Selected quad for the lemma: scripture_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
scripture_n	ghost_n	holy_a	inspire_v	2,844	5	10.2489	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A53275	The generation of seekers, or, The right manner of the saints addresses to the throne of grace in two treatises : the first being a sober vindication of the spirit of prayer, with the resolution of diverse practical cases related thereunto : the second a plain exposition of the Lord's prayer, with notes and application, mainly intended as a directory to those who desire to attain the gift of prayer.	Oldfield, John, 1627?-1682.	1671 (1671)	Wing O221; ESTC R31049	228,802	474

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.

Gods familiars and in a sense enables us to speak to God face to face freely familiarly confidently as a man with his friend I shall urge no more but leave these with you bese●ching the Lord to set them home upon your hearts CHAP. VI. Case 5. THE next Case shall be this What are we to do that we may have the Spirits Assistance in prayer continued to us the Affinity of this and the next with the former will make my labour the less in giving Answer As to the usefulness of this now under our hand It is I believe the general experience of praying Christians that they have their Ups and Downs now enlarged anon bound up Sometimes they can wrestle and continue in prayer with ● holy fervency without flagging or ●ainting By and by a damp is upon their souls they are in their own sense faithless and heartless Bernard's Complaint is theirs That the Rara hora brevis mora Spirits lively assistances are short and seldome Their cold fits are much longer than their hot ones This dashes their comforts and often makes them question their sincerity they are ready to say with Rebeckah If it be so why am I thus If indeed I have the Spirit Gen. 25. 22. of Supplication as I sometimes hope Why am I thus dead heartless indisposed When they have assistance and enlargements then are they ready to say as Peter It is good to be here with Jacob Gen. 28. 16 17. Surely Mat. 17. 4. the Lord is in this place This is no other but the House of God and this is the Gate of Heaven Then how full of faith and comfort 'T is full Tyde with them neither expressions nor affections nor graces wanting and then they are apt to think surely I shall never be so dull and senseless again Such impressions surely can never wear off such a flame never go out But alas a few dayes may be a few hours experience tells them these are but short-liv'd A low Ebb follows this high Tyde then are they tongue-ty'd heart bound go into secret there they can neither feel out-goings to God nor in-comes from him Join with others alas they he like Stones no rubbing or chasing will beget any warmth in 1 Sam. 28. 15. them In their own sense much like Saul God answers them neither in one way nor another Then how dejected and disconsolate Oh what would they give for the least degree of those enlargements and meltings they have formerly experienc't That they could but give vent to their sorrows in hearty sighs and groans That they could but pour out their souls with that child-like confidence as sometimes they have done Now therefore its worth our serious enquiry what may be done on our part to have the Spirits company and assistance for under such Ebbings and withdrawmen's a child of God cannot but conclude it is his own fault some grievous miscarriage hath deprived him of that sweet Guest 1. Therefore I shall premise this that as the bestowing so the continuance of the Spirits motions and lively operations is the meer indulgence of Heaven God can be no more bound to continue it than he was to bestow it Think not then to oblige God by any thing you can do 2. And further I premise That the Lord vouchsafes or with-holds his Spirit as he sees best for his people It were not best for a child of God to have alwayes a full Tyde to live under the constant smiles of Heaven and to have continual raptures enlargements Where would be room for the exercise of Faith as it is the substance of things hoped Heb. 11. 1. for evidence of things not seen What must become of Hope and Patience O how should we manifest our waiting and longing for Christs return if he should alwayes abide with us How must we know where and what we are how weak how insufficient to think a good thought How must we be kept from pride and swellings and puffings above measure if we be not sometimes left to our own weaknesses So that it is not for us to be peremptory or absolutely to desire alwayes such degrees of grace such measures of assistance and enlargment we may humbly desire and endeavour in the use of means but we must not be peremptory for them nor impatient under the withholding of them In this case we must learn of our blessed Saviour O my Father Matth. 26. 39. if it he possible let this Cup pass from me nevertheless not as I will but as thou wilt 3 I premise this also that ordinarily some miscarriage in us provokes God to withdraw his Spirit Saul's mis-government and 1 Sam. 16. 14. disobedience caused the Spirit of the Lord i. e. that Spirit of Government which God had endued him withal to depart from him David as we noted before upon his fall found some withdrawings which makes Psalm 51. 11 12. him pray Take not thy holy Spirit from me establish me with thy free Spirit Possibly we have not carried as we ought towards this blessed Guest and therefore he withdraws himself These things premised I now address my self to give a direct Answer to the Case propounded 1. Then if thou wouldst have the Spirits Assistance continued beware of those things which may grieve away the Spirit or wither and shrink up its gifts and gr●des damp not out this holy fire Quench not the Spirit 1 Thess 5. 19. It is observable when the Apostle bids us not grieve the Spirit he adds as an argument whereby you are sealed unto the day of Eph. 4. 30. Redemption which seems to have a double force Either thus Be not so disingenuous as to grieve him that comforts you by assuring you of eternal happiness Or thus Take heed you grieve him not if so you will have the worst of it he will grieve you by withdrawing his assuring Testimony from you and leaving you in the dark as to your eternal state This I humbly conceive to be genuine and according to the mind of the mind of the Holy Ghost in that Scripture So that you see our grievings of the Spirit causes his withdrawments as to assurance and so it doth likewise as to assistance If you fall asleep in the lap of sowe Dalilah-lust you will find your Lock will be out God will depart from you and then you will be weak as others It would be infinite to speak what might be said under this Head I shall only instance in two or three Particulars 1. Beware of Pride in enlargements If God lift you up in vouchsafing extraordinary enlargements take heed you do not lift up your selves that is the next way to be laid low He that begins to think himself something shall quickly find that he is nothing in himself This is to abuse your mercy Gods and is that you might give him glory not take it to your selves and it would be to your own prejudice if it should be

