worthy and dishonourable as to begin in the Spirit, and end in the flesh. And not to go forward in Christianity is to go backward; and they who build not up, pull down. There is no standing still in this work: the want of a roof impairs the walls; the leaving of the building imperfect and unfinished, by not adding what is wanting, tends to the ruin of that which is already set up: "We lose those things which we have wrought," 2 John 8. And this pains and progressiveness in this work is about a building which is not temporal, and in time to fall down, but spiritual and eternal. 2. How are we to understand the building up themselves. It may be demanded, 1. What is meant by themselves, avrove. 2. How they may be said to be able to build up themselves. 1. For the first. The word themselves, added to building up, may import a building up of one another, ἑαυτοὺς pro αλλήλους, and intend a mutual duty to be put forth and exercised between Christian and Christian; and thus the apostle uses the word avroùç, Col. iii. 16, where he exhorts them to admonish tavros, one another; and Eph. iv. 32, to forgive one another: and this mutual and fraternal helping of one another forward in our Christian progress is elsewhere frequently commanded in Scripture; "exhorting one another," Heb. xi. 25, and " edify one another," 1 Thess. v. 11. Christians by their counsels, comforts, exhortations, examples, should advance one another's spiritual welfare; but though this be a truth, and here not excluded, yet this hinders not but that primarily the apostle intends that every one should promote his own particular holiness, and gress in the faith of the gospel. Non libertate gratiam, sed gratia libertatem. manship? Aug. pro 2. For the second. It may be doubted how we can build up ourselves. Is edification man's work? Are we not God's workAnsw. I grant spiritual houses cannot build themselves more than any other. Our houses are not naturally houses of God, but made so to our hands. Unless the Lord build the house all labour is vain. And the apostle points at the Builder, when in the next words he bids these Christians pray in the Holy Ghost. But he here writes to the regenerate, who have the Spirit, by whom and whose grace they have spiritual liberty afforded to them; and being drawn, they run; and being acted upon, they are active. Inward and habitual grace was the sole work of the Spirit infusing: that which is practical is the work of the regenerate person flowing from infused grace. 2. Though we are God's workmanship and building, yet he builds by means; and by such precepts as these he exhorts us to submit ourselves to the means, to yield ourselves to be hewn, squared, and laid in the building. For observations drawn, 1. From the title, "Beloved;" as also, 2. From the apostle's expressing the doctrine of faith by the term faith; see p. 52, 53, 63. From the pleasant and significant metaphor of building, I observe, that, Obs. I. The faithful are the house of God. By this resemblance the church is not seldom set forth. "Moses was faithful in all his house," Heb. iii. 2. "How to behave thyself in the house of God," 1 Tim. iii. 15. 66 In a great house there are vessels," &c., 2 Tim. ii. 20. "Whose house we are, if we hold fast," &c., Heb. iii. 6. "The time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God," &c., 1 Pet. iv. 17. "Ye are God's building," 1 Cor. iii. 9. "Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house," 1 Pet. ii. 5. And this resemblance of-a house aptly belongs to the faithful, either in respect of Christ, themselves, or God. a (1.) Christ is the foundation of this house; he was corner-stone," Isa. xxviii. 16, on which both the Jews and Gentiles meet; he is called a stone for a foundation, Eph. ii. 20. Christ is a foundation, [1.] In point of sustentation; upon him the faithful build their hope and expectations; upon him all their grace and holiness is built; he is "a living stone," 1 Pet. ii. 4, that sends life and influence into all the stones of the building set upon him; upon him all their comforts are built; all their rejoicing is in him. Take away Christ, and all their joy falls to the ground; upon him are built all their duties, both in respect of power to perform them, and in respect of acceptance from God when they are performed. [2.] Christ is a foundation in respect of union. Between the building and this foundation, this is the ground of sustentation: this union, set out sometimes by a matrimonial union, sometimes by a union between head and members, sometimes by that between root and branches, &c., is, on the part of Christ, by his Spirit laying hold on us, and infusing spiritual life into us, and affording to us all supplies of grace, Rom. viii. 9; 1 Cor. xii. 8. On our part, by faith, putting and setting us into him, as also receiving and drawing grace from him, Phil. i. 19. [3.] Christ is a foundation in point of hiddenness: the building is seen, the foundation is hidden; he is a hid treasure. His person is not yet seen. "When he shall appear," 1 John iii. 2. "Whom having not seen," &c., Î Pet. i. 8. 