Answ. Mr. Hollingworth, sometime a prime Presbyterian in Lancashire, shall answer for them. They do not hold that they ought not to take bought before-hand what they should pray, expecting that the Holy-Ghost should immediately inspire them with method, matter and words of Prayer; who ever said, it was not they that prayed, but the Holy-Ghost praying in them. And yet in this duty as well as in others, the Sons of God are led by the Spirit of God, which is a Spirit of Grace and Supplication: and because we know not what to ask, he helpeth our infirmities; and we may be said to pray in the Spirit, not only because the holy Spirit doth stir up, warm and enlarge our affections in prayer, but be brings oft times to our remembrance the savoury and suit able phrases and passages of holy Writ, especially the promises which are most pertinent to our purpose. Why should any imagine that the evil spirit can have power to suggest evil thoughts or imaginations into us, to distract and hinder us when we are praying, and not the good and holy Spirit should suggest good thoughts and desires, and that too in his own language, I mean in Scripture-phrase and expressions, bringing them at such a time to our remembrance; Yea, the Holy-Ghost (saith that pious person) restrains the petulancy and extravagancy ⟨p. 56⟩of wit, great swelling words of vanity, vain babblings, idle repetitions, &c. and he teaches us to pray in the words of truth and soberness. We acknowledge a distinction betwixt the Gift of Prayer, and the Spirit of Prayer; The one is a common gift of the Spirit, the other is a special gift or grace of the Spirit, that consists in apt expressions, outward enlargements; this in deep impressions on the heart, devout affections, which are too big for expressions; these are the sighs and groans which cannot be uttered. A Reverend and worthy Prelate of the Church of England, treating of the gift of Prayer, saith thus,1 — If it be a fault not to strive and labour after this gift, much more is it to jeer and despise it by the name of Extempore Prayer, and, praying by the Spirit; which Expressions, as they are frequently used by some men by way of reproach, are for the most part the sign of a profane heart, and such as are altogether strangers from the power and comfort of this duty.
Answ. Mr. Hollingworth, sometime a prime Presbyterian in Lancashire, shall answer for them. They do not hold that they ought not to take bought before-hand what they should pray, expecting that the Holy-Ghost should immediately inspire them with method, matter and words of Prayer; who ever said, it was not they that prayed, but the Holy-Ghost praying in them. And yet in this duty as well as in others, the Sons of God are led by the Spirit of God, which is a Spirit of Grace and Supplication: and because we know not what to ask, he helpeth our infirmities; and we may be said to pray in the Spirit, not onely because the holy Spirit doth stir up, warm and enlarge our affections in prayer, but be brings oft times to our remembrance the savory and suit able phrases and passages of holy Writ, especially the promises which are most pertinent to our purpose. Why should any imagine that the evil spirit can have power to suggest evil thoughts or imaginations into us, to distract and hinder us when we are praying, and not the good and holy Spirit should suggest good thoughts and desires, and that too in his own language, I mean in Scripture-phrase and expressions, bringing them at such a time to our remembrance; Yea, the Holy-Ghost (saith that pious person) restrains the petulancy and extravagancy ⟨p. 56⟩of wit, great swelling words of vanity, vain bablings, idle repetitions, &c. and he teaches us to pray in the words of truth and soberness. We acknowledge a distinction betwixt the Gift of Prayer, and the Spirit of Prayer; The one is a common gift of the Spirit, the other is a special gift or grace of the Spirit, that consists in apt expressions, outward enlargements; this in deep impressions on the heart, devout affections, which are too big for expressions; these are the sighs and groans which cannot be uttered. A Reverend and worthy Prelate of the Church of England, treating of the gift of Prayer, saith thus,1 — If it be a fault not to strive and labour after this gift, much more is it to jeer and despise it by the name of Extempore Prayer, and, praying by the Spirit; which Expressions, as they are frequently used by some men by way of reproach, are for the most part the sign of a prophane heart, and such as are altogether strangers from the power and comfort of this duty.
- 1P. 12.
