This twofold testimony, concerning the promise of the communica- tion of the Holy Spirit or a Spirit of supplication unto believers under the New Testament, and the accomplishment of it, doth suffi- ciently evince our general assertion, that there is a peculiar work or special gracious operation of the Holy Ghost in the prayers of be- lievers enabling them thereunto; for we intend no more hereby but that as they do receive him by virtue of that promise (which the world cannot do), in order unto his gracious efficiency in the duty of sup- plication, so he doth actually incline, dispose, and enable them to cry " Abba, Father," or to call upon God in prayer as their Father by Jesus Christ. To deny this, therefore, is to rise up in contra- diction unto the express testimony of God himself, and by our un- belief to make him a liar. And had we nothing farther to plead in this cause, this were abundantly sufficient to reprove the petulant folly of them by whom this work of the Holy Ghost, and the duty of believers thereon to " pray in the Spirit," — if we may use the de- spised and blasphemed expressions of the Scripture, — is scorned and derided.
For as to the ability of prayer which is thus received, some there are who know no more of it, as exercised in a way of duty, but the outside, shell, and appearance of it; and that not from their own expe- rience, but from what they [have] observed in others. Of these there
270 WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN PRAYER. [BOOK VII.
are not a few who confidently affirm that it is wholly a work of fancy, invention, memory, and wit, accompanied with some boldness and elocution, unjustly fathered on the Spirit of God, who is no way con- cerned therein; and, it may be, they do persuade many, no better skilled in these things than themselves, that so it is indeed. How- beit, those who have any experience of the real aids and assistances of the Spirit of God in this work and duty, any faith in the express testimonies given by God himself hereunto, cannot but despise such fabulous imaginations. You may as soon persuade them that the sun doth not give light, nor the fire heat, that they see not with their eyes, nor hear with their ears, as that the Spirit of God doth not enable them to pray, or assist them in their supplications. And there might some probability be given unto these pretences, and unto the total exclusion of the Holy Ghost from any concernment herein, if those concerning whom and their duties they thus judge were generally persons known to excel others in those natural en- dowments and acquired abilities whereunto this faculty of prayer is ascribed. But will this be allowed by them who make use of this pretence, — namely, that those who are thus able to pray, as they pretend, by virtue of a spiritual gift, are persons excelling in fancy, memory, wit, invention, and elocution? It is known that they will admit of no such thing; but in all other instances they must be re- presented as dull, stupid, ignorant, unlearned, and brutish: only in prayer they have the advantage of those natural endowments ! These things are hardly consistent with common ingenuity; for is it not strange that those who are so contemptible with respect unto natural and acquired endowments in all other things, whether of science or of prudence, should yet in this one duty or work of prayer so improve them as to outgo the imitation of them [by those] by whom they are despised? for as they do not, as they will not, pray as they do, so their own hearts tell them they cannot; which is the true reason why they so despitefully oppose this praying in the Spirit, whatever pride or passion pretends to the contrary. But things of this nature will again occur unto us, and therefore shall not be here farther insisted on. Having, therefore, proved that God hath promised a plentiful dispensation of his Spirit unto believers under the New Testament, to enable them to pray according unto his mind, and that, in general, this promise is accomplished in and towards all the children of God, it remaineth, in the second place, as to what we have proposed, that we declare what is the work of the Holy Ghost in them unto this end and purpose, or how he is unto us a Spirit of prayer or supplication.
CHAP. IV.] THE NATURE OF PRAYER. 271
CHAPTER IV.
The nature of prayer — Rom. viii. 26 opened and vindicated.
Prayer at present I take to be a gift, ability, or spiritual faculty of exercising faith, love, reverence, fear, delight, and other graces, in a way of vocal requests, supplications, and praises unto God:
" In every thing let your requests be made known unto God,"
Phil. iv. 6.
This gift and ability I affirm to be bestowed, and this work by virtue thereof to be wrought in us, by the Holy Ghost, in the accom- plishment of the promise insisted on, so crying " Abba, Father," in them that do believe. And this is that which we are to give an ac- count of; wherein we shall assert nothing but what the Scripture plainly goeth before us in, and what the experience of believers, duly exercised in duties of obedience, doth confirm. And in the issue of our endeavour we shall leave it unto the judgment of God and his church, whether they are " ecstatical, enthusiastical, unaccountable raptures" that we plead for, or a real gracious effect and work of the Holy Spirit of God.