Part 34

§. VIII. [Sidenote: _Our Work and Worship in our Meetings._] Our _Work_ then and _Worship_ is, when we meet together, for every one to _watch and wait upon God in themselves_, and to be _gathered_ from all Visibles thereunto. And as every one is thus stated, they come to find the _Good_ arise over the _Evil_, and the _Pure_ over the _Impure_, in which God reveals himself, and draweth near to every Individual, and so he is in the Midst in the General, whereby each not only partakes of the particular Refreshment and Strength which comes from the Good in himself, but is a Sharer in the whole Body, as being a living Member of the Body, having a joint Fellowship and Communion with all. And as this Worship is stedfastly preached and kept to, it becomes easy, though it be very hard at first to the natural Man, whose roving Imaginations and running worldly Desires are not so easily brought to Silence. And therefore the Lord Often-times, when any turn towards him, and have true Desires thus to Wait upon him, and find great Difficulty through the Unstayedness of their Minds, doth in Condescension and Compassion cause his Power to break forth in a more strong and powerful Manner. And when the Mind sinks down, and waits for the Appearance of _Life_, and that the Power of Darkness in the Soul wrestles and works against it, then the good Seed, as it ariseth, will be found to work as Physick in the Soul, especially if such a weak one be in the Assembly of divers others in whom the Life is arisen in greater Dominion, and through the contrary Workings of the Power of Darkness there will be found an inward Striving in the Soul as really in the Mystery as ever _Esau_ and _Jacob_ strove in _Rebecca_’s Womb. [Sidenote: Esau _and_ Jacob _strove in _Rebecca_’s Womb._] And from this inward Travail, while the _Darkness_ seeks to obscure the _Light_, and the _Light_ breaks through the _Darkness_, which it always will do, if the Soul gives not its Strength to the Darkness, there will be such a painful Travail found in the Soul, that will even work upon the outward Man, so that Often-times, through the Working thereof, the Body will be greatly shaken, and many Groans, and Sighs, and Tears, even as the Pangs of a Woman in Travail, will lay hold upon it; yea, and this not only as to one, but when the Enemy, who when the _Children of God_ assemble together is not wanting to be present, to see if he can let their Comfort, hath prevailed in any Measure in a whole Meeting, and strongly worketh against it by spreading and propagating his dark Power, and by drawing out the Minds of such as are met from the Life in them, as they come to be sensible of this Power of his that works against them, and to wrestle with it by the _Armour of Light_, [Sidenote: _The Travail crowned with a victorious Song._] sometimes the Power of God will break forth into a whole Meeting, and there will be such an inward Travail, while each is seeking to overcome the Evil in themselves, that by the strong contrary Workings of these opposite Powers, like the Going of two contrary Tides, every Individual will be strongly exercised as in a Day of Battle, and thereby Trembling and a Motion of Body will be upon most, if not upon all, which, as the Power of Truth prevails, will from Pangs and Groans end with a _sweet Sound of Thanksgiving_ and _Praise_. [Sidenote: _The Name of _Quakers_ whence it sprung._] And from this the Name of _Quakers_, i. e. _Tremblers_, was first reproachfully cast upon us; which though it be none of our Choosing, yet in this Respect we are not ashamed of it, but have rather Reason to rejoice therefore, even that we are sensible of this Power that hath oftentimes laid hold of our Adversaries, and made them yield unto us, and join with us, and confess to the Truth, before they had any distinct or discursive Knowledge of our _Doctrines_, so that sometimes many at one Meeting have been thus convinced: And this Power would sometimes also reach to and wonderfully work even in little Children, to the Admiration and Astonishment of many.

