The Generation of Seekers, Treatise 1 · Chapter 9
CHAP. IX.
THE Second Doctrine, from the Relative conſideration of the words remains to be ſpoken to; which was this,
Doct. The Spirits help in prayer, is a ſingular Priviledge and Comfort to Gods Children in affliction.
The ground of the Doctrine is clear. The ſcope of the Apoſtle, is to comfort Believers under preſſing afflictions. Having therefore laid down other grounds of comfort, he brings in this with a connexive Particle (foreign) likewiſe alſo: q. d. add this alſo as a ſpecial ground of comfort, that the Spirit it ſelf helpeth—
The Doctrine for the more diſtinct handling, falls into two Propoſitions.
1. That God vouchſafes the Spirit of prayer to his afflicted children.
2. That it is a ſingular comfort to enjoy it. I ſhall touch upon each ſeverally, and then apply them together.
To the firſt; Saints under trouble, have the Spirits help in prayer. When a load of afflictions is on their backs, God ſends his Spirit into their hearts, teaching them to cry Abba Father; then eſpecially, though not only.
I would be underſtood thus:
1. Not alwayes in a full meaſure, with enlargements of affection and expreſſions: ſometimes they can only chatter, and figh out their ſouls grievances: yet even theſe ſilent mournings, are loud cryes in Gods ears.
2. Except this be their trouble, that they are under deſertion and withdrawments of the Spirit, which God ſometimes ſees expedient to exerciſe his people withal; yet even then, there is (as you have heard) a ſecret aſſiſtance, which makes a ſoul, though he thinks himſelf caſt out of Gods ſight; yet reſolveJon. 2. 4. Job 13. 15. to look again towards his holy Temple, and though the Lord kill him, yet (with Job) to truſt in him. But in other troubles, and for the moſt part, the Spirit is then moſt powerful in the heart of a Believer, when afflictions are moſt preſſing.
For confirmation, I ſhall only lay down this: That the Saints in their troubles have ordinarily prayed more, and more fervently and importunately, they have then doubled their diligence, and plyed the Throne of Grace with reſtleſs cries, have given God no reſt. This will eaſily appear in a few inſtances of ſome of the moſt faithful ſervants of God. Jacob is a famous inſtance: when he hears of his Brother Eſau's approach withGen. 32. 9, 10, 11, 12. four hundred men at his heels, he is (not without cauſe) greatly afraid and diſtreſſed; and ſee how ſweetly, and with what ſinewy arguments he beſpeaks God: there, he goes through many Topicks of Invention, claims Relation to, and Intereſt in God, upon the account of a Covenant ſtruck betwixt GodGen. 32. 9. and his Anceſtors; O God of my Father Abraham—Then faſtens on that Name Jehovah (the Lord) which imports Gods eternity and immutability: Next pleads a twofold word of God: 1. Of Command, Thou ſaidſt unto me, Return unto thy Counttey—q. d. I am now performing an act of obedience, and therefore expect protection; I am doing thy Commandment, and therefore expect thy ſalvation. 2. A word of Promiſe (and I will deal well with thee) q. d. If thou give me up into the hands of my mercileſs and hard hearted Brother, it will look like a falſification of that Promiſe,V. 10. thou haſt made me. Then he ſweetly inſinuates himſelf into Gods favour, by a grateful commemoration of the former kindneſſes that God hath ſhewed him, and his utter unworthineſs thereof (I am not worthy of the leaſt of all thy mereies, and of all the truth which thou haſt ſhewed unto thy ſervant—) Th…s having (as I may ſay)V. 11. ſweetned God, and made way for his requeſt; he puts up his particular ſuit, Deliver me, I pray thee, from the hand of my Brother—which he again enforceth, by minding God of his word of promiſe [And thou ſaidſt, V. 12.I will ſurely do thee good, and make thy ſeed as the ſand of the Sea] which, how ſhall it be performed, if thou now permit my bloodyminded Brother to come and ſmite me, and the Mother with the Children? Whence can this proceed, but from the Spirit of Supplication? Yet, this is not all, Jacob is left alone (his Wives and Children being paſſed over the V. 22.Brook Jabbok) and now he will have the other bout with God, he will keep a night on't, a man wreſtled with him, till the breaking of the day—I will not trouble youV. 24. with Niceties; you may expound this, by that of the Prophet, He had power over the Hoſ. 12. 