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

But this general nature of Prayer all men universally understand well enough, in whom the first innate principles of natural ⟨p. 205⟩Light are not extinguished or woefully depraved. This may be done among some by a long traditional course of an Atheistical and Brutish Conversation. But as large and extensive as are the convictions of men concerning the Being and Existence of God, so are their Apprehensions of the Nature of this Duty. For the first actings of Nature towards a Divine Being, are in Invocation. Jonahs Mariners knew how, Every one to call on his God, when they were in a storm. And where there is not Trust or Affiance in God acted, whereby men glorify him as God, and where Desires or praises are not offered unto him, neither of which can be without express acts of the Mind or Understanding, there is no Prayer, whatever else there may be. Wherefore this contemplative Devotion, wherein as it is pretended, the Soul is ecstasied into an advance of the Will and affections above all the actings of the mind or understanding, hath no one property of Prayer as the nature of it is manifest in the Light of Nature and common Agreement of mankind. Prayer without an actual Acknowledgement of God in all his Holy Excellencies, and the actings of Faith in Fear, Love, Confidence and gratitude, is a ⟨p. 206⟩Monster in Nature or a By-blow of imagination, which hath no Existence in rerum natura. These Persons therefore, had best find out some other name wherewith to impose this kind of Devotion upon our Admiration; for from the whole precincts of Prayer or invocation on the name of God, it is utterly excluded: and what place it may have in any other part of the worship of God, we shall immediately enquire.

But this general nature of Prayer all men universally understand well enough, in whom the first innate principles of natural ⟨p. 205⟩Light are not extinguished or wofully depraved. This may be done among some by a long traditional course of an Atheistical and Bruitish Conversation. But as large and extensive as are the convictions of men concerning the Being and Existence of God, so are their Apprehensions of the Nature of this Duty. For the first actings of Nature towards a Divine Being, are in Invocation. Jonahs Mariners knew how, Every one to call on his God, when they were in a storm. And where there is not Trust or Affiance in God acted, whereby men glorify him as God, and where Desires or praises are not offered unto him, neither of which can be without express acts of the Mind or Understanding, there is no Prayer, whatever else there may be. Wherefore this contemplative Devotion, wherein as it is pretended, the Soul is ecstasied into an advance of the Will and affections above all the actings of the mind or understanding, hath no one property of Prayer as the nature of it is manifest in the Light of Nature and common Agreement of mankind. Prayer without an actual Acknowledgement of God in all his Holy Excellencies, and the actings of Faith in Fear, Love, Confidence and gratitude, is a