Downame - BV209_D69_G6_1640_v1

a ao rho prayer ought to be made in a knorvn tongue.' 4. Neither can he pray with faith that his requeft shall be granted, when he knoweth not what his requeft is. 5. What reverence is here (hewed to the majeftie of God, when men prefume to babble before him they know not what:' And what conceit have they of God,when they hope by fuch lip- labour to fatis- fie for their fumes and to merit eternall life 6. Flow can men either ask with fervencie of fpirit or give thanks with alacritie of heart when they do not fo much as know whether they pray or give thanks 7. Bodily exercifeprofiteth little, r. Tim. 4.8. for God refpeóeth not the mouth but the heart: But this prayer in an unknown tongue is a mere bodily çxercife;and fo in the church of Rome is ufually in joyned to penitents as a penali work. 8. Battologie is to be avoided in prayer, Math. 6. But this babbling and multiplying of prayers without underfianding, efpecially joyned with numbring of them on their beads, as though by how much the more and longer fo much more meritorious and fatisfadorie, is moil groffe batto- logie. I conclude with the Apof}le, r.Cor. 14. 37, 38 d f any man think him(if to be a prophet or fpirituall; let him acknowledge what the prophet hath written con- cerning the ufe of a known tongue in the fervice of God, to be the commandments of G od: But if any ,faith he be ignorant let him he ignorant. The like may be faid of thofe who praying in their mother - tongue, do not underfand what they fay,.