importunity and wrestlings with God for what you stand in most need of to have corruptions subdued grace strengthned wants supplyed Doth God bind and strengthen your arms Lay hold on his strength let him not go till he bless you spend not this strength in throwing feathers or beating the Air if God by his Spirit enlarge your heart do you then open your Psal 81 10. John 16. 24. mouth wide enough and God will fil it Ask that your joy may be full Let not such an advantage slip without some notable execution done upon some leading corruption pray down some domineering lust pray in some grace that is wanting pray up into exercise some grace that lies languishing and ready to die in thy soul 2. Improve these seasons as an evidence of this great Truth viz. That the Spirits help in prayer is no melancholy dream as the prophane world imagine but a great reality What stronger or more pregnant demonstration can you have of it than your own sense and experience Hereby you may fortifie your selves against the scoffs of ungodly men and pity those that speak evil of things they know not You may say as Christ to the Woman of Samaria If thou knewest the gift of God If you had known those sweet divine enablements which I have felt and experienced you would not thus blaspheme against the Spirits operation Or as the Apostle of those that crucified our Saviour Had they known they would not have crucified the Lord of glory So did these poor miserable creatures know they would not deride and scoff at these things Besides you may improve these feelings against the Devils suggestions when at any time he shall endeavour to perswade you into Atheistical and blasphemous thoughts as that the things spoken in the Word and by Ministers concerning the Spirit of God and its operations are meer delusions that there is no God no Christ no Spirit c. How may you from your own experience confute him and return him such an Answer Now Satan thou dost plainly shew thy self what the Word of Truth reports thee a Lyar from the beginning Wouldst thou have me disbelieve my own sense and feelings Have I not the witness in my self Do I not seel the lively and vigorous operations of that Holy Spirit against which thou blasphemest Doth it not sweetly inspire and enable me to wrestle with my God in prayer Doth it not sometimes life me up even above my self in heavenly breathings and pantings after Jesus Christ and sometimes lay me low in the convincing sight and sense of my own baseness and unworthiness Sure I am that flesh and blood could never carry me out or furnish me with such enablements c. Again These assistances may bestead thee in a dark day when thou art under the hidings of Gods face in a state of Desertion and wantest the sensible presence and lively workings of Gods Spirit Then may these experiences be a heart-cheering Cordial Then maist thou call to remembrance thy Songs in the night thy prayers thy holy breathings and enlargements and the very remembrance may prove reviving to thy soul and by such Musings the fire may kindle again which seems almost extinguisht 3. Improve the Spirits assistances as a Motive and inducement to be more frequent and constant in this duty and against the pull-backs and discouragements from it which at any time thou meerest withall Thus bespeak thy soul Why so dull and beartless Why so backward to a duty wherein thou hast found and maist still hope to find so mighty a Helper True indeed it is a duty of much difficulty and utterly above my own ability but why should I be discouraged I can do all things through the Spirit strengthning me How soon can the Spirit turn this barren Wilderness of my heart into a standing water and this dry ground into water-springs How quickly can be breathe upon me and cause these dry bones to live Why should my own Impotency discourage me when I may expect the help of Omnipotency What though I can do nothing in my own strength cannot the Spirit of Grace make his strength perfect in my weakness and enable me from a like experience to say with the Apostle when I am weak then I am strong Remember that our blessed Saviour hath promised to procure the sending of a Comforter John 14. 16. that shall abide with us for ever and therefore however you may not at present feel its lively assistances yet you may be assured it is in you since you have experimentally known its power and influences and this may encourage you to set upon duty even when under the greatest indispositions and discouragements in hope that when you begin to lift this powerful Helper will lift with you It is much to depend upon another we do in a sort engage them to do for us when we tell them we will trust to them So if under wants weaknesses indispositions discouragements we would yet go upon our work depending on the Spirit and expecting his enablemants it would be a singular means to engage his assistance And here let me advise the complaining self-discouraging Christian Thou that complainest of thy deadness distractedness inability and that thou wantest the Spirits help as formerly Take this word of counsel and make tryal of it Turn thy sad complaints into humble confidence resolve with thy self not to be discouraged from duty Say thus Well I am unable to do any thing I know not what to ask nor how to pray but I will go notwithstanding and the weaker I am in my self the more confidently will I expect the assistance of that Spirit whose work it is to help our infirmities and to make intercession for us with groanings that cannot be uttered I am assured he can and I shall humbly hope he will quicken my deadness enlarge my straitness and make up all my wants from his abundance Thus to improve your experienced assistances would be the best way to have them continued to you for hereby you give the Spirit of God much glory 4. And forget not to improve them into thankfulness Let not God lose his glory and thou shalt not want the comfort Improve the Spirits assistance as well in blessing God for what thou hast as in begging what thou wantest and amongst other mercies forget not to be thankfull for this mercy it self as being one of the choicest Say as David Who am I Lord that I should 1 Chron. 29. 14. be able to serve thee with such alacrity to pray though alas with much infirmity many distractions yet with such a measure of faith fervency importunity It is because thy Spirit enables that thy servant hath 2 Sam. 7. 27. found in his heart to pray this prayer before thee Oh when thou feelest at any time the warming enlarging influences of the Spirit of Supplication rise not off thy knees till thou hast made thy thankful acknowledgements to him who hath drawn out
