The Spirit of Prayer - [Segment 2 of 5] — The First Part - Chapter Two
Part I. Chapter II.
Discovering the true Way of turning to GOD,
and of finding the Kingdom of Heaven,
the Riches of Eternity, in our Souls.
[Pryr-1.2-1] THOU hast seen, dear Reader, the Nature and Necessity of Regeneration, be persuaded therefore fully to believe, and firmly to settle in thy Mind this most certain Truth, that all our Salvation consists in the Manifestation of the Nature, Life, and Spirit of Jesus Christ, in our inward new Man. This alone is Christian Redemption, this alone delivers from the Guilt and Power of Sin, this alone redeems, renews, and regains the first Life of God in the Soul of Man. Every Thing besides this, is Self, is Fiction, is Propriety, is own Will, and however coloured, is only thy old Man, with all his Deeds. Enter therefore with all thy Heart into this Truth, let thy Eye be always upon it, do every Thing in View of it, try every Thing by the Truth of it, love Nothing but for the Sake of it. Wherever thou goest, whatever thou dost, at Home, or Abroad, in the Field, or at Church, do all in a Desire of Union with Christ, in Imitation of his Tempers and Inclinations, and look upon all as Nothing, but that which exercises, and increases the Spirit and Life of Christ in thy Soul. From Morning to Night keep Jesus in thy Heart, long for Nothing, desire Nothing, hope for Nothing, but to have all this within Thee changed into the Spirit and Temper of the Holy Jesus. Let this be thy Christianity, thy Church, and thy Religion. For this new Birth in Christ thus firmly believed, and continually desired, will do every Thing that thou wantest to have done in Thee, it will dry up all the Springs of Vice, stop all the Workings of Evil in thy Nature, it will bring all that is Good into Thee, it will open all the Gospel within Thee, and thou wilt know what it is to be taught of God. This longing Desire of thy Heart to be one with Christ will soon put a stop to all the Vanity of thy Life, and nothing will be admitted to enter into thy Heart, or proceed from it, but what comes from God and returns to God: thou wilt soon be, as it were, tied and bound in the Chains of all holy Affections and Desires, thy Mouth will have a Watch set upon it, thy Ears would willingly hear nothing that does not tend to God, nor thy Eyes be open, but to see, and find Occasions of doing Good. In a Word, when this Faith has got both thy Head and thy Heart, it will then be with thee, as it was with the Merchant who found a Pearl of great Price, it will make thee gladly to sell all that thou hast, and buy it. For all that had seized and possessed the Heart of any Man, whatever the Merchant of this World had got together, whether of Riches, Power, Honour, Learning, or Reputation, loses all its Value, is counted but as Dung, and willingly parted with, as soon as this glorious Pearl, the new Birth in Christ Jesus, is discovered and found by him. This therefore may serve as a Touchstone, whereby every one may try the Truth of his State; if the old Man is still a Merchant within thee, trading in all sorts of worldly Honour, Power, or Learning, if the Wisdom of this World is not Foolishness to thee, if earthly Interests, and sensual Pleasures, are still the Desire of thy Heart, and only covered under a Form of Godliness, a Cloak of Creeds, Observances, and Institutions of Religion, thou mayest be assured, that the Pearl of great Price is not yet found by thee. For where Christ is born, or his Spirit rises up in the Soul, there all Self is denied, and obliged to turn out; there all carnal Wisdom, Arts of Advancement, with every Pride and Glory of this Life, are as so many heathen Idols all willingly renounced, and the Man is not only content, but rejoices to say, that his Kingdom is not of this World.
[Pryr-1.2-2] But thou wilt perhaps say, How shall this great Work, the Birth of Christ, be effected in me? It might rather be said, since Christ has an infinite Power, and also an infinite Desire to save Mankind, how can anyone miss of this Salvation, but through his own unwillingness to be saved by Him? Consider, how was it, that the Lame and Blind, the Lunatic and Leper, the Publican and Sinner, found Christ to be their Saviour, and to do all That for them, which they wanted to be done to them? It was because they had a real Desire of having That which they asked for, and therefore in true Faith and Prayer applied to Christ, that his Spirit and Power might enter into them, and heal That which they wanted, and desired to be healed in them. Everyone of these said in Faith and Desire, "Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me whole." And the Answer was always this, "According to thy Faith, so be it done unto Thee." This is Christ's Answer now, and thus it is done to every one of us at this Day, as our Faith is, so is it done unto us. And here lies the whole Reason of our falling short of the Salvation of Christ, it is because we have No Will to it.
