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Developing Backbone js Applications Addy Osmani
Digital Instant Download
Author(s): Addy Osmani
ISBN(s): 9781449328252, 1449328253
Edition: Early release
File Details: PDF, 2.54 MB
Year: 2012
Language: english
Developing Backbone.js
Applications

Addy Osmani

Beijing • Cambridge • Farnham • Köln • Sebastopol • Tokyo

Developing Backbone.js Applications
by Addy Osmani

Revision History for the :

2012-04-19 Early release revision 1
See http://oreilly.com/catalog/errata.csp?isbn=9781449328252 for release details.

ISBN: 978-1-449-32825-2
1335306849
 Table of Contents

Prelude . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vii

1. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Fundamentals 2
MVC, MVP & Backbone.js 2
MVC 2
Smalltalk-80 MVC 2
MVC As We Know It 3
Models 4
Views 5
Controllers 8
Controllers in Spine.js vs Backbone.js 8
What does MVC give us? 10
Delving deeper 10
Summary 11
MVP 11
Models, Views & Presenters 11
MVP or MVC? 12
MVC, MVP and Backbone.js 13
Fast facts 15
Backbone.js 15

2. The Basics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
What is Backbone? 17
Why should you consider using it? 17
The Basics 17
Models 18
Views 21
Creating new views 21
What is el? 22
Collections 23

iii
 Underscore utility functions 25
Routers 25
Backbone.history 27
Namespacing 27
What is namespacing? 28
Additional Tips 31
Automated Backbone Scaffolding 31
Is there a limit to the number of routers I should be using? 32
Is Backbone too small for my application’s needs? 32

3. RESTful Applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Building RESTful applications with Backbone 33
Stack 1: Building A Backbone App With Node.js, Express, Mongoose and
MongoDB 33
Reviewing the stack 33
Practical 34
Practical Setup 40
Building Backbone.js Apps With Ruby, Sinatra, MongoDB and Haml 42
Introduction 42
What Is Sinatra? 42
Getting Started With Sinatra 43
Templating And HAML 45
MongoDB Ruby Driver 47
Getting started 47
Practical 48
Installing The Prerequisites 48
Tutorial 50
Conclusions 57

4. Advanced . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Modular JavaScript 59
Organizing modules with RequireJS and AMD 59
Writing AMD modules with RequireJS 60
Keeping Your Templates External Using RequireJS And The Text Plugin 63
Optimizing Backbone apps for production with the RequireJS Optimizer 65
Practical: Building a modular Backbone app with AMD & RequireJS 67
Overview 67
Markup 68
Configuration options 69
Modularizing our models, views and collections 70
Decoupling Backbone with the Mediator and Facade patterns 75
Summary 75
Practical 76

iv | Table of Contents
 Paginating Backbone.js Requests & Collections 82
Paginator’s pieces 83
Downloads And Source Code 83
Live Examples 84
Paginator.requestPager 86
1. Create a new Paginated collection 86
2: Set the model and base URL for the collection as normal 86
3. Map the attributes supported by your API (URL) 87
4. Configure the default pagination, query and sort details for the pag-
inator 87
5. Finally, configure Collection.parse() and we’re done 88
Convenience methods: 89
Paginator.clientPager 89
1. Create a new paginated collection with a model and URL 89
2. Map the attributes supported by your API (URL) 90
3. Configure how to paginate data at a UI-level 90
4. Configure the rest of the request parameter default values 90
5. Finally, configure Collection.parse() and we’re done 91
Convenience methods: 91
Views/Templates 91
Backbone & jQuery Mobile 94
Resolving the routing conflicts 94
Practical: A Backbone, RequireJS/AMD app with jQuery Mobile 95
Getting started 95
jQuery Mobile: Going beyond mobile application development 96

5. Unit Testing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Unit Testing Backbone Applications With Jasmine 99
Introduction 99
Jasmine 99
Suites, Specs & Spies 101
beforeEach and afterEach() 104
Shared scope 104
Getting setup 105
TDD With Backbone 105
Models 105
Collections 108
Views 110
Initial setup 111
View rendering 113
Rendering with a templating system 116
Conclusions 118
Exercise 118

Table of Contents | v
 Further reading 118
Unit Testing Backbone Applications With QUnit And SinonJS 119
Introduction 119
QUnit 119
Getting Setup 119
Assertions 120
Adding structure to assertions 124
Assertion examples 125
Fixtures 127
Asynchronous code 129
SinonJS 130
What is SinonJS? 130
Stubs and mocks 133
Practical 135
Models 135
Collections 137
Views 138
Events 139
App 141
Further Reading & Resources 142

6. Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143

7. Conclusions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145

vi | Table of Contents
 Prelude

Welcome to my (in-progress) book about the Backbone.js framework for structuring

JavaScript applications. It’s released under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non-
Commercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported license meaning you can both grab a copy of the
book for free or help to further improve it.
I’m very pleased to announce that this book will be out in physical form in a few months
time via O’Reilly Media. Readers will have the option of purchasing the latest version
in either print or a number of digital formats then or can grab a recent version from this
repository.
Corrections to existing material are always welcome and I hope that together we can
provide the community with an up-to-date resource that is of help. My extended thanks
go out to Jeremy Ashkenas for creating Backbone.js and these members of the com-
munity for their assistance tweaking this project.
I hope you find this book helpful!

vii
 CHAPTER 1
Introduction

As JavaScript developers, we are at an interesting point in time where not only do we

have mature solutions to help organize the JavaScript powering our applications based
on a separation of concerns, but developers looking to build non-trivial projects are
almost spoiled for choice for frameworks that can help structure their applications.
Maturity in software (framework) development isn’t simply about how long a frame-
work has been around. It’s about how solid the framework is and more importantly
how well it’s evolved to fill its role. Has it become more effective at solving common
problems? Does it continue to improve as developers build larger and more complex
applications with it?
In this book, I will be covering the popular Backbone.js, which I consider the best of
the current family of JavaScript architectural frameworks.
Topics will include MVC theory and how to build applications using Backbone’s mod-
els, views, collections and routers. I’ll also be taking you through advanced topics like
modular development with Backbone.js and AMD (via RequireJS), how to build ap-
plications using modern software stacks (like Node and Express), how to solve the
routing problems with Backbone and jQuery Mobile, tips about scaffolding tools, and
a lot more.
If this is your first time looking at Backbone.js and you’re still unsure whether or not
to give it a try, why not take a look at how a Todo application can be implemented in
Backbone and several other popular Javascript frameworks before reading further?
The goal of this book is to create an authoritative and centralized repository of infor-
mation that can help those developing real-world apps with Backbone. If you come
across a section or topic which you think could be improved or expanded on, please
feel free to submit a pull-request. It won’t take long and you’ll be helping other devel-
opers avoid problems you’ve run into before.

1
Fundamentals
In this section we are going to cover the context into which a framework like Back-
bone.js fits. Let’s begin our journey into understanding Backbone better with a look at
code architecture.

MVC, MVP & Backbone.js

Before exploring any JavaScript frameworks that assist in structuring applications, it
can be useful to gain a basic understanding of architectural design patterns. Design
patterns are proven solutions to common development problems and can suggest
structural approaches to help guide developers in adding some organization to their
applications.
Patterns are useful because they’re a set of practices that build upon the collective
experience of skilled developers who have repeatedly solved similar problems. Al-
though developers 10 or 20 years ago may not have been using the same programming
languages when implementing patterns in their projects, there are many lessons we can
learn from their efforts.
In this section, we’re going to review two popular patterns - MVC and MVP. We’ll be
exploring in greater detail how Backbone.js implements these patterns shortly to better
appreciate where it fits in.

MVC
MVC (Model-View-Controller) is an architectural design pattern that encourages im-
proved application organization through a separation of concerns. It enforces the iso-
lation of business data (Models) from user interfaces (Views), with a third component
(Controllers) traditionally present to manage logic, user-input and the coordination of
models and views. The pattern was originally designed by Trygve Reenskaug while
working on Smalltalk-80 (1979), where it was initially called Model-View-Controller-
Editor. MVC was described in depth in “Design Patterns: Elements of Reusable Object-
Oriented Software” (The “GoF” or “Gang of Four” book) in 1994, which played a role
in popularizing its use.

Smalltalk-80 MVC
It’s important to understand what the original MVC pattern was aiming to solve as it
has changed quite heavily since the days of its origin. Back in the 70’s, graphical user-
interfaces were far and few between. An approach known as Separated Presentation
began to be used as a means to make a clear division between domain objects which
modeled concepts in the real world (e.g a photo, a person) and the presentation objects
which were rendered to the user’s screen.

2 | Chapter 1: Introduction
The Smalltalk-80 implementation of MVC took this concept further and had an ob-
jective of separating out the application logic from the user interface. The idea was that
decoupling these parts of the application would also allow the reuse of models for other
interfaces in the application. There are some interesting points worth noting about
Smalltalk-80’s MVC architecture:
• A Domain element was known as a Model and were ignorant of the user-interface
(Views and Controllers)
• Presentation was taken care of by the View and the Controller, but there wasn’t
just a single view and controller. A View-Controller pair was required for each
element being displayed on the screen and so there was no true separation between
them
• The Controller’s role in this pair was handling user input (such as key-presses and
click events), doing something sensible with them.
• The Observer pattern was relied upon for updating the View whenever the Model
changed
Developers are sometimes surprised when they learn that the Observer pattern (nowa-
days commonly implemented as a Publish/Subscribe system) was included as a part of
MVC’s architecture decades ago. In Smalltalk-80’s MVC, the View and Controller both
observe the Model: anytime the Model changes, the Views react. A simple example of
this is an application backed by stock market data - for the application to show real-
time information, any change to the data in its Models should result in the View being
refreshed instantly.
Martin Fowler has done an excellent job of writing about the origins of MVC over the
years and if you are interested in further historical information about Smalltalk-80’s
MVC, I recommend reading his work.