sad afflictions bound up as to expression and cannot go forth Psal 88. 8. He remembers God and is troubled he complains and his spirit is overwhelmed Psal 77. 3. Yet even this is prayer and from the Spirit of God Not that this is the only way of the Spirits assistance sometimes he fills the mouth as well as the heart enables the soul to vent it self in full and suitable Confessions and Petitions to approach God with an holy confidence But here the Apostle if we so take the words seems to speak of the lowest assistances of the Spirit when 't is worst with a child of God in his own apprehension when under heavy pressures and cannot pour out his soul yet he can sigh and groan out his sorrows can chatter as the Crane or Swallow mourn as a Dove and yet even this when from the Spirit is comfortable This sense seems to agree best with what follows in v. 27. 4. Here is also the suitableness and necessity of this Priviledge intimated in those words our infirmities and we know not c. Could we pray as we ought if we had Gifts and Graces at command it were no great matter but we have need of such a Helper having 1. In general such a multitude of infirmities within and therefore needing enablements from without And 2. In particular being ignorant both as to the matter and manner of the duty neither knowing what nor how to ask as we ought 5. Here is the advantage and benefit of this Priviledge in v. 27. where there seems to be a Prolepsis or prevention of an Objection If these groans be unutterable might some say What advantage then is there in them Yes very much for though men do not yet he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit So that here is the advantage the heart-searching God understands the sense and meaning the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Affectus illos benignè accipere ut agnitos probatos Calvin desires and breathings of his own Spirit can put broken and inarticulate sighs together and spell out what they need yea before they ask he knows so as to pitty and supply according to that Matth. 6. 32. Your heavenly Father knoweth that you have need of these things The Reason whereof follows because he maketh Intercession for us according to the will of God that is as in the former Verse to pray as we ought He regulates our prayers both as to the matter and manner of them 6. I might add a sixth viz. the connexive Particle likewise also i. e. add hither This may suffice for opening the words each particular would yield profitable Doctrines but I resolve to confine my self to these two 1. To pray in the Spirit is the Priviledge of Gods children Gods children have the help of Gods Spirit in their addresses to God by prayer 2. From the Relation of the words to the Context The Spirits help in prayer is a singular Priviledge and Comfort to Gods children in affliction The first of these I shall not handle in an ordinary Sermon-Method but speak to it by propounding and resolving six or seven Cases as the Lord enables Some of which may explain and confirm the Doctrine and others be instead of Application I hope this Method will not be less profitable or practical than that which I usually follow CHAP. II. Case 1. WHerein consists this Priviledge or how may the Spirit be said to help in prayer This being clearly and distinctly resolved will make way to other Questions To which I shall answer 1. Negatively 2. Positively 1. Neg. The Spirit doth not assist in that Enthusiastical way as some have dreamed I am far from asserting such impulses of the Spirit as some pretend to Particularly 1. The Spirit inspires not ordinary Christians as it did the Prophets and Apostles in the delivery of the Scriptures Holy men of old were moved 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 carried acted by the Holy Ghost 2 Pet. 1. 21. So that their Prophecies Sermons Prayers recorded in Scripture are purely divine Words Matter Method from the Spirit of God and therefore infallibly true free from any fault indiscretion or mistakes in matter form phrase c. 'T is not so with Christians Notwithstanding the Spirits assistance their prayers may have many failings much corruption indiscretion disorder rashness c. mixt with them 2. Muchless doth the Spirit so help as if we were meerly Passive and the Spirit were active as if the Spirit only made use of our tongues as the Devil uses the Organs of Non quòd ipse revera suppliciter se ad precandum vel gemendum demittat c. Calv. in loc per vos intra vos those he possesseth to vent his lies and blasphemies withal This is a grosser conceit and absurdity than to be charged on the Spirit of God It may seem indeed Mat. 10. 20. as if the Spirit used the Organs of the Apostles our Saviour tells them It is not ye that speak but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you Yet that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in you is no more as Beza notes than by or within you that is he gives expression courage elocution Or as v. 19. he gives in that hour what they shall speak So that not the Spirit but they speak though extraordinarily enabled at such a time both as to courage wisdom and elocution Thus it was with the See Acts 24. Apostles but the help vouchsaft to ordinary Christians lies not much if at all in the guidance of the Tongue or outward Organs 3. Nor doth the Spirit help more or otherwise in prayer respectively than in other duties of Religion Some I am perswaded fancy as if those that talk of praying in or by the Spirit had a conceit of some singular help in that duty above others Not so the same help is respectively vouchsaft in other duties You read of singing walking serving God in the Spiri◠The Spirit no less helps a Minister in preaching his people in hearing singing meditation holy conference c. according to the nature and requisites of those duties than in prayer that is consider what Graces and Qualificacations are necessary in those duties and the Spirit doth equally furnish Christians therewith as with praying qualifications So that I am far from tying up the Spirit to any extraordinary Energy in this above other duties 4. Nor doth the Spirit so help in this or other duties as if other subordinate helps were unnecessary I do not believe that our Saviours command Matth. 10. 19. Take no Vid. Calv. in loc thought what ye shall speak excludes all premeditation but only that they should not be anxiously solicitous what to answer they should not wrack themselves with fore-thoughts about it muchless doth the Spirits ordinary assistance exclude other helps as study preparation premeditation Though the Apostles were extraordinarily inspired yet they stood in need of Christs teaching Luke 11. 1.
