2. Sometimes there is a sweet sense of mercy received; encouraging, comforting, strengthening, enlivening, enlightening mercy, &c.
Thus David pours out his soul, to bless, and praise, and admire the great G.o.d for his loving-kindness to such poor vile wretches.
"Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits.6 Who forgiveth all thine iniquities, who healeth all thy diseases; who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with loving-kindness and tender mercies; who satisfieth thy mouth with good things, so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle"s"
(Psa 103:1-5). And thus is the prayer of saints sometimes turned into praise and thanksgiving, and yet are prayers still. This is a mystery; G.o.d"s people pray with their praises, as it is written, "Be careful for nothing, but in every thing by prayer, and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your request be made known unto G.o.d" (Phil 4:6). A sensible thanksgiving, for mercies received, is a mighty prayer in the sight of G.o.d; it prevails with him unspeakably.
3. In prayer there is sometimes in the soul a sense of mercy to be received. This again sets the soul all on a flame. "Thou, O lord of hosts," saith David, "hast revealed to thy servant, saying I will build thee an house; therefore hath thy servant found in his heart to pray--unto thee" (II Sam 7:27). This provoked Jacob, David, Daniel, with others--even a sense of mercies to be received--which caused them, not by fits and starts, nor yet in a foolish frothy way, to babble over a few words written in a paper; but mightily, fervently, and continually, to groan out their conditions before the Lord, as being sensible, sensible, I say, of their wants, their misery, and the willingness of G.o.d to show mercy (Gen 32:10,11; Dan 9:3,4).
A good sense of sin, and the wrath of G.o.d, with some encouragement from G.o.d to come unto him, is a better Common-prayer-book than that which is taken out of the Papistical ma.s.s-book,7 being the sc.r.a.ps and fragments of the devices of some popes, some friars, and I wot not what.
Third. Prayer is a sincere, sensible, and an AFFECTIONATE pouring out of the soul to G.o.d. O! the heat, strength, life, vigour, and affection, that is in right prayer! "As the hart panteth after the water-brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O G.o.d" (Psa 42:1). "I have longed after thy precepts" (Psa 119:40). "I have longed for thy salvation" (ver 174). "My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth, for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living G.o.d" (Psa 84:2). "My soul breaketh for the longing that it hath unto thy judgments at all times" (Psa 119:20). Mark ye here, "My soul longeth," it longeth, it longeth, &c. O what affection is here discovered in prayer! The like you have in Daniel. "O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, hearken and do; defer not, for thine own sake, O my G.o.d" (Dan 9:19). Every syllable carrieth a mighty vehemency in it. This is called the fervent, or the working prayer, by James. And so again, "And being in an agony, he prayed more earnestly" (Luke 22:44). Or had his affections more and more drawn out after G.o.d for his helping hand. O! How wide are the most of men with their prayers from this prayer, that is, PRAYER in G.o.d"s account! Alas! The greatest part of men make no conscience at all of the duty; and as for them that do, it is to be feared that many of them are very great strangers to a sincere, sensible, and affectionate pouring out their hearts or souls to G.o.d; but even content themselves with a little lip-labour and bodily exercise, mumbling over a few imaginary prayers. When the affections are indeed engaged in prayer, then, then the whole man is engaged, and that in such sort, that the soul will spend itself to nothing, as it were, rather than it will go without that good desired, even communion and solace with Christ. And hence it is that the saints have spent their strengths, and lost their lives, rather than go without the blessing (Psa 69:3; 38:9,10; Gen 32:24,26).
All this is too, too evident by the ignorance, profaneness, and spirit of envy, that reign in the hearts of those men that are so hot for the forms, and not the power of praying. Scarce one of forty among them know what it is to be born again, to have communion with the Father through the Son; to feel the power of grace sanctifying their hearts: but for all their prayers, they still live cursed, drunken, whorish, and abominable lives, full of malice, envy, deceit, persecuting of the dear children of G.o.d. O what a dreadful after-clap is coming upon them! which all their hypocritical a.s.sembling themselves together, with all their prayers, shall never be able to help them against, or shelter them from.
Again, It is a pouring out of the heart or soul. There is in prayer an unbosoming of a man"s self, an opening of the heart to G.o.d, an affectionate pouring out of the soul in requests, sighs, and groans.
