Part 2
(1.) Presenting objects to their minds fit to rouse it up; and so he acts as a teaching Spirit; John 14:26, "He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you." Corruption thrives most in darkness, because it belongs to the kingdom of darkness. But light let into the soul stirs up grace, therefore it is called the light of life, John 8:12. Thus the Spirit presenting a man's sin to him in its ugly colours, stirs up the grace of repentance, Psalm 51:3; discovering the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ, it excites love; and discovering the creature in its emptiness, excites contempt of the world. And this is a great help, for,
(1.) We are apt to forget these things when we have most need to mind them; as to forget human frailty and divine might, when there is greatest need of confidence in the Lord, against the terror of man; and the Spirit in that case is the believer's remembrancer, and so excites grace; Isa. 51:12, 13, "I, even I, am he that comforteth you; who art thou, that thou shouldst be afraid of a man that shall die, and of the son of man which shall be made as grass? and forgettest the Lord thy maker, that hath stretched forth the heavens and laid the foundations of the earth? and hast feared continually every day, because of the fury of the oppressor as if he were ready to destroy? And where is the fury of the oppressor?" Our weakness in such points makes us need a monitor, being often like Hagar, whose eyes
saw not the well, though it was very near by, until God opened them, Gen. 21:19. So that when such a thing is suggested, one is often made to wonder how they saw it not.
(2.) When we do mind them, we cannot command a lively sight of them, without the blowing of the Spirit, Hos. 8:12. They lie before our eyes as so many dry bones, till the Spirit set them in motion, by setting them in a due light. Joseph's brethren could not forget that they had been guilty concerning him, nor David that he had sinned in the matter of Uriah; but till the Spirit set these things in another light to them, they were not moved to repent.
(2.) By touching their hearts and affections, and immediately bringing them forth into exercise. Thus the sleeping spouse was awakened; Cant. 5:4, "My Beloved put in his hand by the hole of the door, and my bowels were moved for him." And so he acts as a quickening Spirit. The hearts of men are in the hand of the Lord, to turn them what way he will; and so he moves them by a touch in common things, as he did the band of men that went with Saul to Gibeah, "whose hearts God had touched," 1 Sam. 10:26; and he also moves them by a touch in gracious actions, as the spouse found; Cant. 6:12, "Or ever I was aware, my soul made me like the chariots of Ammi-nadib. As the thaw wind makes the frozen waters to flow amain, and the air in the bellows blows up the fire; so there is an influence of the Spirit on the hearts of believers, opening them in the exercise of grace, Phil. 2:13. This is a great help to believers; for,
(1.) Their hearts are oft-times very dead within them, when called to duty, either doing or suffering, Cant. 5:2, 3, "I sleep, but my heart waketh: it is the voice of my Beloved that knocketh, saying, Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled: for my head is filled with dew, and my locks with the drops of the night. I have put off my coat, how shall I put it on! I have washed my feet, how shall I defile them?" Their affections are flat, and their souls indisposed for spiritual action. But when the Spirit touches their hearts, they are
fitted for duty; their spiritual life is brought forth into liveliness and activity, Psalm 80:18, "Quicken us, and we will call upon thy name.
[2.] They can by no art of theirs remove their deadness of heart and affections, 2 Cor. 3:5, but they will lie windbound in the harbour, till the Spirit blow. They may be long toiling in rowing in the use of means, and yet be still but where they were, for all they can do. But the influences of the Spirit rising and filling their sails, they will presently make way, Cant. 6:12.
Now, this double action of presenting to their minds, and touching their hearts, whereby the Spirit excites grace, is signified to us by comparing the Spirit to fire, which has both light and heat with it, Matth. 3:11. And there is a twofold mean the Spirit makes use of for that purpose, viz. the word and providence, of which afterwards.
3dly, He strengthens and increases grace in them, Eph. 3:16, "That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might, by his Spirit in the inner man." Grace is a heavenly seed capable of growth, 2 Pet. 3 ult., and so admits of various degrees of strength, not only in different persons, in respect of which some are little children, others youths, others fathers, 1 John 2 but in the same person at different times, Is. 40 ult, "They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength." And indeed of its own nature it is a growing thing, as a seed; grace hath a seminal virtue in it, that fits it for growing and receiving more strength, John 4:14. Meanwhile the seed will not grow unless it be watered from above; so grace grows not, but by the influence of the Spirit, Hos. 14:5, "I will be as the dew unto Israel: he shall grow as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon." Now the Spirit doth strengthen and increase grace,
(1.) By frequent exciting it into action. The habits of grace, as well as others, are strengthened by the repeated exercise of them. The more it shines, it shines the brighter, Prov. 4:18. It is for this cause that God has bound converts also to the hearing of the word, whereby
their graces are brought forth into one act after another, as the object is still anew proposed; and for this cause he trysts his people with a variety of incidents, afflictions, and trials, which bring their graces into frequent exercise, whereby at length they become strong.
(2.) By bringing forth into exercise one grace, he strengthens the rest, 2 Pet. 1:5, 8, "And besides this, giving all diligence, add to your faith, virtue; and to virtue, knowledge; and to knowledge, temperance: and to temperance, patience; and to patience, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren, nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ." As a mason by laying on a new stone in his wall, fastens the rest under it; or the sheaves of corn stand the more firmly, that one is set at the side of another; so one grace is still the better of another joined to it in the exercise thereof. So humility strengthens meekness and patience, love strengthens obedience in all points, and faith strengthens altogether; like a band or keystone in an arch, the more firm it is, the firmer is the whole arch; so the Spirit, by bringing forth one grace in the believer's heart after another, strengthens the whole collection, and makes it the more firm and steady.
(3.) By affording them Christian experiences, whereby they find the truth and reality of what they have believed, and the blessed sensible advantage of the exercise of grace, Rom. 5:3, 4, 5, "We glory in tribulations also, knowing that tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope; and hope maketh not ashamed, because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts, by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us." Experienced Christians are therefore always the strongest Christians, even as the spoil got in one battle helps the soldier to fight the more stoutly in the next, 1 Sam. 17:36, 2 Tim. 4:17, 18. Former experiences are the traveller to Zion's way-marks in dark steps, and his cordials in difficult ascents. Every taste of divine goodness and grace refreshes and strengthens. Now it is the Spirit that gives these experiences, John 16:14, "He shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you."
