but yet come up from the Heart into the Mouth where they are secretly or silently whispered such as the Prayer of Hannah was 1 Sam. 1. 12 13. And it came to pass as she continued praying before the Lord that Eli marked her Mouth Now Hannah she spake in her Heart only her Lips moved but her Voice was not heard c. Q. May Vocal Prayer in words that are audible to others at some distance be used in private when a man is alone by himself A. Upon some solemn or extraordinary occasions it may be used as if such a wicked Law should be made that no man should pray unto God as in the case of Daniel cap. 7. Where it was decreed that none should ask any thing for thirty daies but of the King Daniel found himself the more concerned to bear a testimony against such a Law or Decree that even his private Prayer came under the observation of his accusers so that he could not satisfie himself with meer inward and mental Prayer which none of them could observe And it seemeth it had been Daniel's custom formerly so to do he living among Idolaters that so he might more abundantly bear a Testimony against their false Worship and for the true Worship of the True and Living God. Again 2. Vocal Prayer in private may be the more freely used when any hath the opportunity of some remote or retired place where none are within the reach of hearing them for sometimes the earnestness and pressure of Spirit in their earnest wrestling with the Lord may provoke and constrain some to use Vocal Prayer and sometimes the using of it helps them that are weak to excite and make them more servent and lively but it is to be used with great wariness and discretion when used in private to take away all occasion of Ostentation or Hypocrisie which is too incident to many who pray or cry out their private Prayers of purpose that others may hear them as the Pharisees did of old whose Hypocrisie Christ sharply reproved and he taught his Disciples the best manner to perform their private Devotions Matth. 6. 6. But thou when thou Prayest enter into thy Closet and when thou hast shut thy Door Pray to thy Father which is in secret and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly Now as this Closet or secret Chamber may partly be understood to be outward when men have the opportunity thereof or any outward place of retirement yet because it oft falleth out to good Christians that they have no Closet or outward Place of Retirement many being oft confined to a Prison where they must alwaies be in Company with others and sometimes with bad People In that case the Lords Servants have the Closet of their Hearts to retire into at all times where they may freely pray unto the Lord in secret and here also they must be careful to shut their Door to wit the Door of their Heart whereby shut out and exclude all idle and wandering Thoughts and Imaginations yea all thoughts even of their Lawful occasions that their hearts and thoughts may be wholly exercised for that space of time towards the Lord as he shall be pleased to assist them Q Is it not requisite and necessary that every true Christian set apart some time every day in a Solemn way for Meditation and Private Prayer as well as that some time is set apart once or twice every Week by a company of Christians for publick Worship where opportunity can be had A. That some part of our time is to be set apart for private Prayer and Meditation and waiting upon God as well as for publick Prayer and Worship or any other Religious performance is most clear from the practise and example of the Servants of God both in the Old and New Testament for not only the Prophets of old under the old Testament used frequent times of retirement to give themselves in a Solemn and peculiar way to waiting upon God Meditation and Prayer as did Abraham Isaac Iacob Moses David Elijah Daniel c. But Christ himself used such Solemn times and so did the Apostles As concerning Christ it is said Matth. 14. 23. And when he had sent the Multitudes away he went up into a Mountain apart to Pray And when the Evening was come he was there alone And a little before his Passion or outward suffering at the place called Gethsemane Matth. 26. 36. he retired from his Disciples and Prayed alone at three several times saying O my Father if it be possible let this Cup pass from me Nevertheless not as I will but as thou wilt Next as for the Apostles we find in the Acts cap. 10. 9. That Peter went up upon the House in some upper Chamber to Pray about the Sixth Hour Which according to the Jewish Account of Hours was the middle of the Day And no doubt Peter made it his frequent practise to retire himself thus unto Prayer And Paul after his Conversion lodging at the House of Iudas was exercised in Prayer when Ananias was sent to him at which time he had a Vision of Ananias his coming as Peter had of the Vessel coming down from Heaven as he was at Prayer in private in the House of Simon the Tanner Thus we see how the Lord did bless and countenance such solemn private exercises of Prayer unto his Servants And no doubt the same was the practise of the other Apostles and servent Christians of those times But as to any limited time for Prayer we find no Precept in the Scripture for Christians or those who live in Gospel Times Under the Law Morning and Evening Sacrifices were to be offered up which no doubt were accompanied with Prayer by the Faithful David said Morning and Evening and Mid-day he would call upon the Lord yea Seven times a Day and Daniel used Thrice in the Day to pray unto the Lord. And surely the Devotion and Fervent Zeal of Christians should be no less in Gospel Times than was theirs under the Law but rather more and more frequently exercised Although Christians are not under any tye or command given in general as to the number of times how oft to be retired out of all worldly occasions to give themselves solemnly to Prayer every day that and many other things being wholly left to the direction and guidance of the Holy Spirit which as it teacheth all true Christians what and how to Pray so no doubt it sheweth also the times when which times are frequent even of the Holy Spirit his moving of the Souls and Hearts of true and tender Christians who are become acquainted with the movings and leadings of the same And if by outward occasions such true and tender Christians may be diverted or hindred by some inevitable lets or hindrances as to the outward as oft falleth out that they cannot have either conveniency of time or place to be so frequently retired in the outward posture of
