Part 33

§. II. [Sidenote: I.] [Sidenote: _What _Worship_ here is spoken of._] And first, let it be considered, that what is here affirmed, is spoken of the _Worship of God_ in these _Gospel-times_, and not of the Worship that was under or before the _Law_: For the particular Commands of God to Men _then_, are not sufficient to authorize us _now_ to do the same Things; else we might be supposed at present acceptably to offer Sacrifice as they did, which all acknowledge to be ceased. So that what might have been both commendable and acceptable under the _Law_, may justly now be charged with Superstition, yea, and Idolatry. So that impertinently, in this Respect, doth _Arnoldus_ rage against this Proposition, [_Exercit. Theolog._ Sect. 44.] saying; _That I deny all publick Worship, and that according to me, such as in _Enoch_’s Time publickly began to call upon the Name of the Lord; and such as at the Command of God went thrice up to _Jerusalem_ to worship; and that _Anna_, _Simeon_, _Mary_, &c. were Idolaters, because they used the publick Worship of those Times_; such a Consequence is most impertinent; and no less foolish and absurd, than if I should infer from _Paul_’s expostulating with the _Galatians_ for their returning to the _Jewish Ceremonies_, that he therefore condemned _Moses_ and all the _Prophets_ as foolish and ignorant, because they used those Things: The forward Man, not heeding the different Dispensation of Times, ran into this Impertinency. [Sidenote: _Ceremonies under the Law were not essential to true_ Worship.] Though a spiritual Worship might have been, and no Doubt was practised by many under the _Law_ in great Simplicity; yet will it not follow, that it were no Superstition to use all those _Ceremonies_ that they used, which were by God dispensed to the _Jews_, not as being essential to _true Worship_, or necessary as of themselves for transmitting and entertaining an _holy Fellowship_ betwixt him and his People; but in Condescension to them, who were inclinable to Idolatry. Albeit then in this, as in most other Things, the Substance was enjoyed under the _Law_ by such as were spiritual indeed; yet was it veiled and surrounded with many _Rites_ and _Ceremonies_, which it is no Ways lawful for us to use now under the _Gospel_.

§. III. [Sidenote: II.] [Sidenote: True Worship _is not limited to Place or Person._] _Secondly_, Albeit I say, that this _Worship_ is neither limited to Times, Places nor Persons; yet I would not be understood, as if I intended the putting away of all set Times and Places to worship: God forbid I should think of such an Opinion. Nay, we are none of those that _forsake the Assembling of ourselves_ together; but have even certain Times and Places, in which we carefully meet together (nor can we be driven therefrom by the Threats and Persecutions of Men) to _wait upon God_, and _worship him_. [Sidenote: _Necessity of Meetings._] To _meet together_ we think necessary for the People of God; because, so long as we are clothed with this outward Tabernacle, there is a Necessity to the entertaining of a joint and visible Fellowship, and bearing of an outward Testimony for God, and seeing of the Faces of one another, that we concur with our Persons as well as Spirits: To be accompanied with that inward Love and Unity of Spirit, doth greatly tend to encourage and refresh the Saints.

[Sidenote: 1. Will-worship _doth limit the Spirit of God._] But the _Limitation_ we condemn is, that whereas the Spirit of God should be the immediate Actor, Mover, Persuader and Influencer of Man in the particular Acts of Worship, when the Saints are met together, this Spirit is _limited_ in its Operations, by setting up a particular Man or Men to preach and pray in Man’s Will; and all the rest are excluded from so much as believing that they are to wait for God’s Spirit to move them in such Things: And so they neglecting that in themselves which should quicken them, and not waiting to feel the pure Breathings of God’s Spirit, so as to obey them, are led merely to depend upon the Preacher, and hear what he will say.

