But what prayers, then, come from the Spirit ?
[1.] AVhen there is something divine in them, such as are suited to the object to whom we pray, and looketh like worship relating to God ; when it hath the stamp of his nature upon it. We apprehend in God two sort of attributes, some that belong to his mercy and goodness, some to his majesty and greatness. Now his mercy and goodness is seen in the joy of our faith and confidence, his majesty and greatness in our humility and reverence ; both prompt us to serious -worship- ping.
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242 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SeR. XXXV.
[2.] When there is something heyond the work of our natural faculties ; and prayer is not the fruit of memoiy and invention, but of faith, hope, and love. A man, by the help of memory and invea- tion, may frame and utter a praj'er which his heart disliketh.
[3.] Whatever jirayers are according to the will of God : ver. 27, ' And he that searcheth the heart knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.'
Use 3. Is to exhort you to get this spirit of prayer and supplication.
1. Beg the Spirit of God from his fatherly love : Luke xi. 13, ' If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your chiklren, how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him ?
2. Beg it as purchased by Christ ; as one of his disciples, as one that hath consented to the covenant of grace, which is a dutiful and obediential acceptance of Christ Jesus as our alone remedy. So doth Paul pray for it: Eph. i. 17, 18, 'That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdt)m and revelation in the knowledge of him ; the eyes of your understand- ing being enlightened, that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints.' So doth God offer it.
3. Obey the Spirit in other things, and then he will help you in prayer: Kom. viii. 14, 'For as many as are led by tlie Spirit of God are the sons of God.' That implieth that he not only directs, but we follow his direction ; therefore make it your business to obey his motions when he would restrain you from sin : Eom. viii. 13, ' If ye through the Spirit mortify tlie deeds of the body, ye shall live.' When he inviteth and leadeth you into communion with God, which is called by the apostle walking in the Spirit, Gal. v. 25, obey liim speedily, for delay is a plausible denial; thoroughly doing all that he require! h of you constantly, not sometimes only, when generally you neglect him. The Spirit is a stranger to you in prayer, when you neglect his other motions. There is a grieving the Spirit: Eph. iv. 30, 'And grieve not the Holy Spirit, whereby ye are sealed to the day of redemption ; ' a resisting the Spirit : Acts vii. 51, ' Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and eai's, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost ; ' and there is a quenching the Spirit : 1 Thes. v. 19, ' Quench not the Spirit.'
4. Do not pride thyself with the assistance he giveth : Ps. xci. 15, ' He shall call upon me, and I will answer him, and will be with him in trouble, and I will deliver him.' Simon Magus would fain have the power to work miracles : Acts viii. 19, ' And when Simon saw that through the laying on of the ajiostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money, saying. Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost.'
VeR. 27.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS VHI. 243
SERMON XXXVI.
And lie that searcheth the hearts hnoiveth what is the mhid of the Spirit, because he maheth intercession for the saints according to the ivill of God. — Eom. viii. 27.
In these words the former privilege is amplified. He had spoken of the assistance we have from the Spirit ; now, acceptance. Those sighs and groans which are stirred up in us by the Spirit are not without fruit and success, for they are taken notice of and accepted by the Lord. If they were confused and unintelligible groans or hasty sighs, ■ that die away and are gone like a puff of wind, the privilege were not so much ; no, they are of greater regard than so ; they are observed and rewarded by God — ' And he that searcheth,' &c.
In the words we have —
First, A property of God mentioned, that he searcheth the hearts.
Secondly, An inference thence, or an application to the matter in hand — He knoiveth the mind of the Spirit.
Thirdly, A reason why those groans are not unprofitable — Because he maheth intercession for the saints according to the ivill of God. God knoweth the meaning of them, and accepteth what is agreeable to his will.
First, Let us consider the property of God which is here mentioned — ' He that searcheth the hearts.' God needeth no seai'ch, but knowetli all things by simple intuition ; but it is spoken after the manner of men, who inquire and search into those things which they would know more accurately and exactly ; and so it sets forth the infinite know- ledge of God.