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Tertullian, On Prayer
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Chapter III.—The Second Clause.
Chapter VII.—The Sixth Clause.
Chapter VIII.—The Seventh or Final Clause.
Chapter X.—We May Superadd Prayers of Our Own to the Lord’s Prayer.
Chapter XI.—When Praying the Father, You are Not to Be Angry with a Brother.
Chapter XII.—We Must Be Free Likewise from All Mental Perturbation.
Chapter XIII.—Of Washing the Hands.
Chapter XV.—Of Putting Off Cloaks.
Chapter XVI.—Of Sitting After Prayer.
Chapter XVII.—Of Elevated Hands.
Chapter XVIII.—Of the Kiss of Peace.
Chapter XXII.—Answer to the Foregoing Arguments.
Chapter XXIV.—Of Place for Prayer.
Chapter XXV.—Of Time for Prayer.
Chapter XXVI.—Of the Parting of Brethren.
Chapter XXVII.—Of Subjoining a Psalm.
Chapter XXVIII.—Of the Spiritual Victim, Which Prayer is.
For this is the spiritual victim177 1 Pet. ii. 5. which has abolished the pristine sacrifices. “To what purpose,” saith He, “(bring ye) me the multitude of your sacrifices? I am full of holocausts of rams, and I desire not the fat of rams, and the blood of bulls and of goats. For who hath required these from your hands?”178 Isa. i. 11. See the LXX. What, then, God has required the Gospel teaches. “An hour will come,” saith He, “when the true adorers shall adore the Father in spirit and truth. For God is a Spirit, and accordingly requires His adorers to be such.”179 John iv. 23, 24. We are the true adorers and the true priests,180 Sacerdotes; comp. de Ex. Cast. c. 7. who, praying in spirit,181 1 Cor. xiv. 15; Eph. vi. 18. sacrifice, in spirit, prayer,—a victim proper and acceptable to God, which assuredly He has required, which He has looked forward to182 Or, “provided.” for Himself! This victim, devoted from the whole heart, fed on faith, tended by truth, entire in innocence, pure in chastity, garlanded with love,183 “Agape,” perhaps “the love-feast.” we ought to escort with the pomp184 Or, “procession.” of good works, amid psalms and hymns, unto God’s altar,185 Altare. to obtain for us all things from God.
CAPUT XXVIII .
Haec est enim hostia spiritalis, quae pristina sacrificia delevit. Quo mihi, inquit, multitudinem sacrificiorum vestrorum? Plenus sum haulocaustomatum arietum; et adipem agnorum, et sanguinem taurorum et 1194Bhircorum nolo. Quis enim requisivit ista de manibus vestris (Isaiae, I, 11)? Quae ergo quaesierit Deus, Evangelium docet. Veniet hora, inquit, cum veri adoratores adorabunt Patrem in spiritu et veritate (Joan., IV, 23). Deus enim spiritus est (II Cor., III, 17): et adoratores itaque tales requirit. Nos sumus veri adoratores, et veri sacerdotes, qui spiritu orantes spiritu sacrificamus orationem Dei propriam, et acceptabilem quam scilicet requisivit, quam sibi prospexit. Hanc de toto corde devotam, fide pastam, veritate curatam, innocentia integram, castitate mundam, agape coronatam cum pompa operum bonorum inter 1195A psalmos et hymnos deducere ad Dei altare debemus omnia nobis a Deo impetraturam.