Question 36 — May not the church, in the solemn worship of God, and celebration of the ordinances of the gospel, make use of and content itself in the use of forms of prayer in an unknown tongue composed by others, and prescribed unto them?

Answer — So to do would be ^acontrary to one principal end of prayer itself, which is, that believers may therein apply themselves to the throne of grace for spiritual supplies according to the present condition, wants, and exigencies of their souls; ^bto the main end that the Lord Jesus Christ aimed at in supplying men with gifts for the discharge of the work of the ministry, tending to render the promise of sending the Holy Ghost, which is the immediate cause of the church’s preservation and continuance, needless and useless. Moreover, ^cit will render the discharge of the duty of ministers unto several precepts and exhortations of the gospel, for the use, stirring up, and exercise of their gifts, impossible; and ^dthereby hinder the edification of the church, the great end of all ordinances and institutions.
^aRom. viii. 26; Phil. iv. 6; Heb. iv. 16; 1 Pet. iv. 7.
^bEph. iv. 8, 12, 13.
^c1 Tim. iv. 14; 2 Tim. i. 6, 7; Col. iv. 17; Matt. xxv. 14–17.
^d1 Cor. xii. 7.