_Treating of some matters preparatory to the |Spirit| of |Prayer|._ *THE greatest part of mankind, nay of Christians, may be said to be asleep; and that particular way of life, which takes up each man’s mind, thoughts, and actions, may well be called his particular dream. This degree of vanity is equally visible in ev…

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Part 33

_Adam_ had all that divine nature, which angels have: But as he was brought forth to be a lord, and ruler of a new world; so it was necessary that he should also have the material nature of this new created world in himself. His body was the _medium_ or _means_ thro’ which he was to have commerce with this world, becom…

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CHAPTER II.

_Discovering the true way of turning to |God|, and of finding the kingdom of heaven, the riches of eternity, in our souls._ *ALL our salvation consists in the _manifestation of the nature, life, and Spirit of Jesus Christ in us_. Enter with all thy heart into this truth, let thy eye be always upon it, do every thing i…

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*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. But this is not _willing_ Christ to be thy Saviour; for his salvation, if it is had, must be had in …

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Part 36

But the goodness of God would not leave man in this condition; a redemption from it was immediately granted, and a bruiser of the serpent to bring the light and Spirit of heaven once more into the human nature. This light and Spirit of God is called _grace_, _free grace_, or the _supernatural_ gift, or power of God in …

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Part 37

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 up Christ from the dead?_ For behold the word, the wisdom of God is in thy heart, as a light unto thy feet and…

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Part 38

But this cannot be, till in obedience to his call, _thou denied thyself, takest up thy daily cross, and followest him_. This is peremptory, it admits of no reserve, or evasion, it is the one way to Christ and eternal life. Be where thou wilt, either here, or at _Rome_, or _Geneva_, if thou livest to thine own will, to …

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Part 39

*Man, by his fall, had broke off from his true center, his proper place in God, and therefore the life and operation of God was no more in him. He was fallen from a life in God, into an animal life of self-love, self-esteem, and self-seeking in the poor, perishing enjoyments of this world. This was the _natural state_ …

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Part 40

*_Secondly_, Hence is to be seen the true ground of universal mortification and self-denial with regard to all our senses, appetites, tempers, passions and judgments. It is because our whole nature, as fallen from the life of God, is in a state of contrariety to the order and end of our creation, a continual source of …

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Part 41

But thou wilt perhaps say, if all self-love is to be renounced, then all love of our neighbour is renounced, because the commandment is, only _to love our neighbour as ourselves_. The answer is easy. There is but one love in heaven, and yet the angels of God love one another in the same manner as they love themselves. …

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Part 42

Now had this man any ground for pride, for the share he had in the restoring of his hand? Yet just such is our share in the raising up of the spiritual life within us. All that we can do, is only like this man’s stretching out his hand; the rest is the work of Christ, the only giver of life to the withered hand, or the…

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Part 43

Oh my God, just and good, how great is thy love and mercy to mankind, that heaven is thus every where open, and Christ thus the common Saviour, to all that turn the desire of their hearts to thee! Oh sweet power of the bruiser of the serpent, that stirs and works in every man, who has a desire, to find his happiness in…

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*_A_ PRAYER.

OH heavenly Father, infinite, fathomless depth of never ceasing love, save me from myself, from the disorderly workings of my fallen, corrupted nature, and let mine eyes see, my heart, and spirit feel and find thy salvation in Christ Jesus. O God, who madest me for thyself, to shew forth thy goodness in me, manifest, …

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PART II.