6. 18. Praying alwayes with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit and watching thereunto with all perseverance Let none cavillingly object That we are bid here to pray alwayes but yet in the Spirit for besides that it is doubtful whether the Spirit of God be meant here it follows not hence that we must never pray but when moved by the Spirit We ought indeed alwayes to beg the assistance of Gods Spirit but if God in justice withhold his Spirit must we therefore neglect our duty But more of this by and by Daily prayer is enjoyned us in that pattern which our blessed Saviour hath prescribed us and so much was typified by the Morning and Evening Sacrifice As for the Practice of the Saints Psal 55. 17. Evening and Morning and at Noon will I pray and cry aloud Dan. 6. 10. Daniel kneeled upon his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God as he did aforetime Note that it was his constant practise It were casie to add more here but this may suffice to convince those that are not wilfully blinded I would only add that this Opinion would destroy all stated publique prayer since we cannot tye up the Spirit to our times yet there are frequent injunctions for it in the Word Let that one Text suffice 1 Tim. 2. 1 2. Object Will any yet urge the Text in hand and tell me that without the Spirits help we know not what to ask and therefore our prayers will be but vain bablings or taking Gods name in vain I answer 1. True indeed we cannot pray as we ought without the help of Gods Spirit but I urge Is the Obligation destroyed when assistance is denyed No this shews us the sad condition of every carnal and unregenerate person and all such as have not the Spirit what a sad Dilemma they are in If they pray not they sin by neglecting a manifest duty if they pray they sin by an ill management of it This should make us hasten out of that doleful state and I would add here that there is aliquid tertium a third way I say not that we are absolutely bound to pray without the Spirit nor yet to neglect the duty because we have not the Spirit but we are speedily to go to Christ and accept him on Gospel Terms that the Spirit may be poured out upon us from on high that we may have the spirit of grace and supplication given us 2. I may further answer that though God sometimes vouchsafe his Spirit to stir up his people to prayer yet this is not to be presumed or constantly expected or depended on It s help is not alwayes Antecedent to the duty but comes in upon our endeavours Our work is to do what we can in hope that God will by his Spirit enable us to do what of our selvs we cannot He that sits down resolving to do nothing till the Spirit put him on doth Tempt the Lord and unwarrantably expect what God hath no where absolutely promised I would therefore say to the Christian that complains of deadness and indisposition as David to Solomon Arise 1 Chron. 22. 16. and be doing and the Lord will be with thee It may be observed how low and disconsolate David is in the beginning of some Psalms and yet how full of Faith and Confidence in the close May we not rationally think that the Spirit of God raised him up and came in upon him while we was meditating or praying I shall but lay this one thing before those that oppose this Truth Do you forbear to plow or sow till God bid you till he come and tell you He will bless your labours and send rain and seasonable weather c. Or do you forbear Food or Physick till God give you assurance that he will bless the creatures and make them nourishing and healthful No but you plow and sow eat and drink c. expecting Gods blessing He that ploweth ploweth in hope 1 Cor. 9. 10. And should we not do the like in spirituals not stay till we have a particular command or impulse of the Spirit but take all opportunities to read hear pray c. in expectation both of Gods assistance in and his blessing upon our endeavours CHAP. V. A Fourth Case concerning the help of the Spirit in prayer may be this Case 4. What is on our part to be done that we may enjoy this great Priviledge that our prayers may not be the meer expressions of our lips or workings of our own hearts but the breathings of Gods Spirit A Question which deserves our serious thoughts though I shall dispatch it in a few words leaving many things to your own meditation and enlargement Answ 1. We can do nothing to merit or engage the Spirit of God to attend us in our prayers You have already heard that the Spirit is a free Agent not working by constraint or necessity nor can all our endeavours oblige him to us Far be it from us to imagine that we have any of that preparatory or congruous Merit the Papists dream of whereby we may deserve the graces of the Spirit All grace is the free and undeserved gift of God we may put that Question to those that have the greatest measures of grace Who maketh thee to differ 1 Cor. 4. 7. from another and what hast thou that thou didst not receive i. e. freely undeservedly Now if thou didst receive it why dost thou glory as if thou hadst not received it i. e. Why dost thou boast as if it were purchased by thy own endeavours or deservings 2. Yet something may be done in order to our receiving or being capable of the gifts and assistances of the Spirit that is in the doing whereof God may graciously bestow his Spirit not because we deserve it but because he hath graciously promised to bestow it and hath made that the condition upon which he will give his Spirit 1. The first and great condition is That we accept Jesus Christ according to the tender of the Gospel The Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father is the Priviledge Gal. 4. 6. of Children Because ye are sons God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts crying Abba Father Observe here He is called the Spirit of his Son not only because the father hath not given his Spirit John 3. 34. 14. 16. by measure that is above measure unto him but because he procures the sending of the Spirit with all the gifts and graces of it It will not here be necessary to descend into that intricate Labyrinth Whether the Spirit as to some of its graces and operations be not received into the soul before its actual close with Christ the Affirmative whereof as to the order of Nature seems to me unquestionable But as to the Case in hand it is sufficient to know that the Spirit of Supplication is only their Priviledge who are Sons and Sons none
can be but by regeneration and implantation into Christ To as many as received him to them John 1. 12. gave he power right or priviledge to become 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be or to be made the sons of God even to them that believe on his name Would you then be endued with a Spirit of prayer that you may come to God with reverence and confidence that you may be enabled to pray with groanings not to be uttered that the Spirit may make Intercession in and for you according to the will of God Here then is the way come to Christ cast off all self-righteousness accept of his merits and satisfaction Take his yoke upon you put it out of question that Christ is yours by making your selves his giving up your selves to him wholly absolutely unreservedly None can have the Spirit making Intercession in their hearts but those that accept of Christ and have him their Intercessor in Heaven 2. The next thing to be done is to purge out those corruptions which hinder and damp the 〈◊〉 Operations all sin nourished and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the soul hath a tendency that way â—t flaâ—â—rs the affections and grieves the Spirit The flesâ— lusteth against the Spirit â—al 5. â—â— and â—inders that we cannot do those things we woâ—ld Consciâ—â—â—â— of â—â—â— mightily weakens considence in prayer as we have already showed vain and worldly thoughts fill the 〈◊〉 and keep out the better motions of the Spirit So do turbulent and unruly passions 2 Kings 3. 