(4.) By immediate supplies of grace, Phil. 1:19, "I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ." As the lamp is preserved from going out, and is caused to burn more vigorously, by new oil poured in; so grace is strengthened by the Spirit giving new supplies thereof, Isa. 44:3, 4. Hence the Spirit is said to "build us for an habitation to God," Eph. 2 ult. He works the first grace; and all the intermediate supplies of it, and the perfecting of it, are his, Psalm 138 ult, "The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me." Now, this is a great help; for,
[1.] Weighty is the work that lies to the believer's hand; doing work, suffering work. The Christian life is no easy life, however men that go no further than the outside of it, may make it so to themselves. It is a striving, taking by force, running, labouring, fighting, &c. How could it be managed, without the helps of the Spirit?
[2.] Great is the opposition that they must work against, Eph. 6:12, "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." The wind will be blowing in their face from hell at all times; and sometimes they will meet with violent storms. How could they stand against it, if the Spirit did not help?
[3.] Weak are the hands that work is put into, that has all that opposition. There is a feebleness natural to them, that makes them oft bang down. How could they ever do that work maugre so much opposition, without the helps of the Spirit?
The means which the Spirit of God makes use of to preserve, excite, and strengthen grace in believers, and so to help them, are two.
1. Providences; Psalm 92:4, "For thou, Lord, hast made me glad through thy work; I will triumph in the works of thy hands." The kingdom of providence is put into the hand of the Mediator, for the behoof of the kingdom of grace; and he guides it by his Spirit. The
wheels of providence are managed by the Spirit; Ezek. 1:20, and so managed as to help believers in their infirmities. And here two things are especially to be noticed,
(1.) Seasonable turns of the wheel of providence, whereby the believer's wain is often kept up when it is at the oversetting; 1 Cor. 10:13, "God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it." Psalm 94:18, "When I said, My foot slippeth; thy mercy, O Lord, held me up." Thus many times the believer is brought to an extremity, as Isaac when the knife was at his throat, when providence seasonably interposes for his relief and outgate; Psalm 125:3.
(2.) Seasonable intermixtures of providence. Thus the Spirit intermixes encouraging dispensations with difficult duties, Judg. 7:13, 14., merciful incidents with their sharp afflictions; and, on the other hand, afflicting incidents with their prosperity; and all that they may neither be swallowed op with adversity, nor destroyed with prosperity.
2. Ordinances, Isa. 12:3, "Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation." These are instituted by the King of Zion, for the special means of grace, whereby his Spirit is to work, and to render them effectual. And the experience believers have of the Spirit's helping their infirmities by these, makes them very precious in their sight. And among these there are two especially used for this end.
1st, The sacraments. They are exciting and strengthening ordinances particularly, and consequently preservative of grace. The eunuch's experience witnesseth this as to baptism, Acts 8:39, he "went on his way rejoicing." And the Lord's supper is "the communion of the body and blood of Christ," 1 Cor. 10:16., which, by the Spirit's working, has been to the experience of many a great help.
2dly, The word. This is the most special mean. Providence has its efficacy from the word, and so have the sacraments. It is their continual mean of help, their every-day's meal, which they can go to when providence is most lowring, and sacramental occasions offer not. And the Spirit uses it for their help three ways.
(1.) Preached, 1 Cor. 1:21, "It pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe." This affords to the attentive believer a continued occasion of the exercise of his faith and love, while a variety of spiritual truths and objects are represented to him, in their turn; which the Spirit makes use of to draw forth his graces into exercise. Whence believers go away instructed, warmed, strengthened, in a word, edified, by reason of so many actings of grace, during their hearing, like the two disciples going to Emmaus, when they said, "Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?" Luke 24:32.
(2.) Read, 1 Tim. 4:13, "Till I come, give attendance to reading." This has the same advantages attending it. Thereby the Spirit of God speaks immediately to the believer by his own word in his own express terms. And the experience of the usefulness of this mean has made saints prize their Bibles as their life.
(3.) Suggested, John 14:26, "He shall bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you." The bringing of the word to mind with a man is the office of the Spirit; and by that means he helps believers' infirmities, bringing a word suitable to their case, into their remembrance, whether to clear them in doubts, comfort them under pressures, direct them in difficulties, or check them for their debordings, &c. And herein he uses often the very words of the Bible, always what is the sense and doctrine of the Bible. And,
[1.] Sometimes the Spirit barely suggests the word to the mind without any peculiar light about it, or power impressing it, John
14:26, just cited. Thus it is presented as an object for the believer to act faith on, and is a call to look up to the Spirit to enlighten it and help to believe it, Acts 8:30–31. And thus a word at first coming in this way, comes afterwards to be illuminated by the Spirit's shining on it to the man.
[2.] Sometimes there is a peculiar light and power that comes along with it at the very first, clearly holding out the meaning of it, and impressing it so on their hearts, that they must needs believe and embrace it, John 2:17, "And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up." There were many Old Testament passages speaking more clearly of Christ which they understood not, but the Spirit thus suggested this to them.
Meanwhile it is to be observed, that all suggestions of the word are not from the Spirit of God. That Satan may suggest scripture to a man, is evident from Matth. 4:6. Therefore is that warning, 1 John 4:1, "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God; because many false prophets are gone out into the world." But the cloven foot may be discerned in such cases two ways.
[1.] They are always of a tendency to drive sinners away from Christ, 1 John 4:2, 3, "Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh, is of God. And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh, is not of God. And they tend to drive out of the road of duty, Matth. 4:6, "And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee, and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone." This was the design of the testimony he gave to Christ, and to his apostles; while the testimony was indeed true in itself, he gave it maliciously for an ill end. Therefore mark the tendency of suggestions of the word. Whatever tends to carry off from faith in Christ, or from any point of commanded duty, is not from the Spirit. For his work tends to faith and sanctification. Hence,
[2.] They are always applied by him contrary to their true sense and scope, forasmuch as the Lord's word cannot serve an ill purpose, unless it is wrested; as is evident from what the devil says to Christ, Matth. 4:6, above cited, compared with Psalm 91:11, 12, "For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone." And therefore the scripture-passage is to be considered, and how it agrees with other scriptures as to the sense and scope in which it is suggested, Matth. 4:7, "Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God." The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth, and leads to the true sense and scope of scripture, John 16:13.