2. His benefits and graces are hidden. Our life is a hidden life, hidden not only to the wicked, but even oft to the godly themselves, who behold not their own happiness either of grace or glory. This life is the obscurity of their adoption; his face is frequently hidden from them, and the tokens of his presence removed. 1. And for the excellency of this foundation, [1.] He is the sole foundation. No other foundation can be laid, 1 Cor. iii. 11. No other appointed by God, Acts iv. 12. No other ever embraced by saints. No other ever revealed by the word. No other needed beside. No other willing or able to bear the weight of the building. No other was fit to have the honour of our affiance and dependence. [2] He is a strong foundation; so strong that he bears up every stone, every saint of all sizes that ever was or shall be laid upon him, and all their weights and pressures; he bears them up always, so that they shall never fall. They who are built upon this Rock are safe, Matt. vii. 25; "as Mount Zion, which cannot be moved." The word shall fall, but not a saint, because Christ falls not. The gates of hell, the floods of temptation, shall never totally prevail: a child of God shall never sin away all his holiness; he may sin, not perish, not sin to death. Grace may be abated, not abolished; shaken in, not out of the soul. Of all given to Christ he hath lost none; his sheep never perish, John x. 29. (2.) The church is a house in respect of believers, who are the stones of which this house is built up; and these stones are naturally, 1. Rugged and unpolished, till they are hewn, smoothed, and made fit for the building, Hos. vi. 5. The word of God takes away their natural asperity, and makes them fit for the building, and submissive to God's disposal, and fit for his purpose. 2. These stones are of several sizes, some greater, some lesser. Christians are of divers degrees, some more eminent, some more obscure; some of stronger, others of weaker graces. 3. The stones which are different in their size are yet cemented and united one to another. As there is a union of faith betwixt the building and the foundation, so there is a union of love between the parts of the building. And hence the whole body is said to be "fitly joined together and compacted," Eph. iv. 16. The greatest stone in the building cannot say to the least, it hath no need thereof. The Foundation disdains not the least pebble, no more should the strongest stone in the building. (3.) The church is a house in respect of God. [1] He dwells in this house. He has two houses: that above, of glory; this below, of grace; and he who dwells every where by his essence, dwells in his church by the presence of his grace. God takes more delight in his church than in all the world. He rests in this house. [2] He furnishes his house with all necessaries, yea, ornaments, his ordinances, graces, &c. [3.] He protects his house: he that destroyeth the temple of God, him will God destroy. His enemies shall answer for dilapidations, for every breach they have made. [4.] He repairs his house; and when his enemies have broken it, he restores it, and makes up its breaches; it shall never utterly be destroyed. [5.] He purges and cleanses his house; disorders and abuses are too ready to creep into it; it oft wants reformation. Judgment begins at the house of God. "You have I known of all the families of the earth, therefore I will punish you," Amos iii. 2. Man regards not much what lies in his field, but he is curious that nothing offensive be laid in his house. Judgments begin at the sanctuary. Sins in the church are most heinous. Christians are so much worse than others, by how much they should be better. The meditation of this resemblance should therefore put us upon trial and strengthening of our union to Christ our foundation, upon dependency on and trusting to him. It serves also to strengthen the love, nearness, and dearness of believers, living stones; to make us dedicate ourselves to the Lord, as his house and temple; to offer up the daily