useful acquaintance, but by the enlightening, instructing efficacy of the grace of the Spirit. And where this is, the mind is greatly supplied with the true matter of prayer. For when the soul hath learnt the spirituality and holiness of the law, its extent unto the inward frame and disposition of our hearts, as well as unto outward actions, and its requiring absolute holiness, rectitude, and conformity unto God at all times, and in all things; then doth it see and learn its own discrepancy from it, and coming short of it, even then when as to outward acts and duties, it is unblamable. And hence do proceed those confessions of sin in the best and most holy believers, which they who understand not these things do deride and scorn. By this means, therefore, doth the Holy Spirit help us to pray, by supplying us with the due and proper matter of supplications, even by acquainting us and affecting our hearts with the spirituality of the command, and our coming short thereof in our dispositions, and frequent inordinate actings of our minds and affections. He who is instructed herein, will on all occasions be prepared with a fulness of matter for confession and humiliation; as also, with a sense of that grace and mercy which we stand in need of with respect unto the obedience required of us.

Thirdly, He alone guides and directs believers to pray, or ask for any thing in order unto right and proper ends. For there is nothing so excellent in itself, so useful unto us, so acceptable unto God, as the matter of prayer; but it may be vitiated, corrupted, and prayer itself be rendered vain, by an application of it unto false or mistaken ends. And that in this case we are relieved by the Holy Ghost, it is plain in the text under consideration. For helping our infirmities, and teaching us what to pray for as we ought,' he maketh intercession for us according unto God,' that is, his mind or his will; ver. 27. This is well explained by Origen on the place, 'Velut si magister suscipiens ad rudimenta discipulum, et ignorantem penitus literas, ut eum docere possit et instituere, necesse habet inclinare se ad discipuli rudimenta, et ipse prius dicere nomen literæ, ut respondendo discipulus scat, et sit quodammodo magister incipienti discipulo siea loquens et ea meditans, quæ incipiens loqui debeat litari; ita et Sanctus Spiritus, ubi oppugnationibus perturbari nostrum Spiritum viderit, et nescientem

quid orare debeat secundum quod oportet, ipse velut magister orationem præmittit, quam noster spiritus (si tamen discipulus esse Sancti Spiritus desiderat) prosequatur, ipse gemitus offert quibus noster spiritus discat ingemiscere, ut repropitiet sibi Deum.'. To the same purpose speaks Damascen, lib. 4. chap. iii. and Austin in sundry places collected by Beda in his comment on this. He doth it in us, and by us, or enableth us so to do. For the Spirit himself without us, hath no office to be performed immediately towards God, nor any nature inferior unto the divine, wherein he might intercede. The whole of any such work with respect unto us, is incumbent on Christ, he alone in his own person performeth what is to be done with God for us. What the Spirit doth, he doth in and by us. He therefore directs and enableth us to make supplications according to the mind of God.' And herein God is said to know the mind of the Spirit,' that is, his end and design in the matter of his requests. This God knows, that is, approves of and accepts. So it is the Spirit of God who directs us, as to the design and end of our prayers, that they may find acceptance with God.

But yet there may be, and I believe there is, more in that expression; God knoweth the mind of the Spirit.' For he worketh such high, holy, spiritual desires and designs in the minds of believers in their supplications, as God alone knoweth and understandeth in their full extent and latitude. That of ourselves we are apt to fail and mistake hath been declared from James iv. 3.

I shall not here insist on particulars, but only mention two general ends of prayer which the Holy Spirit keeps the minds of believers unto in all their requests, where he hath furnished them with the matter of them according to the mind of God. For he doth not only make intercession in them, according unto the mind of God, with respect unto the matter of their requests; but also with respect unto the end which they aim at, that it may be accepted with him. He guides them, therefore, to design,

1. That all the success of their petitions and prayers, may have an immediate tendency unto the glory of God. It is he alone who enables them to subordinate all their desires unto God's glory. Without his especial aid and assistance we should aim at self only and ultimately in all we do. Our

own profit, ease, satisfaction, mercies, peace, and deliverance would be the end whereunto we should direct all our supplications, whereby they would be all vitiated and become abominable.

