miffive carriage under affliction and croffes, to know that they have not the whole burden to bear themfelves alone, but have an excellent and ftrong fecond to fuccour and help them, when they think they are ready to faint and give it over; and it is the little knowledge of, and trufting to this, which makes many faint in the day of adverfity: this is the argument he ufeth to perfaude them to a cheerful willingnefs to endure croffes, that the Spirit helpeth our infirmities. in a day of diftrefs and tribulation; but all our prayers, if they be of the right stamp, muft be pened to us by the Spirit of God; fo that tho' many who are utter ftrangers to the Spirit, may utter words, yea, and thereby exprefs their defires of that which they feek, yet they cannot pray aright, being void of the Spirit, who only teacheth to pray aright: thus the Spirit maketh interceffion for us; that is, helpeth and af fifteth us to prefent right fupplications to the throne of grace. X. As many a time trouble may ly fo heavy upon the back of God's people, that they cannot get a word spoken to God in prayer, but only be able to chatter like a cran, and to mourn like a dove, Ifa. xxxviii. 14. and fo to grone and figh; fo thefe gronings, flowing from heart pangs and gripings, are prayers and fupplications in God's account, being kindled by the Spirit of God, and ftirred up by him, and they fhould be fo acknowledged by us: thus the Spirit maketh interceffion for us with grones. VII. Prayer in faith is a notable means to fupport and keep up a fainting foul in the day of adverfity; and it is the want of the exercife of this which makes them feeble and unfit for bearing the crofs: prayer upon fure grounds, would difcover the other fide of the trouble, and fetch down prefent fupply, and fo keep up the heart under it; for this is the way that the Spirit helps believers, by teaching them to pray, and fo making interceffion for them. VIII. So ftrong is corruption in the beft, that oftentimes when afflictions ly on them, they are fo confounded, their minds fo XI. Tho' the trouble ly fo fore, and darkned, their fpirits fo jumbled, and their prefs us fo heavily, that we cannot get a affections fo put through-other, that they word up to God; yet if our heart feelingknow not what is fit for their cafe, and foly be fending up fuch fighs and grones as are ready to ask what is not for their be- are excited by the Spirit, we fhould lock hoof, 2 Cor. xii. 7. or to afk too haftily on that as the Spirit's contributing help to and peremptorily, what they are not fit for us, and fuccouring us in our adverfity as yet; and fo though they know the mi-and thereby fhould comfort ourselves un fery into which they ly, yet they know not what is beft for them in that cafe, whether it be better to ly ftill there, that their faith may be thoroughly tried, 1 Pet. i. 6. 7. or to be delivered therefrom; nor know they how to afk thefe things with fubmiffion, as to the time when, and manner how, they fhall be made out, and in faith grounded on a promife: For we know not what we should pray for as we ought. IX. As we must have all our works wrought in us, Phil. ii. 13. that through the whole courfe of Chriftianity we may be humble; fo we cannot do fo much as pray of ourselves at any time, and far lefs der the trouble, and patiently endure the fame: The Spirit helpeth our infirmities by making interceffion for us, with grones. XII. Altho' it be us who grone and pra to God, and not the Holy Spirit, yet w fhould be fo dead and felf-denied to ou prayers and actions, as if we did nothing lefs nor more, but the Spirit did all, an we were merely paffive, that the whol glory might be his, who is the chief ado and caufe, in the matter; therefore whe the Spirit only helps us to grone, and to fupplicare, it is faid, that the Spirit i felf makes interceffion with grones. See G iv. 6. X XIII. So fore may the gripings and | ftrengthen our faith and hope of a hearpangs of a poor believer be under fading of our defires and grones, when we and heavy affliction, that he may fend up cannot get words wherewith to express our grones and hearty fighs, which none can mind to God: thus he obviateth the obmake language of, nor well exprefs what jection, by faying, And be that fearchgrief, or what vehement defire is at the eth the hearts, knoweth what is the mind bottom of them: Grones which cannot be of the Spirit. uttered. III. Tho' many a time when we are o XIV. Tho' believers, under fad and foreverwhelmed with forrow and affliction, we affliction, may think all gone, especially when they cannot get a word to speak to God prayer-ways; yet even then the Spirit of God may be at their heart-roots, blowing up fome fparks of gronings and fighings, tho' they perceive it not, nor