§. IX. Many are the blessed Experiences which I could relate of this _Silence_ and Manner of _Worship_; [Sidenote: _Yet Silence is no Law, but Words may follow._] yet I do not so much commend and speak of _Silence_ as if we had bound ourselves by any Law to exclude _Praying_ or _Preaching_, or tied ourselves thereunto; not at all: For as our _Worship_ consisteth not in _Words_, so neither in _Silence_, as _Silence_; but _in an holy Dependence of the Mind upon God_: From which Dependence _Silence_ necessarily follows in the first Place, until _Words_ can be brought forth, which are from God’s Spirit. And God is not wanting to move in his _Children_ to bring forth Words of Exhortation or Prayer, when it is needful; so that of the many Gatherings and Meetings of such as are convinced of the Truth, there is scarce any in whom God raiseth not up some or other to minister to his Brethren; and there are few Meetings that are altogether _silent_. For when many are met together in this one Life and Name, it doth most naturally and frequently excite them to _pray_ to and _praise God_, and stir up one another by mutual Exhortation and Instructions; yet we judge it needful there be in the first Place some Time of _Silence_, during which every one may be gathered _inwardly_ to the Word and Gift of Grace, from which he that ministereth may receive Strength to bring forth what he ministereth; and that they that hear may have a Sense to discern betwixt the _Precious_ and the _Vile_, and not to hurry into the Exercise of these Things so soon as the Bell rings, as other _Christians_ do. Yea, and we doubt not, but assuredly know, that the Meeting may be good and refreshful, though from the sitting down to the rising up thereof there hath not been a Word as outwardly spoken, and yet _Life_ may have been known to abound in each Particular, and an inward growing up therein and thereby, yea, so as Words might have been spoken acceptably, and from the Life: [Sidenote: _No absolute Necessity for Words, though from the Life at Times._] Yet there being no absolute Necessity laid upon any so to do, all might have chosen rather _quietly_ and _silently_ to possess and enjoy the Lord in themselves, which is very sweet and comfortable to the Soul that hath thus learned to be gathered out of all its own Thoughts and Workings, to feel the Lord to bring forth both the Will and the Deed, which many can declare by a blessed Experience: Though indeed it cannot but be hard for the natural Man to receive or believe this _Doctrine_, and therefore it must be rather by a sensible Experience, and by coming to make Proof of it, than by Arguments, that such can be convinced of this Thing, seeing it is not enough to _believe_ it, if they come not also to _enjoy_ and _possess_ it; yet in Condescension to, and for the Sake of, such as may be the more willing to apply themselves to the Practice and Experience hereof, if they found their Understandings convinced of it, and that it is founded upon Scripture and Reason, I find a Freedom of Mind to add some few Considerations of this Kind, for the Confirmation hereof, besides what is before mentioned of our Experience.

§. X. [Sidenote: _To _wait_ and _watch_ commanded in the Scripture._] That _to wait upon God_, and to _watch before him_, is a Duty incumbent upon all, I suppose none will deny; and that this also is _a Part of Worship_ will not be called in Question, since there is scarce any other so frequently commanded in the holy Scriptures, as may appear from _Psalm_ xxvii. 14. and xxxvii. 7. 34. _Prov._ xx. 22. _Isa._ xxx. 18. _Hosea_ xii. 6. _Zech._ iii. 8. _Matt._ xxiv. 42. and xxv. 13. and xxvi. 41. _Mark_ xiii. 33. 35. 37. _Luke_ xxi. 36. _Acts_ i. 4. and xx. 31. 1 _Cor._ xvi. 13. _Col._ iv. 2. 1 _Thess._ v. 6. 2 _Tim._ iv. 5. 1 _Pet._ iv. 7. Also this Duty is often recommended with very great and precious Promises, as _Psalm_ xxv. 3. and xxxvii. 9. and lxix. 6. _Isa._ xlii. 23. _Lam._ iii. 25, 26. _They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their Strength_, &c. _Isa._ xl. 31. Now how is this _waiting upon God_, or _watching before him_, but by this _Silence_ of which we have spoken? Which as it is in itself a _great_ and _principal Duty_, so it necessarily in order both of _Nature_ and _Time_ precedeth all other. But that it may be the better and more perfectly understood, as it is not only an _outward Silence_ of the Body, but an _inward Silence_ of the Mind from all its own Imaginations and Self-cogitations, let it be considered according to _Truth_, and to the _Principles_ and _Doctrines_ heretofore affirmed and proved, that Man is to be considered in a twofold Respect, to wit, in his _natural, unregenerate, and fallen State_, and in his _spiritual and renewed Condition_; from whence ariseth that Distinction of the _natural_ and _spiritual Man_ so much used by the Apostle, and heretofore spoken of. Also these _two Births_ of the Mind proceed from the _two Seeds_ in Man respectively, to wit, the _good Seed_ and the _evil_; and from the _evil Seed_ doth not only proceed all Manner of gross and abominable Wickedness and Profanity, but also Hypocrisy, and those _Wickednesses_ which the Scripture calls _spiritual_, [Sidenote: Whence Wickednesses _arise that are spiritual._] because it is the _Serpent_ working in and by the natural Man in Things that are _spiritual_, which having a Shew and Appearance of Good, are so much the more hurtful and dangerous, as it is _Satan transformed_ and _transforming himself into an Angel of Light_; and therefore doth the Scripture so pressingly and frequently, as we have heretofore had _Occasion_ to observe, shut out and exclude the natural Man from meddling with the _Things of God_, denying his Endeavours therein, though acted and performed by the most eminent of his Parts, as of Wisdom and Utterance.

