CHAPTER IV. 167 grace f God by Christ preventing us, that we may have a good will, and working with us when we have that good-will; Art. 10. The working of the Spiritdrawing up the mind to high and heavenly things; Art. 17. And this ordinary work of the holy Spirit in all believers, is called the inspiration if the holy Spirit ; Art. 13. 0 God from whom all hóíÿ desires, all good counsels, and all just works do proceed ; Second collect at evening prayer. And a little after ; Almighty God, who hast given us grace to make our common supplica- tions. And the collect in the fifth Sunday after Easter, Grant that by thy inspiration we may think those things that be good,' and by thy merciful guiding may perform the same. Again, Almighty God, of whose only gift it cometh that thy faithful people do unto thee true and laudable service ; 13th Sunday after Trinity. Grant, that thy holy Spirit may in all things direct and ride our hearts ; 19th Sunday after Trinity. Homily 16th, page 1, 2, asserts the secret and mighty working of God's holy Spirit which is within us: for it is the Holy Ghost, and no other thing, stirring up good and godly motions in their heart. Many more expressions of this kind might be collected from the homilies and public prayers of the church of England. So that one would think none of that communion should throw reproach and scandal upon the assistances of the holy Spirit in good works and religious duties. SECT. II.how the Spirit assists us in Prayer. It is evident then, that there is such a thing as the assistance of the Spirit of God in the work of prayer, but how far this assistance extends, is a farther subject of enquiry : and it is very necessary to have a just notion of the nature and bounds of this divine influence, that we may not expect more than God has promised, nor sit down negligently contented without such de- grees as may be attained. Persons in this, as in most other cases, are very ready to run away with extremes. They either attribute too much or too little to the holy Spirit. In my judgment, those persons attribute too little to the Spirit of prayer, 1: Who say there is no more assistance to be expected in prayer, than in any ordinary and common affair of life ; as when a ploughman breaks the clods of his ground, and casts in the wheat and the barley, his God Both instruct him to discretion, and teach him ; Is. xxviii. 24, 25, 26. But this is, in effect to deny his special influences. -2. Those who allow the Spirit of God merely to excite some holy motions in the heart while they pray, and to awaken somethingof grace into exercise, according to the words of a prayer ; but that he does nothing towards our obtaining the ability or gift of praying, nor at all assists us in the exercise of the gift with proper matt r, method,
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