4.Angel, and prevailed; how? he wept and made ſupplication unto him—There was ſomething of corporal ſtrugling, as the word ſhews (Jacob goes halting away) but the main buſineſs was prayer: thereby he holds the Angel; thereby he conquers, and obtains this Teſtimony (ſtampt for a memorial upon his new name) as a Prince thou haſt power, with G…d and with men, and haſt prevailed. V. 28.Here is an afflicted Saint, and you ſee he is a wreſtling and victorious Saint. Whence had Jacob this ſtrength, but from the God of Jacob? He wreſtled both in and againſt Jacob, and (as he ſaid, In Jacobo Ma…t. in Jude v. 20.Deus eſt ſeipſo fortior) God in Jacob conquers himſelf. I have inſiſted upon this Inſtance for your imitation, I ſhall leave others to your own meditation and enlargement. Job (notwithſtanding he is much taken up with complaints) yet is not wanting this way. Read his whole tenth Chapter, and ſee what variety and ſtrength of Argument▪ he urg… God withal. David much in the deeps of affliction; and no leſs in the exerciſe of this duty. Out of the depths have I cryed unto thee O Lord, Lord hear my Pſalm 130. 1, 2. 12. 2. 28. 1.voice—O my God, I cry in the day time, but thou heareſt not; and in the night-ſeaſon, and am not ſilent. Ʋnto thee will I cry, O Lord my Rock, be not ſilent unto me—But what ſhould I inſiſt upon particulars? Peruſe the Pſalms; what ever ſtrait you find David in, ſtill prayer is his aſylum; and the more preſſing affliction, the more vehement his aff…ctions; the more importunate his prayers. Do enemies purſue him, with words of hatred, reproach him, charge him wrongfully? Do friends forſake him, deal deceitfully, falſifie their Truſt? Is he driven from his own Palace into a Wilderneſs, by a rebellious Son? Is he hunted as a Partridge upon the Mountains, by an envious Father-in-law? Is he fallen into grievous ſins, and fears Gods wrath, and feels the withdrawments of his Spirit? In all theſe, and all other troubles that befell him, ſtill you find him crying, preſſing in unto God, humbly ſupplicating, and powerfully pleading. What ſhould I mention H…man and Aſaph (if they are thePſal. 77. & 88. Authors of thoſe Pſalms) who being under ſad preſſures, ſtrugling with diſtractions and deſpair, vent themſelves this way? Or Hannah, who in the bitterneſs of her Spirit, poured out her ſoul before the Lord? Or Paul, who being buffeted by the Meſſenger of Satan, prayed thrice, that it might be taken from him? When the Word repreſents it, as the very Genius of the Godly. For this ſhall every one that is godly pray unto 2 Cor. 12. 8, 9. Pſal. 32. 6. Pſal. 102.thee—And the Title of the Pſalm, A prayer of the afflicted, when he is overwhelmed, and poureth out his complaint before the Lord▪ that is, the godly afflicted, whoſe practice i… ſo to do. One Inſtance more, and that i… our bleſſed Saviour (who had not the Spirit by meaſure) He being in an agony prayed Luke 22. 44.(foreign) more ſervently he extended prayer. And in the dayes of his fleſh, when he had offered up prayers and ſupplications, will Heb. 5. 7.ſtrong crying and tears unto him that was able to ſave him from death, and was heard in that he feared. Every word here hath an Emphaſis in it. In the dayes of his fleſh (and thoſe were dayes of trouble) In that …e Vid. Calvin in locum.feared. (viz. with a Natural fear left he ſhould be overwhelmed with trouble) Now this day of fear and trouble, what brought it forth? how wrought it? You ſee it produced prayers, ſupplications, ſtrong crying, tears, ardour and vehemency in prayer.
Object. You have abundantly proved, that the Saints in their troubles, were much in prayer; but, what is this to the purpoſe? How appears it, that they had the Spirits help? Might not nature and a deſire of ſelf-preſervation, prompt them to this courſe? Will not even wicked men pray and cry under troubles?
Anſw. True: Nature may do much: It can make an Ahab put on ſack-cloth, and humble himſelf, and go ſoftly. It can make a Pharaoh in a ſtrait, beg Moſes his prayers, &c. yet, if you take along theſe two conſiderations, it will be evident, that they were aſſiſted by the Spirit of ſupplication.