[Sidenote: 2. _True _Teaching_ of the Word of God._] _Secondly_, In that these peculiar Men come not thither to meet with the Lord, and to wait for the inward Motions and Operations of his Spirit; and so to pray as they feel the Spirit to breathe _through_ them, and _in_ them; and to preach, as they find themselves actuated and moved by God’s Spirit, and as he gives Utterance, so as to speak a Word in Season to refresh weary Souls, and as the present Condition and State of the People’s Hearts require; suffering God by his Spirit both to prepare People’s Hearts, and also give the Preacher to speak what may be fit and seasonable for them: But he (viz. _the Preacher_) hath hammered together in his Closet, according to his own Will, by his human Wisdom and Literature, and by stealing the Words of Truth from the Letter of the Scriptures, and patching together other Men’s Writings and Observations, so much as will hold him speaking an Hour, while the Glass runs; [Sidenote: Priests _preach by Hap-hazard their studied Sermons._] and without waiting or feeling the inward Influence of the Spirit of God, he declaims that by Hap-hazard, whether it be fit or seasonable for the People’s Condition, or not; and when he has ended his Sermon, he saith his Prayer also in his own Will; and so _there is an End of the Business_. Which _customary Worship_, as it is no Ways acceptable to God, so how unfruitful it is, and unprofitable to those that are found in it, the present Condition of the Nations doth sufficiently declare. It appears then, that we are not against _set Times_ for Worship, as _Arnoldus_ against this Proposition, _Sect. 45_. no less impertinently allegeth; offering needlesly to prove that which is not denied: Only these Times being appointed for outward Conveniency, we may not therefore think with the _Papists_, that these Days are _holy_, and lead People into a superstitious Observation of them; being persuaded that _all Days are alike holy in the Sight of God_. [Sidenote: _Whether Days are holy._] And although it be not my present Purpose to make a long Digression concerning the Debates among _Protestants_ about the _first Day of the Week_, commonly called the _Lord’s Day_, yet forasmuch as it comes fitly in here, I shall briefly signify our Sense thereof.

§. IV. [Sidenote: _Of the _First Day_ of the _Week_, commonly called the _Lord’s Day.] We, not seeing any Ground in Scripture for it, cannot be so superstitious as to believe, that either the _Jewish Sabbath_ now continues, or that the _first Day_ of the _Week_ is the _Anti-type_ thereof, or the true _Christian Sabbath_; which with _Calvin_ we believe to have a more _spiritual Sense_: And therefore we know no moral Obligation by the _fourth Command_, or elsewhere, to keep the _first Day of the Week_ more than any other, or any Holiness inherent in it. But _First_, forasmuch as it is necessary that there be some Time set apart for the Saints to meet together to wait upon God; and that _Secondly_, it is fit at some Times they be freed from their other outward Affairs; and that _Thirdly_, Reason and Equity doth allow that Servants and Beasts have some Time allowed them to be eased from their continual Labour; and that _Fourthly_, it appears that the Apostles and Primitive Christians did use the _first Day of the Week_ for these Purposes; we find ourselves sufficiently moved for these Causes to do so also, without superstitiously straining the Scriptures for another Reason: Which, that it is not to be there found, many _Protestants_, yea, _Calvin_ himself, upon the _fourth Command_, hath abundantly evinced. And though we therefore meet, and abstain from working upon this _Day_, yet doth not that hinder us from having _Meetings_ also for _Worship_ at other Times.

