Exposition of Romans 8-11, Chapter 8 · Verse 27
VERSE 27. And he that ſearcheth the hearts, knoweth what is in the mind of the Spirit, rOr, that.becauſe he maketh interceſſion for the Saints according to the will of God.
HEre is declared the ſucceſſe of the prayers and grones of the Saints: they are known and accepted. This is ſhewed by two reaſons: The firſt, from the property of God, He ſearcheth the heart. The ſecond, from the matter of their prayers, in the end of the Verſe they pray and aske things according to his will.
He that ſearcheth the hearts. God ſearcheth; hee need not ſearch to know; but becauſe he knoweth, hee is ſaid to ſearch, after the manner of men, who ſearch when they would exactly know.
Knoweth; There is a double knowledge attributed to God: of knowledge onelyonly and of allowance, both are here meant. From this Reaſon:
doctrine God knoweth and approoueth the prayers of the Saints, Pſa. 38.9. and 51.17.
Vſe 1.God is onelyonly to be prayed to becauſe he onelyonly knowes the heart: It is vaine to pray to Saints and Angels, who when we cannot ſpeake, know not the meaning of our grones.
Ʋſe 2.Beware of hypocriſie, we may deceiue men, but God is not mocked. The Hypocrite may make as faire a ſhew as the true Profeſſour, as counterfet gold may gliſter as bright as the true. Nay, the hypocrite may make a fairer: as a painted face may ſhew more beautifull then a naturall; but God ſearcheth the heart.
Ʋſe 3.Sinne not in hope of ſecreſie, for Gods eye ſeeth all things. euen the ſecrets of the heart. Thou mayeſt hide God from thy ſelfe, thou canſt not thy ſelfe from God. The eye of man reſtraineth thee from euill: much more let the eye of God.
Ʋſe 4.Iudge no man, for thou knoweſt not the heart. Be iuſtly cautelous, not vniuſtly ſuſpicious.
Vſe 5.Thou art condemned for an Hypocrite: God knowes thy heart. If thou canſt ſay with Peter, Iohn. 21.17.Lord, thou knoweſt, &c. all is well. Thou art in grieuous diſtreſſe, and canſt not pray. Canſt thou ſigh? This is prayer. And though nor thou, nor ſtanders by can make any thing of it, yet God can and doth make much of it.
The leaſt euill in the heart cannot eſcape his knowledge: ſo not the leaſt good thought or deſire. God knowes more euill by vsus then we know by our ſelues, ſo alſo more good: for God is greater then our heart.1. Ioh. 3.
When wee goe about to pray, we thinke to aske this and that: but many times ſomething is forgotten. Shall this preiudice vsus? No. Though we hauehave forgotten it: God who ſearcheth the heart, will finde it well enough and reward it.
Becauſe he maketh interceſsion for the Saints, according to the will of God.
In theſe words is the 2. reaſon of the Application of the Grones of the Saints: becauſe they grone for things according to the will of God.
Hee that is the Spirit, maketh Interceſſion for vsus: that is, teacheth vsus to make Interceſſion.
According to his will: as it is reuealed in his Word.
doctrine The way to hauehave our Prayers heard, is to pray according to Gods will, 1. Ioh. 5.14. Iam. 4.3.
Ʋſe 1.Wicked men ſhall not bee heard to their benefite. Prou. 28.9.The Prayer of a wicked man is abominable He heard the Iewes when they curſed themſelues, ſaying, His bloud be vponupon vsus: but he onelyonly approues the prayers of his children.
A wicked man can hauehave no hope to bee heard: for whoſoeuer remembers that free will not doe that which hee hath heard, muſt needs diſtruſt to receiue that which hee asketh. When our good life agreeth with our good words, then is there confidence and lowd crying in the eares of God.
Vſe 2.Wouldeſt thou be heard? Aske then thoſe things which are according to Gods will, not thine owne. In Prayer it is a great grace to renounce our owne wils. And he doubtleſſe is the beſt ſeruant, that deſireth not to heare that which he will: but which willeth that which he heareth, Submit thy will to Gods: for better knowes the Phyſicion whats fit for the ſick man, then himſelfe.
If thou askeſt any thing; either thou ſhalt hauehave it: or if thou haſt it not, it is not expedient for thee to hauehave it: and then GOD doth not thy will, that hee may doe his owne for thy good.