sacrifice of prayer and praise to him; to tell Satan and lust, whenever they sue for a room in our house, that every room is taken up for God, that his enemy must not be let in. We are the temple of God; O let us not make ourselves a temple of idols by covetousness, or a taphouse by drunkenness, or a sty by any swinish lusts. To conclude this, labour for the costly furniture of holiness for thy house; use the perfume of prayer, the washing of godly sorrow; give the Lord costly entertainment. Repair all thy breaches by repentance. Run not too long to ruin. Patiently bear the Lord's visitation, and the means he uses to mend and cleanse thee. And lastly, depend upon him for care and protection in all dangers. Obs. 2. The word of God is the foundation of a Christian. "Build yourselves on your faith." It is a foundation to bear a saint out in all his duties, comforts, belief of truths. (1.) All our duties, services must be built upon the word. That which will not stand with the word must be no part of the building: the word must be the foundation of practice; he that walks by this rule, peace shall be upon him, Gal. vi. 16. It is not the showing of any warrant of man that will bear thee harmless at the day of judgment. (2.) The word is the foundation of a Christian's comfort; no promises but Scripture promises but may deceive. No other promises can bear the weight of an afflicted soul: "Unless thy law had been my delight, I should have perished in my affliction," Psal. cxix. 92. "Thy statutes were my songs in the house of my pilgrimage," Psal. cxix. 54. (3.) But especially the word is the foundation of a Christian's belief of truths asserted; we can only securely assent to the assertions of the word. That which I read not I believe not. A written word is the only food of faith; the formal object of faith is the truth Baron. contr. Turnbullum. manifested in Scripture; every truth has an esse credibilis, because it was delivered in the written word, and spoken by God. Faith is carried to its object under the notion of infallibility, which can never be without Divine revelation ; all human testimony being fallible, though not false; and hence it is that the revelation of God in his word is only propounded by God as a foundation of faith, Deut. xvii. 18. These things "are written, that ye might believe," John xx. 31. "We have a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well to take heed," 2 Pet. i. 19. So 1 John v. 13, "These things have I written to you that believe on the name of the Son of God." "To the law and to the testimony," Isa. viii. 20. "Search the Scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life," John v. 39. And this word of God has only been embraced by the faithful in all ages as the foundation of their faith. Whenever they would prove any thing to be believed, they have gone to the written word for a foundation of belief. Thus the noble Bereans, who "searched the Scriptures daily, whether those things were so," Acts xvii. 11. Thus Paul grounded what he wrote upon Scripture, Acts xiii. 33; 1 Cor. ii. 9; xv. 54; Rom. xiv. 11; and professed that he "believed all things written in the law and the prophets," Acts xxiv. 14; and that he said "no other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come," Acts xxvi. 22. So that the doctrine of faith revealed in the Scripture must be the foundation to bear us up and out in all duties to be performed, comforts to be entertained, and truths to be embraced. And hence, as we may see the misery of those who have no foundation at all, holding their religion only for form, fashion, example, or fear of superiors, which sandy bottoms will never keep them up from sin, nor bear them out in sufferings, especially death and judgment; so we should labour to improve the doctrine of faith as our foundation in all the forementioned respects: [1.] By having a deep sense and feeling of our misery; so that not finding in ourselves whereon to found ourselves, we may be driven to look after the foundation discovered in the Scripture, which is only Jesus Christ. [2.] By faith, whereby we give a supernatural assent to the word, and spiritually discern its truth; whereby, likewise, we apply the word to ourselves, and are knit to it as a foundation, as mingling it with faith. Although the doctrine of faith is a foundation in itself, yet it is not so to us, unless we believe it, and apply it to ourselves by the gift of faith. [3.] By labouring that the word may take so deep a root in the heart, that it may descend into the affections, and there be embraced until it has wrought an experience of its own delightful sweetness. [4.] By several needful considerations. 