Experiments of Spiritual Life & Health, and Their Preservatives: In Which the Weakest Child of God May Get Assurance of His Spirituall Life and Blessednesse Etc.Williams, Roger
Religion
Experiments of Spiritual Life & Health, and Their Preservatives: In Which the Weakest Child of God May Get Assurance of His Spirituall Life and Blessednesse Etc.
Williams, Roger
Christian life
Hence the wonderfull _spirituallity_ of _Christs prayer_ to his
_Father_, (_John 7_.) for the _glorifying_ of his _name_, and _spirituall
Grace_, and _mercy_ in the _souls_ of _Beleevers_: Hence the admirable
_spirituality_ of _Davids_ prayers, for _spirituall_ and _soul_
mercies, _Psal: 119_. And the fervent prayers of _Paul_ in all his
_Epistles_ for heavenly and spirituall mercies to the _Saints_ of _God_.
_Hypocrites_ like _Dogs_ howl and fawn for _bones_ and _crusts_, &c.
But _Gods_ children beg the proper _tokens_, and characters of a
spirituall _Father_, to his spirituall children, and Beloved.
[Sidenote: Gods people wait for, and rest in Gods answer.]
4thly, _Hypocrites_ will not always cry unto _God_ (_Job. 27_.) but
at last with _Saul_, if _God_ answer not, they run to the _Devill_
in _evil_ means, murmur and despair: But _Gods_ children can no more
cease to cry unto _God_, then to live a spiritual _life_, and therefore
resolve to give _God_ no _Rest_ untill they receive an _answer_, and
therefore also wait for his holy _pleasure_, and _leasure_, and at last
are satisfied with the _Lords_ holy pleasure, and sentence, although it
seem crosse, add bitter to _flesh_, and _blood_: So _Moses_ in respect
of his suit to _God_, for his going into the land of _Canaan_: So
_David_ praying for his _child_: So _Christ Jesus_ in respect of his
_bitter cup_. So _Paul_ praying against his great _temptation_.
_Obj._ But may not _Hypocrites_ pray long, and also wait upon _God_?
I answer, they may, yet at last, out of unbelief, and anger, like an
_angry Dog_, or _sturdy Beggar_, they cry out in murmur, and wrath, as
the unbelieving King of _Israel_, what should I wait upon _God_ any
longer? But _Gods_ children never give over: for when they grow weary,
they (like _Moses_) beg help to their fainting hands in _prayer_,
and desire their _eyes_ may never cease trickling tears unto _God_,
_untill_ he look down from _Heaven_, _Lament: 2_.
A 5th: Argument of _spirituall health_, and _strength_, is a constant
holy sence of our own _unworthines_, _vilenes_, and _basenes_ in _Gods_
presence: Hence _Jacob_ professeth himself less then the least of
_Gods_ mercies, that is, then the least _crum_, or _drop_, or _rag_, or
_look_ of mercy: Hence the _Centurion_ professeth himself not worthy
that _Christ_ should come under his _Roof_: Hence _Elizabeth_ her holy
wonder, whence is it (saith she) that the _Mother_ of my _Lord_ should
come unto me? Hence _Mephiboseth_ wonders that _David_ should look upon
such a _dead Dog_.
_Ob._ But may not _Hypocrites_ professe they are not _Papists_, that
they can deserve nothing at _Gods_ hands, that if they had their
_deserts_ it were woe with them?
[Sidenote: Gods people are only truly sensible of unworthines.]
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