MVC As We Know It
We’ve reviewed the 70’s, but let us now return to the here and now. The MVC pattern
has been applied to a diverse range of programming languages. For example, the pop-
ular Ruby on Rails is an implementation of a web application framework based on
MVC for the Ruby language. JavaScript now has a number of MVC frameworks, in-
cluding Ember.js, JavaScriptMVC, and of course Backbone.js. Given the importance
of avoiding “spaghetti” code, a term which describes code that is very difficult to read
or maintain due to its lack of structure, let’s look at what the MVC pattern enables the
Javascript developer to do.
MVC is composed of three core components:

MVC As We Know It | 3
Models
Models manage the data for an application. They are concerned with neither the user-
interface nor presentation layers, but instead represent structured data that an appli-
cation may require. When a model changes (e.g when it is updated), it will typically
notify its observers (e.g views, a concept we will cover shortly) that a change has oc-
curred so that they may react accordingly.
To understand models better, let us imagine we have a JavaScript photo gallery appli-
cation. In a photo gallery, a photo would merit its own model, as it represents a unique
kind of domain-specific data. The Photo model may represent attributes such as a
caption, image source and additional meta-data. A specific photo would be stored in
an instance of a model. Here’s an example of a simple Photo model implemented with
Backbone.js:
var Photo = Backbone.Model.extend({

// Default attributes for the photo

defaults: {
// Ensure that each photo created has an `src`.
src: "placeholder.jpg",
caption: "A default image",
viewed: false
},

initialize: function() {
}

});

The built-in capabilities of models vary across frameworks, however it’s common for
them to support validation of attributes, where attributes represent the properties of
the model, such as a model identifier. When using models in real-world applications
we generally also need a way of persisting models. Persistence allows us to edit and
update models with the knowledge that their most recent states will be saved some-
where, for example in a web browser’s localStorage data-store or synchronized with a
database.
A model may also have multiple views observing it. Imagine our Photo model contained
meta-data such as the longitude and latitude where the photo was taken, a list of people
present in the photo, and a list of tags. A developer could create a single view that
displayed all these attributes, or might create three separate views to display each at-
tribute. The important detail is that the Photo model doesn’t care how these views are
organized, it simply announces updates to its data as necessary. We’ll come back to
Views in more detail later.
It is not uncommon for modern MVC/MV* frameworks to provide a means to group
models together. In Backbone, these groups are called “Collections”. Managing models
in groups allows us to write application logic based on notifications from the group,

4 | Chapter 1: Introduction
should any model it contains change. This avoids the need to manually observe indi-
vidual model instances.
Here’s how we might group Photo models into a simplified Backbone Collection:
var PhotoGallery = Backbone.Collection.extend({

// Reference to this collection's model.

model: Photo,

// Filter down the list of all photos that have been viewed
viewed: function() {
return this.filter(function(photo){ return photo.get('viewed'); });
},

// Filter down the list to only photos that have not yet been viewed
unviewed: function() {
return this.without.apply(this, this.viewed());
}

});

If you read older texts on MVC, you may come across a description of models as also
managing application “state”. In JavaScript applications “state” has a specific meaning,
typically referring to the current “state” of a view or sub-view on a user’s screen at a
fixed time. State is a topic which is regularly discussed when looking at Single-page
applications, where the concept of state needs to be simulated.

Views
Views are a visual representation of models that present a filtered view of their current
state. A view typically observes a model and is notified when the model changes, al-
lowing the view to update itself accordingly. Design pattern literature commonly refers
to views as “dumb”, given that their knowledge of models and controllers in an appli-
cation is limited.
Users interact with views, which usually means reading and editing model data. For
example, in our photo gallery application example, model viewing might happen in a
user interface with a big image, a caption, and a list of tags. Model editing could be
done through an “edit” view where a user who has selected a specific photo could edit
its caption, tags, or other metadata in a form.
In MVC, the actual task of updating the Model falls to Controllers, which we’ll be
covering shortly.
Let’s explore Views a little further using a simple JavaScript example. Below we can see
a function that creates a single Photo view, consuming both a model instance and a
controller instance.

MVC As We Know It | 5
We define a render() utility within our view which is responsible for rendering the
contents of the photoModel using a JavaScript templating engine (Underscore templat-
ing) and updating the contents of our view, referenced by photoEl.
The photoModel then adds our render() callback as one of its subscribers, so that
through the Observer pattern it can trigger the view to update when the model changes.
You may wonder where user interaction comes into play here. When users click on any
elements within the view, it’s not the view’s responsibility to know what to do next. A
Controller makes this decision. In our sample implementation, this is achieved by
adding an event listener to photoEl which will delegate handling the click behavior back
to the controller, passing the model information along with it in case it’s needed.
The benefit of this architecture is that each component plays its own separate role in
making the application function as needed.
var buildPhotoView = function( photoModel, photoController ){

var base = document.createElement('div'),

photoEl = document.createElement('div');

base.appendChild(photoEl);

var render= function(){

// We use a templating library such as Underscore
// templating which generates the HTML for our
// photo entry
photoEl.innerHTML = _.template('photoTemplate', {src: photoModel.getSrc()});
}

photoModel.addSubscriber( render );

photoEl.addEventListener('click', function(){
photoController.handleEvent('click', photoModel );
});

var show = function(){

photoEl.style.display = '';
}

var hide = function(){

photoEl.style.display = 'none';
}

return{
showView: show,
hideView: hide
}

Templating

6 | Chapter 1: Introduction
Random documents with unrelated
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Also this spiritual Wickedness is of two Sorts, though both one in
Kind, as proceeding from one Root, yet differing in their Degrees,
and in the Subjects also sometimes. The one is, when as the natural
Man, meddling with and working in the Things of Religion, doth from
his own Conceptions and Divinations affirm or propose wrong and
erroneous Notions and Opinions of God and Things spiritual, and
invent Superstitions, Ceremonies, Observations, and Rites in
Worship, from whence have sprung all the Heresies and
Superstitions that are among Christians. The other From whence all
is, when as the natural Man, from a mere Heresies did
Conviction of his Understanding, doth in the spring.

Forwardness of his own Will, and by his own natural Strength,

without the Influence and Leading of God’s Spirit, go about either in
his Understanding to imagine, conceive, or think of the Things of
God, or actually to perform them by preaching or praying. The First
is a Missing both in Matter and Form; the Second is True Christianity,
a Retaining of the Form without the Life and wherein it
Substance of Christianity; because Christian consists not.

Religion consisteth not in a mere Belief of true Doctrines, or a mere

Performance of Acts good in themselves, or else the bare Letter of
the Scripture, though spoken by a Drunkard, or a Devil, might be
said to be Spirit and Life, which I judge none will be so absurd as to
affirm; and also it would follow, that where the Form of Godliness is,
there the Power is also, which is contrary to the express Words of
the Apostle. For the Form of Godliness cannot be said to be, where
either the Notions and Opinions believed are erroneous and ungodly,
or the Acts performed evil and wicked; for then it would be the Form
of Ungodliness, and not of Godliness: But of this more hereafter,
when we shall speak particularly of Preaching and Praying. Now
though this last be not so bad as the former, yet it hath made Way
for it; for Men having first departed from the Life and Substance of
true Religion and Worship, to wit, from the inward Power and Virtue
of the Spirit, so as therein to act, and thereby to have all their
Actions enlivened, have only retained the Form and Shew, to wit, the
true Words and Appearance; and so acting in their own natural and
unrenewed Wills in this Form, the Form could not but quickly decay,
and be vitiated. For the working and active Spirit of Man could not
contain itself within the Simplicity and Plainness of Truth, but giving
Way to his own numerous Inventions and Imaginations, began to
vary in the Form, and adapt it to his own Inventions, until by
Degrees the Form of Godliness for the most Part came to be lost, as
well as the Power. For this Kind of Idolatry, Idolatry does hug
whereby Man loveth, idolizeth, and embraceth his its own
own Conceptions, Inventions, and Product of his Conceivings.

own Brain, is so incident unto him, and feared in his fallen Nature,
that so long as his natural Spirit is the first Author and Actor of him,
and is that by which he only is guided and moved in his Worship
towards God, so as not first to wait for another Guide to direct him,
he can never perform the pure spiritual Worship, nor bring forth any
Thing but the Fruit of the first, fallen, natural, and corrupt Root.
Wherefore the Time appointed of God being come, wherein by Jesus
Christ he hath been pleased to restore the true spiritual Worship,
and the outward Form of Worship, which was appointed by God to
the Jews, and whereof the Manner and Time of its Performance was
particularly determined by God himself, being come to an End, we
find that Jesus Christ, the Author of the Christian No Form of
Religion, prescribes no set Form of Worship to his Worship but the
Children, under the more pure Administration of Spirit prescribed
by Christ.
the New Covenant,[102] save that he only tells
them, That the Worship now to be performed is spiritual, and in the
Spirit. And it is especially to be observed, that in the whole New
Testament there is no Order nor Command given in this Thing, but
to follow the Revelation of the Spirit, save only that general one of
meeting together; a Thing dearly owned and diligently practised by
us, as shall hereafter more appear. True it is, Pray, preach, and
Mention is made of the Duties of Praying, sing in Spirit.
Preaching, and Singing; but what Order or Method
should be kept in so doing, or that presently they should be set
about so soon as the Saints are gathered, there is not one Word to
be found: Yea, these Duties, as shall afterwards be made appear, are
always annexed to the Assistance, Leadings, and Motions of God’s
Spirit. Since then Man in his natural State is thus excluded from
acting or moving in Things spiritual, how or what Way shall he
exercise this first and previous Duty of waiting upon God but by
Silence, and by bringing that natural Part to Silence? Which is no
other Ways but by abstaining from his own To wait on God,
Thoughts and Imaginations, and from all the Self- by what it is
workings and Motions of his own Mind, as well in performed.

