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ner the worthieft part of Chriftian duty towards GOD; who herein are fubject to no certain order, but pray both what and how they lift; to him, I fay, which weigheth duly all these things, the reafons cannot be obfcure, why GoD doth, in public prayer, fo much respect the folemnity of places where the authority and calling of perfons by whom, and the precise appointment, even with what words or fentences, his name should be called on amongst his people. The beft ftratagem that SATAN hath, who knoweth his kingdom to be no one way more fhaken than by the public devout prayers of God's church, is by traducing the form and manner of them to bring them into contempt; and fo to shake the force of all men's devotion towards them. From this, and from no other forge, hath proceeded a strange conceit, that to serve God with any fet form of common prayer is fuperftitious. As tho' Gon himself did not frame to his priests the very speech wherewith they were charged to blefs the people: or as if our LORD, even of purpofe to prevent this fancy of extemporal and voluntary prayers, had not left us, of his own framing, one which might both remain as a part of the church liturgy, and ferve as a pattern whereby to frame all other prayers with efficacy, yet without fuperfluity of words."*

*HOOKER'S Eccl. Pol. book v.

But after all, it will perhaps be found, that this prevailing idea respecting spiritual prayer, in the sense in which it is too generally taken, has been grounded upon a misunderstanding of the Apostle's meaning upon this fubject. "I will pray," fays the Apostle, "with the Spirit, I will pray with the understanding alfo." 1 Cor. xiv. 15. To comprehend the meaning of the Apostle on this occafion, it is neceffary to advert to the particular object he had in view. The Apostle then, it is obferved, is here fpeaking of the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit, which were graciously vouchfafed to the infant church, for the purpose of effecting the more speedy and general propagation of the Chriftian caufe. Among thefe gifts, that of praying by the fpirit was confeffedly one. But, alas! through the infirmity of human nature, these spiritual gifts, defigned for the edification of the church, were not always employed to that purpose. Vanity and oftentation in the exercise of them fometimes took place of better motives. To correct this notorious abufe of Divine grace, and to regulate the exercife of fpiritual gifts in fuch a manner, that they might prove beneficial to the parties for whofe fake they were originally granted, was the object the Apostle had in view in writing this part of his epistle.

That attendants upon a Divine ordinance fhould be benefited by the minister of it, it was abfolutely neceffary that they should understand what they heard. To this end, he who had the gift of tongues, if he prayed in a tongue, unknown to his hearers, is required by the Apostle to interpret at the fame time, that his congregation might be benefited as well as himself. "I would," fays the Apostle, " that you all fpake with tongues; (that you all partook of that miraculous gift whereby you might be enabled to speak languages you had never learned;) but rather that you prophefied; for greater is he that prophefieth, than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may be edified." "Wherefore let him that fpeaketh in an unknown tongue, pray that he may interpret." And for the following very evident reafon: "for," continues the Apostle," if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful:" not unfruitful to myself, but to my congregation. As if he had faid, if I pray in an unknown tongue, without at the fame time interpreting my prayer, the spirit within me prayeth, it is true; or I may be faid to pray by the spirit; but my meaning being unintelligible muft of course be unprofitable to my hearers.

"What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, I will pray with the understanding alfo." In other words; if therefore I do make use of that gift beftowed upon me, of praying by the spirit, I will make use of it in a manner that I may be understood by my hearers; that they, not less than myself, may be edified by my prayer. That fuch is the fenfe in which praying by the spirit is here to be understood, we conclude from what the Apostle has fubjoined in the following verfes: "Elfe when thou fhalt blefs with the fpirit, how fhall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned fay Amen at thy giving of thanks, seeing he understandeth not what thou fayeft; for thou verily givest thanks well, but the other is not edified. I thank my God, I fpeak with tongues more than ye all; yet in the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that by my voice I might teach others alfo, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue." I Cor. xvi. 19.

Hence we see, that by praying by the spirit is here meant, praying in a language unknown to the congregation; and by praying with the understanding, praying in a language with which they are acquainted. 'And to convince us of the little value the Apostle fet upon this gift of praying by the fpirit, compared

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with the more important confideration of edifying his hearers, he tells us, that he had rather speak five words in the church to be understood, that by his voice he might teach others, than ten thousand words in an unknown language, though that language were dictated by the spirit.

But praying by the fpirit, in the fense in which enthusiasts now understand that phrafe, is not one of those extraordinary gifts with which the primitive Christians were furnished, but fomething very differ ent; for it is rather an acquifition of art, attained by habit and practice, and dependent in a great measure for its fuccefs upon the particular genius and abilities of the party, rather than an inspired gift.

Confidering it in this light, in which found fenfe has ever confidered it, we do not hesitate to prefer a fettled form to any extemporary exertion of the mental faculties, for the following obvious reafons:

In the first place, certain it is, that fo far as the congregation are concerned, the extemporary prayer of the minister is to them as much a form as any other. If, then, the congregation must have a form in either cafe, it remains only to be confidered, what form is best calculated for their edification. Upon this head," it is prefumed, there can be little difpute. For on

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