CHAP. XI.] PRESCRIBED FORMS OF PRAYER EXAMINED. 339
we have described, that I shall any way consider these forms of ■prayer, and their use: for I know well enough that I have nothing to do to judge or condemn the persons or duties of men in such acts of religious worship as they choose for their best, and hope for ac- ceptance in, unless they are expressly idolatrous; for unless it be in such cases, or the like, which are plain either in the light of nature or Scripture revelation, it is a silly apprehension, and tending to atheism, that God doth not require of all men to regulate their actings towards him according to that sovereign light which he hath erected in their own minds.
What the forms intended are, how composed, how used, how in some cases imposed, are things so known to all that we shall not need to speak to them. Prayer is God's institution, and the read- ing of these forms is that which men have made and set up in the likeness thereof, or in compliance with it ; for it is said that " the Lord Christ having provided the matter of prayer, and commanded us to pray, it is left unto us or others to compose prayer, as unto the manner of it, as we or they shall see cause." But besides that there is no appearance of truth in the inference, the direct contrary rather ensuing on the proposition laid down, it is built on the sup- position that besides the provision of matter of prayer and the com- mand of the duty, the Lord Christ hath not moreover promised, doth not communicate unto his church, such spiritual aids and assistances as shall enable them, without any other outward pretended helps, to pray according unto the mind of God ; which we must not admit if we intend to be Christians. In like manner, he hath provided the whole subject-matter of preaching, and commanded all his ministers to preach ; but it doth not hence follow that they may all or any of them make one sermon, to be constantly read in all assemblies of Christians without any variation, unless we shall grant also that he ceaseth to give gifts unto men for the work of the ministry. Our inquiry, therefore, will be, what place or use they may have therein, or in our duty as performed by virtue thereof; which may be express- ed in the ensuing observations: —
1. The Holy Ghost, as a Spirit of grace and supplication, is no- where, that I know of, promised unto any to help or assist them in composing prayers for others; and therefore we have no ground to pray for him- or his assistance unto that end in particular, nor foun- dation to build faith or expectation of receiving him upon. Where- fore, he is not in any especial or gracious manner concerned in that work or endeavour. Whether this be a duty that falls under his care as communicating gifts in general for the edification of the church shall be afterward examined. That which we plead at pre- sent is, that he is nowhere peculiarly promised for that end, nor
340 WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN PRAYER. [BOOK VII.
have we either command or direction to ask for his assistance there- in. If any shall say that he is promised to this purpose where he is so as a Spirit of grace and supplication, I answer, besides what hath been already pleaded at large in the explication and vindication of the proper sense of that promise, that he is promised directly to them that are to pray, and not to them that make prayers for others, which themselves will not say is praying. But supposing it a duty in general so to compose prayers for our own use or the use of others, it is lawful and warrantable to pray for the aid and guidance of the Holy Ghost therein, not as unto his peculiar assistance in prayer, not as he is unto believers a Spirit of supplication, but as he is our sanctifier, the author and efficient cause of every gracious work and duty in us.
It may be the prayers composed by some holy men under the Old Testament, by the immediate inspiration of the Holy Ghost, for the use of the church, will be also pretended. But as the inspiration or assistance which they had in their work was a thing quite of another kind than any thing that is ordinarily promised, or that any persons can now pretend unto, so whether they were dictated unto them by the Holy Ghost to be used afterward by others as mere forms of prayer, may be yet farther inquired into.
The great plea for some of these external aids of prayer is by this one consideration utterly removed out of the way. It is said that " some of these prayers were prepared by great and holy men, mar- tyrs, it may be, some of them, for the truth of the gospel and testi- mony of Jesus;" and, indeed, had any men in the world a promise of especial assistance by the Spirit of God in such a work, I should not contend but the persons intended were as likely to partake of that assistance as any others in these latter ages. Extraordinary, supernatural inspiration they had not; and the holy apostles, who were always under the influence and conduct of it, never made use of it unto any such purpose as to prescribe forms of prayer, either for the whole church or single persons. Whereas, therefore, there is no such especial promise given unto any, this work of composing prayers is foreign unto the duty of prayer, as unto any interest in the gracious assistance which is promised thereunto, however it may be a common duty, and fall under the help and blessing of God in general. So some men, from their acquaintance with the matter of prayer above others, which they attain by spiritual light, knowledge, and experi- ence, and their comprehension of the arguments which the Scripture directs unto to be used and pleaded in our supplications, may set down and express a prayer, — that is, the matter and outward form of it, — that shall declare the substance of things to be prayed for, much more accommodate to the conditions, wants, and desires of Christians