15. The Prophet Elisha being in a passion at the sight of wicked Jehoram must have a Minstril to calm hâ—s Spirit and purifie his affections before the Spirit of Prophecy can seize upon him As the wrath of man works not the righteousness of God Jam. 1. 20. so it hinders the workings of his Spirit you may observe that when the Apostle bids us not grieve the Holy Spirit of God he immediately adds Let all bitterness and wrath and Eph. 4. 30 31. anger and clamour and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice It seems these do in a special manner grieve the Spirit It is a calm and quiet Spirit and delights to be and work in a calm and quiet soul a forgiving reconcileable frame is requisite in all our addresses to God since we are taught to pray Forgive us our debts as Mat. 6. 12. we forgive our debtors So do covetous desites carkings about worldly things so filthy unclean lustings c. If therefore we would be filled with the holy Spirit we must labour to empty the heart of these and other corruptions If the Devil must have the Room of our hearts empty swept and Mat. 1. 4â— garnished after his fashion that is void of grace filled with impurity that is his garnish as Calvin upon the Text Satanae sola deformitas pulchra est nihil benè olet praeter foetorem sordes Deformity is Satans beauty and noisome smell his delightful savour I say if the Devil must have it so surely the Spirit of God would have our hearts pure from filthiness cleansed from the defilements which are in the world through lust 3. In the deep sense of our own ignorance and insufficiency beg the Spirit to help and enable to teach you how and what to pray It is amongst the good things which God hath promised to bestow upon those that ask it Compare Matth. 7. 11. There it is good things in general with Luke 11. 13. There it is the Spirit as being eminently a good thing or comprehensively and virtually the summ of those good things which God bestows upon his children This is promised for asking only Labour to be sensible of your own necessity To which end do but consider what a pure holy heart-searching God you are to draw nigh to what qualifications are required in those that worship him and particularly what graces are requisite to the spiritual and acceptable performance of this duty For instance Heart-purity If I regard iniquity in my heart Psal 66. 18. the Lord will not bear my prayer Sincerity your prayer must not go out of lips of deceit Faith and Confidence you must ask in faith Psal 17. 1. Jam. 1. 5. nothing wavering Zeal and Fervency Importunity and Perseverance so much you are taught by the Parable of the importunate Widow and the example of the Woman of Canaan Humility and Reverence You Luk. 18. 11 must not be rash with your mouth nor your heart hasty to utter any thing before God Eccl. 5. 2. Besides your prayers must be according to the will of God add that your Confessions must be attended with a humbling sight of sin and hearty sorrow for it your Petitions with a deep sense of your wants and enlarged desire and expectation of supply to all which must be added Charity and Compassion towards others These and many other graces and qualifications are requisite to the acceptable performance of this great duty Now sit down and consider your own strength Are you able to go upon your own legs Can you either bestow these graces upon your selves or put them in exercise Were prayer nothing but wording it with God the Spirits help were lese needful but if this be indeed to pray Oh what need have you and I to beg down the Spirit of God into our hearts to enable us hereunto 4. Meditation also is another means whereby we may be fitted for the Spirits operation it is a door by which it enters into the soul it prepares the Sacrifice upon which fire from Heaven often comes down My heart was hot within me while I Psal 39. 3 4 5. was musing the fire burned and this fire breaks out into prayers and ejaculations These duties are of such affinity that the Gen. 24. 63. one is probably put for both Isaac went out to meditate or pray in the field at Even-tide and they are joyned together Psal 5. 1. Give ear to my words O Lord consider my Meditation So Psal 19. 14. There is a natural connexion betwixt them Now the Spirit of God works in a natural methodical way the soul is oyl'd by Meditation then the Spirit sets it in motion If you ask What Meditations will prepare us for the Spirits in-comes There is a large field to expatiate in the works and Word of God the Precepts Promises examples of the Saints the encouraging experiences of Gods people the prevalency and perpetuity of Christs Intercession and especially your own wants infirmities temptations these will be spurs to put you on and in so doing the Spirit will not be wanting to fill your sayles 5. Which respects those who have a foundation laid and a work of grace begun on their hearts Stir-up the gifts and graces which are bestowed upon you Laziness deprives us of many a sweet experience in this kind We must therefore not let the graces of Gods Spirit lye as sparks hid in the ashes
and held up thy heart in duty Thus I have said a little of what might be spoken upon this account The summ of it is this Improve the Spirits assistances for the ends they are vouchsaf't and by so doing you shall procure the continuance of them This is the Third Means 4. Beg earnestly the continuance of the Spirit with you as it is obtained so it is continued by asking It will stay with you upon your importunity Do therefore as the two Disciples dealt with Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 24. 28 29. they constrained him not by violence but by entreaties even as Lot dealt with the Angels whom he took to be Travailers he Gen. 19. 3. pressed upon them greatly and they turned in unto him Thus deal with the Spirit of God earnestly importune his continuance as the Judg. 19. 6 8 9. Levites Father-in-law perswades him time after time to stay with him Take up David's words praying for the continuance of that willing cheerfull frame which the people manifested in their contributions to the building of the Temple O Lord God of Abraham keep this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of thy people and prepare or establish their heart unto thee So when thou feelest the vigorous motions and influences of the Spirit pray that the Lord would establish thee with his free Spirit and that he will not take his holy Spirit from thee Breathe out thy soul in such expressions Oh sweet Dove Oh blessed Spirit of Grace how unspeakably delightful is thy heavenly company how easie sweet and pleasant is this yoak of Duty when thou helpest to bear it How powerfully sweet and sweetly powerfull are thy assistances Ere I was aware my soul made me like the Charets of Amminadab or set me on Cant. 6. 