1. By considering that it never failed any that ever depended upon it, having in all practices, distresses, debates upheld them. The public faith of heaven was never broken; the promises, commands, and assertions of the word have borne saints out in all difficulties. By considering that every other foundation will fail; whether fancied by ourselves, or suggested by others, it is but a lying vanity. 3. By studying the nature of him whose word it is, who is the Rock of ages, in whom is no shadow of change, for whom it is impossible to lie to us, or deny himself. 2. Sundry observations which might have been made concerning stedfastness and proceeding in Christianity, and the usefulness of a constant progress therein to keep us from seduction, proving that the best way for Christians not to be losers of what they have is to be labourers for what they want, I shall not mention, as having largely insisted thereupon before, p. 50, 51, 266, 267, 273, &c., 277, 278. 66 Thus of the second direction whereby the apostle teaches the Christians to embrace the foregoing exhortation of contending for the faith, viz. edification | on the faith. The third follows, viz. “ praying in the Holy Ghost," whereby he instructs them withal how to build prosperously, viz. by taking in God's help; and how to keep themselves in the love of God, which is the direction next ensuing. Two things are here to be opened. 1. What he commands, prayer. 2. The manner of performing it, "in the Holy Ghost." 1. What he commands, prayer; "praying." Προσευχή. Ευχαριστία. I shall not here handle the duty of prayer in a common-place way, by insisting either upon the sundry sorts of prayer, petition for good things, deprecation to remove evil things, intercession for others, imprecation against others, thanksgiving for ourselves or others; or upon the circumstances of prayers for time, place, measure. Only as to the former, I shall note, that when this word prayer is set alone, as it is here in Jude, it comprises all the kinds under it; when it is joined with thanksgiving alone, it comprises all kinds belonging to request; when it is joined with deprecation or intercession, it is restrained to a desire of good things for ourselves. But as to the present occasion, I shall only show what prayer is in regard of its general nature. The word in the original here used, προσευχόμενοι, praying, imports an earnest wishing or craving of such things which are according to our desire, because by prayer we open our hearts' desire to God. There are sundry rhetorical, brief, commendatory descriptions used by learned men to set forth prayer; as, the key of heaven and of all God's cabinets, the conduit of mercy, faith flaming, Jacob's ladder, an invisible and invincible weapon, a victory over the Omnipotent, the consumption of cares, a box of ointment broke upon the head of Christ, the perfume of heaven, the mount of transfiguration, the soul's messenger, Satan's scourge, the ascending of the mind to God, áváßaσις τοῦ νοῦ πρὸς Θεὸν. Το wave these, though sweet and pious expressions, prayer is more fitly called, according to the nature and import of the word poovy, a right opening of the desire of the heart to God; or, as the apostle, Phil. iv. 6, a making Oulia Tns vuxns known our desires to him; or, as some, πρός Θεόν. a religious speech directed to God after thod. Fid. 1. 3. c. a due sort, concerning things appertaining to his glory and our good. Damasc, de Or 24. (1.) First, the will is filled in prayer with desires, and then these desires flame forth, blaze upward, and are opened to God. Formally, prayer is an act of the will, and has its conception in the heart; and, the soul before the Lord, Psal. Ixii. 8; 1 Sam. i. 15; Psal. cxlii. 2; 2 Tim. ii. 22; Psal. cxix. 7. As for that prayer which is only the outward speech of the mouth, without the inward of the heart, it is rather lip-labour than prayer. Desires are usually made known by outward means, words, signs: words most exactly set forth the intent of the heart; yet signs also, as lifting up the hands or eyes, stretching abroad the arms, bowing the knees, both express and excite inward affection. But by inward means, as sighs and groans, God discerns a man's desires as well as by words and signs, he understanding the motions of the heart as well as of the tongue. And hence it is that God knowing the secrets of the heart, and understanding our thoughts afar off, prayer is not made to make known our desires to God, as if otherwise God would be ignorant of them, but to testify man's obedience to that order which God has set down, God appointing prayer in this way a means to obtain needful blessings; and that very wisely, as, 1. That by making known our wants to God we may not only know, but acknowledge God to be the author and fountain of all blessings, and so upon the receiving thereof ascribe the praise to God. 2. That it may appear we understand our own desires, and have sense of the thing we want. 3. That others may mutually join with us in prayer. 