CHAPTER IV< 179 agreeableness to the standing rule of the word of God, and their influence towards humility and growing holiness. There is therefore the same rule to judge of the uncommon, as well as the common assistances of this Spirit of supplication.-3. How near soever these rare and extraordinary impulses come to the inspiration of the apostles and first christians in the truth and power of them, yet they fall far short in the distinct evidence : for the Spirit of God hath not taught us so far to distinguish any particular parts or paragraph, evenóf such an extraordinary prayer, as that any one can say, these are perfect divine inspira- tions ; because he would have nothing stand in competition with his written word, as the rule of faith and practice of his saints. IV. Do not make the gift of prayer, the measure of your judgment concerning the Spirit of prayer. If we follow this rule, there are three cases where we may be led into mistake : The first case is, when the gift is in great and lively exercise. Have a care of believing, that all those persons pray by the Spirit, who pronounce 'very pious expressions with great seem- ing fervency, and mach volubility of speech ; when, itmay be, their behaviour and character in the world is sinful and abomi- nable in the sight of God. Ii is true indeed, the Spirit of God sometimes bestows considerable gifts upon persons that are un- converted; but we are not immediately to believe, that every thing that is bright and beautiful is thepeculiar work of the Spirit in our day, unless we have some reason to hope, the per- son is also one of the sons of God. Much less can we suppose, that noisy gesture, a distorted countenance, violenceand vociferation, are any signs of the pre- sence of the divine Spirit sometimes indeed the extraordinary anguish of mind, or inward fervour of affection, have extorted from the saints of God loud complaints and groanings. David sometimes practised this, as appears in his psalms. Jesus Christ himself, whenpressed with sorrows heavier that man could bear, offered strong cries and tears in the days of his flesh; Heb. v. 7. and we are sure, the Spirit of prayer was with him. But there may be great noise, and violent commotions used to make . a chew of fervency and power, and with a design to make up the want of inward devotion. God himself was indeed present at Sinai.,with thunder and lightning, and the sound of a trumpet once ; Exod. xix. But another time when he came down to visit Elijah, ,he was not in the earthquake, nor in the tempest, but in the still small voice ; I Kings xix. 11, 12. I would not impute the difference between the prayers of one minister and another, one christian and another, merely to the presence or absence of the holySpirit. Natural constitutions, capacities, acquirements, natural affections, and providential circumstances can make a great difference. Nor would 1 MI- , nt 2
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