Prayer they will and ought to take care to supply it another way that every day at least inwardly if not outwardly they have frequent times to be retired into the Closet of their Hearts the Door of their Hearts being shut and there in secret to Pray unto the Lord laying aside all wordly thoughts for that time Nor is it safe to neglect this exercise or lay it aside upon the pretence of the constant and continual sort of Prayer which consists in the Soul's desire after God and may well be without all words so much as inwardly conceived for no doubt the Prophets and Apostles had this constant sort of Prayer that consists in a manner wholly or for the most part in the will and desire and affections of the Soul which keeped their Hearts continually in a godly and spiritual frame but notwithstanding of this they used also frequent Solemn times of that other kind of Prayer which exerciseth not only the will and affections but the understanding also whereby they spoke unto God at least in their Hearts words of Prayer which some call discursive Prayer or the Prayer of Meditation the which is frequently necessary to be performed by every true and good Christian for the strengthening and encreasing the Prayer of the will and desire which ought to be a continual thing and without the said discursive Prayer used at least in the Heart and that frequently the prayer or desire of the will groweth flat and dull yea languisheth and is ready to die and be extinguished unless it be helped and assisted with discursive Prayer and Meditation in the frequent exercise of it For discursive Prayer when duly and rightly performed exciteth and stirreth up the Prayer of desire even as the blowing of the Bellows makes the Fire to burn the better and raiseth it into a bright and burning Flame And the Prayer of desire which is principally lodged in the will and affections is like the continual motion of the heart in the body of a living man which must be preserved and assisted with Eating and Drinking and other outward Labours and Exercises of the Body without which the inward motion of the Heart would soon fail and he extinguished Nor is it sufficient for any to excuse their not using this kind of Prayer by speaking to God in their Hearts upon a pretence of not being called or moved thereunto by the Holy Spirit for whoever do not find themselves frequently called and moved to such a Divine and Heavenly Exercise so exceeding necessary to every true Christian it is too manifest an evidence that they are carnal and earthly also that they have quenched the Spirit and resisted the same and that they are got into a false liberty of their fleshly will out from under the Yoak and Cross of Christ whereas all such who keep under his blessed Yoak and Cross to crucifie self and all the thoughts and desires thereof are kept in a living tender and sensible condition of Soul and Heart and these feel the callings and movings of the Holy Spirit to be frequent in them to Prayer Meditation giving of Thanks and all other necessary Duties and such continually watch unto Prayer and are still waiting for the Spirit 's gentle and soft breathings and the more they wait for them the more they find them and have experience of them Q. How and after what manner doth the Spirit help and assist the Faithful to Pray in words either inwardly conceived and spoke only in the heart unto God or outwardly expressed in the audience of others Doth he give or dictate to them all and every one of the words of their Prayer just so many in number and neither more nor less and doth he make use only of their Understanding and other powers of their Soul in a passive way so as only to receive what is delivered unto them as the Conduit or Water-pipe only sends out the Water that is put into it or as the Wax or Clay only showeth the figure or form of the impression it hath received from the Seal A. It is somewhat hard and difficult to express the manner of the Spirits helping us to pray in words for all the Operations of the Spirit are better and more clearly felt and perceived in the Souls of them who witness them than they can be uttered or expressed in words And it is very hard to express the manner of the natural Operations of a man as how he seeth heareth smelleth tasteth and feeleth or how he speaketh and how the words arise from his mind and heart until they come to his mouth and how the Mouth Tongue and Lips do utter them And if these natural Operations whereof we have daily experience are so hard to be explained as to the manner of them how much more hard and difficult are they which are Spiritual and Supernatural to be clearly explained and expressed in Words unless the Lord give an ability in a good measure However somewhat may be said to those who have a single and honest desire to be informed that may be of service unto them but as for such who are only curious to pry into this Mystery