[Pryr-1.2-3] But you will say, Do not all Christians desire to have Christ to be their Saviour? Yes. But here is the Deceit; all would have Christ to be their Saviour in the next World, and to help them into Heaven when they die, by his Power, and Merits with God. But this is not willing Christ to be thy Saviour; for his Salvation, if it is had, must be had in this World; if He saves Thee, it must be done in this Life, by changing and altering all that is within Thee, by helping thee to a new Heart, as He helped the Blind to see, the Lame to walk, and the Dumb to speak. For to have Salvation from Christ, is nothing else but to be made like unto Him; it is to have his Humility and Meekness, his Mortification and Self-denial, his Renunciation of the Spirit, Wisdom, and Honours of this World, his Love of God, his Desire of doing God's Will, and seeking only his Honour. To have these Tempers formed and begotten in thy Heart, is to have Salvation from Christ. But if thou willest not to have these Tempers brought forth in thee, if thy Faith and Desire does not seek, and cry to Christ for them in the same Reality, as the Lame asked to walk, and the Blind to see, then thou must be said to be unwilling to have Christ to be thy Saviour.
[Pryr-1.2-4] Again, Consider, How was it, that the carnal Jew, the deep-read Scribe, the learned Rabbi, the Religious Pharisee, not only did not receive, but crucified their Saviour? It was because they willed, and desired no such Saviour as He was, no such inward Salvation as He offered to them. They desired no Change of their own Nature, no inward Destruction of their own natural Tempers, no Deliverance from the Love of themselves, and the Enjoyments of their Passions; they liked their State, the Gratifications of their Old Man, their long Robes, their broad Phylacteries, and Greetings in the Markets. They wanted not to have their Pride and Self-love dethroned, their Covetousness and Sensuality to be subdued by a new Nature from Heaven derived into them. Their only Desire was the Success of Judaism, to have an outward Saviour, a temporal Prince, that should establish their Law and Ceremonies over all the Earth. And therefore they crucified their Dear Redeemer, and would have none of his Salvation, because it all consisted in a Change of their Nature, in a new Birth from above, and a Kingdom of Heaven to be opened within them by the Spirit of God.
[Pryr-1.2-5] Oh Christendom, look not only at the old Jews, but see thyself in this Glass. For at this Day (Oh sad Truth to be told!) at this Day, a Christ within us, an inward Saviour raising a Birth of his own Nature, Life and Spirit within us, is rejected as gross Enthusiasm, the learned Rabbi’s take Counsel against it. The Propagation of Popery, the Propagation of Protestantism, the Success of some particular Church, is the Salvation which Priests and People are chiefly concerned about.
[Pryr-1.2-6] But to return. It is manifest, that no one can fail of the Benefit of Christ's Salvation, but through an unwillingness to have it, and from the same Spirit and Tempers which made the Jews unwilling to receive it. But if thou wouldst still further know, how this great Work, the Birth of Christ, is to be effected in thee, then let this joyful Truth be told thee, that this great Work is already begun in every one of us. For this Holy Jesus, that is to be formed in thee, that is to be the Saviour and new Life of thy Soul, that is to raise thee out of the Darkness of Death into the Light of Life, and give thee Power to become a Son of God, is already within thee, living, stirring, calling, knocking at the Door of thy Heart, and wanting nothing but thy own Faith and good Will, to have as real a Birth and Form in thee, as He had in the Virgin Mary. For the eternal Word, or Son of God, did not then first begin to be the Saviour of the World, when He was Born in Bethlehem of Judea; but that Word which became Man in the Virgin Mary, did, from the Beginning of the World, enter as a Word of Life, a Seed of Salvation, into the first Father of Mankind, was inspoken into him, as an ingrafted Word, under the Name and Character of a Bruiser of the Serpent's Head. Hence it is, that Christ said to his Disciples, "the Kingdom of God is within you"; that is, the Divine Nature is within you, given unto your first Father, into the Light of his Life, and from him, rising up in the Life of every Son of Adam. Hence also the holy Jesus is said to be the "Light, which lighteth every Man that cometh into the World." Not as He was born at Bethlehem, not as He had an human Form upon Earth; in these Respects he could not be said to have been the Light of every Man that cometh into the World; but as He was that eternal Word, by which all Things were created, which was the Life and Light of all Things, and which had as a second Creator entered again into fallen Man, as a Bruiser of the Serpent; in this Respect it was truly said of our Lord, when on Earth, that "He was that Light which lighteth every Man, that cometh into the World." For he was really and truly all this, as He was the Immanuel, the God with us, given unto Adam, and in him to all his Offspring. See here the Beginning and glorious Extent of the Catholic Church of Christ, it takes in all the World. It is God's unlimited, universal Mercy to all Mankind; and every human Creature, as sure as he is born of Adam, has a Birth of the Bruiser of the Serpent within him, and so is infallibly in Covenant with God through Jesus Christ. Hence also it is, that the Holy Jesus is appointed to be Judge of all the World, it is because all Mankind, all Nations and Languages have in him, and through him been put into Covenant with God, and made capable of resisting the Evil of their fallen Nature.