"All my desire is before thee," saith David, "and my groaning is not hid from thee" (Psa 38:9). And again, "My soul thirsteth for G.o.d, for the living G.o.d. When shall I come and appear before G.o.d?
When I remember these things, I pour out my soul in me" (Psa 42:2,4).
Mark, "I pour out my soul." It is an expression signifying, that in prayer there goeth the very life and whole strength to G.o.d. As in another place, "Trust in him at all times; ye people,--pour out your heart before him" (Psa 62:8). This is the prayer to which the promise is made, for the delivering of a poor creature out of captivity and thralldom. "If from thence thou shalt seek the Lord thy G.o.d, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul" (Deut 4:29).
Again, It is a pouring out of the heart or soul TO G.o.d. This showeth also the excellency of the spirit of prayer. It is the great G.o.d to which it retires. "When shall I come and appear before G.o.d?"
And it argueth, that the soul that thus prayeth indeed, sees an emptiness in all things under heaven; that in G.o.d alone there is rest and satisfaction for the soul. "Now she that is a widow indeed, and desolate, trusteth in G.o.d" (I Tim 5:5). So saith David, "In thee, O Lord, do I put my trust; let me never be put to confusion.
Deliver me in thy righteousness, and cause me to escape; incline thine ear to me, and save me. Be thou my strong habitation, whereunto I may continually resort:--for thou art my rock and my fortress; deliver me, O my G.o.d,--out of the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man. For thou art my hope, O Lord G.o.d, thou art my trust from my youth" (Psa 71:1-5). Many in a wording way speak of G.o.d; but right prayer makes G.o.d his hope, stay, and all. Right prayer sees nothing substantial, and worth the looking after, but G.o.d. And that, as I said before, it doth in a sincere, sensible, and affectionate way.
Again, It is a sincere, sensible, affectionate pouring out of the heart or soul to G.o.d, THROUGH CHRIST. This through Christ must needs be added, or else it is to be questioned, whether it be prayer, though in appearance it be never so eminent or eloquent.
Christ is the way through whom the soul hath admittance to G.o.d, and without whom it is impossible that so much as one desire should come into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth (John 14:6). "If ye shall ask anything in my name"; "whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, I will do it" (John 14:13,14). This was Daniel"s way in praying for the people of G.o.d; he did it in the name of Christ.
"Now therefore, O our G.o.d, hear the prayer of thy servant, and his supplications, and cause thy face to shine upon thy sanctuary that is desolate, for the Lord"s sake" (Dan 9:17). And so David, "For thy name"s sake," that is, for thy Christ"s sake, "pardon mine iniquity, for it is great" (Psa 25:11). But now, it is not every one that maketh mention of Christ"s name in prayer, that doth indeed, and in truth, effectually pray to G.o.d in the name of Christ, or through him. This coming to G.o.d through Christ is the hardest part that is found in prayer. A man may more easily be sensible of his works, ay, and sincerely too desire mercy, and yet not be able to come to G.o.d by Christ. That man that comes to G.o.d by Christ, he must first have the knowledge of him; "for he that cometh to G.o.d, must believe that he is" (Heb 11:6). And so he that comes to G.o.d through Christ, must be enabled to know Christ. Lord, saith Moses, "show me now thy way, that I may know thee" (Exo 33:13).
This Christ, none but the Father can reveal (Matt 11:27). And to come through Christ, is for the soul to be enabled of G.o.d to shroud itself under the shadow of the Lord Jesus, as a man shroudeth himself under a thing for safeguard (Matt 16:16).8 Hence it is that David so often terms Christ his shield, buckler, tower, fortress, rock of defence, &c., (Psa 18:2; 27:1; 28:1). Not only because by him he overcame his enemies, but because through him he found favour with G.o.d the Father. And so he saith to Abraham, "Fear not, I am thy shield," &c., (Gen 15:1). The man then that comes to G.o.d through Christ, must have faith, by which he puts on Christ, and in him appears before G.o.d. Now he that hath faith is born of G.o.d, born again, and so becomes one of the sons of G.o.d; by virtue of which he is joined to Christ, and made a member of him (John 3:5,7; 1:12).