Also this _spiritual Wickedness_ is of two Sorts, though both one in Kind, as proceeding from one Root, yet differing in their Degrees, and in the Subjects also sometimes. The one is, when as the natural Man, meddling with and working in the Things of _Religion_, doth from his own Conceptions and Divinations affirm or propose wrong and erroneous Notions and Opinions of God and Things spiritual, and invent Superstitions, Ceremonies, Observations, and Rites in Worship, from whence have sprung all the Heresies and Superstitions that are among _Christians_. [Sidenote: _From whence all Heresies did spring._] The other is, when as the natural Man, from a mere Conviction of his Understanding, doth in the Forwardness of his own Will, and by his own natural Strength, without the Influence and Leading of God’s Spirit, go about either in his Understanding to imagine, conceive, or think of the Things of God, or actually to perform them by preaching or praying. [Sidenote: _True_ Christianity, _wherein it consists not_.] The _First_ is a Missing both in Matter and Form; the _Second_ is a Retaining of the Form without the Life and Substance of _Christianity_; because _Christian Religion_ consisteth not in a mere Belief of true _Doctrines_, or a mere Performance of _Acts_ good in themselves, or else the bare Letter of the Scripture, though spoken by a _Drunkard_, or a _Devil_, might be said to be _Spirit_ and _Life_, which I judge none will be so absurd as to affirm; and also it would follow, that where the Form of Godliness is, there the Power is also, which is contrary to the express Words of the Apostle. For the Form of Godliness cannot be said to be, where either the Notions and Opinions believed are erroneous and ungodly, or the Acts performed evil and wicked; for then it would be the Form of Ungodliness, and not of Godliness: But of this more hereafter, when we shall speak particularly of Preaching and Praying. Now though this last be not so bad as the former, yet it hath made Way for it; for Men having first departed from the Life and Substance of true _Religion_ and _Worship_, to wit, from the inward Power and Virtue of the Spirit, so as therein to act, and thereby to have all their Actions enlivened, have only retained the Form and Shew, to wit, the true Words and Appearance; and so acting in their own natural and unrenewed Wills in this Form, the Form could not but quickly decay, and be vitiated. For the working and active Spirit of Man could not contain itself within the Simplicity and Plainness of Truth, but giving Way to his own numerous Inventions and Imaginations, began to vary in the Form, and adapt it to his own Inventions, until by Degrees the Form of Godliness for the most Part came to be lost, as well as the Power. [Sidenote: Idolatry _does hug its own Conceivings._] For this Kind of _Idolatry_, whereby Man loveth, idolizeth, and embraceth his own Conceptions, Inventions, and Product of his own Brain, is so incident unto him, and feared in his fallen Nature, that so long as his natural Spirit is the first Author and Actor of him, and is that by which he only is guided and moved in his Worship towards God, so as not first to wait for another Guide to direct him, he can never perform the pure spiritual Worship, nor bring forth any Thing but the Fruit of the first, fallen, natural, and corrupt Root. Wherefore the Time appointed of God being come, wherein by _Jesus Christ_ he hath been pleased to restore the true _spiritual Worship_, and the outward Form of _Worship_, which was appointed by God to the _Jews_, and whereof the Manner and Time of its Performance was particularly determined by God himself, being come to an End, [Sidenote: _No Form of _Worship_ but the Spirit prescribed by Christ._] we find that _Jesus Christ_, the Author of the _Christian Religion_, prescribes no _set Form of Worship_ to his Children, under the more pure Administration of the _New Covenant_,[102] save that he only tells them, That the _Worship now to be performed is spiritual_, and _in the Spirit_. And it is especially to be observed, that in the whole _New Testament_ there is no Order nor Command given in this Thing, but to follow the Revelation of the Spirit, save only that general one of _meeting together_; a Thing dearly owned and