2. He quickeneth and enliveneth our desires in prayer. . There is a holy vehemency and fervour required in prayer, opposite to that care- less formality and deadness which otherwise is found in us ; these are the ' groanings which cannot be uttered,' spoken of in the text. Groan- ing noteth the strength and ardency of desire, when there is a warmth and a life and a vigour in prayer. Oh ! how flat and dead are our hearts oftentimes, when we want these quickening motions ! A flow of words may come from our natural temper, but these lively motions and strong desires from the Spirit of God. It is notable that the prayer which is produced in us by the Spirit is represented by the notion of a cry ; twice it is said, teaching us to cry, Abba, Father ; not with respect to the loudness of the voice, but the earnestness of affection. Crying for help is the most vehement way of asking, used only by persons in great necessity and danger. A prayer without life is as incense without fire, which sendeth forth no perfume or sweet savour. The firing of the sacrifices was a token of God's acceptance ; so when warmth of heart cometh from heaven, God testifieth of his gifts.
3. He encourageth and emboldeneth us to come to God as a father. This is one main thing twice mentioned in scripture : Kom. viii. ] 5, ' We have received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father ; ' and Gal. iv. 6, ' Because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.' A great part of the life and comfort of prayer consisteth in coming to God as a reconciled father. Now this is seen in two things (1.) Child-like con- fidence ; (2.) Child-like reverence.
[1.] Child-like confidence, or a familiar owning of God in prayer, when we come to him as little children to their father, for help in their dangers and necessities. Christ hath taught us to say, ' Our Father,' and in every prayer we must be able to say so in one fashion or another ; not with our lips, but with our hearts ; by option and choice, if not by direct affirmation : Luke xi. 13, ' If ye, then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask it ?' We forget the duty of children, but God doth not forget the mercies of a father. Let it be the voice of our trust and hope rather than of our lips.
[2.] With child-like reverence, in an humble and aweful way. God, that hath the title of a father, will have the honour and respect of a father, Mai. i. 6. If this should breed fear and reverence in us at other times, it should much more when we immediately converse with him : 1 Peter i. 17, ' If ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth every man.' God will be sanctified in all that draw nigh unto him, Heb. x. ; so Phil. iii. 11, 'Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling.' Our familiarity with God must not mar
VeB. 26.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIIL 235
our reverence, nor confidence and delight in him our humility ; and serious dealing with God in prayer is wrought in us by the Spirit, in whose light we see both God and ourselves, his majesty and our vile- nesR, his purity and our sinfulness, his greatness and our nothingness. Secondly, The necessity of this help and assistance.
1. The order and economy of the divine persons showeth it. In the mystery of redemption God is represented as our reconciled God and Father, to whom we come; Christ as the mediator, through whom we have liberty and access to God as our own God ; and the Spirit as our guide, sanctifier, and comforter, by whom we come to him. God is represented as the great prince and universal king, into whose presence- chamber poor petitioners are admitted ; Christ openeth the door by the merit of his sacrifice, and keepeth it open by his constant intercession, that wrath may be no hindrance on God's part, nor guilt on ours ; for otherwise, ' God is a consuming fire,' Heb. xii. 29, and sin divides, and separates between God and us, Isa. lix. 2. Then the Spirit doth create, preserve, and quicken and actuate these graces, in the exercise of which this access is managed and carried on ; otherwise, such is our impotency and averseness, that we should not make use of this ofi'ered benefit : Eph ii. 18, ' For through him we both have an access by one Spirit unto the Father.' The enjoyment of the fatherly love of God is the highest happiness, in which the soul doth rest content. Christ is the way by which we come to the Father, and the Spirit our guide, which causeth us to enter in this way, and goeth along with us in it. We cannot look aright to the blessed Father, but we must look to him through the blessed Son, and we cannot look upon the Son but through the blessed Spirit, and so we come aright to God.