Concerning the Sacraments · Part 13

CHAPTER IV

On prayer in secret. Exposition of 1 Tim. ii. 8.

16. But let us ask why this is profitable, why we should rather pray in secrecy, than with loud calling. Hearken. Let us take an example from the usage of men. If thou art asking of a man, who hears quickly, thou dost not think that there is need of loud shouting. Thou askest softly in moderate tones. If thou askest of some deaf person, dost not thou begin to call aloud, that he may be able to hear thee? So then he who clamours thinks that God cannot hear him, unless he clamours. And in

1 On this see Ambrose, de Virginibus, iii. 3. II, where there is a similar injunction of silence in church.

2 Ps. cxli. (cxl. Vulg.) 3.

3 Col. iv. 3. The reading " aperiatur mihi ostium verbi" is found in the writings of Ambrose.

asking Him thus he derogates from His power. But he who prays in silence shows his faith, and confesses that God is the searcher of the heart and reins* and hears thy prayer before it is uttered by thy lips.

17. Let us then consider this — I would that men should fray in every place.2 Why did he say " men "? Surely prayer is common both to men and women. I find no reason for this, unless indeed the holy Apostle said "men," lest the women should be too forward and wrongly understand the words in every place and begin to clamour everywhere. Such women we cannot endure in the Church.

18. / would that men, that is those who can observe the precept, should pray in every place, lifting up pure hands. What is meant by lifting up pure hands? Oughtest thou in thy prayer to show forth the cross of the Lord to all and sundry?3 That indeed is a proof of thy piety,4 not of thy modesty. But it is possible for thee to pray, without displaying any outward figure, but lifting up thy actions. If thou wouldst have thy prayer5 effective, lift pure hands by thy innocence. Lift them not every day.6 Thou hast lifted them once for all; there is no need to lift them again.

19. I would that men should pray in every place, lifting up pure hands without wrath and disputing. Nothing can be truer. Wrath, it says, destroys even the wise.1

1 Rev. ii. 23. Cf. Jer. xvii. 10; Ps. vii. 9 (11, Vulg.). 8 1 Tim. ii. 8.

3 The reference is to the hands outstretched in prayer, in which many Christian writers saw the symbolism of the Cross. Cf. Minucius Felix, Octav. 29, crucis signum est... cum homo porrectis manibus deum pura mente veneratur.

4 virtutis. Or the meaning may be "courage." 6 orationcm. Another reading is operationem.

6 The thought seems to be that the Christian at baptism enters on the life of innocence. This is "the lifting up of pure hands," and this should not have to be repeated.

7 Prov. xv. 1 (LXX. Not in Heb. or Vulg.).

Therefore at all times, as far as is possible, a Christian man should control his anger, and especially when he comes to prayer. Let not the fierceness of wrath disturb thy mind, let not a kind of fury hinder thy prayer. But rather come with tranquil mind. For why wilt thou be angry? Has thy servant committed a fault? Thou comest to pray that thy faults may be forgiven thee, and thou art indignant with another! That is what is meant by "without wrath."

CHAPTER V

On the modesty which women ought to show in prayer. The parts of prayer are illustrated from i Tim. ii. i. Application to the Lord's Prayer and Psalm viii. Conclusion.

20. Now as to "disputing." Often a man of business comes to prayer, or a covetous man. One thinks of money, the other1 of gain, one of honour to be won, the other of avarice; and yet he thinks that God can hear him. And therefore when thou prayest, it is right that thou shouldest put divine things before human things.

21. Likewise too I would that the women pray, not flaunt- ing themselves in ornaments or in pearls, says the Apostle Paul.2 The Apostle Peter also says3: "The influence of a woman availeth much to turn the affections of her husband by the good conversation of his wife, and to convert the unbeliever to the grace of Christ." Such power has the grave demeanour and chastity of a wife and her good conversation to summon her husband to faith and devotion, and the same is often effected by the

1 Or. we may render "another... another... another."

2 The quotation is a very free citation of 1 Tim. ii. 9.

3 A free paraphrase of 1 Pet. iii. 1, 2.

words of a wise man. Therefore let a woman's adorn- ment, he says, not be in decking of the hair or braided locks, but in prayer from a pure heart, where is the hidden man of the heart, which is always rich in the sight of God.1 Thou hast, therefore, wherein thou mayest be rich. In Christ are thy riches, the badges of chastity and purity, faith, devotion, and mercy. These are the treasures of righteousness, as the prophet said.2

22. Next comes the question, what should be the beginning of prayer? Tell me, if you wished to make a request of a man and were to begin thus: "Come, grant me what I seek of thee," does not this seem an arrogant form of prayer?3 Prayer, therefore, should begin with the praise of God, that thou mayest ask of the almighty God, to whom all things are possible, who has the will to grant. Then follows the supplication, as the Apostle taught us when he said, / beseech, therefore, that first of all prayers, supplications, petitions, giving of thanks be made.4. The first part of the prayer, therefore, ought to contain the praise of God, the second the supplication, the third the petition, the fourth the giving of thanks. Thou shouldest not, like a starveling for food, begin with food, but with the praises of God.

