Thomas Comber

Dean of Durham

A Companion to the Temple

or A Help to Devotion in the Use of Common Prayer

1672-76/1684

(Revised by Dan Morse – 1991)

 

 

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HERE are two principal objects of the worship of God, the glory of the one who is worshiped, and the benefit of the worshipers. But whether we look on them separately or together, no part of Divine Worship so much expresses and advances God's glory, nor so directly tends to man's good as Public Prayer; in which we make the most universal solemn acknowledgements of our obligations to, and dependence on, the Supreme Lord of all the world; and by which all the servants of God at all times, places and circumstances, do with heart and voice, by common consent reveal their needs, and receive supplies for them. We may call this the Life and Soul of Religion, which quickens, unites, and moves the whole Christian world. The case of a private person who no longer breathes in secret prayer is no more desperate than the condition of a church where public devotions cease.

 

Objection I. Common, written prayer is said to be a form, and therefore a hindrance to zealous praying by the spirit.

Answer. Whoever makes this objection, and affirms we cannot pray by the spirit in the words of a form, must beware lest his ignorance lead him into a dangerous intolerance, and perhaps blasphemy.

The saints of the Old Testament prayed by forms, and so did Christ, and he taught his disciples a form to pray by. Does anyone dare say that all these did not pray by the spirit?

Have not all the churches, since the Apostles' times to our day had their forms of prayer? And did not the most devout of all ages compose and use form prayers? Was extemporaneous prayer ever heard in public worship until relatively recently except on special occasions; and do we think no church nor no person prayed by the spirit, until extemporaneous prayer became popular? Is it not true that the Reformed churches of France and Switzerland used form prayers? Did not Calvin (and the rest of the reformed ministers and theologians) use form prayers before and after their sermons?

If the minister prays extemporaneously, which means that the people will not know what will be prayed until he says it, are the people not confined to the speaker's words? Will they be able to enter fully into the prayer, since they have no idea beforehand what he is going to say? And since they are confined to the form of words used by the extemporaneous speaker, do they all pray without the Spirit of God?

If we put that meaning on the words "Praying by the Spirit," then surely we embrace the phrase without embracing the sense. The meaning is certainly to be so assisted by the Holy Spirit, that (our thoughts being composed, our souls calmed, and our hearts deeply affected with our needs, as well as the Divine suffi­ciency to meet our needs) we can pray with a strong faith and a fervent love. When we are so intent upon our requests that we duly weigh them, and pursue every petition with urgency, ardent desires, and vigorous feelings, this is the Spirit of Prayer.

Thus we may better pray by the Spirit in the words of a form, than we can when our minds are busy inventing new expressions. Having a form (which habit has made familiar) we have everything summarized that we could want; and we are at leisure to improve our feelings; having nothing else to do but to join our souls and desires to every petition, and follow them up to heaven in passion­ate and zealous wishes that God would grant them. In extemporaneous prayer the petitions die in the air in a moment, for neither the minister nor the people knew them before and find it difficult to remember them afterwards; the one busy in inventing, the others in expecting a pleasing novelty. It argues more in favor of the Spirit of God, when we can attend the old prayers with zeal and love, than when we need variety and novel expressions to screw us up into a devotion too much like artifice, and seeming rather to be moved by the pleasure of fancy, than true desire. We may judge the effects of God's Spirit by disposing our hearts to join in a well-composed form, rather than filling our heads with new prayers, or opening our mouths in fluent expressions; both which may be done without the help of the Spirit. To be devout without the help of the Spirit is impossible.

Many truly good people, and devout members of our church, daily use these prayers with as much spirit and life, with as serious and sincere devotion, as any in the world can do. They regard this as demonstration that the Spirit assists them in these forms. And so it may assist the mistaken objectors, if they will lay down their prejudice, and strive to serve God as well as they can. So would the good Spirit assist their prayers, and smooth over our differences, giving us one mind and one spirit, that with one heart and one mouth we might glorify God.

 

Objection 2. But it is further urged, that these prayers, though good in themselves, will grow flat and nauseous by daily use, and consequently become an impediment to devotion.

Answer. We do not come to the house of God for recreation, but for a supply of our needs; and therefore, this might be a better reason for an empty theatre, than a thin congregation.

We come to God in public to petition for the relief of our own general ne­cessities, and those of the whole Church. We ask for pardon of sin, peace of conscience, help of divine grace, deliverance from sin and Satan, death and hell. We also ask for food and clothing, health and strength, protection and success in all our concerns; and more generally for the peace of the Kingdom, the prosperity of the Church, the propagation of the Gospel, and the success of its ministers. Now these things are always needful, and always the same, to be prayed for ev­ery day alike. Wherefore (unless we are so vain as to fancy God is delighted with variety and change as well as we) what need is there to alter the phrases every day, or what efficacy can a new model give to our old requests?

