Section 4

That which is greateft and mol eminent in religion, is indeed tb
eafiel
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lafieft of all. This is. alfo true in latural things. Would you go to ea ? Then take boat upon a river, jtnd you fhall get at it infenfibly tnd without trouble. Would you go o God ? Take this fo very fweet ind eafy way, and you fhall fhort- y come at him, in a manner that vill even furprize you. O if you ivouldbut make the trial !you would oon be convinced that we have :old'you but a very little of it ; for hen your own experience would 50 very far beyond all that we have .aid. O ! what are you afraid of ? Why don't you readily caft your- felf into the arms of elfential love, who ftretched them forth upon the crofs only that he might receive you. What danger can there be to trull; God, and purely to refign yourfelf to him ? An ! he will not deceive you, unlefs it be in a very agreeable manner, namely, by giv-
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ing you much more than you ex pebt ; whereas they who expeb any thing from themfelves, ma] come to hear that rebuke whicl God giveth them by1 the mouth o the prophet Ifaiah ch. 57. 10. vulg Thou hajl wearied thyfelf in the multi pliciiy of thy ways, and yet thou haj never Jaid, let me rejl in peace.
Sect. XIII.
Of Reft before God „
TH E foul being arrived hithet hath no need of any other pre paration for going to God but of it Reft. For here it is that the prefenc- of God begins to be infus’d and al| molt continual all thedaylong, whicl is the great Fruit of prayer, or ra: ther the continuation of it. Her the foul enjoys in its inward grouir
a
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in ineftimable happinefs : it finds hat God is more in it than its felf. ft hath but one only thing to do hat it may find him, which is to ink down into itfelf. So foon as t (huts its bodily eyes, it finds it- elf taken up into a {late of pray- er : it {lands amazed at this infi- lite good, and there paffes a con- I'erfation within it, which the out- * yard man doth not interrupt. That nay be faid of this manner of irayer ; which is fpoken of wif- lom ; Wifd. 7. 11. All good things •re come along with it. For the vir- tues flow fweetly into this foul, f( vhich likewife praflifeth them after fit o eafy a manner, that they feem nc tatural to it. A feed or fpirit of life, al md a principle of fecundity, fpring- iii :th up in her, which giveth it a $ acility to all that is good, and an fell nfenfibility to all that is evil. Let mtft therefore faithfully perfift in this n F {late
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ftate, and beware that it feek not after any other difpofition what- foever, but its fimple reft : it ha; nothing to do, but to fuffer itfell to be filled with this divine effufion. This is the moft perfeft internal difpofition of which a foul is capa- ble for receiving the facrament, oi performing any other religious duty.
Sect. XIV.
Of the inward Silence.
J'HE Lord is in his holy temple, It all the earth keep filence before him
Hab. 2. 20.
The reafon why the inward fi lence is fo necelfary, is, becaufi this is a proper difpofition, and re; quifite for receiving into the fou
the
Method of Prayer. 6 3 the Word, which is the eternal and
y t *
sffential fpeech.
It is a well known truth, that n order to receive the outward " vord, we muit give ear and heark-
3 m. The fenle of hearing, is
4 nade for receiving the word, which 3 s fpoken or communicated to it. 3 The hearing is a fenfe more paffive
hail aftive ; it receiveth, but doth _iot communicate. And becaufe he internal effential Word, delir- :th to fpeak within the foul, and to :ommunicate itfelf to, and revive md quicken it ; it is abfolutely leceflarv that the foul be atten- ^ :ive.
iffl On this account it is, that there re fo many places in fcripture, G ’hich exhort us to hear God, and ^o be attentive to his voice. We re night eafily obferve a great many o'1 if them, but 'twill be fufficient to ^nention thefe two or three, Ifa. 51.
F 2 4. Hearken
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4. Hearken unto me all ye that are my people , and give ear unto my voice 0 nation that 1 have chofen ! And again, chap. 46. 3, vulg. Hearken unto me all ye whom 1 hear in my bofom, and whom I carry in my bowels ! Again, Pf. 45. 10. Hearken, 0 my daugh- ter ! Confider , and incline thine ear forget thy kindred and thy father’s houfe , fo f halt the king greatly defire thy beauty.
External filence is moft necef- fary to improve and cultivate the internal ; and indeed ’tis impoffi- ble to become inward or fpiritual, without loving filence and retire- ment. God himfelf tells us fo by the mouth of his prophet, Hof. 2. 14. vulg. I will lead her into folitude, and there will Ifpeakto her heart. How can one be inwardly taken Up with God, and yet be outwardly bufied about a thoufand trifles ? This is certainly impoflible.
Wherl
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65
When your weaknefs at any- time has led you to be fcatter’d and diftrafted abroad, you mull make a little retreat or retire in- wards, to which you muft always be faithful, whenfoeveryou are fcat- ter’d and diffipated. It would figni- fv but little to pray, and recolleft ones felf for half an hour or an hour, if we do notpreferve the unc- :ion andfpirit of prayer all the day !ong.
