+CIiAPTER IV. 165 so long departed from his churches, that we are tempted to Think, that all his operations, in exhortation, in prayer, and preaching, belong only to the first age of christianity, and to the Extraordinary ministers, prophets, and apostles ; and it was from this absence of the:Spirit, that men proceeded to invent vari- ous :methods to supply the want -of him in prayer, by pater- nosters, beads, litanies, responses, and other forms, some good and some bad, to which theyconfined the churches, to keep up the form of worship, and the attention of the people; and at best, we are left by many teachers to the use of our mere natu- ral powers, our reason and memory : and hence spring those reproachful expressions about the Spirit of prayer, and the endless labours of men to make this word signify only the temper and disposition of the mind : so the Spirit of adoption, in their sense, is nothing but a child -like temper, and the Spirit ofprayer means nothing else but apraying frame of heart. But since some texts expressly speak of the holy Spirit, as working these things in us, since in many scriptures the Spirit of God is promised to be given us, to dwell in us, and be in us, and to assist in prayer; why should we industriously exclude hint from the hearts of the saints, and thrust him out of those scrip- tures, wheresoever the words will possibly endure any other sense ? It is in my opinion much more natural and reasonable, for us to interpret those, places where the Spirit is mentioned, according to the plain language of clear texts, where the name of God's own Spirit is written. However, if a man will but allow theSpirit of God, and his assistances in prayer, to be men- tionedin any one text of scripture, so far as to be persuaded and -encouraged thereby, to seek those assistances that he may pray :better; I will not be angry with him, that he cannot find this Spiritin every text where others believe he is spoken of and designed. H. The secondargument for the aids of the holy Spirit in prayer, is drawn from collateral scriptures, and such are all those texts which represent the Blessed Spirit as the spring of all that is good in us, and show us that all other duties of the Christian life are to be performed in and by this holy Spirit. Saints are born of this Spirit ; John iii. 6. Are led by the Spirit ; Rom. viii. 14. Walk in the Spirit ; Gal. v. 16. Live zn the Spirit, verse 25. By this Spirit mort fy the deeds of the body ; Rom. viii. 13. The Spirit convinces of sin; John xvi. 9. and fits us for confession. The Spirit witnesseth with our spirits that we are the children of God; Rom. viii. 16. and thereby furnishes us with thanksgivings. The Spirit sanctifies us, and fills us with love, and faith, and humility, and every grace that is needful in the work of prayer. Whythen should men take so much pains to hinder us front praying by the Spirit, r 3
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