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

But what ever there may be in the height of this contemplative Prayer as it is called, it neither is Prayer, nor can on any account be so esteemed. That we allow of Mental Prayer and all actings of the mind in Holy Meditation, was before declared. Nor do we deny the usefulness or necessity of those other things of mortifying the Affections and Passions, of an entire resignation of the whole Soul unto God with complacency in him, so far as our nature is capable of them in this World. But it is that incomparable Excellency of it in the silence of the Soul, and the pure adhesion of the Will without any actings of the understanding that we enquire into. And I say whatever else there may be herein, yet it hath not the nature of Prayer, nor is to be so esteemed, though under that name and notion it be recommended unto us. Prayer is a Natural Duty, the notion and understanding whereof is common unto all mankind. And the concurrent voice of Nature deceiveth not. Whatever therefore is not compliant therewith, at least what is contradictory unto it, or inconsistent with it, is not to be esteemed Prayer. Now in the common sense of mankind, this Duty is that acting of the mind and Soul, wherein ⟨p. 204⟩from an acknowledgement of the Sovereign Being, self-sufficiency, Rule and Dominion of God, with his infinite Goodness, Wisdom, Power, Righteousness and Omniscience and Omnipresence, with a sense of their own Universal dependence on him, his will and pleasure as to their Beings, Lives, Happiness, and all their concernments, they address their desires with Faith and trust unto him according as their state and condition doth require; or ascribe praise and glory unto him for what he is in himself, and what he is to them. This is the general notion of Prayer, which the Reason of mankind centres in; neither can any man conceive of it under any other notion whatever. The Gospel directs the performance of this Duty in an acceptable manner with respect unto the Mediation of Christ, the Aids of the Holy Ghost, and the Revelation of the Spiritual Mercies we all do desire; but it changeth nothing in the general nature of it. It doth not introduce a Duty of another kind, and call it by the name of that, which was known in the Light of Nature, but is quite another thing.

But what ever there may be in the height of this contemplative Prayer as it is called, it neither is Prayer, nor can on any account be so esteemed. That we allow of Mental Prayer and all actings of the mind in Holy Meditation, was before declared. Nor do we deny the usefulness or necessity of those other things of mortifying the Affections and Passions, of an entire resignation of the whole Soul unto God with complacency in him, so far as our nature is capable of them in this World. But it is that incomparable Excellency of it in the silence of the Soul, and the pure adhesion of the Will without any actings of the understanding that we enquire into. And I say whatever else there may be herein, yet it hath not the nature of Prayer, nor is to be so esteemed, though under that name and notion it be recommended unto us. Prayer is a Natural Duty, the notion and understanding whereof is common unto all mankind. And the concurrent voice of Nature deceiveth not. Whatever therefore is not compliant therewith, at least what is contradictory unto it, or inconsistent with it, is not to be esteemed Prayer. Now in the common sense of mankind, this Duty is that acting of the mind and Soul, wherein