A Family Altar Erected to the Honor of the Eternal God, Treatise · Chapter 8
Chap. VIII. Directions how to manage the worſhip of God in Families, as to the matter of Prayer.
I Have briefly diſpatcht the preparatives for Erecting and managing Family Worſhip, in a due order; I now proceed more cloſely to the carrying on of this work …ly, that you may pleaſe, Glorify and inj…od, profit and edify your ſelves and others in this undertaking; in which I propoſe two ſorts of inſtructions; Which do
Concern 1. Matter. of managing Family Worſhip.
Concern 2. Manner. of managing Family Worſhip.
1. For matter, or words in Family-Prayer, the Holy-Ghoſt ſaith, take with you words, and turn to the Lord; Hoſ. 14.2.ſay unto him, take away all Iniquity, and receive us Graciouſly — by words, he means not only Phraſes, or literal expreſſions for therein Hypocrites may abound, but, 1. The ſubject Matter to be treated upon, as Joab put words into the Womans Mouth;2 Sam. 14 3. i. e. the main purport, deſign, or manner of her Similitude, not every Syllable ſhe ſpoke: 2. Practiſe accordingly, keep the law;Ebraei eâdem voce expri… unt verba et … verba debent eſſe realia, et homine digna praeſertim apud Deum. vid. Pol. crit in loc. act as real Saints, for the ten Commandments are called [foreign] words, and our compliance therewith muſt anſwer our profeſſions, and prayers; Elſe we do nothing; we muſt live up to our prayers; the word alſo ſignifies an ordering, regulating and Marſhalling a thing, and indeed we cannot order our Words before him, by reaſon of darkneſs, therefore muſt we be very Cautious and exact, as the wiſe man admoniſheth, Eccl. 5.2. Be not raſh with thy Mouth, and let not thy heart be haſty to utter any thing before God, for God is in Heaven, and thou upon Earth, therefore let thy words be few, i. e. Well weighed in Prayer or vows, God is of Infinite Majeſty not to be deſpiſed, of Tranſcendent Holineſs not to be offended, and of unſearhable Knowledge not to be deceived; nor to be flattered with vain Repetitions; ſtudy not to ſpeak fine but fit words, not many but weighty, proceeding from thy heart, directed unto God and pertinent to the matter in hand. 4. Words may ſignify Arguments in Prayer, So Job 6.25. how forcible are right words (i. e. Proper Arguments, as appears from the later clauſe) but what doth your arguing reprove? accordingly holy Job wiſheth, Oh that I knew where I might find him! that I might come near to his Seat! Job. 23.34.I would order my Cauſe before him, and fill my Mouth with Arguments; not to out-argue God, or to prove him unjuſt, no nor to move God to that which he is unwilling to, for he is in one mind, and who can turn him? No,ver. 13. he is Righteous and Unchangable, I dare not deal with God, or challenge him to deal with me upon terms of ſtrict juſtice, but upon terms of new Covenant-Grace, pleading his promiſe made to Sinners in Chriſt, and ſoliciting for performance of them.
And now I proceed to help Houſe-holders in the matter of their Family-Worſhip, particularly in Prayer, I ſhall produce ſome Stones out of the Word of God for rearing this Family-Altar, and the rather becauſe this is a general complaint, and was a principall objection, that they knew not what to ſay if they ſhould kneel down in their houſes with their Families: but to ſuch as are willing but weak in their addreſſes to the throne of Grace, I ſhall ſubjoyn theſe two inſtructions for their help.