I add one observe more on the means, namely, that sometimes the Spirit helps believers' infirmities, by a particular providence trysting the word to their case. This often comes to pass in hearing the word preached, while the word in its ordinary course is brought directly to what is their case in the time; so that it is like the Midianite's telling his dream, Judg. 7:13, while Gideon, unknown to him, was overhearing; or they are providentially led to such a place, where such a word suitable to their case is handled, Cant 3:3. The same particular providence appears often in the reading of the word, whether at family worship, or in secret, or by some providential casting of it in one's way. I think it dangerous to make a fortune-book of the Bible, as some under temptation have opened the Bible, to know their case by the first word that should cast up to them. This is an unwarrantable and dangerous practice, though a merciful God may sometimes condescend to outshoot the devil in his own bow as in the case of her who threw the glass at the wall, and it broke not. But when people are thus met in the way of their duty, or surprised, with a word suited to their case, the work of the Spirit is to be owned in it, as an accomplishment of the promise, Isa. 30:21, "Thine ear shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left." Certainly the Spirit gives instruction, reproof, invitations, to unbelievers this way; and much more helps the infirmities of his
people the same way, for so the word is in its true use, 2 Tim. 3:16, 17, "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. And this should recommend the reading of the word of God in an ordinary.
I shall now make some short improvement of this doctrine.
USE 1. Of information. This teaches us and shews,
1. That believers owe their spiritual strength and comfort to the same hand that they owe their spiritual life to. As the mother who brought forth the child nurses it with her own breasts; so the Spirit, who is to the elect the Spirit of life to quicken them lying dead in sin, is likewise the Comforter to strengthen them under their infirmities when spiritually alive, John 6:63, and 16:13; compare Psalm 138, ult.
2. The Lord calls none of his people to any duty, but they may get it done acceptably, however difficult it is. For the help of his own Spirit is their allowance; Phil. 4:13, "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." Here is the great difference betwixt those under the law and under grace. The law or covenant of works exacts duty rigidly, but affords no help; the covenant of grace affords the promise of help with the command; for the latter is, but the former is not, the ministration of the Spirit, 2 Cor. 3:8.
3. How that gospel-paradox; 2 Cor. 12:10, "When I am weak, then am I strong," is so often verified in the experience of the saints. Many a time when they are strong and well buckled in all appearance for a work, it miscarries; why, they do not go out of themselves in a way of believing, and so the Spirit withdraws. At other times they see themselves quite out of case and ability to manage such a work, and yet it succeeds; why, the Spirit comes in to their help, while they are sensible of need.
Use II. Of reproof. It may reach a reproof,
1. To believers sometimes venturing on duties, more in confidence of their own abilities, than of the Spirit's help, as Peter did when he said, "Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended," Matth. 26:33. This is the cause that the duty is marred; the bow so bended cannot miss to break. It is sometimes marred as to the very getting it done, and always as to its acceptance with God.
2. To unbelievers, who neither have the Spirit, nor are careful to have him dwelling in them, and influencing them. Their best works are dead works, having nothing of the quickening and sanctifying Spirit in them; and they themselves are but natural men spiritually dead, Jude 19. Whatever flourish they make with their gifts in duties, their best duties will no more be accepted of God than carrion, or a beast that died of itself would have been accepted on the altar.
3. To those who press on men still this and the other duty, without leading them to Jesus Christ for his Spirit and grace. This is another gospel, that will never make men holy, Gal. 3:2, for it is not the ministration of the Spirit. And the same veil they cast over the Spirit and grace of Christ, they will always be found to cast over the corruption of man's nature too, that they may with some decency say to every man, Physician, heal thyself.
USE III. Of exhortation. And, 1. To natural men void of the Spirit. Be concerned to get the Spirit first to quicken you, and then to assist and help you. Ye can do nothing acceptable to God in that state; and no wonder, for ye have not the gracious help of the Spirit, without which ye can have no access to God, Eph. 2:18. So ye and your works are both dead carcases before him.
Therefore come to Christ in the way of believing; for the fulness of the Spirit is lodged in him to be communicated, Rev. 3:1. So uniting with him, ye shall receive the Spirit. The fire that was set to the incense, was brought from the altar of burnt-offering. See John 20:22, and Gen. 2:7.
2. To believers. (1.) Let this comfort you under, and reconcile you to, the state of infirmities, wherewith ye are compassed; 2 Cor. 12:9, 10. Though sinless infirmities are not to be desired, and sinful ones are much to be lamented; yet it is matter of rejoicing, that in these the Spirit gives sweet experience of his help.
(2.) Learn to look habitually for the help of the Spirit under your infirmities. While ye consider what ye have to do or bear, it is reasonable you cast one eye on your infirmity, but another eye upward for the Spirit's help. And by this means you will get his help. Luke 11:13, "If ye being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children; how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?"
DOCTRINE III. Such is the weakness of God's own children, that they have not skill to manage even their addresses to God by prayer aright, without the Spirit. For we know not what we should pray for as we ought; but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us." They are like children putting their hand to a work, but with so little skill, that they must needs have one to stand over them, and direct them at every turn.
In discoursing from this point, I shall shew,
I. What is implied in this truth.
II. Wherein believers are ready, through their weakness, to mistake, go wrong, and mismanage in their prayers.
III. Lastly, Apply.
I. I shall shew what is implied in this truth. It implies,
1. That they are not of themselves able for what is to be done and borne in the Christian life; 2 Cor. 3:5. So far from it, that they do not well know what is necessary for their help, what to seek of God for that end, and how to seek it. If a duty is to be done, a cross to be
borne, they are at a loss there through weakness and infirmity; that sets them to their prayers: but then they are at a loss there again, they know not what, and how to ask.
2. That the children of God are all praying persons; Zech. 12:10. If they can speak at all, they will speak to God by prayer; and even when they either cannot speak, or have no access to speak, if they have the exercise of judgment, they will pray in their hearts; 1 Cor. 14:15. So the habitual neglect of prayer is none of the spots of God's people. There is no child so unnatural, as to be still in his father's presence, and never to converse with him.
3. A gift of prayer, without the Spirit of prayer, cannot be sufficient to make one right prayer, that will be acceptable to God; John 4:24. Gifts of prayer are bestowed on believers, as well as others; but still they know not what to pray for as they ought, without the Spirit prompting them. The prayer that is the mere exercise of a gift, may indeed be edifying to the hearers, but cannot be acceptable to God.
4. Nay, habitual grace is not sufficient for praying aright; for still there is a necessity of actual assistance from the Spirit; Psalm 80:18, "Quicken us, and we will call upon thy name." Life is not sufficient for making a discourse to our prince; a man may have life, and yet not be able to speak a word; but some vigour and liveliness is necessary to such a purpose. So spiritual life never departs wholly from the believer; 1 John 3:9, but it must be breathed on anew to fit him for praying; Cant. 4 ult. New influences are still necessary; hence is the promise; Isa. 27:3, "I will water it every moment."