diligently practised by us, as shall hereafter more appear. [Sidenote: Pray, preach, _and_ sing _in Spirit._] True it is, Mention is made of the Duties of _Praying_, _Preaching_, and _Singing_; but what Order or Method should be kept in so doing, or that presently they should be set about so soon as the Saints are gathered, there is not one Word to be found: Yea, these Duties, as shall afterwards be made appear, are always annexed to the Assistance, Leadings, and Motions of God’s Spirit. Since then Man in his natural State is thus excluded from acting or moving in Things _spiritual_, how or what Way shall he exercise this first and previous Duty of _waiting upon God_ but by _Silence_, and by bringing that natural Part to _Silence_? [Sidenote: _To _wait on God_, by what it is performed._] Which is no other Ways but by abstaining from his own Thoughts and Imaginations, and from all the Self-workings and Motions of his own Mind, as well in Things materially _good_ as _evil_; that he being _silent_, God may _speak in him_, and the _good Seed_ may arise. This, though hard to the natural Man, is so answerable to Reason, and even natural Experience in other Things, that it cannot be denied. He that cometh to learn of a Master, if he expect to hear his Master and be instructed by him, must not continually be speaking of the Matter to be taught, and never be quiet, otherwise how shall his Master have Time to instruct him? [Sidenote: _A Simile of a Master and his Scholar._] Yea, though the Scholar were never so earnest to learn the _Science_, yet would the Master have Reason to reprove him, as untoward and indocile, if he would always be meddling of himself, and still speaking, and not wait in Silence patiently to hear his Master instructing and teaching him, who ought not to open his Mouth until by his Master he were commanded and allowed so to do. [Sidenote: _Of a Prince and his Servant._] So also if one were about to attend a great Prince, he would be thought an impertinent and imprudent Servant, who, while he ought patiently and readily to wait, that he might answer the King when he speaks, and have his Eye upon him to observe the least Motions and Inclinations of his Will, and to do accordingly, would be still deafening him with Discourse, though it were in Praises of him; and running to and fro, without any particular and immediate Order, to do Things that perhaps might be good in themselves, or might have been commanded at other Times to others. Would the Kings of the Earth accept of such Servants or Service? [Sidenote: _To wait in Silence._] Since then we are commanded to _wait upon God diligently_, and in so doing it is promised that our _Strength shall be renewed_, this _Waiting_ cannot be performed but by a _Silence_ or _Cessation_ of the natural Part on our Side, since God manifests himself not to the outward Man or Senses, so much as to the inward, to wit, to the Soul and Spirit. [Sidenote: _The thinking busy Soul excludes the Voice of God._] If the Soul be still thinking and working in her own Will, and busily exercised in her own Imaginations, though the Matters as in themselves may be _good_ concerning God, yet thereby she incapacitates herself from discerning the _still, small Voice_ of the Spirit, and so hurts herself greatly, in that she neglects her chief Business of _waiting upon the Lord_: Nothing less than if I should busy myself, crying out and speaking of a Business, while in the mean Time I neglect to hear one who is quietly whispering into my Ear, and informing me in those Things which are most needful for me to hear and know concerning that Business. And since it is the chief Work of a _Christian_ to know the _natural Will_ in its own proper Motions _crucified_, that God may both move in the Act and in the Will, the Lord chiefly regards this profound Subjection and Self-denial. [Sidenote: _Religious Speculations._] For some Men please themselves as much, and gratify their own sensual Wills and Humours in high and curious _Speculations_ of _Religion_, affecting a Name and Reputation that Way, or because those Things by Custom or otherways are become pleasant and habitual to them, though not a Whit more regenerated or inwardly sanctified in their Spirits, [Sidenote: _Sensual Recreations._] as others gratify