lord, who blessest thy People Israel, and givest them Peace. “ Amen.

Prayers for the Dead. I shall confine myself here to what is found in Scripture, concerning Prayer for the Dead. In the second Book of Maccabees it is said, that Judas, sirnamed Maccabeus, made a Gathering 2 Maccab. xii. 43.throughout the Company, to the Sum of two thousand Drachms of Silver; he sent it to Jerusalem to offer a Sin-offering, doing therein very well and honestly, in that he was mindful of the Resurrection. For if he had not hoped that they that were slain should have risen again, it had been superfluous and vain to pray for the Dead. And also in that he perceived that there was great Favour laid up for those that died godly. (It was an holy and good Thought.) Whereupon he made a Reconciliation for the Dead, that they might be delivered from Sin. The Law does not enjoin Prayers for the Dead; but the Practice of the Jews, founded upon their Opinion of the Immortality of the Soul, and the Rewards and Punishments of another Life. The modern Jews follow the Tradition of their Ancestors, in the Prayers and Alms which they make for the Dead.

Difficulties are started concerning this Passage of the Maccabees now quoted. How could it be said, that these Soldiers died in Piety, qui cum pietate dormitionem acceperant, who had transgressed the Law by a kind of Sacrilege, taking Things that had been consecrated to Idols? and how could Alms and Sacrifices be of Use to them? For we know that mortal Sin is not expiated by this kind of Things. It may be answer’d, that Judas might presume that the Soldiers were touch’d with Repentance for their Crime before they died: That God had inflicted Death upon them, to expiate in this Life a Fault that was not mortal, or that these Men had an Intention of delivering up these Spoils to the General after the Battle, without reflecting upon their having been consecrated to Idols. Lastly, the Charity of Judas inspired him with Sentiments of Indulgence, which we are not allow’d to condemn; and without entering upon this Inquiry, it is enough for us to shew, that his Opinion was, that Alms, and Sacrifices, and Prayers were of use for the Consolation of the Dead. We require no more to be granted here.

Another Passage, proving the Belief and Practice of Prayers for the Dead, is taken out of the Second Epistle of St. Paul to Timothy, chap. i. 18. The Lord grant unto him (Onesiphorus) that he may find Mercy of the Lord in that Day. And in how many Things he ministred unto me at Ephesus, thou knowest very well. There is great Probability that Onesiphorus was dead at that Time. St. Paul speaks of him as of a Man no longer in this World. In the same Epistle, ch. iv. 19. he salutes the Family of Onesiphorus, but does not mention him himself. Grotius does not doubt but that Onesiphorus was dead; if it were so, here is an express Instance of Prayers for the Dead, by St. Paul himself.

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