And therefore, secondly he, as a member of Christ, comes to G.o.d; I say, as a member of him, so that G.o.d looks on that man as a part of Christ, part of his body, flesh, and bones, united to him by election, conversion, illumination, the Spirit being conveyed into the heart of that poor man by G.o.d (Eph 5:30). So that now he comes to G.o.d in Christ"s merits, in his blood, righteousness, victory, intercession, and so stands before him, being "accepted in his Beloved" (Eph 1:6). And because this poor creature is thus a member of the Lord Jesus, and under this consideration hath admittance to come to G.o.d; therefore, by virtue of this union also, is the Holy Spirit conveyed into him, whereby he is able to pour out himself, to wit, his soul, before G.o.d, with his audience. And this leads me to the next, or fourth particular.
Fourth. Prayer is a sincere, sensible, affectionate, pouring out of the heart or soul to G.o.d through Christ, by the strength or a.s.sISTANCE OF THE SPIRIT. For these things do so depend one upon another, that it is impossible that it should be prayer, without there be a joint concurrence of them; for though it be never so famous, yet without these things, it is only such prayer as is rejected of G.o.d. For without a sincere, sensible, affectionate pouring out of the heart to G.o.d, it is but lip-labour; and if it be not through Christ, it falleth far short of ever sounding well in the ears of G.o.d. So also, if it be not in the strength and a.s.sistance of the Spirit, it is but like the sons of Aaron, offering with strange fire (Lev 10:1,2). But I shall speak more to this under the second head; and therefore in the meantime, that which is not pet.i.tioned through the teaching and a.s.sistance of the Spirit, it is not possible that it should be "according to the will of G.o.d" (Rom 8:26,27).
Fifth. Prayer is a sincere, sensible, affectionate pouring out of the heart, or soul, to G.o.d, through Christ, in the strength and a.s.sistance of the Spirit, FOR SUCH THINGS AS G.o.d HATH PROMISED, &c., (Matt 6:6-8). Prayer it is, when it is within the compa.s.s of G.o.d"s Word; and it is blasphemy, or at best vain babbling, when the pet.i.tion is beside the book. David therefore still in his prayer kept his eye on the Word of G.o.d. "My soul," saith he, "cleaveth to the dust; quicken me according to thy word." And again, "My soul melteth for heaviness, strengthen thou me according unto thy word"
(Psa 119:25-28; see also 41, 42, 58, 65, 74, 81, 82, 107, 147, 154, 169, 170). And, "remember thy word unto thy servant, upon which thou hast caused me to hope" (ver 49). And indeed the Holy Ghost doth not immediately quicken and stir up the heart of the Christian without, but by, with, and through the Word, by bringing that to the heart, and by opening of that, whereby the man is provoked to go to the Lord, and to tell him how it is with him, and also to argue, and supplicate, according to the Word; thus it was with Daniel, that mighty prophet of the Lord. He understanding by books that the captivity of the children of Israel was hard at an end; then, according unto that word, he maketh his prayer to G.o.d. "I Daniel," saith he, "understood by books," viz., the writings of Jeremiah, "the number of the years whereof the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah,--that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem. And I set my face to the Lord G.o.d, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes" (Dan 9:2,3). So that I say, as the Spirit is the helper and the governor of the soul, when it prayeth according to the will of G.o.d; so it guideth by and according to, the Word of G.o.d and his promise. Hence it is that our Lord Jesus Christ himself did make a stop, although his life lay at stake for it. I could now pray to my Father, and he should give me more than twelve legions of angels; but how then must the scripture be fulfilled that thus it must be? (Matt 26:53,54). As who should say, Were there but a word for it in the scripture, I should soon be out of the hands of mine enemies, I should be helped by angels; but the scripture will not warrant this kind of praying, for that saith otherwise. It is a praying then according to the Word and promise. The Spirit by the Word must direct, as well in the manner, as in the matter of prayer.
"I will pray with the Spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also" (I Cor 14:15). But there is no understanding without the Word. For if they reject the word of the Lord, "what wisdom is in them?" (Jer 8:9).