and lye at the â—atch to take advantage they are like to receive no satisfaction And now to the Question I Answer directly and positively thus that the Soul and its powers are not wholly and altogether passive and meerly receptive or recipients in this case as Water-conduits or Wax and Clay in respect of the Seal but partly passive and partly active as the Earth is in the production of its Fruits and Vegetables or as the Womb of the Mother is in bringing forth of her Children for both the Earth and the Woman are active as well as passive in the production of their respective Births and bring them forth from the Seeds which they have received And hence it is that true Prayer as it is a Fruit of the Spirit who has â—own the true seed of it in the Soul and causeth it to grow with its Divine and Heavenâ—y Influences so is it also a Fruit of the Soul which the Soul being quickned and made aâ—ive unto God and made fruitful with the Divine-feed it hath received and the Divine over-shadowings of that Holy Spirit of promise brings forth unto God. And hence it is that dead and fruitlesssouls in Scripture which are empty of good Fruits are compared to dry and barren Trees and also to barren Ground as the good and honest Heart in the Parable is compared to good Ground which brought forth some an Hundred Fold and some Sixty and some Thirty And said Iohn the Baptist to the Pharisees Bring forth Fruits meet for Repentance for now the Ax is laid to the Root of the Tree every Tree therefore that bringeth not forth good Fruit is hewed down and cast into the Fire Now true Prayer is one of these good Works and Fruits which the Souls of the Faithful bring forth unto God the Husband-man
of the mind unto God. Now the Souls Appetite after God and the Divine things of his Kingdom is as necessary to it as Hunger and Thirst is unto the Body for as the Bodily Hunger and Thirst 1. Makes the Nourishment which the Body receiveth comfortable and pleasant unto it And 2. It is a sign of Bodily Health in ordinary Cases And 3. It causeth a good Digestion so that the Body is the better and the more Nourished even so it is as to the Souls Appetite and Desire after God and the Refreshings that come from his Heavenly Presence the which in Scripture is called a Hunger and Thirst as Christ said Blessed are they that Hunger and Thirst after Righteousness c. And said David My Soul thirsteth for God Psal. 42. 2. The Soul which thus hungers and thirsts after God and the enjoyment of him when it receiveth this enjoyment in any measure Oh! How sweet and comfortable it is to the hungry Soul but the full Soul even loaths the Hony-comb whereas to the hungry Soul every bitter thing is sweet yea even the Judgments and Chastnings of the Spirit of the Lord which are sent unto the Soul as it hath need of them are sweet and precious unto it 2. The Spiritual Hunger and Thirst of the Soul is alwaies a sign of the Souls Health and prosperous Condition And 3. The Inward and Spiritual Food and Nourishment that the Soul receiveth even that Living Bread and Water of Life which cometh down from Heaven doth the more nourish up the Soul unto Eternal Life and causeth it to grow the more up into the Heavenly Image and Similitude of God and Christ in all Holiness and Righteousness and Spiritual Beauty and Glory and also in Spiritual Might and Strength and likewise in Wisdom and Counsel and Knowledg and Understanding The more that the Souls Desires are enlarged after God so the more the Soul desireth the more it feedeth upon the Bread of Life which Bread is Christ the living Word and the more it feedeth the more it groweth and is nourished up unto his Heavenly and Divine Image and the more it is nourished and groweth the more again it desireth after God. And besides In the true desire of the Soul after God and Christ there is a true attractive Vertue so to speak which draweth or sucketh the Water of Life out of the Wells of Salvation Isa. 12. 3. And both draweth Life from Christ the Fountain of it into the Soul and draweth the Soul after Christ Even as the desire that we have after the Air causeth us to suck or draw it in to the inward parts of the Body and as the Infants desire after the Mothers Milk causeth it to suck and draw at the Breast thus the Souls desire after God and Christ draweth in a sweet and Heavenly Divine Breathing of his blessed Spirit which it again breatheth forth in Holy Breathings of Prayers and Thanksgivings and those Souls whose desires are living and fresh after God as new born Babes as the Scripture saith They desire the sincere Milk of the Word that they may grow thereby And thus it may appear why we should pray rather and mostly if not only and altogether for Spiritual and Heavenly then for Carnal and Earthly Things because the desire of Spiritual and Heavenly Things doth purifie and sanctifie the Soul and raiseth it up after them and maketh the Soul like unto them yea transformeth into the nature and likeness of them for Love and Desire have a wonderful transforming power in them whether Natural or Spiritual And therefore the love of Heavenly and Spritual Things makes the Soul Heavenly and Spiritual the love of God in the Soul makes it Godly and God-like and the love of Christ makes it Christ-like and to resemble him in his manifold Graces and Vertues but the love and desire of Earthly and Worldly Things makes not the Soul Heavenly and Spiritual but rather Earthly and Worldly and therefore they are little or nothing to be desired in comparison of those Heavenly and Spiritual Things Q. How and after what manner is Prayer to be distinguished A. Prayer is either Private or Publick as also it is either Mental or Vocal Mental Prayer is the Cry of the Heart unto or after God as it is said Lam. 2. 