1 A conflation of passages from I Pet. iii. 3, I Tim. ii. 9 ("braided locks"), 2 Tim. ii. 22 ("those who call on the Lord from a pure heart ").

2 Is. xxxiii. 6 (LXX. The Heb. and Vulg. are different).

3 The whole of this passage appears to be modelled upon Ambrose, de Inst. Virg. ii. 8-10. In both the order of words in I Tim. ii. I is orationes, obsecrationcs ("prayers, supplications"), which is reversed in the Vulgate. In both this order is essential to the argument. The obsecratio or supplicatio appears to be a general wish or aspiration for the favour of God, while the postulatio is a petition for certain definite things. In de Sacrani. "hallowed be Thy name" is the obsecratio ("supplication"), while the rest of the prayer is postulatio ("petition"), ihe^gratiarum actio ("giving of thanks ") being represented by the doxology. In de hist. Virg. ii. 10 it is said that the Lord's Prayer can be divided in this way, but the details are left to the intelligence of the reader.

4 1 Tim. ii. 1. Cf. Origen, de Orat. 14.

23. Thus it is that your prudent public speakers have this rule that they court the favour of the judge. They begin with his praises, that they may have the goodwill of him who tries the case. Then he gradually begins to beg the judge to deign to listen to him patiently. Thirdly, he dares to put forward his petition, to set forth what he seeks. Fourthly, as he began with the praises of God, so he should end with praise.1

24. Thou findest this in the Lord's prayer, Our Father, which art in heaven. It is an act of praise to God to declare Him a Father. Therein lies the glory that belongs to fatherly goodness. It is the praise of God, that he dwells in heaven, not on earth. Our Father, which art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name. That is, that he should hallow his servants. For his name is hallowed in us, when men are declared to be Christians. So then Hallowed be thy name shows a wish. Thy kingdom come — a petition that the kingdom of Christ be in us. If God reigns in us, the adversary cannot find a place. Guilt does not reign, sin does not reign. But virtue reigns, chastity reigns, devotion reigns. Then: Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. This petition is the chief of those things which are asked. And forgive us, he says, our debts, as we also forgive our debtors. Therefore daily receive,2 that daily thou mayest ask forgiveness for thy debt. And suffer us not to be led into temptation, but deliver us from evil. What follows? Hearken what the priest says: " Through our Lord Jesus Christ, in whom, with whom, there is to thee honour, praise, glory, majesty, power, with the Holy Spirit, from all ages, both now and always and for ever and ever. — Amen."3

1 With this section cf. Origen, de Orat. 33.

8 i.e. "receive that bread," a reference to the preceding petition.

3 This doxology resembles that found in the Greek liturgies

(James, Mark, Basil, Chrysostom) at the close of the Lord's Prayer.

25. Another example. Though the Psalms of David are one book, possessing the excellences of prayer, which we have mentioned above, yet often too in a single psalm we find represented all these parts of prayer, as we see in the eighth psalm. Thus he begins as follows: 0 Lord, our Lord, how wonderful is thy name in all the earth.1 So then we have the first part of the prayer.2 Then the supplication. For I shall behold thy heavens, the works of thy fingers, that is, I shall behold the heavens, the moon and the stars which thou hast founded. He surely does not mean, I shall see the sky, but I shall see the heavens, in which celestial grace and splendour begin to shine. These heavens then the prophet promised should be given to him, since he deserved3 celestial grace from the Lord. The moon and the stars which thou hast founded. He calls the Church the moon, and the saints shining with celestial grace he calls the stars.4 Then observe his petition: What is man that thou are mindful of him, or the

A similar doxology forms the conclusion of the Canon, and precedes the Lord's Prayer in the Ambrosian Sacramentary of Biasca (cent, x.), and also occurs in this latter position in the Roman Canon {Gelasian Sacramentary, Wilson, p. 236). In this respect the rite with which the author was familiar corresponded with the Greek rites mentioned above, and the position of the doxology in the Sacramentary of Biasca may be due to a later rearrangement. From its liturgical use the doxology passed into the text of Mt. vi. 13.

1 Psalm viii. i f. With the exposition which follows cf. Ambrose, de Inst. Virg. ii. 9.

2 Or "the prayer proper comes first," oratio signifying the open- ing of praise. This seems to be the use in de hist. Virg. ii. 9, hactcnus oratio: inde sequitur obsecratio. It must be remembered that oratio would suggest any speech, as well as prayer.

8 merer etur. The reading of the Benedictine edd. mererentur cannot be right.