288 Of CÓMMÚNION with nicating their minds unto the Lord Chrift, which he hath provided fot thembecaufe he delights in them. To touch a little by the way, becaufe this is of great importance, I will inftance in one of thefe, as I might in every one, that you may fee the dif- ference between a fpiritual revealing of our minds unto Chrift, in this ac- ceptable manner, and that praying upon convi&ion which others pradife, and this (hall be from the firft, viz. the affiftance we have by the fpirit. r.] The fpirit of Chrift reveals to us our own wants, that we may reveal them unto him, we know not whatto prayfor as weought, (a) Rom. viii. 26. no teachings under thofe of the fpirit of God are able to make our .fouls acquainted with their own wants, its burdens, its temptations. For a foul to know its wants, its infirmities, is a heavenly difcovery. He that bath this (b) a{hftance, his prayer is more than half made before lac begins to pray. His confcienceis affected with what he bath to do, his mind and fpirit contend within him, there efpecially where lac finds himfelf molt ftreightned. He brings his burden on his lhoulders, and unloads himfelf on the Lord Chrift. He finds (not by a perplexingconvi&ion, but an holy fenfeand wearinefs of fin) where he is dead, where dull and cold, wherein unbelieving, wherein tempted above all lais ftrengtb, where the light of God's countenance is wanting. And all thefe the foul bath a tenie of, by the fpirit, án unexpreflible fenfe and experience. Without this, prayer is not prayer, (e) mens voices may he heardbut they fpeak not in their hearts. Senfe of want, is the fpring of defire' natural of natural; fpiritual of fpi- ritual. Without this fenfe given by the holy ghoft,'there is neither delire nor prayer. a.] The-expreffiòns, or the words of fuck perforas, come exceeding {hors of the labouring of their hearts ; and therefore in, and after, their fuppli- tations theyfpirit makes incerce on with f gho andgroans that cannot be (d) uttered. Some mens words go exceedingly beyond their hearts. Did their fpirits come up to their expreflìons, it were well. He that hath this affif- tance, can provideno clothing that is large and broad enough to fet forth the delire of his la art; and therefore in the clofe of his belt, and mull fervent fupplicatious, fuck a perfon finds a double diffatisfadion in them. Firfl, that they are not a righteoufnefs to be refted on ; that if God fhould (e) mark what is in them amifs, they could not abide the trial. Secondly, that his heart in them is not poured out, nor delivered in any proportion to the holy defires and labourings that were conceived therein; tho' they may in Chrift have great refrefhment by them. The inure they (peak, the more they find they have left unfpoken: 3.] The interceflion of the faints thusaffifted, is according to the mind of God ;;that is, they are guided by the fpirit to make requefis for thofe things unto God, which it is his will they fhould defire, which he knows to be good for them, ufeful and fuitable to them, in the condition wherein they were. There are many ways, whereby we may know when we make our fupplications according to the will of God, I (hall inftance only in one; that is, when we do it according to the promife. When our prayers are regulated by the promife, we make diem according to the will of God, fo David, PfaL cxix. qy. Remember the words wherein thou haft canfed me to put my tra/(. He prays, and regulates his delire by the word of promife, wherein lae had trufted. But yet, men may ask that which is in the pro- (a) If. xxxvüi. eq' (b)'ron onvjzávea, eft adpauaturum qui tiientibuc defideria ditOtt. (e) i Sam. i. P3. (d) Pf. xoxviii. t4. txod. xiv. r 5, (e) it Ixiv. 6. Phil. cxxx. 3. wife,
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