12. the Charet of my willing people What a Heaven upon Earth is it to perform spiritual duties with spiritual enablements What Oyle to the Wheel what refreshing baits in ebe up-hill way of duty are thy seasonable Incomes Oh let me never want thy blessed help do thou draw and I will run What am I but a dead lump a breathless carkass if thou withdraw thy quickning influences O do thou continually inspire me I am a dry tree do thou cause me to bud and blossome and bring forth fruit unto perfection Let my root be spread out by the waters of Job 29.19 thy Grace and let thy dew lye all night upon my branches Great and continual are my necessities troubles temptations Prayer is the only way to procure supply support sanctification victory but I cannot alas I cannot turn this Key whereby the Door into Heavens Treasury is opened except thou strengthen my hand I cannot wield this conquering Weapon except thou teach my hands to war and my fingers to sight Wherefore let me ever injoy thy presence let me seel thy help let thy power be made perfect in my weakness Awake O North wind and come thou South blow upon the Garden of my soul that the Spices thereof may flow out 5. But especially be willing to follow the conduct of the Spirit you read of being led by the Spirit of walking in and after the Spirit Rom. 8. 3 4 14. This do and you shall not want its seasonable help If you would know what I mean by following its conduct In short I intend not any Enthusiastical Unscriptural motions or impulses but to hearken to its motions and counsels pressing you to follow the directions of the Word The Spirit of God speaks no otherwise in the hearts of Gods people than it doth in the Bible To the Law and to the Testimony if it speak Isa 8. 20. not according to that Word it is none of the Spirit of God it is a lying deluding Spirit But when this Holy Spirit either by the Ministers of the Word or in a more immediate way presseth you to holy walking calls you from loosness worldliness from a vain conversation from any particular course of sin which you have been addicted to or invites you to the performance of any neglected duty to order your conversation according to Gospel-rule to come nearer your pattern Jesus Christ to be more humble heavenly more profitable more exemplary c. Let your ear be open to its counsells follow its directions be as obsequious Matth. 8. 9. to the Spirit as the Souldiers to the Centurion if he say go then go if come come if he bid do this do it They that obediently follow the Spirits guidance in the course of their life shall not ordinarily want his assistance in the course of their duties And let us not think the Spirit will be at our command or help when we desire and need him if we will not be at his command It you will give way to loosness vanity pride carelesness worldly lusts neglect of duty think not to have the Spirit long to help you in duty Res mihi creds delicata est Spiritus saith one the Spirit is a tender thing soon grieved It will not be our Comforter if it must not be our Councellor 6. Abide in Christ if you would have his Spirit abide in your hearts all communications of the Spirit are from the Father through Christ How often is this abiding in Christ inculcated in that one place John 15. 4 6 7 9 10. and note especially what is said in v. 7. Iâ—â—ye abide in me and my words abide in you ye shall ask what ye will and it shall be done unto you Here you have both the Duty and the Priviledge the Duty abiding in Christ the best evidence whereof is expressed in the next words and my words abide in you to abide in Christ then is to continue in the Faith of the Gospel not to depart from the Truth nor only so but to have the Word a lively operative commanding Principle in the heart directing our steps Manent in Christo qui Verbum ejus Gualtâ—r audiunt audito credunt toti ab eo dependent Well what 's their Priviledge The next words tell you Ye shall ask what ye will and it shall be done unto you a holy freedom boldness and success in prayer I take those words Ye shall ask what ye will not only to import leave or licence to ask what they desire but that which the Scripture else where calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 freedom liberty of speech and confidence to be heard in our Petitions Now this cannot be without the Spirits assisting and encouraging So that it amounts to thus much If ye abide in me ye shall have a Spirit of Prayer liberty and confidence in asking and the grant of your Petitions Therefore I say abide in Christ and in so saying I would be understood to mean these things 1. Abide in the Doctrine of Christ I mean the great Doctrine of Justification and Salvavation by Christ alone Take heed of a Popish Linfie-woolsy Merit Mix not the
Woollen of mens supposed super-erogatory Merits with the clean white Linnen of the Saints The Spirit will no longer be an Intercessor in our hearts than we rely upon Christ alone as our Intercessor in Heaven I am confident the Spirit never went along with prayers put up in the name of the virgin Mary Peter Paul c. Abide then in this Doctrine 2. Abide in the Faith of Christ I mean a personal applicatory Faith whereby we depend on Christ and his merits for acceptance of our persons and audience of our prayers It is not enough that we assent to the Doctrine but we must also rely on the merits of Christ We can no longer pray in the Spirit than we pray in Faith If we stagger in our affiance we shall want our wonted assistance 3. Abide also in the love of Christ maintain a singular and superlative esteem of him in your hearts count him the chief of ten thousand altogether lovely To abide in Christ is to continue and abide in his love But John 15. 9 10. what is this to the purpose in hand How will this procure the Spirits continued assistance in prayer Very much Love to Christ is one of those sweet and fragrant flowers indeed of his own planting wherein the Spirit is much delighted Observe that Text If a man love me be V. 23. will keep my words and my Father will love him and we will come unto him and make our abode with him How else do the Father or Son make their abode in a soul but by the Spirit Where then the Love of Christ is there the Spirit takes up his abode and where he abides he cannot be idle and unimployed He is like some friend that though they come but a visiting will further and not hinder business though indeed his coming to the John 14. 16. soul is not to give us a visit but to abide with us for ever And so much in answer to this fifth Case CHAP. VII IN the two last Cases I have proposed something 1. In order the Attainment of the Spirit of prayer 2. In order to the Preserving and continuing it The next will be Case 6. What may I do to recover the Spirits help and enablements its quickning motions its lively stirrings and assistances when they are withdrawn I need not say much of the usefulness or necessity of this Case What I spoke of the former is easily applicable hither The frequent complaints of Gods people concerning their indisposition coldness straitness and inability to prayer sufficiently tell us that it is needful to propose what may be thought effectual in this Case Something is fit to be premised though in effect it hath been hinted before 1. We may be said to lose or want the Spirits assistance either 1. As to that degree of liveliness and ability which we have formerly found There may be abatements of that fervour enlargement and vigour of affections that we have exercised in prayer This is the common experience I believe of all Christians They do not alwayes enjoy the same measure of divine enablement sometimes they sail swiftly Wind and Tide favour them at other times their motion is very slow they drive heavily much ado to bear up against the Wind and Waves 2. Sometimes we may seem wholly to want the Spirits assistance not one good motion no heart to pray I say not that we may lose the Spirit as to its Indwelling but as to its operations there may seem a Cessation of any lively breathings As in a Swoon the breath may be stopt the pulse not beat sensibly so that one may not feel himself alive and may be judged by others to be dead Though as Paul said of Eutychus Act. 20. 