were all called Dws the firings' of the Lord. And this was in a resemblance of the Holy Ghost. Whence Christ is said to offer himself to God, through the eternal Spirit. And so must we do our prayers. In the fruits and effects of his works lies all the glory and beauty of our assemblies and worship. Take them away and they are contemptible, dead and carnal. And he carrieth this work into the families of them that do believe. Every family apart is enabled to pray and serve God in the spirit; and such as are not, do live in darkness all their days. He is the same to believers all the world over, in their closets or their prisons. They have all, wherever they are, an 'access by one Spirit unto the Father;' Eph. ii. 18. And for this enlargement of grace, God justly expects a revenue of glory from us.

3. It is assuredly our duty to make use of the gift of the Spirit as that which is purchased for us by Christ," and is of inestimable advantage unto our souls. There are two ways whereby men may be guilty of the neglect of this heavenly favour: (1.) They are so when the gift itself is not valued nor sought after, nor endeavoured to be attained. And this is done under various prétences: some imagine that it is no gift of the Spirit, and so despise it; others think that either by them it is not attainable, or that if it be attained, it will not answer their labour in it, and diligence about it, which it doth require; and therefore take up with another way and means, which they know to be more easy, and hope to be as useful. By many the whole duty is despised, and consequently all assistance in the performance of it is so also. None of those do I speak unto at present. But, (2.) we are guilty of this neglect when we do not constantly and diligently on all occasions make use of it for the end for which it is given us; yea, abound in the exercise of it. Have you an ability to pray always freely given you by the Holy Ghost, why do you not pray always, in private, in families, according to all occasions and opportunities administered? Of what concernment unto the glory of God, and in our life unto him, prayer is, will be owned by all. It is that only single duty wherein every grace is acted, every sin

· Ωσπες τῷ σώματι φῶς ἥλιος, οὕτω ψυχῇ προσευχή εἰ οὖν τυφλῷ γημία τὸ μὴ ὁρᾶν τὸν ἥλιον, ποίση γημία χριστιανῷ τὸ μὴ προσεύχεσθαι συνεχῶς καὶ διὰ τῆς προσευχῆς τὸ τοῦ χριστοῦ φῶς εἰς τὴν ψυχὴν εἰσάγειν; Chrys. Hom. 67. de Prec. 1.

opposed, every good thing obtained, and the whole of our obedience in every instance of it is concerned. What difficulties lie in the way of its due performance, what discouragements rise up against it, how unable we are of ourselves in a due manner to discharge it, what aversation there is in corrupted nature unto it, what distractions and weariness are apt to befal us under it, are generally known also unto them who are any way exercised in these things. Yet doth the blessedness of our present and future condition much depend thereon. To relieve us against all these things, to 'help our infirmities,' to give us freedom, liberty, and confidence, in our approaches to the throne of grace, to enable us as children to cry, 'Abba Father,' with delight and complacency, is this gift of the spirit of grace and supplication given unto us by Jesus Christ. Who can express how great a folly and sin it is, not to be found in the constant exercise of it? Can we more by any means 'grieve this Holy Spirit' and indamage our own souls? Hath God given unto us the spirit of grace and supplication, and shall we be remiss, careless, and negligent in prayer? Is not this the worst way whereby we may 'quench the Spirit,' which we are so cautioned against? Can we go from day to day in the neglect of opportunities, occasions, and just seasons of prayer? How shall we answer the contempt of this gracious aid offered us. by Jesus Christ? Do others go from day to day in a neglect of this duty, in their closets and families? blame them not, or at least they are not worthy of so much blame as we. They know not how to pray, they have no ability for it. But for those to walk in a neglect hereof, who have received this gift of the Holy Ghost enabling them thereunto, making it easy unto them, and pleasant unto the inner man, how great an aggravation is it of their sin! Shall others at the tinkling of a bell rise and run unto prayers to be said or sung, wherein they can have no spiritual interest, only to pacify their consciences, and comply with the prejudices of their education? and shall we be found in the neglect of that spiritual aid which is graciously afforded unto us? How will the blind devotion and superstition of multitudes, with their diligence and pains therein, rise up in judgment against such negligent persons? We may see in the papacy, how upon the ringing of a bell, or the lifting up of any ensign of supersti

tion, they will some of them rise at midnight; others in their houses, yea, in the streets, fall on their knees unto their devotions having lost the conduct of the Spirit of God, and his gracious guidance unto the performance of duty in its proper seasons, they have invented ways of their own to keep up a frequency in this duty after their manner, which they are true and punctual unto. And shall they who have received that Spirit which the world cannot receive, be treacherous and disobedient unto his motions, or what he constantly inclines and enables them unto? Besides all other disadvantages which will accrue hereby unto our souls, who can express the horrible ingratitude of such a sin? I press it the more, and that unto all sorts of prayer, in private, in families, in assemblies for that end, because the temptations and dangers of the days wherein we live do particularly and eminently call for it. If we would talk less, and pray more about them, things would be better than they are in the world; at least we should be better enabled to bear them and undergo our portion in them with the more satisfaction. To be negligent herein, at such a season, is a sad token of such a security as foreruns destruction.

