166 A GUIDE TO PRAYER. when it is only i y this Spirit we can walk with God, and hare, access to God ; Eph. íi. 18. III. The third argument to prove that the Spirit of God doth sometimes assist men in the work of prayer is, the experi- ence of all christians with regard to the grace of prayer, and many christians in the exercise of the gift of it too. The great difference that is between some believers and others in this re- spect, even where their natural abilities are equal ; and the dif- ference that is between believers themselìves at dill' rent times and seasons, seems to denote the presence or absence of the holy Spirit. Some persons at some special seasons will break out into adivine rapture in prayer, and be carried Par beyond themselves their thoughts, their desires, their language, and every thing that belongs to their prayer, seems to have something of heaven in it. I will allow that in some persons this may be ascribed to a great. degree of understanding, invention, fancy, memory, and natural affections of the mind, and volubility of the tongue : but many times also it shall be observed, that those persons who have this gift of prayer in exercise, do not excel nom equal the rest of their neighbours in fancy, invention, passion or elo- quence ; it may be, they are persons of very tocan parts, and below the common capacity of mankind. Nor can it be always imputed to an overflow of animal nature, and warm imagina- tion, at those times when they are carried out in prayer thus beyond themselves; for this happens sometimes when they find their natural spirits not raised nor exalted, but the powers of nature labour perhaps under a decay and great languishings, and they can hardly spear or think 'about common afl'airs. I wish these testimonies to the aids of the holy Spirit were more frequent amongst us. Reflection. And it may be remarked, that those who despise this gift of the holy Spirit, will deride the persons that pretend to any share of it, as foolish, stupid, ignorant wretches, and will represent them generally as unlearned and sottish creatures, dull and unthinking ; and yet when this ob= jection is made, whence comes this fluepcy ; this fervour, and tliis wonderful ability of pouring out the soul before God in prayer, which the scoffers themselves cannot imitate ? Oh k then it is attributed to our wit, our memory, our invention, our fancy, our vehement affections, our confidence, or impudence, to any thing rather than to the Spirit, of God, because they are resolved to oppose his power, and deny his work, in the hearts of believers. I might here add citations from the articles and liturgy of the church of England, to confirm the doctrine of the aids of the holy Spirit in our religious performances. We hare no power to do good works, pleasant and acceptable to God, without the
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