Sixth. FOR THE GOOD OF THE CHURCH. This clause reacheth in whatsoever tendeth either to the honour of G.o.d, Christ"s advancement, or his people"s benefit. For G.o.d, and Christ, and his people are so linked together that if the good of the one be prayed for, to wit, the church, the glory of G.o.d, and advancement of Christ, must needs be included. For as Christ is in the Father, so the saints are in Christ; and he that toucheth the saints, toucheth the apple of G.o.d"s eye; and therefore pray for the peace of Jerusalem, and you pray for all that is required of you. For Jerusalem will never be in perfect peace until she be in heaven; and there is nothing that Christ doth more desire than to have her there. That also is the place that G.o.d through Christ hath given to her. He then that prayeth for the peace and good of Zion, or the church, doth ask that in prayer which Christ hath purchased with his blood; and also that which the Father hath given to him as the price thereof. Now he that prayeth for this, must pray for abundance of grace for the church, for help against all its temptations; that G.o.d would let nothing be too hard for it; and that all things might work together for its good, that G.o.d would keep them blameless and harmless, the sons of G.o.d, to his glory, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation. And this is the substance of Christ"s own prayer in John 17. And all Paul"s prayers did run that way, as one of his prayers doth eminently show. "And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge, and in all judgment; that ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere, and without offence, till the day of Christ. Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ unto the glory and praise of G.o.d" (Phil 1:9-11). But a short prayer, you see, and yet full of good desires for the church, from the beginning to the end; that it may stand and go on, and that in the most excellent frame of spirit, even without blame, sincere, and without offence, until the day of Christ, let its temptations or persecutions be what they will (Eph 1:16-21; 3:14-19; Col 1:9-13).
Seventh. And because, as I said, prayer doth SUBMIT TO THE WILL OF G.o.d, and say, Thy will be done, as Christ hath taught us (Matt 6:10); therefore the people of the Lord in humility are to lay themselves and their prayers, and all that they have, at the foot of their G.o.d, to be disposed of by him as he in his heavenly wisdom seeth best. Yet not doubting but G.o.d will answer the desire of his people that way that shall be most for their advantage and his glory. When the saints therefore do pray with submission to the will of G.o.d, it doth not argue that they are to doubt or question G.o.d"s love and kindness to them. But because they at all times are not so wise, but that sometimes Satan may get that advantage of them, as to tempt them to pray for that which, if they had it, would neither prove to G.o.d"s glory nor his people"s good. "Yet this is the confidence that we have in him, that if we ask anything according to his will, he heareth us; and if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the pet.i.tions that we desired of him," that is, we asking in the Spirit of grace and supplication (I John 5:14,15). For, as I said before, that pet.i.tion that is not put up in and through the Spirit, it is not to be answered, because it is beside the will of G.o.d. For the Spirit only knoweth that, and so consequently knoweth how to pray according to that will of G.o.d. "For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of G.o.d knoweth no man but the Spirit of G.o.d" (I Cor 2:11). But more of this hereafter. Thus you see, first, what prayer is. Now to proceed.
[WHAT IT IS TO PRAY WITH THE SPIRIT.]
SECOND. I will pray with the Spirit. Now to pray with the Spirit--for that is the praying man, and none else, so as to be accepted of G.o.d--it is for a man, as aforesaid, sincerely and sensibly, with affection, to come to G.o.d through Christ, &c.; which sincere, sensible, and affectionate coming must be by the working of G.o.d"s Spirit.
There is no man nor church in the world that can come to G.o.d in prayer, but by the a.s.sistance of the Holy Spirit. "For through Christ we all have access by one Spirit unto the Father" (Eph 2:18). Wherefore Paul saith, "For we know not what we should pray for as we ought; but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts, knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of G.o.d" (Rom 8:26,27). And because there is in this scripture so full a discovery of the spirit of prayer, and of man"s inability to pray without it; therefore I shall in a few words comment upon it.
"For we." Consider first the person speaking, even Paul, and, in his person, all the apostles. We apostles, we extraordinary officers, the wise master-builders, that have some of us been caught up into paradise (Rom 15:16; I Cor 3:10; II Cor 12:4). "We know not what we should pray for." Surely there is no man but will confess, that Paul and his companions were as able to have done any work for G.o.d, as any pope or proud prelate in the church of Rome, and could as well have made a Common Prayer Book as those who at first composed this; as being not a whit behind them either in grace or gifts.9
"For we know not what we should pray for." We know not the matter of the things for which we should pray, neither the object to whom we pray, nor the medium by or through whom we pray; none of these things know we, but by the help and a.s.sistance of the Spirit. Should we pray for communion with G.o.d through Christ? should we pray for faith, for justification by grace, and a truly sanctified heart?
none of these things know we. "For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of G.o.d knoweth no man, but the Spirit of G.o.d" (I Cor 2:11). But here, alas! the apostles speak of inward and spiritual things, which the world knows not (Isa 29:11).