Sect. XV.
If Confejfion and Self Examination.
'C' X AMINATIONoughtalwayS’ 1— i to go before confeffion, and I hey that would perform it aright, null lay themfelves open before lod, who will not be wanting to en- F 3 lighten
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lighten them, and make them to know the nature of their faults. But they mud take care to examine themfelves in peace and tranqui- lity, expecting to have the know- ledge of their fins given them from* God, rather than from their own particular fcrutiny.
When we exert any drong en- deavours in examining ourfelves, we are readily midaken : we be- lieve the good to be evil, and the evh good, Ifa. v. 20. and felf-love natu-f rally deceives us. But when we expofe ourfelves before the all-fee- ing God, this divine fun difcover; to us even the minuted actions Therefore we ought to abandor and refign ourfelves to God, both as to examination and ccnfef fion.
So foon as the foul is advancec to this manner of prayer, Got takes particular care to reprove i
fo
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jr all the faults it commits. It is
Io fooner guilty of any efcape or eviation, butitfeels a certain burn-
Ing that rebukes it. Then it is that iiod makes fo drift an enquiry, that e does not fuffer any thing to ef- ape; and then the foul has no- ling to do but to turn itfelf fimply awards God, and to fuffer the
Iain and correftion which he in- ifteth.
Now this examination on God’s •art being continual, the foul can- iot any more examine itfelf: and F it be faithful in refigning itfelf to
Iiod, it will be much better tried nd infpefted into by his divine ight, than iE can be by all its own ares ; and experience will con- 'ince it that this is true.
You muff necelfarily take notice >f one thing ; namely, that the fouls vhich walk in this way will be often urprized to find, that when they
begin
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begin to confefs their fins unto God, inftead of forrow and con- trition, which they were wont to feel, a fweet and ferene love feizes their heart. Thofe who are not acquainted with this matter would, it may be. withdraw from it to form an adl of contrition, becaufe they have heard fay, that this is necef- fary. But they don’t perceive that they lofe the true contrition, which is this infufed love, infinitely more important than any thing they could do of themfelves. They have here one eminent aft which compre- hends the other a£ls with3 more! perfe&ion, though they have not thefe diltinbl and multiplied as be- fore. Therefore let them not give themfelves the trouble to do any other thing, when God a&eth thus gracioufly in them, and with them.
To hate fin in this manner, is to
hate
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late it as God doth. The pureft ove of any, is, that whichGod ope- ates in the foul. Let it not there- ore be eager to aft, but let it re- nain fuch as it is. according to the vife man’s counfel, Ecclus. xi. 22. °utyour tmjl in God, and continue in ' ejl in the place where he hath Jet ou.
I The foul will admire alfo that it hould forget its defe£ls and fai- ures, and have fuch difficulty to remember them : yet it ought not o be troubled at this, forthefe two eafons : one is, becaufe this for- ;etfulnefs is a fign of its purifica- ion from the fault ; and the excel- ency of this ftate confifteth in this ; lamely , to forget all that concerneth ! is, that we may remember God mly. The other reafon is, that 3od faileth not to difcover to he foul its greateft faults : for
he
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he maketh the infpeftion himfelf and the foul will fee, that by this way it fhall better compaf its end, than by all its own en deavours.
This is not to be applied to thoft ftates, where the foul being yet it the a&ive part, may and ought t ufe its care and induftry in per forming all things, more or lefsj according to the meafure of its ad| vancement. But as to the foul! that are come up to this degree, le them keep to what we have tol( 1 them, and let them not change thei fimple and filent exercifes. Lej them fuff'er God to a6l, and le them keep'filence.
Sect
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Sect. XVI.
j Reading, and oj Vocal Prayers.
rHE manner of reading in this degree is, that as foon as one els a little recolleftion of mind, ought to ceafe, and remain in jllnefs, reading but little, and not ing on after he finds himfelf awn into the inward. The foul' no fooner call’d to internal fi- ice, but it ought to forbear to |irthen itfelf with vocal prayers, cept a very few ; and even in ofe if it finds any difficulty, and els itfelf drawn to filence, it fhould ide filent, and not ftrive or ufe y effort againft it.
Let it not vex itfelf, nor fetter elf, but fuffer itfelf to be led by
the
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the Spirit of God, who will ajjured lead it into all truth.
Sect. XVII.
Of Petitions.
HERE the foul will find itfe unable to make thofe re quefts to God, which at other time it was wont to do with great facilitj But it ought not to be furprized this ; for then is it that the fpir afketh for the faints that which good, and perfeft, and agreeabl to the will of God : The Spirit affij us even in our infrmities, becaufe u know not what to pray for as we ough nor how to pray ; but the Spirit life maketh inter ceffion for us with groat which cannot be uttered, Rom. vii 26. Moreover, I fay, we muft f
con
Method of Prayer .