1. Attend upon a powerful Miniſtry: there you will hear Directions, Motives, Precepts, Promiſes, Scripture-Arguments to quicken and direct you in this work: there you may gain knowledge of God the object of Worſhip, Chriſt the Mediator and Advocate, of the Holy-Ghoſt that muſt aſſiſt you: there you will get a good underſtanding in Gods mind and will, which will furniſh you with abilities, and further your acquaintance with God;Prov. 3.13. Happy is the man that findeth Wiſdom, and the man that getteth underſtanding: that man is prepared to every good work: But how ſhall a Soul obtain this ſacred underſtanding? I anſwer, one way is by the ear; as he loſt true wiſdom by abuſing that ſenſe, and hearkening to the Syren Songs of the ſubtile Serpent: ſo the Scriptures frequently calls you to hearken to the voice of God in the Miniſtry of the Word: Light and Life, and Love may come in at that door;Iſa. 55.3. Rom. 10.1…. Gal. 3.2. Hear and your Souls ſhall live; Faith comes by hearing, yea men may receive the Spirit by the hearing of Faith. But how ſhall men breath without Spiritual Life? and how can men Pray without the aſſiſtance of the Spirit?Rom. 10.14 how ſhall they call on him in whom they have not believed, and how ſhall they believe in him, of whom they have not heard, and how ſhall they hear without a Preacher? nor is it any kind of preacher that you muſt hear, but you muſt take heed whom you hear, that they be ſent, i. e. duely qualified and regularly Commiſſionated: you muſt take heed what you hear, that it be not mens fancys, but the approved word of the Living God; you muſt alſo take heed how you hear: alas! any kind of hearing will not ſerve turn: you muſt Pray and prepare before you hear it; ſet your ſelves in Gods preſence, caſt out all Sin, apply it to your ſelves, mix it with Love, own Gods Authority in it; hide it in your hearts, meditate on it, reſolve upon the practice of it: and who can tell what bleſſſed fruits it may produce in your hearts and lives?2 Theſ. 3.1. Pray you that the word may have free courſe, and be Glorified; and if it be ſo in you, the fruit of Preaching will appear in your Prayers as well as Practices:Pſal. 81.10, 11. an heart opened to the Word, will open the Mouth wide in Prayer: But if you will not hearken to Gods voice you will have no voice to God, nor will God regard what you ſay;Prov. 28.9. for He that turneth away his Ear from hearing the law, even his Prayer ſhall be abomination.
2. Search the Scriptures: Joh. 5.39.this is both the Rule and Matter of Prayer: if you be mighty in the Scriptures, you will be mighty and pithy in Prayer! God loves to be ſpoken to in his own language: ſtudy Scripture-Precepts, & turn them into Prayers, ſtudy Scripture-Promiſes, and turn them into Pleas, ſtudy Scripture-Threatnings and turn them into deprecations, and ſtudy Scripture-Patterns for imitation: you may find ſeveral excellent Prayers in the Bible, as of Abraham Gen. 18.23, 32. So Jacob, Gen. 32.9, 12. Moſes, Exod. 32.11-13. So Joſhua, 7.6▪ 9 Hanna, 1 Sam. 1.11. Solomon, 1 Kings, 3 6, 9.8.22-53. David, 1 Chron. 17.16, 27. Neh. 1.4, 11. Ezra, 9. Dan. 9. And many ſweet Prayers put up and recorded by the bleſſed Apoſtle Paul, and others, too many to be mentioned, which in reading the Holy Scriptures you may meet with; Say not then, you have nothing to ſay before the Lord; it is your Ignorance or Negligence, if you be barren in your addreſſes to the throne of Grace: ſome good Devines have propoſed a method and words in Scripture-phraſe, which I will not now trouble you with; but if you daily uſe to read the Bible, you will find patt expreſſions flowing into your mind in Prayer, which will prove pertinent matter upon all occaſions; when you read Scripture, think now God is ſpeaking to me, and thereby furniſhing me with matter to ſpeak to him in Prayer; this paſſage ſuits my caſe, I will improve it in Confeſſion, Petition, Deprecation or Thanksgiving in my addreſſes to God, and thus you will arrive to an habit of free-converſing with God; and it becomes Governours of families to be more imployed in reading Scriptures than others,Deu. 17.19. Joſh. 1 8. 1 Tim. 4.14. ſo God appoints Kings, Captains, Miniſters, to be daily exerciſed in this duty: becauſe they were to be helpfull to others; ſo muſt you; if you conſult with Gods word, you go in unto God, ſo ſome obſerve by comparing, Pſal. 73.17. of going into the Sanctuary of God, with 2 Sam. 7.18, then went King David in, and ſate before the Lord. i. e. he went in to God: to intimate that Reading and Praying are near a kin…: the one is an help to the other: if you read much, it will help you to Pray much, it will help you to read and underſtand. Be much imployed in both.