advert to it; thus grones which cannot be uttered may be understood. From verfe 27th OBSERVE, I. The Lord is thoroughly acquainted with all our hearts, and every thing which is within them, and knoweth every corner thereof perfectly; yea, it is his prerogathe royal, and one of his magnificent titles and tiles which he denominateth himfelf by; fo that it doth not belong to the devis, who only can conjecture by external gas; and there are many things in a man's wn heart which he is not privy to himf; therefore the Lord is defcribed by is, that he fearcheth the hearts: Not that e needeth be at any pains to find out the irdings and turnings, and ftrange things hich are there, as the word would imt, which is taken from men fearching, aging and delving for fome mineral, or rom fagacious dogs who find out their rey by the fcent; but that he is as privy , and well acquainted with, every corner four heart, as if he had taken fuch and ch pains to find it out: See 1 Cor.ii. 10. ev. ii. 23. il. This omnifcience of God, and his erfect knowledge of every thing within er hearts, as it fhould reach us to addrefs felves to him alone in prayer, because is only able to hear; fo it fhould cannot tell what to make of our cafe, nor what conftruction to put upon our carriage, nor what fenfe to put upon our fighs and heavy grones, that flow from our very hearts; yet this fhould comfort us, that God can fpell these ill printed letters, and can make fenfe out of thefe fenfelefs-like expreffions: he knows what they would fay, and what the meaning of fuch grones is, and accepteth of them as pithy and efficacious prayers; be knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit. IV. We may be affured that God will have refpect unto, and hear such grones and fighs in his own, tho' they think little thing of them, feeing they are stirred up by his own Spirit in them; therefore it is faid, he knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit. V. Tho' believers have much corruption in them, and may therefore run daily to the fountain for cleaning; yet having on the righteoufnefs of Chrift, which is complete, and having new principles of grace within them, whereby they are made fincere and honeft in their aims and endeavours, and being renewed in the whole man, fo as fanctification is begun in all its parts; they are here called faints. VI. Tho' common gifts may prompt up many who are void of grace, to utter words in a moft flowing and eloquent manner, and fo many fuch may thereupon give out themfelves to have the Spirit, as who but themselves to have the Spirit, as who but they; yet it is only proper to thefe who have fled in to Chrift, and are renewed in the whole man, after the image of God, to have the Spirit interceeding for them, by Q92 prompting prompting and ftiring them up to pray and call on God: He maketh interceffion for the faints. VII. Whatever prayers are formed in the heart by the Spirit of God, they are always according to the rule of his word, both as to matter and manner; and in fo far as believers feek either what is not warranted, or feek in a wrong manner, or from a wrong end, that which is warranted, and allowed, they fwerve from the Spirit, their guide and inftructor: The Spirit maketh interceffion according to the will of God. VIII. Whenever we are affifted by the Spirit, to pray for fuch things as are lawful and expedient, and pray in faith, and for a right end, we may be affured that we fhall get the thing we afk, or as good, 2 Cor. xii. 8. 9. and that in God's own time and manner, he being the hearer of prayers, Pfalm. Ixv. 2. and we having a promile therefore, Matth. vii. 7. and xxi. 22. Mark xi. 24. Luke xi. 9. 10. 11. John xvi. 24. James v. 6.: for this is another ground upon which he would have believers reft confident that their defires fhall be heard, because the Spirit maketh interceffion for the faints, according to the will of God. VERSE 28. And we know that all things work together for good, to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. TH His, and the following two verfes, contain a fifth motive which the apostle maketh use of, to perfuade them to a patient fuffering of croffes. The motive is fet down in this verfe, and confirmed in the following verfes: The motive is this; Aflictions and croffes are fo far from wronging us, that we are the better of them; and fo if we be the better of afflictions, why fhould we fhun them? And by this alfo he confirmeth the last argument, or motive, by answering an objection which they might ftart, and fay, You tell us, that our prayers and gronings will be heard; but how is it fo, feeing afflictions ly ftill upon us and prefs us, for all that? He anfwereth; Our prayers are heard notwithstanding of that, because we reap no