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On Prayer

Chapter XXV.--Of Time for Prayer.

Touching the time, however, the extrinsic ¹ observance of certain hours will not be unprofitable--those common hours, I mean, which mark the intervals of the day--the third, the sixth, the ninth--which we may find in the Scriptures to have been more solemn than the rest. The first infusion of the Holy Spirit into the congregated disciples took place at "the third hour." ² Peter, on the day on which he experienced the vision of Universal Community, ³ (exhibited) in that small vessel, ⁴ had ascended into the more lofty parts of the house, for prayer's sake "at the sixth hour." ⁵ The same (apostle) was going into the temple, with John, "at the ninth hour," ⁶ when he restored the paralytic to his health. Albeit these practices stand simply without any precept for their observance, still it may be granted a good thing to establish some definite presumption, which may both add stringency to the admonition to pray, and may, as it were by a law, tear us out from our businesses unto such a duty; so that--what we read to have been observed by Daniel also, ⁷ in accordance (of course) with Israel's discipline--we pray at least not less than thrice in the day, debtors as we are to Three--Father, Son, and Holy Spirit: of course, in addition to our regular prayers which are due, without any admonition, on the entrance of light and of night. But, withal, it becomes believers not to take food, and not to go to the bath, before interposing a prayer; for the refreshments and nourishments of the spirit are to be held prior to those of the flesh, and things heavenly prior to things earthly.

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De Oratione

XXV.

[1] De tempore uero non erit otiosa extrinsecus obseruatio etiam horarum quarumdam, istarum dico communium quae diu inter spatia signant, tertia, sexta, nona, quas sollemniores in scripturis inuenire est. [2] Primus Spiritus Sanctus congregatis discipulis hora tertia infusus est. [3] Petrus, qua die uisionem communitatis omnis in illo uasculo expertus est, sexta hora orandi gratia ascenderat in superiora. [4] Idem cum Ioanne ad nonam in templum adibat ubi paralyticum sanitati reformauit. [5] Quae etsi simpliciter se habeant si ullius obseruationis praecepto, bonum tamen si aliquam constituere praesumptionem, qua et orandi admonitionem constringat et quasi lege ad tale munus extorqueat a negotiis interdum, ut, quod Danieli quoque legimus obseruatum utique ex Israelis disciplina, ne minus ter die saltem adoremus, debitores trium, Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti; exceptis utique legitimis orationibus, quae sine ulla admonitione debentur ingressu lucis et noctis. [6] Sed et cibum non prius sumere et lauacrum non prius adire quam interposita oratione fideles decet. Priora enim habenda sunt spiritus refrigeria et pabula quam carnis, quia priora caelestia quam terrena.