(2.) The manner of his heliJ and assistance. He stirreth up in ns ardent groans in prayer, or worketh up our hearts to God with desires expressed by sighs and groans. STevayfiol<; d\a\,i]Tol<;, may be rendered unuttered groans, as well as unutterable, and so some take it here ; and indeed that way it beareth a good sense. That the virtue of true prayer doth not consist in the number and artifice of words, as those that thought they should be heard for their vain babblings and much speak- ing, Mat. vi. 7. Alas ! the greatest command and flow of words is but babbling, without these secret sighs and groans which the lively motions of the Spirit stirreth up in us. There may be this without words ; as Moses cried unto the Lord though he uttered no words, Exod. xiv. 15. Or unutterable ; whatsoever proceedeth from a supernatural motion of the Spirit, its fervour and efficacy and force cannot be apprehended or expressed: 1 Peter i. 8, 'Ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory,' and Phil. iv. 7, ' The peace of God which passeth all understand- ing shall keep your hearts and minds.' In short, the sum of all is tiiis : we have no reason to faint under afflictions, since there is help in prayer ; and these prayers are not in vain, being excited by the Spirit dwelling
VeR. 26.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. 227
in us ; we are ignorant, and he teacheth us what to pray for, and assisteth us by his holy inspirations ; we are cold and backward, and he inflameth us, and exciteth us to pray with fervour, and holy sighs and groans. The points from this verse are three —
1. That the Holy Spirit doth strengthen and bear us up in our weaknesses and troubles, that we may not faint under them.
2. That prayer is one special means by which God's Holy Spirit helps God's children in their troubles and afHictions.
3. That the prayers of the godly come from God's Spirit.
Doct. For the first point, that the Holy Spirit doth strengthen and bear us up in our weaknesses and troubles, that we may not faint under them.
The sense of this doctrine I shall give you in these four considera- tions—
1. That it is a great infirmity and weakness if a christian should faint in the day of trouble. The two extremes are slighting and faint- ing: Heb. xii. 5, 'My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord, nor faint under it ; ' so Prov. xxiv. 10, ' If thou faintest in the day of trouble, thy strength is small.' Partly because there is so little reason for a christian's fainting. Who should be more undisturbed in the world than he who hath God for his God, Christ for his saviour, and the Spirit for his comforter, and heaven for his portion ? Partly because there is so much help from God. Either he hath already obtained strength from God which he doth not improve, or may obtain strength from God which he doth not seek after. God, prayed unto, giveth deliverance or support : Ps. cxxxviii. 3, 'In the day when I cried thou answeredst me, and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul.' And partly because of the mischiefs which follow this fainting. There is a twofold fainting —
[1.] There is a fainting which cause th great trouble, perplexity, and dejection of spirit : Heb. xii. 3, ' Lest ye wax weary, and faint in your minds.' Weariness is a lesser, fainting an higher degree of deficiency ; in weariness the body requireth some rest or refreshment, when the active power is weakened, and the vital spirits and principles of motion dulled ; but in fainting the vital power is contracted, and retireth, and leaveth the outward parts lifeless and senseless. When a man is wearied, his strength is abateil ; but when he fainteth, he is quite spent. These things, by a metaphor, are applied to the soul or mind. A man is wearied when the fortitude of his mind or his spiritual strength is broken or beginneth to abate, or his soul sits uneasy under sufferings ; but when he sinketh under the burden of grievous, tedious, and long afflictions, then he is said to faint ; the reasons or grounds of his com- fort are quite spent. Now this is a great evil in a child of God ; for the spirit of a man, or that natural courage that is in a reasonable creature, will go far as to the sustaining of foreign evils : Prov. xviii. 14, ' The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity.' And it is supposed of a christian that his spirit is sound and whole, being possessed of the love of God ; and therefore, though his natural courage be spent, which goeth on probabilities, yet his faith and hope should not be spent, which goeth on certainties, nor be overmuch perplexed about worldly troubles, as if his mercy were clean gone, or his promise would fail. Therefore a christian should strive against this: Ps. Ixxvii. 7-10, 'Will the Lord
228 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SeU. XXXIV.
cast off for ever ? Will he be favourable no more ? Is bis mercy cleau S^one for ever ? Dotb his promise fail for evermore ? Hath God forgotten to be gracious ? Hath he in anger shut uj) his tender mercies ? And I said, This is my iufirraity ; but I will remember the years of the right hand of the Most High.'