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

Having utterly lost the Spirit of Grace and Supplications, neglecting at best all his Aids and Assistances, and being void of all Experience in their minds of the Power and Efficacy of Prayer by virtue of them, they found it necessary by these means to set off and recommend their dead Forms. For the lifeless Carcass of their Forms merely alone, were no more meet to be esteemed Prayer, ⟨image 15⟩than a Tree or a Log was to be esteemed a God, before it was shaped, fashioned, gilded and adorned. By this means they taught the Image of Prayer which they had made, to speak and act a Part to the satisfaction of the spectators. For the bare reading of a Form of Words, especially as it was Ordered in an unknown Tongue, could never have given the least contentment unto the multitude, had it not been set off with this variety of Ceremonies composed to make an Appearance of Devotion and sacred Veneration. Yet when they had done their utmost, they could never equal the Ceremonies and Rites of the Old Temple-worship in Beauty, Glory and Order; nor yet those of the Heathen in their sacred Eleusinian Mysteries for number, solemnity, gravity and appearance of Devotion. Rejecting the true Glory of Gospel-Worship, which the Apostle expressly declares to consist in the Administration of the Spirit, they substituted that in the room thereof, which debased the profession of Christian Religion beneath that of the Jews and Pagans; especially considering that the most of their Ceremonies were borrowed of them or stolen from them. But I shall never believe that their conversion of the Holy Prayers of the Church by an open contempt of the whole Work of the ⟨image 16⟩Spirit of God in them, into a Theatrical Pompous Observance of ludicrous Rites and Ceremonies, can give so much as present satisfaction unto any who are not given up to strong Delusions to believe a Lye. The Exercise of ingrafted prevalent Superstition, will appease a natural conscience; outward Forms and Representations of things believed, will please the Fancy, and exercise the Imagination; variety and frequent changes of modes, gestures and postures, with a sort of Prayer always beginning and always ending, will entertain present thoughts and outward senses, so as that men finding themselves by these means greatly affected, may suppose that they pray very well, when they do nothing less.

Having utterly lost the Spirit of Grace and Supplications, neglecting at best all his Aids and Assistances, and being void of all Experience in their minds of the Power and Efficacy of Prayer by vertue of them, they found it necessary by these means to set off and recommend their dead Forms. For the lifeless Carcass of their Forms merely alone, were no more meet to be esteemed Prayer,