Things materially good as evil; that he being silent, God may speak
in him, and the good Seed may arise. This, though hard to the
natural Man, is so answerable to Reason, and even natural
Experience in other Things, that it cannot be denied. He that cometh
to learn of a Master, if he expect to hear his Master and be
instructed by him, must not continually be speaking of the Matter to
be taught, and never be quiet, otherwise how shall his Master have
Time to instruct him? Yea, though the Scholar were A Simile of a
never so earnest to learn the Science, yet would Master and his
the Master have Reason to reprove him, as Scholar.

untoward and indocile, if he would always be meddling of himself,

and still speaking, and not wait in Silence patiently to hear his
Master instructing and teaching him, who ought not to open his
Mouth until by his Master he were commanded and allowed so to
do. So also if one were about to attend a great Of a Prince and
Prince, he would be thought an impertinent and his Servant.
imprudent Servant, who, while he ought patiently
and readily to wait, that he might answer the King when he speaks,
and have his Eye upon him to observe the least Motions and
Inclinations of his Will, and to do accordingly, would be still
deafening him with Discourse, though it were in Praises of him; and
running to and fro, without any particular and immediate Order, to
do Things that perhaps might be good in themselves, or might have
been commanded at other Times to others. Would the Kings of the
Earth accept of such Servants or Service? Since To wait in Silence.
then we are commanded to wait upon God
diligently, and in so doing it is promised that our Strength shall be
renewed, this Waiting cannot be performed but by a Silence or
Cessation of the natural Part on our Side, since God manifests
himself not to the outward Man or Senses, so much as to the
inward, to wit, to the Soul and Spirit. If the Soul be The thinking busy
still thinking and working in her own Will, and Soul excludes the
busily exercised in her own Imaginations, though Voice of God.

the Matters as in themselves may be good concerning God, yet

thereby she incapacitates herself from discerning the still, small
Voice of the Spirit, and so hurts herself greatly, in that she neglects
her chief Business of waiting upon the Lord: Nothing less than if I
should busy myself, crying out and speaking of a Business, while in
the mean Time I neglect to hear one who is quietly whispering into
my Ear, and informing me in those Things which are most needful
for me to hear and know concerning that Business. And since it is
the chief Work of a Christian to know the natural Will in its own
proper Motions crucified, that God may both move in the Act and in
the Will, the Lord chiefly regards this profound Subjection and Self-
denial. For some Men please themselves as much, Religious
and gratify their own sensual Wills and Humours in Speculations.
high and curious Speculations of Religion, affecting
a Name and Reputation that Way, or because those Things by
Custom or otherways are become pleasant and habitual to them,
though not a Whit more regenerated or inwardly sanctified in their
Spirits, as others gratify their Lusts in Acts of Sensual
Sensuality, and therefore both are alike hurtful to Recreations.
Men, and sinful in the Sight of God, it being
nothing but the mere Fruit and Effect of Man’s natural and
unrenewed Will and Spirit. Yea, should one, as Thoughts of
many no Doubt do, from a Sense of Sin, and Fear Death and Hell to
of Punishment, seek to terrify themselves from Sin, keep out Sin are
Fig-leaves.
by multiplying Thoughts of Death, Hell, and
Judgment, and by presenting to their Imaginations the Happiness
and Joys of Heaven, and also by multiplying Prayers and other
religious Performances, as these Things could never deliver him from
one Iniquity, without the secret and inward Power of God’s Spirit and
Grace, so would they signify no more than the Fig-leaves wherewith
Adam thought to cover his Nakedness. And seeing it is only the
Product of Man’s own natural Will, proceeding from a Self-love, and
seeking to save himself, and not arising purely from that divine Seed
of Righteousness which is given of God to all for Grace and
Salvation, it is rejected of God, and no Ways acceptable unto him;
since the natural Man, as natural, while he stands in that State, is,
with all his Arts, Parts, and Actings, reprobated by him. This great
Duty then of waiting upon God, must needs be Denial of one’s
exercised in Man’s denying Self, both inwardly and Self.
outwardly, in a still and mere Dependence upon
God, in abstracting from all the Workings, Imaginations, and
Speculations of his own Mind, that being emptied as it were of
himself, and so throughly crucified to the natural Products thereof,
he may be fit to receive the Lord, who will have no Co-partner nor
Co-rival of his Glory and Power. And Man being thus stated, the little
Seed of Righteousness which God hath planted in his Soul, and
Christ hath purchased for him, even the Measure of Grace and Life,
which is burdened and crucified by Man’s natural Thoughts and
Imaginations, receives a Place to arise, and becometh a holy Birth
and Geniture in Man; and is that divine Air in and The holy Birth.
by which Man’s Soul and Spirit comes to be
leavened; and by waiting therein he comes to be accepted in the
Sight of God, to stand in his Presence, hear his Voice, and observe
the Motions of his holy Spirit. And so Man’s Place is to wait in this;
and as hereby there are any Objects presented to his Mind
concerning God, or Things relating to Religion, his Soul may be
exercised in them without Hurt, and to the great Profit both of
himself and others; because those Things have their Rise not from
his own Will, but from God’s Spirit: And therefore as in the Arisings
and Movings of this his Mind is still to be exercised in thinking and
meditating, so also in the more obvious Acts of Preaching and
Praying. And so it may hence appear we are not No Quakers are
against Meditation, as some have sought falsely to against a
infer from our Doctrine; but we are against the meditating Mind.

Thoughts and Imaginations of the natural Man in From Nature’s

his own Will, from which all Errors and Heresies Thoughts all
concerning the Christian Religion in the whole Errors rise.

World have proceeded. But if it please God at any Time, when one
or more are waiting upon him, not to present such Objects as give
them Occasion to exercise their Minds in Thoughts and
Imaginations, but purely to keep them in this holy Dependence, and
as they persist therein, to cause his secret Refreshment and the pure
Incomes of his holy Life to flow in upon them, then they have good
Reason to be content, because by this, as we know by good and
blessed Experience, the Soul is more strengthened, renewed, and
confirmed in the Love of God, and armed against the Power of Sin,
than any Way else; this being a Fore-taste of that The Soul
real and sensible Enjoyment of God, which the renewed, by
Saints in Heaven daily possess, which God what? The holy
Life of God.
frequently affords to his Children here for their
Comfort and Encouragement, especially when they are assembled
together to wait upon him.
[102] If any object here, That the Lord’s Prayer is a prescribed
Form of Prayer, and therefore of Worship given by Christ to his
Children:
I answer, First, This cannot be objected by any Sort of Christians
that I know, because there are none who use not other Prayers, or
that limit their Worship to this. Secondly, This was commanded to
the Disciples, while yet weak, before they had received the
Dispensation of the Gospel; not that they should only use it in
praying, but that he might shew them by one Example how that
their Prayers ought to be short, and not like the long Prayers of the
Pharisees. And that this was the Use of it, appears by all their
Prayers, which divers Saints afterwards made use of, whereof the
Scripture makes mention; for none made use of this, neither
repeated it, but used other Words, according as the Thing required,
and as the Spirit gave Utterance. Thirdly, That this ought to be so
understood, appears from Rom. viii. 26. of which afterwards Mention
shall be made at greater Length, where the Apostle saith, We know
not what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit itself maketh
Intercession for us, &c. But if this Prayer had been such a prescribed
Form of Prayer to the Church, that had not been true, neither had
they been ignorant what to pray, nor should they have needed the
Help of the Spirit to teach them.

§. XI. For there are two contrary Powers or Whatever Man

does act without
Spirits, to wit, the Power and Spirit of this World, in the Power of God,
which the Prince of Darkness bears Rule, and over is not accepted.
as many as are acted by it, and work from it; and
the Power or Spirit of God, in which God worketh and beareth Rule,
and over as many as act in and from it. So whatever be the Things
that a Man thinketh of, or acteth in, however spiritual or religious as
to the Notion or Form of them, so long as he acteth and moveth in
the natural and corrupt Spirit and Will, and not from, in, and by the
Power of God, he sinneth in all, and is not accepted of God. For
hence both the [103]Plowing and Praying of the Wicked is Sin; as
also whatever a Man acts in and from the Spirit and Power of God,
having his Understanding and Will influenced and moved by it,
whether it be Actions religious, civil, or even natural, he is accepted
in so doing in the Sight of God, and is [104]blessed in them. From
what is said it doth appear how frivolous and impertinent their
Objection is, that say they wait upon God in Praying and Preaching,
since Waiting doth of itself imply a passive Dependence, rather than
an acting. And since it is, and shall yet be more To pray and
shewn, that Preaching and Praying without the preach without
Spirit is an Offending of God, not a Waiting upon the Spirit is
Offence to God.
him, and that Praying and Preaching by the Spirit
pre-supposes necessarily a silent Waiting to feel the Motions and
Influence of the Spirit to lead thereunto; and Lastly, that in several
of these Places where Praying is commanded, as Matt. xxvi. 41.
Mark xiii. 33. Luke xxi. 36. 1 Peter iv. 7. Watching is specially
prefixed as a previous Preparation thereunto; we do well and
certainly conclude, that since Waiting and Watching are so
particularly commanded and recommended, and cannot be truly
performed but in this inward Silence of the Mind from Men’s own
Thoughts and Imaginations, this Silence is and must necessarily be a
special and principal Part of God’s Worship.
[103] Prov. 21. 4.
[104] Ja. 1. 25.