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Part 46

Tell me now, _Academicus_, what would you expect from a man who had been thus awakened, and pierced by the voice of an angel? Could you think he had any sense left, if he was not cast into the deepest depth of self-dejection, and self-abhorrence? Casting himself with a broken heart, at the feet of the divine mercy, des…

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Part 47

This, _Academicus_, is the fallen human nature, which is alive in every one, though in various manners, till he is born again. To think therefore of any religion, or to pretend to real holiness without dying to this old man, is building castles in the air; and can bring forth nothing, but _Satan_ in the form of an ange…

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Part 48

But pray, gentlemen, who is this _Humanus_? I do not remember to have seen him before: he seems not willing to speak, yet is often biting his lips at what is said. _Rusticus._ This _Humanus_, Sir, is my neighbour; but so ignorant of the nature of the gospel, that he is often trying to persuade me into a disbelief of i…

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Part 49

Again: Is not the plain letter of scripture, that _Adam_ died the day that he did eat of the earthly tree? Have we not the most solemn asseveration of God for the truth of this? Was not the change which _Adam_ found in himself, a demonstration of the truth of this fact? Instead of the image and likeness of God which he…

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Part 50

Poor mortals! What is the one desire of your hearts? What is it that you call happiness, and matter of rejoicing? Is it not when every thing about you helps you to stand upon higher ground, and gratifies every pride of life? And yet life itself is the loss of every thing, unless pride be overcome. Oh stop awhile in con…

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Part 51

*_Theophilus._ I shall only add, before we pass on to another point, that, from what has been said, it plainly follows, that the _sin_ of all sins, or the _heresy_ of all heresies, is a _worldly spirit_. We are apt to consider this temper only as an infirmity, or pardonable failure; but it is indeed the great _apostasy…

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Part 52

Hold this therefore, _Academicus_, as a certain truth, that the heresy of all heresies is a worldly spirit. It is the whole nature and misery of our fall; it keeps up the death of our souls; and, so long as it lasts, makes it impossible for us to be born again. It is the greatest blindness and darkness of our nature, a…

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Part 53

Nay, if those antient sages were to start up among us with their divine wisdom, they would bid fair to be treated by the sons of the gospel, if not by some fathers of the church, as dreaming enthusiasts. But, _Academicus_, this is a standing truth, the world can only love its own, and wisdom can only be justified of h…

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Part 54

On the other hand, what can be so desirable a good as the _spirit of prayer_, which empties the soul of all its evil; separates death and darkness from it; leaves _time_ and the _world_; and becomes one life, one light, one Spirit with Christ and God? Think, my friends, of these things, with something more than though…

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Part 55

_Moses_ and the prophets, Christ and his apostles, were all of them messengers of divine love. They came to kindle a fire on earth, and the fire was the love which burns in heaven. Ask what God is? His name is love; he is the good, the perfection, the joy, the glory, and blessing of heaven and earth. Ask what Christ is…

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Part 56

_Theophilus._ The beginning of this redeeming love of God, is in _that Immanuel_, or God with us, given to the first _Adam_, as the _seed of the woman_, which in him, and his posterity, should bruise the head and overcome the life of the serpent. This is love indeed, because it is universal, and reaches from the first …

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Part 57

Thus, says he, _They who are led by the Spirit of God, are the sons of God_. And therefore none else, be they who, or where, or what they will, clergy or laity, none are, or can be, sons of God, but they who give up themselves to the leading and guidance of the Spirit of God, desiring to be moved, inspired, and governe…

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Part 58

It is strictly true, that man’s salvation dependeth upon himself; and it is as strictly true, that _all the work_ of his salvation, is _solely_ the work of God in his soul. All his salvation dependeth upon himself, because his _will_ has its power of motion in itself. As a will, it can only receive that which it willet…

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Part 59

_Theophilus._ Dear _Academicus_, abate your fright. Can you think, that I am against your praying in the words of _David_, or breathing his spirit in your prayers, or that I would censure your singing his psalms seven times a day? At three several times we are told, our Lord prayed, repeating the _same form of words_; …

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Part 60

This, my friend, will help you to reap where you have not sown, and be a continual source of grace in your soul. This will not only help you to receive good from those prayers, which seem too good for the state of your heart, but will help you to find good from every thing else: for every thing that inwardly stirs in y…

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Source & rights

Public domain in the USA; original historical text digitized by Project Gutenberg.

Project Gutenberg source record →

Historical Christian writing; not Scripture.