3. Learn to underſtand and improve the Lords Prayer, Mat. 6.9, 12. Conſider the Prologue, Parts, and Concluſion of it: get ſome Succinct and plain Expoſition of it, do not Cantingly, Formally, and Superſtitiouſly blubber it over, as a Charm, but uſe it as a Comprehenſive Platform of Praying: I am not altogether againſt the uſe of the words in the Lords Prayer: Nay I would rather you kneel down with your Family, and ſaid nothing but the Lords Prayer, than that you ſhould uſe no Prayer at all: only ſee you underſtand the meaning of it? and do not rabble it over as a Parrot, but do it ſeriouſly; and take heed of Mocking God: Hypocriſie is a ſin as well as Atheiſm: to pray otherwiſe than Chriſt hath taught, is not only Ignorance, but a gievous ſin, ſaith an Ancient;*Aliter orarpage missing quam do…uit non ignorant…a Selaeſt, ſed et Culpa, Cyprian Serm. 6. a orat Domini et cum ipſupage missing hab…amus apud …atrepage missing Advocatum …o peccatis noſtri…, Advocat… noſtpage missing verba prommus, id. ib. this referrs both to the matter and manner of praying, for, ſaith he. the Father will acknowledge the words of his Son, when we Pray to him, in his name: [qui habitat intus in pectore, ipſe ſit et in voce] let him be in our voice that dwells in our hearts: [quia Deus non vocis, ſed cordis auditor eſt] God is not the hearer of the voice but of the heart. But we are now ſpeaking of Family-Prayer, wherein God requires both voice and heart; and I am giving helps for the matter of Prayer, and this is a certain truth, that all and only the things that are to be asked of God are comprehended in the Lords Prayer; that's the ſumme and ſubſtance of the [petenda] things to be asked: if you do not always utter the words, you muſt expreſs the Senſe; therefore it's fit you ſhould underſtand them; for every word hath it's weight; [Our Father which art in Heaven] thou art the common Father of all Mankind, our Father in Chriſt, we humbly and reverently proſtrate our Selves at thy Footſtool in confidence of entertainment, through thy well-beloved Son and our Advocate: give us child-like affections to thee, and endeared love to all thine, and tender Compaſſion to all others! [Hallowed be thy name,] let thy Glorious Titles, Attributes, Word and Ordinances be manifeſted through the World, diſpoſe all things to the Glory of thy name, aſſiſt us in our confeſſing and forſaking our Sins, adoring thine infinite perfections, believing in thee, ſubjecting our ſelves to thee, attending on thee, and aiming at thy Glory in all we are, or do, or ſuffer. [Thy Kingdom come] deſtroy O Lord, the Devils kingdom, of Ignorance, Wickedneſs, advance thy Kingdom in Converting Sinners, building thy Church, maintaining the power of Godlineſs, and haſtning the Kingdom of Glory, confirming and preparing our own Souls for our Lords ſecond coming; [Thy will be done in Earth as it is in Heaven,] let thy preceptive Will be our rule, enable us to comply with it, give us knowledge of it, conquer the enmity of our ſtubborn wills, enable us to do it ſingly, Sincerely, Univerſally and conſtantly, as Angels and Saints Glorified; help us quietly to acquieſce in thy Providential will, be it for us or againſt us; [Give us this day our daily bread] vouchafe to us a competent portion of outward Comforts, for our daily ſupply, thy bleſſing therewith, which is the ſtaff of our bread, for we depend on thee for all: [Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors] for Chriſt's ſake and ſatisfaction Pardon all our Sins; whereby we are endebted to divine Juſtice, and can never ſatisfie, but lay hold by Faith on the Lord our Righteouſneſs, and freely forgive all men their offences againſt us, and Pray God to forgive them: [And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from Evil] Lord we have bad Herds, prevent occaſions of Sin, reſtrain the tempter, keep us out of harms way, or make us conqerours of World, Fleſh, and Devil; let not Sin have Dominion over us! [For thine is the Kingdom, the Power and the Glory, for Ever, Amen.] We take not our incouragement in our Prayers from any thing in our Selves, but from Thee who art the only Soveraign All ſufficient God, able and willing to help poor Creatures; to thee only be aſcribed all Dominion, Bleſſing, Honour, Glory and Power, for evermore, Amen, So be it.
Thus I have given you a ſhort hint of the meaning of this Excellent Prayer, that you may be left without excuſe for your willful Neglect.
