Downame - BV209_D69_G6_1640_v1

i4$ That beingunable to pray with the Father and Sonne one God, thould pray .. for the Saints unto one who is not that which God is. But it is faid,He prayeth for the Saints, becaufe he inableth the Saints to pray : as it is faid, Tour God tempteth you that he may know whether ye love him: that is, that he may caufe you to know it. It is well faid Zib. I. De of Chryfoftome, Supra vires bominis eft facere cum erra7;do De- Deo colloquium nifi adfit vis & atlas Spirit/is fanai: um. 12O' It is above the ftrength of man to .conferre with God unleffe the vertue & operation of the Spirit be prefent. And therefore when we pray we are to crave the afliftance of Gods fpirit, which is the fpirit of grace and prayer, Zech. 12.10. which God hath promifed to give to them that ask him Luke 11.13. and in and by his holy fpirit we are to call upon zees. my). God, Jude V.20. For whereas many graces and du- ties are required in prayer all which are above our own ftrength, the fpirit of God, which is the fpirit of grace and fupplication, effeteth them all in the children of God. It is he that prepareth ourhearti to prayer,Pfal.io.i 7. that openeth our lips that our mouth may fhew forth hisArai fe, Pfal. 5 a 5. It is he that anointeth our blind eyes that we may fee,and touch_ eth our fenfeieífe hearts that we may feel our mifery and want,that in true humility of foul we may poure forth our hearts before God. It is the fpirit of the fear of God that maketh us to come with due reve- trence of his Majeflie. It is the fpirit of f pplications that maketh our frozen and benummed hearts to pray fervently with fighs that cannot be expreffed. It is the fpirit of adoption who teftifieth unto our fpirits that we are the children of God, by which we do cry