A discourse of the work of the Holy Spirit in prayer with a brief…

And this I place as the first part of the Work of the Spirit of Supplications in Believers, enabling them to pray, according to the mind of God, which of themselves they know not how to do, as is afterward in the place of the Apostle insisted on. When this is done, when a right apprehension of Sin and Grace, and of our concernment in them, is fixed on our minds, then have we in some measure the matter of Prayer always in readiness, which words and expressions will easily follow, though the Aid of the Holy Spirit be necessary thereunto also, as we shall afterwards declare.

And hence it is, that the Duty performed with respect unto this part of the Aid and assistance of the Spirit of God, is of late by some (as was said) vilified and reproached. Formerly their exceptions lay all of them against some Expressions or weakness of some Persons in conceived Prayer, which they liked. But now scorn is poured out upon the matter of Prayer it self, especially the humble and deep confessions of Sin, which on the discoveries ⟨p. 73⟩before mentioned, are made in the Supplications of Ministers and others. The things themselves are traduced as absurd, foolish and irrational, as all Spiritual things are unto some sorts of men. Neither do I see how this disagreement is capable of any Reconciliation. For they who have no Light to discern those respects of Sin and Grace, which we have mentioned, cannot but think it uncouth to have them continually made the matter of mens Prayers. And those on the other hand who have received a Light into them, and Acquaintance with them by the Spirit of God, are troubled at nothing more, than that they cannot sufficiently ^*abase themselves under a sense of them, nor in any words fully express that impression on their minds which is put on them by the Holy Ghost; nor clothe their desires after Grace and Mercy, with words sufficiently significant and emphatical. And therefore this difference is irreconcilable by any but the Spirit of God himself. Whilst it doth abide, those who have respect only unto what is discernible in the Light of Nature or of a natural Conscience in their Prayers, will keep themselves unto general expressions and outward things, in