§. XII. But Secondly, The Excellency of this II. This silent

Waiting the Devil
silent Waiting upon God doth appear, in that it is cannot
impossible for the Enemy, viz. the Devil, to counterfeit.
counterfeit it, so as for any Soul to be deceived or
deluded by him in the Exercise thereof. Now in all other Matters he
may mix himself with the natural Mind of Man, and so by
transforming himself he may deceive the Soul, by busying it about
Things perhaps innocent in themselves, while yet he keeps them
from beholding the pure Light of Christ, and so from knowing
distinctly their Duty, and doing of it. For that envious Spirit of Man’s
eternal Happiness knoweth well how to accommodate himself, and
fit his Snares for all the several Dispositions and Inclinations of Men;
if he find one not fit to be engaged with gross Sins, or worldly Lusts,
but rather averse from them, and religiously inclined, he can fit
himself to beguile such a one, by suffering his Thoughts and
Imaginations to run upon spiritual Matters, and so hurry him to
work, act, and meditate in his own Will. For he well knoweth that so
long as Self bears Rule, and the Spirit of God is not the principal and
chief Actor, Man is not put out of his Reach; so Altar, Prayers,
therefore he can accompany the Priest to the Altar, Pulpit, Study,
the Preacher to the Pulpit, the Zealot to his cannot shut the
Devil out.
Prayers, yea, the Doctor and Professor of Divinity
to his Study, and there he can chearfully suffer him to labour and
work among his Books, yea, and help him to find out and invent
subtile Distinctions and Quiddities, by which both his Mind, and
others through him, may be kept from heeding God’s Light in the
Conscience, and waiting upon him. There is not any Exercise
whatsoever, wherein he cannot enter, and have a chief Place, so as
the Soul many Times cannot discern it, except in this alone: For he
can only work in and by the natural Man, and his Faculties, by
secretly acting upon his Imaginations and Desires, &c. and
therefore, when he (to wit, the natural Man) is silent, there he must
also stand. And therefore when the Soul comes to this Silence, and
as it were is brought to Nothingness, as to her own Workings, then
the Devil is shut out; for the pure Presence of God and Shining of his
Light he cannot abide, because so long as a Man is thinking and
meditating as of himself, he cannot be sure, but the Devil is
influencing him therein; but when he comes wholly to be silent, as
the pure Light of God shines in upon him, then he is sure that the
Devil is shut out; for beyond the Imaginations he cannot go, which
we often find by sensible Experience. For he that of old is said to
have come to the Gathering together of the Children of God, is not
wanting to come to our Assemblies. And indeed he can well enter
and work in a Meeting, that is silent only as to Words, either by
keeping the Minds in various Thoughts and Imaginations, or by
stupifying them, so as to overwhelm them with a Spirit of Heaviness
and Slothfulness: But when we retire out of all, and are turned in,
both by being diligent and watchful upon the one Hand, and also
silent and retired out of all our Thoughts upon the other, as we abide
in this sure Place, we feel ourselves out of his Reach. Yea,
oftentimes the Power and Glory of God will break forth and appear,
just as the bright Sun through many Clouds and Mists, to the
Dispelling of that Power of Darkness; which will also be sensibly felt,
seeking to cloud and darken the Mind, and wholly to keep it from
purely waiting upon God.
§. XIII. Thirdly, The Excellency of this Worship III. The Worship
of the Quakers
doth appear, in that it can neither be stopt nor not stopt or
interrupted by the Malice of Men or Devils, as all interrupted by
others can. Now Interruptions and Stoppings of Men or Devils.
Worship may be understood in a twofold Respect, either as we are
hindered from meeting, as being outwardly by Violence separated
one from another; or when permitted to meet together, as we are
interrupted by the Tumult, Noise, and Confusion which such as are
malicious may use to molest or distract us. Now in both these
Respects, this Worship doth greatly surpass all others: For how far
soever People be separate or hindered from coming together, yet as
every one is inwardly gathered to the Measure of Life in himself,
there is a secret Unity and Fellowship enjoyed, which the Devil and
all his Instruments can never break or hinder. But, Secondly, It doth
as well appear, as to those Molestations which occur, when we are
met together, what Advantage this true and spiritual Worship gives
us beyond all others; seeing in Despite of a thousand Interruptions
and Abuses, one of which were sufficient to have stopt all other
Sorts of Christians, we have been able, through the Nature of this
Worship, to keep it uninterrupted as to God, and also at the same
Time to shew forth an Example of our Christian Patience towards all,
even oftentimes to the Reaching and Convincing of our Opposers.
For there is no Sort of Worship used by others which can subsist
(though they be permitted to meet) unless they be either authorized
and protected by the Magistrate, or defend themselves with the Arm
of Flesh: But we at the same Time exercise Worship towards God,
and also patiently bear the Reproaches and Ignominies which Christ
prophesied should be so incident and frequent to Christians. For how
can the Papists say their Mass, if there be any The Worship of
there to disturb and interrupt them? Do but take the Papists soon
away the Mass-book, the Chalice, the Host, or the interrupted.

Priest’s Garments, yea, do but spill the Water, or the Wine, or blow
out the Candles (a Thing quickly done) and the whole Business is
marred, and no Sacrifice can be offered. Take from The Protestants
the Lutherans or Episcopalians their Liturgy or the like, and
Common-Prayer-Book, and no Service can be said. Anabaptists.

Remove from the Calvinists, Arminians, Socinians, Independents, or

Anabaptists, the Pulpit, the Bible, and the Hour-glass, or make but
such a Noise as the Voice of the Preacher cannot be heard, or
disturb him but so before he come, or strip him of his Bible or his
Books, and he must be dumb: For they all think it an Heresy to wait
to speak as the Spirit of God giveth Utterance; and thus easily their
whole Worship may be marred. But when People meet together, and
their Worship consisteth not in such outward Acts, and they depend
not upon any one’s Speaking, but merely sit down to wait upon God,
and to be gathered out of all Visibles, and to feel the Lord in Spirit,
none of these Things can hinder them, of which we may say of a
Truth, We are sensible Witnesses. For when the The Sufferings of
Magistrates, stirred up by the Malice and Envy of the Quakers for
our Opposers, have used all Means possible (and their religious
Meetings.
yet in vain) to deter us from meeting together, and
that openly and publickly in our own hired Houses for that Purpose,
both Death, Banishments, Imprisonments, Finings, Beatings,
Whippings, and other such devilish Inventions, have proved
ineffectual to terrify us from our holy Assemblies. And we having, I
say, thus oftentimes purchased our Liberty to meet, by deep
Sufferings, our Opposers have then taken another Way, by turning in
upon us the worst and wickedest People, yea, the very Off-scourings
of Men, who by all manner of inhuman, beastly, and brutish
Behaviour, have sought to provoke us, weary us, and molest us, but
in vain. It would be almost incredible to declare, and indeed a
Shame, that among Men pretending to be Christians, it should be
mentioned, what Things of this Kind Men’s Eyes have seen, and I
myself, with others, have shared of in Suffering! There they have
often beaten us, and cast Water and Dirt upon us; there they have
danced, leaped, sung, and spoken all manner of profane and
ungodly Words; offered Violence and shameful Behaviour to grave
Women and Virgins; jeered, mocked and scoffed, asking us, If the
Spirit was not yet come? And much more, which were tedious here
to relate: And all this while we have been seriously and silently
sitting together, and waiting upon the Lord. So that by these Things
our inward and spiritual Fellowship with God, and one with another,
in the pure Life of Righteousness, hath not been hindered. But on
the contrary, the Lord knowing our Sufferings and Reproaches for his
Testimony’s Sake, hath caused his Power and Glory more to abound
among us, and hath mightily refreshed us by the Sense of his Love,
which hath filled our Souls; and so much the rather, as we found
ourselves gathered into the Name of the Lord, which is the
[105]strong Tower of the Righteous; whereby we felt ourselves
sheltered from receiving any inward Hurt through their Malice: And
also that he had delivered us from that vain Name and Profession of
Christianity, under which our Opposers were not ashamed to bring
forth those bitter and cursed Fruits. Yea, sometimes in the Midst of
this Tumult and Opposition, God would powerfully move some or
other of us by his Spirit, both to testify of that Joy, which
notwithstanding their Malice we enjoyed, and powerfully to declare,
in the Evidence and Demonstration of the Spirit, against their Folly
and Wickedness; so as the Power of Truth hath brought them to
some Measure of Quietness and Stillness, and stopt the impetuous
Streams of their Fury and Madness: That even as The Rod of Moses
of old Moses by his Rod divided the Waves of the divided the Sea:
Red Sea, that the Israelites might pass; so God The Spirit maketh
Way through the
hath thus by his Spirit made a Way for us in the raging Waves.
Midst of this raging Wickedness, peaceably to enjoy
and possess him, and accomplish our Worship to him: So that
sometimes upon such Occasions several of our Opposers and
Interrupters have hereby been convinced of the Truth, and gathered
from being Persecutors to be Sufferers with us. What brutish
And let it not be forgotten, but let it be inscribed Pranks did not
and abide for a constant Remembrance of the that young Fry of
the Clergy
Thing, that in these beastly and brutish Pranks, commit?
used to molest us in our spiritual Meetings, none
have been more busy than the young Students of the Universities,
who were learning Philosophy and Divinity (so called) and many of
them preparing themselves for the Ministry. Should we commit to
Writing all the Abominations committed in this Respect by the young
Fry of the Clergy, it would make no small Volume; as the Churches
of Christ, gathered into his pure Worship in Oxford and Cambridge in
England, and Edinburgh and Aberdeen in Scotland, where the
Universities are, can well bear Witness.
[105] Prov. 18. 10.

§. XIV. Moreover, in this we know, that we are How the Old

Covenant-worship
Partakers of the New Covenant’s Dispensation, and doth differ from
Disciples of Christ indeed, sharing with him in that the New.
spiritual Worship, which is performed in the Spirit
and in Truth; because as he was, so are we in this World. For the
Old Covenant-worship had an outward Glory, Temple and
Ceremonies, and was full of outward Splendor and Majesty, having
an outward Tabernacle and Altar, beautified with Gold, Silver, and
precious Stones; and their Sacrifices were confined to a particular
Place, even the outward Mount Sion; and those that prayed, were to
pray with their Faces towards that outward Temple: And therefore all
this was to be protected by an outward Arm. Nor could the Jews
peaceably have enjoyed it, but when they were secured from the
Violence of their outward Enemies: And therefore when at any Time
their Enemies prevailed over them, their Glory was darkened, and
their Sacrifices stopt; and the Face of their Worship marred: Hence
they complain, lament, and bewail the Destroying of the Temple, as
a Loss irreparable. But Jesus Christ, the Author and The New
Institutor of the New Covenant-worship, testifies, Covenant-worship
that God is neither to be worshiped in this nor that is inward.

Place, but in the Spirit and in Truth: [106]And forasmuch as his

Kingdom is not of this World, neither doth his Worship consist in it,
or need either the Wisdom, Glory, Riches or Splendor of this World
to beautify or adorn it; nor yet the outward Power or Arm of Flesh to
maintain, uphold, or protect it; but it is and may be performed by
those that are spiritually-minded, notwithstanding all the Opposition,
Violence, and Malice of Men; because being purely spiritual, it is out
of the Reach of natural Men to interrupt or obstruct it. Even as Jesus
Christ, the Author thereof, did enjoy and possess his spiritual
Kingdom, while oppressed, persecuted, and rejected of Men; and as,
in despite of the Malice and Rage of the Devil, [107]he spoiled
Principalities and Powers, triumphing over them, and through Death
destroyed him that had the Power of Death, that is, the Devil; so
also all his Followers both can and do worship him, not only without
the Arm of Flesh to protect them, but even when oppressed. For
their Worship being spiritual, is by the Power of the Spirit defended
and maintained; but such Worships as are carnal, Carnal Worships
and consist in carnal and outward Ceremonies and cannot stand
Observations, need a carnal and outward Arm to without the Arm
of Flesh.
protect and defend them, else they cannot stand
and subsist. And therefore it appears, that the several Worships of
our Opposers, both Papists and Protestants, are of this Kind, and not
the true spiritual and New Covenant-worship of Christ; because, as
hath been observed, they cannot stand without the Protection or
Countenance of the outward Magistrate, neither can be performed, if
there be the least Opposition: For they are not in the Patience of
Jesus, to serve and worship him with Sufferings, Ignominies,
Calumnies, and Reproaches. And from hence have sprung all those
Wars, Fightings, and Bloodshed among Christians, while each by the
Arm of Flesh endeavoured to defend and protect their own Way and
Worship: And from this also sprung up that monstrous Opinion of
Persecution; of which we shall speak more at length hereafter.
[106] John 18. 36.
[107] Col. 2. 15.