Again, as they know not the matter, &c., of prayer, without the help of the Spirit; so neither know they the manner thereof without the same; and therefore he adds, "We know not what we should pray for as we ought"; but the Spirit helpeth our infirmities, with sighs and groans which cannot be uttered. Mark here, they could not so well and so fully come off in the manner of performing this duty, as these in our days think they can.
The apostles, when they were at the best, yea, when the Holy Ghost a.s.sisted them, yet then they were fain to come off with sighs and groans, falling short of expressing their mind, but with sighs and groans which cannot be uttered.
But here now, the wise men of our days are so well skilled as that they have both the manner and matter of their prayers at their finger-ends; setting such a prayer for such a day, and that twenty years before it comes. One for Christmas, another for Easter, and six days after that. They have also bounded how many syllables must be said in every one of them at their public exercises. For each saint"s day, also, they have them ready for the generations yet unborn to say. They can tell you, also, when you shall kneel, when you shall stand, when you should abide in your seats, when you should go up into the chancel, and what you should do when you come there. All which the apostles came short of, as not being able to compose so profound a manner; and that for this reason included in this scripture, because the fear of G.o.d tied them to pray as they ought.
"For we know not what we should pray for as we ought." Mark this, "as we ought." For the not thinking of this word, or at least the not understanding it in the spirit and truth of it, hath occasioned these men to devise, as Jeroboam did, another way of worship, both for matter and manner, than is revealed in the Word of G.o.d (I Kings 12:26-33). But, saith Paul, we must pray as we ought; and this WE cannot do by all the art, skill, and cunning device of men or angels. "For we know not what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit"; nay, further, it must be "the Spirit ITSELF" that helpeth our infirmities; not the Spirit and man"s l.u.s.ts; what man of his own brain may imagine and devise, is one thing, and what they are commanded, and ought to do, is another. Many ask and have not, because they ask amiss; and so are never the nearer the enjoying of those things they pet.i.tion for (James 4:3). It is not to pray at random that will put off G.o.d, or cause him to answer. While prayer is making, G.o.d is searching the heart, to see from what root and spirit it doth arise (I John 5:14). "And he that searcheth the heart knoweth," that is, approveth only, the meaning "of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of G.o.d." For in that which is according to his will only, he heareth us, and in nothing else. And it is the Spirit only that can teach us so to ask; it only being able to search out all things, even the deep things of G.o.d. Without which Spirit, though we had a thousand Common Prayer Books, yet we know not what we should pray for as we ought, being accompanied with those infirmities that make us absolutely incapable of such a work. Which infirmities, although it is a hard thing to name them all, yet some of them are these that follow.
First. Without the Spirit man is so infirm that he cannot, with all other means whatsoever, be enabled to think one right saving thought of G.o.d, of Christ, or of his blessed things; and therefore he saith of the wicked, "G.o.d is not in all his thoughts," (Psa 10:4); unless it be that they imagine him altogether such a one as themselves (Psa 50:21). For "every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil," and that "continually" (Gen 6:5; 8:21).
They then not being able to conceive aright of G.o.d to whom they pray, of Christ through whom they pray, nor of the things for which they pray, as is before showed, how shall they be able to address themselves to G.o.d, without the Spirit help this infirmity?
