the Scripture makes an Evidence of Adoption and that the Spirit doth witness so plainly and clearly as to set a man above all suspition of Delusion as it did the Apostles and Prophets when they were inspired thereby Though it is not denied that men may verily think that the illusions of Satan are the Testimony of the Spirit as he that is awake may certainly know that he is so though he that dreams may verily believe he is awake Yet to affirm that this is the Testimony of the Spirit which Believers may ordinarily expect would rather create Scruples in the minds of many who not daring to speak by guess or hear-say or boast of what Christ hath not wrought in them cannot say that they ever had any such Testimony Neither will these places of Scripture which are alledged in this case prove any such thing for not only things are said to witness in Scripture which can do it only objectively as the heap of stones cast up by Jacob Gen. 31.48 Job 16.8 Job's Wrinkles and Leanness our sins But persons according to Scripture Isai 59.12 do witness objectively by their actions in respect of which those mentioned by the Apostle Heb. 11. are called Witnesses Heb. 12.1 And if it be further urged that the Apostle saith the Spirit himself witnesseth not his Graces I answer Acts 5.32 God himself is said to witness when he doth it only by the Effects or Operations of the Holy Ghost Heb. 2.4 So that the Spirit himself may be said to witness to our Spirits or with our Spirits when he acts us and leads us Yet I will not deny that the Spirit doth more towards assuring us of our adoption as a Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation Eph. 1.17 in the knowledge knowledg of Christ He may assist or enlighten our understandings both to discern those Characters of Divinity which are in the Scripture evidencing the Authority of it and likewise to know the things that are freely given to us of God or to discern or make a right Judgment of the Work of Grace in our own Souls 1 Cor. 2.12 some way answering to the gift of discerning of Spirits in the Primitive Church And this is one effect of the Spirit 1 Cor. 12.10 to enlighten our Understandings to know the exceeding greatness of his Power towards those that believe Eph. 1. â—2 But what ever we determine concerning the manner yet for the thing it self the Scripture plainly affirms that the Spirit witnesses that we are the Children of God Thirdly the Spirit helps our Unbelief by bringing things to our Remembrance Mat. 16.9 Forgetfulness is many times a cause of Unbelief Deut. 7.17 and the Remembrance of what God hath done both for our selves and others Psal 77.11 a great support to our Faith Now Christ promised that the Spirit should bring to Remembrance whatsoever he had said to his Disciples Ps 78.35 Joh. 14.26 I know this might be verified in his effecting or accomplishing what Christ had foretold As when the Disciples saw the Zeal of Christ in purging the Temple John 2.17 it put them in Mind of that which was written in the Psalms the Zeal of thine House hath eaten me up But yet this may have a further meaning and as he doth assist our other faculties so he may the memory also not only by habitual Grace disposing our hearts to the love of heavenly things Psal 119.97 which makes us more frequently think of them but by suggesting things to us as occasion requires which is not improbable Luk. 8.12 If we consider that the Divil steals things out of our hearts whereby we become forgetful hearers and not doers of the Word so that the holy Spirit to counter-work him doth often keep things in the Imagination of the thoughts of our Hearts 1 Chron. 29.18 and bring back what the Devil hath stollen away And further we know by experience that it hath been with many Christians as with Hagar that sate and wept as if there was no way but her Son must perish for want of water Gon. 21.16.19 till God opened her Eyes to see a well of Water So many have refused to be comforted forgetting the exhortation or consolation which speaketh to them as to Children Heb. 12.5 till some Promise or other passage of Scripture hath been suggested to them from which as from Wells of Salvation Isa 12.3 they have drawn Water with Joy and Comfort I might add that the Spirit of God may make some extraordinary Impression of confidence upon the Hearts of Christians in their Praiers for some temporal Mercies as in Luther when he prayed for his Friend Myconius and Edward the sixth when he prayed for his Tutor Sir John Cheek But these are extraordinary cases Matt. 21.22 neither is want of Faith herein an Infirmity That Faith of Miracles Mark 11.24 which some had in Prayer in Christ's time James 5.15 and the times of the Apostles not being now repuired of us Another Infirmity which we are liable to in our Praiers is Hypocrisie when we flatter God with our mouth Psal 78.36 and lye to him with our Tongue And this happens happens in two cases first when we pray according as we are convinced in our consciences we ought to pray or as we have been taught by Forms or otherwise to pray and so the matter of our prayers