Particular needs and individual cases must be supplied by private devotions, for the public (whether by extempore or form) can never reach all those that are so numerous and varied. Thus one form may fit all that ought to be asked in the church; and why then should we desire a needless and infinite variety and alteration?

 

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Having cleared those objections, it is time to speak positively of the design of what follows, which is to make evident that the prayers in our Book deserve all possible love and esteem, and contain in them a rich treasury of all that can make our devotion lively and useful. If we are assisted by God's Spirit, and desire to pray with sincerity and zeal, here is (without calling upon any aid but that of Heaven) a detailed order, clear method, significant phrases, and strong arguments to quicken our affections, and enlarge our souls in holy and fervent wishes, desires, and meditations, which is the prayer of the inward man, the life and soul of this duty. All of these we teach people to do by giving a natural and easy analysis of the method, and by making plain and practical observations on the parts, together with a literal paraphrase of the whole. By which none can imagine I should give a borrowed lustre to the prayers, which they had not of their own: for I only prove they had it before, and I find all in them that I observe from them; which I hope will be so plain, that all will see the inference, and be able in their own devotions to find out much more. Now in this essay I shall hope to serve three sorts of persons.

1. The Ignorant, who may be instructed hereby to pray with understanding.

Not that we suppose these offices so obscure as to need a comment (for nothing can be more plainly expressed, nor is it possible to invent words more universally understood) but many who understand the sense of the words, do not have skill enough to discern the order, method, and connection of the prayers, nor the ability to discover the arguments that press every request; or the places of Scripture that furnish these devotions with significant phrases, nor judgment to describe what disposition of the soul suits the various parts of them. And if we consider, that the greatest number of people are such, we shall think it appropriate to help them with a plain and easy explication.

Besides, there are many who are knowledgeable in other things, who rather for lack of consideration than judgment, never took notice of the natural dependences of these prayers, nor the true and full import of the expressions, nor of the grace to be exercised in the several parts, because they only paid attention to the words, but took no care to pursue holy meditations. If the former need a master, these need a monitor, lest they offend in a worse way: for negligence is worse than simple ignorance. But, I hope, though all that is in the Book of Common Prayer is obvious, yet something will be found that either was not known or not observed before, and those things also such as may elevate the af­fections, and make the prayers more pleasing and profitable.

2. The Devout Servants of God, and Obedient Children of the Church, whose care it is to pray daily in public, and whose desire and endeavor it is to do it well.

It has been my care to suggest not always the most critical, but the most practical sense, which most directly tended to help devotion, for these men's sake; who no doubt have in their hearts made many of these observations before, and I hope they will like them no worse, for I shall like them better, in hopes the same Spirit directed me and them. But I hope that what I have done will (besides its present assistance) suggest a way to all devout souls for making compatible and pious enlargements, more and better than are to be found here; that so our daily offices (a term referring to the daily prayer services, -- DM) may be full of life and pleasure; and every day court us with new delights. And I must affirm that I have rather opened the top than searched the bottom of this rich mine. But I am sure we needed to stimulate our devotion all we can, not only for our own good, but that our flames might thaw the hearts and lighten the eyes of the rest of the congregation; which scarce ever mind either words or sense, but are either sleepy or tired, to the dishonor of God, the discomfort of the minister and the ruin of their own souls. How happy should we be, if by my endeavors and your examples, we awaken such into a sense of their duty; that these excellent prayers might everywhere be said with an excellent spirit, for the benefit of particulars, and the good of the whole Church?

3. The mistaken Dissenters: (dissenters means non-Anglicans -- DM) Who hereby may be convinced (and perhaps persuaded) that we can pray by this form with as much zeal and more knowledge, with as much spirit and more truth, than by any other kind of prayer.

If so, then it must appear that this venerable liturgy has been falsely represented by such, who do not want it to be seen truly, lest it should be loved really. But if they are so much their own masters, as that they dare to read the prayers seriously, and view this Book with as much charity as it is written with, I shall hope for either their company at prayers, or at least to escape their censures for going to prayers. For unless they are foolishly obstinate they must either love them, or cannot hate them. If they would love them, and pray with us, we shall be friends; and if only the second be obtained, we shall be quiet, and even that is desirable.

That these are the designs that began and encouraged this undertaking, the author's own conscience testifies; and he hopes even those who do not approve the means, must confess the end of this work is good. And if it is successful in any one of these things, he will not repent of his pains. If in one, he is not the first who has failed of accomplishing good intentions. However he will have satisfaction in the peace of a good conscience and may say with the noble Roman (Brutus), if the success answers his sincerity, it must be a cause of universal joy; if not, he can rejoice in his cordial intentions to do good. For the censures of furious zealots, or the scoffing of profane Ishmaels, he does not value them, being only unwilling to offend authority , or true piety. Wherefore he humbly submits these pages to the judicious correction of the Reverend Fathers of the Church, de­siring nothing may be said which dissents from the doctrine and discipline now established; for if it do, it is without the author's knowledge and against his judgment.

