'CHAPTER W. 171 tare. Rom. viii. 26. The- Spirit helpetla our infirmities; for we know not what to pray for as we ought, bat the Spirit itsel ntarketh intercession for us, and that according to the mind or will of God ; ver. 27. All the senses that the wit of man hag contrived to put upon this scripture, to exclude the work of the Spirit of God, are very much forced and strained, to make them signify any thing else. It is plain that we know not what is good for ourselves.; Excl. vi. 12. and we of ourselves should often ask for things. hurtful to us Jam, iv. 3. We are not acquainted with our own wants, nor the method Of our relief. It is the Spirit that muse convince us of sin,aid righteousness; of our sin and the right- eousness of Christ ; John xvi. 9. Ile is a Spirit of illumination in all the affairs of religion ; it is he alone that searches the deep thins of God, that knows what God bath prepared for helievers; ! Cor. ii 2. And therefore he Makes intercession, or teaches us to pray for timings agreeable to the divine will and purpose. lie now and then also gives ahiut of some argument to plead with Cod ; either time name or mediation of Christ, or seine of his own promises in the gospel ; for he is promised to take of the things of Christ, and shew them unto us; John xiv. 26. and John icvi. 13, 14, 15. It is he that brings divine timings to our remembrance; such timings as are suited to the several parts of prayer. Ile sets the glory and the 'Majesty of God before our eyes, and fìtrnishes.us with, matter for adoration. By bringing in to our remembrance, he fits us for confessioin ; and by caus- ingus to reflect on our many mercies, richly supplies us with thanksgivings. Now, since the evil spirit is said to pluck the good seed of the word of God out of the heart ; Mat. xiii. 19. wimy may we not suppose the good Spirit to put good thoughts into the- heart, to prepare and furnish us for such a duty as- prayer? And such kind of influences as these, are called the good motions of the Spirit of God, which cimristians of almost every sect t.nd persuasionwill allow in some degree. V. When the Spirit of God supplies us largely with matter in prayer, he (loth. in some measure inflneuce the method too. Method is but the disposition of the materials of a prayer one after another. Now as it is impossible our tongues should speak all these together, so it is not possible our minds should receive all the kind hints of them from the Spirit at once, but succes- sively one after another, as seems good to him. Sometimes he fills our souls with so deep and penitent a sense of our past sins, that we break out before God intohumble confessions in time very beginning of prayer. O Lord I am vile, what shall I answer thee ? Mine iniquities are gone over my head, and the number of.thenm is infinite. And perhaps the soul dwells upon its humiliations, through almost all the time of worship.
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