§. V. _Thirdly_, Though according to the Knowledge of God, revealed unto us by the Spirit, through that more _full Dispensation of Light_ which we believe the Lord hath brought about in this Day, we judge it our Duty to hold forth that pure and spiritual Worship which is acceptable to God, and answerable to the Testimony of Christ and his Apostles, and likewise to testify against and deny not only manifest Superstition and Idolatry, but also all formal Will-worship, which stands not in the Power of God; [Sidenote: _The _Worship_ in the Apostasy._] yet, I say, we do not deny the whole Worship of all those that have borne the Name of _Christians_ even in the Apostasy, as if God had never heard their Prayers, nor accepted any of them: God forbid we should be so void of Charity! The latter Part of the Proposition sheweth the Contrary. And as we would not be so _absurd_ on the one Hand to conclude, because of the Errors and Darkness that many were covered and surrounded with in _Babylon_, that none of their Prayers were heard or accepted of God, so will we not be so _unwary_ on the other, as to conclude, that because God heard and pitied them, so we ought to continue in these Errors and Darkness, and not come out of _Babylon_, when it is by God discovered unto us. [Sidenote: _The Popish Mass or Vespers._] The _Popish Mass_ and _Vespers_ I do believe to be, as to the Matter of them, _abominable Idolatry_ and _Superstition_, and so also believe the _Protestants_; yet will neither _I_ or _they_ affirm, that in the Darkness of _Popery_ no Upright-hearted Men, though zealous in these Abominations, have been heard of God, or accepted of him: [Sidenote: Bernard _and_ Bonaventure, Taulerus, Tho. à Kempis, _have tasted of the Love of God._] Who can deny, but that both _Bernard_ and _Bonaventure, Taulerus, Thomas à Kempis,_ and divers others have both known and tasted of the Love of God, and felt the Power and Virtue of God’s Spirit working with them for their Salvation? And yet ought we not to forsake and deny those Superstitions which they were found in? The _Calvinistical Presbyterians_ do much upbraid (and I say not without Reason) the Formality and Deadness of the _Episcopalian_ and _Lutheran Liturgies_; [Sidenote: _The Bishops Liturgy._] and yet, as they will not deny but there have been some good Men among them, so neither dare they refuse, but that when that good Step was brought in by them, of turning the publick Prayers into the vulgar Tongues, though continued in a _Liturgy_, it was acceptable to God, and sometimes accompanied with his Power and Presence: Yet will not the _Presbyterians_ have it from thence concluded, that the _Common Prayers_ should still continue; so likewise, though we should confess, that, through the Mercy and wonderful Condescension of God, there have been upright in Heart, both among _Papists_ and _Protestants_, yet can we not therefore approve of their Way in the General, or not go on to the upholding of that _spiritual Worship_, which the Lord is calling all to, and so to the testifying against whatsoever stands in the Way of it.

§. VI. [Sidenote: _Assemblies of Worship in Publick described._] _Fourthly_, To come then to the _State of the Controversy_, as to the _publick Worship_, we judge it the Duty of all to be diligent in the Assembling of themselves together (and what we have been, and are, in this Matter, our Enemies in _Great Britain_, who have used all Means to hinder our assembling together to worship God, may bear Witness) and when assembled, the great Work of one and all ought to be to wait upon God; and returning out of their own Thoughts and Imaginations, to feel the Lord’s Presence, and know a _Gathering into his Name_ indeed, where he is _in the Midst_, according to his Promise. And as every one is thus gathered, and so met together inwardly in their Spirits, as well as outwardly in their Persons, there the secret Power and Virtue of Life is known to refresh the Soul, and the pure Motions and Breathings of God’s Spirit are felt to arise; from which, as Words of Declaration, Prayers or Praises arise, the acceptable Worship is known, which edifies the Church, and is well-pleasing to God. And no Man here limits the Spirit of God, nor bringeth forth his own conned and gathered Stuff; but every one puts that forth which the Lord puts into their Hearts: And it is uttered forth not in Man’s Will and Wisdom, but _in the Evidence and Demonstration of the Spirit, and of Power_. [Sidenote: _Its glorious _Dispensation.] Yea, though there be not a Word spoken, yet is the true spiritual Worship performed, and the Body of Christ edified; yea, it may, and hath often fallen out among us, that divers Meetings have past without one Word; and yet our Souls have been greatly edified and refreshed, and our Hearts wonderfully overcome with the secret Sense of God’s Power and Spirit, which without Words hath been ministered from one Vessel to another. This is indeed strange and incredible to the mere natural and carnally-minded Man, who will be apt to judge all Time lost where there is not something spoken that is obvious to the outward Senses; and therefore I shall insist a little upon this Subject, as one that can speak from a certain Experience, and not by mere Hearsay, of this wonderful and glorious Dispensation; which hath so much the more of the Wisdom and Glory of God in it, as it is contrary to the Nature of Man’s Spirit, Will, and Wisdom.

