33. Chapter VII.

Chapter VII. The nature of prayer in general; its forms — Ephesians 6:18 The nature of prayer in general, with respect to forms of prayer and vocal prayer — Ephesians 6:18 explained and vindicated. The duty I am endeavoring to express is that enjoined in Ephesians 6:18, "Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching to this with all perseverance and supplication for all saints." Some have boldly advanced a fantasy (what will enmity to the holy ways of God not put men upon?) that "praying in the Spirit" intends only praying by virtue of an extraordinary and miraculous gift. But the use of it is enjoined here for all believers, none excepted, men and women; and I suppose all and every one of them did not have that extraordinary, miraculous gift which some fancy is intended in that expression. And the performance of this duty is enjoined in the manner prescribed: "always," or as we say, "in every season" 436 — that is, in those just and due seasons of prayer as duty and our occasions call for. But the apostle expressly confines the exercise of extraordinary gifts to some certain seasons when, under some circumstances, they may be needful or useful for edification, 1 Corinthians 14. There is therefore a " praying in the Spirit," which is the constant duty of all believers. And it is a great reproach to the profession of Christianity, where that term itself is a matter of contempt.

If there is anything in it that is "foolish, conceited, fanatical," the holy apostle must answer for it — indeed, the One by whom he was inspired. But if this is the expression of God himself, of that duty which he requires of us, then I would not willingly be among the number of those by whom the term is derided, whatever their pretenses may be. Besides, in the text all believers are said "to pray in the Spirit at all seasons," and "with all prayer and supplication" 437 — that is, with all manner of prayer, as our own occasions and necessities require. Certainly by virtue of this rule, a man can scarcely judge himself obliged to confine his performance of this duty, to a prescribed form of words. For a variety in our prayers is enjoined here, commensurate with the various occasions of ourselves and of the church of God. Thus I do not know how we can comply with it in the constant use of any one form. Those who do, are left to their liberty. And we are obliged to this, "diligently watching to this very end," 438 so that our prayers may be suited to our occasions. The one who can divide this text, or cut it out to make a garment with which to clothe set forms of prayer, will reveal an admirable dexterity in the use and disposal of a text of Scripture.439

Yet neither do I conclude from this that all such forms of prayer are unlawful — only that another way of praying is enjoined here. I suppose this is unquestioned for all impartial searchers of truth. And doubtless, those who endeavor to comply with it are not to be blamed. If persons in the daily, constant reading of any book whatever, merely of a human composition, are able to rise up in response to this duty of "praying always with all manner of prayer and supplication in the Spirit," or in the exercise of the aid and assistance received from Him, and His holy acting of them as a Spirit of grace and supplication, endeavoring, laboring, and watching to this, then I will say no more than this: they have attained what I cannot understand. The sole inquiry remaining is this: how believers are enabled to pray, those in whose minds the Holy Ghost thus works as a Spirit of grace and supplication. And I say in answer to this, that those who are thus affected by him never lack a gracious ability to make their addresses to God in vocal prayer, so far as needful for them in their circumstances, callings, states, and conditions. And this is what is called the gift of prayer. I speak of ordinary cases; for there may be such interpositions of temptations and desertions, that the soul, being overwhelmed by them, may for the present be able only to "mourn as a dove," or to "chatter as a crane" Isaiah 38:14 — that is, not to express the sense of their minds clearly and distinctly, but only, as it were, to mourn and groan before the Lord in brokenness of spirit and expressions. But this also is sufficient for their acceptance in that condition. There are few believers that have not more or less experienced this, at one time or other. As for those whose devotion discharges itself in a formal course of the same words, as it necessarily is in the Papacy — in which for the most part they do not understand the meaning of the words they use — they are strangers to the true nature of prayer, or at least to the work of the Spirit in it. And those supplications which are not variously influenced by the varying spiritual conditions of those who make them, according to the variety of our spiritual exercises, are like one constant tone or noise, which has no harmony or music in it. I say, therefore that —

1. The things insisted on are in some degree and measure necessary to all acceptable prayer. The Scripture assigns them to prayer and, by their own experience, believers find they are necessary to it. For we do not discuss prayer as the working of nature, in its restrictions and difficulties, towards the God of nature — thereby expressing dependence on him, and acknowledging his power. In this sense, all flesh comes to God in one way or other, under one notion or other. Nor is prayer coming to God upon those cries which legal convictions wrest from those who fall under their power. Rather, we treat prayer only as it is required of believers under the gospel, as they have "access through Christ by one Spirit to the Father." Ephesians 2:18 And,

