Exposition of Romans 8-11, Chapter 8 · Verse 26
Verſe 26. For wee know not what wee ſhould pray for as we ought: but the Spirit it ſelfe maketh interceſſion for vsus with gronings which cannot be vttered.
THe Spirit is a principall helpe in the Croſſe; and one of the principalleſt meanes whereby the Spirit helpes vsus is, by teaching vsus to pray, which is ſhewed in theſe words: Where we hauehave three things: Firſt, our Ignorance and impotency to pray. Secondly, from whence wee be made able. Thirdly, the ſucceſſe and fruit of ſuch prayers; they are acceptable.
The two firſt are in theſe words, which we will handle together. The third is in the 27. verſe. It is a great cheering of the heart in the Croſſe, if we can pray; but alas, wee know not what to pray: we ought to know, but we do not, either in regard of matter or manner.
But the Spirit, Auguſt.that is, the Holy-Ghoſt maketh interceſſion for vsus: not is our Interceſſor, but maketh vsus to pray. So the Spirit cryeth Abba Father, Gal. 4.6.not that the Holy Ghoſt cryeth, but teacheth vsus to cry.
Chriſt and the Spirit, are as the Maſter of Requeſts, but in different manner: Chriſt by the power of his merit; the Holy Ghoſt by the efficacy of operation in vsus. As a Schoolemaſter with his Schollers, ſo dealeth the Holy Ghoſt with vsus: ſtirring vsus vp to pray, and prompting vsus with ſighes, grones, and words fitting.
For vsus: For our profit.Aquinas. Beza.
With ſighes, that cannot be expreſſed: For their greatneſſe; for as there is a ioy vnſpeakeable: 1. Pet. 1.So alſo, a ſorrow and earneſt deſire in the Saints, not to be vttered. Rather for their littleneſſe, both becauſe we ſcarce feele them, and know not what our hearts meane, and this is the fitteſt becauſe of that which followeth; Toletus.Hee which ſearcheth the heart knoweth: GOD knoweth eueryevery little ſtriuing and groning. EueryEvery ſigh in Repentance though neuer ſo weake, is obſerued by the Searcher of hearts.
doctrine The Doctrine. Ability to pray, is not of our ſelues, but the Holy Spirit, Iames 1.17. Pſal. 20.17. Zach. 12.10.
As the Eunuch vnderſtood not what he read, without an Interpreter. Acts 8. Luke 11.1.So neither we how to pray, without a Teacher. Therefore the Diſciples deſire Chriſt to teach them how to pray. Mat. 20.22.And Chriſt tels the Mother of Zebedeus children, they knew not what they asked.
Vſe 1.If there be any power in man vntounto any goodneſſe, then to Prayer; but not to Prayer. Therefore of himſelfe to none.
Ʋſe 2.Prayer is a great refuge in affliction; Is any afflicted? Let him pray.aIam. 5.13. So hauehave the Saints done, and hauehave been deliuered. Moſes at the Red Sea,bExod. 14. and fighting with Amalek, preuailed by Prayer.cExod. 17. So Aſa, d2. Chron. 14.11.ſo Iehoſaphat, e2. Chro. 20.12.ſo Hezekias, f2. Chro. 22.20.ſo our bleſſed Sauiour.gHeb. 8.7. Therefore did the Heathen Mariners in a great ſtreſſe of weather reprooue the drowſines of Ionas, and rayſe him vp to call vponupon his God.kIonab. 1.
As in ſtormes, the Birds and Beaſts flocke to the rowes, and the Mariner to the Hauen; ſo the Saints in trouble vntounto God by Prayer. Not to pray is a ſigne of a wretch,lPſalm. 14. ſo is it, by play and merry company, to ſeeke eaſe in trouble, as Saul by muſike, and not from God by prayer. Let vsus pray: we hauehave a Commandment, & a gracious promiſe to be heard. The Martyrs in their godly letters to their frends, write, Pray, pray, pray. The want of comfort is from the want of Prayer.
Vſe 3.Prayer is a great trauaile of the heart: our Nature will not away with it, but vponupon eueryevery little occaſion neglect it: ſeeke to the Spirit for helpe, and force nature.
Vſe 4.Sighes are prayers: and the voyce not abſolutely neceſſary, being but an accident: the ſubſtance of prayer is the deſire of the heart. This the ſoule of prayer, words but the body, which without the ſoule is but a dead carkaſſe. If thy heart grone not; words are but babbling, & the hypocrites drawing neere. Many hauehave feruently prayed that hauehave ſpoken neuer a word. Moſes at the Red SeaaExod. 14., Hezekiah when he chatteredbEſay 38,14.. Anna, Samuels mother,c1. Sam. 1.13. her lips went, but no word was heard: ſhe prayed ſeeretly in regard of words, openly in regard of her faithdPrece occulta, ſed manifeſta fide..
If a man had the voyce of a Lyon, the eloquence of Apollo, the learning of Moſes: it were nothing without the deſire of the heart. Neither is prayer to be meaſured by either the multitude or ſineneſſe of words, but by the earneſt grones of the heart: as in money, we eſteeme the value of the piece, not the quantity. A little piece of gold is in value to a great piece of ſiluer. So, that prayer is to be preferred, which in few words hath a great deale of ſpirit.
When thou goeſt to pray, enter into thy chamber, that is, of the heart, ſaith Ambroſe: no matter though the dore of thy mouth be ſhut, ſo the cloſet of thy heart be open. So this buſines is diſpatched more by ſighs then ſpeeches; more by teares then words. Neither doth the noiſe of the lips pleaſe God better then the ringing of the bells, without the inward meditation of the hear….
A Father hath compaſſion vponupon his ſick child when he complaines; but when it cannot ſpeak, but only weeps & grones, and looks vponupon the father; this doubleth the fathers bowels. So the Lord heares vsus when we ſpeake, but when we cannot ſpeake, but onelyonly are able to grone, his compaſſions are doubled toward vsus.
Vſe 5.Tyrants may cut out our tongues, but cannot hinder and bar vsus from prayer. For the ſighes and grones of the heart are prayer.