§. VI.
Assemblies of Worship in Publick described.Fourthly, To come then to the State of the Controversy, as to the publick Worship, we judge it the Duty of all to be diligent in the Assembling of themselves together (and what we have been, and are, in this Matter, our Enemies in Great Britain, who have used all Means to hinder our assembling together to worship God, may bear Witness) and when assembled, the great Work of one and all ought to be to wait upon God; and returning out of their own Thoughts and Imaginations, to feel the Lord’s Presence, and know a Gathering into his Name indeed, where he is in the Midst, according to his Promise. And as every one is thus gathered, and so met together inwardly in their Spirits, as well as outwardly in their Persons, there the secret Power and Virtue of Life is known to refresh the Soul, and the pure Motions and Breathings of God’s Spirit are felt to arise; from which, as Words of Declaration, Prayers or Praises arise, the acceptable Worship is known, which edifies the Church, and is well-pleasing to God. And no Man here limits the Spirit of God, nor bringeth forth his own conned and gathered Stuff; but every one puts that forth which the Lord puts into their Hearts: And it is uttered forth not in Man’s Will and Wisdom, but in the Evidence and Demonstration of the Spirit, and of Power. Its glorious Dispensation.Yea, though there be not a Word spoken, yet is the true spiritual Worship performed, and the Body of Christ edified; yea, it may, and hath often fallen out among us, that divers Meetings have past without one Word; and yet our Souls have been greatly edified and refreshed, and our Hearts wonderfully overcome with the secret Sense of God’s Power and Spirit, which without Words hath been ministered from one Vessel to another. This is indeed strange and incredible to the mere natural and carnally-minded Man, who will be apt to judge all Time lost where there is not something spoken that is obvious to the outward Senses; and therefore I shall insist a little upon this Subject, as one that can speak from a certain Experience, and not by mere Hearsay, of this wonderful and glorious Dispensation; which hath so much the more of the Wisdom and Glory of God in it, as it is contrary to the Nature of Man’s Spirit, Will, and Wisdom.