4. Have any received this gift of the Holy Ghost, let them know that it is their duty to cherish it, to stir it up and improve it; it is freely bestowed, but it is carefully to be preserved. It is a gospel talent given to be traded withal, and thereby to be increased. There are various degrees and measures of this gift, in those that do receive it. But whatever measure any one hath, from the greatest to the least, he is obliged to cherish, preserve, and improve. We do not assert such a gift of prayer, as should render our diligence therein unnecessary; or the exercise of our natural abilities useless. Yea, the end of this gift is to enable us to the diligent exercise of the faculties of our souls in prayer in a due manner. And therefore, as it is our duty to use it, so it is to improve it. And it is one reason against the restraint of forms, because there is in them too little exercise of the faculties of our minds in the worship of God. Therefore, this being our duty, it may be inquired by what way or means we may stir up this grace and gift of God, so at least, as that if through any weakness or infirmity of mind, we thrive not much in the outward part of it; yet that we decay not, nor

lose what we have received. The gifts of the Holy Ghost are the fire that kindleth all our sacrifices to God. Now although that fire of old on the altar first came down from heaven, or 'forth from the Lord,' Levit. ix. 24. yet after it was once there placed, it was always to be kept alive with care and diligence; for otherwise it would have been extinguished as any other fire; Levit. vi. 12, 13. Hence the apostle warns Timothy, ȧvalw¬vρɛīv rò xápioμa, 2 Tim. i. 6. to excite and quicken the fire of his gift;' blowing off the ashes and adding fuel unto it. Now there are many things that are useful and helpful unto this end: as,

(1.) A constant consideration and observation of ourselves, our own hearts, with our spiritual state and condition. Thence are the matters of our requests or petitions in prayer to be taken; Psal. xvi. 7. And as our state in general, by reason of the depths and deceitfulness of our hearts, with our darkness in spiritual things, is such as will find us matter of continual search and examination all the days of our lives, as is expressed in those prayers, Psal. xix. 12. Psal. cxxxix. 23, 24. so we are subject unto various changes and alterations in our spiritual frames and actings every day; as also unto temptations of all sorts. About these things, according as our occasions and necessities do require, are we to deal with God in our supplications; Phil. iv. 6. How shall we be in a readiness hereunto, prepared with the proper matter of prayer, if we neglect a constant and diligent observation of ourselves herein, or the state of our own souls? This being the food of the gift, where it is neglected, the gift itself will decay. If men consider only a form of things in a course, they will quickly come to a form of words.

To assist us in this search and examination of ourselves, to give light into our state and wants, to make us sensible thereof, is part of the work of the Spirit, as a spirit of grace and supplication; and if we neglect our duty towards him herein, how can we expect that he should continue his aid unto us, as to the outward part of the duty? Wherefore let a man speak in prayer with the tongues of men and angels, to the highest satisfaction, and it may be, good edification of others; yet if he be negligent, if he be not wise and watchful in this duty of considering the state, actings, and temptations, of his own soul, he hath but a perishing, decay

ing outside and shell of this gift of the Spirit. And those by whom this self-search and judgment is attended unto, shall ordinarily thrive in the power and life of this duty. By this means may we know the beginnings and entrances of temptation; the deceitful actings of indwelling sin; the risings of particular corruptions, with the occasions yielding them advantages and power; the supplies of grace which we daily receive, and ways of deliverance, And as he who prayeth without a due consideration of these things prayeth at random, 'fighting uncertainly as one beating the air;' so he whose heart is filled with a sense of them, will have always in a readiness the due matter of prayer, and will be able to fill his mouth with pleas and arguments whereby the gift itself will be cherished and strengthened.

(2.) Constant searching of the Scripture unto the same purpose is another subservient duty unto this of prayer itself. That is the glass, wherein we may take the best view of ourselves, because it at once represents both what we are, and what we ought to be; what we are in ourselves, and what we are by the grace of God; what are our frames, actions, and ways, and what is their defect in the sight of God. And a higher instruction what to pray for, or how to pray, cannot be given us; Psal. xix. 7-9. Some imagine that to 'search the Scriptures,' thence to take forms of speech, or expressions accommodated unto all the parts of prayer, and to set them in order, or retain them in memory, is a great help to prayer. Whatever it be, it is not that which I intend at present. It is most true, if a man be mighty in the Scriptures,' singularly conversant and exercised in them, abounding in their senses and expressions, and have the help of a faithful memory withal, it may exceedingly farther and assist him in the exercise of this gift unto the edification of others. But this collection of phrases, speeches, and expressions, where perhaps the mind is barren in the sense of the Scripture, I know not of what use it is. That which I press for, is a diligent search into the Scriptures, as to the things revealed in them. For therein are our wants in all their circumstances and consequents discovered and represented unto us, and so are the supplies of grace and mercy which God hath provided for us; the former with authority to make us sensible of them, and the latter with that evidence