1. Conſider, how they prayed: and that with extraordinary fervour, ſtrong cries and importunate wreſtlings: this ſpeaks, that they were ſtrengthned with might by the Spirit in their inward man. A natural man can bowl upon his bed (obſerve that) andHoſ. 7. 14. they can aſſemble themſelves f…r corn and wine (note what they pray for) It is but howling, it is but lazy upon their beds; it is but for corn and wine: but now read the prayers of the afflicted Saints, you may ſee an impreſs of Divinity upon them, they even breathe out that Spirit, by whom they were indited. Oh, the confidence mixt with humility! Oh, the ſtrength and ſinews! Oh, the ſweet infinuations, preſſing importunities, &c. that may be obſerved in them!
2. But if this be not ſufficient, conſider (in the next place) how they ſped▪ what ſucceſs and acceptance they had with God▪ what their efficacy and ver…ue was, what gracious returns they had. Now, when God cauſeth his ears to hear, it is an argument he firſt prepares their hearts. No prayer isPſal. 10. 17. acceptable to God, but what is the breathing of his own Spirit. The Text tell you, he kn…weth (that is, accepteth, is well pleaſed with) the mind of the Spirit: God can diſtinguiſh betwixt what is ours, and what is his▪ own. That twofold interceſſion of Chriſt in Heaven, and of the Spirit in our hearts, is jointly neceſſary to procure the acceptance of our prayers with God. Now look back upon the Inſtances I have given, Jacob, David, Paul, &c. yea, ſee how graciouſly God anſwered their requeſts: whence it is evident, thoſe prayers were the operations of his own Spirit. Thus of the firſt Propoſition.
2. As to the ſecond, that it is a ſingular Priviledge and comfort to Gods afflicted children, to have the Spirits aſſiſtance in prayer: it is already in a great▪ meaſure proved, in what hath been ſaid to the ſeveral Caſes propoſed; yet ſomething I ſhall add, as to the advantage of it in afflictions, which I ſhall diſcover in five or ſix ſweet effects of it in an afflicted ſtate; but know this, that when I have ſaid all, your own experience will make you ſay, as the Queen of Sheba concerning1 Kings 10. 6, 7. Solomon: Behold, the half was not told me. It is an inexpreſſible advantage… Sampſon's riddle is in this ſenſe verified, theJudg. 14. 14. Spirit of prayer out of the eater brings meat, and out of the ſtrong ſweetneſs. Particularly,
1. The Spirits help in affliction, carries in it much of Evidence. The Spirit of ſupplication is the Spirit of Grace. When in our afflictionsZech. 12. 10. Rom. 8. 15. we can cry Abba Father, it ſhews that we have received the Spirit of Sons: Hereby we have a ſingular proof, that weGal. 4. 6. are Chriſts: for as it holds Negatively, that▪ If any man have not the Spirit of Chriſt, he is none of his. So Poſitively, he that hath the Spirit, is Chriſts; for as many as are led by the Rom. 8. 9, 14.Spirit of God, they are the Sons of God. And what more lenifying or ſweetning ingredient▪ can be put into the bitter cup of affliction? What an allay is this to the ſaddeſt, ſharpeſt Trouble? It were eaſie here to cut this River into many ſtreams, and to ſhew what abundant comfort in affliction, flows from the aſſurance of our Adoption: but I forbear particulars, Only to hint ſomething; Hence we know, we are in the hand of a loving tender-hearted Father, who doth notLam 3 31, 32, 33. afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men (much leſs his own children): who will not coſt off for ever; but though he cauſe grief▪ yet will have compaſſion according to theIſa. 63. 9▪ multitude of his mercies, who is himſelf afflicted in our afflictions. Hence, we may be aſſured, that our afflictions ſhall be proportioned, timed, limited, ſo as we ſhall be able to bear them, that they ſhall be for our good, that we ſhall have deliverances, and that in the beſt ſeaſon, &c. So that the very reflection upon our prayers, put up in faith, humility and fervency, doth much alleviate our burden; and if not take away▪ yet much abate the bitterneſs of the Cup.