is such as it ought to be but we cannot bring our hearts freely to consent thereto or our corrupt lusts put in exceptions and plead for an indulgence as Austin Ingeniously confesses of himself Confess l. 8. c. 7. At ego adolescens miser valde miser in exordio ipsius adolescentiae etiam petieram a te castitatem dixeram da mihi Castitatem Continentiam sed noli modo Timebam enim ne me cito exaudires cito sanares a Morbo Concupiscentiae quam malebam expleri quà m extingui That is I a wretched young man unhappy in the very beginning of my youth had even then desired Chastity of thee and said give me Chastity and Continency But do not give it me yet for I was afraid lest thou shouldst hear me too soon and shouldst too soon cure me of my Disease of Incontinency which I desire rather to have satisfied than extinguished Thus many take up the words of David as it is too ordinary for men to make use of expressions borrowed from Scripture to fill up their prayers without that spirit wherewith they were there spoken Set a Watch O Lord Ps 141.3 before my Mouth keep the door of my Lips When they would be loth to be taken at their words and be kept from speaking many things which God would keep them from should he set a watch before them Again many pray that God would not lead them into temptation when they would be loth to be kept from many things which are a
very great and we may be pressed out of measure above strength 2 Cor. 1.8 as Paul was in Asia and then God pities us Psal 103.13 as a Father pities his Children and as when the Spirits are exceedingly oppressed we apply Cordials which may relieve them and enable the sick person to breath so God doth by his Spirit shed abroad his love into our hearts which doth relieve and revive the Soul by a more immediate virtue Rom. 5.5 then those comforts which by degrees we relieve our selves with by communing with our own hearts or meditating on the Scriptures as Cordials do not require time or natural strength to concoct them and turn them to Nourishment as meat doth but immediately diffuseth its virtue to the sudden cheering or revival of the Patient Sometimes Christians are as I may say sullen like Ahab when he could not have Naboth's Vinyard 1 Kin. 21 4 being exceedingly discontented at some worldly cross or disappointment as Jonah at the withering of his Gourd Jon. 4.1 8. and at Gods sparing of Ninive or they do too much give way to grief and indulge themselves therein as the Psalmist refused to be comforted Psal 77.2 Now the way to deal with such is to awaken their Consciences to a due sense of the evil of sin that they may more earnestly pray for the pardon of it or more prize the pardon of it and think with themselves they have greatter matters to exercise their minds then those that they trouble themselves so much with or that God hath done so much for them in the pardon of their sins that they should not take outward troubles so grieviously at the hands of God Job 2.10 but be content to receive some evil from him having received so much good 2 Sam. 19.5 as when David was so exceedingly troubled at the death of Absalom Joab roused him out of his dumps by representing to him his unkindness to his faithful Subjects and how this act of his might be justly interpreted and likewise the great danger which might ensue thereon by his people leaving him while he did so discourage them and this made him shake himself from his sorrow I shall in a few words apply what I have said on this Subject and this may First instruct us how exceeding impotent we are to that which is good there is nothing doth more fully convince us of our weakness then our inability to pray We might think if we considered things only in the Idea as they speak without consulting experience that if we could do any thing we might pray it being that which our necessity doth so far enforce us to that it might seem enough to us to have liberty to pray but we see that as we cannot call Christ Lord without the Spirit so we cannot call God Father without the assistance thereof nor pray either for matter or manner as we ought without it Wherefore it seems strange to me that any wise considering man should reduce the whole interest of the Spirit in the Prayers of Christians to that extraordinary gift in the primitive times whereby as they say those that were to pray for others were enabled to ask those things which were useful for them and to teach others how to form their prayes and so that to pray in the holy Ghost Jude 20. enjoyned by the Apostle was to keep to the publick Assembly and joyn with him that was then assisted in his Prayers by the holy Ghost And that this gift when it ceased was supplied by set prepared forms for daily and constant uses provided by such as had benefited under those that had such gifts and remembred some of their Forms or at least the method and manner used by them and that Liturgies in the Church had their rise from hence About the use of Liturgies in the Primitive Church or the authority of those recommended to us for their venerable antiquity it is not for me now to speak any