§. VII. [Sidenote: _The silent waiting upon God obtained._] As there can be nothing more opposite to the natural Will and Wisdom of Man than this _silent Waiting upon God_, so neither can it be obtained, nor rightly comprehended by Man, but as he layeth down his own Wisdom and Will, so as to be content to be throughly subject to God. And therefore it was not preached, nor can be so practised, but by such as find no outward Ceremony, no Observations, no Words, yea, not the best and purest Words, even the Words of Scripture, able to satisfy their weary and afflicted Souls: Because where all these may be, the Life, Power, and Virtue, which make such Things effectual, may be wanting. Such, I say, were necessitated to cease from all Externals, and to be silent before the Lord; and [97]being directed to that inward Principle of _Life_ and _Light_ in themselves, as the most excellent Teacher, which _can never be removed into a Corner_, came thereby to be taught to wait upon God in the Measure of _Life_ and _Grace_ received from him, and to cease from their own forward Words and Actings, in the natural Willing and Comprehension, and feel after this inward Seed of Life; that, as it moveth, they may move with it, and be actuated by its Power, and influenced, whether to pray, preach or sing. And so from this Principle of Man’s being silent, and not acting in the Things of God of himself, until thus actuated by God’s _Light_ and _Grace in the Heart_, did naturally spring that Manner of sitting silent together, and waiting together upon the Lord. For many thus principled, meeting together in the pure Fear of the Lord, did not apply themselves presently to speak, pray, or sing, _&c._ being afraid to be found acting forwardly in their own Wills, but each made it their Work to retire inwardly to the Measure of Grace in themselves, not being only silent as to Words, but even abstaining from all their own Thoughts, Imaginations and Desires; so watching in a holy Dependence upon the Lord, and meeting together not only outwardly in one Place, [Sidenote: _What it is to meet in _Jesus_ Name._] but thus inwardly in _one Spirit_, and in _one Name of Jesus_, which is his Power and Virtue, they come thereby to enjoy and feel the Arisings of this Life, which, as it prevails in each Particular, becomes as a Flood of Refreshment, and overspreads the whole Meeting: For Man, and Man’s Part and Wisdom, being denied and chained down in every Individual, and God exalted, and his Grace in Dominion in the Heart, thus his _Name_ comes to be _one_ in _all_, and his Glory breaks forth, and covers all; and there is such a holy Awe and Reverence upon every Soul, that if the natural Part should arise in any, or the wise Part, or what is not one with the Life, it would presently be chained down, and judged out. And when any are, through the Breaking forth of this Power, constrained to utter a Sentence of Exhortation or Praise, or to breathe to the Lord in Prayer, then all are sensible of it; for the same Life in them answers to it, [98]_as in Water Face answereth to Face_. This is that _divine_ and _spiritual Worship_, which the World neither knoweth nor understandeth, which the _Vulture_’s Eye seeth not into. [Sidenote: _Advantages of _silent Meetings.] Yet many and great are the Advantages which my Soul, with many others, hath tasted of hereby, and which would be found of all such as would seriously apply themselves hereunto: For, when People are gathered thus together, not merely to hear Men, nor depend upon them, but [99]_all are inwardly taught to stay their Minds upon the Lord, and wait for his Appearance in their Hearts_; thereby the forward Working of the Spirit of Man is stayed and hindered from mixing itself with the Worship of God; and the Form of this Worship is so naked and void of all outward and worldly Splendor, that all Occasion for Man’s Wisdom to be exercised in that Superstition and Idolatry hath no Lodging here; and so there being also an inward Quietness and Retiredness of Mind, the _Witness of God_ ariseth _in the Heart_, and the _Light of Christ_ shineth, whereby the Soul cometh to see its own Condition. And there being many joined together in the same Work, there is an inward Travail and Wrestling; and also, as the Measure of Grace is abode in, an Overcoming of the Power and Spirit of Darkness; and thus we are often greatly strengthened and renewed in the Spirits of our Minds without a Word, and we enjoy and possess the [100]_holy Fellowship_ and _Communion of the Body and Blood of Christ_, by which our inward Man is nourished and fed; which makes us not to dote upon outward _Water_, and _Bread_ and _Wine_, in our spiritual Things. Now as many thus gathered together grow up in the Strength, Power, and Virtue of Truth, and as Truth comes thus to have Victory and Dominion in their Souls, then they receive an Utterance, and speak steadily to the Edification of their Brethren, and the _pure Life_ hath a free