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

1. Every man is to pray or call upon God according as he is able, with respect unto his own Condition, Relations, Occasions and Duties. Certainly there is not a man in the World who hath not forfeited all his Reason and Understanding unto Atheism, or utterly buried all their Operations under the fury of brutish Affections, but he is convinced that it is his Duty to pray to the Deity he owns, in words of his own, as well as he is able. For this, and none other, is the genuine and natural notion of Prayer. This is implanted in the Heart of Mankind, which they need not be taught, nor directed unto. The Artificial help of constant forms is an Arbitrary Invention. And I would hope that there are but few in the World, especially of those who are called Christians, but that at one time or other, they do so pray. And those who for the most part do betake themselves to other Reliefs, (as unto the reading of Prayers composed unto some good End and Purpose, though not absolutely to their occasions, as to the present state of their minds, and the things they would ⟨p. 126⟩pray for, which is absolutely impossible) cannot as I conceive but sometimes be conscious to themselves, not only of the weakness of what they do, but of their neglect of the Duty which they profess to perform. And as for such who by the prevalency of Ignorance, the Power of Prejudice, and infatuation of Superstition, are diverted from the Dictates of Nature and Light of Scripture directions, to say a Pater-noster, it may be an Ave or a Credo for their Prayer, intending it for this or that end, the benefit it may be of this or that Person, or the obtaining of what is no way mentioned or included in what they utter; there is nothing of Prayer in it, but a mere taking the name of God in vain, with the horrible Profanation of an Holy Ordinance.

1. Every man is to pray or call upon God according as he is able, with respect unto his own Condition, Relations, Occasions and Duties. Certainly there is not a man in the World who hath not forfeited all his Reason and Understanding unto Atheism, or utterly buried all their Operations under the fury of brutish Affections, but he is convinced that it is his Duty to pray to the Deity he owns, in words of his own, as well as he is able. For this, and none other, is the genuine and natural notion of Prayer. This is implanted in the Heart of Mankind, which they need not be taught, nor directed unto. The Artificial help of constant forms is an Arbitrary Invention. And I would hope that there are but few in the World, especially of those who are called Christians, but that at one time or other, they do so pray. And those who for the most part do betake themselves to other Reliefs, (as unto the reading of Prayers composed unto some good End and Purpose, though not absolutely to their occasions, as to the present state of their minds, and the things they would