thing but by what I have already said it appears that the Spirit of God is further concerned in the Prayers of Christians and I cannot see how the Spirit should this way make intercession for us with Groanings which cannot be uttered Secondly This may teach us when ever we go to God by Prayer Eph. 2.18 not only to come to him by Jesus Christ for acceptance but to look to the Spirit for his assistance We do not expect nor teach others to expect Enthusiasmes or immediate Inspirations ordinarily in Prayer neither do we suppose that men should attend so for the assistance of the Spirit as to forbear their Prayers till they find themselves like holy men of old who were the pen men of the Scripture moved by the holy Ghost much less do we think that all Extempore Prayer as it is called or conceived Prayer is by the holy Ghost neither do we suppose that those that joyn with others in Prayer do not pray by the holy-Ghost for he assists as to the manner as well as the matter of our Prayers neither do we believe that the Spirit assists us to the utmost of his power so that those Prayers wherein we have his assistance should be in every respect perfect but he doth as a Spirit of Grace and Supplication not only qualifie us habitually for Prayer Zach. 12.10 but assist us actually in Prayer yet in such measure as seems good to him and as of old God would not accept of Sacrifices offered by strange fire Lev. 10.1 so neither will he accept of our Spiritual Sacrifices unless they be offered by the fire of Zeal kindled from Heaven and blown up by the holy Ghost but as he may hear Sinners 1 King 21.29 as he did Ahab for some outward Mercies which are from the exuperance or overflowings of his bounty And though I doubt not but many do vainly pretend to or falsely boast of the assistance of the Spirit in Prayer not understanding what they speak or whereof they affirm yet to scoff at praying by the Spirit as if it were not a thing for any to expect or in any sense to pretend to is such a piece of boldness and prophaness and at least borders so near upon Blasphemy that no sober serious Christian will adventure upon it FINIS Books printed for and to be sold by B. 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THE INTEREST OF THE SPIRIT IN Prayer By H. Lukin LONDON Printed by J. D. for Brabazon Aylmer at the three Pigeons in Cornhil 1674. READER THe following Discourse was a Sermon preacht some years since and one that heard it desiring a Copy of it I did at length yeeld to his importunity and sent it him as now you see it with the addition of these few Latin Quotations which I do not use to interrupt the attention of ordinary hearers with in popular Discourses and this I did not purposing to make it thus publick but having once transcribed it I consented further to the desire of some to have it printed but never had opportunity to review what I had written from the first time that I sent it till I saw it from the Press This I thought meet to advertise you of that you may not expect much accurateness though you knew not the Authour before nor a clear and full discussion of such things as a discourse of this nature would allow only some brief touches of it I hope none will complain of a bold pressing of Scripture to serve an Hypothesis of propension to any party of a slavish subjection to the Authority of great Names of a Sceptical or Magisterial censuring of other Men of their Opinions I have endeavoured to shew that candour freedom impartiality moderation that I may not be afraid of or ashamed to own it as a Man a Scholar a Christian a Minister either when it is exposed to the censure of others or at that day when every mans work shall be made manifest I have for the finding out of the truth herein attended to two things Scripture and Experience both of which we should have a due regard to in our search after Truth As in Physick through practice and Experience be a great advantage to Men and make things more clear as Examples do Rules yet if Men trust wholly thereto the Emperical Physician may be deceived assoon as the Rational or Methodical because there being so many things that effects depend upon or may proceed from it is very easie to mistake that for the cause of a thing which is not the cause of it and though they see the effects they know not what concurs thereto or what hath the chief influx into them and I have oft observed and lemented Mens being imposed upon by this fallacy of non causa pro causa or taking that for the cause of a thing which is not especially in matters of Religion Besides Men are apt to infer general conclusions from particular experiments and so either measure themselves by others or make their own experience a standard for the tryal of others So on the other hand many times Men attain not the true sense of Scripture while thay consider things only in the Idea or notion without examining how things are really in particular Subjects I know we must not make Man the measure of all things as Protagoras in another sense Men must be tryed by Scripture not the Scripture by Men. Yet we must