5. Lastly, Prayers are marred so far as the Spirit of God does not assist the party in them; they are marred so far in point of acceptance with God; Eph. 2:18. As no prayer can be accepted but through Christ's intercession, so none will be offered to God by the Intercessor farther than it is the product of the influence of his own Spirit. Nadab and Abihu's hearth-fire offered with the incense, was a costly lesson of this; Lev. 10:1, 2, 3. So if, through the whole prayer,
the Spirit's assistance is wanting, the whole will be unaccepted; if in any of it, that wherein it is wanting will be so.
II. The next head is to show, wherein believers are ready, through their weakness, to mistake, go wrong, and mismanage in their prayers. They are ready to do so both in the matter and manner of them.
First, In the matter of prayer, "We know not what to pray for." Even the things to be prayed for, they are not so well versed in them, but they are ready to go wrong therein. So that they need the Spirit's teaching, to tell them and make them take up their errand, when they are going and come to God in prayer; they need to be set right, and kept right in the very matter of prayer. Their weakness in this point appears, in that,
1. They are apt to pray against their own mercy. Thus did Job, chap. 6:8, 9, "O that I might have my request; and that God would grant me the thing that I long for! even that it would please God to destroy me; that he would let loose his hand, and cut me off." When Satan was permitted to take all from him, there was an express reserve of his life as the greatest mercy; but he prays very earnestly against it, though no doubt at long-run Job blessed God from his heart that he did not hear him in that. We are so weak, that in God's dispensations many times we take our friends for our foes, and call what is for our good, evil, as Jacob did when he said, "All these things are against me," Gen. 42:36.
2. They are apt to seek what is not so good as God has a mind to give them; 2 Cor. 12:8, 9, "For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee." To be freed from the messenger of Satan was good, but to have God's grace poured in sufficiently to maintain the combat, was better. And therefore Paul upon reflection takes God's way to have been better than what he himself proposed, ver. 9, "Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of
Christ may rest upon me." Narrow asking ofttimes makes narrow receiving. It fares with believers sometimes as with Joash; 2 Kings 13:18, 19, "Elisha said unto him, Take the arrows; and he took them. And he said unto the king of Israel, Smite upon the ground; and he smote thrice, and stayed. And the man of God was wroth with him, and said, Thou shouldst have smitten five or six times, then hadst thou smitten Syria till thou hadst consumed it; whereas now thou shalt smite Syria but thrice." They are straitened in their own bowels in asking, and therefore they come not speed.
3. They are apt to seek what would be for their hurt. So did Jonah, when he wished in himself to die, and said, it is better for me to die than to live; chap 4:8. It would have been very ill for Jonah to have died in such a bad frame and temper of spirit, as he was then in. And if God had struck him immediately, it is like he would immediately have changed his note. David prayed for the life of the child, 2 Sam. 12:16, but God took it away, for it would have been a living blot upon him. As a foolish child seeks a knife to play with, which he can do nothing with, but hurt himself; so we are apt to seek from God, what in mercy he keeps from us.
4. They are apt to seek food for their corrupt lusts and affections; Matth. 20:20, 21, "Then came to him the mother of Zebedee's children, with her sons, worshipping him, and desiring a certain thing of him. And he said unto her, What wilt thou? She saith unto him, Grant that these my two song may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on the left in thy kingdom." James and John were tickled with a lust of ambition, and they seek honour to satisfy it. And it is God's goodness to his people in such a case, not to do with them as he did with the lusting Israelites; Psalm 106:15, "He gave them their request, but sent leanness into their soul." Men may go wrong here, and not see their error, till the Lord correct it; for they may take lust for love; Luke 9:54, 55, and so seek to feed their enemies whom they should starve.
5. They are apt, through ignorance or inadvertency, not to pray for what they really need for their case; as the children of Israel, when they "went up to the house of God, and asked counsel of God, and said, which of us shall go up first to the battle against the children of Benjamin?" Judg. 20:18. To pray for God's presence with them, was not in their head; but that they really needed it, they afterwards felt to their cost. Many sad experiences praying people may have of this, which may shew the need of the Spirit's assistance. Hence general and formal prayers, little suited to the particular cases and exigences of the party; which is but trifling in so solemn and serious a matter as prayer to God.
6. Though they do know and advert to it before they go to prayer, they are ready to forget it in the time. There is a forgetting of particular petitions designed or coming of course, which is an effect of the Spirit's influence; in that case the forgotten petition is from one's own spirit, not from the Spirit of God, as in the instance of the prodigal son, Luke 15, what he designed to say to his father, ver. 19, "Make me as one of thy hired servants," when be came to him, he forgets, ver. 21. There is such a forgetting which is an effect of our own weakness; in that case the petition forgotten is from the Spirit of God, the forgetting it from ourselves, Heb. 2:1.
Thus going to God sometimes, we forget much of our errand, whether by wandering of heart or being left to ourselves in the matter. In a word,
7. Lastly, They are apt to pray for things not agreeable to the will of God, that there is neither precept nor promise for. The many petitions in which they are not heard evince this; because "if we ask anything according to his will he heareth us," 1 John 5:14. There is so much remains of corruption in the best, that it is hard even in our prayers to keep within the compass of what is agreeable to his will.
I shall now endeavour to assign the reasons why God's own children are so apt to mistake and go wrong, even in the matter of prayer.
The great reason is, the remains of darkness that are on the minds of the best, while here; Job 37:19, "Teach us what we shall say unto him; for we cannot order our speech by reason of darkness." It is true, God's children are not in midnight darkness, but their light is but a twilight, in which they are apt to mistake their way. And the more sensible they are of this, the more need they will find of the Spirit's help in prayer. More particularly, we know not what we should pray for, but are ready to go wrong in the matter of prayer,
1. Because we have at best but little knowledge of our own case; and no wonder that they who are not thoroughly acquainted with the nature of the disease mistake as to the remedy. The blind man, Mark 8:22–25, is an emblem of the natural man, the true convert, and the glorified saint. The child of God while here, "sees but in part," 1 Cor. 13:12. Every believer is a mystery, Cant. 3:6, a mystery to the world, a mystery to himself. There are many folds and plies in his case, which he himself cannot unfold; plies of grace, sin, temptation, danger, &c.
2. Little knowledge of what is good and best for us, Gen. 42:36. We see the weakness of understanding in children makes them often to desire of parents what really is not for them; even so it is with God's children, and therefore it is fatherly love that denies some of their petitions; as in the case of Job, Jonah, and others. We are apt to think that that is best for us that is most pleasant and most easy, but that is often a very deceitful rule.
