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

(1.) He is so, by working gracious Inclinations and Dispositions in us unto this Duty. It is he who prepareth, disposeth, and inclineth the hearts of Believers unto the Exercise thereof with delight and Spiritual Complacency. And where this is not, no Prayer is acceptable unto God. He Delights not in those cries which an unwilling mind is pressed and forced unto by Earthly desires, distress or misery, James 4. 5. Of our selves, naturally, we are averse from any converse and intercourse with God, as being alienated from living unto him, by the Ignorance and vanity of our minds.

(1.) He is so, by working gracious Inclinations and Dispositions in us unto this Duty. It is he who prepareth, disposeth, and inclineth the hearts of Believers unto the Exercise thereof with delight and Spiritual Complacency. And where this is not, no Prayer is acceptable unto God. He Delights not in those cryes which an unwilling mind is pressed and forced unto by Earthly desires, distress or misery, James 4. 5. Of our selves, naturally, we are averse from any converse and entercourse with God, as being alienated from living unto him, by the Ignorance and vanity of our minds.

And there is a secret Alienation still working in us from all duties of immediate Communion with him. It is he alone who worketh us unto that frame wherein we Pray Continually, as it is required of us; Our Hearts being kept ready and prepared for this Duty on all Occasions and Opportunities, being in the mean time acted and steered under the Conduct and Influence of those Graces which are to be exercised therein. This some call the Grace of Prayer that is given us by the Holy Ghost, as I suppose improperly, though I will not contend about it. For Prayer absolutely, and formally, is not a peculiar Grace distinct from all other Graces that are exercised in it: But it is the Way and Manner whereby we are to exercise all other Graces of Faith, Love, Delight, fear, Reverence, self Abasement and the like, unto certain especial Ends. And I know no Grace of Prayer distinct or different from the exercise of these Graces: It is therefore an Holy commanded Way of the exercise of other Graces, but not a peculiar Grace it self. Only where any Person is singularly disposed and devoted unto this Duty, we may if we please, though improperly, say that he is Eminent in the Grace of Prayer. And I do suppose