I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also,…

There are some who out of custom and formality, go and pray; there are others, who go in the bitterness of their spirit: The one he prays out of bare notion, and naked knowledge; the other hath his words forced from him by the anguish of his soul. Surely, that is the man that God will look at, even him that is of a humble and contrite spirit, and that trembleth at his word, Isa. 66. 2.

There are some who out of custome and formality, go and pray; there are others, who go in the bitterness of their spirit: The one he prayes out of bare notion, and naked knowledge; the other hath his words forced from him by the anguish of his soul. Surely, that is the man that God will look at, even him that is of a humble and contrite spirit, and that trembleth at his word, Isa. 66. 2.

Sixthly, An Understanding well enlightened, is of admirable use also, both as to the matter and manner of Prayer.

He that hath his understanding well exercised, to discern between good and evil, and in it placed a sense, either of the misery of man, or the mercy of God; that soul hath no need of the Writings of other men, to teach him ⟨p. 68⟩by Forms of Prayer: For as he that feels the pain, needs not to be learned to cry, Oh! Even so he that hath his Understanding opened by the Spirit, needs not so to be taught of other mens prayers, as that he cannot pray without them: the present sense, feeling, and pressure that lieth upon his spirit, provokes him to groan out his requests unto the Lord.