18. Their Heart cryed unto the Lord. And as the Prophet Isaiah 26. 9. said With my Soul have I desired thee in the Night yea with my Spirit within me will I seek thee early Again Mental Prayer may be either with words conceived in the Heart but not expressed with the Mouth and Lips as that of the Psalms 4. 4. Commune with your own Heart upon your Bed Or as the old Latine hath it Speak in your Hearts c. and be still And such kind of Mental Prayer was that which Abraham's Servant used Gen. 24. 45. And said he before I had done speaking in my Heart c. As also that of Moses in the Red Sea Exod. 14. 15. And the Lord said unto Moses wherefore eryest thou unto me But we read not that any words of Prayer were expressed by Moses at that time or that to wit Mental Prayer may be without all words so much as conceived in the mind in a deep silence of all words such as that in the Psalms 62. 1. Where according to the Hebrew it is Truly my Soul is silent unto God. For seeing the substance of Prayer consisteth in the Souls desire after God and that desire may be in the Soul without words so much as conceived even as a natural desire after Meat or Drink may be in us without words therefore there is a Praver that may be in the Heart or Spirit of Man without words so much as inwardly conceived the which Prayer is oft times the most effectual and permanent for it may remain continually in the Soul without any intermission as it doth in every good man by which Prayer he doth pray continually or without ceasing as the Scripture requireth for the Souls desire after God may remain a constant and perpetual thing by which it continually prefleth after God as the stone continually inclineth to the center or as the Needle of the Compass that is well touched with the Load-stone and hath drunk in or received the magnetical virtue thereof continually pointeth Northward and if it be at any time diverted by any violent motion it ceaseth not until it hath arrived at its former station And thus it is with the soul that is effectually touched with Gods living Arm and Power that its desire is continually after him and that desire causeth in it a continual motion towards him and to his holy and blessed will to know and perform it Vocal Prayer is that which is made unto God both with the Heart and Mouth in words audibly uttered or expressed And betwixt Mental and Vocal Prayer there is a mixt sort where the words are not audibly expressed to the hearing of others
Child and hath twins in her Womb that is hard for to make her miscarry in the one but she will miscarry also in the other and he that seeks to kill one of the Twins in the Mothers Belly shall be in hazard to kill the other also But why should the one be killed or choaked more than the other Or why should the Divine Begettings of Gods Holy Spirit in the Understanding of the Soul as also in its Reason and Imagination be strangled more than these in the Will and Affections feeing they have both one Father which is God as they have one Mother which is the Soul. And also seeing what is begot by the Spirit of the Lord in the Will and Desires or Affections of the Soul hath a great dependency what is begot by the same Spirit in the Understanding and Reason For the Children and Servants of God they love him as reasonable Creatures and on reasonable accounts and for reasonable causes yea they have the best and greatest reasons for to love him and those reasons are presented to the Soul by the Holy Spirit in the Understanding and reasonable Faculty And it is generally acknowledged that the Will and Affections do commonly follow the dictates and suggestions of the Understanding and according as the Thoughts of the Understanding whether good or bad do most prevail in the Soul the Will and Affections with the Desires thereof do imbrace what is presented whether it be a true and real good or only seeming and apparent So that the Wills and Affections of all Men are swayed by the strongest Dictates which raise and spring up from their Understanding and intellectual Faculties whether true or false And thus either Wisdom or Folly ruleth the Wills of all Men with their Desires and Affections and consequently all their Actions All good Men are led by wise and good Counsels which the Holy Spirit begets in them and all bad and evil men are led by foolish and evil Counsels And hence it is that every good man is a wise man and every wise man who is truly so is a good man and every bad or evil man is a fool and is called so in Scripture and all sin and wickedness is folly and the real effect and fruit of it Seeing therefore all good inclinations motions and Affections in the will of Man Rise from good and wise Counsels in the Understanding and Reason of Man we must needs say that the Holy Spirit doth operate in both Understanding and Will and begets those good and wise Meditations and Conceptions of Truth in order of Nature before the good Inclinations and Affections which afterwards he begetteth and causeth to arise in the Will. But these good and wise Meditations and Counsels cannot be without words at least inwardly spoke or conceived in the Reason or rational Understanding of Man. And therefore the Spirit of God doth no less help and assist the Understanding or Reason of Man to conceive good Words then it doth help the Will to conceive good Desires and Affections It is therefore a great mistake and error of judgment in those who think that the Spirit of God doth only excite or beget in his Children good Desires and Affections but doth not suggest unto them or help them to conceive good words of Meditation and that as well to pray and give thanks as to preach And seeing Preachers are not stinted to