Cyprian of Carthage, Treatises Treatise 4
Dear brothers, the Gospel's teachings are divine lessons: they lay the foundations of our hope, shore up our faith, feed our hearts, steer our journey, and defend our salvation. While they instruct willing minds here on earth, they lead us to the heavenly kingdoms. God chose to speak and be heard through his servants the prophets many times, yet the words of the Son are far greater. The Word of God, who spoke in the prophets, now testifies with his own voice. He no longer commands that a way be prepared for the One who is coming; he comes himself, opens the way, and shows it to us. Once we wandered in the darkness of death, foolish and blind; now, enlightened by the light of grace, we walk the path of life with the Lord as our guide and ruler.
Among his other saving instructions and divine precepts given for his people's salvation, he himself gave us the very form of prayer, teaching us what to ask for. The One who gave us life taught us to pray, out of the same kindness by which he deigned to grant every other gift. His purpose is that when we speak to the Father with the prayer and petition the Son taught, we may be heard more readily. He had already foretold the hour when true worshipers would worship the Father in spirit and truth (John 4:23), and he fulfilled that promise. Because we have received the Spirit and truth from his sanctification, we can now worship him truly and spiritually, following his own tradition. What prayer could be more spiritual than the one Christ gave us, since he also sent us the Holy Spirit? What prayer could be truer before the Father than the one spoken by the Son, who is Truth itself? To pray differently than he taught is not merely ignorance; it is a fault. He himself said, "You reject the commandment of God, that you may establish your own tradition."
Let us pray, then, dear brothers, just as God our Teacher taught us. It is a friendly, intimate prayer to ask God for what is his own, letting Christ's prayer rise to the Father's ears. May the Father recognize his Son's words when we pray. May the One who dwells within our hearts also be on our lips. Since we have him as our Advocate with the Father for our sins, when we plead as sinners for our offenses, let us speak our Advocate's own words. He said that whatever we ask the Father in his name, he will give us (John 14:13-14); how much more effectively, then, do we obtain what we seek in Christ's name if we ask using his own prayer?
Latin
EVANGELICA praecepta, fratres dilectissimi, nihil aliud sunt quam magisteria divina, fundamenta aedificandae spei, firmamenta corroborandae fidei, nutrimenta fovendi cordis, gubernacula dirigendi itineris, praesidia obtinendae salutis; quae, dum dociles credentium mentes in terris instruunt, ad coelestia regna perducunt. Multa et per Prophetas servos suos dici Deus voluit et audiri; sed quanto majora quae Filius loquitur, quae Dei sermo qui in Prophetis fuit propria voce testatur, non jam mandans ut paretur venienti via, sed ipse veniens, et viam nobis aperiens et ostendens; ut qui, in tenebris mortis errantes, improvidi et caeci prius fuimus, luce gratiae luminati, iter vitae duce et rectore Domino teneremus. Qui inter caetera salutaria sua monita et praecepta divina quibus populo suo consulit ad salutem, etiam orandi ipse formam dedit, ipse quid precaremur monuit et instruxit. Qui fecit vivere, docuit et orare, benignitate ea scilicet qua et caetera dare et conferre dignatus est; ut, dum prece et oratione quam Filius docuit apud Patrem loquimur, facilius audiamur. Jam praedixerat horam venire quando veri adoratores adorarent Patrem in spiritu et veritate, et implevit quod ante promisit; ut qui spiritum et veritatem de ejus sanctificatione percepimus, de traditione quoque ejus vere et spiritaliter adoremus. Quae enim potest esse magis spiritalis oratio quam quae a Christo nobis data est, a quo nobis et Spiritus sanctus missus est? Quae vera magis apud Patrem precatio quam quae a Filio, qui est Veritas, de ejus ore prolata est? ut aliter orare quam docuit non ignorantia sola sit, sed et culpa, quando ipse posuerit et dixerit: Rejicitis mandatum Dei, ut traditionem vestram statuatis. Oremus itaque, fratres dilectissimi, sicut magister Deus docuit. Amica et familiaris oratio est Deum de suo rogare, ad aures ejus ascendere Christi oratione. Agnoscat Pater Filii sui verba cum precem facimus. Qui habitat intus in pectore, ipse sit et in voce. Et cum ipsum habeamus apud Patrem advocatum pro peccatis nostris, quando peccatores pro delictis nostris petimus, advocati nostri verba promamus. Nam, cum dicat quia quodcumque petierimus a Patre in nomine ejus dabit nobis,, quanto efficacius impetramus quod petimus in Christi nomine, si petamus ipsius oratione?