2. He keeps them unto this also, that the issue of their supplications may be the improvement of holiness in them, and thereby their conformity unto God, with their nearer access unto him. Where these ends are not, the matter of prayer may be good and according to the word of God, and yet our prayers an abomination. We may pray for mercy and grace and the best promised fruits of the love of God, and yet for want of these ends find no acceptance in our supplications. To keep us unto them is his work, because it consists in casting out all self-ends and aims, bringing all natural desires unto a subordination unto God, which he worketh in us, if he worketh in us any thing at all. And this is the first part of the work of the Spirit towards believers as a spirit of grace and supplication; he furnisheth and filleth their minds with the matter of prayer, teaching them thereby what to pray for as they ought. And where this is not wrought in some measure and degree, there is no praying according to the mind of God.

CHAP. VI.

The due manner of prayer, wherein it doth consist.

THE Holy Spirit having given the mind a due apprehension of the things we onght to pray for, or furnished it with the matter of prayer, he moreover works a due sense and valuation of them, with desires after them, upon the will and affections, wherein the due manner of it, doth consist. These things are separable. The mind may have light to discern the things that are to be prayed for, and yet the will and affections be dead unto them, or unconcerned in them. And there may be a gift of prayer founded hereon, in whose exercise the soul doth not spiritually act towards God. For light is the matter of all common gifts. And by virtue of a perishing illumination a man may attain a gift in prayer, which may be of use unto the edification of others. For the manifestation of the Spirit is given unto every man to profit withal.' In the mean time it is with him that so prayeth, not much otherwise than it was with him of old, who 'prayed in an unknown tongue; his spirit prayeth, but his heart is unfruitful.' He prayeth by virtue of the light and gift that he hath received, but his own soul is not benefitted nor improved thereby. Only sometimes God makes use of men's own gifts to convey grace into their own souls. But prayer properly so called, is the obediential acting of the whole soul towards God.

Wherefore, where the Holy Spirit completes his work in us as a spirit of grace and supplication, he worketh on the will and affections to act obedientially towards God in and about the matter of their prayers. Thus when he is poured out as a spirit of supplication, he fills them, unto whom he is communicated, with mourning and godly sorrow to be exercised in their prayers as the matter doth require; Zech. xii. 10. He doth not only enable them to pray, but worketh affections in them suitable unto what they pray about. And in this work of the Spirit, lies the fountain of that inexpressible fervency and delight, of those enlarged labourings of mind and desires which are in the prayers of believers, especially

when they are under the power of more than ordinary influences from him. For these things proceed from the work of the Spirit on their wills and affections, stirring them up and carrying them forth unto God, in and by the matter of their prayers, in such a manner, as no vehement working of natural affections can reach unto. And therefore is the Spirit said to 'make intercession for us, with groanings which cannot be uttered;' Rom. viii. 26, 27. VπEρEVTUYXáva. As he had before expressed his work in general by συναντιλαμβάνεται, which intendeth a help by working, carrying us on in our undertaking in this duty beyond our own strength (for he helpeth us on, under our infirmities or weaknesses), so his especial acting is here declared by úπeρevrvyxável; that is, an additional interposition, like that of an advocate for his client, pleading that in his case which he of himself is not able to do. Once this word is used in the service of a contrary design. Speaking of the prayer of Elijah, the apostle says, ὡς ἐντυγχάνει τῷ Θεῷ κατὰ τοῦ Ἰσραήλ, ‘How he maketh intercession unto God against Israel;' Rom. xi. 2. as, which is constantly used in the Old Testament for to declare good tidings; tidings of peace, is once applied in a contrary signification unto tidings of evil and destruction; 1 Sam. iv. 17. The man that brought the news of the destruction of the army of the Israelites and the taking of the ark by the Philistines is called on. But the proper use of this word is to intercede for grace and favour. And this he doth στεναγμοῖς ἀλαλήτοις. We ourselves are said στενά- Sew, to groan,' v. 23. that is, humbly, mournfully, and earnestly to desire. And here the Spirit is said, to intercede for us with groans, which can be nothing but his working in us, and acting by us that frame of heart, and those fervent labouring desires which are so expressed; and these with such depth of intention and labouring of mind as cannot be uttered. And this he doth by the work now mentioned.

Having truly affected the whole soul, enlightened the d in the perception of the truth, beauty, and excellency, piritual things, engaged the will in the choice of them, prevalent love unto them, excited the affections to det in them, and unto desires after them, there is in the ual discharge of this duty of prayer, wrought in the soul the power and efficacy of his grace, such an inward la