3. Little acquaintance with the word, particularly the commands and the promises, the measure of our petitions. There is much need of the Spirit's help in that matter, John 14:26. We are ready to measure our petitions rather by our own inclinations than by the word; and many read the Bible often, that have but very little skill of making a practical improvement thereof in their prayers, Mark 10:35, 37.
4. We are apt to take the subtle cravings of lust for the cravings of grace or innocent affection, Luke 9:54, 55. And thence good people unwittingly are made intercessors for their spiritual enemies; which,
if they did discern, they would confess their error, and retract their request. Sin dwells in the believer together with grace, and that so closely that the language of the one is often taken for that of the other.
5. Believers are liable to prejudices and wrong notions of things, which they have drunk in from their education, manner of life in the world, &c. Such was the disciples' notion of the temporal kingdom of Christ, that was the spring of that rash petition of James and John; Mark 10:37, "Grant unto us that we may sit, one on thy right hand, and the other on thy left hand in thy glory." Such was that of the case of Gentiles among the believing Jews, that was the spring of the offence taken at Peter; Acts 11:2, 3," They that were of the circumcision contended with him, saying, Thou wentest in to men uncircumcised, and didst eat with them." An erring conscience will mislead men under pretence of divine authority, John 16:2; Acts 26:9. No wonder then it form wrong requests in prayer, Luke 9:54.
6. Lastly, They are subject to much confusion in prayer, both through natural and spiritual indisposition, Psalm 77:4. Hence they are ready as Job did, chap. 38:2, "to darken counsel by words without knowledge." The exercise of their very gift is not always ready at hand with them, far less the exercise of their grace. An influence of the Spirit is necessary both for the one and the other. And when it is wanting, so that they are in no case for praying, no wonder they know not what to pray for.
Secondly, Believers are ready to go wrong in the manner of prayer; "We know not what we should pray for as we ought." It is not in vain our Lord gave his disciples a direction in that point; Matth. 6:9, "After this manner pray ye," &c. The prayer may be right as to the matter, that yet may be mismanaged in the manner of performance, 1 Chron. 15:13. And therefore there is need of the Spirit's help in this point too; not only to teach us what, but how to pray. Their weakness in this point appears, in that,
1. They are apt to slip the best season for managing their address before the throne. Thomas missed an opportunity of communion with Christ, that left him under the feet of unbelief, while the rest were delivered from theirs, John 20:24, 25. The best season is, when the signal is given from heaven to the petitioner, to come forward; sometimes the door is as it were cast open to him, and there is a sign given by some inward motion of the Spirit, or some providential call moving him to come forward. The spouse missed this; Cant. 5:2, 3, "I sleep, but my heart waketh," &c., and she smarted for it; ver. 6, "I opened to my Beloved, but my Beloved had withdrawn himself, and was gone; my soul failed when he spoke: I sought him but I could not find him; I called him, but he gave me no answer."
Moses was very careful to fall in with it immediately; Exod. 34:8, 9, "And Moses made haste, and bowed his head toward the earth, and worshipped. And he said, If now I have found grace in thy sight, O Lord, let my Lord, I pray thee, go amongst us (for it is a stiff-necked people) and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for thine inheritance."
2. They are apt to enter on prayer with a temper of spirit very unfit for such a holy exercise; being either entangled with worldly cares, or discompesed with unruly passions, Luke 21:34; 1 Tim. 2:8. They both make the Spirit of a man like troubled water, unfit to receive the image of the sun, unfit for divine communications. Jonah's prayer behoved to be marred when he was in a fret. Therefore the apostle exhorts married persons to take heed to their behaviour one towards another, that their prayers might not be hindered, 1 Pet.3:7, nothing being more apt to do it than domestic jars, Mal. 2:13.
3. They are apt to be formal, lifeless, and coldrife in prayer, Cant. 3:1; Rev. 3:2. We are called to be "fervent in spirit, serving the Lord." But even where the fire of grace is in the hearth, unless it be blown up by the influence of the Spirit of God, the prayers will be mismanaged, Psalm 80:18. There will be bands of iniquity on the heart which they
will not be able to loose, more than to dissolve the ice with their breath; but "where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is the liberty."
4. Their hearts are apt to wander in duty, and will do so if the Spirit fix them not. Therefore David prays, "Unite my heart to fear thy name," Psalm 86:11. When Abraham had divided the carcasses, the fowls came down on them; so when one is conversing with God, evil spirits will be at work, to cast in something that may divert him from the present duty, Rom. 7:21. Many a prayer is lost this way, while the heart steals away after some other thing than what it should then be on.
5. They are apt to content themselves with exercising their gift, without exercising their grace. Therefore Paul warns the Ephesians, chap. 6:18, "to pray always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and to watch thereunto with all perseverance." Hence many petitions, confessions, thanksgivings, all of them just; yet lost for want of suitable affections coming along with them. For it is the exercise of praying graces, reverence, faith, love, humility, &c., and not the exercise of praying gifts without them, that is pleasing to God.
6. They are apt to disproportion their concern to the weight of the matters they pray for. This is carefully guarded against in the Lord's prayer, Matth. 6:9, &c., where the glory of God has the first place, and there is but one petition for temporals, and two for spirituals. But how ready are we to be more concerned for our own interest, than for the honour of God; more fervent for temporal than for spiritual mercies? This makes the prayers like the legs of the lame that are not equal, the affection being disproportioned to the matter.
7. They are apt to be too peremptory in circumstances, without leaving a due latitude to sovereignty. That is limiting the holy One of Israel. This is often done as to time, the timing of mercies, in which we are too apt to take upon us to prescribe to the sovereign manager, John 2:3, 4, as to the manner of bringing about a mercy, which,
short-sighted as we are, we are very ready to determine. And the same may be said as to the measure of mercies.
8. They are apt to mix their own wild fire with the holy fire in prayer. So did the disciples, Mark 4:38, when they say, "Master, carest thou not that we perish?" The language of passion is sometimes mixed with the language of grace in the prayers of saints; which when they discern, they will be ready to correct, Psalm 77:7–10. Hence there are expressions of saints unto God, recorded in scripture, not for our imitation, but for our warning of this corrupt bias of the heart; as Job 30:21, "Thou art become cruel to me; with thy strong hand thou opposest thyself against me." Jer. 15:18, "Why is my pain perpetual? and my wound incurable, which refuseth to be healed? wilt thou be altogether unto me as a liar, and as waters that fail?" These he looks on as the ravings of his sick children.