[Pryr-1.2-7] When our blessed Lord conversed with the Woman at Jacob's Well, he said unto her, "If thou knewest the Gift of God, and who it is that talketh with thee, thou wouldest have asked of Him, and He would have given Thee living Water." How happy (may anyone well say) was this Woman of Samaria, to stand so near this Gift of God, from whom she might have had living Water, had she but vouchsafed to have asked for it! But, dear Christian, this Happiness is thine; for this Holy Jesus, the Gift of God, first given into Adam, and in him to all that are descended from him, is the Gift of God to Thee, as sure as thou art born of Adam; nay, hast thou never yet owned him, art thou wandered from him, as far as the Prodigal Son from his Father's House, yet is he still with Thee, he is the Gift of God to Thee, and if thou wilt turn to Him, and ask of Him, he has living Water for Thee.
[Pryr-1.2-8] Poor Sinner! consider the Treasure thou hast within Thee, the Saviour of the World, the eternal Word of God lies hid in Thee, as a Spark of the Divine Nature, which is to overcome Sin and Death, and Hell within Thee, and generate the Life of Heaven again in thy Soul. Turn to thy Heart, and thy Heart will find its Saviour, its God within itself. Thou seest, hearest, and feelest nothing of God, because thou seekest for Him abroad with thy outward Eyes, thou seekest for Him in Books, in Controversies, in the Church, and outward Exercises, but there thou wilt not find him, till thou hast first found Him in thy Heart. Seek for Him in thy Heart, and thou wilt never seek in vain, for there He dwelleth, there is the Seat of his Light and Holy Spirit.
[Pryr-1.2-9] For this turning to the Light and Spirit of God within Thee, is thy only true turning unto God, there is no other Way of finding Him, but in that Place where he dwelleth in Thee. For though God be everywhere present, yet He is only present to Thee in the deepest, and most central Part of thy Soul. Thy natural Senses cannot possess God, or unite Thee to Him, nay thy inward Faculties of Understanding, Will, and Memory, can only reach after God, but cannot be the Place of his Habitation in Thee. But there is a Root, or Depth in Thee, from whence all these Faculties come forth, as Lines from a Centre, or as Branches from the Body of the Tree. This Depth is called the Centre, the Fund or Bottom of the Soul. This Depth is the Unity, the Eternity, I had almost said, the Infinity of thy Soul; for it is so infinite, that nothing can satisfy it, or give it any Rest, but the infinity of God. In this Depth of the Soul, the Holy Trinity brought forth its own living Image in the first created Man, bearing in Himself a living Representation of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, and this was his Dwelling in God and God in him. This was the Kingdom of God within Him, and made Paradise without Him. But the Day that Adam did eat of the forbidden earthly Tree, in that Day he absolutely died to this Kingdom of God within Him. This Depth or Centre of his Soul having lost its God, was shut up in Death and Darkness, and became a Prisoner in an earthly Animal, that only excelled its Brethren, the Beasts, in an upright Form, and serpentine Subtlety. Thus ended the Fall of Man. But from that Moment that the God of Mercy inspoke into Adam the Bruiser of the Serpent, from that Moment all the Riches and Treasures of the Divine Nature came again into Man, as a Seed of Salvation sown into the Centre of the Soul, and only lies hidden there in every Man, till he desires to rise from his fallen State, and to be born again from above.