§. XV. But Fourthly, The Nature of this Worship, IV. True Worship
in Spirit
which is performed by the Operation of the Spirit, established by
the natural Man being silent, doth appear from Christ.
these Words of Christ, John iv. 23, 24. But the Hour
cometh, and now is, when the true Worshippers shall worship the
Father in Spirit and in Truth: For the Father seeketh such to worship
him. God is a Spirit, and they that worship him, must worship him in
Spirit and in Truth. This Testimony is the more specially to be
observed, for that it is both the first, chiefest, and most ample
Testimony, which Christ gives us of his Christian Worship, as
different and contra-distinguished from that under the Law. For first,
he sheweth that the Season is now come, wherein the Worship must
be in Spirit and in Truth; for the Father seeketh such to worship him:
So then it is no more a Worship consisting in outward Observations,
to be performed by Man at set Times or Opportunities, which he can
do in his own Will, and by his own natural Strength; for else it would
not differ in Matter, but only in some Circumstances from that under
the Law. Next, as for a Reason of this Worship, we The Reason Christ
need not give any other, and indeed none can give gives for a
a better than that which Christ giveth, which I Worship in Spirit.
think should be sufficient to satisfy every Christian, to wit, GOD IS A
SPIRIT, and they that worship him, must worship him in Spirit and in
Truth. As this ought to be received, because it is the Words of Christ,
so also it is founded upon so clear a Demonstration of Reason, as
sufficiently evidenceth its Verity. For Christ excellently argues from
the Analogy that ought to be betwixt the Object, and the Worship
directed thereunto:
God is a Spirit: Arg.
Therefore he must be worshipped in Spirit.
This is so certain, that it can suffer no Contradiction; yea, and this
Analogy is so necessary to be minded, that under the Law, when
God instituted and appointed that ceremonial Worship to the Jews,
because that Worship was outward, that there might be an Analogy,
he saw it necessary to condescend to them as in a special Manner,
to dwell betwixt the Cherubims within the Tabernacle, and
afterwards to make the Temple of Jerusalem in a Sort his Habitation,
and cause something of an outward Glory and Majesty to appear, by
causing Fire from Heaven to consume the Sacrifices, and filling the
Temple with a Cloud: Through and by which The Glory of the
Mediums, visible to the outward Eye, he outward Temple.
manifested himself proportionably to that outward
Worship which he had commanded them to perform. So now under
the New Covenant, he seeing meet in his heavenly Wisdom to lead
his Children in a Path more heavenly and spiritual, and in a Way
more easy and familiar, and also purposing to disappoint carnal and
outward Observations, that his may have an Eye more to an inward
Glory and Kingdom than to an outward, he hath given us for an
Example hereof the Appearance of his beloved Son, the Lord Jesus
Christ, who (as Moses delivered the Israelites out As Moses did from
of their outward Bondage, and by outwardly outward, so Christ
destroying their Enemies) hath delivered and doth delivers us from
inward Slavery.
deliver us by suffering, and dying by the Hands of
his Enemies; thereby triumphing over the Devil, and his and our
inward Enemies, and delivering us therefrom. He hath also instituted
an inward and spiritual Worship: So that God now tieth not his
People to the Temple of Jerusalem, nor yet unto outward
Ceremonies and Observations; but taketh the Heart of every
Christian for a Temple to dwell in; and there immediately appeareth,
and giveth him Directions how to serve him in any outward Acts.
Since, as Christ argueth, God is a Spirit, he will now be worshipped
in the Spirit, where he reveals himself, and dwelleth with the contrite
in Heart. Now, since it is the Heart of Man that now is become the
Temple of God, in which he will be worshipped, and no more in
particular outward Temples, (since, as blessed Stephen said, out of
the Prophet, to the professing Jews of old, The most High dwelleth
not in Temples made with Hands) as before the Glory of the Lord
descended to fill the outward Temple, it behoved to be purified and
cleansed, and all polluted Stuff removed out of it; yea, and the Place
for the Tabernacle was overlaid with Gold, the most precious and
cleanest of Metals; so also before God be worshipped in the inward
Temple of the Heart, it must also be purged of its own Filth, and all
its own Thoughts and Imaginations, that so it may be fit to receive
the Spirit of God, and to be actuated by it. And doth not this directly
lead us to that inward Silence, of which we have spoken, and exactly
pointed out? And further, This Worship must be in Truth; intimating,
that this spiritual Worship, thus actuated, is only and properly a true
Worship; as being that which, for the Reasons above observed,
cannot be counterfeited by the Enemy, nor yet performed by the
Hypocrite.
§. XVI. And though this Worship be indeed very different from the
divers established invented Worships among Christians, and
therefore may seem strange to many, yet hath it been testified of,
commended and practised, by the most pious of all Sorts, in all
Ages, as by many evident Testimonies might be proved. So that from
the professing and practising thereof, the Name of Mysticks hath
arisen, as of a certain Sect, generally commended by all, whose
Writings are full both of the Explanation and of the Commendation
of this Sort of Worship; where they plentifully A certain Sect of
assert this inward Introversion and Abstraction of Mysticks among
the Mind, as they call it, from all Images and the Papists, their
inward Exercise.
Thoughts, and the Prayer of the Will: Yea, they See Sancta
look upon this as the Height of Christian Perfection; Sophia, printed
so that some of them, though professed Papists, An. Dom. 1657.
do not doubt to affirm, That such as have attained The English
this Method of Worship, or are aiming at it, (as in a Benedictines
Testimony for the
Book, called Sancta Sophia, put out by the English spiritual Worship,
Benedictines, printed at Doway, Anno 1657. Tract. against their
I. Sect. 2. Cap. 5.) need not, nor ought to trouble Masses and set
Devotions.
or busy themselves with frequent and unnecessary
Confessions, with exercising corporal Labours and Austerities, the
using of vocal voluntary Prayers, the hearing of a Number of Masses,
or set Devotions, or Exercises to Saints, or Prayers for the Dead, or
having solicitous and distracting Cares to gain Indulgences, by going
to such and such Churches, or adjoining one’s Self to Confraternities,
or intangling one’s Self with Vows and Promises; because such Kind
of Things hinder the Soul from observing the Operations of the
divine Spirit in it, and from having Liberty to follow the Spirit whither
it would draw her. And yet who knows not that in such Kind of
Observations the very Substance of the Popish Religion consisteth?
Yet nevertheless, it appears by this, and many other Passages, which
out of their Mystick Writers might be mentioned, how they look upon
this Worship as excelling all other; and that such as arrived
hereunto, had no absolute Need of the others: Yea, (see the Life of
Balthazar Alvares, in the same Sancta Sophia, Tract. III. Sect. 1.
Cap. 7.) such as tasted of this, quickly confessed, that the other
Forms and Ceremonies of Worship were useless as to them; neither
did they perform them as Things necessary, but merely for Order or
Example’s Sake. And therefore, though some of them were so
overclouded with the common Darkness of their Profession, yet
could they affirm that this spiritual Worship was still to be retained
and sought for, even though it should become necessary to omit
their outward Ceremonies. Hence Bernard, as in Bernard preferring
many other Places, so in his Epistle to William, the Spirit above
Abbot of the same Order, saith, Take Heed to the Popish Orders.

Rule of God; the Kingdom of God is within you: And afterwards,

saying, That their outward Orders and Rules should be observed, he
adds; But otherwise, when it shall happen that one of these two
must be omitted, in such a Case these are much rather to be
omitted than those former: For by how much the Spirit is more
excellent and noble than the Body, by so much are spiritual Exercises
more profitable than corporal. Is not that then the best of Worships,
which the best of Men in all Ages, and of all Sects, have
commended, and which is most suitable to the Doctrine of Christ? I
say, Is not that Worship to be followed and performed? And so much
the rather, as God hath raised a People to testify for it, and preach it,
to their great Refreshment and Strengthening, in the very Face of
the World, and notwithstanding much Opposition; who do not, as
these Mysticks, make of it a Mystery, only to be attained by a few
Men or Women in a Cloister; or, as their Mistake Those Mysticks
was, after wearying themselves with many outward did confine that
Ceremonies and Observations, as if it were the Mystery to a
Cloister.
Consequence of such a Labour; but who in the free
Love of God (who respects not Persons, and was near to hear and
reveal himself, as well to Cornelius, a Centurion and a Roman, as to
Simeon and Anna; and who discovered his Glory to Mary, a poor
Handmaid, and to the poor Shepherds, rather than to the High
Priests and devout Proselytes among the Jews) in and according to
his free Love, finding that God is revealing and establishing this
Worship, and making many poor Tradesmen, yea, young Boys and
Girls, Witnesses of it, do intreat and beseech all to lay aside their
own Will-worships, and voluntary Acts, performed in their own Wills,
and by their own mere natural Strength and Power, without retiring
out of their vain Imaginations and Thoughts, or feeling the pure
Spirit of God to move and stir in them; that they may come to
practise this acceptable Worship, which is in Spirit and in Truth. But
against this Worship they object.

§. XVII. First, It seems to be an unprofitable Obj. 1.