disadvantage by them, but much good; therefore fays he, We know; it is a generally known maxim in religion which none can deny, and whereof we are certain, that all things, that is, all forts of afflic tions and croffes, (for tho' this will hold true of many other things befide afflictions, yet it is fafeft to restrict it to these, seeing Paul is only speaking of them;) work together for good; that is, as it were, they work all to others hands, and every one helps forward the good of another, and fo they all drive at one end, viz. the good of believers, who were before called faints, and here, them that love God truly and fincerely. But now, left any fhould think that either this love was not wrought in them by the Spirit, or that there were a ny merit in it as to the procuring of this good by afflictions; therefore he addeth a further restriction, and thereby rifeth higher, until he come to the prime caufe of all, and faith, to them who are the called, that is, effectually, to faith in Christ, whence love floweth; for it is to them who are the called according to his purpose, his firm and free decree and refolution; and from this floweth effectual calling, and all the good which afflictions bring along with them. This word purpofe, is here to be reftricted, and not to be taken in fo large a fenfe as to comprehend his whole act of providence, for he ruleth all things according to the counsel of his own will, and fo according to his purpose, Eph. i. 11. and iii. II. nor as it comprehends election and reprobation, Rom. ix. 11. but as it holdeth forth the fixed and determined refolution of God concerning the elect ones; and to it fignifieth a firm and fixed refolution, as it were, after mature deliberation, what way he intendeth to difpofe of them; and fo it cannot be taken for our purpose, but for for God's, if the apostle's own commentary | in all ages, that now it ought to be receivmay be admited; 2 Tim.i. 9. Who hath Who hath ed as an undoubted axiom, and infallible faved us, and called us with an holy calling, conclufion, by all: We know, fays he. not according to our works, but according to his own purpofe and grace which was given us in Chrift Fefus, before the world began. OBSERVATIONS. IV. The fixed belief, and christian usemaking of this chriftian axiom, That all afflictions of all kinds work together for good to them that love God, will keep up a man's fpirit, and keep him from finking, in the day of adverfity; and it is the little belief of the truth of this, and the little confcience making of drawing strengthening conclufions from this principle of Christianity, and the little ftudying, or fearching, how God is making this good, that occafioneth our difcouragement in the day of trouble, and fainting in the day of adverfity: This is the motive he maketh ufe of here, whereby to encourage them in the day of affliction, viz. That all things work together for their good. 1. Though for the prefent no chalening, or affliction, feemeth joyous, but grievous, Heb. xii. 11. yet how bitter foever it be in ittelf, and poisonous like, God can make it medicinal, and doth fo manage and temnperate it to his own, as that it doth not prove noxious, but many ways useful, both to keep them from fecurity and negligence, to flir them up to prayer, Pfalm x. 1. lxxxvi. 7. and 1. 15. to exercife their faith, 1 Pet. i. 7. patience, Rom. v. 3. love, defire, and other graces, and to loofe their affections from a world, and to inflame V. Believers being now made partakers their defires more after heaven: thus, af- of the fweet fruits and effects of God's e-flictions worketh good to them that love God, verlafting love, wherewith he loved them, difcovering their graces or infirmities, God's Jer. xxxi. 3. and having their hearts warmftrength and readiness to help, and faith-ed with these rays, cannot but fend up fulness in keeping promise to them, at that time. II. Howbeit believers be befet many a time with troubles and afflictions, and toffed betwixt wind and wave, and fhaken with contrary tides of tribulation, and meet with fometimes outward affliction, fometimes inward, and fometimes both at once, as David's cafe may clear often-times; yet all thefe contrary winds ferve to blow them home to their harbour of happinefs, and tendeth to their rich advantage; and however contrary they be one to another, they all concur to the promoting of the common good of believers; and thro' God's wife and fupreme over-ruling hand, contrary to Satan's intention, they further their good, as with one fhoulder jointly; and lo they work together for good to them. III. That afflictions, contrary to their own nature, do help forward and work out the good of believers, is a truth fo confirmed by the experience of his children