[Pryr-1.2-10] Awake then, thou that Sleepest, and Christ, who from all Eternity has been espoused to thy Soul, shall give Thee Light. Begin to search and dig in thine own Field for this Pearl of Eternity, that lieth hidden in it; it cannot cost Thee too much, nor canst thou buy it too dear, for it is All, and when thou has found it, thou wilt know, that all which thou hast sold or given away for it, is as mere a Nothing, as a Bubble upon the Water.
[Pryr-1.2-11] But if thou turnest from this heavenly Pearl, or tramplest it under thy Feet, for the sake of being Rich, or Great, either in Church or State, if Death finds Thee in this Success, thou canst not then say, that though the Pearl is lost, yet something has been gained instead of it. For in that parting Moment, the Things, and the Sounds of this World, will be exactly alike; to have had an Estate, or only to have heard of it, to have lived at Lambeth twenty Years, or only have twenty Times passed by the Palace, will be the same Good, or the same Nothing to Thee.
[Pryr-1.2-12] But I will now show a little more distinctly, what this Pearl of Eternity is. First, it is the Light and Spirit of God within Thee, which has hitherto done Thee but little Good, because all the Desire of thy Heart has been after the Light and Spirit of this World. Thy Reason, and Senses, thy Heart and Passions, have turned all their Attention to the poor Concerns of this Life, and therefore thou art a Stranger to this Principle of Heaven, this Riches of Eternity within Thee. For as God is not, cannot be truly found by any Worshippers, but those who worship Him in Spirit and in Truth, so this Light and Spirit, though always within us, is not, cannot be found, felt, or enjoyed, but by those whose whole Spirit is turned to it.
[Pryr-1.2-13] When Man first came into Being, and stood before God as his own Image and Likeness, this Light and Spirit of God was as natural to him, as truly the Light of his Nature, as the Light and Air of this World is natural to the Creatures that have their Birth in it. But when Man, not content with the Food of Eternity, did eat of the earthly Tree, this Light and Spirit of Heaven was no more natural to him, no more rose up as a Birth of his Nature, but instead thereof, he was left solely to the Light and Spirit of this World. And this is that Death, which God told Adam, he should surely die, in the Day that he should eat of the forbidden Tree.
[Pryr-1.2-14] But the Goodness of God would not leave Man in this Condition. A Redemption from it was immediately granted, and the Bruiser of the Serpent brought the Light and Spirit of Heaven once more into the human Nature, not as it was in its first State, when Man was in Paradise, but as a Treasure hidden in the Centre of our Souls, which should discover, and open itself by Degrees, in such Proportion, as the Faith and Desires of our Hearts were turned to it. This Light and Spirit of God thus freely restored again to the Soul, and lying in it as a secret Source of Heaven, is called Grace, Free Grace, or the Supernatural Gift, or Power of God in the Soul, because it was something that the Natural Powers of the Soul could no more obtain. Hence it is, that in the greatest Truth, and highest Reality, every stirring of the Soul, every Tendency of the Heart towards God and Goodness, is justly and necessarily ascribed to the Holy Spirit, or the Grace of God. It is because this first Seed of Life, which is sown into the Soul, as the Gift or Grace of God to fallen Man, is itself the Light and Spirit of God, and therefore every Stirring, or Opening of this Seed of Life, every awakened Thought or Desire that arises from it, must be called the Moving, or the Quickening of the Spirit of God; and therefore that new Man which arises from it, must of all Necessity be said to be solely the Work and Operation of God. Hence also we have an easy and plain Declaration of the true Meaning, solid Sense, and certain Truth, of all those Scriptures, which speak of the Inspiration of God, the Operation of the Holy Spirit, the Power of the Divine Light, as the sole and necessary Agents in the Renewal and Sanctification of our Souls, and also as being Things common to all Men. It is because this Seed of Life, or Bruiser of the Serpent, is common to all Men, and has in all Men a Degree of Life, which is in itself so much of the Inspiration, or Life of God, the Spirit of God, the Light of God, which is in every Soul, and is its Power of becoming born again of God. Hence also it is, that all Men are exhorted not to quench, or resist, or grieve the Spirit, that is, this Seed of the Spirit and Light of God that is in all Men, as the only Source of Good. Again, the Flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the Flesh. By the Flesh and its Lustings, are meant the mere human Nature, or the natural Man, as He is by the Fall; by the Spirit is meant the Bruiser of the Serpent, that Seed of the Light and Spirit of God, which lieth as a Treasure hid in the Soul, in order to bring forth the Life that was lost in Adam. Now as the Flesh has its Life, its Lustings, whence all sorts of Evil are truly said to be inspired, quickened, and stirred up in us, so the Spirit being a Living principle within us, has its Inspiration, its Breathing, its Moving, its Quickening, from which alone the Divine Life, or the Angel that died in Adam, can be born in us.
