SPIRITUAL PRAYER. 81 escribed forms. And though some may think range of our experience herein, yet perhaps they ill regard the aforesaid author, where treating of ental prayer he saith, "There is a third and more sublime kind of prayer, wherein the soul takes a higher flight, and having collected all its forces by long and serious meditation, it darteth itself (so to speak) towards God in sighs and groans, and thoughts too big for expression. As when, after a deep contemplation of the divine perfections, appearing in all his works of wonder, it addresseth itself unto him in the profoundest adoration of his majesty and glory. Or when, after sad reflections on its vileness and miscarriages, it prostrates itself 'before him, not daring to utter one word in his 'presence."1 Here, indeed, is the loftiness of man brought down, and self-confidence and will-worship abased, and the Lord our helper purely depended on, who is not only able to help us in our devotions in private, but also in our public devotions, when we are gathered with many others, to the like spiritual exercise; and here I desire to shew, that meditation and mental prayer approved by the aforesaid author, as before quoted, are both necessary and profitable to our well performance of our duty to God, in the times of public meetings for worship, as before hinted; for as it is allowed that recollection of mind is profitable to the spiritual state, so it is certainly necessary in seasons of worship, that we be in a true sense secluded from the world, really in heart and mind retired to God, staid waiting upon God; it is true as it was 2 (1) Scougal. (2) Psalm xxiv, 5. 82 GOD OUR HELPER. written, "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee; because he trusteth in thee." And this exercise of faith and trusting in the Lord, and waiting to feel him to carry on his own work in us, tends both to our further knowing his will, and to the abilitating us to perform the same acceptably. 2 I hope none will doubt that faithful believers in Christ may be gathered in his name, (that is in his power) before exhortations are begun, or if exhortations should not be during the whole time of the assembly; for the promise of his presence is not tied to times of exhortation, but to a gathering in his name; and, blessed be the Lord, he is faithful who promised; and those who draw nigh to him, he draws nigh to them.3 In this exercise, the spiritual man hath found it is not in vain to draw nigh unto God, (in whom all blessings are) to feel his power inwardly to bring to repentance, to conversion from the sins repented of,* and to the remission of sins when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord, whose promise was, where two or three are gathered in [his] name, there [is he] in the midst of them. In whose presence is fulness of joy, at his right hand pleasures for evermore.5 That this enjoyment in the presence of God was known to the faithful in David's days is evident from this fore-cited testimony; and when the Jews declined from the Lord, he complained of them, saying, "They have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns that can hold no water."6 But Christ, the great repairer of breaches, being (1) Isaiah xxvi, 3. (2) Matt. xviii, 20. (3) James iv, 8. (4) Acts iii, 19. (5) Psalm xvi, 11. (6) Jer. ii, 13. D SPIRITUAL ENJOYMENTS. 83 ecome, said, "If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink, thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water." And further, "The water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life." Wherein are a few things greatly worth the notice of the serious man; If thou knewest the gift of God, (this drop of that infinite ocean of goodness) this is able to teach to ask of Christ, and asking in the moving of this gift, Christ will answer in giving living water. And where will Christ give it? Within. It shall be in him a well of water springing up unto eternal life.. Let the worldly wise, then, for ever be ashamed of ridiculing the experimental knowledge of Christ, and his work within, and of the blessings he bestows within; "In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink. He that believeth on me, as the Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water."3 Of which, more hereafter, concerning which the Evangelist goes on, saying, This spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive,' "'4 even that Spirit of life from God, which men dead in sins and trespasses are not in the enjoyment of, but are as dry bones in the valley,5 in a low estate of religion, if it may be called religion; but when the Spirit of life from God enters into these dry bones, they live a new life, and become a great army, even the holy host that follows him who rides upon the white horse, going forth conquering and to conquer, bringing into captivity 66 6 (1) John iv, 10, 14. (2) Scougal. (3) John vii, 37. 84 GOD CAN SPEAK TO THE SOUL every thought to the obedience of Christ, that he as Lord might reign over his house; 1 whose house are they, that hold the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.2 Where every thought (is thus) brought into obedience to Christ,3 the will and affections subjected to him, and man redeemed from the power of satan, there indeed sweet peace is, that passeth understanding, and that to keep the heart and mind, both from wanderings and self-workings, to wait on God, that he may work all our works in us and for us, whose is the power, and to whom be all the praise now and for ever. "Keep silence before me, O islands, and let the people renew their strength." And as this holy silence is known, the Lord is heard, whose voice is full of majesty.7 And when can men more expect to hear his voice, than in the most profound silence? When the soul is retired from the world, all the imaginations of the mind stilled, and the state in some degree known, wherein David said, I will hear what the Lord will speak, for he will speak peace unto his people, and to his saints, but let them turn no more to folly. 8 Solomon also had a sense of the sweetness of the voice of Christ, where he saith, My soul melted when my beloved spake.9 Let men now own the voice of God may be heard; that he that made the heart can speak to it without the help of man; or else allow themselves to be in a depraved states like those Jews who had neither heard (1) Rev. vi, 2. (2) Heb. iii, 6. iv, 7. (5) Isaiah xxvi, 12. (6) (8) - lxxxv, 8. (3) 2 Cor. x, 5. (4) Phil. xli, 1. (7) Psal. xxix, 4. (9) Cant. v, 6, liquefacta. WITHOUT THE HELP OF MAN. 3 85 But the his voice at any time, nor seen his shape.1 true spouse of Christ can say now as of old, His voice is sweet, and his countenance is comely; 2 and his beloved delight to hear the one and behold the other: yet are in an holy caution not to awake or stir him up until he please, who in his pleasure hath regard unto the soul that waiteth on him, and is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness. But when he appears, his little one can say, or ever I was aware my soul made me like the chariots of Aminadab, or of his willing people. 5 When thus the Lord sends forth the rod of his strength out of Sion, to rule in the midst of his enemies, thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in beauties of holiness, [Margent] more than the womb of the morning thou shalt have the dew of thy youth.6 It is he that sends forth the rod of his strength out of Sion to get dominion in his enemies. Men may labour in their own strength and wisdom, and bring forth nothing but wind, and may have cause to say, "We have not wrought any deliverance in the earth, neither have the inhabitants of the world fallen. Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise awake and sing, ye that dwell in the dust, for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead." When thus the Lord gives the word, great shall be the number of them that publish it, for his word becomes as a fire shut up in their bones, they cannot hold their peace, they cannot stay, although they may meet with great opposition, as did the prophet Jere (1) John v, 37. (2) Cant. ii, 3, 14. (3) iii, 9. (5) Cant. vi, 12. (6) Psalm cx, 2, 3. 18, 19. (8) Jeremiah xx, 9. iii, 5. (4) 2 Pet. (7) Isaiah xxvi, L |