9. They are apt to lay too much weight of their acceptance in their prayers, on what will bear none of it. It is certain, that there is nothing will bear any weight of that, but the merit and intercession of Jesus Christ; Rev. 8:4. But the natural bias of the heart lies another way, to lay weight on the very performance of the duty, and the way how it is performed, as with such affection, pointedness, length, nay the very voice, as insignificant a thing as it is before the Lord. Hence our Lord cautions against "using vain repetitions" in prayer, "as the Heathen do; for they think (says he) that they shall be heard for their much speaking;" Matth. 6:7. And that the Heathen laid much stress on a loud voice in prayer, appears from what Pharaoh says to Moses; Exod. 9:28, (Heb.) Make ye supplication to the Lord, and much, i. e. Make much supplication. Compare 1 Kings 18:28, where it is said of Baal's prophets, that "they cried aloud." There are remains of that legal bias in the hearts of God's own children; Matth. 19:27. And it is only by the Spirit that saints are brought to lay their whole weight on Jesus Christ; Eph. 2:18; Phil. 3:3. Otherwise their deceitful hearts will be found disposed to slip aside that way, they being very ready to believe the acceptance of some fluent prayer of theirs, and hard to
believe the acceptance of one that goes not so fluently though seriously; yet the blood of Jesus is still the same security.
10. Lastly, They are apt to faint and give over, upon the Lord's delaying to answer; whereas it is a chief piece of right management of business at the court of heaven, resolutely to insist and hang on, Luke 18:1, 8. We are naturally hasty, and long trials are apt to run us out of breath. There is need of much faith, that patience may have her perfect work; and that is not to be reached without the help of the Spirit; Rom. 15:13.
I shall now give the reasons why believers are so apt to go wrong in the manner of prayer. They are the following:—
1. Because of the sublimity of the work, that is so far above our reach, that we can by no means know how to manage it, but as we are taught by him with whom we have to do in it. To say a prayer in a formal uttering of words, is no such hard work indeed. But rightly to manage an address at the throne of heaven, on which sits the Sovereign Majesty; and that about the weightiest of all concerns, is such sublime work, that it passes the skill of the greatest orator on earth to do it without the Spirit; Eccl. 5:1, 2. Were any of us to go on business to our earthly king, would we not need to be directed by some knowing the way of the court? How much more do we need direction from the Holy Spirit in our addresses to the throne of grace?
2. Because of the remains of corruption that yet hang about them; Rom. 7:24. This is a clog at their heels at all times, and will not miss to exert itself in holy duties, ver. 21, "When I would do good, evil is present with me." There is much darkness yet in the minds of the best, as to spiritual things; no wonder they know not how to pray as they ought. Much perverseness there is in the will, both with respect to God's precepts and providences. There is much carnality and disorder in the affections, as they all soundly feel, that are concerned to get the heart fit for praying, kept right in it, and kept right after it.
3. Because there is a subtile adversary busy to mar them in that their work; Zech. 3:1. He well knows that all the hope in their case is from the divine help; and therefore while they are before the throne of mercy, he will bestir himself effectually to mar their application. He is an enemy to prayer, and therefore he will keep back from it if he can; if he cannot, he will do his utmost to mar it.
4. Lastly, Because of the weakness of grace in them. Grace disposes men to pray; Zech 12:10. But the weakness of that grace leaves them in hazard of mismanaging in it. Sometimes it is not in exercise; at best it is but weak, and mixed with corruption, in the struggle with which it will be overcome, if the spirit come not in to its help.
I shall now make some practical improvement.
This doctrine may be of use, both unto strangers to God, and to his own children. And,
FIRST, Ye that are strangers to God, yet in your natural state, without the Spirit, and therefore children of Satan, we may take you up in these two sorts to be spoken to, viz. prayerless natural persons, and praying natural persons.
First, Prayerless natural unconverted persons, such as are living in the state they were born in, and withal living without praying to the God that made them. I have two things to say to you from this doctrine.
1. Learn from it, that this prayerless life of yours declares your case a very sad one. It declares you,
(1.) None of God's children; for whatever mismanagements of it they fall into, they all practise the duty of prayer. So of you that is verified: Deut. 32:5, "Their spot is not the spot of his children." And if so, ye are the children of the devil; John 8:44, of the family of hell. And his possession of you remains undisturbed to this day, since ye have never been so far awakened, as to set you to, and keep you at prayer.
(2.) Without the Spirit of God; Jude 19. And being without the Spirit, ye are spiritually dead in sin; for so are all naturally; Eph. 2:1, and it is "the Spirit that quickeneth;" John 6:63. So that whosoever are without the Spirit are dead still. You are then dead souls in living bodies. It is plain you are dead, for your speech is laid, your senses are gone, there is no moving nor breathing towards God in you, and the Spirit of life is departed from you.
2. Be exhorted from it to reform. And,
(1.) Set about prayer, 1 Thess. 5:17. Remember ye are God's creatures, and therefore obliged to worship him. Ye are men, and not beasts, and therefore should distinguish yourselves from them by religion, Isa. 46:8. Ye have souls that will not die, and therefore ye should be concerned to pray for them, that ye live not in eternal misery.
(2.) Be concerned to partake of the Spirit, and come to Christ for that end, who "hath the seven Spirits of God," Rev. 3:1. Ye say ye cannot pray. If the Spirit of Christ were in you, it would not be so, Zech. 12:10, Gal. 4:6. Ye say ye have no time for prayer, or ye have no place to pray in. If the Spirit of Christ were in you, ye would have a heart to pray; and if ye had the heart for it, ye would find both time and place.
Secondly, Praying natural unconverted persons. People may be praying persons, and yet in the gall of bitterness, and none of God's children; praying persons, and yet profane, Isa. 1:15, 16; formal hypocrites, Matth. 23:14, 27, 28. They may have a gift of prayer, that are void of the spirit and grace of prayer. To such I would say from this doctrine, Then,
1. Certainly ye can pray none at all aright; an evidence of which is, All your prayers are rejected of God, Prov. 15:8, John 9:31. If God's own children cannot pray aright without the Spirit, how is it possible ye should do so, who neither have the Spirit, nor yet are children of God? If the weak man cannot go without help, sure the man void of
life cannot move at all. View your own case in the case of the true saint, and think, if it be so in the green tree, what must it be in the dry? They are God's children, yet cannot pray aright to their Father without the Spirit; how much less can ye who are none of his family, and therefore never have the Spirit? They always have the Spirit dwelling in them as a Spirit of life, yet cannot pray aright without actual influence from him; how, then, can ye ever pray aright, who are so far from his actual influence, that he is not so much as in you, since ye are not in Christ? Hence,
(1.) Your praying, though continued never so many years, without coming to Christ by faith, is but like so many ciphers, which being without a figure at their head, the value is just nought. There is never one right or acceptable prayer among them all, Heb. 11:6. They are all lost labour. And such a life of duties is but a wandering in the wilderness of duties, like Israel's wandering forty years in the wilderness, where they died at length, and never entered Canaan.
