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

2. No man hath any Promise of the Spirit of Grace and Supplication to enable him to compose a Form or forms of Prayer for himself. The Spirit of God helps us to pray, not to make Prayers in that sense. Suppose men, as before, in so doing, may have his Assistance in general, as in other Studies, and Endeavours; yet they have not that especial Assistance which he gives as a Spirit of Grace and Supplication, enabling us to ⟨p. 219⟩cry Abba Father. For men do not compose Forms of Prayer, however they may use them, by the immediate actings of Faith, Love, and Delight in God, with those other Graces, which he Excites and Acts in those Supplications which are according to the Divine Will. Nor is God the immediate object of the actings of the Faculties of the Souls of men in such a Work. Their Inventions, Memories, Judgments are immediately exercised about their present composition, and there they rest. Wherefore whereas the exercise of Grace immediately on God in Christ, under the Formal notion of Prayer, is no part of mens Work or design when they compose and set down Forms for themselves or others, if any so do, they are not under a Promise of especial Assistance therein in the manner before declared.

3. As there is no Assistance promised unto the composition of such Forms, so it is no institution of the Law or Gospel. Prayer it self, is a Duty of the Law of Nature, and being of such singular and indispensable use unto all Persons, the Commands for it are reiterated in the Scripture, beyond those concerning any other particular Duty whatever. And if it hath respect ⟨p. 220⟩unto Jesus Christ with sundry Ordinances of the Gospel, to be performed in his name, it falls under a New Divine Institution. Hereon are Commands given us to pray, to pray continually without ceasing, to pray and faint not, to pray for our selves, to pray for one another, in our Closets, in our Families, in the Assemblies of the Church. But as for this Work, of making or composing Forms of Prayers for our selves to be used as Prayers, there is no Command, no Institution, no mention in the Scriptures of the Old Testament or the New. It is a Work of Humane Extract and Original, nor can any thing be expected from it, but what proceeds from that fountain. A Blessing possibly there may be upon it, but not such as issueth from the especial Assistance of the Spirit of God in it, nor from any Divine Appointment or Institution whatever. But the Reader must observe, that I do not urge these things to prove Forms of Prayer Unlawful to be used, but only at present declare their Nature and Original, with respect unto that Work of the Holy Spirit, which we have described.