set Forms of words in Preaching why should they be any more stinted to set forms in Praying I cannot understand for the Spirit of God is as near and ready to assist in the one as in the other And if it be said that men Preach not ex tempore but by study and long premeditation and therefore they are in less danger to utter or express unsound and impertinent words in their deliberate and long premeditated Sermons than in their extemporary Prayers To this I Answer 1. It is found by frequent experience that even in those long studied and premeditated Sermons many men have uttered very impertinent and unsound yea false and hurtful words and expressions for it is not much or long time to study or premeditate a Discourse that maketh it good or soundp seeing they who err in their understandings and have received or drunk in wrong and false Doctrines and Principles of Religion and wrong and false Traditional Glosses and Interpretations of Scripture may Preach very unsound and erronious Sermons altho they have taken a long time to study and prepare them 2. According to the former Reply If men shall study before-hand their Prayers as well as their Sermons then they are in no greater danger to speak impertinent and unsound words in Prayer than in Preaching but rather they are less obnoxious to such a danger because in Prayer men commonly do not meddle with matters of controversie or disputable points of Doctrine as indeed it is not proper 3. He who preacheth or prayeth by the true and real assistance of the Holy Spirit as he keepeth faithfully and carefully unto the same altho what he doth either Preach or Pray proceedeth from premeditation It being impossible that the mouth can utter any thing but the heart or mind of man must first conceive it which is a true and real kind of premeditation yet he need eth not any long time for the said premeditation For when his heart and Soul is once well prepared and fitted to be the instrument of the Spirit whether in Preaching or Pray ing c. The which preparation of the Heart at times may require a considerable season longer or shorter as the man is more or less grown up in Vertue and Holiness i◠the least space of time imaginable as in moment or instant when it pleaseth the Lord to assist the understanding by the Divine influences of his Spirit it can be and 〈◊〉 is made fruitful to bring forth and conceive as many solid and living Meditations 〈◊〉 Truth as may sufficiently yield matter 〈◊〉 discourse in true and sound and living words for divers hours But if the Spirit should not suggest so much matter of discourse in so short a space as a moment or instant but only as much as to furnish the Speaker with two or three Sentences or perhaps but one Sentence at first before that one Sentence be well spoke further matter may and doth oft arise from openings of life in the understanding of the Speaker to speak more and so continually still new matter may be and oft is afforded to continue his speech longer or shorter as it pleaseth the Lord to require or as in the wisdom of God a service is seen or felt And indeed various and manifold as well as wonderful are the waies of the Lord towards his Servants whose mouthes he doth open either in Preaching or Praying in the Assemblies of his People For sometimes as one waiteth upon the Lord in pure silence and in holy fear and reverence his heart at the present time being
empty of all thoughts or meditations in respect of any particular subject or matter of discourse and not having one particular Subject more than another in his view but his mind and Conscience singly exercised towards God suddenly and as in the twinkling of an eye a particular subject is presented unto him or the opening of some particular place of Scripture and here the Lord chuseth his Text for him and ground of his discourse or if it be to Pray the matter of his Prayer and his heart that was empty before of thoughts as to these matters is now filled with living thoughts and meditations concerning them being made fruitful to bring them forth by the showre or Rain of the Divine influence of the Holy Spirit in a moment or twinkling of an eye And at other times the case is otherwise as a little at first given and then a little more as it pleaseth the Lord to order and as the condition either of the Speakers or Hearers doth require it as even in natural conceptions of natural things those men who have a fruitful understanding and a quick and ready invention upon any fit occasion how suddenly and as in a moment will plenty of good and pertinent matter arise in them to discourse of If in a Lawyer to discourse of the Laws if in a Physician to discourse of Physick or in a Phylosopher to discourse of Moral or Natural subjects of Phylosophy the which extemporary and ready discourses when they come from a mans heart and the real fruitfulness of his understanding have alwaies more acceptance and authority with the intelligent and discerning Hearers than long studied or premeditated Speeches which according to the Proverb Smell of the Lamp and have more of Art than of Nature in them and more of Form than Substance And extemporary discourses that flow and spring freely from the fruitfulness of a man's understanding and the noble and generous parts or faculties of a well composed and clear mind are like fresh waters that have newly streamed from the living Spring or Fountain of them that on that very account are more sweet and pleasant than discourses long since premeditated and treasured up in the memory which through their oldness contract a certain tincture and lose of their freshness and sweetness of savour even as water long kept in a Cistern And if these extemporary discourses of Natural things flowing