Peradventure you will say, By the help of the Common Prayer Book; but that cannot do it, unless it can open the eyes, and reveal to the soul all these things before touched. Which that it cannot, it is evident; because that is the work of the Spirit only. The Spirit itself is the revealer of these things to poor souls, and that which doth give us to understand them; wherefore Christ tells his disciples, when he promised to send the Spirit, the Comforter, "He shall take of mine and show unto you"; as if he had said, I know you are naturally dark and ignorant as to the understanding any of my things; though ye try this course and the other, yet your ignorance will still remain, the veil is spread over your heart, and there is none can take away the same, nor give you spiritual understanding but the Spirit. The Common Prayer Book will not do it, neither can any man expect that it should be instrumental that way, it being none of G.o.d"s ordinances; but a thing since the Scriptures were written, patched together one piece at one time, and another at another; a mere human invention and inst.i.tution, which G.o.d is so far from owning of, that he expressly forbids it, with any other such like, and that by manifold sayings in his most holy and blessed Word. (See Mark 7:7,8, and Col 2:16-23; Deut 12:30-32; Prov 30:6; Deut 4:2; Rev 22:18). For right prayer must, as well in the outward part of it, in the outward expression, as in the inward intention, come from what the soul doth apprehend in the light of the Spirit; otherwise it is condemned as vain and an abomination, because the heart and tongue do not go along jointly in the same, neither indeed can they, unless the Spirit help our infirmities (Mark 7; Prov 28:9; Isa 29:13). And this David knew full well, which did make him cry, "Lord, open thou my lips, and my mouth shall show forth thy praise" (Psa 51:15). I suppose there is none can imagine but that David could speak and express himself as well as others, nay, as any in our generation, as is clearly manifested by his word and his works. Nevertheless when this good man, this prophet, comes into G.o.d"s worship, then the Lord must help, or he can do nothing. "Lord, open thou my lips, and" then "my mouth shall show forth thy praise." He could not speak one right word, except the Spirit itself gave utterance. "For we know not what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit itself helpeth our infirmities."
But,
Second. It must be a praying with the Spirit, that is, the effectual praying; because without that, as men are senseless, so hypocritical, cold, and unseemly in their prayers; and so they, with their prayers, are both rendered abominable to G.o.d (Matt 23:14; Mark 12:40; Luke 18:11, 12; Isa 58:2, 3). It is not the excellency of the voice, nor the seeming affection, and earnestness of him that prayeth, that is anything regarded of G.o.d without it. For man, as man, is so full of all manner of wickedness, that as he cannot keep a word, or thought, so much less a piece of prayer clean, and acceptable to G.o.d through Christ; and for this cause the Pharisees, with their prayers, were rejected. No question but they were excellently able to express themselves in words, and also for length of time, too, they were very notable; but they had not the Spirit of Jesus Christ to help them, and therefore they did what they did with their infirmities or weaknesses only, and so fell short of a sincere, sensible, affectionate pouring out of their souls to G.o.d, through the strength of the Spirit. That is the prayer that goeth to heaven, that is sent thither in the strength of the Spirit. For,
Third. Nothing but the Spirit can show a man clearly his misery by nature, and so put a man into a posture of prayer. Talk is but talk, as we use to say, and so it is but mouth-worship, if there be not a sense of misery, and that effectually too. O the cursed hypocrisy that is in most hearts, and that accompanieth many thousands of praying men that would be so looked upon in this day, and all for want of a sense of their misery! But now the Spirit, that will sweetly show the soul its misery, where it is, and what is like to become of it, also the intolerableness of that condition.
For it is the Spirit that doth effectually convince of sin and misery, without the Lord Jesus, and so puts the soul into a sweet, sensible, affectionate way of praying to G.o.d according to his word (John 16:7-9).
Fourth. If men did see their sins, yet without the help of the Spirit they would not pray. For they would run away from G.o.d, with Cain and Judas, and utterly despair of mercy, were it not for the Spirit. When a man is indeed sensible of his sin, and G.o.d"s curse, then it is a hard thing to persuade him to pray; for, saith his heart, "There is no hope," it is in vain to seek G.o.d (Jer 2:25; 18:12). I am so vile, so wretched, and so cursed a creature, that I shall never be regarded! Now here comes the Spirit, and stayeth the soul, helpeth it to hold up its face to G.o.d, by letting into the heart some small sense of mercy to encourage it to go to G.o.d, and hence it is called "the Comforter" (John 14:26).
Fifth. It must be in or with the Spirit; for without that no man can know how he should come to G.o.d the right way. Men may easily say they come to G.o.d in his Son: but it is the hardest thing of a thousand to come to G.o.d aright and in his own way, without the Spirit. It is "the Spirit" that "searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of G.o.d" (I Cor 2:10). It is the Spirit that must show us the way of coming to G.o.d, and also what there is in G.o.d that makes him desirable: "I pray thee," saith Moses, "show me now thy way, that I may know thee" (Exo 33:13). And, He shall take of mine, and "show it unto you" (John 16:14).
Sixth. Because without the Spirit, though a man did see his misery, and also the way to come to G.o.d; yet he would never be able to claim a share in either G.o.d, Christ, or mercy, with G.o.d"s approbation.