4. That our affections may be the more enlarged; for as desires help us to words, so words inflame our desires. 5. To prevent distraction and interruption in our thoughts. (3.) Prayer is made to God only. It is a principal point of Divine service. 1. God only is religiously to be worshipped and served, Matt. iv. 10. 2. God only knows whether we pray or no, i. e. from the heart. 3. God only is every where present to hear the suits of all, Jer. xxiii. 23, 24. 4. God only is almighty, and able to grant whatsoever we ask. (4.) In prayer, as the desires must be made known to God, so after a due manner; but of that in the next part, "in the Holy Ghost." 2. The manner of performing this duty is " in the Holy Ghost," iv ПIveúμarı 'Ayiw. In Scripture sometimes mention is made of praying in the spirit of man, as 1 Cor. xiv. 15, “I will pray" r veuμarı, "with the spirit," or in the spirit, i. e. (say some,) my understanding and my heart or soul, so as I may both understand, and also be affected with what I pray. And Eph. vi. 18, the apostle enjoins praying in the Spirit, which may be understood either of God's Spirit or man's; but in this place particular and express mention is made of the Holy Spirit, or the Spirit of God, in which we are to pray; whereby is meant by the assistance, motion, inspiration, strength, help, and guiding of the Spirit; for this sense agrees with the preposition iv, here translated in, which is in Scripture oft of the same signification with dia, by, as Matt. v. 34-36, "Swear neither” ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ, “by heaven, nor” ἐν τῇ γῆ, (2.) Then its birth is the expression of our desires, by the earth, nor" iv tý repaλñ, "by thy head ;" and however uttered. And these desires are expressed in 2 Cor. vi. 6, 7, it is eight times thus taken; and it sundry ways, either by an inward or an outward word, is most suitable to other places of Scripture, where there being a twofold speech; the first 6 w óyos, and the Spirit of God is mentioned with prayer, as Zech. popoрikos, a speech uttered with the voice; the xii. 13, where is promised the spirit of supplication, second o čow Moyos, and ivdiaberòs, a speech conceived that is, the Spirit, as giving, bestowing, and working in the mind: prayer is not the outward voice only the gift and grace of prayer; as in 2 Cor. iv. 13, we or chiefly, but the inward of the soul. Sighs are read of "the spirit of faith," i. e. the Spirit working articulate. Moses is said to cry to God, when we faith; and Rom. viii. 15, we read of "the Spirit," v read not of his uttering any words, Exod. xiv. 15;, by which "we cry, Abba, Father." James v. 16, and "Hannah spake in her heart, but her voice was not heard," I Sam. i. 13; her prayer was oratia mentalis, an inward mental prayer: and this is the strongest voice of all, and by it we speak loudest in the ears of God. Hence prayer is called the lifting of the heart to God, Psal. xxv. 1, and the pouring forth of 66 we find mentioned dénois ivepyovμévn, which properly signifieth a prayer wrought in us, and excited, and so imports the efficacy and influence of the Holy Ghost in enabling us to pray. And the apostle, Rom. viii. 26, most fully expresses this truth. 1. Affirmatively, "The Spirit helpeth our infirmities," and "maketh inter Attributing the to the Holy Ghost was one of the cession for us." 2. Negatively, saying, We know not what to pray. Whence it is clear, not office of Mediator that the Spirit of God truly and properly prays for us, as our High Priest heresies of Arius. and Mediator, or as one of us for another, for then would there be more than one Mediator, 1 Tim. ii. 5, and God would request to God, the Holy Ghost being God, but not man also, as was Christ; but that the Spirit of God stirs us up to pray, quickens and puts life into our dead and dull spirits, yea, and infuses into us such desires, sighs, and groans, and suggests to us such words, as are acceptable to God, which for their truth and sincerity, for their