And now it is time to conclude this preface with a twofold request.

First, to my brethren of the clergy, that they will read these prayers so frequently, that such as have leisure may never lack opportunity thus to serve God; and so fervently, that those who do attend them, may be brought into a high esteem of them. It was one of the great reasons of God's instituting the Priest's office, and a principal motive to our pious ancestors in their liberal provisions for it; that there might be an order of men on purpose, to pray daily for all mankind, especially for such as could not attend divine service: so that if we neglect this daily sacrifice, we neither answer the designs of God, nor of our benefactors. As we are not excused by, so we ought not to be discouraged at the people's slowness in coming to daily prayers, for their presence is indeed a comfort to us, and an advantage to themselves, but their absence does not hinder the success, nor should it obstruct the performance of our prayers. The promise of Jesus is made to two or three; and since our petitions are directed to God, we need not regard who is absent, so long as he is present to whom we speak: for he accepts our re­quests, not by the number, but the sincerity of those who make them. Let our congregation therefore be great or small, it is our duty to read these prayers daily: and every day to do it with fervency and reverence, as may declare that our affections keep pace with our words, while we are presenting so excellent requests to so infinite a Majesty, upon so weighty occasions. And also we must recite them with such gravity and deliberation, as may afford sufficient time both for ourselves and our people to consider every petition, and press it with devout affections, and a holy urgency, which is the Life of Prayer. And if any use these comprehensive forms without such pious enlargements, it is not for lack of matter in the offices (as I have demonstrated) but for lack of devotion and zeal in their own hearts. It is only those who have no true sense of piety who say the liturgy without affection; and I am very confident the rude and hasty repeating thereof has contributed more to making Common Prayer odious and contemptible, than the arguments or aspersions of its most malicious enemies; whereas if we our selves would show that we are sincerely affected and concerned while we pray by it, we may expect it will be acceptable to God, and of high esteem among all people. So that I wish it may not be said of any of us, as once of Eli's sons, "Their sin was very great, for they made men abhor the offering of the Lord (1 Sam. 2:17).

Secondly, I shall make it my earnest request to all the people of this church, not to judge of these prayers by the character that ignorance and atheism, prejudice and evil interests fasten on them; but to consider them very well, and then they will find the liturgy to be plainer and more methodical in itself, more comprehensive and more suitable to a public congregation, than the best extempore effusion, which makes more noise and show, but is emptier, and of far less weight in the esteem of God and all judicious men. Let none therefore think it a needless and unprofitable waste of time to go to the house of God only to hear Common Prayer; for prayer is the proper duty of that place, which is called the house of prayer; and it is a duty that is of all others the highest and hardest, and yet the most profitable, if it be devoutly and well performed. So that I cannot but pity and lament the stupidity of those, who either sleep or sit by heedless and unconcerned, while so great and so advantageous a scene of duty lies before them. And I must (for their own sakes) beseech all that are present at these devotions; first, to compose their bodies into those most reverent postures which the Church has suited to every part of duty, kneeling at the confession, absolution, and prayers; standing at the Gloria Patri, hymns and creeds, and bowing at the Holy Name of Jesus; for a general uniformity in these things declares, that there is in us a due sense of the divine presence, a humble obedience to our leaders, and a sweet harmony between our bodies and souls in the worship we pay to the Creator of both. Secondly, to make their responses with a loud and audible voice.

 

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The Church of England not only allows this primitive privilege to her members, but commands it; and surely none will forbear to answer out of laziness, that consider the honor and benefit thereof; nor ought any to be silent out of modesty or shame, it being no shame that others should hear us pray in the House of Prayer, for we came on purpose to pray, and the only shame is, to be mute and silent. Thirdly, let me entreat them to ponder the divine all-sufficiency, and their own great necessities, before they begin; and to keep their heart close to every petition as they go along, and they will find them all so fit to be asked, and so likely to be obtained; so agreeable to their own wants, and to the necessities of all mankind; that it will be pleasant to ask them, and delightful to expect a gracious answer to them. And if they daily come, and constantly use the Common Prayer in this manner, they will neither be tired with the length, nor wearied with the frequent repetition thereof; for it will appear to be the most noble and comfortable exercise that religion affords; it will increase their graces, multiply their blessings, and fit them for the never-ceasing service of the heavenly choir. May the God of Peace therefore reconcile us to these prayers, and to one another, giving us pious and zealous ministers, devout and well-disposed people, that we may have full churches, frequent prayers, and fervent charity; than which nothing will more conduce to the public happiness of this nation, and the salvation of our souls; the Good Lord grant it therefore, for Jesus' sake. Amen.