only from a natural fruitfulness of man's understanding have more acceptance and authority with the judicious Hearers than long studied Sermons dressed up with paint of Art how much more are those extemporary Speeches to be valued and how much greater authority have they and true and real acceptance with all discerning Hearers whether in Preaching or Praying which proceed from the rich and fruitful Soil of a good and honest heart abundantly watered and made fruitful with the descendings of the venly Showres and Rains of Gods holy and blessed Spirit And if it be yet again Replyed That the limitting or confining of him that prayeth to a Set Form doth not hinder the fruitfulness of his understanding for his mind and understanding is still at liberty to have as many and as various good and holy Meditations and conceptions of thoughts and words as is possible for him to contain or comprehend only he is outwardly limited to those forms as to his Tongue and Mouth whereas his mind and understanding doth remain free to abound in the greatest variety of good and holy thoughts and meditations For the people who hear they may also abound in these good thoughts and meditations who notwithstanding do not open a mouth in the Assembly either to Preach or Pray To this I Answer As there are many good thoughts and meditations which God giveth unto men for their own particular comfort and profiting such as these which the people have who do not speak so there are also many which God giveth for the comfort and profiting of others and especially of the Church And these ought not to be suppressed but uttered and brought forth in the Lord 's leading and ordering according to his appointed time and season And if the Lord move and require a man to bring forth these good things out of the good Treasure of his heart as certainly at one time or another he will so move and require where these good things are given to the man not for himself alone but also for others Is it not a plain limitting and confining the Spirit and mind of a man not to give him liberty either in Preaching or Prayer to bringforth what the Lord has put in his mind for that very purpose Is not this like the hindring the Child to come out of the Mothers Belly when its appointed time is come and to make her Womb its Grave then which what can be imagined more cruel But 5. There is this great hurt and inconveniency to limit and confine both Speakers and Hearers to Set Forms of Prayer the one to Speak and Read them the others to Hear them that it cannot be supposed that those Set and stinted Prayers will either alwaies or at most times suit and agree with the present states and conditions of the people The Scripture saith That words spoken in season are like pictures of Gold in Apples of Silver And concerning Isaiah it was said That the Lord had given him a Word in Season to the weary Soul. And indeed a word spoken in season whether it be in Preaching or Praying how sweet and comfortable it is Now these Set Forms of Prayer being to be used according to the Calendar such Prayers on such a day and others on other daies as the Calendar or order of the Service requireth Can these Forms be alwaies or for most part seasonable to the peoples states and conditions unless it could be supposed that the inward states and conditions of mens Souls and Spiris should regularly vary according to the Seasons and Daies of the year which were most absurd to think or imagin Or how do these Set Forms of Prayer which tell us daily what to Pray for agree with Paul's words Rom. 28. The Spirit also helpeth our infirmities for we know not what we should Pray for as we ought And if it be said That most of those Set Forms are conceived in such general words that they may suit or agree with all the various states and conditions of the peoples Souls To this I Answer To suit or agree with them in a general way is one thing and to suit them in their particular cases and circumstances is another And besides it is not upon the bare words of Prayer so much that relieveth and comforteth the Souls of people as the life that goeth along in words that are uttered from the heart of the Speaker as God giveth him a sense of the various and several states and conditions of the Hearers according to which sense of their various States he is furnished both with sutable
sentences have more than others as that Spirit is felt from whom originally they came And though all the Scripture words did proceed from the Holy Spirit yet some have proceeded from a greater measure of it and more depth of the Divine Wisdom and hold forth somewhat of more Majesty and deep inward sense and mysterie and are commonly accompanied with a greater measure of the Spirit when they are used either in Reading or hearing them Read or in Meditation and may be also used at this day in Prayer as the same Spirit doth move any of his Servants thereunto either in part or in whole But we do not find that even under the Law or at any time before the Lord did limit and confine his People or Servants to such a precise number of Set Forms of Prayer and made unlawful unto them to use any others when they prayed in publick or that any one was ever forbid to whom God had given any spiritual gift of uttering words either of Prayer or of a Psalm or Song ex tempore by the help and moving of the Spirit to make use of it But on the contrary we find that many prayed ex tempore by the inspiration of the Spirit what the Lord did give them or put into their mouthes of words both in private and publick as Solomon's prayer at the Dedication of the Temple also Esdras's Prayer Chap. 9. and the Levites Prayer Nehem. 