vehemence and ardency, for their power and efficacy, are unutterable; they pierce through the heavens, and enter to the throne of grace, and there make a loud cry in the ears of God. More particularly, from these expressions of both these apostles, Paul and Jude, we may consider wherein this assistance of the Holy Ghost, or this praying by the Holy Ghost, stands and consists; and that is, I. In respect of the matter; 2. Of the manner, of our prayer. (1.) In respect of the matter of our prayer. We pray in the Holy Ghost, as he instructs and teaches us to ask such things as are κarà Otov, according to the will of God, lawful and good things, Rom. viii. 27; 1 John v. 14. The Spirit of God stirs us not up to desire what his word forbids us to desire. We know not what is good for ourselves, and God has oft heard us by denying us. Though when we ask bread our father gives us not a stone; yet when we ask a stone God has oft given us bread. The thing asked, if by the Spirit, is warrantable: the Spirit puts us upon asking, especially, spiritual blessings, as our lusts put us upon craving things which are their fuel. The Spirit of wisdom desires not its own poison. (2.) We pray in the Holy Ghost in respect of the manner of our praying. And that, [1] As it enables us to pray sincerely and heartily. God's Spirit is a Spirit of truth. And whenever we pray in his Spirit, we pray likewise in our own, and his stirs up ours to pray. The prayer of a saint goes not out of feigned lips. The Spirit lifts up the hand and the heart together, Psal. xxv. 1; lxxxvi. 4; Lam. iii. 41. is called the Spirit of faith, 2 Cor. iv. 13, and the Spirit of Christ; as it is sent from him, so it sends us to him. The Spirit so intercedes in us on earth for the operation and framing of our prayers, that it sends us to Him who intercedes for us in heaven for the acceptance of our prayers: "Through Christ we have access by one Spirit unto the Father," Eph. ii. 18. And hence the Spirit enables us to pray "in faith, nothing wavering," James i. 6, in confidence that through the faith of him our prayers shall be successful, in such a way as our gracious Father in Christ sees best for This is called the "full assurance of faith," Heb. x. 22, and a praying "without doubting," I Tim. ii. 8; faith applying the promise, "Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you," John xiv. 13; xvi. 23. us. [4.] As it enables us to pray in holiness, with pure hearts and hands. He is a Spirit of holiness; his office is to make us holy, and wherever he witnesses he washes. If he be a Spirit of faith to strengthen our confidence in Christ, he is a Spirit of holiness to cause our conformity to Christ; hence the Spirit of grace is mentioned with the Spirit of supplication. As the Spirit makes us come boldly before the throne of grace; so he makes us come purely before it too, as being a throne of glory. "If I regard iniquity in my heart," saith David, "the Lord will not hear me," Psal. lxvi. 18. "I will wash my hands in innocency: so will I compass thine altar." This legal washing is evangelically improved. Lifting up holy hands," 1 Tim. ii. 8; Heb. x. 22. [5.] Lastly, as it enables us to pray in love. The Spirit of love, for so he is called 2 Tim. i. 7, never in prayer witnesses God's love to us, unless he draws ours to him, nay, for his sake to others. He never makes us lift up hands without doubting, unless also without wrath, 1 Tim. ii. 8; and when he makes us at peace with ourselves, he makes us peaceable with others, Matt. v. 24. Obs. 1. Without the Spirit there is no praying. They who are totally destitute of the Spirit, in their natural condition, can no more pray in faith than a dead man can crave help of another. They may have the gift of prayer, but not, in that state, the grace of prayer: "We are not sufficient of ourselves to think [2] As it enables us to pray with fervency. The any thing as of ourselves." The wicked call not upon motions of the Spirit, as they are regular in regard of God. There is no natural man but is spiritually deaf the object, so vehement in regard of the manner. Its and dumb. All natural men are in this respect aλoya groans are such as "cannot be uttered," Rom. viii. 26. The symbols of the Spirit were fiery tongues, and "a rushing mighty wind," Acts ii. 2, 3. As a bullet flies no farther than the force of the powder carries it, so prayer goes no farther than the fervour of the Spirit drives it. Prayer is called a knocking, a seeking, and figured by wrestling, Gen. xxxii. 