Exercise for a Man to be doing or thinking nothing; and that one
might be much better employed, either in meditating upon some
good Subject, or otherwise praying to or praising God.
I answer; That is not unprofitable, which is of Answ.
absolute Necessity before any other Duty can be
acceptably performed, as we have shewn this Waiting to be.
Moreover, those have but a carnal and gross Apprehension of God,
and of the Things of his Kingdom, who imagine that Men please him
by their own Workings and Actings: Whereas, as hath been shewn,
the first Step for a Man to fear God, is to cease from his own
Thoughts and Imaginations, and suffer God’s Spirit to work in him.
[108]For we must cease to do evil, ere we learn to We must cease to
do well; and this meddling in Things spiritual by do ill, ere we
learn to do well.
Man’s own natural Understanding, is one of the
greatest and most dangerous Evils that Man is incident to; being
that which occasioned our first Parents Fall, to wit, a Forwardness to
desire to know Things, and a Meddling with them, both without and
contrary to the Lord’s Command.
[108] Isa. 1. 16, 17.
Secondly, Some object, If your Worship merely Obj. 2.
consists in inwardly retiring to the Lord, and feeling
Set Times and
of his Spirit arise in you, and then to do outward Places for
Acts as ye are led by it, what need ye have publick Meetings.
Meetings at set Times and Places, since every one
may enjoy this at Home? Or should not every one stay at Home,
until they be particularly moved to go to such a Place at such a
Time; since to meet at set Times and Places seems to be an outward
Observation and Ceremony, contrary to what ye at other Times
assert?
I answer, First, To meet at set Times and Places is Answ.
not any religious Act, or Part of Worship in itself;
but only an outward Conveniency, necessary for Publick Meetings
our seeing one another, so long as we are clothed their Use and
with this outward Tabernacle: And therefore our Reason asserted.