4. Frequent Chriſtian Society; converſe with Godly Praying perſons, this will help you in Family Work and Worſhip, not only as it is a good Example, but as it aſſimilates you to them, and alſo as it provokes to an holy Emulation, it will make you ſhame with your ſelves, that ſuch as had no better breeding or higher Education than you, have yet attained to ſuch Knowledge, Gifts and Elocution; this will make you admire the Grace of God in them, and think it not impoſſible, but that the ſame Grace may do as much in you.Rom. 11.12. 2 Cor. 9.2. Paul ſought by the Gentiles Piety to provoke the Jews to Emulation, and tells us the Corinthians zeal (in Charitable contribution) had provoked very many: it's not to tell what Light and Life,Eccl. 49.12. and Love may be conveyed from one Chriſtian to another: If two lye together they have heat;Pro. 27.17 Iron ſharpens Iron,A …ow majori diſcit all …ll. ſo a man ſharpeneth the countenance of his Friend: they ſay Bores whett their Tusks one againſt another; and the younger Oxe learns to Plow of the elder: wicked men do exaſperate one another: So muſt,Heb. 10.24. ſo will God's Children conſider one another, to provoke unto Love and to good works: [foreign] it's a word borrowed from Phyſicians, who deſcribe a violent Feaver by this word, which imports that at ſome times the Fit is ſo ſtrong, as to make the Body to tremble, the Bed to ſhake under the Patient: The ſame word uſed of the Contention or Paroxiſm betwixt Paul and Barnabas: Only this is of Love,Acts. 15.39. that was of Anger; ſtriving which ſhould exceed in Zeal for God, from the ſenſe of Chriſt's Love to them; outſtripping one another in heavenly motions: However, if you frequently converſe in the Societies of praying Chriſtians, you will be acquainted with their expreſſions, which you may make uſe of, ſo you have experience thereof, and your hearts be joyned therewith, and ſuited thereto; and their phraſes becoming yours, you will be more fit for Family duty.
5. Converſe with God alone: firſt Pray in your Cloſets, and then you'll be more inabled to Pray in your Families, both as to Matter and Manner: a frequent exerciſe of Cloſet-prayer will move you to converſing with God: there you will find that God will ſuggeſt Words into your minds, which you may produce in your Families with your Mouths, and this courſe will imbolden you before others: and poſſibly this is one part of Gods rewarding Cloſet-prayer openly which our Lord promiſeth.Mat. 6.6. Job 22. 21, 26, 27. Thus ſaith Eliphas, to Job, acquaint now thy ſelf with him (i e with God) and as one of the bleſſed Fruits of Familiarity, thou ſhalt lift up thy Face unto God, (i. e.) thou ſhalt openly own him before others without Sinful modeſty or bluſhing,2 Cor. 3.18. as a Man dare boldly approach his intimate Friend (whoever be preſent; …he adds alſo, thou ſhalt make thy Prayer unto him, and he ſhall hear thee.—Oh the bleſſed Fruits of a Souls acquaintance with God in a Corner! ſuch will not be aſhamed of him before others, ſuch ſhall reſemble God; this Intimacy Transforms men into his likeneſs, as long intimate acquaintance hath altered the Habit of ſome mens bodies and diſpoſition of their Minds into that of their friends, Moſes converſing with God in the Mount made his Face ſhine,Exo. 34.30. ſo that ſome Rays of Divine Glory appeared to Aaron and the Iſraelites; the more you are with God, the more you have of God, and this of Praying with boldneſs, confidence, and aſſurance is both a Duty and Priviledge, obtained by frequent converſing with God as our friend: But the manner of the expreſſion is worth nothing [thou ſhalt make thy Prayer to him: foreign Mid…p icavit … ver… … fudit …atio….] the Words are Emphatical, and ſignifie, a pouring out of Prayer, with Multitude of Words in Prayer, ſtrong Words, clothed with Power: you will never want Matter, or Words, or inlargedneſs, if you be thus acquainted with God: your Family will ſoon take notice that you have been with Jeſus in a corner, when they diſcern ſuch freedom of Speech and Spirit, yea, no body can hinder you from Praying with your Family; one Act of Religion draws on another, ſecret Duties prepare for more publick; and 'tis true, what Dr. Preſton obſerves, that helps to Religion are within the compaſs of Religion, multiplyed Acts ſtrengthen habits, by running men learn to run, by writing they learn to write: ſo by Praying you will beſt learn to Pray.
6. Study the Nature of Sin, ſee what a Scriptural diſcovery you can make of the Sin of Nature and Nature of Sin, the kinds, degrees, circumſtances, aggravations of Sin, together with the doleful effects and conſequences of it, in this and another World; this will help you in Confeſſion, ſelf-accuſation, and deep Humiliation, which is a conſiderable part of Prayer; This Self-knowledge helps both in the Matter and manner of Praying. 2. Chron. 6.29. What Prayer or ſupplication ſhall be made of any Man, or of all thy People of Iſrael, when every one ſhall know his own Sore, Pſal. 38.9.and his own Grief— Sorrow makes eloquent, you need not prompt a neceſſitous Beggar; he hath Words at will, and ſhews his Sores, which is powerful Oratory; if Sin were your burden, it would ſqueeze out Sighs and Groans, and a Groan is a good Prayer; Lord my deſire is before thee and my Groaning is not hid from thee, and if there be inward Sighs there will be outward Speeches, if you be full of Griefs, you will be full of complaints,Job 32.18, 1.0, 29 if you be full of Matter—it will make you burſt like new bottles; and you will ſpeak that you may be refreſhed: conſult the Book of Conſcience, and you will find it eaſy to draw up a large bill of Indictment againſt your own Souls.