9. and Daniel's Prayer Dan. 9. and for private Prayers David's Prayers in the Psalms and Asaphs also Moses and Samuel and Habbakkuk their Prayers with many others under the Law are clear instances and before the Law Abraham Isaac and Iacob their Prayers Nor do we find that ever a Book of Prayers containing so many Prayers in number to be said or read in order was ever made in the Church by any of the Prophets as Prayer or as any part of Worship in the Law. For though divers excellent forms of Prayers are recorded in Scripture and put into Books yet they were not appointed by the Lord to be read or used in so many words without adding or diminishing as Prayers But they were read in the Congregation as other parts of Scripture pattly for information and partly to excite the Spirit and gift of Prayer in the Hearers Excepting only some very few short forms as above mentioned which did not hinder or stop the liberty of the Spirit of Prayer to express it self ex tempore in any other words And those few Forms they used as Prayers and Blessings we do not find they read them out of a Book when they prayed them but spoke them from their hearts where they were livingly as it were Writ and Recorded And tho the words of these short Forms were formerly conceived and in that respect were old or ancient yet as they uttered or pronounced them in a fresh and living sense of God's Spirit and power which never waxeth old this gave them alwaies a new luster and put a new Savour of life in them and made them as it were alwaies new to them And thus it is at this day with the Servants of the Lord whom he hath endued with a Spirit of Prayer who when they Pray either in private or in publick do frequently find and feel Scripture words of Prayer formerly conceived and uttered by the Servants of the Lord as Moses David c. to arise in them from a fresh and living sense of the Word of Life to speak them forth in Prayer and this without any limitation of the Spirit of Prayer but coming freely in the liberty of the Spirit and also of Heart Soul and Understanding and the liberty of the Spirit of Prayer as also of the Heart and Understanding of him that Prayeth is manifest in this that it is the free choice of the Spirit what words of Scripture to make use of and to bring into the Remembrance of him that Speaketh who doth not also limit or confine the Man's Understanding only to those Scripture Words but giveth him liberty to make use of any others that freely arise or spring up in him in unity with the life as it is opened in him as a Fountain or Well of Living Water 2. It is Objected That Christ taught his Disciples to Pray in a set Form of Words who even then were endued with a measure of the Spirit Matth. 6. 9. Luke 11. 2. Answ. Though they are endued at that time with a measure of the Spirit yet it was but small in respect of what was to follow And we must remember that as yet the dispensation of the Law remained in force and if Moses prescribed unto the People under the Law some short but of a very excellent composure Forms of Prayer and Blessing without limiting them only to these well might Christ teach his Disciples this short form of Prayer which is of a most excellent and wonderful composure in regard of its plainness and simplicity and yet most comprehensive in respect of the largeness and fulness of matter expressed in so few Words a most worthy Pattern of all our Prayers and of all that we can ask or desire for it is a sum of all the Prayers that ever was or can be made by any of the Servants of God and whatever is lawsul to be prayed for is most easily reducible to some of the Petitions of the said Prayer and though it hath great plainness and simplicity of Words yet great depth of matter and may be compared to Solomon's Temple which had not only the outer Court but the Holy place within it and within the Holy place the most Holy or Holy of Holies For beside the Letter and Words of it which answer to the outer Curt it hath a Holy inward Sense or Understanding which none can reach or come into but who are made a Royal Priest-hood unto God as none were to enter into the Holy place but such as were Priests under the Law. And although many Christians have reached to the inward Sense of the whole Prayer in great part yet who can say he has reached to the full depth of it and most inward Pith or Marrow thereof which is as the Holy of Holies It is a Question if any ever reached into the most inward Sense and Understanding of it but Christ Jesus himself who spoke and uttered it in whom dwelt all fulness and riches of Wisdom and Understanding who is our High Priest made higher than the Heavens and all the Angels that dwell in them But 2. Christ did not limit them only to this Form of Prayer nor did he give them a Book of Forms of Prayer or any other Forms that we read of but this only which therefore was rather to be a Pattern and Example unto them according to which they were to Pray than tye or confine them to the precise number of the Words of it as is clear from Matth. 6. 9. After this manner therefore said he Pray ye