[Pryr-1.2-15] When this Seed of the Spirit, common to all Men, is not resisted, grieved, and quenched, but its Inspirations and Motions suffered to grow and increase in us, to unite with God, and get Power over all the Lusts of the Flesh, then we are born again, the Nature, Spirit, and Tempers of Jesus Christ are opened in our Souls, the Kingdom of God is come, and is found within us. On the other Hand, when the Flesh, or the Natural Man has resisted and quenched this Spirit or Seed of Life within us, then the works of the Flesh, Adultery, Fornication, Murders, Lying, Hatred, Envy, Wrath, Pride, Foolishness, worldly Wisdom, carnal Prudence, false Religion, hypocritical Holiness, and serpentine Subtlety, have set up their Kingdom within us.
[Pryr-1.2-16] See here in short, the State of Man as redeemed. He has a Spark of the Light and Spirit of God, as a Supernatural Gift of God given into the Birth of his Soul, to bring forth by Degrees a New Birth of that Life which was Lost in Paradise. This Holy Spark of the Divine Nature within Him, has a natural, strong and almost infinite Tendency, or Reaching after that eternal Light and Spirit of God, from whence it came forth. It came forth from God, it came out of God, it partaketh of the Divine Nature, and therefore it is always in a State of Tendency and Return to God. And all this is called the Breathing, the Moving, the Quickening of the Holy Spirit within us, which are so many Operations of this Spark of Life tending towards God. On the other Hand, The Deity as considered in itself, and without the Soul of Man, has an infinite, unchangeable Tendency of Love, and Desire towards the Soul of Man, to unite and communicate its own Riches and Glories to it, just as the Spirit of the Air without Man, unites and communicates its Riches and Virtues to the Spirit of the Air that is within Man. This Love, or Desire of God towards the Soul of Man, is so great, that He gave his only begotten Son, the Brightness of his Glory, to take the human Nature upon him, in its fallen State, that by this mysterious Union of God and Man, all the Enemies of the Soul of Man might be overcome, and every human Creature might have a Power of being born again according to that Image of God, in which he was first created. The Gospel is the History of this Love of God to Man. Inwardly he has a Seed of the Divine Life given into the Birth of his Soul, a Seed that has all the Riches of Eternity in it, and is always wanting to come to the Birth in him, and be alive in God. Outwardly he has Jesus Christ, who as a Sun of Righteousness, is always casting forth his enlivening Beams on this inward Seed, to kindle and call it forth to the Birth, doing that to this Seed of Heaven in Man, which the Sun in the Firmament is always doing to the vegetable Seeds in the Earth.
[Pryr-1.2-17] Consider this Matter in the following Similitude. A Grain of Wheat has the Air and Light of this World enclosed, or incorporated in it: This is the Mystery of its Life, this is its Power of Growing, by this it has a strong continual Tendency of uniting again with that Ocean of Light and Air, from whence it came forth, and so it helps to kindle its own Vegetable Life.
[Pryr-1.2-18] On the other Hand, That great Ocean of Light and Air, having its own Offspring hidden in the Heart of the Grain, has a perpetual strong Tendency to unite, and communicate with it again. From this Desire of Union on both Sides, the Vegetable Life arises, and all the Virtues and Powers contained in it.
