upon yourselves (and this is true also): If you fail in either of these Things, you will be difappointed in your Aims; but if you join both together, you may depend upon it, that GOD will give you every thing that is needful for you: And however Things go, you fhall at least be tolerably for ever happy in the next. Which that we may all be, GoD of his infinite Mercy grant, &c. SERMON SERMON V. I COR. XIV. 15. What is it then? I will pray with the Spirit, I will pray with the Underftanding alfo. HIS Text, at the first View, seems a little remote from the Business of this Day, which is to commemorate the Defcent of the Holy Ghoft upon the Apostles, and the manifold and wonderful Gifts which he then conferr'd upon them; but, when it comes to be explain'd, you will fee it perfectly falls in with that Argument; the Subject-matter of this Text, as you will find, being one of thofe fpiritual extraordinary Powers of the Holy Ghost then given to them, which are the proper Objects of our Meditation on this Day. There is none of us fo ignorant as not to have heard of this Term of Praying by the Spirit, or fo little acquainted with the State of Religion in this Nation, as not to be fen H 3 fible fible what a Bone of Contention it has been, and ftill is, amongst us. All Parties do agree, that we ought to pray by the Spirit as much as we can, that is, that we ought by all means to endeavour after the Affiftance of the Holy Spirit in our Prayers, and that then we pray moft effectually to GOD, when we are most affifted by him. Thus far, I fay, we are all agreed; but then, here we come to be divided, fome of us think (namely. those that are of the Communion of the Church), that, as the Measure of the Spirit's Affiftance is now afforded in the World, all the Influence we are to expect from the Spirit in our Prayers, is exciting in us pious Defires, and devout Affections, and Faith in GOD, and Refignation of ourselves to him, and those other Qualities and Difpofitions of Minds, that tend to make our Prayers acceptable to our heavenly Father. But, as to the Form of our Prayers, whether they be long or fhort, whether they be put into Words, or fent up in Thoughts and Wishes, or, if put into Words, whether they be conceived on a fudden, or premeditated, or whether they be in a fet Form of our compofing, or in a Form of Words appointed us by others, we think these Things no way concern our praying by the Spirit; we think we may as much pray by the Spirit in one way as in the other. If we make any Difference. it is this, that at all times we think it more decent, and more more fuitable to the Reverence and Dread we ought to have of the Divine Majefty, to offer up to him fuch Prayers as we have well ftudied and thought on, than the sudden Eruptions of our Minds, especially in our more folemn Addreffes to the Throne of Grace; but then, when we come to worship GOD in public, we think it not only a Matter of Decency, but of Duty too, if any fet Form be enjoined us by Authority, to let alone our private conceived Prayers, and to make use of that Form. On the contrary, there are others among us, that think we may expect the fame Affiftance of the Spirit in our Prayers, that the Apostles and other firft Chriftians in the miraculous Times did; and that God doth infpire his Servants, efpecially his Minifters, both with the Matter of their Prayers, and with the Form too; putting not only the Things that they fhould pray for into their Hearts, but the very Words and Phrafes into their Mouths; and they account that this is the only Praying by the Spirit; from whence they conclude, that no fet Forms of Prayer are to be allowed, especially in the publick, Service of Gon, because they are human Inventions, of Man's making, and not dictated or infpired by the Holy Ghoft: The Refult of which fort of Notions and Principles is this, that upon occafion hereof not only a great Dilguft, is taken at our Worship, but Men think themfelves H 4 felves obliged in Confcience to separate from our Communion, because our Church is fo far from enjoining, that the difcourages thofe fpiritual Prayers, tying us up to a fet Form of Service. How, fay they, can we join with your Church, when your Service is only Will-worship? You have no Praying by the Spirit among you, but every one reads his Prayers out of a Book: Can that be a pure Apoftolical Church of Chrift, that thus fuppreffes and ftifles the Gifts of the Spirit, exprefly contrary to the Apostles Command, who bids us not to quench the Spirit? Thist as I take it, is the State of the Difference amongst us, as to the Point of Praying by the Spirit: Not that I would infinuate, that all the Diffenters carry the Matter fo far as I have now reprefented; for a great many of them do allow of Forms of Prayer, nay, and zealously contend for them; but others are as much against them, and that upon the Grounds I have now mentioned. Having fo fair an Occasion now given me (the Argument of the Day being the Gifts of the Spirit), I mean with all Plainnefs and Brevity to difcufs this Matter; and I hope I fhall put it in fo fair a Light, that there can no Doubt remain with any one on what Side of the Question the Truth lies: And I will do my Endeavour likewife to manage this Difpute with fuch Temper, that even they that are of a different Opinion shall have no Reason |