7 Study your wants, need makes beggers, and adds Spurs to Prayers, learn of poor Beggers at the Door, Malefactors at the Barr, conſider your own Indigency, the caſe of your Families, Congregations, the Nation; is there no unconverted Sinner in your Family, is there no Sin breaking out amongſt you; is there no Grace weak or wanting in your ſelf or yours? Is there no Temptation aſſaulting any of you? or no affliction, or Judgment incumbent on you, or impendent over you? look and look again, as you uſe to make an inſpection into your Stock, when you go to the Market to make proviſion: follow the Lord importunately for a crum of Mercy,Mat. 15.27. Duk. 18.3. verſe 13. as the poor Woman in the Goſpel, or as the importunate Widow, or if you can ſay no more, ſay as the Publican, God be merciful to me a Sinner, the Lord be merciful to my poor Sinning Family, who knows what prevalency may be in ſuch a Word uttered from an humble ſenſe of Soul-wants? you know that Man went to his Houſe juſtified rather than the vaunting vainglorious Phariſee.
8. Make a Catalogue of your mercies, recollect the kindneſs of God, Perſonal, Domeſtical, both in Temporals and Spirituals: it's true,Pſal. 40.5. they are ſo many that they cannot be declared in order, they are more than can be numbred: Verſe 12.but let that not diſcourage you in your attempt (no more than reckoning up your Sins, which are alſo innumerable) but do what you can in both, if you cannot do what you would or ought, the more you endeavour the more will be ſuggeſted to your Memory, and ſo the more will be matter of praiſe and thankfulneſs for renewed Mercy every day, and as you find any ſignal Mercies, ſet up an Eben-ezer, and ſay, hitherto hath the Lord helped us, 1 Sam. 7.12.you will experience multiplied occaſions of ſuch Memorials, ſpeak good of God in conferrence,Pſal. 34.3. and call in the help of others to magnifie the Lord with you, and perhaps the members of your Family will bring every one a Stone to raiſe the pile of praiſe to an higher pitch, yea and bring their Coal to warm your hearts together, and kindle a greater Flame of heavenly devotion; try this courſe, and you'll ſee the bleſſed iſſue.
9. Conſider what dangers you are daily incident to, and ſee if that will not afford you matter of Prayer, poſſibly ſome of your Callings expoſe you to greater hazards than ordinary, ſome ride much abroad early and late to Markets, and are ſubject to falls; ſome work under ground and may be cruſht to death, others go to Sea and ſee the wonder of the Lord in the deep, and it hath been ſaid, he that knows not how to Pray, Qui neſcit orare, diſcat navigare.let him go to Sea; there is no Calling but it hath its Snares and difficulties, which it expoſeth Perſons to; and Wiſdom is profitable to direct, foreſeen Dangers leaſt hurt: for as Perſons are forewarned, at leaſt, it affords Matter of Deprecation. But there are thouſands of accidents that the moſt ſagacious eye cannot foreſee, which you ſee others fall into and fall by, one falls into a Pit and periſheth, another, his Horſe falls, and he breaks an Arm, or Leg, or his Neck, others are aſſaulted by Robbers and Slain, others are burnt by ſudden Fires in their Houſes; your own obſervation may afford you many ſad Inſtances, and what befalls others may befall you, and may not theſe afford you matter of Prayer, for their prevention, or your preparation for them, put your ſelves into Gods hands every Morning and Evening, for you are never ſafe but under his Tuition, the Omniſcient Omnipotent God can only guard you and your Family, He that keepeth Iſrael neither ſlumbers nor ſleepeth,Pſa. 121.4.227.1, 2. other means are ineffectual without him.