reflex rays back; though once they hated him, yet now their affections are centered on him, their faith works by love, Gal. v. 6. and the love of God oileth their wheels, and fets them on work, 2 Cor. V. 14. This is an effential mark of believers, and therefore they are thus ftiled fuch as love God, 1 Cor. ii. 9. James i. 12. and. ii. 5. which kytheth in a confcionable care of all his precepts, 1 John v. 3. and an hearty warmnefs to all that carry the image. of Chrift, 1 John iv. 20. fo are they here called, them that love God. VI. As afflictions upon the godly flow not from hatred in God, as every difpenfation doth to the wicked, but rather speak out love, Heb. xii. 6: 8. Rev. iii. 19. whatever they themfelves may think, being under a temptation; fo fhould not their love cool towards him, with what foever. difpenfations he be exercifing them; then is the time wherein their love fhould kyth moft in sticking close to him, even when 1 his difpenfations would fay to fenfe, that he has no affection towards them, then fhould they be answerable to this their defcription, that they are fuch as love God: and for this caufe doth the apoftle ftile them, rather fuch as love God, than faints, or believers; thereby to point out their duty at that time. before we believe: hence they are named, the called. X. This change whereby a poor finner is brought out of darkness, and the kingdom of Satan, Acts xxvi. 18. to light, and into the grace of Christ, Gal. i. 6. to a hope of glory, Eph. iv. 4. Col. i. 5 peace of God, Col. iii. 15. to a kingdom and glory, 1 Thef. VII. When believers, wrestling underii. 12. and bolinefs, 1 Thef. iv. 7. to eterfad difpentations and fore afflictions, begin to have jealous thoughts of God and of his love, and their affections cool toward him; they mar much of the good fruits of affliction which would redound to them otherways, and prejudge themselves exceed ingly for his faying, That all things work together for good to them that love God, fays, that as it is only believers who enjoy this benefit, fo it is believers exercifing love, and keeping that fresh and lively, who par take of this: fee James i. 12. VIII. Whatever hypocrites or other unconverted perfons within the visible church may pretend to, and however they may imagine in themfelves, and give it out to others, that they love God; yet this true chriftian conjugal love is not a flower which groweth in any of our gardens by nature, and fo it is not common to all, but proper and peculiar to them that are led by the Spirit of God, effectually brought out of darkness, to a welcoming of Jefus Chrift offered in the gofpel, and receiving of him upon his own terms: for he explains whom he meaneth, when he fays, them that love God, by adding, them that are the called. IX. Such is our weaknefs now in the ftate of nature, that we cannot, and fuch is our love to this condition that we defire not to come out of it; we are deaf and dead by nature, Eph. ii. 1. like dry bones about the graves mouth, Ezek. xxxvii. 1. 2. cast out into the open fields, Ezek. xvi. 5. we neither can, nor will ftir, Rom. viii. 7.8. nor mind we ever to come home, but walk on like wandering fheep; and therefore we must be called by the Spirit of God, nal life, Tim. vi. 12. into his marvelous light, 1 Pet. ii. 9. and into eternal glory, 1 Pet. v. 10. and to glory and virtue, 2 Pet. i. 3. is not a work of ours, but a work of the Spirit of God, convincing us of fin and mifery, and inwardly illuminating our minds to fee Chrift, and renewing our wills, and efficacioufly perfuading us to open to Chrift, and receive him heartily and chearfully; it is not a work done by the ftrength of nature, or any thing in 1 he is merely paffive; therefore they tid to be called. As man doth not contribute any thing to his effectual calling, fo neither doth he any way procure, merit, nor deferve the fame, by any goodnefs or work in himself, fo that it is an act of free grace, Tit. iii 5.: and therefore it is here laid to be according to his purpose, and this excludes works of ours, 2 Tim. i 9. XII. As there is an outward and external calling, whereby men and women are brought from Paganifin to ferve the living God, and do openly profefs fubjection unto him, which many more than fuch as are chofen, are made partakers of, Matth. xx. 16. and xxii. 14.; fo there is an inward call, which is not fo common as the other, and which none partake of but fuch as God has had thoughts and purposes of good to from eternity, and fo it is named, a calling according to his purpofe, 2 Tim. i. 9.: Them that are called according to his purpose. XIII. God who is abfolute and only wife, hath, from all eternity, out of his free grace, freely refolved and purpofed with himfelf, whom, and when to bring in |