Passage through them, and what is thus spoken edifieth the Body indeed. [Sidenote: _Speaking to Edification._] Such is the evident Certainty of that divine Strength that is communicated by thus meeting together, and waiting in Silence upon God, that sometimes when one hath come in that hath been unwatchful and wandering in his Mind, or suddenly out of the Hurry of outward Business, and so not inwardly gathered with the rest, so soon as he retires himself inwardly, this Power being in a good Measure raised in the whole Meeting, will suddenly lay Hold upon his Spirit, and wonderfully help to raise up the Good in him, and beget him into the Sense of the same Power, to the Melting and Warming of his Heart; even as the Warmth would take Hold upon a Man that is cold coming into a Stove, or as a Flame will lay Hold upon some little combustible Matter being near unto it. Yea, if it fall out that several met together be straying in their Minds, though outwardly silent, and so wandering from the Measure of Grace in themselves (which through the Working of the Enemy, and Negligence of some, may fall out) if either one come in, or may be in, who is watchful, and in whom the _Life_ is raised in a great Measure, as that one keeps his Place, he will feel a secret Travail for the rest in a Sympathy with the _Seed_ which is oppressed in the other, and kept from arising by their Thoughts and Wanderings; [Sidenote: _A secret Travail one for another in silent Meetings_.] and as such a faithful one waits in the _Light_, and keeps in this _divine Work_, God oftentimes answers the secret Travail and Breathings of his own _Seed_ through such a one, so that the rest will find themselves _secretly smitten_ without Words, and that one will be as a _Midwife_ through the secret Travails of his Soul to bring forth the Life in them, just as a little Water thrown into a Pump brings up the rest, whereby Life will come to be raised in all, and the vain Imaginations brought down; and such a one is felt by the rest to minister Life unto them without Words. Yea, sometimes when there is not a Word in the Meeting, but all are silently waiting, if one come in that is rude and wicked, and in whom the Power of Darkness prevaileth much, perhaps with an Intention to mock or do Mischief, if the whole Meeting be gathered into the _Life_, and it be raised in a good Measure, it will strike Terror into such an one, [Sidenote: _The Mocker struck with_ Terror _when no Word is spoken_.] and he will feel himself unable to resist; but by the secret Strength and Virtue thereof, the Power of Darkness in him will be chained down: And if the Day of his Visitation be not expired, it will reach to the Measure of Grace in him, and raise it up to the Redeeming of his Soul. And this we often bear Witness of, so that we have had frequent Occasion in this Respect, since God hath gathered us to be a People, to renew this old Saying of many, [101]_Is _Saul_ also among the Prophets?_ For not a few have come to be convinced of the Truth after this Manner, of which I myself, in Part, am a true Witness, who not by Strength of Arguments, or by a particular Disquisition of each Doctrine, and Convincement of my Understanding thereby, came to receive and bear Witness of the Truth, but by being secretly reached by this _Life_; [Sidenote: _The true Convincement._] for when I came into the _silent Assemblies_ of God’s People, I felt a _secret Power_ among them, which touched my Heart, and as I gave Way unto it, I found the Evil weakening in me, and the Good raised up, and so I became thus knit and united unto them, hungering more and more after the Increase of this Power and Life, whereby I might feel myself perfectly redeemed. And indeed this is the surest Way to become a _Christian_, to whom afterwards the Knowledge and Understanding of _Principles_ will not be wanting, but will grow up so much as is needful, as the natural Fruit of this good Root, and such a Knowledge will not be _barren_ nor _unfruitful_. After this Manner we desire therefore all that come among us to be proselyted, knowing that though Thousands should be convinced in their Understanding of all the _Truths_ we maintain, yet if they were not sensible of this _inward Life_, and their Souls not changed from Unrighteousness to Righteousness, they could add nothing to us. [Sidenote: 1 Cor. 6. 17. _The Life of Righteousness doth join us to the Lord._] For this is that _Cement_ whereby we are joined _as to the Lord_, so to one another, and without this none can worship with us. Yea, if such should come among us, and from that Understanding and Convincement they have of the _Truth_, speak ever so true Things, and utter them forth with ever so much Excellency of Speech, if this _Life_ were wanting, it would not edify us at all, but be as _sounding Brass, or a tinkling Cymbal_, 1 Cor. xiii. 1.

[97] Isa. 30. 20.

[98] Prov. 27. 19.

[99] Isa. 10. 20. _and_ 26. 3.

[100] Ephes. 4. 3.

[101] 1 Sam. 10. 12.