[Pryr-1.2-19] But here let it be well observed, that this Desire on both Sides cannot have its Effect, till the Husk and gross Part of the Grain falls into a State of Corruption and Death, till this begins, the Mystery of Life hidden in it, cannot come forth. The Application here may be left to the Reader. I shall only observe, that we may here see the true Ground, and absolute Necessity, of that dying to ourselves, and to the World, to which our Blessed Lord so constantly calls all his Followers. An universal Self-Denial, a perpetual Mortification of the Lust of the Flesh, the Lust of the Eyes, and the Pride of Life, is not a Thing imposed upon us by the mere Will of God, is not required as a Punishment, is not an Invention of dull and monkish Spirits, but has its Ground and Reason in the Nature of the Thing, and is absolutely necessary to make Way for the New Birth, as the Death of the Husk and gross Part of the Grain, is necessary to make Way for its vegetable Life.
[Pryr-1.2-20] But Secondly, this Pearl of Eternity is the Wisdom and Love of God within Thee. In this Pearl of thy Serpent Bruiser, all the Holy Nature, Spirit, Tempers, and Inclinations of Christ, lie as in a Seed in the Centre of thy Soul, and Divine Wisdom and heavenly Love will grow up in Thee, if thou givest but true Attention to God present in thy Soul. On the other Hand, There is hidden also in the Depth of thy Nature the Root, or Possibility of all the hellish Nature, Spirit, and Tempers of the fallen Angels. For Heaven and Hell have each of them their Foundation within us, they come not into us from without, but spring up in us, according as our Will and Heart is turned either to the Light of God, or the Kingdom of Darkness. But when this Life, which is in the midst of these two Eternities, is at an End, either an Angel, or a Devil will be found to have a Birth in us.
[Pryr-1.2-21] Thou needest not therefore run here, or there, saying, Where is Christ? Thou needest not say, Who shall ascend into Heaven, that is, to bring down Christ from above? Or who shall descend into the Deep, to bring Christ from the Dead? For behold the Word, which is the Wisdom of God, is in thy Heart, it is there as a Bruiser of thy Serpent, as a Light unto thy Feet and Lanthorn unto thy Paths. It is there as an Holy Oil, to soften and overcome the wrathful fiery Properties of thy Nature, and change them into the humble Meekness of Light and Love. It is there as a speaking Word of God in thy Soul; and as soon as thou art ready to hear, this eternal speaking Word will speak Wisdom and Love in thy inward Parts, and bring forth the Birth of Christ, with all his Holy Nature, Spirit, and Tempers, within Thee. Hence it was (that is, from this Principle of Heaven, or Christ in the Soul) hence I say it was, that so many eminent Spirits, Partakers of a Divine Life, have appeared in so many Parts of the heathen World; glorious Names, Sons of Wisdom, that shone, as Lights hung out by God, in the midst of idolatrous Darkness. These were the Apostles of a Christ within, that were awakened and commissioned by the inward Bruiser of the Serpent, to call Mankind from the blind Pursuits of Flesh and Blood, to know themselves, the Dignity of their Nature, the Immortality of their Souls, and the Necessity of Virtue to avoid eternal Shame and Misery. These Apostles, though they had not the Law, or written Gospel to urge upon their Hearers, yet having turned to God, they found, and preached the Gospel, that was written in their Hearts. Hence one of them could say this divine Truth, viz., That such only are Priests and Prophets, who have God in themselves. Hence also it is, that in the Christian Church, there have been in all Ages, amongst the most illiterate, both Men and Women, who have attained to a deep Understanding of the Mysteries of the Wisdom and Love of God in Christ Jesus. And what wonder? Since it is not Art or Science, or Skill in Grammar or Logic, but the Opening of Divine Life in the Soul, that can give true Understanding of the Things of God. This Life of God in the Soul, which for its Smallness at first, and Capacity for great Growth, is by our Lord compared to a Grain of Mustard Seed, may be, and too generally is suppressed and kept under, either by worldly Cares, or Pleasures, by vain Learning, Sensuality, or Ambition. And all this while, whatever Church, or Profession any Man is of, he is a mere Natural Man, unregenerate, unenlightened by the Spirit of God, because this Seed of Heaven is choked, and not suffered to grow up in him. And therefore his Religion is no more from Heaven than his fine Breeding; his Cares have no more Goodness in them than his Pleasures; his Love is worth no more than his Hatred; his Zeal for this, or against that Form of Religion, has only the Nature of any other worldly Contention in it. And thus it is, and must be with every mere natural Man, whatever Appearances he may put on, he may, if he pleases, know himself to be the Slave, and Machine of his own corrupt Tempers and Inclinations, to be enlightened, inspired, quickened and animated by Self-love, Self-esteem, and Self-seeking, which is the only Life, and Spirit of the mere natural Man, whether he be Heathen, Jew, or Christian.