Zech. 12.1010. Beg Gods Holy Spirit: It is a Spirit of Grace and Supplication, go to God in the name of Chriſt and if you can ſay nothing elſe, yet tell him you cannot Pray, but withall ſay, Lord I hear others can Pray, why not I? No matter how dull the Schollar is, ſo I have thee for my Maſter, I hear others of mean gifts Naturally, are yet inſtructed Spiritually, and have arrived to great dexterity in managing Family-Worſhip, and may not I be endowed with the ſame Spirit, firſt of Sanctification, and then of Supplication? come Lord and teach me to Pray as John taught his Diſciples, or rather as Jeſus teacheth his Members, thou ſaiſt,Luk. 11.1. v. 13. if ye being evil know how to give good Gifts unto your Children, how much more ſhall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him? I know this is an hard Text, but it muſt not be underſtood, as if God would give his Sanctifying Spirit to a carnal mans Prayer, by vertue of a promiſe, but either common gifts of the Spirit to ſuch, or further degrees of the Spirit to his own Children, and ſo I think it is to be taken as the Pledge and earneſt of the Holy Spirit to Sanctified Souls, as Calvin takes it; as being one of the good things of the kingdom of Heaven: Which Godly Souls moſt importunately ask and beg for; and you ſee here a free and faithful promiſe of Chriſt, that his and our Father will beſtow his Holy Spirit on us,Jubemar q…id…m pulſare, ſed nemo Sponte pra…nditari vel … Syllab…m po…erit, viſi arcado Spiritus ſui inſtinctu nos Deus puiſi… ade… ſibi corda noſtra aperiat, Cal. ix loc. and the Bleſſed Apoſtle tells us the advantage of the Holy Spirit for our aſſiſtance in prayer, Rom. 8.26. likewiſe alſo the Spirit helpeth our infirmities, for we know not what we ſhould Pray for as we ought, &c. All acknowledge that the Spirit muſt help our infirmities in the manner of right Praying, exciting Graces and Holy affections and knitting our thoughts to God: But the great queſtion is whether the Holy Ghoſt dictates to Gods Children matter or expreſſion in Prayer. I think the Text is clear that it doth: For the Text ſaith not that we know not how to pray, but what we ſhould pray for as we ought; hence a Schoolman ſaith [Diſſicillimum eſt ſcire quid ſit deſiderandum] it's moſt difficult to know what is to be deſired; a Godly man knows the end Gods Glory, and the injoyment of him, but unleſs the Spirit teach him he will miſs it in the means, and as our Saviour ſaith, ask they know not what, Mat. 20.2…. Luk. 9.54, 55. Job 6.8, 9 Jonah 4.3.as we have ſome inſtances in Scripture, and many ſad experiments in our ſelves, and though the Lords Prayer be a rule in general, yet we may be to ſeek in particulars except the Spirit bring things into our thoughts, and often ſuggeſt Scripture expreſſions to our Memorys, in earneſt and perinent Pleading with the Lord; the Spirit inlightens us in our Ignorance, aſſiſts us in our weakneſs, reſolves us in our doubtings, Comforts us in our Sadneſs, Quickens us in our Deadneſs. Compoſeth us in our diſtractions; Oh! therefore ſue out this bleſſed Advocate within, which will make Interpellation in our Hearts, as Chriſt makes interceſſion at Gods right hand, and then you Pray acceptably. But God hears no Language but that of his Spirit; yet God's Spirit makes interceſſion by helping God's people to intercede,Spiritus i… t…lat …a…i endo nos …terpell … …r ac ſaci… to nos orare, clamat faciendo nos clamare: videſis Pare…m in loc. it Prays, by helping us to Pray, not as Arrians imagine that the Holy-Ghoſt is below the Son, as ſupplicating the Son, or that the Son is leſs than the Father, as ſupplicating the Father, which is a groſſe miſtake; for Chriſt intercedes for us, by the vertue of his merit, with the Father, the Holy-Ghoſt by helping us to cry Abba Father, Gal. 4.6. Let none Imagin that this is an Euthuſiaſtick fancy, or a miraculous gift (as Chryſoſtom thought) no, nor a Melancholy dream; they that have any ſolid experience in the things of God, know that the aſſiſtance of the Spirit in Prayer is the greateſt reality in the World; nor was it a temporary gift, but a permanent Grace abiding with the Church for Ever:Joh. 14.16. Eph. 6.18. Jude 20. Enabling even private Chriſtians to Pray in the Spirit; and in the Holy-Ghoſt; yet differently, as God ſees good, ſometimes more inlarging their hearts, and at other times withdrawing his Influences; but it becomes us to embrace its Motions, and Pray earneſtly for it. Thus much for helps to the matter of Prayer.