24-26; Hos. xii. 4; nay, called a wrestling, Rom. xv. 30. The importunity required in prayer is called avaida, impudence, Luke xi. 8: sluggish prayers are no spiritual prayers. The device of cum verbo po shooting a letter at the end of a dart, ficat attendere, in- used as I have sometimes heard in tendere, animum- sieges, is a fit emblem of a soul sending Oratio attente its epistle to heaven. As the Spirit wrought vehemently in those holy men who were θεοφόρητοί, and φερόμενοι ὑπὸ Πνεύματος, moved by the Holy Ghost to speak the word of God to men, so it works fervently in those who are to speak in prayer to God. David mentions the setting forth of his prayer as incense, and incense burnt before it ascended: there must be fired affections, before our prayers will go up. The tribes, Acts xxvi. 7, are said to serve God év Kreveia, which signifies a stretching forth themselves with all their might. Προσεύχειν cognationem habet exe, quod signi que advertere, fundi debet. [3.] As it enables us to pray in faith. The Spirit a, brute and mute. If a man have not the Spirit of grace, he must needs be destitute of the Spirit of supplication. He is a mere stranger to those prayer graces, faith, fervency, holiness, love, &c. He derides at prayer, I mean prayer by the Spirit. The wicked howl upon their beds, not pray in the Spirit; they may say a prayer, not pray a prayer, as it is said of Elijah, who prayed in prayer, iv πρoσeνxÿ πρoσnúžaro, James v. 17; they do but make a loud noise like a wind instrument. They are but like Balaam, into whose mouth God put a word, without any heat of love or zeal in his soul. But why speak I of natural men, when without the acting of the Spirit in our regenerate state all our abilities to pray are presently gone? as a wheel which is turned about with a hand, if the hand be taken away, the wheel will soon stand still. It is necessary that to the first grace following grace be added: man, after he is regenerate, still needs the present, effectual, continual work of the Spirit. Preventing grace is not effectual, unless helped with a supply of second grace. It is true even of the regenerate," Without me ye can do nothing:" God gives first the will, and then the deed, and continuance of doing that which is truly good. Grace must be every way grace, else it will be no grace at all. He that hath begun a good work in us must also perfect it, Phil. i. 6. Oh how heavily do even saints draw and drive, when they have sinned away the Spirit of prayer! When saints have yielded to sin, they are like a bird whose wings are besmeared with birdlime, they cannot fly up to heaven. How lamely and miserably, I have sometimes thought, did David pray upon his murder and adultery! The fire which consumed the burntoffering came out from the Lord, Lev. ix. 24. Obs. 2. How excellent and honourable a work is that of prayer! The whole Trinity has a work in this holy exercise: the Holy Ghost frames our requests; the Son offers them up to his Father, Rev. viii. 3, with his incense the prayers of the saints are offered, he prays them, as it were, over again; and the Father accepts these prayers thus framed and offered up. Obs. 3. As without the Spirit there is no prayer, so without prayer a man evidently shows himself to have nothing of the Spirit. Wherever the Spirit is, there will be praying in the Spirit: if the Spirit live in us, it will breathe in us. God never yet had, nor ever will have, a dumb child. They who are the Lord's will name him, 2 Tim. ii. 19. They who are saints "call upon Christ," 1 Cor. i. 2. Breathing is a true property of life. As soon as ever Paul was converted he prayed, Acts ix. 11. Obs. 4. Needs must the prayers of the saints be acceptable. They are by the Holy Ghost, his very groans, and by him our spirits are made to groan. Prayer prevails not only over creatures, but even over the very Creator himself. One faithful man's prayer is more forcible than a whole army, Exod. xvii. 11. There is a shadow of omnipotency in prayer. It was said of Luther, he could do what he would. Needs must that petition be granted which the framer receives. The Lord cannot more be out of love with prayer, than with his own will. Prayer is but a kind of counterpane or reflection of God's own pleasure. Obs. 5. How good is God to his poor saints! He not only grants their prayers, but makes their prayers. God not only provides a gift, but a hand also to take it with; not a feast only, but a stomach; both grace for the desire, and the very grace of desire. Oh how sweet also are the conditions of the covenant of grace! God bids us pray, and helps us to pray; commands