[Pryr-1.2-22] On the other Hand, wherever this Seed of Heaven is suffered to take Root, to get Life and Breath in the Soul, whether it be in Man, or Woman, young or old, there this new born inward Man is justly said to be inspired, enlightened, and moved by the Spirit of God, because his whole Birth and Life is a Birth from above, of the Light and Spirit of God; and therefore all that is in him, has the Nature, Spirit, and Tempers of Heaven in it. As this regenerate Life grows up in any Man, so there grows up a true and real Knowledge of the whole Mystery of Godliness in himself. All that the Gospel teaches of Sin and Grace, of Life and Death, of Heaven and Hell, of the New and Old Man, of the Light and Spirit of God, are Things not got by Hearsay, but inwardly known, felt and experienced in the Growth of his own new born Life. He has then an Unction from above which teaches him all Things, a Spirit that knoweth what it ought to pray for, a Spirit that prays without ceasing, that is risen with Christ from the Dead, and has all its Conversation in Heaven, a Spirit that hath Groans and Sighs that cannot be uttered, that travaileth and groaneth with the whole Creation, to be delivered from Vanity, and have its glorious Liberty in that God, from whom it came forth.
[Pryr-1.2-23] Again, Thirdly, this Pearl of Eternity is the Church, or Temple of God within Thee, the consecrated Place of Divine Worship, where alone thou canst worship God in Spirit, and in Truth. In Spirit, because thy Spirit is that alone in Thee, which can unite, and cleave unto God, and receive the Workings of his Divine Spirit upon Thee. In Truth, because this Adoration in Spirit, is that Truth and Reality, of which all outward Forms and Rites, though instituted by God, are only the Figure for a Time, but this Worship is Eternal. Accustom thyself to the Holy Service of this inward Temple. In the midst of it is the Fountain of Living Water, of which thou mayest drink, and live forever. There the Mysteries of thy Redemption are celebrated, or rather opened in Life and Power. There the Supper of the Lamb is kept; the Bread that came down from Heaven, that giveth Life to the World, is thy true Nourishment: all is done, and known in real Experience, in a living Sensibility of the Work of God on the Soul. There the Birth, the Life, the Sufferings, the Death, the Resurrection and Ascension of Christ, are not merely remembered, but inwardly found, and enjoyed as the real States of thy Soul, which has followed Christ in the Regeneration. When once thou art well grounded in this inward Worship, thou wilt have learnt to live unto God above Time, and Place. For every Day will be Sunday to thee, and wherever thou goest, thou wilt have a Priest, a Church, and an Altar along with Thee. For when God has all that He should have of thy Heart, when renouncing the Will, Judgment, Tempers and Inclinations of thy old Man, thou art wholly given up to the Obedience of the Light and Spirit of God within Thee, to Will only his Will, to Love only in his Love, to be Wise only in his Wisdom, then it is, that every Thing thou doest is as a song of Praise, and the common Business of thy Life is a conforming to God's Will on Earth, as Angels do in Heaven.
[Pryr-1.2-24] Fourthly, and Lastly, this Pearl of Eternity is the Peace and Joy of God within Thee, but can only be found by the Manifestation of the Life and Power of Jesus Christ in thy Soul. But Christ cannot be thy Power and thy Life, till in Obedience to his Call, thou deniest thyself, takest up thy daily Cross, and followest Him, in the Regeneration. This is peremptory, it admits of no Reserve or Evasion, it is the one Way to Christ and Eternal Life. But be where thou wilt, either here, or at Rome, or Geneva, if Self is undenied, if thou livest to thine own Will, to the Pleasures of thy natural Lust and Appetites, Senses and Passions, and in Conformity to the vain Customs, and Spirit of this World, thou art dead whilst thou livest, the Seed of the Woman is crucified within Thee, Christ can profit thee Nothing, thou art a Stranger to all that is holy and heavenly within Thee, and utterly incapable of finding the Peace and Joy of God in thy Soul. And thus thou art Poor, and Blind, and Naked, and Empty, and livest a miserable Life in the Vanity of Time; whilst all the Riches of Eternity, the Light and Spirit, the Wisdom and Love, the Peace and Joy of God are within Thee. And thus it will always be with Thee, there is no Remedy, go where thou wilt, do what thou wilt, all is shut up, there is no open Door of Salvation, no Awakening out of the Sleep of Sin, no Deliverance from the Power of thy corrupt Nature, no Overcoming of the World, no Revelation of Jesus Christ, no Joy of the New Birth from above, till dying to thy Self and the World, thou turnest to the Light, and Spirit, and Power of God in thy Soul. All is fruitless, and insignificant, all the Means of thy Redemption are at a Stand, all outward Forms are but a dead Formality, till this Fountain of living Water is found within Thee.
