161 A GUIDE TO PRAYER, prayed, and preached, and sung by inspiration, 1 Cor. xiv, Answer. Whatsoever there was of extraordinary and miracu- lous communications of the Spirit in those first days of the gospel, we pretend not to the saine now. But the assistances of the Spirit, whereof we speak, are in some measure attaina- ble by christians in all ages ; for in this,. Ephes. vi. 18. Praying in theSpirit is enjoined to all believers, and at all times, with all sorts of prayer. Now it is not to be supposed, that at all times, and in all sorts of prayer, christians should have this ex- traordinary gift. We may also farther remark, that thegift of prayer itself is not expressed as such an extraordinary and miraculous gift, neither in the prophecy of Joel, chap. ii. nor in Acts, chap. ii. where that prophecy of Joel is accomplished ; nor is it mention- ed particularly in the epistles of St. Paul, among themiraculous gifts ofthe holy Spirit, in those placeswhere they are enumerated. But only the gift of prayer in an unknown tongue seems to b'e spoken of in 1 Cor. xiv. which rather refers to thegift of tongues, than to thatof prayer. And it is not unlikely, that the omission or silence of the gift of prayer in thosetexts, might be designed for thisvery purpose, viz. That though there were gifts of prayer by immediate inspiration in those days; yet that there should be nobar laid against the expectations of christians in all ages, of some divine assistances in prayer, by a pretence that this was only an extraordinary gift to the apostles, and the first chris- tians. 6. Text. James v. 16. which we translate the eljëctualfer- vent prayer of the righteous. In the original it is, l no'ç EvEevEt nn, the inwrought prayer. This word is used to signify persons possessed with a good or evil spirit, and it signifies here prayer wrought in us by the good Spirit that possesses us, that leads us and guides us. And the wordis used in this sense several times in 1 Cor. xii. where the gifts of the holy Spirit are spoken of. Yet let it be observed, that here the apostle is speaking of such an inwrought prayer asall christians might be capable of; for,bis epistle is directed to all the scattered tribes of Israel, James i. 1: and he bids them all confess theirfaults to one another, and pray for one another, 'that they might be healed ; and for this reason, because the inwrought prayer of the righteous availeth much: The lasttext I shall mention is Jude verse N. Praying in the Holy Ghost, keep yourselves in the love of God. Now this epistle is written to all that are sanctified by God the Fa- ther, preserved and called in Jesus Christ, verse 1. 'They are all directed to pray by the assistance of the Holy Ghost. And thosewho have not this Spirit, in verse 19. are said to be sensual. I confessi the holy Spirit hath been in a great measure
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