O how great a task is it, for a poor soul that becomes sensible of sin and the wrath of G.o.d, to say in faith, but this one word, "Father!" I tell you, however hypocrites think, yet the Christian that is so indeed finds all the difficulty in this very thing, it cannot say G.o.d is its Father. O! saith he, I dare not call him Father; and hence it is that the Spirit must be sent into the hearts of G.o.d"s people for this very thing, to cry Father: it being too great a work for any man to do knowingly and believingly without it (Gal 4:6). When I say knowingly, I mean, knowing what it is to be a child of G.o.d, and to be born again. And when I say believingly, I mean, for the soul to believe, and that from good experience, that the work of grace is wrought in him. This is the right calling of G.o.d Father; and not as many do, to say in a babbling way, the Lord"s prayer (so called) by heart, as it lieth in the words of the book.
No, here is the life of prayer, when in or with the Spirit, a man being made sensible of sin, and how to come to the Lord for mercy; he comes, I say, in the strength of the Spirit, and crieth Father.
That one word spoken in faith, is better than a thousand prayers, as men call them, written and read, in a formal, cold, lukewarm way. O how far short are those people of being sensible of this, who count it enough to teach themselves and children to say the Lord"s prayer, the creed, with other sayings; when, as G.o.d knows, they are senseless of themselves, their misery, or what it is to be brought to G.o.d through Christ! Ah, poor soul! Study your misery, and cry to G.o.d to show you your confused blindness and ignorance, before you be so rife in calling G.o.d your Father, or teaching your children either so to say. And know, that to say G.o.d is your Father, in a way of prayer or conference, without any experiment of the work of grace on your souls, it is to say you are Jews and are not, and so to lie. You say, Our Father; G.o.d saith, You blaspheme!
You say you are Jew, that is, true Christians; G.o.d saith, You lie! "Behold I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie" (Rev 3:9). "And I know the blasphemy of them that say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan" (Rev 2:9). And so much the greater the sin is, by how much the more the sinner boasts it with a pretended sanct.i.ty, as the Jews did to Christ, in the 8th of John, which made Christ, even in plain terms, to tell them their doom, for all their hypocritical pretences (John 8:41-45). And yet forsooth every cursed wh.o.r.emaster, thief, and drunkard, swearer, and perjured person; they that have not only been such in times past, but are even so still: these I say, by some must be counted the only honest men, and all because with their blasphemous throats, and hypocritical hearts, they will come to church, and say, "Our Father!" Nay further, these men, though every time they say to G.o.d, Our Father, do most abominably blaspheme, yet they must be compelled thus to do. And because others that are of more sober principles, scruple the truth of such vain traditions; therefore they must be looked upon to be the only enemies of G.o.d and the nation: when as it is their own cursed superst.i.tion that doth set the great G.o.d against them, and cause him to count them for his enemies (Isa 53:10). And yet just like to Bonner, that blood-red persecutor, they commend, I say, these wretches, although never so vile, if they close in with their traditions, to be good churchmen, the honest subjects; while G.o.d"s people are, as it hath always been, looked upon to be a turbulent, seditious, and factious people (Ezra 4:12-16).
Therefore give me leave a little to reason with thee, thou poor, blind, ignorant sot.
(1.) It may be thy great prayer is to say, "Our Father which art in heaven," &c. Dost thou know the meaning of the very first words of this prayer? Canst thou indeed, with the rest of the saints, cry, Our Father? Art thou truly born again? Hast thou received the spirit of adoption? Dost thou see thyself in Christ, and canst thou come to G.o.d as a member of him? Or art thou ignorant of these things, and yet darest thou say, Our Father? Is not the devil thy father? (John 8:44). And dost thou not do the deeds of the flesh?
And yet darest thou say to G.o.d, Our Father? Nay, art thou not a desperate persecutor of the children of G.o.d? Hast thou not cursed them in thine heart many a time? And yet dost thou out of thy blasphemous throat suffer these words to come, even our Father? He is their Father whom thou hatest and persecutest. But as the devil presented himself amongst the sons of G.o.d, (Job 1), when they were to present themselves before the Father, even our Father, so is it now; because the saints were commanded to say, Our Father, therefore all the blind ignorant rabble in the world, they must also use the same words, Our Father.
