184 A GUIDE TO FRAYER. ing the holey Spirit, and causing him to depart from us, as he, is the Spirit of grace ; and we effectually hinder ourselves from his assistance in the gift of prayer. While you borrow the best aids in your devotion from those prayers that arc iudiied by the Spirit of God in scripture, take care and quench not his far- ther operations, by confining yourselves entirely to those Words and expressions. The holy Spirit may be quenched, even by tying yourselves to his own words : for, if he had thought those words of scripture all - sufficient for all the designs and wants of his saints in prayer, he would have given some hint of it in his word ; he would have required us to use those prayers always and there would have been no farther promise of the Spirit to assist us in this work : hut now he has promised it, and has forbid us to quench it while We pray without ceasing ; 1 'Thess. v. 17, 18, 19. V. Dare not to indulge yourselves in a course of spiritless worship, in a round of formality and lip services, without pious dispositions and warm devotion in your own spirits. There may be danger of this formality and coldness even in the exerciseof the gift of prayer, when we are not tied to á form. And how cat' we think tite Spirit of God will come to our assis- tance, if our spirits withdraw and are absent from the work ? Take notice of the frame of your minds in prayer, observe the presence or absence of this divine assistant, the holy Spirit ; and since ye are hid to pray always in the Spirit; Eph. vi. 18. be not satisfied with any oneprayer, where ye have found nothing at all of inward divine breathings towards God through the work of his own Spirit. O the dismal character and temper of those souls that pass whole years of worship, and multiply du- ties and forms of devotion, without end and without number, and no spirit in them. VI. 13e thankful for every aid of the Spirit of God in prayer, and improve it well. Spread all the sails of your soul to improve every gale of this heavenly wind, that blows when and where it listeth ; John iii. 8. Comply with his holy breathings and spiritual motions. Abide in prayer, when you feel your graces raised into a lively exercise ; for it is the Spirit that quickeneth ; John vi. 63. He doth ,not always come in a sensi- ble manner; therefore, be tenderly careful, lest you-shake him off, or thrust him from thedoer of your hearts, especially if he be a rare visitor. VII. Have a care of pride and self-sufi'iciency, when at any time you feel great enlargements of soul in prayer, and warm affections, and divine delight. Attribute not to your- selves what is due to God, lest he be provoked. The gift of prayer in á lively and flowingexercise, will be in danger of puf- fing up tite unwary christian; but let us remember, that it is
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