acknowledge the Scripture speaks sometimes according to what really is or it speaks as things are sometimes found to be not according to what is constantly or universally true Wherefore I have endeavoured to find out what the Scripture according to its ordinary stile and manner of speaking may intend in such places as I have had occasion to inquire into and have likewise observed and examined what is the ordinary experience of sober serious Christians who dare not boast of such things as they have not really found in themselves but have that experience of God's Gracious working in them which they would not want for the whole world and which doth establish them more firmly in the belief of Spiritual things than to be shaken by such 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or vain-spirited persons as are not likely to be acquainted with such matters or to be competent Judges of them There are some Erratas in the Printing for those who are in the few words of Hebrew Greek and Latin as the Learned only can take notice of them so they know how to correct them There are some small faults in pointing and omissions of a letter in some places which any ordinary Reader may know how to rectifie The more considerable you may correct thus ERRATA Pag. 35. l. 13 r. as he knows P. 39 l. 3. r. riches of his Mercy P. 48. l. 19 r. desultorians P. 55. marg r. Gen. 45.26 P. 59. l. 17. r. do confidently P. 61. l. 4. r. the Philosopher speaks P. 73. l. 17. r. ingenuously P. 75. l. 4. r. desired P. 83 l. 12. r. to assist P. 100. l. 6 r. in Prayer The Interest of the Spirit in Prayer Rom. 8.26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our Infirmities For we know not what we should pray for as we ought but the Spirit it self maketh Intercession for us with Groanings which cannot be uttered THere are two Things which are the chief Trouble of Christians in this world inward Corruptions or the Remainders of Sin and outward Afflictions or Tribulations Against both these doth the Apostle comfort and encourage them in this Chapter and in these words especially wherein he shews how the holy-Ghost whom our blessed Saviour had promised as a Comforter to his People doth perform this Office particularly by assisting us in our Prayers For the better understanding of the Words we may observe that by Infirmities in Scripture are understood either Afflictions which we call natural Infirmities or sinful Defects or Imperfections which we call Moral or Spiritual Infirmities It is likely the Apostle understands the former where he saith 2 Cor. 12.10 he takes Pleasure in Infirmities It can hardly be conceived how he should take pleasure in moral Infirmities and without question he understands outward Afflictions where he saith Christ was compassed about with Infirmities Heb. 5.2 for he was free from all sinful Defects 1 Pet. â—2 22. He did no sin neither was Guile found in his Mouth Now if the Apostle should here speak of these natural Infirmities it is certain the Spirit helps us against them by assisting us in our Prayers Prayer being an excellent Remedy against afflictions Wherefore David when he was in a great Strait Psal 109.4 resolves to give himself to Prayer Which Words have much exercised Criticks But I think our English Translation hath fully expressed the Sense of them and Prayer is a Remedy against Affliction 1. As thereby we ease our Minds by pouring out our Hearts to God Psal 62.8 So the Psalmist expresses the Nature of Prayer It is an Ease to us in Trouble to pour out our Complaints into the Bosom of a Friend Job 32.20 and we refresh our selves by giving vent to our passion if it be a Friend that will consider our Condition and pity us in it so by Prayer we open our Cause to God or reveal our Cause to him Jer. 11 20. Cap.
were moved more agreably to their Natures in a more sober rational way So that their stile is more even compos'd and one thing depending more methodically upon another and they are not so disultorious as the Prophets makeing frequent and sudden Transitions from one Subject to another of a quite different Nature and agreable hereto is the ordinary Assistance which we now have from the Spirit of God which being in such a calme connatural Way or Manner is not so easily observed as the Transports or more violent Motions of Prophets and prophetical men of Old And as in Preaching when men have by giving attendance to Reading 1 Tim. 4.13 Study both got a stock of habitual Knowledge and made actual Preparation for delivering a Sermon it pleases God sometimes to suggest things to them that may serve his own wise and holy End which they never thought of in their Preparation as in the case of Austin who converted Firmas a Manichee by something which he did besides his Intention fall upon in his preaching And the experience of many can witness that they have had many things brought to mind in Preaching which they had never prepared So in Prayer though the Spirit of God do not ordinarily assist either Ministers or private Christians so as he did those that had the Gift of Prayer in the primitive Church