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.

As it is in the Earthly, so it is in the Heavenly Marriage of a poor Sinner to his Maker. There useth first to passe a private kindling of Love, and a private consent and promise (which sometimes are long) before the open solemnity, and the publike profession of a Married Life together. This is my present designe, (not to controvert the matters of publike Order and Worship, but) to present some poor Experiments of those Personall excellencies of each true beleeving soule and spirit.

The Holy Spirit (in Isaiah) tels us of Ballances wherein the most High weighs the Hills and Mountains: As also in Solomon, of Ballances wherein hee weighs the very Spirits, even of men whose way is right in their owne eyes. And in John (14.) he commands us to try the Spirits, pretending to come from Christ Jesus, whether they be of God, or no.

There is not the grossest Protestant or Papist, but pretends to the Spirit of God; yea that horrid Monster Mahomet, blusht not to avouch that in the Forme of a Dove, the holy Spirit of God did whisper in his eare from Heaven. Now blessed is that Spirit, publike or private, who is truly willing and joyfull to lye downe in the Ballances of the Lords weighings.

Hitherto tend these Experiments of personal Communion with God in the Spirit of Holinesse, Rom. 1. 3.

'Tis true, all publike and private Christian Spirits, pretend the Spirit of Holinesse: yea, how great a part of the World pretend to be Christendome, the Christian world, that is, anointed with the Spirit of Christ Jesus? But was it Death in Moses Rites to counterfeit that ceremoniall and figurative Ointment, Exod. 30. what shall it be to counterfeit the Spirit of Life and Holiness it self? What I beleeve therefore (as David and Paul once spake) I freely speak: Yea, who can but speak (saith Peter and John) the Things they have seene and heard? I confesse I spake these first but in a private Letter in America, and thought not that the light in Europe should have seen them: But a two-fold desire hath prevailed with me to expose these Tryalls to the Trying of all men.

1. The earnest desire of some Godly Friends.

2. Mine owne desire of sowing a little handfull of spirituall seed while the short Minute of my seed-time (the opportunity of life) lasteth.

My scope is to fill each truly Christian soule with triumphing and rejoycing: I speak peace and joy to the Weakest Lamb and Child (in Christianity) that is so low, so weake, so litle, so poor in its owne eyes, that it sometimes saith, it hath no Christ, no Spirit, no Faith, no Love, no nor true Desire in it selfe. To this poore weake one I speak peace and joy, and say, this spirituall poverty is blessed, and is the first step or round of that spirituall Ladder, Mat. 5. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdome of Heaven.

Secondly, I found joyfull Alarums of Encouragement to the strong to grow (as Peter exhorteth) in the Grace and Knowledge of the Lord Jesus.

Tis true, the communion of Saints is sweet and joyfull, strong and powerfull, eternally gainfull and profitable; and holy and blessed is that Spirit that makes the Saints (who are the Excellent of the Earth) its Delight, and after that blessed hour of the Saints uniting in one Heart, one Spirit, one Worship, let all that love Christ Jesus mourne and lament, and breath and pant: And yet the weakest and the faintest Lamb that comes but stealing in the Crowd to touch the hemb of the Lord Jesus his garment, that is content to be esteemed a Dog, and to wait for crums of mercy under the Table of the Son of God: let them I say rejoyce also, for he that hath begun that blessed work by his owne free and eternall Spirit, will by the same his owne holy Arme, gloriously finish it.

I end (Deare Christian) with the proposall of two Christian knots, or Riddles, not unsuitable to these present Times and Spirits?

First, Why is the Heart of a David himself (Psa. 30.) more apt to decline from God, upon the Mountaine of Joy, Deliverance, Victory, Prosperity, then in the dark Vale of the shadow of Death, Persecution, Sicknesse, Adversity, &c.

Secondly, Why is it, since God worketh freely in us to doe and to will of his owne good pleasure, that yet he is pleased to command us to work out our owne Salvation with Feare and Trembling? Let us all humbly beg the Finger (the Spirit) of the Lord to untie these Knots for us.

I desire to be thine unfeighned in
Christ Jesus,

R. W.