[Pryr-1.2-25] But thou wilt perhaps say, How shall I discover this Riches of Eternity, this Light, and Spirit, and Wisdom, and Peace of God, treasured up within me? Thy first Thought of Repentance, or Desire of turning to God, is thy first Discovery of this Light and Spirit of God within Thee. It is the Voice and Language of the Word of God within Thee, though thou knowest it not. It is the Bruiser of thy Serpent's Head, thy Dear Immanuel, who is beginning to preach within Thee, that same which He first preached in public, saying, "Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at Hand." When therefore but the smallest Instinct or Desire of thy Heart calleth Thee towards God, and a newness of Life, give it Time and Leave to speak; and take care thou refuse not Him that speaketh. For it is not an Angel from Heaven that speaketh to Thee, but it is the eternal speaking Word of God in thy Heart, that Word which at first created Thee, is thus beginning to create Thee a second Time unto Righteousness, that a new Man may be formed again in Thee in the Image and Likeness of God. But above all Things, beware of taking this Desire of Repentance to be the Effect of thy own Natural Sense and Reason, for in so doing thou losest the Key of all the Heavenly Treasure that is in Thee, thou shuttest the Door against God, turnest away from Him, and thy Repentance (if thou hast any) will be only a vain, unprofitable Work of thy own Hands, that will do Thee no more Good, than a Well that is without Water. But if thou takest this awakened Desire of turning to God, to be, as in Truth it is, the coming of Christ in thy Soul, the Working, Redeeming Power of the Light and Spirit of the holy Jesus within Thee, if thou dost reverence and adhere to it, as such, this Faith will save Thee, will make Thee whole; and by thus believing in Christ, though thou wert dead, yet shalt thou live.
[Pryr-1.2-26] Now all dependeth on thy right Submission and Obedience to this speaking of God in thy Soul. Stop therefore all Self-activity, listen not to the Suggestions of thy own Reason, run not on in thy own Will, but be retired, silent, passive, and humbly attentive to this new risen Light within Thee. Open thy Heart, thy Eyes, and Ears, to all its Impressions. Let it enlighten, teach, frighten, torment, judge, and condemn Thee, as it pleaseth, turn not away from it, hear all it says, seek for no Relief out of it, consult not with Flesh and Blood, but with a Heart full of Faith and Resignation to God, pray only this Prayer, that God's Kingdom may come, and his Will be done in thy Soul. Stand faithfully in this State of Preparation, thus given up to the Spirit of God, and then the Work of thy Repentance will be Wrought in God, and thou wilt soon find, that He that is in Thee, is much greater than all that are against Thee.
[Pryr-1.2-27] But that thou mayest do all this the better, and be more firmly assured, that this Resignation to, and Dependence upon the working of God's Spirit within Thee, is right and sound, I shall lay before Thee two great, and infallible, and fundamental Truths, which will be as a Rock for thy Faith to stand upon.
[Pryr-1.2-28] First, That through all the whole Nature of Things, nothing can do, or be a real Good to thy Soul, but the Operation of God upon it. Secondly, that all the Dispensations of God to Mankind, from the Fall of Adam, to the preaching of the Gospel, were only for this one End, to fit, prepare, and dispose the Soul for the Operation of the Spirit of God upon it. These two great Truths well and deeply apprehended, put the Soul in its right State, in a continual Dependence upon God, in a Readiness to receive all Good from Him, and will be a continual Source of Light in thy Mind. They will keep Thee safe from all Errors, and false Zeal in Things, and Forms of Religion, from a Sectarian Spirit, from Bigotry, and Superstition; they will teach Thee the true Difference between the Means and End of Religion; and the Regard thou showest to the Shell, will be only so far, as the Kernel is to be found in it.