2. Those in whom this work is wrought by the Holy Spirit in any degree, do not ordinarily lack an ability to express themselves in this duty, so far as it is needful for them. It is acknowledged that an ability in this will be greatly increased and improved by exercise. That is not only because the exercise of all moral faculties is the genuine way to strengthen and improve them, but principally because it is instituted, appointed, and commanded by God to that end. God has designed the exercise of grace for the means of its growth; and he gives his blessing in answer to his institution. But the nature of the thing itself requires a performance of the duty that is suitable to the condition of the one who is called to it. If men do not grow up to further degrees in that ability, by exercise in the duty itself — by stirring up the gifts and graces of God in them — it is their sin and folly.440 And hence it follows,

3. That although set forms of prayer may be lawful for some, as it is pretended, they are necessary to none — that is, to no true believers — as to acceptable, evangelical prayer. But whoever is made a partaker of the work of the Spirit of God in this — which He infallibly effects in everyone who is enabled through Him to cry, "Abba, Father" (as every child of God is) — will be able to pray according to the mind and will of God, if he does not neglect the aid and assistance offered to him for that purpose.

Therefore, to plead for the necessity of forms of prayer for believers, beyond what may be doctrinal or instructive in them, is a fruit of inclination to parties, or of ignorance, or of the lack of due attendance to their own experience.

What use forms of prayer may be to those who are not regenerate, and therefore have not received the Spirit of adoption, does not belong directly to our disquisition. Yet I must say that I do not clearly understand the advantage they provide to them, except as a contrivance to relieve them in that condition, without a due endeavor to deliver them from it. For these persons are of two sorts:

(1.) Those who are openly under the power of sin, for their minds are not being effectively influenced by any convictions. These seldom pray unless it is under dangers, fears, troubles, pains, or other distresses. When they are struck, they will cry — "even to the Lord they will cry," Psalms 18:41 and not otherwise. Their design is to address their special occasions, and the present sense which they have of it. How can any man conceive that they should be supplied with forms of prayer that express their sense, conceptions, and affections, in their particular cases? It is easily supposed how ridiculously they may mistake themselves in reading those prayers which are in no way suited to their condition. A form to such persons may prove little better than a charm; and their minds may be diverted by it from that performance of duty which the light of nature would direct them to. Jonah’s mariners in the storm "cried every one to his god," and called on Jonah to do so too Jonah 1:5-6. The substance of their prayer was that God would "think upon them, that they might not perish." Men in such condition, if not diverted by this pretended relief (which indeed is none) will not lack words to express their minds, so far as there is anything of prayer in what they do — and beyond that, whatever words they are supplied with, they are of no use or advantage to them. It is possible when they are left to work naturally towards God, however unskilled and rude their expressions may be, a deep sense may be left upon their minds, with a reverence for God, and remembrance of their own error, which may be of use to them. But the bounding and directing of the workings of natural religion by a form of words — perhaps little suited to their occasions and not at all to their affections — tends only to stifle the operation of an awakened conscience, and to release them to their former security.

(2.) There are others who, by education and the power of convictions from the word, by one means or another, are so far brought under a sense of the authority of God, and of their own duty, as to conscientiously attend to prayer according to their light, as they do to other duties also.

Now, the case of these men will be more fully determined afterward, when the whole use of the forms of prayer will be spoken to. For the present, I will only say that I cannot believe, until further convinced, that anyone whose duty it is to pray, is not able to express his requests and petitions in [his own] words, so far as he is affected with the matter of them in his mind. And what he does beyond that, by any advantage, does not belong to prayer. Men may, by sloth, and other vicious distempers of mind — especially by negligence in getting their hearts and consciences duly affected with the matter and object of prayer — keep themselves under a real or supposed disability in this matter. But because prayer in this sort of person is an effect of common illumination and grace, which are also from the Spirit of God, if persons really and sincerely endeavor for a due sense of what they pray for and about, the Spirit will not be lacking to help them express themselves so far as it is necessary for them, either privately or in their families. But those who never enter the water except with flotation devices441 under them, will scarcely ever learn to swim. And it cannot be denied that the constant and unvaried use of set forms of prayer may become a great occasion to quench the Spirit, and hinder all progress or growth in gifts or graces. When each one has done what he can, it is his best, and it will be accepted by Him, it being according to what he has, before that which is none of his.442