their Lusts in _Acts_ of _Sensuality_, and therefore both are alike hurtful to Men, and sinful in the Sight of God, it being nothing but the mere Fruit and Effect of Man’s natural and unrenewed Will and Spirit. [Sidenote: Thoughts _of Death and Hell to keep out _Sin_ are Fig-leaves._] Yea, should one, as many no Doubt do, from a Sense of Sin, and Fear of Punishment, seek to terrify themselves from Sin, by multiplying Thoughts of Death, Hell, and Judgment, and by presenting to their Imaginations the Happiness and Joys of Heaven, and also by multiplying Prayers and other religious Performances, as these Things could never deliver him from one Iniquity, without the secret and inward Power of God’s Spirit and Grace, so would they signify no more than the _Fig-leaves_ wherewith _Adam_ thought to cover his _Nakedness_. And seeing it is only the Product of Man’s own natural Will, proceeding from a Self-love, and seeking to save himself, and not arising purely from that _divine Seed_ of _Righteousness_ which is given of God to all for Grace and Salvation, it is rejected of God, and no Ways acceptable unto him; since the natural Man, as natural, while he stands in that State, is, with all his Arts, Parts, and Actings, reprobated by him. [Sidenote: _Denial of one’s Self._] This great Duty then of waiting upon God, must needs be exercised in Man’s denying Self, both inwardly and outwardly, in a still and mere Dependence upon God, in abstracting from all the Workings, Imaginations, and Speculations of his own Mind, that being emptied as it were of himself, and so throughly crucified to the natural Products thereof, he may be fit to receive the Lord, who will have no Co-partner nor Co-rival of his Glory and Power. And Man being thus stated, the little Seed of Righteousness which God hath planted in his Soul, and Christ hath purchased for him, even the Measure of _Grace_ and _Life_, which is burdened and crucified by Man’s natural _Thoughts_ and _Imaginations_, receives a Place to arise, and becometh a holy Birth and Geniture _in_ Man; [Sidenote: _The holy Birth._] and is that _divine Air_ in and by which Man’s Soul and Spirit comes to be leavened; and by waiting therein he comes to be accepted in the Sight of God, to stand in his Presence, hear his Voice, and observe the Motions of his holy Spirit. And so Man’s Place is to wait in this; and as hereby there are any Objects presented to his Mind concerning God, or Things relating to Religion, his Soul may be exercised in them without Hurt, and to the great Profit both of himself and others; because those Things have their Rise not from his own Will, but from God’s Spirit: And therefore as in the Arisings and Movings of this his Mind is still to be exercised in thinking and meditating, so also in the more obvious Acts of Preaching and Praying. [Sidenote: _No _Quakers_ are against a meditating Mind._] And so it may hence appear we are not against Meditation, as some have sought falsely to infer from our Doctrine; [Sidenote: _From Nature’s Thoughts all Errors rise._] but we are against the _Thoughts_ and _Imaginations_ of the natural Man in his own Will, from which all Errors and Heresies concerning the Christian Religion in the whole World have proceeded. But if it please God at any Time, when one or more are waiting upon him, not to present such Objects as give them Occasion to exercise their Minds in _Thoughts_ and _Imaginations_, but purely to keep them in this holy Dependence, and as they persist therein, to cause his secret Refreshment and the pure Incomes of his holy Life to flow in upon them, then they have good Reason to be content, because by this, as we know by good and blessed Experience, the Soul is more strengthened, renewed, and confirmed in the Love of God, and armed against the Power of Sin, than any Way else; [Sidenote: _The Soul renewed, _by what?_ The holy Life of God._] this being a Fore-taste of that real and sensible Enjoyment of God, which the Saints in Heaven daily possess, which God frequently affords to his Children here for their Comfort and Encouragement, especially when they are assembled together to _wait upon him_.

[102] If any object here, _That the Lord’s Prayer is a prescribed Form of Prayer, and therefore of _Worship_ given by Christ to his Children_: