Зображення сторінки
PDF
ePub

AN EPISTLE,

&c. &c.

DEAR FRIENDS,

ROMPTED by motives of Gospel love towards my fellow professors, and by a desire for the exaltation of Christ's kingdom in their hearts, 1 venture to address them on a subject which appears to me to be of the first importance.

I have neither the tongue nor the pen of the learned to employ in this service, but I believe this ought not to prevent my expressing, in the simplicity of my heart, the exercise I have long been under on behalf of the members of our religious Society; that they may increasingly become a spiritually minded people; such were the Primilice Christians; such, there is reason to believe, were our early Friends: Would it not be well for us to consider by what means we also may be enabled to "walk in the spirit "a with persevering watchfulness. To engage in religious performances with unprepared hearts, would not promote this desirable end; but I would encourage all classes amongst us to be vigilant in waiting for ability to perform the indispensable duties of mental Prayer and Praise and this not only in religious meetings, and when families are collec

[ocr errors]

:

ted for the purpose of reading the Holy Scriptures, but that care be taken daily to dedicate a portion of time, to withdraw from our temporal engagements; and, even literally, where it may be, to enter into the closet or private apartment and shut the door, that we may be secluded from all outward interruption such an effort to disengage our minds from hindering things it is believed would prove an acceptable sacrifice in the sight of Him who seeth in secret. And though discouragement might at times be felt, because "the flesh is weak;" yet, if there be but a patient waiting for holy help, and a steady perseverance in "looking unto Jesus, "the Author and Finisher of our Faith," there is ground to believe, that a capacity would be witnessed, to bow acceptably at the footstool of Divine Mercy, and to offer up our petitions for ability to lay aside every weight and the sin "which doth so easily beset, and to run with pa❝tience the race that is set before us! "b Should this address obtain general circulation, I trust it will fall into the hands of many, who can testify from blessed experience, that at seasons, when they have retired in a state of dryness and insensibility, light has arisen, and they have been favoured to experience a true "hunger and thirst after righteousness;" so that they have been made sensible that the Spirit hath indeed helped their infirmities, and made intercession for them.

[ocr errors]

I do not assert that every rightly exercised mind will, at all times, derive sensible encourage. ment and consolation from this practice; but I fully believe it is nevertheless our duty to place ourselves in a situation the most likely to draw down the divine blessing upon us. There will doubtless be times, when we shall have" the sen"tence of death in ourselves, that we should not

[ocr errors]

"trust in ourselves, but in God, which raiseth the "dead; " but this will humble the Creature, and promote our growth in grace, and spiritual advancement, perhaps as much as those seasons wherein sensible refreshment is dispensed: allow me, therefore, my dear Friends, to impress upon your minds the necessity of faithfulness in the discharge of so great a duty as that of "watching "unto prayer: we read that our Blessed Lord spake a parable to this end, that men ought "always to pray and not to faint;"e in another place he says "Verily! Verily! I say unto you, whatsoever ye shall ask the Father, in my name, "he will give it you;" "ask and ye shall receive, "that your joy may be full :" And again, "If (6 ye, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto 66 your Children, how much more shall your Hea66 venly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that "ask him :" Surely the encouragement thus held out by the highest Authority should strengthen our Faith in his promises. "Let us, therefore, come "boldly to the Throne of Grace, that we may "obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of "need." h

[ocr errors]

To those who thus reverently wait upon the Lord, I believe it seldom occurs but that a renewal of Spiritual Strength is experienced, and a degree of ability witnessed to offer up our petitions "unto "Him that is able to keep us from falling, and to 66 present us faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy :" and who that has been thus exercised in the opening of the day, but would be impressed through the course of it with a sense of the necessity of endeavouring to cherish the Spirit of Prayer; that when he mixes with society a holy restraint may be felt, lest there should be any departure from the paths of

duty? This watchful disposition of mind would neither be productive of a gloomy reserve nor preclude the enjoyment of social intercourse; but would expand our hearts in love and charity towards our fellow mortals, and in desire that we might be preserved from putting "a stumbling "block or an occasion to fall in our brother's "way:"j`who does not see the spiritual advantage that would result from having the mind thus impressed, day by day, with a sense of its duty to God and Man; and, with a conviction, that in order to perform this duty, divine assistance must be reverently waited for?

Thus, sensible of the incalculable benefits of retirement, I am anxious to prevail upon all my Friends to avail themselves of the privilege, to press through the crowd of impediments which may obstruct their perseverance in this important duty; should they even seem, when faith is at a low ebb, like insurmountable difficulties: It is admitted, that, in some situations in life, the time devoted to this purpose, must, of necessity, be short: but if very little time can be prudently spared from domestic or other duties, that little, rightly spent, may prove as acceptable to the Searcher of Hearts, as the Widow's Mite which was cast into the Treasury: Again, Persons in health, by early rising, may always secure a portion of time for this important service, before the occupations of the day commence :-Thus, the Man of Business may be enabled to cultivate the Spirit of Prayer; and if his "eye be single," his whole body will "be full of light," so that his spiritual perception will be quick, and he will the more readily discover the snares which the adversary of man's happiness is continually laying to entangle the unwary. If this watchful state of mind be che

rished, devotional feelings, there is every reason to hope, will so prevail in the evening, that sleep will not be given to the eyes, nor slumber to the eyelids, until some time has been spent in reverently drawing nigh unto Him, whose we are, and whom we ought faithfully to serve.

A Mother, whose incumbrances may be many, in attending to her infant charge and to other necessary cares, will find that a few minutes thus spent in reverential awe, at the footstool of Divine Mercy, will not be to her, time lost'; on the contrary, she will thereby be enabled to cast her care on Him, who is "touched with the feeling of "our infirmities," and be encouraged to commit the keeping of her soul, with the souls of her offspring, to a faithful Creator.

In an especial manner, I wish to encourage diffident minds, who may be tempted to think it almost presumption in them to expect, that the spirit of prayer should be vouchsafed to any so unworthy as they feel themselves to be; may such be animated to begin and persevere in the practice here recommended; for there is no doubt, with me, if they thus present themselves before the Lord, in humility and abasedness of soul, but that the blessing which they seek will be mercifully dispensed.

And, oh! how thankful should I be if any nominal professor amongst us, who may have forgotten his Heavenly Father, or neglected his duty towards him, days without number, might be awakened to a sense of his dangerous situation and should any such be so smitten with remorse as to fear that his iniquities will for ever separate between him and his God, let him not despair, but remember that the Saviour declared, "I came not to call the righteous but sinners to

« НазадПродовжити »