10. his life is in him Now I would be understood to speak to both these What is to be spoken may respect both the remission and abatement of degrees and also the intermission or cessation of acts of Spiritual life Both sorts need Counsell 2. The Spirits Return must be an act of free grace and indeed of rich grace For I suppose it will be granted that the Spirit withdraws not but upon some great Provocation though God may have as you have heard very gracious ends in such desertions yet I can scarce think he doth it till we have justly deserved it and in a manner driven a way his holy Spirit Now you may easily see that to sin against the Spirit of God after we have enjoyed his presence found the sweetness of his assistance and known the advantage thereof must needs be a very provoking sin it carries in it much of ingratitude and dis-ingenuity Solomon's sin was the more hainous because 1 Kings 11. 9. his heart was turned away from the Lord his God who appeared unto him twice How ill then must God needs take it that thou shouldst grieve his Spirit and abuse his goodness who hath appeared so often so sweetly and comfortably to thy soul Who hath helped thee at many a dead lift and put many a good motion into thy heart and held thee up in duty So that thy sin is not a little sin it calls for a deep humiliation it may cost thee many a deep sigh many a brinish tear before thou recover thy former state Nay possibly God may set just cause never to return to thee in that degree of enlargement and those gracious manifestations which thou hast sinned away Thou maist lay down thy head in sorrow though thy eternal condition be secured This I say not to break any bones or to discourage any from using means but to let them know that its dangerous to grieve the Spirit of God and that it requires the utmost of their diligence and industry to recover from under such desertions And now I come to lay down something in answer to this Case Direct 1. Thy first work must be to endeavour to find out the sin or sins which have robbed thee of this Priviledge Search and search again till thou findest out the Achan that hath thus troubled thy soul Here I cannot reckon up every particular sin that may possibly be a cause of the Spirits withdrawment but only hint what probably may be and ordinarily is the occasion of it It is not every miscarriage that grieves away the Spirit then who should enjoy that Priviledge The Spirit helps our infirmities It pitties us under weaknesses therefore meer failings do not provoke God to take away his Spirit Nor yet every greater sin if speedily repented of You can scarce imagine a sin more hainous for the nature than Peter's or more aggravated by its circumstances Yet it appears not that he lay under desertion he wept bitterly and it is not likely his tears were prayerless and no sooner is our Saviour arisen but he must have the Tidings with the first Such things intimate that he fell not under desertion His repentance was as speedy and serious as his sin was hainous Well what
very fears complaints doubts troubles expressed in his own language to have a faithful Minister or prayerful Christian bespeak God for him as if himself was in the very same condition to urge and plead suitable promises and wrestle with the Lord on his behalf Must not this needs more affect the poor wounded soul than a dull form that comes not near his condition I will in short give you Clark in the Life of M. Perkins a relation to this purpose It was the custom of Reverend Mr. Perkins to go to the place of Execution with the condemned Prisoners Once a young lusty fellow going up the Ladder discovered an extraordinary lumpishness and dejection of Spirit Mr. Perkins observing it said to him What man What is the matter with thee Art thou afraid of Death Ah no said the Prisoner shaking his head but of a worse thing Whereupon Mr. Perkins bid him come down and see what Gods grace would do to strengthen him who coming down Mr. Perkins took him by the hand and made him kneel down with himself at the Ladder foot Where that blessed man of God made such an effectual prayer in confession of sins and aggravating thereof in all circumstances with the punishments due to the same as made the poor Prisoner burst out into abundance of tears Mr. Perkins perceiving that he had brought him low enough even to Hell Gates proceeded in the next place to shew him the Lord Jesus Christ stretching forth his blessed hand of mercy and power to save him which he did so sweetly press upon the soul of the Prisoner as cheered him up again to look beyond Death and made him break out into new showers of tears for joy of the inward consolation which he had found and gave such expression of it to the beholders as made them lift up their hands and praise God to seâ— such a blessed change in him and so took his Death patiently and joyfully See here the effect of a prayer in season though I would neither rob God of his glory without whose blessing no such effect could have been wrought nor attribute it to prayer as being conceived and extemporary but I think I may under God ascribe something to the suitableness of it to that poor creatures present condition upon which account I must needs prefer it to such as being framed in such general expressions as may reach any condition cannot be so accommodate to a particular time person or occasion In short then a conceived prayer hath these advantages above a form 1. It leaves the soul more freedom to exert present affections and makes more room for the Spirit to excite graces in the soul suitable to all occasions and emergencies 2. It affords more opportunity to put up suitable petitions to the many and various Wants Temptations Providences and other emergencies respecting our selves or those we pray with and for which must necessarily be attended with more kindly stirrings of affection and exercise of grace than under cold generals 3. It more calls out and imployes the soul makes it more attentive to what it is about and how necessary it is to use the best means to keep the heart to its work in duty there is not an experienced Christian but can tell from the sad experience he hath of his own wanderings and extravagancies 4. And which I look upon as not the least excellency of it it is singularly helpful for edification By the mutual participation of each others gifts exercised in this kind Christians build up one another they not only help to excite present affections and graces but they furnish one another with matter and arguments in prayer So that by this means the body fitly joyned together and compacted by that which Eph. 4. 16. every joâ—nt supplyeth according to the effectual working in the measure of every part maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of it self in love They that 1 Cor. 14. 12. excell in this gift excell to the edifying of the Church 5. It helps a man better to discern the present frame of his own heart The beating of the Pulse is not a better Tryal of the Temperature of the Body than prayer is of the frame of the soul Something it is true one may discern even under a form but it is much better discerned when out of the Mat. 12. 