meeting at set Times and Places is not a Part of our Worship, but a
preparatory Accommodation of our outward Man, in order to a
publick visible Worship; since we set not about the visible Acts of
Worship when we meet together, until we be led thereunto by the
Spirit of God. Secondly, God hath seen meet, so long as his Children
are in this World, to make use of the outward Senses, not only as a
Means to convey spiritual Life, as by Speaking, Praying, Praising, &c.
which cannot be done to mutual Edification, but when we hear and
see one another; but also to entertain an outward, visible Testimony
for his Name in the World: He causeth the inward Life (which is also
many Times not conveyed by the outward Senses) the more to
abound, when his Children assemble themselves diligently together
to wait upon him; [109]so that as Iron sharpeneth Iron, the Seeing of
the Faces one of another, when both are inwardly gathered unto the
Life, giveth Occasion for the Life secretly to rise, and pass from
Vessel to Vessel. And as many Candles lighted, and put in one Place,
do greatly augment the Light, and make it more to shine forth, so
when many are gathered together into the same Life, there is more
of the Glory of God, and his Power appears, to the Refreshment of
each Individual; for that he partakes not only of the Light and Life
raised in himself, but in all the rest. And therefore Christ hath
particularly promised a Blessing to such as assemble together in his
Name, seeing he will be in the Midst of them, Matt. xviii. 20. And the
Author to the Hebrews doth precisely prohibit the Neglect of this
Duty, as being of very dangerous and dreadful Consequence, in
these Words; Heb. x. 24. And let us consider one Assembling of
another, to provoke unto Love, and to good Works; ourselves is not to
not forsaking the Assembling of ourselves together, be neglected.
as the Manner of some is;—For if we sin wilfully, after that we have
received the Knowledge of the Truth, there remaineth no more
Sacrifice for Sins. And therefore the Lord hath shewn that he hath a
particular Respect to such as thus assemble themselves together,
because that thereby a publick Testimony for him is upheld in the
Earth, and his Name is thereby glorified; and therefore such as are
right in their Spirits, are naturally drawn to keep the Meetings of
God’s People, and never want a spiritual Influence to lead them
thereunto: And if any do it in a mere customary Way, they will no
Doubt suffer Condemnation for it. Yet cannot the Appointing of
Places and Times be accounted a Ceremony and Observation, done
in Man’s Will, in the Worship of God, seeing none can say that it is
an Act of Worship, but only a mere Presenting of our Persons in
order to it, as is abovesaid. Which that it was practised by the
Primitive Church and Saints, all our Adversaries do acknowledge.
[109] Prov. 27. 17.
Lastly, Some object, That this Manner of Worship Obj. 3.
in Silence is not to be found in all the Scripture:
I answer; We make not Silence to be the sole Answ.
Matter of our Worship; since, as I have said above,
there are many Meetings, which are seldom altogether silent; some
or other are still moved either to preach, pray, or praise: And so in
this our Meetings cannot be but like the Meetings In waiting for the
of the Primitive Churches recorded in Scripture, Spirit’s Guidance,
since our Adversaries confess that they did preach Silence is
supposed.
and pray by the Spirit. And then what Absurdity is
it to suppose, that at some Times the Spirit did not move them to
these outward Acts, and that then they were silent? Since we may
well conclude they did not speak until they were moved; and so no
Doubt had sometimes Silence. Acts ii. 1. before the Spirit came upon
them, it is said,—They were all with one Accord in one Place; and
then it is said, The Spirit suddenly came upon them; but no Mention
is made of any one speaking at that Time; and I would willingly
know what Absurdity our Adversaries can infer, should we conclude
they were a While silent?
But if it be urged, That a whole silent Meeting Inst.
cannot be found in Scripture;
I answer; Supposing such a Thing were not Answ.
recorded, it will not therefore follow that it is not
lawful; since it naturally followeth from other Scripture Precepts, as
we have proved this doth. For seeing the Scripture Silent Meetings
commands to meet together, and when met, the are proved from
Scripture prohibits Prayers or Preachings, but as Scripture and
Reason.
the Spirit moveth thereunto; if People meet
together, and the Spirit move not to such Acts, it will necessarily
follow that they must be silent. But further, there might have been
many such Things among the Saints of old, though not recorded in
Scripture; and yet we have enough in Scripture, signifying that such
Things were. For Job sat silent seven Days with his Friends together;
here was a long silent Meeting: See also Ezra ix. 4. and Ezekiel xiv.
1. and xx. 1. Thus having shewn the Excellency of this Worship,
proving it from Scripture and Reason, and answered the Objections
which are commonly made against it, which, though it may suffice to
the Explanation and Proof of our Proposition, yet I shall add
something more particularly of Preaching, Praying, and Singing, and
so Proceed to the following Proposition.
§. XVIII. Preaching, as it is used both among I.
Papists and Protestants, is for one Man to take some Place or Verse
of Scripture, and thereon speak for an Hour or two, What Preaching is
what he hath studied and premeditated in his with the
Closet, and gathered together from his own Protestants and
Papists.
Inventions, or from the Writings and Observations
of others; and then having got it by Heart, (as a School-boy doth his
Lesson) he brings it forth, and repeats it before the People: And how
much the more fertile and strong a Man’s Invention A studied Talk an
is, and the more industrious and laborious he is in Hour or two.
collecting such Observations, and can utter them
with the Excellency of Speech and human Eloquence, so much the
more is he accounted an able and excellent Preacher.
To this we oppose, that when the Saints are met True Preaching by
together, and every one gathered to the Gift and the Spirit.
Grace of God in themselves, he that ministereth,
being actuated thereunto by the Arising of the Grace in himself,
ought to speak forth what the Spirit of God furnisheth him with; not
minding the Eloquence and Wisdom of Words, but the
Demonstration of the Spirit and of Power: And that either in the
Interpreting some Part of Scripture, in case the Spirit, which is the
good Remembrancer, lead him so to do, or otherwise Words of
Exhortation, Advice, Reproof, and Instruction, or the Sense of some
spiritual Experiences: All which will still be agreeable to the
Scripture, though perhaps not relative to, nor founded upon any
particular Chapter or Verse, as a Text. Now let us examine and
consider which of these two Sorts of Preaching is most agreeable to
the Precepts of Christ and his Apostles, and the Primitive Church,
recorded in Scripture? For, First, as to their Preaching upon a Text, if
it were not merely customary or premeditated, but done by the
immediate Motion of the Spirit, we should not blame it; but to do it
as they do, there is neither Precept nor Practice, that ever I could
observe, in the New Testament, as a Part of the instituted Worship
thereof.
But they allege, That Christ took the Book of Object.
Isaiah, and read out of it, and spake therefrom;
and that Peter preached from a Sentence of the Prophet Joel.
I answer, That Christ and Peter did it not but as Answ.
immediately actuated and moved thereunto by the
1. Christ’s and
Spirit of God, and that without Premeditation, Peter’s Speaking
which I suppose our Adversaries will not deny; in was not by
which Case we willingly approve of it. But what is Premeditation.
this to their customary conned Way, without either waiting for or
expecting the Movings or Leadings of the Spirit? Moreover, that
neither Christ nor Peter did it as a settled Custom or Form, to be
constantly practised by all the Ministers of the Church, appears, in
that most of all the Sermons recorded of Christ and his Apostles in
Scripture were without this, as appears from Christ’s Sermon upon
the Mount, Matt. v. 1. &c. Mark iv. 1. &c. and Paul’s Preaching to the
Athenians, and to the Jews, &c. As then it appears that this Method
of Preaching is not grounded upon any Scripture Precept, so the
Nature of it is contrary to the Preaching of Christ under the New
Covenant, as expressed and recommended in Scripture; for Christ, in
sending forth his Disciples, expresly mentioneth, that they are not to
speak of or from themselves, or to forecast beforehand, but that
which the Spirit in the same Hour shall teach them, as is particularly
mentioned in the three Evangelists, Matt. x. 20. Mark xiii. 11. Luke
xii. 12. Now if Christ gave this Order to his Disciples before he
departed from them, as that which they were to practise during his
Abode outwardly with them, much more were they to do it after his
Departure, since then they were more especially to receive the
Spirit, to lead them in all Things, and to bring all Things to their
Remembrance, John xiv. 26. And if they were to do so when they
appeared before the Magistrates and Princes of the Earth, much
more in the Worship of God, when they stand specially before him;
seeing, as is above shewn, his Worship is to be performed in Spirit;
and therefore after their Receiving of the Holy Ghost it is said, Acts
ii. 4. They spake as the Spirit gave them Utterance, not what they
had studied and gathered from Books in their Closets in a
premeditated Way.
Franciscus Lambertus, before cited, speaketh well Franciscus
and sheweth their Hypocrisy, Tract. 5. of Prophecy, Lambertus’s
Chap. 3. saying, “Where are they now, that glory in Testimony against
the Priests studied
their Inventions, who say, A fine Invention! A fine Inventions and
Invention! This they call Invention, which Figments.
themselves have made up; but what have the
Faithful to do with such Kind of Inventions? It is not Figments, nor
yet Inventions, that we will have, but Things that are solid,
invincible, eternal, and heavenly; not which Men have invented, but
which God hath revealed: For if we believe the Scriptures, our
Invention profiteth nothing, but to provoke God to our Ruin.” And
afterwards, “Beware, (saith he) that thou determine not precisely to
speak what before thou hast meditated, whatsoever it be; for
though it be lawful to determine the Text which thou art to expound,
yet not at all the Interpretation; lest if thou so dost, thou take from
the Holy Spirit that which is his, to wit, to direct thy Speech, that
thou mayest prophesy in the Name of the Lord, void of all Learning,
Meditation, and Experience, and as if thou hadst studied nothing at
all, committing thy Heart, thy Tongue, and thyself wholly unto his
Spirit, and trusting nothing to thy former Studying or Meditation; but
saying with thyself, in great Confidence of the divine Promise, The
Lord will give a Word with much Power unto those that preach the
Gospel. But above all Things be careful thou follow not the Manner
of Hypocrites, who have written almost Word for Word what they are
to say, as if they were to repeat some Verses upon a Theatre, having
learned all their Preaching as they do that act Tragedies. And
afterwards, when they are in the Place of Prophesying, pray the Lord
to direct their Tongue; but in the mean Time, shutting up the Way of
the Holy Spirit, they determine to say nothing but what they have
written. O unhappy Kind of Prophets, yea, and truly cursed, which
depend not upon God’s Spirit, but upon their own Writings or
Meditation! Why prayest thou to the Lord, thou false Prophet, to give
thee his Holy Spirit, by which thou mayest speak Things profitable,
and yet thou repellest the Spirit? Why preferrest thou thy Meditation
or Study to the Spirit of God? Otherwise why committest thou not
thyself to the Spirit?”
§. XIX. Secondly, This Manner of Preaching as 2. The Words
Man’s Wisdom
used by them (considering that they also affirm, brings beget not
That it may be and often is performed by Men who Faith.
are wicked, or void of true Grace) cannot only not
edify the Church, beget or nourish true Faith, but is destructive to it,
being directly contrary to the Nature of the Christian and Apostolick
Ministry mentioned in the Scriptures: For the Apostle preached the
Gospel not in the Wisdom of Words, lest the Cross of Christ should
be of none Effect, 1 Cor. i. 17. But this Preaching, not being done by
the Actings and Moving of God’s Spirit, but by Man’s Invention and
Eloquence, in his own Will, and through his natural and acquired
Parts and Learning, is in the Wisdom of Words, and therefore the
Cross of Christ is thereby made of none Effect. The Apostles Speech
and Preaching was not with enticing Words of Man’s Wisdom, but in
Demonstration of the Spirit and of Power, that the Faith of their
Hearers should not stand in the Wisdom of Men, but in the Power of
God, 1 Cor. ii. 3, 4, 5. But this Preaching having nothing of the Spirit
and Power in it, both the Preachers and Hearers confessing they
wait for no such Thing, nor yet are oftentimes sensible of it, must
needs stand in the enticing Words of Man’s Wisdom, since it is by
the mere Wisdom of Man it is sought after, and the mere Strength of
Man’s Eloquence and enticing Words it is uttered; and therefore no
Wonder if the Faith of such as hear and depend upon such Preachers
and Preachings stand in the Wisdom of Men, and not in the Power of
God. The Apostles declared, That they spake not in the Words which
Man’s Wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth, 1 Cor.
ii. 13. But these Preachers confess that they are Strangers to the
Holy Ghost, his Motions and Operations, neither do they wait to feel
them, and therefore they speak in the Words which their own
natural Wisdom and Learning teach them, mixing them in, and
adding them to, such Words as they steal out of the Scripture and
other Books, and therefore speak not what the Holy Ghost teacheth.
Thirdly, This is contrary to the Method and Order of 3. The Church’s
the Primitive Church mentioned by the Apostle, 1 Method was to
Cor. xiv. 30, &c. where in Preaching every one is to speak by
Revelation.
wait for his Revelation, and to give Place one unto
another, according as Things are revealed; but here there is no
waiting for a Revelation, but the Preacher must speak, and not that
which is revealed unto him, but what he hath prepared and
premeditated beforehand.
Lastly, By this Kind of Preaching the Spirit of God, 4. The Spirit is
which should be the chief Instructor and Teacher of shut out by
God’s People, and whose Influence is that only Priests from being
the Teacher.
which makes all Preaching effectual and beneficial
for the edifying of Souls, is shut out, and Man’s natural Wisdom,
Learning, and Parts set up and exalted; which no Doubt is a great
and chief Reason why the Preaching among the Generality of
Christians is so unfruitful and unsuccessful. Yea, according to this
Doctrine, the Devil may preach, and ought to be heard also, seeing
he both knows the Truth, and hath as much Eloquence as any. But
what avails Excellency of Speech, if the Demonstration and Power of
the Spirit be wanting, which toucheth the Conscience? We see that
when the Devil confessed to the Truth, yet Christ would have none
of his Testimony. And as these pregnant Testimonies of the Scripture
do prove this Part of Preaching to be contrary to the Doctrine of
Christ, so do they also prove that of ours before affirmed to be
conformable thereunto.
§. XX. But if any object after this Manner, Have Object.
not many been benefited, yea, and both converted and edified by
the Ministry of such as have premeditated their Preaching? Yea, and
hath not the Spirit often concurred by its divine Influence with
Preachings thus premeditated, so as they have been powerfully
borne in upon the Souls of the Hearers to their Advantage?
I answer, Though that be granted, which I shall Answ.
not deny, it will not infer that the Thing was good
in itself, more than because Paul was met with by Christ to the
converting of his Soul riding to Damascus to persecute the Saints,
that he did well in so doing. Neither particular Paul persecuting
Actions, nor yet whole Congregations, as we above was converted, is
observed, are to be measured by the Acts of God’s therefore
persecuting good?
Condescension in Times of Ignorance. But besides,
it hath oftentimes fallen out, that God, having a Regard to the
Simplicity and Integrity either of the Preacher or Hearers, hath fallen
in upon the Heart of a Preacher by his Power and holy Influence,
and thereby hath led him to speak Things that were not in his
premeditated Discourse, and which perhaps he never thought on
before; and those passing Ejaculations and unpremeditated but
living Exhortations, have proved more beneficial and refreshing both
to Preacher and Hearers than all their premeditated Sermons. But all
that will not allow them to continue in these Things which in
themselves are not approved, but contrary to the Practice of the
Apostles, when God is raising up a People to serve him, according to
the primitive Purity and Spirituality; yea, such Acts of God’s
Condescension, in Times of Darkness and Ignorance, should engage
all more and more to follow him, according as he reveals his most
perfect and spiritual Way.
§. XXI. Having hitherto spoken of Preaching, II.
now it is fit to speak of Praying, concerning which the like
Controversy ariseth. Our Adversaries, whose Of Prayer, how
Religion is all for the most Part Outside, and such the outward is
whose Acts are the mere Product of Man’s natural distinguished from
the inward.
Will and Abilities, as they can preach, so can they
pray when they please, and therefore have their set particular
Prayers. I meddle not with the Controversies among themselves
concerning this, some of them being for set Prayers, as a Liturgy,
others for such as are conceived extempore; It suffices me that all of
them agree in this, That the Motions and Influence of the Spirit of
God are not necessary to be previous thereunto; The Priests set
and therefore they have set Times in their publick Times to preach
Worship, as before and after Preaching, and in and pray, deny
the Spirit.
their private Devotion, as Morning and Evening,
and before and after Meat, and other such Occasions, at which they
precisely set about the performing of their Prayers, by speaking
Words to God, whether they feel any Motion or Influence of the
Spirit or not; so that some of the chiefest have confessed that they
have thus prayed without the Motions or Assistance of the Spirit,
acknowledging that they sinned in so doing; yet they said they
looked upon it as their Duty to do so, though to pray without the
Spirit be Sin. We freely confess that Prayer is both very profitable,
and a necessary Duty commanded, and fit to be practised frequently
by all Christians; but as we can do nothing without Christ, so neither
can we pray without the Concurrence and Assistance of his Spirit.
But that the State of the Controversy may be the better understood,
let it be considered, First, that Prayer is twofold, inward and
outward. Inward Prayer is that secret Turning of What inward
the Mind towards God, whereby, being secretly Prayer is.
touched and awakened by the Light of Christ in the
Conscience, and so bowed down under the Sense of its Iniquities,
Unworthiness, and Misery, it looks up to God, and joining with the
secret Shinings of the Seed of God, it breathes towards him, and is
constantly breathing forth some secret Desires and Aspirations
towards him. It is in this Sense that we are so frequently in Scripture
commanded to pray continually, Luke xviii. 1. 1 Thess. v. 17. Ephes.
vi. 18. Luke xxi. 36. which cannot be understood of outward Prayer,
because it were impossible that Men should be always upon their
Knees, expressing Words of Prayer; and this would hinder them from
the Exercise of those Duties no less positively commanded. Outward
Prayer is, when as the Spirit, being thus in the What outward
Exercise of inward Retirement, and feeling the Prayer is.
Breathing of the Spirit of God to arise powerfully in
the Soul, receives Strength and Liberty by a superadded Motion and
Influence of the Spirit to bring forth either audible Sight, Groans, or
Words, and that either in publick Assemblies, or in private, or at
Meat, &c.
As then inward Prayer is necessary at all Times, so, Inward Prayer
so long as the Day of every Man’s Visitation lasteth, necessary at all
he never wants some Influence, less or more, for Times.