2. (Which follows upon the former) It brings caſe with it; it may well be called hearts caſe. Experience tells us, if we have but a faithful friend, to whom we may impart our grievances, and freely unboſome our ſelves; it much lightens our burden. And what friend like God? By this means Hannah caſed her1 Sam. 1. 18. grieved heart, and cheered her ſadded countenance. This hath been the Saints practice; David ſtill had recourſe to God by prayer; and you may in many Pſalms obſerve, how the caſe is changed, and his ſoul refreſhed before his prayer be ended; he got renewed ſtrength: In the day when I cryed, thou anſweredſt Pſal. 138. 3. Pſal. 55. 22.me and ſtrengthnedſt me with ſtrength, &c. Hearty ſervent prayer is one way of caſting our burden upon the Lord; and in ſo doing, he hath promiſed to ſuſtain us; and ſurely he cannot but have much caſe (under whatever burden) who hath an almighty arm to lean upon. How often had the backs and hearts too, of Gods perſecuted ſervants been broken, if they could not have poured out their ſouls to God? I noted above, from the Title of that Pſalm, that it is the practicePſal. 102. of the afflicted and almoſt overwhelmed people of God, to pour out their ſouls before the Lord. Other friends ſometimes can and will not, ſometimes would, and cannot relieve us.2 Kings 6. 27. If the Lord do not help thee, how can I?—But God wants neither pity nor power to help. Yet I here ſpeak not ſo much of actual deliverance, as of that inward quiet and ſerenity, which prayer brings into the ſoul.
3. The Spirit of prayer adminiſters a ground of ſtrong confidence to a ſoul under affliction. The more ſervent in prayer, the more lively are its hopes, the ſtronger its confidence, either of ſupport under, or deliverance from its afflictions, however that thereby ſome ſpecial good ſhall accrew to it. And it cannot be otherwiſe; for there are many precious Promiſes made to prayer; Call upon me in the day of trouble, and I will Pſal. 50. 15bear thee. And ye ſhall ſeek me, and find me, Jer. 29. 13.when ye ſhall ſearch for me with all your heart—And it ſhall come to paſs, that before Iſa. 65. 24.they call, I will anſwer, and whiles they are yet ſpeaking, I will hear. How can a ſoul but grow in hope, as he feels the Spirit of prayer more and more powerful in him? In the fear of the Lord is ſtrong confidence. Prov. 14. 26.Prayer is a ſingular part of the fear (or worſhip) of God; and cauſes confidence. Prayer hath had ſuch atteſtations from Heaven, and is propt up with ſuch promiſes in the Word, that when it is ſpiritually performed, it cannot but elevate the ſoul to a high pitch of expectation, Pſal. 22. 1. 6. ThePſal. … 1. 6. Church prayes earneſtly for the King, and then concludes with confidence, Now know I, that the Lord ſaveth his anointed, he will hear from his holy Heaven, with the ſaving ſtrength of his right hand. When God prepares Pſal. 10. 17.the heart, it is a certain pledge he will cauſe his ear to hear. We may argue in this Caſe, as Manaoh's Wife; If the Lord were pleaſed to kill us, he would not have received Judges 13. 23.a burnt-offering, and a meat-offering at our hands—So, if the Lord would not hear our prayers, he would never put ſuch a Spirit of Supplication into our hearts.
4. The Spirit of prayer alſo ſe…cheth in ſupport under affliction: it draws down ſtrength from Heaven; as in that of David before mentioned, In the day when I cryed, thou Pſal. 138. …3anſweredſt me, and ſtrengthnedſt me with ſtrength in my ſoul. Strong cries bring freſh ſupplies of ſtrength, and procure ability to bear. Paul, when he prevails not, for the removal of that Thorn in the fleſh, yet hath this comfortable2 Cor. 12. 8, 9. anſwer, My grace ſhall be ſufficient for thee: q. d. I will not remove thy burden, but I will renew thy ſtrength. This is promiſed in that ſweet Scripture, They Iſa. 40. 31.that wait on the Lord (and prayer is a ſingular way of waiting) ſhall renew their ſtrength——Faith, Hope, Love, Parience, and every other grace is exceedingly ſtrengthned by prayer: and in this reſpect it brings caſe (as was ſhewed above) as a man at full ſtrength can with a little finger bear away, what a Child cannot lift. Paul could do (or ſuffer) all things through Phil. 4. 13.Chriſt ſtrengthning him: this ſtrength is derived by prayer rightly performed. Therefore is it, that he prayes ſo earneſtly, that God would ſtrengthen the Epheſians with Eph. 3. 16.might by his Spirit in their inward man.