34 abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh How may a poor soul sometimes discern its want of faith love desire after God delight in God want of godly sorrow compassion and fellow-feeling of his Brethrens miseries by his coldness and straitness in prayer when at sometimes he can scarce utter a word with any feeling at other times he hath plenty of expressions but no stirrings of affection Again at another time how sensibly are these graces exercised in prayer How can he stir up himself to lay hold on God Confess sin with a bleeding heart begg and plead and pursue God with arguments How tenderly can he represent before the Lord the affliction and condition of others and put his soul in their souls stead So that he may judge very much of the present state by his straitness or enlargement in this duty yea he can better discern when he hath the Spirit helping his infirmities and when he is under a desertion These are some of the Advantages of conceived prayer above stated forms And now in a few words to apply what I have said to the Case in hand To which that I may give a clearer Solution be pleased to distinguish with me 1 Betwixt the Absolute Power of Gods Perk. Amos Spirit whereby he being God can do all things he pleaseth and his Ordinate Power whereby he worketh according to that ordinary way and connexion of causes which God hath decree'd and appointed You may thus conceive By Gods Absolute Power he could rain down Manna from Heaven to feed the Jews in the Wilderness but when they came into the Land of Canaan that ceases and he feeds them in the Ordinary way by plowing sowing reaping c. according to that Series of Causes I will hear the Heavens and they shall hear the Hos 2. 21. 22. Earth and the Earth shall hear the Corn and the Wine and the Oyle and they shall hear Jesreel Now according to this distinction I say that the Spirits Absolute Power is not restrained by stinted forms He can make the dullest form effectual to excite and quicken the soul no matter what the Tool be if Omnipotency put forth it self the work shall be effected But in the Spirits ordinary way of working which is as you have heard a rational argumentative way wherein he maketh use of means according to their natural vertue and efficacy So a form cannot have that effect upon the soul as a conceived prayer uttered by such as are competently qualified with that gift partly because the customariness of it dulls the souls attention chiefly because it cannot be
pressing Troubles may even stop thâ— Speech and indispose the outward Organâ— But thou canst not so freely go out to God thou wantest praying affections and dispositions Faith Love Desire Delight iâ— God godly sorrow c. are at a very low ebb and scarce discernable I ask Whence are these complaints Hadst thou no love to God or desire of him thou wouldst never complain that thou canst not love him There would be no such language as this Oh that I could love God as I should Oh my base dis-ingenuous heart that returns so little Love c. But something more to this in the next Quest 3. Suppose it be at sometimes as bad as thou makest it that grace be at a low ebb that thou art dead senseless unapt backward lumpish canst scarce dragg thy self into the presence of God and when before the Lord thou hast neither words not heart to the duty Is it alwayes thus Darest thou so far wrong God as to deny his gracious assistances vouchsaf't to thee Canst thou not remember the sweet meltings and enlargements that thy soul hath felt in duty the precious experiences thou hast had both as to assistance and acceptance Yes it may be you will say and that is it that is the sting in my affliction Had I never known what these things meant I had not had this sting in my affliction but this is it that makes my cup exceedingly bitter that I have sinned away these mercies and now want the Spirits help when I most need it I deny not but the case is sad yet there is something to allay it For consider what child of God hath not sometime felt and complained of the like Who is it that hath not his dead fits Do we not find David and other precious Saints under the like distempers Read Psal 77. 88 38 c. The Text doth not assert this as the constant Priviledge of Gods afflicted people to have the Spirit helping their infirmities at least in that full and sensible manner as they desire even these suspensions are necessary to make us feel the weight of an affliction and to make the Spirits return sweeter Besides thy former experience is in it self a ground of hope upon which thou maist bespeak thy soul in the words of David Why art thou cast down O my soul why art thou disquieted within me Psal 42. ult still trust in God for I shall yet praise him who is the health of my countenance and my God For however the Spirit may suspend his influences he doth not depart for ever he is an abiding Comforter So that to conclude Joh. 14. 16. 1. If thou hast had the Spirits assistance if thou hast known by experience this great priviledge in the Text. 2. If thou canst still groan and sigh out thy complaints though not pour out thy soul in such full expressions or cloathe thy prayers with words as sometimes thou couldst 3. If thou art sensible of thy want and dost earnestly breathe after the Spirits return yea couldst be content thy burden were doubled if thou couldst but cry and plead with God as sometimes thou hast done I say thou hast no cause to conclude that thou art wholly destitute of the Spirit of Supplication these things are not found in those that are void of the Spirit they neither feel their want nor desire the assistance of Gods Spirit Yea let me add that a soul in thy condition is not fit to be its own Judge such complaints such pantings speak a soul in a growing posture Thriving Christians like growing children are aptest to complain that their cloaths are too little their graces weak and feeble which is not because they do not grow but because their desires are to grow still more Like Paul they forget that which is behind and are reaching Phil. 3. 13. forth to that which is before Or like that great Conqueror of whom it was said Nilque putans factum dum quid superesset agendum Alexander the Great They think they have no grace because they have not all grace Well I shall look upon it as a sure sign of an enlarged heart never to think it self enough enlarged Therefore let these complaining souls drink no longer Waters of sorrow but take a little Wine of consolation Thus much to those that want or think they want this precious Priviledge CHAP. XII 2. THE other sort to whom I am now to speak are those who have this great mercy and know the Advantage of it such as can beat testimony to this great truth that the spirits help in prayer is a great Reality These also I shall rank under three heads 1. Such as have this mercy but are not at present in Affliction 2. Such as are in trouble and doe in some measure experience the benefit of it 3. Such as have been in the deeps and have tasted the goodness of God in this kind though now delivered from their troubles to each of these I shall propose what I conceive most suitable and edifying 1. To you that being yet free from calamities know what it is to be helped in prayer The Doctrine speaks by way of Counsel and Advice and that is that you cherish and make much of and doe what you can to perserve this great Priveledge take heed of such fins as may grieve away the spirit of such as have been mentioned above especially in the 6th Case This Advice I give upon a 3. fold consideration 1. Though you are yet at quiet though you fit under your own vine and under your own figtree and the candle of the Lord Job 29. 3 4. shine upon your head and his secret be upon your Tabernacle you know not how soon the Case may alter and the Cup that others drink of may be put into your hand David found himself deceived when hee said his mountain Psalm 30. 6 7. was made strong and hee should never be moved God hides his face and then hee 's troubled Solomon's dayes were for a long time peaceable and no likelyhood of any trouble to arise God had made him terrible to all 1 Chr. 8. 7 and 9. 23 24. 1 Ki. 11. 14. 23. 26. about him and put the necks of his Adversaries under his seet all the bordering Kings are his Feudatories and Tributaries yet on a sodain a black cloud arises and a succession of Adversaries are raisd up against him Who more prosperous then Job or more likely to live and die in his nest being not less pious than prosperous being a man perfect and upright one that feared God and eschewed evill yet behold him stript of all sitting upon the Dunghill scraping him self with a Potsheard Who can hope to escape when neither his piety nor possessions can secure him It may be with you as with those Acts. 27 13 14. in the Ship with Paul The South-wind of prosperity blowing softly you may suppose you have obtained your purpose and think you