And although Luke 11. 2. hath it When yee Pray say Our Father c. Yet Luke may be expounded by Matthew as one place of Scripture is oft expounded by another So that Luke may very well be understood according to Matthew his words thus When ye Pray say viz after this manner Our Father c. Nor can this one only short Form of Prayer be a sufficient argument to make a large Book of Forms of Prayer and impose them by constraint upon Christians For either this one Form of Prayer taught by Christ was sufficient for the Apostles without any other or it was not if sufficient for them why not also for all other Christians And yet I know not any sort of these called Christians who confine themselves only to it or are willing so to do but think it needful to express their Prayers frequently in other Words for variety and change of Words when the matter is the same doth help to stir up and beget in men the more Fervent Affections But if that one only Form was not sufficient to the Apostles it is clear that Christ did not intend by teaching them that Form to give them or their Successors an intire System or Scheme of Common Prayer but as is already said to be a Pattern or Example unto them and also to afford unto them matter of Meditation as the Holy Spirit should open the deep and comprehensive Sense of it unto them so that by a due and serious and deliberate Meditation upon all the parts and words of it by the help of the Spirit they might be stirred up unto Prayer their hearts being lifted up unto God upon the Meditation on every part of it by saying Amen thereunto or expressing the inward desire and prayer of their hearts in the same or more words as the Holy Spirit should be pleased to enable and assist them And though I cannot and dare not recommend it to be read or said as a Prayer twice or thrice every day in a dead formal customary way as too many do nor can I limit any to the strict and precise number of words in it to pray by without using any more or less words lest thereby I should seem to limit the Holy Spirit who is most free in all his Workings Yet I can and do freely thus far recommend it even unto all Christians as well great as small as a most worthy subject of their frequent Meditation which the Spirit of the Lord will not be wanting to incline them unto and assist them in And how often in the Day Week Month or Year they are to Meditare upon it or how long their Minds and Hearts are to dwell upon the Thoughts and Meditations of it or any other places of Holy Scripture no outward rule can be given but must all be left to the free ordering and leading of the Spirit which I certainly believe as it is regarded and minded will be found very frequent For it is a great part of the Spirits Work and Office to bring the Scripture words and especially the words of Christ to our remembrance and the more useful and necessary any words of Scripture are unto us no doubt the Holy Spirit that Faithful Remembrancer will bring them to our Minds the more frequently and seasonable And I know no words in all the Scripture that are more necessary and profitable unto us to be remembred and often meditated upon than those very words contained in this excellent Form of Prayer taught by Christ. And indeed not only these few Words of Prayer taught the Apostles by Christ but any other words of Prayer whither Recorded in Scripture or that are Writ and Recorded any where else that have proceeded from a true Breathing and Spring of Life in these who first conceived and expressed them in word or writing may be and are of great service So that Forms and words of Prayer which proceed in the least measure from the Spirit of Prayer we are not against but for and our Souls have oft been greatly refreshed and quickned by them and the Spirit of Prayer yea true Prayer and Supplication hath oft been excited in us at the reading or hearing read such Prayers as are frequently to be found not only in the Scriptures but in the Books of true Martyrs and Witnesses of Jesus What precious Words of Prayer have oft dropped from them althongh but a little of those is recorded and it might be wished more of these precious words of Prayer or Thanksgiving and other Testimonies that came from the Spirit of God in them which flowed from them had been preserved if it had been the will of God. How oft when we hear or read or call to mind these precious Words of Prayer or some part of them that any Servant or Hand-maid of the Lord has uttered either at the Hour of their Death or any other time by the Spirit of the Lord which we find upon record in true History How oft I say and how purely doth Life spring in us and bear its Living Witness to the Original and Fountain of those Prayers out of which they have proceeded even the Pure and Holy Spirit of God and Christ And what pure inward living powerful and comfortable Touches of the same Spirit have we felt at such times confirming our Heavenly and Spiritual Unity with those dear and precious Servants of the Lord. Therefore I say we are not against Words or Fruits of Prayer for all Words have a Form that have at any time come or do and may come from the Spirit but are very much for them as fit and proper Subjects of Meditation and Occasions as the Spirit of the Lord is pleased to concurr to excite the Grace of Prayer in us thereby or any other Divine Grace and Gift as doth oft come to pass Also all such Prayers are excellent patterns and examples unto us of Prayer but yet we cannot set them up to be read or heard as our Prayers so as to tye and confine our selves or others to the precise number of the words contained in them Not can we acknowledg that the bare reading or repeating the Words are a Prayer as many do ignorantly imagine for all true Vocal Prayer comes from the Heart as it is moved and wrought upon by the Holy Spirit and the Words of Prayer simply considered are not properly the Prayer otherwise every one that hath and useth the words should pray those Prayers which is far otherwise but the words are but the signs and expressions of the Prayer which was in those who first conceived them and are called Prayer only by a Figure or Metonymie of the Sign for the thing signified And whereas it is objected by some that these Forms of Prayer as they are good and fit patterns of our Prayers so they may be used by us as Prayers even as some Weights and Measures which are kept as Standards to make other Weights by may be used themselves as