the Practice of it; because he no sooner retires his Mind, and

considers himself in God’s Presence, but he finds himself in the
Practice of it.
The outward Exercise of Prayer, as needing a Outward Prayer
greater and superadded Influence and Motion of doth require a
the Spirit, as it cannot be continually practised, so superadded
Influence.
neither can it be so readily, so as to be effectually
performed, until his Mind be some Time acquainted with the Inward;
therefore such as are diligent and watchful in their Minds, and much
retired in the Exercise of this inward Prayer, are more capable to be
frequent in the Use of the Outward, because that this holy Influence
doth more constantly attend them, and they being better acquainted
with, and accustomed to, the Motions of God’s Spirit, can easily
perceive and discern them. And indeed, as such who are most
diligent have a near Access to God, and he taketh most Delight to
draw them by his Spirit to approach and call upon him, so when
many are gathered together in this watchful Mind, God doth
frequently pour forth the Spirit of Prayer among them and stir them
thereunto, to the edifying and building up of one another in Love.
But because this outward Prayer depends upon the inward, as that
which must follow it, and cannot be acceptably performed but as
attended with a superadded Influence and Motion of the Spirit,
therefore we cannot prefix set Times to pray We cannot fix set
outwardly, so as to lay a Necessity to speak Words Times to speak
at such and such Times, whether we feel this and pray.

heavenly Influence and Assistance or no; for that we judge were a

Tempting of God, and a Coming before him without due Preparation.
We think it fit for us to present ourselves before him by this inward
Retirement of the Mind, and so to proceed further, as his Spirit shall
help us and draw us thereunto; and we find that the Lord accepts of
this, yea, and seeth meet sometimes to exercise us in this silent
Place for the Trial of our Patience, without allowing us to speak
further, that he may teach us not to rely upon outward
Performances, or satisfy ourselves, as too many do, with the Saying
of our Prayers; and that our Dependence upon him may be the more
firm and constant, to wait for the Holding out of his Sceptre, and for
his Allowance to draw near unto him, with greater Freedom and
Enlargement of Spirit upon our Hearts towards him. Yet nevertheless
we do not deny but sometimes God, upon particular Occasions, very
suddenly, yea, upon the very first turning in of the Mind, may give
Power and Liberty to bring forth Words or Acts of outward Prayer, so
as the Soul can scarce discern any previous Motion, but the
Influence and Bringing forth thereof may be as it were simul &
semel: Nevertheless that Saying of Bernard is true, that all Prayer is
lukewarm, which hath not an Inspiration preceding it. Though we
affirm that none ought to go about Prayer without this Motion, yet
we do not deny but such sin as neglect Prayer; but Such sin as are
their Sin is in that they come not to that Place neglecting Prayer.
where they may feel that which would lead them
thereunto. And therefore we question not but many, through Neglect
of this inward Watchfulness and Retiredness of Mind, miss many
precious Opportunities to pray, and thereby are guilty in the Sight of
God; yet would they sin if they should set about the Act until they
first felt the Influence. For as he grosly offends his A forward and a
Master that lieth in his Bed and sleeps, and careless Servant
neglects to do his Master’s Business; yet if such a answers not his
Duty.
one should suddenly get up, without putting on his
Clothes, or taking along with him those necessary Tools and
Instruments, without which he could not possibly work, and should
forwardly fall a doing to no Purpose, he would be so far thereby
from repairing his former Fault, that he would justly incur a new
Censure: And as one that is careless and otherways busied may miss
to hear one speaking unto him, or even not hear the Bell of a Clock,
though striking hard-by him, so may many, through Negligence, miss
to hear God oftentimes calling upon them, and giving them Access
to pray unto him; yet will not that allow them, without his Liberty, in
their own Wills to fall to Work.
And Lastly, Though this be the only true and proper Method of
Prayer, as that which is alone acceptable to God, In Times of
yet shall we not deny but he oftentimes answered Darkness God did
the Prayers and concurred with the Desires of often hear their
Prayers.
some, especially in Times of Darkness, who have
greatly erred herein; so that some that have sat down in formal
Prayer, though far wrong in the Matter as well as Manner, without
the Assistance or Influence of God’s Spirit, yet have found him to
take Occasion therethrough to break in upon their Souls, and
wonderfully tender and refresh them; yet as in Preaching, and
elsewhere hath afore been observed, that will not prove any such
Practices, or be a just Let to hinder any from coming to practise that
pure, spiritual, and acceptable Prayer, which God is again restoring
and leading his People into, out of all Superstitions and mere empty
Formalities. The State of the Controversy, and our Sense thereof,
being thus clearly stated, will both obviate many Objections, and
make the Answer to others more brief and easy. I First, Spiritual
shall first prove this spiritual Prayer by some short Prayer proved
Considerations from Scripture, and then answer the from Scripture.
Objections of our Opposers, which will also serve to refute their
Method and Manner thereof.
§. XXII. And First, That there is a Necessity of I. God’s Spirit
must be felt to
this inward Retirement of the Mind as previous to move the Mind to
Prayer, that the Spirit may be felt to draw Prayer.
thereunto, appears, for that in most of those Places
where Prayer is commanded, Watching is prefixed thereunto, as
necessary to go before, as Matt. xxiv. 42. Mark xiii. 33. and xiv. 38.
Luke xxi. 36. from which it is evident that this Watching was to go
before Prayer. Now to what End is this Watching, or what is it, but a
Waiting to feel God’s Spirit to draw unto Prayer, that so it may be
done acceptably? For since we are to [110]pray always in the Spirit,
and cannot pray of ourselves without it acceptably, this Watching
must be for this End recommended to us, as preceding Prayer, that
we may watch and wait for the seasonable Time to pray, which is
when the Spirit moves thereunto.
[110] Ephes. 6. 18.

Secondly, This Necessity of the Spirit’s Moving and II. We know not
Concurrence appears abundantly from that of the how to pray but
Apostle Paul, Rom. viii. 26, 27. Likewise the Spirit as the Spirit
helps.
also helpeth our Infirmities: For we know not what
we should pray for as we ought; but the Spirit itself maketh
Intercession for us with Groanings which cannot be uttered. And he
that searcheth the Hearts knoweth what is the Mind of the Spirit,
because he maketh Intercession for the Saints according to the Will
of God. Which first holds forth the Incapacity of Men as of
themselves to pray or call upon God in their own Wills, even such as
have received the Faith of Christ, and are in Measure sanctified by it,
as was the Church of Rome, to whom the Apostle then wrote.
Secondly, It holds forth that which can only help and assist Men to
pray, to wit, the Spirit, as that without which they cannot do it
acceptably to God, nor beneficially to their own Souls. Thirdly, The
Manner and Way of the Spirit’s Intercession, with Sighs and Groans
which are unutterable. And Fourthly, That God receiveth graciously
the Prayers of such as are presented and offered unto himself by the
Spirit, knowing it to be according to his Will. Now it cannot be
conceived but this Order of Prayer thus asserted by the Apostle is
most consistent with those other Testimonies of Scripture,
commending and recommending to us the Use of Prayer. From which
I thus argue,
If any Man know not how to pray, neither can do it Arg.
without the Help of the Spirit, then it is to no
Purpose for him, but altogether unprofitable, to pray without it:
But the First is true: Therefore also the Last.
Thirdly, This Necessity of the Spirit to true Prayer III. Pray always in
appears from Ephes. vi. 18. and Jude 20. where the Spirit, and
the Apostle commands to pray always in the Spirit, Watching
thereunto.
and Watching thereunto; which is as much as if he
had said, that we were never to pray without the Spirit, or Watching
thereunto. And Jude sheweth that such Prayers as are in the Holy
Ghost only, tend to the Building up of ourselves in our most holy
Faith.
Fourthly, The Apostle Paul saith expresly, 1 Cor. xii. IV. Man cannot
3. That no Man can say that Jesus is the Lord but call Christ Lord
by the Holy Ghost: If then Jesus cannot be thus but by the Holy
Ghost.
rightly named but by the Holy Ghost, far less can
he be acceptably called upon. Hence the same Apostle declares, 1
Cor. xiv. 15. that he will pray with the Spirit, &c. A clear Evidence
that it was none of his Method to pray without it.
But Fifthly, All Prayer without the Spirit is V. God will not
Abomination, such as are the Prayers of the hear the Prayers
Wicked, Prov. xxviii. 9. And the Confidence that the of the Wicked.
Saints have that God will hear them is, if they ask any Thing
according to his Will, 1 John v. 14. So if the Prayer be not according
to his Will, there is no Ground of Confidence that he will hear. Now
our Adversaries will acknowledge that Prayers without the Spirit are
not according to the Will of God, and therefore such as pray without
it have no Ground to expect an Answer: For indeed to bid a Man
pray without the Spirit is all one as to bid one see without Eyes,
work without Hands, or go without Feet. And to desire a Man to fall
to Prayer ere the Spirit in some Measure less or more move him
thereunto, is to desire a Man to see before he opens his Eyes, or to
walk before he rise up, or to work with his Hands before he moves
them.
§. XXIII. But Lastly, From this false Opinion of VI. All Sacrifice is
Sin, not offered
Praying without the Spirit, and not judging it by the Spirit.
necessary to be waited for, as that which may be
felt to move us thereunto, hath proceeded all the Superstition and
Idolatry that is among those called Christians, and those many
Abominations wherewith the Lord is provoked, and his Spirit grieved;
so that many deceive themselves now, as the Jews did of old,
thinking it sufficient if they pay their daily Sacrifices, and offer their
customary Oblations; from thence thinking all is well, and creating a
false Peace to themselves, as the Whore in the Proverbs, because
they have offered up their Sacrifices of Morning and Evening
Prayers. And therefore it is manifest that their constant Use of these
Things doth not a Whit influence their Lives and Conversations, but
they remain for the most Part as bad as ever. Yea, it is frequent both
among Papists and Protestants, for them to leap as it were out of
their vain, light, and profane Conversations at their set Hours and
Seasons, and fall to their customary Devotion; and then, when it is
scarce finished, and the Words to God scarce out, the former
profane Talk comes after it; so that the same wicked profane Spirit
of this World actuates them in both. If there be any such Thing as
vain Oblations, or Prayers that are Abomination, which God heareth
not (as is certain there are, and the Scripture testifies, Isa. lxvi. 3.
Jer. xiv. 12.) certainly such Prayers as are acted in Man’s Will, and by
his own Strength, without God’s Spirit, must be of that Number.
§. XXIV. Let this suffice for Proof. I shall now Concerning
Joining in Prayer
proceed to answer their Objections, when I have with others.
said something concerning joining in Prayer with
others. Those that pray together with one Accord use not only to
concur in their Spirits, but also in the Gesture of their Body; which
we also willingly approve of. It becometh those who approach before
God to pray, that they do it with bowed Knees, and with their Heads
uncovered, which is our Practice.
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