(2.) All your prayers are turned to sin, Psalm 109:7. If ye have never prayed aright, ye have always prayed wrong, spilled and marred that duty, profaned that holy ordinance. And so what ye reckon so much praying to God, God will reckon so much taking of his name in vain, for which he will not hold you guiltless. Wherefore let praying persons look well to their state.
2. Think not much of your gifts of prayer, for a gift of prayer will go short way before God. If it were never such a ready, full, and taking gift, it cannot make a man pray one petition aright without the Spirit, John 4:24. Yet how are men puffed up with such a gift, that have it, and have not grace to keep them humble under it? They think themselves something on account of their gift, while God knows they are nothing, as being without the Spirit; for they see wherein they excel others, but see not wherein they come short of true prayer in the sight of God, Gal. 6:3, 4.
I have four things to say of a gift of prayer without the spirit of prayer.
(1.) It is a "good gift" of God indeed, James 1:17. But it is a left hand gift, which may be lost and taken away from him that has it now; Zech. 11 ult., "Wo to the idol shepherd that leaveth the flock: the sword shall be upon his arm, and upon his right eye: his arm shall be clean dried up, and his right eye shall be utterly darkened;" compared with John 10:12, for the prophecy relates to the Scribes and Pharisees. It is of that sort that is common to Christ's sheep and the devil's goats. The spirit of prayer is a grace-gift, a right hand gift, which can never be quite lost; Rom. 11:29, "For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance."
(2.) It may be useful to others for the profit of their souls, but in that respect it is useless to yourselves, 1 Cor. 13:1, 2, 3. Others may have communion with God in your exercise of your gift, but you yourself can have none, Prov. 15:8. Gifts are bestowed on hypocrites for the good and behoof of the saints, as the purse bearer to a young prince gets his purse filled for the needs of the prince, 1 Cor. 3:21–23. The raven, though an unclean creature, was employed to feed Elijah. The gift the carpenters had that built the ark, was of use to the saving of Noah and his family, but they themselves perished in the deluge, for all their skill of ark-building.
(3.) It cannot but be hurtful to your own souls; which hurtfulness is not from the good gift itself, but from the light and foolish heart it is lodged in, Prov. 1:32. The very gospel, 2 Cor. 2:16, is hurtful that way; yea Christ himself is a stumbling-block by that means. A man with a gift of prayer, without the Spirit, is like a ship without ballast; the more sail she has, she is in the greater danger of being overwhelmed.
(4.) You may perish for ever, for all that gift. Judas had a gift of praying doubtless given him with the gift of preaching; yet for all it he fell from his ministry, and is gone to his own place, Acts 1:25. The
light of a gift without the warmth of the Spirit of grace, serves to show the way to outer darkness. And such a gift will aggravate the condemnation of the possessor, being like a bag of gold on a drowning man, that makes him only to sink the sooner and the deeper.
3. Lastly, Come forward then another step in religion, and be concerned for a higher attainment in it, than ye have yet reached. Ye have come the length of praying, that is good, but it is not all; if ye stick there, ye perish; come forward to Christ, out of all confidence in your prayers, by believing, uniting with the Son of God. Ye have attained to the gift of prayer; come forward till ye reach the Spirit of prayer, which Christ communicates to all his members, John 1:12; with Gal. 4:6.
Secondly, Ye that are God's own children, to you I would say,
1. Surely many a mismanaged prayer hath gone through your mouths, so that ye may say, "We are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags," Isa. 64:6. So much prayer as has been made by you without the Spirit, so much mismanaged unacceptable prayer has there been, for which ye need pardon. Ye may here view,
(1.) The many prayers of yours, that have been the mere lifeless exercise of a gift without the Spirit from the beginning of them to the end. All which have been lost prayers by the lump. Since ye were acquainted with Christ, ye have kept a constant course of praying daily; but at this rate it will be found there have been many days, and perhaps weeks and months, wherein ye have prayed none at all aright and acceptably. So that if ye seek your prayers in heaven, which ye think ye have sent thither, it will be found that many of them never came there; they wanted the wings of the Spirit's influences, and so fell upon the earth, and are lost.
(2.) The many parts of some of your prayers, and some parts of the best of them, that have been the mere product of your own spirits, and not of the Spirit of God. How much of the prayer has been over many times, ere your lips have been touched with the live coal? And perhaps ere ye have done, ye have quenched the coal, provoked the Spirit to depart. And when it has been best with you, the deceitful heart has made a sinful mixture in it. At this rate seeking many a long prayer before the throne, ye would find that but a short part of it came thither; perhaps but a few sentences. For alas! the skin and dung of our sacrifices are often more bulk, than the flesh that comes on the altar.
2. Be humbled under a sense of your mismanagements in the prayers ye have prayed all along to this day; "for in many things we offend all," Jam. 3:2. See the need ye have of the blood of Christ to purge away the guilt of your prayers, and apply it by faith for that end, Rev. 7:14. Lament the too little concern ye have had to get the Spirit's help to your praying, and see for the pardon thereof.
3. Lastly, Learn that praying is a more solemn serious work than it is generally looked on to be; and that it is not such an easy thing to pray to purpose, as we are apt to imagine. Take these three warnings then.
(1.) Trust not to your gift of prayer, neither be vain of it, Prov. 3:5; 1 Cor. 1 ult. Oh! it is sad to think of that vanity, and airiness, and selfseeking that is to be found in some people's exercise of their praying gift. It is an argument that the person forgets both God and himself. And nothing can be more contrary to the help of the Spirit in prayer. The heart is deceitful in this point, and we have need to watch it.
(2,) Trust not to your frame. One may have a good frame before he go to prayer, and yet when he comes to the work, may not find his hands; hence often least is got when most is expected; because it is expected rather on what we have, than what we look for from the Spirit. A person may have a good frame in prayer, that may quickly
leave him; the wheels of the soul in swift motion may suddenly stop, 2 Tim. 2:1; Prov. 28:26.