seems John did it as also from our Saviour's ready condescension to the request of this Disciple and I hope it will not be denyed that both of them did it as Ministers and Teachers of others and if so what account will they give who endeavour in a great measure to sow up the mouths of Gods Ministers from the doing of this duty It hath been said that Example is the shortest and most effectuall way of teaching but people must have little or nothing of their Ministers example of the excercise of this gift in this duty either to excite them to or direct them in it if it may be according to the desire of many Thirdly I observe The Disciples ignorance and inability was our great advantage what an Ancient speaks of Thomas his incrednlity Minus mihi Maria profuit quae citius credidit Gregory In Marc. 16. Leo. quam Thomas qui diu dubitavit Marie's faith did not so much profit him as Thomas his unbelief And another upon the Slowness of the Apostles to beleeve Gratias agamus divinae dispensationi corum necessariae tarditati dubitatum est ab illis ne dubitaretur à nobis be thankfull for Gods goodness and their slowness to beleeve they doubted that wee might not doubt The same may I say of the case here their ignorance how to pray procured for themselves and us this standing Directory But so much for the occasion 2. For the end of it Whether did our Saviour deliver it as a standing form of words to be constantly used in our addresses to God that wee should pray as some men have commanded us thus and no otherwise or as a platform and Directory by which to frame our prayers and petitions A 1. I deny not but it may be lawfully used in the very words of it as a prayer provided it be with understanding reverence a heart enlarged in the sense of the things petitioned for as 't is well observed by the Reverend Bishop Vsher the shortnes of the petitions cals for the greater enlargednes of heart and that it be not made an Idol of which in effect they doe who attribute more efficacy to the very words of it then to the same petitions otherwise expressed that it be not made a bolster for Idlen●s as too many do● who think it sufficient if they mutter over the words of it Morning and Evening without understanding or attention and rest in it never labouring to get abilities in prayer nor must it be used as a charme which they doe who think by repeating the words of it to fright away the Divell c. Nor doe I think it inconvenient that it be made the close of our prayers that it be sometimes repeated in publick so that there be not a necessity of using it supposed 2. But the chief end doubtlesse was to be a platform and Directory to guide us in the making our peti●ions to God to teach us to whom for what for whom and in what manner wee must pray And that this was the chief end of our Saviour in giving and recording it these arg●ments s●em to proove 1. By the words of Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after this manner therefore pray yee not in these words and syllables and though it is objected that the other Evangelist seems to tye us up to the very words when yee pray say yet wee need not understand him so strictly For in Luk. 11. 1. the Disciple desires that hee would teach them to pray as John Now where have wee any form or the least intimation of a form prescribed by John to his D●sciples But 2. Which may answer that objection The two Evangelists doe considerably vary in their words and expressions which surely they would not had Christ intended the very words to be used as a form it would certainly have been injoyned as men now injoyne their formes thus you shall pray and no otherwise But so far is the Holy Ghost from tying us up to words that hee seems to intimate the warrantableness of variation and I think I may challenge the otherwise-minded to give an Instance of any thing twise related in Scripture as the speech of one to another which in so few words hath so much variation Let us compare the two Evangelists In the Preface and 3 first Petitions they agree in the latter part there is difference Matth. Petit. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Petit 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And then the whole Doxology recorded by Matthew is omitted by Luke Now had Christ intended th●s as a standing form to be used in the words and syllables of it these imspired penmen surely should not have diff●red one tittle from each other in the recording and relating of it 3. Had it been intended as a standing form to be constantly used the Apostles would have so used it and have prescribed it to others Wee have divers prayers of theirs recorded as Act. 4. 24-32 Eph. 1. 16 c. but there is not the least hint of their using this form Not doe they in their directions about prayer injoyn this as necessary muchless as the only form to be used Eph. 6. 18. wee are taught to Pray with all manner of prayer and supplication in the Spirit c. and 1 Tim. 2. 1. where the Apostle instructs Timothy concerning publick prayers yet there is no intimation given of the necessity of using this which doubtless hee would have done had it been the mind of our Saviour that it should have been a constant form 4. The nature and brevity of it shews that it was rather intended as a Directory then as a form of prayer it doth not comprehend such particular confessions of sins to be confessed or enumeration of the good things wee are to beg or evils wee are to deprecate as is requisite in prayer But as the Commandments contain the summe and Epitome of mans duty comprehending under one Species or kind of sin or duty the whole Genus so this platform suggests the generall heads of prayer to which infinite particulars are reducible and though we find nothing in any of the prayers of Gods children recorded in Scripture but what is reducible to some of these heads yet wee find them more particular in their Confessions Petitions and Thanksgivings See Ez● 6. Nehem. 9. Dan. 9. 2 Chron. 20. and many of the Psalms 5. The very nature and ends of prayer may evince this for though in reference to God wee need not particularize in confessions or petitions hee knows before wee speak and better then wee can tell what our Sins and wants are Yet in reference to our selves 't is necessary Are not particular confessions of sin a great evidence of our Sincerity in confessing and a singular help to humble and affect us as Joshuah to Achan Josh 7. 19. My Son give I pray thee glory to the God of Israel and make confession unto him God is