3 ftrip the foul of its owtfcopefa- ons, that he may fubftitute his in H leir room. Suffer him then to do I , and do not tie yourfelf to any ling of yourfelf, how good foever may feem to be : for to be fure *.is not then fuch to you. if it turns ou away from that which God de- iil reth of you ; but the will of God i preferable to every other good in efides. Rid yourfelf therefore in f your own interefts, and live y faith and refignation : here fpi I is that faith begins to ope- ca ate in the foul by way of emi- ency.
?!
:
G
Sect.
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Sect. XVIII.
Of Defers or Infirmities
WHenfoever we have fallen into any defeCt, or have at any time gone out of our way, we mull immediately turn inwards : becaufe this default having led us away from God, we ought as foon as poflible to return unto him, and fuffer patiently the compun&ion which he worketh ir us.
It is a matter of great impor tance not to be vexed or difturbec becaufe of our defeCts ; for thi‘ trouble or difquiet proceeded from a fecret pride, or from the love and efteem of our own excel lence. We are uneafy when w feel what we are : but if we defpond
o
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or difcourage ourfelves thereby, we are weakened fo much the more ; and the reflexion we make upon our faults begetteth in us a peevifh- nefs or fretting, which is worfe than the fault itfelf.*
A foul that is truly humble doth not at all wonder at its infirmities ; and the more it feeth itfelf mifera-
Ible, the more it refigneth itfelf to God, and endeavoureth to keep clofe to him, feeing the great need
I that it hath of his affiftance. W e
ought to obferve this conduct fo much the more, that God himfelf bathtcld itus, faying, I will make thee to underjland what thou oughtejl to do ;
G 2 I will
* Trouble and di/quiet do but fink and entan- I gle the foul the more ; whereas a vigorous a El of converfion to the divine prefence within us, at- tended with a lively faith and an humble confi- dence, doth infallibly extinguijh the temptation , defpd the darknefs, and overcome the enemy. And one that jtands in God’s p) fence mujl ■ 1 needs hate fin, as God hateth it.
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I will teach thee the way by which tJm fiouldjl go, and 1 will have my eye continually upon thee for thy guide, Pfa, xxxii. 8.
Sect. XIX.
Of Dif rations and Temptations.
IN all our diftra&ions and temp- tations, inftead of combating them direQly, (which would only encreafe them, and take the foul off from adhering to God, which ought to be its continual employ- ment) we ought limply to turn away!' our eye from them, and draw near- er and nearer to God ; like a little child, which feeing a monlter, doth not hand to fight him, nor yet Co much as to look at him, but meekly finketh down into its mother’s •' J - ' bofom,
Method of Prayer. 77
bofom, where ’tis fafe and fecure. God is in the midf of her,Jhe fhall not be moved : he will help her, and that right early. Pfa. lxvi. 5.
When we poor feeble creatures do otherwife, thinking to attack our enemies, we find ourfelves of- ten wounded if not entirely de- feated : but continuing {imply in the prefence of God, we {hall foon find ourfelves more than conque- rors. This was David's conduft, lhave, faid he, the Lord always pre- fent with me, and I fhall not be moved : therefore my heart rejoiceth, and my flejh alfo fhall rejl infafety, Pfa. xvi. 8. Again ’tis faid in Exodus xiv. 14. The Lord fhall fight for you, and you fhall keep yourfelves in peace.
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Sect. XX.
Of true Prayer and Adoration.
PRAYER, according to St Johns account of it, is an in- cenfe, whofe fweet fmelling favoui afcends to God : for which pur pofe the angel held a cenfer, in which was the perfume of the prayers of thi faints, Rev. viii. 3.
Prayer is the pouring out of the heart in the prefence of God : thus*' laid Sa?nuel's mother, / have poured oui my heart in the prefence of the Lord, 1 Sam. i. 15. Therefore the prayer., which the kings or wife men pour- ed forth at the feet of the child Jefus, in the liable of Bethlehem was fignified by the incenfe which they offered. Prayer is nothing elfe but a warmth of love, which
as
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as it melts and diffolves the foul, fubtilizes it, and caufes it to afcend even to God : according as it is melted, fo it gives forth its fweet fmell, and this fmell cometh from the love which burneth it.
This the fpoufe meaneth when fhe faith. While my Beloved was on his couch, my fpikenard fent forth the fmell thereof, Cant. i. 12. The couch is the ground or centre of the foul : while God is there, and one knows how to dwell with him, and keep in his prefence, this prefence gra- dually melts and diffolves the hard- nefs of this foul, and being melted it fends forths its odours. And therefore the Beloved, feeing that his fpoufe was thus melted fo foon as he hadfpoken, Cant. v. 6. faith to her, Who is this that afcendeth out of the wildernefs as a little cloud of perfume ? chap. iii. 6.