(2.) And dost thou indeed say, "Hallowed be thy name" with thy heart? Dost thou study, by all honest and lawful ways, to advance the name, holiness, and majesty of G.o.d? Doth thy heart and conversation agree with this pa.s.sage? Dost thou strive to imitate Christ in all the works of righteousness, which G.o.d doth command of thee, and prompt thee forward to? It is so, if thou be one that can truly with G.o.d"s allowance cry, "Our Father." Or is it not the least of thy thoughts all the day? And dost thou not clearly make it appear, that thou art a cursed hypocrite, by condemning that with thy daily practice, which thou pretendest in thy praying with thy dissembling tongue?
(3.) Wouldst thou have the kingdom of G.o.d come indeed, and also his will to be done in earth as it is in heaven? Nay, notwithstanding, thou according to the form, sayest, Thy kingdom come, yet would it not make thee ready to run mad, to hear the trumpet sound, to see the dead arise, and thyself just now to go and appear before G.o.d, to reckon for all the deeds thou hast done in the body? Nay, are not the very thoughts of it altogether displeasing to thee? And if G.o.d"s will should be done on earth as it is in heaven, must it not be thy ruin? There is never a rebel in heaven against G.o.d, and if he should so deal on earth, must it not whirl thee down to h.e.l.l?
And so of the rest of the pet.i.tions. Ah! How sadly would even those men look, and with what terror would they walk up and down the world, if they did but know the lying and blaspheming that proceedeth out of their mouth, even in their most pretended sanct.i.ty?
The Lord awaken you, and teach you, poor souls, in all humility, to take heed that you be not rash and unadvised with your heart, and much more with your mouth! When you appear before G.o.d, as the wise man saith, "Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing," (Eccl 5:2); especially to call G.o.d Father, without some blessed experience when thou comest before G.o.d. But I pa.s.s this.
Seventh. It must be a praying with the Spirit if it be accepted, because there is nothing but the Spirit that can lift up the soul or heart to G.o.d in prayer: "The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, is from the Lord" (Prov 16:1). That is, in every work for G.o.d, and especially in prayer, if the heart run with the tongue, it must be prepared by the Spirit of G.o.d.
Indeed the tongue is very apt, of itself, to run without either fear or wisdom: but when it is the answer of the heart, and that such a heart as is prepared by the Spirit of G.o.d, then it speaks so as G.o.d commands and doth desire.
They are mighty words of David, where he saith, that he lifteth his heart and his soul to G.o.d (Psa 25:1). It is a great work for any man without the strength of the Spirit, and therefore I conceive that this is one of the great reasons why the Spirit of G.o.d is called a Spirit of supplications, (Zech 12:10), because it is that which helpeth the heart when it supplicates indeed to do it; and therefore saith Paul, "Praying with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit" (Eph 6:18). And so in my text, "I will pray with the Spirit." Prayer, without the heart be in it, is like a sound without life; and a heart, without it be lifted up of the Spirit, will never pray to G.o.d.
Eighth. As the heart must be lifted up by the Spirit, if it pray aright, so also it must be held up by the Spirit when it is up, if it continue to pray aright. I do not know what, or how it is with others" hearts, whether they be lifted up by the Spirit of G.o.d, and so continued, or no: but this I am sure of, First, That it is impossible that all the prayer-books that men have made in the world, should lift up, or prepare the heart; that is the work of the great G.o.d himself. And, in the second place, I am sure that they are as far from keeping it up, when it is up. And indeed here is the life of prayer, to have the heart kept with G.o.d in the duty.
It was a great matter for Moses to keep his hands lifted up to G.o.d in prayer; but how much more then to keep the heart in it! (Exo 17:12).
The want of this is that which G.o.d complains of; that they draw nigh to him with their mouth, and honour him with their lips, but their hearts were far from him (Isa 29:13; Eze 33), but chiefly that they walk after the commandments and traditions of men, as the scope of Matthew 15:8, 9 doth testify. And verily, may I but speak my own experience, and from that tell you the difficulty of praying to G.o.d as I ought, it is enough to make your poor, blind, carnal men to entertain strange thoughts of me. For, as for my heart, when I go to pray, I find it so loth to go to G.o.d, and when it is with him, so loth to stay with him, that many times I am forced in my prayers, first to beg of G.o.d that he would take mine heart, and set it on himself in Christ, and when it is there, that he would keep it there. Nay, many times I know not what to pray for, I am so blind, nor how to pray, I am so ignorant; only, blessed be grace, the Spirit helps our infirmities (Psa 86:11).