us duty, and enables to perform it; gives work, wages, and strength. Obs. 6. It is our greatest wisdom to get and keep the Spirit. If either we never had it, or lose it, we cannot pray. (1.) It is obtained in the ministry of the gospel. The Spirit is peculiar to the gospel, and not belonging to the law, if considered alone by itself as a distinct covenant; for so it genders only to bondage. "Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?" q. d. Ye received the Spirit by hearing the gospel. The gospel is called "the ministration of the Spirit," 2 Cor. iii. 8. (2.) It is kept by following his motions and suggestions. Make much of his presence; the Spirit is a delicate thing; grieve him not by negligence in using his gifts, Eph. iv. 30, pride, eagerness after the world, sensuality, ungodly company, premeditated, repeated sins. If the Spirit be gone, thy best friend is gone. It was David's prayer," Take not thy Holy Spirit from me." Without the Spirit, thou art like lockless Samson, as another man; poor, weak Samson, when the Lord was departed! thou art like a ship wind-bound. No stirring without the Spirit's gales. Lord, what were my life if I could not pray! it would even be my burden; and how can I pray without thy Spirit? As a man cannot preach without external mission, so not pray without internal motion. Obs. 7. How happy are saints in all straits! they have the Spirit to help them to pray. There is nothing but sin can drive or keep away the Spirit; sufferings, prisons, banishments, cannot. And hast thou the Spirit, it is better, like Jonah, to be praying in a whale's belly, than without the Spirit to be devout in a gilded chapel. Suppose thy friends cannot, will not visit thee, the Spirit is a guest that cannot be excluded. Like Joseph, he delights to manifest himself to his when all are gone out. Holy Mr. Dod was wont to say, Never despair of him who can but pray. Suppose men cut out thy tongue, or stop thy mouth, they cannot hinder thee from praying in the Spirit, because they cannot prevent the Spirit from praying in thee. VERSE 21. Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. THE fourth direction whereby the apostle guides them to observe his exhortation to contend for the faith against seducers and seduction, is contained in these words, "Keep yourselves in the love of God.” A very apt and suitable course for the aforesaid end and purpose; for he that will be a friend to God, can never be in love with error, which draws the soul away from God and his truth. Two particulars are here in this direction contained. 1. That thing about which the Christians were to be employed, or the object," the love of God." 2. How they were to be employed about it, viz. by keeping themselves therein: there is the act. So that by way of explication two things may be inquired after. I. What the apostle intends by "the love of God." 2. What by keeping themselves therein. 1. By the love of God, I here understand not that love whereby God loves man, but that whereby man loves God, rests in him, and cleaves to him as the most absolute good; of this both in respect of its several kinds and properties, as also in several observations, I have spoken, p. 36, 40, 43, &c. To avoid tediousness and repetition, I shall refer to that place. 2. For the second, by keeping themselves in this love, I understand perseverance in loving God, or a preserving of the love of God in their hearts, from all those things whereby they might be enticed to let it go and part with it; and this preservation or keeping stands in using those means which God has ordained to preserve in us our love towards him; which is done by sundry considerations and practices. 1. The considerations which preserve our love. (1.) God's loveliness and soul-ravishing perfections, and his blessed suitableness to our soul's exigences; when we know him to be a full good, as having all the scattered excellencies of all the world, and all the persons and things therein, in himself, and infinitely more; a filling good, and able to satisfy our desires to the brim; may well make us persevere in love to him. (2.) By considering that he loves us, loved us first, and perseveres and rests in his love, Zeph. iii. 17. The more we walk in this sun, the hotter we shall be; nay, were our hearts as cold as stones, the sunshine of his love upon us should heat us with love toward him again. (3.) That every one of us keeps up a love to something: the poorest of us has a love, and if not for God, for that which is infinitely below him, yea, which is unworthy of us. |