5. By this alſo, the ſanctification of afflictions is procured. It not only procures ſtrength to bear, but grace alſo to improve. It is the true Philoſophers-Stone, that turns all it toucheth into Gold. Like the skilful Apothecary, it makes, out of Poyſon, an Antidote againſt Poyſon. As every creature, ſo1 Tim▪ …. 4, 5. every croſs and trouble is ſanctified by prayer; ſo that they become bleſſings to us: Prayer draws our the vertue of that great Goſpel-promiſe, that all things ſhall work together Rom. 8▪ 28.for good—And who knows the benefits that are brought to Gods people, by ſanctified afflictions? How are corruptions mortified, graces refined, envigorated and purged from their droſſy mixtures? How are the after viſits of Heaven, rendred abundantly ſweeter? and (which I would eſpecially inſtance in) by preſſing afflictions ſanctified, we learn to preſs more into the Divine preſence; where the Spirit of prayer is: it riſes higher by afflictions, as Noah's Ark did by the encreaſe of the waters. Let not therefore the ignorant world wonder, that the Saints in the midſt of preſſing afflictions,1 Pet. 1. 6, 8. can rejoyce with joy unſpeakable and full of glory: for the Spirit of prayer going along with thoſe afflictions, turns them into ſingular advantages. Well may they count it all Jam. 1. 2, 3.joy, when they fall into divers Temptations, knowing that the trying of their faith, worketh Rom. 5. 3, 4patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope, which maketh not aſhamed. This effect David found; that his Corrections becamePſal. 119. 67. Inſtructions. Before I was afflicted, I went aſtray; but now have I kept thy word: and therefore ſaw cauſe to ſay, It is good for 71.me, that I have been afflicted, that I might learn thy Statutes: yea to acknowledge, that in faithfulneſs God had afflicted him. Now75. this happy fruit, is the product of prayer; God may indeed turn the afflictions of a wicked man, to good; but it is by teaching him to pray. Manaſſeh, when he was in affliction, beſought the Lord his God, and 2. Chron. 33. 12, 13.humbled himſelf greatly before the God of his Fathers, and prayed unto him, and he was entreated of him——Afflictions ſtir up prayer, and prayer ſactifies afflictions; and ſactified afflictions may be put into the Catalogue of our choiceſt bleſſings.
6. And this alſo (when the Lord ſees it good) procures a happy iſſue and deliverance. It is the means which God hath appointed. The ſorrows of Death compaſſed me, and the pains of Hell gate hold upon me—Then called I upon the name of the Lord—Pſal. 116. 3, 4, 7, 8. and the iſſue was, God dealt bountifully with him, delivered his ſoul from death, his eyes from tears, and his feet from falling. Prayer rightly performed, hath this certain effect, to procure deliverance, with one only exception, unleſs God in his infinite Wiſdom, ſee it more for his glory, and for our ſpiritual and eternal good, to be kept ſtill in the ſurnace; and this is ſuch an exception, as every gracious ſoul will gladly admit of. But I may yet riſe higher: The Spirit of Prayer, not only procures deliverance▪ but deliverance in mercy; deliverance ſanctified, and that is a pledge of eternal deliverance. Others may be delivered, but theirs is not ſo much a Preſervation, as a Reſervation to ſome ſadder calamity; but there is this in Deliverance procured by prayer, that the ſoul may be aſſured, God intends him good by it.
Theſe are a few of thoſe infinite advantages, which the Spirit of prayer brings along with it to Gods afflicted ſervants; but it is impoſſible, to enumerate all: Theſe are but as a cluſter or two, in compariſon of the full Vintage. Do but look over the precious promiſes made to the people of God in their ſtraits; take notice how many, how great things are promiſed, and ſo many are the Advantages which the Spirit of prayer brings with it; for that is the key which opens thoſe Treaſuries, that ſets thoſe Conduits a running, and drains out the ſweetneſs and vertue of them.
Thus you have each part of the Doctrine confirmed and made good: Let us now ſee what Improvement may be made of this comfortable Truth.