Prayer without forms

Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners primary

Bunyan argues that prayer and faith require the Spirit’s inner work, not merely spoken forms; he challenges the justices to show Scripture commanding the Common Prayer Book and ends by answering accusations with biblical claims about the Spirit.

Prayer-Book teacheth us how to pray, but the Spirit. And it is *the Spirit that helpeth our infirmities*, saith the apostle; he doth not say it is the Common Prayer-Book. And as to the Lord’s prayer, although it be an easy thing to say, _Our Father_, etc., with the mouth; yet there is very few that can, in the Spirit, say the two first words in that prayer; that is, that can call God their Father, as knowing what it…