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

There is a Spiritual Ability given unto men by the Holy Ghost, whereby they are enabled to express the matter of Prayer as taught and revealed in the manner before described, in words fitted and suited to lead on their own minds and the minds of others unto an Holy Communion in the Duty, to the Honour of ⟨p. 123⟩God, and their own Edification. I do not confine the use of this Ability unto Assemblies; every one may, and usually is to make use of it according to the measure which he hath received for himself also. For if a man have not an Ability to pray for himself in private and alone, he can have none to pray in public and Societies. Wherefore take Prayer as Vocal, without which Adjunct it is not complete, and this Ability belongs to the Nature and Essence of it. And this also is from the Spirit of God.

There is a Spiritual Ability given unto men by the Holy Ghost, whereby they are enabled to express the matter of Prayer as taught and revealed in the manner before described, in words fitted and suited to lead on their own minds and the minds of others unto an Holy Communion in the Duty, to the Honour of ⟨p. 123⟩God, and their own Edification. I do not confine the use of this Ability unto Assemblies; every one may, and usually is to make use of it according to the measure which he hath received for himself also. For if a man have not an Ability to pray for himself in private and alone, he can have none to pray in publick and Societies. Wherefore take Prayer as Vocal, without which Adjunct it is not compleat, and this Ability belongs to the Nature and Essence of it. And this also is from the Spirit of God.

This is that which meets with such Contradiction and opposition from many, and which hath other things set up in Competition with it, yea to the Exclusion of it, even from Families and Closets also. What they are, we shall afterwards examine. And judged it is by some, not only to be separable from the Work of the Spirit of Prayer, but no way to belong thereunto. A fruit they say it is of Wit, Fancy, Memory, Elocution, Volubility and readiness of Speech, namely, in them in whom on other Accounts they will acknowledge none of these things to be, at least in no considerable degree. Some while since indeed they defended themselves against any esteem of this Ability, by crying out