sion. But surely such have little true claim to religion, whatever form they have, and are unacquainted with the merciful dealings of God to the souls of men. How he strives with men by his Spirit, as he Idid with the old world, to draw them from that which is evil, and to incline them to that which is good, to seek his face right early. Yet I doubt not the Lord is so at work with many, that they feel at times a tenderness upon their spirits towards God, and desires that he may bless them and guide them whilst here, and prepare them in this life, for a blessed immortality. Such I would hope my entreaty might prevail upon, especially to have regard to all the stirrings of that which is good, which they feel in their souls, it is the Spirit of God which works it, and his power is near, whereby we can successfully draw nigh to God, and meditate upon him, watching diligently to have our minds staid upon him, waiting in pure stillness to feel his power, to season our spirits with an humble, holy awfulness towards him, and to raise in our souls lively and fervent desires to God for a further enjoyment of his goodness and love, thereby to be engaged more and more to walk in his fear and delight in his precepts; for such do not go without their reward. Such who have had experience of the kindness of God in these spiritual visitations, I advise to be diligent in joining therewith; watch, lest worldly or wandering thoughts intervene to draw the mind from this inward touch of God's love. He is now coming near to thee with favours, whom thou once soughtest sorrowing, and wouldst have been glad then to have known the smiles of his countenance. It may be, some may say, I have thus sought the Lord, but it seems as if he hid himself from me; what shall such a one as I do? I answer, hope thou still in the Lord, remembering his reward is with him, and his work before him; in waiting upon him thou mayest see there is more of his work wanting in thee, than thou hast yet felt and submitted to, in order to prepare thee for those sweet enjoyments of his love thy soul longeth after. He that thus invites, will feed the hungry with good, things, though he doth send the rich, the fat, and the full, empty away.1 is " And since I am fallen upon the benefit of meditation in private, I am willing, also, to shew, that meditation in public, I mean in the solemn assemblies of God's people, is of eminent advantage to the souls of men, and of real use; yea, of necessity, in the right worship of God, which is in spirit; and I would not be understood that this worship is barely in the exercise of our own spirits. But, having proved from Scripture and divers authors, that there a manifestation of the Spirit given to every man to profit withal."2 Surely the profit thereof will not be denied, as at other times, so also in the seasons of worship, as the minds of men are retired thereunto, and exercised therein. For, as Judge Hale saith, in the words of David, "In thy light we shall see light," have a discerning of our state inwardly, where we are, what we are in God's sight, and thereby know our true duty, whether it be to humble our souls before him in a sense of any transgression or disobedience, and to wait on him, to know his judg ments more and more revealed against the trans (1) Luke i, 53. (2) 1 Cor. xii, 7. (3) Psalm xxxvi, 9. gressing nature in us, that the head of the serpent may be bruised, and the soul separated from his power; for as man cannot do this work of himself, so it is needful that he wait on the Lord to know him that is able to do it in us and for us. ་་ Here the true penitent man may come to feel his soul opened in silent prayer to God, that he will, for Christ's sake, blot out his transgressions, and do away his sins and the guilt thereof. As the aforesaid author saith:-"A few of those inward aspirations will do more than a great many fluent and melting 'expressions." Let, then, none doubt of the efficacy of spiritual prayer, as men receive the assistance of the Spirit; as he also says,- This mental prayer is, of all other, the most effectual to purify the soul, "and dispose of it unto a holy and religious temper, "and may be termed the great secret of devotion, "and one of the most powerful instruments of the "divine life. And it may be, the Apostle hath a "peculiar respect unto it when he saith, 'The Spirit "helping our infirmities, makes intercession for us "with groanings that cannot be uttered;'2 or, as the "original may bear, that cannot be worded."3 " And though these sighings cannot then be worded, yet the Lord hears and knows what is the mind of the spirit, and as he is always ready to do us good, so has he regard to these breathings, which are indeed of his own begetting; and for the cries of the poor, and the sighings of the needy will I arise, saith the Lord. Let God arise, and his enemies shall be scattered. 5 But as this state of prayer is necessary, so is it (1) Scougal. (2) Romans viii, 26. (3) Scougal. SPIRITUAL PRAYER. 79 needful, that having thus prayed with the Spirit, we also wait to feel an answer of our prayer. Many have been busy in prayers, but have neglected to wait on God to receive the return of their prayers, with the mercy or blessing prayed for. CHAPTER XXVIII. Further of Worship, and of many comforts and advantages thereby, as it is performed by the help of the Holy Spirit. A MAN can no more create himself anew than he did create himself at first; therefore, in order to regeneration, a man ought to have some time retired from the world to draw nigh to God, to feel the Lord to make him anew, in which retirement and drawing near to God, our soul's enemy sometimes comes to disturb the mind with vain and wandering thoughts, whereupon the sincere in heart will have occasion to pray against his temptations, yea to watch and pray,' that he who is the captain of our salvation, may manifest his power to drive back our soul's enemy. And when have we greater promises of his presence, than when we gather together in his name, in his Spirit retired from the world to wait upon him, that he may work in us his marvellous work of forming us for himself, that we may shew forth his praise. 3 Here we have no need that man should direct us either to read, sing, or pray by forms of human (1) Matt. xxvi, 41. (2) xviii, 20. (3) Isa. xliii, 21. 80 SPIRITUAL PRAYER. . appointment, for the mind being singly retired to this divine gift or light, men will see what they ought to pray for, and (as before observed) the Spirit itself will help their infirmities, yea sometimes with sighs and groans that cannot be uttered, as aforesaid, and having asked in Christ's name, in his Spirit, in the movings of it, (whether with words or without words) yet we are within the promise, ask and ye shall receive; but if we pray without his Spirit, without his counsel and help, we are subject to ask amiss. The said author hints, "The spiritual man ought not to stint himself to forms," for as temptations are various, and the soul's exercises and. necessities various, so will the prayers of the spiritual man be differing, I mean both vocal and mental prayers also; yea as the spi ritual state hath its growth (as well as the natural) so is it not possible for men to prescribe to the new man a set of forms of prayer. Observe the aforesaid author: "And let me here add one free thing, that nothing "obstructs more an advance in spirituality and joy in "God, than the fettering ourselves by some devices of our own, to rules and forms which we will always adhere to and keep up; whereas it is a cer"tain and general truth, that there is a progress in "the spiritual as well as the natural life."1 Let it be considered, he that one day prays in faith, and also waits in faith and patience, and receives the answer of his prayer in an increase of divine wisdom, or strength, or victory over his soul's adversary, such an one may have occasion another day to pray for some further blessing, and this without all outward (1) Scougal. |