of the Petition that it may be done by us and upon us speaks the truth of grace in our hearts None but they who are born of the Will of God John 1. 13. can cordially and universally desire and pray this Petition Naturally man may say Thy will be done but only the gracious soul can unfeignedly pray it 2. 'T is most irrationall to desire that our owne or others wills should be done and most equitable that wee should pray that Gods will may be done Should it be as thou wilt according to thy mind saith Elihu to Job Chapt. 34. 33 Who are wee poor blind creatures that wee should set our Wills against the wise and just and holy Will of God Should his will who can will nothing but what is just and good give place to ours who can will nothing that is good without his enabling grace Phil. 2. 13. 2 Cor. 3. 5. How just is it that his will should be our Rule whether wee consider him as our Creatour our Soveraign our Father c and besides should ours be done would it not be to our undoing What greater plague than for a people to be given up to follow their owne counsels Psal 81. 12 And Is not the doing Gods Will the high road to glory the straight path to everlasting felicity Direct 1. For Direction then as in the former Labour to understand the particular import of this Petition and 1. Understand what is implyed by way of acknowledgment Chiefly two things 1. Here is implicitely acknowledged the absoluteness and Soveraignty of Gods Will which you may in conformity to this Petition express and enlarge upon So that wee may express our selves in such Words Lord I know thou art the Suprem Monarch and absolute Soveraign of the world all whost actions have no other rule but thine owne will and thy Will no rule but thine owne infinite wisdom justice and goodness and therefore it is impossible thou shouldst will any thing but what is good and righteous Therefore it is all the Reason in the world that thou whose Dominion is most absolute and whose will is most righteous shouldst be obeyed and submitted to in whatsoever thou willest to be done either by us or upon us To this purpose you may borrow Ephes 1. 5 9 11. which declares that God ordereth all things according to the counsel of his owne will Psal 136. 6. who doth what hee pleaseth in heaven and earth in the sea and in all deep places Job 33. 13. who is not accountable for any of his doings Or in the words of Nebuchadnezzar Dan. 4. 35. c. Here you may amplify upon the purity wisdom Soveraignty goodness and graciousness of his Will as also upon the reasonableness of its being the Rule of the Creatures actions and obedience that the Clay and Vessel should be at the Potter's disposall Isa 64. 9. 2. Here also wee doe implicitly acknowledg the indisposition and untowardness of our wils to yield obedience to Gods Will and our proneness to do our owne will rather than Gods yea that wee are led Captive by Sathan at his Will 2 Tim. 2. 26. This may afford large matter of confession and confusion too Lord I find in my self abundance of blindness and ignorance so that I doe not know thy will and which is worse when it is made known to mee I find in my heart an utter indisposition and contrariety to it Oh the pride stubbornness and stiffeneckedness of my heart How apt am I to quarrel at thy commanding Will when I should obey it and at thy providencial will when I should submit to it Loath I am that thy will should be done when it thwarts mine This you may express in the language of Ephes 2. 2 3. Children of disobedience fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind you may borrow the complaint of God against Israel Isa 48. 4. an obstinate people whose neck hath an Iron sinew whose brow is brass here you may lament the Fall that robb'd you of the holy freedom and conformity of your will to Gods and your hearts became like Nabal's dead as a stone to any thing spiritually good Here you may be very large and affectionate this being the spring of all the sins and enormities of your lives 2. Then labour to understand what is included by way of Petition and these are as before Either 1. Privative for the removal of hindrances which keep us from the knowing obeying and submitting to the will of God which Alas how infinite are they rather to be by you and every person bewayled than by mee expressed Oh what need have wee to pray that God Will hâ—al all within us and help against all without us that sets us in opposition to his holy Will you may reduce them to 1. Inwards such as are from within and arise from a mans self and these are as large as the whole body of sin and as numerous as the members of that body There is blindness in the understanding that wee cannot know what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God Rom. 12. 2. therefore wee have need to pray as Paul Act. 9 6. Lord what wilt thou have mee doe or as wee are taught Job 34. 32. what I know not teach thou mee Again there is Obstinacy in the will wee have need pray that promise Ezek. 36. 26. That God will take away our heart of stone c There is in us weakness and inability to good though a sinfull strength to doe evill There Eph. 2 3. are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wils of the flesh which oppose the will of God Wee have need pray that God will make the weapons of his Word and Ministry strong and mighty to beat down those strongholds those imaginations and high things in us 2 Cor. 10. 4. That all within us may yield to Gods will that wee may lay downe our weapons and take upon us the yoak of Christ 2. Outward viz. that Slavery which wee are in to Sathan who hath blinded our eyes 2 Cor. 4. 4. Captivated ours wils 2 Tim. 2. 26. and fill'd our hearts Act. 5. 3. working effectually in us the children of disobedience Eph. 2. 2. Therefore wee have need to pray that Jesus Christ may come into our hearts there to destroy the works of the Divell 1 John 3. 8. That the stronger man may come and dispossess this strong man armed Luk. 11. 21 22. May snatch us from the power of darkness Col. 1. 13. That wee being delivered from the hands of this and all our enemies may serve the Lord in holiness and righteousness before him all the dayes of our life Euk. 1. 74. Oh be earnest even as a poor Turkish Gally-slave would be for redemption from his Gally This shall suffice to be spoken as to the privative Petitions or impediments to be removed 2. Positive and those may refer to that twofold Will or rather two-fold conception of the will of God I have 〈◊〉