(3.) Sometimes they dare not speak. For the prophet telleth us of an evil time when 'the prudent will keep silence,' Amos v. 13 ; and another prophet speaketh when a man cannot ' trust in a friend,' and must ' keep the door of his month from her that lieth in his bosom,' Micali vii. 5 ; when they dare not speak against that which they cannot
VeR. 27.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. 253
mend, scarce dare peep or mutter or bemoan themselves, or plead with God. Such is the iniquity of the times, the guard is put upon them ; then God knoweth the desires of their hearts, and smothered griefs and concealed complaints.
(4.) Sometimes they are slandered when they speak by the scoffing atheist or carnal world, who know not the Spirit and his holy motions, because their heart is wholly devoted to sensual and earthly things ; the best strains of devotion are mocked at, and all that suiteth not with their carnal way is counted folly : 1 Peter iv. 4, ' Speaking evil of you ; ' and ver. 14, ' On their part the Spirit is evil spoken of.' The world, when they hear of believers praying in the Spirit, they scoff at it ; as those. Acts ii. 13, when the Holy Ghost came upon the apostles, some ' mocked, saying, These men are full of new wine ; ' so when any- thing of God more than ordinary appeareth in them, they deride it. They are not skilled in the motions of the Spirit when they are earnest. Festus thought Paul mad, and beside himself, Acts xxvi. 24. The wis- dom of the flesh is emnity against God, and cannot judge aright of his ways and motions. But now it is a comfort that God will put another kind of construction upon the Spirit's working than the world doth ; they call evil good, and good evil ; but God can distinguish ; they are incompetent judges, having no savour and relish of these things. Many things suit not with the corrupt sense of men, that are yet agreeable to God's holy will ; and that which is slandered in the world is owned by God ; and how much soever they are contradicted and scoffed at, yet they enjoy sweet and real communion with him. Though the world knoweth not this Spirit, yet God knoweth and owneth it, as the event declareth.
(.5.) Sometimes they themselves find it hard to interpret their duty, and judge what is flesh and what is spirit, but yet God knoweth the mind of the Spirit ; and when they set themselves to converse with God in the best fashion they can, the Lord granteth the desires of their hearts : Ps. Ixvi. 19, ' Verily God hath heard, he hath attended to the voice of my prayer.' We find our prayers are not rejected by God ; he hath some doubt of it, as appeareth in the verses before and after ; and so took it as a token of his sincerity. God, who cannot patronise any sin, liad been pleased to give him his approbation.
(6.) The saints that are little satisfied in their work plead their desires: Nehem. i. 11, ' 0 Lord, I beseech thee, let now thine ear be attentive to tlie prayer of tliy servant, and to the prayer of thy ser- vants who desire to fear thy name ; ' and Isa. xxvi. 9, ' With my soul liave I desired thee in the night ; yea, with my spirit will I seek thee right early.'
(7.) The children of God may be the better satisfied in his provi- dence and favours to them ; for God will hear so much of the prayer as cometh from the Spirit. We ask natural conveniences to a certain end; God will not always give the means, but the end shall be pro- moted ; be knoweth whether the means will prove a mercy, yea or no, or the end be promoted by these means or other. Now they desire the spirit may be heard, not the flesh. Abraham would have the pro- mise fulfilled, and pitcheth on lahmael : Gen. xvii. 18, ' Oh that Ishmael might live before thee ! ' But God intended a better way by Isaac. If
254 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SeR. XXXVI.
he give us our will, it is in anger ; that is our prayer ; but the Spirit's prayer is to glorify God, and according to the will of God. God's answer is according to the mind of the Spirit.
[2.] God's knowing by way of approbation, that he will accept and regard the prayer stirred up in lis by his S()irit. The reason is givea in the text, ' because he maketh requests for the saints according to the will of God.' la which clause we have —
1. The work — ' he maketh intercession.'
2. The persons for whom — ' for the saints.'
3. The rule, nature, or kind of intercession — Kara Qeov, ' according to the will of God.'
Let us, 1st, Open these things, 2dly, Consider why the prayer so made must needs be acceptable and pleasing to God.
1. The work of the Spirit — ' he maketh intercession ; ' that is, exciteth and directeth us to pray ; he employeth and maketh use of our faculties, mind and heart and tongue ; yea, of our graces, faith, hope, and love. Of faith to believe God's being and providence, both as to his present government, internal or external, or as to the future and eternal recompenses. This faith is the life of prayer ; for 'how shall they call on him in whom they have not believed ? ' Eom. x. 14, and Heb. xi. 6 Of our hope ; looking for these things, we ask of him according to his will ; otherwise prayer is but a wearisome, fruitless task : Mai. iii. 14, ' It is in vain to serve God ; what profit is it to call upon him ? ' When we expect what we ask, there is more life in asking : Ps. cxxx. 5, ' I wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait, and in bis word do I hope ; ' that is the posture of the soul in prayer, ^nd for love ; for here we come to show our hearty groans after everything which will bring us nearer to God. Surely they that call upon God aright are they which ' delight themselves in the Almightj%' Job xxvii. 10. The duty is an act of love ; and the life of the duty cometh from the fervency of our love, for it is a solemn expression of our de.sires. If God be our portion, we will thirst after him, and express our desires after what conduceth to com- munion with him. Thus the Spirit maketh use of our faculties and graces ; he strengtheneth our faith, quickeneth our love, and stirreth up our hope ; so that, as it is said. Mat. x. 20, 'It is not ye speak, but the Spirit of your Father that speaketh in you ; ' when he doth enable us to speak what is fit and proper before the tribunals of men. So he maketh intercession when he enabletli understanding creatures to speak what is fit and proper before the throne of grace, what will become faith, hope, and love.