think it impossible for them to pray any otherwise. But when instruction frees them from this prejudice, or some sudden surprisal with fear or affliction casts them into an entrance of the exercise of their own ability in this kind, their former aids and helps quickly grow into disuse with them. (3.) The ability which we ascribe unto all who have the gracious assistance of the Spirit in prayer, is not absolute, but suited unto their occasions, conditions, duties, callings, and the like. We do not say, that every one who hath received the Spirit of grace and supplication must necessarily have a gift, enabling him to pray as becomes a minister in the congregation, or any person on the like solemn occasion; no, nor yet it may be to pray in a family, or in the company of many, if he be not in his condition of life called thereunto. But every one hath this ability according to his necessity, condition of life, and calling. He that is only a private person hath so, and he who is the ruler of the family hath so, and he that is a minister of the congregation hath so also. And as God enlargeth men's occasions and calls, so he will enlarge their abilities, provided they do what is their duty to that end and purpose; for the slothful, the negligent, the fearful, those that are under the power of prejudices, will have no share in this mercy. This therefore is the sum of what we affirm in this particular. Every adult person who hath received, and is able to exercise, grace in prayer, any saving grace, without which prayer itself is an abomination, if he neglect not the improvement of the spiritual aids communicated unto him, doth so far partake of this gift of the Holy Spirit as to enable him to pray according as his own occasions and duty do require. He who wants mercy for the pardon of sin, or supplies of grace for the sanctification of his person, and the like; if he be sensible of his wants, and have gracious desires after their supply wrought in his heart, will be enabled to ask them of God in an acceptable manner, if he be not wofully and sinfully wanting unto himself and his own duty. (2.) As to the second inference, namely, that if this ability be inseparable from the gracious assistance of the spirit of prayer, then whosoever hath this gift and ability, he hath in the exercise of it that gracious assistance, or he hath received the spirit of grace, and hath saving graces, acted in 'him: I an swer, (1.) It doth not follow on what we have asserted. For although wherever is the grace of prayer, there is the gift also in its measure; yet it follows not, that where the gift is, there must be the grace also. For the gift is for the grace's sake, and not on the contrary. Grace cannot be acted with, out the gift, but the gift may without grace. (2.) We shall assent that this gift doth grow in another soil, and hath not its root in itself. It followeth on, and ariseth from, one distinct part of the work of the Holy Spirit, as a spirit of supplication, from which it is inseparable. And this is his work on the mind, in acquainting it with the things that are to be prayed for; which he doth both in the inward convictions of men's own souls, and in the declaration made thereof in the Scripture. Now this may in some be only a common work of illumination which the gift of vocal prayer may flow from and accompany, when the spirit of grace and supplication works no farther in them. Wherefore it is acknowledged that men in whom the spirit of grace did never reside nor savingly operate, may have the gift of utterance in prayer unto their own and others' edification. For they have the gift of illumination, which is its foundation, and from which it is inseparable. Where this spiritual illumination is not granted in some measure, no abilities, no industry can attain the gift of utterance in prayer unto edification. For spiritual light is the matter of all spiritual gifts, which in all their variety are but the various exercise of it. And to suppose a man to have a gift of prayer without it, is to suppose him to have a gift to pray for he knows not what; which real or pretended enthusiasms we abhor. Wherefore, wherever is this gift of illumination and conviction, there is such a foundation of the gift of prayer, as that it is not ordinarily absent in some measure, where due use and exercise are observed. Add unto what hath been spoken, that the duty of prayer ordinarily is not complete, unless it be expressed in words. It is called 'pleading with God,' 'filling our mouths with arguments,' crying unto him,' and 'causing him to hear our voice;' which things are so expressed, not that they are any way needful unto God, but unto us. And whereas it may be said that all this may be done in prayer by internal meditation, where no use is made of the voice, or of words, as it is said of Hannah that 'she prayed in her heart, but her voice was not heard ;* 1 Sam. i. 13. I grant, in some cases it may be so, where the circumstances of the duty do not require it should be otherwise; or where the vehemency of affections which cause men to cry out and roar, will permit it so to be. But withal I say, that in this prayer by meditation, the things and matter of prayer are to be formed in the mind into that sense and those sentences which may be expressed; and the mind can conceive no more in this way of prayer than it can express. So of Hannah it is said, when she prayed in her heart, and as she said herself out of the abundance of her meditation,' ver. 16. that her lips moved though her voice was not heard;' she not only framed the sense of her supplications into petitions, but tacitly expressed them to herself. And the obligation of any person unto prescribed forms, is as destructive of prayer by inward meditation, as it is of prayer conceived and expressed; for it takes away the liberty, and prevents the ability of framing petitions or any other parts of prayer in the mind, according to the sense which the party praying hath of them. Wherefore if this expression of prayer in words do necessarily belong unto the duty itself, it is an effect of the Holy Spirit, or he is not the spirit of supplication unto us, Secondly, Utterance is a peculiar gift of the Holy Ghost; so it is mentioned, 1 Cor. i. 5. 