Ver. 27. the 8th Chapter to the R OM A N S. 263 was to fay Amen, 1 Cor. 14. i6. And then was his prayer as much as the prayer of him that (peke; Their hearty Amen, was fignaculims fidei, votum defderii, an hearty al: lent to the prayer 5 or an hearty exprdlion of their earned deGre.: 2. Sometimes they cannot fpeak and put their defres into a language, as oppre /d with troubles God knoweth the fecret groans of our hearts, when you cannot give them the vent of expreffion, Pfal. 38. 9. Lord, all msy defre is before thee my,groaning is not hid from thee. The foul is fo confounded, that we cannot put our delires into di(tinû thoughts and words, but yet they are as formal fpeech before God, for he can interpret the molt fecret motions of our hearts, Exod. 2. 24. God heard their groans,.and remove- bred his Covenant. 'Pial. 12. 5.. For the opprejfon of the poor, for the fighing of the needy, now will I arife faith the Lord. Pial. 6. 8. For the Lord bath heard the voice of my weep- ing. Such lighs, groans, tears, have an intelligable language in Heáven. 3. Sometimes they dare not (peak; for the Prophet telleth us of an evil time when the prudent will keep Hence, Amos 5. t3.. And another Prophet fpeaketh, when a man cannot trufl in a friend, and muff keep tie door of his mouth from her that lyeth in his bofome, Mich. 7. 5. When they dare not fpeak agamft that which they cannot mend, fcarce dare peep or mutter, or bemoan themfelves, or plead with God ; fuch is the iniquity of the times, the guard is put upon them; then God knoweth the delires of their hearts, and fmothered griefs; and concealed.complaints. . 4. Sometimes they are flsndered when they (peak, by the feoffrng Atheifl, or carnal world, who know not the (pint and his holy motions, becaufe their heart is wholly devoted to fenfualand earthly things; the beft(trains of devotion are mocked at; :and all that fuiteth not with their carnal way, is counted folly, t Pet. 4.4. f eaIing evil ofyou; and verfe 14. on their part the fpirit is evil fpoken of The world when they hear of be- lievers praying in the fpirit, they fcoff at it, as thofe. Ails, 2. 13. When the Holy Ghost came upon the Apoftles, tome mocked, laying, Thefe men arefull of new wine; fo when a- ny thing of God more thari+ordinaryappeareth in them, they deride it.., They are not skilled in the motions of the fpirit, when they are earneft; Feflus thought Paul mad, and befides himfel f, Ads. 26. 24. The wifdom of the flefh is erxnit' againff God, and cannot judg aright, of his ways and motions. But now 'tts a comfort, that God will put another kind of conaru &ion upon the fpirits working, than the world doth 5 they call evil good, and good evil; but God can dilinguifh; they are incompetent judges,' ha- ving no favour and relith of thefe things. Many things fuit not with the corrupt fence of men, that ate yet agreeable to Gods holy will ; and that which is [landered in the world, is owned by God ; and how much foever they are contradi led and fcoffed. at, yet they injoy fweet and real communion with him. Though the world knowethnot this fpirit, yet God knoweth and. owneth it, as the event declareth. 5. Sometimes they themfelves find it hard to interpret their duty, and judg what is Hefts, and what is fpirit; but yet God knoweth the mind of the fpirit 5 and when theyfet themfelves to convene with God in the belt fashion they can, the Lord granteth the delires of their hearts, Pial. 66. 19. Verily God bath heard, he hatb attended to the voice of my prayer : We find our prayers are not rejeled by God ; he had Tome doubt of it, as appeareth in the verles before and after, and fo took it as a token of his fincerity. God, who cannot patronize any fin, had been pleafed to give him his approbation. 6. The faints that are little fatisfsed in their work, plead theirde(ires,Nehem. i. t t.OLend, I befeech thee, let now thine ear be attentive to the prayer of thy fervant, and to the prayer of thy fervants who defre to fear thy name. And Ira. 26. 9. With my foul have I defred thee in the night : yea, with my An,* will I Peek thee right early. 7. The children of God may be the betterfatisfied in his providence and favours to them : for God will hear fo much of the prayer as cometh from the fpirit. We ask natùrat conveniencies to a certain end. God will not always give the means, but the end (half be promoted; he knoweth whether the means will prove a mercy yea or no, or theend be promoted by thefe means, or other: now they delire the fpirit may be heard, no the flea]. Abraham would have the promife fufilled, and pitcheth on Ifhmael, Gen. 17.18. Oh that Ifhmael might live, before thee! But God intended a better way by Ifaac, If he give: us our will, 'tis in anger; that's our prayer ; but the fpirits prayer is to glorify God, and according to the will of God : Godi anfwer is according to the mind of the fpirit. 2. Gods knowing by way of approbation, that he will accept and regard the prayer (tiered up in us by his fpirit; the reafon is 4ven in the Text becaulehe maketh te. queers for the faints according to the will of God. In which claufe we have, Thu
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