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of the principle of it, may suggest many important

considerations.

He lays down as a sure rule of faith-scripture and tradition: giving as the reason of the latter, that hereticks wrest scripture to their purposes. In unfolding his sense of tradition, he defines it to be that held by all, always and every where: thereby evidently considering all heresy as superaddition to the common faith. He considers the sense of a single Church, as what should yield to that of the whole Church. And what is especially to be noticed in his scheme, he thinks, that if any errour should become general, the opinion of antiquity should overbear that of later times. He illustrates his theory in all its branches; and particularly the last sentiment, in the instance of the Arians; whose innovation, was for awhile predominant in Christendom.

If this theory of Vincent be correct---and it was so considered in his day--there follows from it, First, that neither he, nor the Church at that time, knew of any judge of controversy, extending his authority over Christendom from the Episcopal chair of Rome: Secondly, that although three councils called general had been held, there was no idea of the infallibility of their decrees, or of there being any respect due to them, further than as they were conformed to the two-fold test laid down: and. Thirdly, that the intelligent proposer of the rule acknowledged nothing under the name of tradition, but what could be proved to have been from the beginning.

The present author does not know of any authority, on which he can propose tradition, as a rule coordinate with that of scripture. And he would rather say, that this is the only rule; although the interpretation of it may be much aided by the known faith and practice of the times, the nearest

* Ab omnibus semper et ubique.

to the age of the apostles. But contemplating the question in a practical point of view, he believes, that Protestants need not to be reluctant to receive any doctrine, which comes within the limits of the standard laid down by Vincent, under any reasonable interpretation of his opinion.

DISSERTATION XII.

OF ADDITIONAL EVIDENCE OF

FORMS

OF

PRAYER, IN THE JEWISH AND THE CHRIS-
TIAN CHURCHES.*

Evidence from Scripture-And from Primitive Practice.Difficulty of assigning a beginning.-Importance annexed by this Church to the Devotional Part of the Service.

IT ought not to be thought irrelevant to the present point, to introduce the Jewish Church into the discussion; because the nature of prayer, as it relates to God and to man, remains the same under both of the dispensations. The discourse of our Saviour to the woman of Samaria,t is principally to be considered in reference to what had been said by her-"Our fathers worshiped God in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship." The answer is "The hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem❞—that is, not in those places especially, or more acceptably than in others" worship the father." It was an intimation of the nature of the ensuing dispensation, which was to be unlike to the Jewish in that respect. Although the divine speaker goes on to inform the inquirer of a spi

* See Lecture viii. John iv. 21-24, Verse 20,

ritual worship, to which she had been heretofore a stranger; and although he plainly notifies the increased spirituality of that which he was beginning to institute; yet to suppose that all devotional exercises under the law, not excepting those indited under inspiration, were merely the service of the lips, would be to derogate from the honour of his great name; and would also be contrary to the evident agreement of the same exercises with the best affections of the human mind, in all the situations which can give occasion to its lifting of itself to God in prayer.

In the lecture it was stated, that the services of the temple and of the synagogue were in forms of prayer. To this there may be added as follows.

Almost the whole of the fifteenth chapter of Exodus, is occupied by the sublime strains of Moses, sung in celebration of the passage of the Red Sea, It was sung, not by him only, but by all the children of Israel. How this could have been accomplished, otherwise than by its having been precomposed, is not easy to be imagined.

In Numbers vi. 24-26, we have the following form of divine appointment, to be observed by Aaron and his sons-doubtless all his posterity, in the succession of the priesthood-in blessing the children of Israel— "The Lord bless thee and keep thee: the Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: the Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace." This blessing is evidently in the form of invocation or prayer.

In the tenth chapter of the same book, it may be seen, that Moses observed a set form of prayer, on every moving of the ark; and another, on every resting of it.. In the former case it is-" Rise up Lord, and let thine enemies be scattered, and let them that hate thee, flee before thee:"* and in the latter..." Return O Lord, to the many thousands of Israel."+

* Verse 35.

† Verse 36.

In Deut. xxvi. 5.--10, there is the following prayer; the precise words of which were doubtless used by every devout Israelite once a year, in presenting the first fruits of his land-.." A Syrian ready to perish was my father, and he went down into Egypt and sojourned there with a few, and became there a nation, great, mighty and populous. And the Egyptians evil intreated us, and afflicted us, and laid upon us hard bondage. And when we cried unto the Lord God of our fathers, the Lord heard our voice, and looked on our affliction, and our labour, and our oppression. And the Lord brought us forth out of Egypt with a mighty hand and with a stretched out arm, and with great terribleness, and with signs and wonders. And he hath brought us into this place, and hath given us this land, even a land that floweth with milk and honey. And now behold, I have brought the first fruits of the land, which thou, O Lord, hast given me: and thou shalt set it before the Lord thy God, and worship before the Lord thy

God."

In the same chapter* there is another form, appointed to be said by every Israelite, after the tithing of the third year; as follows..." I have brought away the hallowed things out of mine house, and also have given them unto the Levite, and unto the stranger, to the fatherless, and to the widow, according to all thy commandments which thou hast commanded me: I have not transgressed thy commandments, neither have I forgotten them. I have not eaten thereof in my mourning, neither have I taken away aught thereof for any unclean use, nor given aught thereof for the dead: but I have hearkened to the voice of the Lord my God, and have done according to all that thou hast commanded me. Look down from thy holy habitation, from heaven, and bless thy people Israel, and the land which thou has given us, as thou swarest unto our fathers, a land that floweth with milk and honey.

* Verses 13, 14, 15.

Solomon is supposed to have been under divine illumination, when, in his prayer at the dedication of the temple, he contemplated the future captivities of the people, and prescribed to them the form of the expression of their penitence-" We have sinned and have done perversely, we have committed wicked

ness."*

In Hosea xiv. 2, the people having been called on just before to return unto the Lord, they are instructed"Take with you words and say." Then follows the words prescribed to them--"Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously: so will we render the calves of our lips."

In Joel i. 15, a fast is directed to be proclaimed, under divine command. And the elders and the inhabitants being supposed to be assembled, the following form of devotion is enjoined on them..." Alas for the day: for the day of the Lord is at hand, and as a destruction from the Almighty shall it come." And in the next chapter,† perhaps relative to another occasion, the priests and the ministers of the Lord are directed to "weep between the porch and the altar," and to say, "Spare thy people, O Lord, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them. Wherefore should they say among the people--Where is their God?"

All the above are forms of prayer, prescribed by the adorable being, of whom it is affirmed by some, that he cannot be worshipped spiritually in appointed words.

That the same property is extended to the worship of God under the economy of the New Testament, has been shown in the lecture: in which there was especially insisted on the Lord's Prayer, prescribed not as a pattern merely, but as a form; and our Lord's joining in the worship of the synagogue. What remains, is to produce evidences of the practice, in the accounts handed down of the worship of the early Church.

1 Kings viii. 47.

† Verse 17.

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