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

7. There is Assistance promised unto Believers, to enable them to pray according unto the Will of God; there is no assistance promised, to enable any to make ⟨image 8⟩Prayers for others. The former part of this Assertion is explained and proved in the ensuing discourse; and the latter cannot be disproved. And if it should be granted, that the Work of composing Prayers for others is a good Work, falling under the general Aids of the Holy Spirit necessary unto every good Work whatever; yet are not those Aids of the same kind and nature with his actual Assistances in and unto Prayer, as he is the Spirit of Grace and Supplications. For in the use of those Assistances by Grace and Gifts, every man that useth them doth actually pray, nor are they otherwise to be used: But men do not pray in the making and composing Forms of Prayer, though they may do so in the reading of them afterward.

8. Whatever Forms of Prayer were given out unto the use of the Church by Divine Authority and Inspiration, as the Lords Prayer and the Psalms or Prayers of David, they are to have their Everlasting use therein, according unto what they were designed unto. And be their End and Use what it will, they can give no more warranty for Humane compositions unto the same End and the Injunction of their use, than for other Humane Writings to be added unto the Scripture.

These and the like Principles which are evident in their own light and truth, will be of Use to direct us in the Argument in hand, so far as our present design is concerned therein. For it is the Vindication of our own Principles and Practice, that is principally designed, and not an opposition unto those of other men. Wherefore, as was before intimated, neither these Principles, nor the Divine Testimonies, which we shall more largely insist upon, are engaged to condemn all Use of set Forms of Prayers as sinful in themselves or absolutely unlawful, or such as so vitiate the Worship of God as to render it wholly unacceptable in them that choose so to worship him. For God will accept the Persons of those who sincerely seek him, though through invincible ignorance they may mistake in sundry things as unto the way and manner of his Worship. And how far as unto particular instances of miscarriage this Rule may extend, He only knows; and of men, whatever they pretend, not one. And where any do worship God in Christ, with an Evidence of holy Fear and Sincerity, and walk in a Conversation answerable unto the Rule of the Gospel, though they have manifold Corruptions in the way of their Worship, I shall never judge severely either of their present