2 Cor. viii. 7. Eph. vi. 19. Col. iv. 3. And hereof there are two parts, or there are 1. An ability two duties to be discharged by virtue of it. to speak unto men in the name of God in the preaching of the church doth require. And although this gift may by some be despised, yet the whole edification of the church depends upon it; yea, the foundation of the church was laid in it, as it was an extraordinary gift, Acts ii. 4. and its superstructure is carried on by it. For it is the sole means of public or solemn intercourse between God and the church. It is so if there be such a thing as the Holy Ghost, if there be such things as spiritual gifts. The matter of them is spiritual light, and the manner of their exercise is utterance. This gift or ability, as all others of the like nature, may be considered either as to the habit, or as to the external exercise of it. And those who have received it in the habit, have yet experience of great variety in the exercise, which in na- 3 tural and moral habits, where the same preparations precede, doth not usually appear. For as the spirit of grace is free, and acts arbitrarily, with respect unto the persons unto whom hẹ communicates the gift itself; for he divideth to every man as he will;' so he acteth also as he pleases in the exercise of those gifts and graces which he doth bestow. Hence believers do sometimes find a greater evidence of his gracious working in them in prayer, or of his assistance to pray, as also enlargement in utterance, than at other times; for in both he breatheth and acteth as he pleaseth. These things are not their own, nor absolutely in their own power, nor will either the habitual grace they have received enable them to pray graciously, nor their gift of utterance unto edification, without his actual excitation of that grace and his assistance in the exercise of that gift. Both the conceiving and utterance of our desires in an acceptable manner are from him, and so are all spiritual enlargements in this duty. Vocal prayer whether private or public, whereof we speak, is the uttering of our desires and requests unto God; called, 'The making of our requests known unto him;' Phil. iv. 6. This utterance is a gift of the Holy Ghost, so also is prayer as to the manner of the performance of it by words in supplication. And if any one say he cannot so pray suitable unto his own occasions, he doth only say, that he is a stranger to this gift of the Holy Ghost, and if any one will not, by him it is despised. And if these things are denied by any, because they understand them not, we cannot help it. Thirdly, It is the Holy Spirit that enables men to discharge and perform every duty that is required of them in a due manner, so that without his enabling of us we can do nothing as we should. As this hath been sufficiently confirmed in other discourses on this subject, so we will not always contend with them by whom such fundamental principles of Christianity are denied, or called into question. And he doth so, with respect unto all sorts of duties, whether such as are required of us by virtue of especial office and calling, or on the more general account of a holy conversation according to the will of God and vocal prayer is a duty under both these considerations. For, 1. It is the duty of the ministers of the gospel by virtue of especial office; supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks are to be made in the assemblies of the church; 1 Tim. ii. 1. Herein it is the office and duty of ministers to go before the congregation, and to be as the mouth of the church unto God. The nature of the office and the due discharge of it, with what is necessary unto the religious worship of public assemblies, manifest it so to be. The apostles, as their example, gave themselves continually unto prayer and the ministry of the word; Acts vi. 4. It is therefore the gift of the Holy Ghost whereby these are enabled so to do. For of themselves they are not able to do any thing. This is one of those good gifts which is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights; James i. 17. And these gifts do they receive for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ;' Eph. iv. 12. Utterance, therefore, in praying and preaching, is in them the gift of the Holy Ghost with respect unto their office. And that such a gift, as those who are utterly destitute of it, cannot discharge their office unto the edification of the church. Let men pretend what they please, if a spiritual ability in praying and preaching belong not necessarily unto the office of the ministry, no man can tell what doth so, or what the office signifies in the church. For no other ordinance can be administered without the word and prayer, nor any part of rule itself in a due manner. And to deny these to be gifts of the Holy Ghost, is to deny the continuance of his dispensation unto and in the church, which at once over |