CHAPTER IV, 173 words arise as it were mingled with those ideas or conceptions, which the holy Spirit awakens within us. And we may humbly hope, thatwhen he bath given us some secret whispers what we should prayfor, he will at least so far enableus to use proper expressions, as may convey the same thoughts and matter to those who join with us in worship. Especially when proper ma- terials of prayer are brought to our mind in scripture- expressions, in some sense, these are words which the Holy Ghost teacheth, that Spirit which is promised to bring to our remembrance the things which Christ bath taught us. But this is more evidently so at the time, when, together with these expressions, the graces of prayers are wrought up to a lively exercise, which is the next step of the assistance of the Spirit. V11. He excites those graces in us, which are suited to the duty of prayer. He spiritualizes our natural affections, and fixes them on proper objects, and enlarges and heightens their activity. When sin is recollected, he awakens anger, shame and sorrow. When Gód is revealed to the mind in his glory and justice, he overspreads the soul with holy awe, and humble fear. When the Lord Jesus Christ, and his redemption, are upon the thoughts, the holy Spirit warms and raises our desire and love. We are in ourselves cold and dead to spiritual things, he makes us lively in prayer, and holds us to the work ; hebegets a holy reverence of God while we adore him : he works in us delight in ,God, and longing desires after him; fervency and importunity in our petitions for spiritual mercies, submission and resignation to the will of God in temporal things ; faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, and hope in the promises of the gospel, while we plead with God for an answer to our prayers; he fills us also with holy joy and exultation in God, while we recollect in prayer, his glories or his benefits, and awakens all the springs of thankful ness. As these qualities, in these first operation, ar e attributed to the Spirit of God, which it is not my present business to prove, so in their constant exercise in every duty, they want his farther assistance and efficacy, since of ourselves, an apostle could say, we are not sufficientfor onegood thought ; 1 Cor. iii. 5. but all our sufficiency is of God ; it is God of his good pleasure work- eth in us both to will and to do ; Phil. ii. 13. He gives us sincere aims and designs in our petitions ; for as to the manner of our prayers, there is the assistance of the Spirit necessary, as well as the matter ; and it is hinted in the text before cited ; Rom. viii. 26. We know not what topray for as we ought, but the Spirit helpethus. He influences our minds with a true and upright aim at the glory of Gód and our salvation ; for otherwise we are ready to ash good things amiss, that we may spend them on our lusts ; Jam. v. 5. This work of the Spirit in awakening our graces, though it be mentioned last, yet it often beginsbefore
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