(3) When ye go to prayer, be impressed with a sense of your inability to manage it aright, Josh. 24:19; and then, and all along in prayer, lay yourselves open, and look for the help of the Spirit. Lay the sacrifice on the altar, and look to the Lord for fire from heaven to consume it, as Elijah did, 1 Kings 18:33, 37, 38. The Spirit is that fire.
I proceed to another doctrine from the text.
DOCTRINE IV. All our praying aright is so far done by the help of the Spirit, that it is justly reckoned his work, his making intercession for us.
In handling this point, I shall shew,
I. What is to be understood by praying aright.
II. That all our praying aright is done by the help of the Spirit.
III. In what respects our praying aright is so far done by the help of the Spirit, that it is justly reckoned his work.
IV. What is the Spirit's work in our praying aright, or what his making intercession for us is.
V. Lastly, Apply the whole.
I. I am to shew what is to be understood by praying aright.
Negatively, 1. It is not praying aright in a legal sense, without any imperfection in the eye of the law, attending the prayer. There was never a prayer in the world of that sort since Adam's fall, except the prayers of the man Christ. The best prayers of the best saints have always been attended with blemishes visible to the eyes of God, though not to ours, Isa. 64:6. Such praying is our duty indeed, Matth.
5 ult., but the attainment of none in this life, by any measure of grace to be expected, Phil. 3:12.
2. It is not praying aright in a moral sense, wherein the most rigid hearer can discern nothing contrary to the precepts of morality. A prayer may be so far right as no unlawful thing may be prayed for in it, and yet may be naught, Luke 18:11. The matter may be very good, where the manner of praying spoils all. If that were enough, the book-prayers of formalists would be sufficient help, in some cases, to pray aright.
3. It is not praying aright in a rhetorical sense, a well-worded prayer, with a suitable delivery. Words, voice, and gesture are of little moment before God, 1 Sam. 16:7; 1 Cor. 2:4. It may be a right prayer, where the expression is far from being polite, where sentences are broken off before they make a complete sense; as in Psalm 6:3, "My soul is also sore vexed; but thou, O Lord, how long?" The Lord himself knows what is the mind of the Spirit, though the words do not fully express it. And where all these things are accurate and exact, the prayer may be all wrong before God: where there is not a wrong word, there may not be one right affection.
Positively, It is praying aright in an evangelical sense, so that in the eye of the gospel it passes as acceptable prayer before the throne. This implies two things.
1. Sincerity in prayer, 1 Chron. 29:17, in opposition to formality and hypocrisy, 2 Tim. 3:5; Psalm 17:1. The righteous God loveth uprightness of heart in duty, Prov. 15:8; and though there may be many blemishes in the duty, where the man is sincere in it, the Lord will regard it, notwithstanding of these blemishes. Hereby the heart is really for God as the chief good, and goes along with the tongue in prayer.
2. A perfection of parts in prayer, though not of degrees. That is to say, praying aright is,
(1.) Praying for things agreeable to God's will revealed in his word of command or promise, 1 John 5:14. Nothing can make praying for things without the compass of the command and promise, to be praying aright. For there faith has nothing to bottom itself upon, and "without faith it is impossible to please God." Heb. 11:6.
(2.) Praying in a right manner in a gospel-sense, Jer. 39:13, "Ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart." Hereunto are required praying graces and affections in exercise, as faith, fervency, humility, reverence and the like. These are the soul and life of prayer, whereas the expressions of the lips are but the body of it. Where these are wanting, the duty will be reckoned but bodily exercise, 1 Tim. 4:8.
Such praying is right in so far as it is acceptable in the sight of God, i. e. capable of being accepted according to the rule of the gospel. It is a sacrifice fit to be laid on God's altar; a prayer which may be put in the Mediator's hand, that through his intercession it may be actually accepted. For it is not anything in our prayers themselves for which they are accepted, but only the intercession of Christ, for the best things in them are mixed with sin. Only such prayers are fit to be put in the Mediator's hands, and he will take them off the sinner's hand to present them to the Father, and the Father will accept them at his hand; whereas other sorts of prayer, wherein the petitioner is not sincere, or where they are wrong as to the matter of them, or are not made in the right manner, they cannot come into the Mediator's hand, he will never present them for acceptance; and so it is impossible they can be accepted.
Hence it is evident that none who are out of Christ, unregenerate, unconverted, can at all pray aright, or pray as they ought. For what sincerity can be there, where converting grace has never touched? What faith, fervency, or humility can be exercised by unbelievers dead in sin, whose stony heart is not yet removed? Therefore the form of prayer, Matth. 6 begins, "Our Father," &c., shewing that none can pray aright or acceptably but God's own children, or those
who have an interest in him as their Father; and it is the Spirit that teaches them so, Gal. 4:6.
II. I am next to shew that all our praying aright is done by the help of the Spirit. This is to be understood as comprehending these two things.
1. It is done by the help of the Spirit dwelling in us, Gal. 4:6. Ye are not to think that the Spirit as an external agent helps us to pray aright; nay, but the Spirit helping to pray is as a Spirit of life, dwelling in the man as a member of Christ, 1 John 2:27. So that till we have the Spirit dwelling in us we can never pray aright.
2. It is done by the help of the indwelling Spirit actually influencing us, Gal. 4:6, "Crying, Abba, Father," i. e. so influencing us as to make us cry. Even the indwelling of the Spirit is not enough for that effect; but there is requisite an agency of the Spirit in us, whereby we may be acted in prayer, which is called "the blowing of the wind," John 3:8, Cant. 4 ult.
Now that all our praying aright is done by the help of the Spirit indwelling and influencing, is clear,
1. From scripture-testimony. The Spirit is the author of our whole sanctification, whereof praying aright is a part, 2 Thess. 2:13, particularly of all our acceptable worship, Phil. 3:3. It is by him we have access to God in worship, Eph. 2:18. And prayer by name, if of the right sort, is owing to his help, Eph. 6:18, and that as an indwelling Spirit, a Spirit of adoption, Rom. 8:15, with Gal. 4:6, and an influencing Spirit, 1 Thess. 5:17, 18, 19.
2. We are spiritually dead without the Spirit indwelling, and spiritually asleep without the Spirit influencing, Eph. 2:1, Cant. 5:2. Neither a dead man, nor a sleeping man is fit to present a supplication to the king; so neither is a dead sinner, nor a sleeping saint capable to pray aright. The former, praying, is like a ghost walking and talking; the latter, like a man speaking through his
sleep. It is the Spirit that quickens the dead soul, John 6:63, who coming to dwell in the heart makes the first resurrection; and it is he also who awakens the sleeping saint, Cant. 5:4.