“Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.” Luke xi. 1.
These words express the natural feelings of the awakened mind, perceiving its great need of God’s help, yet not understanding well what its particular wants are, or how they are to be relieved. The disciples of John the Baptist, and the disciples of Christ, waited on their respective Masters for instruction how to pray. It was in vain that the duty of repentance was preached to the one, and of faith to the other; in vain that God’s mercies and His judgments were set before them, and their own duties; they seemed to have all that was necessary for making prayers for themselves, yet they could not; their hearts were full, but they remained dumb; they could offer no petition except to be taught to pray; they knew the Truth, but they could not use it. So different a thing is it to be instructed in religion, and to have so mastered it in practice that it is altogether our own.
Their need has been the need of Christians ever since. All of us in childhood, and most men ever after, require direction how to pray; and hence the use of Forms of prayer, which have always obtained in the Church. John taught his disciples; Christ gave the Apostles the prayer which is distinguished by the name of the Lord’s Prayer; and after He had ascended on high, the Holy Spirit has given us excellent services of devotion by the mouth of those blessed Saints, whom from time to time He has raised up to be overseers in the Church. In the words of St. Paul, “We know not what we should pray for as we ought;” [Rom. viii. 26.] but “the Spirit helpeth our infirmities;” and that, not only by guiding our thoughts, but by directing our words.
This, I say, is the origin of Forms of prayer, of which I mean to speak today; viz. these two undeniable truths, first, that all men have the same spiritual wants, and, secondly, that they cannot of themselves express them.
Now it has so happened, that in these latter times self-wise reasoners have arisen who have questioned the use of Forms of prayer, and have thought it better to pray out of their own thoughts at random, using words which come into their minds at the time they pray. It may be right, then, that we should have some reason at hand for our use of those Forms, which we have adopted because they were handed down to us. Not, as if it were not quite a sufficient reason for using them, that we have received them, and (in St. Paul’s words) that “neither we nor the Churches of God have known any other custom,” [1 Cor. xi. 16.] and that the best of Christians have ever used them; for this is an abundantly satisfactory reason;—nor again, as if we could hope by reasons ever so good, to persuade those who inquire of us, which most likely we shall not be able to do; for a man is far gone in extravagance who deliberately denies the use of Forms, and is likely to find our reasons as difficult to receive as the practice we are defending;—so that we can only say of such men, after St. Paul’s manner, “if any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant,” there is no help for it. But it may be useful to show you how reasonable the practice is, in order that you yourselves may turn it to better account; for when we know why we do a thing, we are likely (the same circumstances being supposed) to do it more comfortably than when we obey ignorantly.
Now, I suppose no one is in any difficulty about the use of Forms of prayer in public worship; for common sense almost will tell us, that when many are to pray together as one man, if their thoughts are to go together, they must agree beforehand what is to be the subject of their prayers, nay, what the words of their prayers, if there is to be any certainty, composure, ease, and regularity, in their united devotions. To be present at extempore prayer, is to hear prayers. Nay, it might happen, or rather often would happen, that we did not understand what was said; and then the person praying is scarcely praying “in a tongue understanded of the people” (as our Article expresses it); he is rather interceding for the people, than praying with them, and leading their worship. In the case, then, of public prayer the need of Forms is evident; but it is not at first sight so obvious that in private prayer also we need use written Forms, instead of praying extempore (as it is called); so I proceed to show the use of them.
1. Let us bear in mind the precept of the wise man. “Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God; for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth; therefore let thy words be few.” [Eccles. v. 2.] Prayers framed at the moment are likely to become irreverent. Let us consider for a few moments before we pray, into whose presence we are entering,—the presence of God. What need have we of humble, sober, and subdued thoughts! as becomes creatures, sustained hourly by His bounty;—as becomes lost sinners who have no right to speak at all, but must submit in silence to Him who is holy;—and still more, as grateful servants of Him who bought us from ruin at the price of His own blood; meekly sitting at His feet like Mary to learn and to do His will, and like the penitent at the great man’s feast, quietly adoring Him, and doing Him service without disturbance, washing His feet (as it were) with our tears, and anointing them with precious ointment, as having sinned much and needing a large forgiveness. Therefore, to avoid the irreverence of many or unfit words and rude half-religious thoughts, it is necessary to pray from book or memory, and not at random.