but they do ordinarily consider what Errand they are going to God on beforehand yet as is said in another Case there is many times given them in that hour what they Mat. 10.19 should speak And divers things suggested to them by the Spirit of God who doth doubtless put into them many Good things as the evil Spirit steals away Good things from us And though I would not impute the difference that is in the Prayers of Christians alwayes to the unequal Assistance of the Spirit yet on the other Hand we should not impute it wholly to the uneven working of mens Fancies or the different motion of the natural Spirits Another Infirmity which we are subject to in our praiers is Unbelief That this is a sinful Infirmity is evident from the displeasure of God against the Noble-man that would not believe the plenty that should be in Samaria 2 King 7.19 and against the good man Zacharia that did not believe the things promised which were to be fulfilled in their season Luke 1.20 And we are subject to this Infirmity in three cases especially First when we are under great and clear convictions of Sin when we have our sin set in order before us and reprefented by the Spirit of God in all the Circumstances which may aggravate it For first the pardon of it seems to be no light matter but an act of Divine Power As Moses praies that the Power of the Lord may be great therein Num. 14.17 I know it may be interpreted of his power in bringing them into the Land of Canaan upon the pardon of their sin But yet it is an act of Divine power to pardon sin in that God doth so far prevail with himself therein we should not be able to overcome our own passion so far as to pardon such as had so far offended us and were so much in our power But further those who are under such convictions have such an esteem of Gods pardoning grace that they are afraid to believe it or please themselves with the hopes of it lest their hopes should fail them and such a disappointment aggravate their trouble Gen. 47.26 Thus Jacob was backward to believe the advancement of his Son Joseph looking upon it as too good news to be true So when Christ was risen they believed not for joy Luk. 24.41 Quod nimis volumus haud facile credimus tarda solet magnis rebus inesse fides Whereas unhumbled sinners that were never made sensible of the evil of sin are so ready to believe the pardon of it that they can hardly believe that God will punish it but think it would be rigour and severity in him so to do A second case is when we are in great straits and difficulties as the Israelites Psal 78 19. Can God furnish a table in the Wilderness Ezek. 37.11 Can these dry bones live Our hope is lost we are cut off for our part It is made an argument of strong faith in Abraham Rom. 4.18 19. to believe in hope against hope A third case is when the answer of our prayers is deferred or denyed Sometimes God seems to be angry against the prayers of his people Psal 80.4 and when they pray things go worse and worse And it was an argument of strong faith in the woman of Canaan that she did not east away her confidence when first Christ seemed not to regaad her prayers He answered her not a word and when he did answer did in effect deny her telling them that He was sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel Maâ— 15.22 c. and when she perfisted in her suit upbraids her as one unfit for mercy this would be to take the childrens bread and cast it unte dogs It is hard to hold on when God thus beats us off Now the Spirit helps this Infirmity First by strengthening the habit of Faith in us Heb. 12 2â— Jesus indeed is the Author and Finisher of our Faith Ioh. 16.14 yet it is by the Spirit that he doth it Phil. 1.19 the work of Faith is fulfilled as well as begun with power Thes 1.11 He doth so fully convince us of the infinite Wisdom Power Goodness and Truth or Veracity of God Eph. 1.19 that we do not confidently rely upon his Promises or Attributes Psal 60. so far as the Scripture gices us encouragement to do it Secondly he doth this by witnessing to us our Adoption so as we can come to God with a filial boldness crying to him Rom 8.15.16 Abba Father Many suppose this testimony of the Spirit to be an internal immediate evidence of the Spirit of God to the Soul of a Believer saying as David prayes I am thy Salvation Psal 35.3 or as Christ to him that was sick of the Palsy Matt. 9 2. thy sins are forgiven thee Now to affirm there is no such testimony of the Spirit because we find no such thing in our selves is as the Philosophers speak to measure vertue by our selves and to think nothing can be done which we cannot do our selves Seneca Epist 71. And for what is objected against this from the countenance that it gives to Enthusiasmes and pretences to secret inspiration and the tendency that it hath to make men deceive themselves by Satanical suggestions and delusions It is answered that though this Testimony be not mediately by the Word it is always according to the Word so that men do in vain pretend to such a Testimony while they have not these characters of the Children of God which