After he was recovered in some measure, he fell again to his former practice of engaging deeply in the secret & great duties of Religion, which he constantly practised (except when God discharged him by sickness:) secret prayer, at least three times a day sometimes seven times, yea more; besides family, and College-duties, which were before hinted, he set a part an hour every day for set and solemn meditation; which duty he found unspeakably to improve his graces, & to make no small addition to his comforts: His time for that duty was most commonly in the evening, when he usually walked into the field, if the weather would permit; if not, he retired into the Church, or any empty solitary room. Where (observing his constant practice, that, if possible, I might be acquainted with the reason of his retiredness) I once hid my self that I might take the more exact notice of the intercourse, that, I judged, was kept up between him & God. But, O what a spectacle did I see! Surely, a man walking with God, conversing intimately with his Maker, and maintaining a holy familiarity with the great Jehovah. Me-thought, I saw one talking with God; me-thoughts, I ⟨p. 42⟩saw a spiritual Merchant in an heavenly Exchange, driving a rich trade for the treasures of the other world. O what a glorious sight it was! Me-thinks, I see him still; how sweetly, did his face shine! O, with what a lovely countenance did he walk up and down, his lips going; his body oft reaching up, as if he would have taken his flight into Heaven! His looks, smiles, and every motion spake him to be upon the very Confines of Glory. O, had one but known what he was then feeding on! Sure, he had meat to eat which the world knew not of! Did we but know how welcome God made him when he brought him into his banqueting-house! That which one might easily perceive his heart to be most fixed upon, was, The infinite love of God in Christ, to the poor lost Sons and Daughters of Adam. What else meant his high expressions? What else did his own words to a dear friend signify, but an extraordinary sense of the freeness, fullness, and duration of that love? To use his own words, God (saith he) holds mine eyes most upon his Goodness, his unmeasurable-Goodness, and the Promises which are most sure, and firm in Christ. His love to us is greater, surer, fuller than ours to our selves.
After he was recovered in some measure, he fell again to his former practice of ingaging deeply in the secret & great duties of Religion, which he constantly practised (except when God discharged him by sickness:) secret prayer, at least three times a day somtimes seven times, yeamore; besides family, and Colledge-duties, which were before hinted, he set a part an hour every day for set and solemn meditation; which duty he found unspeakably to improve his graces, & to make no small addition to his comforts: His time for that duty was most commonly in the evening, when he usually walked into the field, if the weather would permit; if not, he retired into the Church, or any empty solitary room. Where (observing his constant practice, that, if possible, I might be acquainted with the reason of his retiredness) I once hid my self that I might take the more exact notice of the intercourse, that, I judged, was kept up between him & God. But, O what a spectacle did I see! Surely, a man walking with God, conversing intimately with his Maker, and maintaining a holy familiarity with the great Jehovah. Me-thought, I saw one talking with God; me-thoughts, I ⟨p. 42⟩saw a spiritual Merchant in an heavenly Exchange, driving a rich trade for the treasures of the other world. O what a glorious sight it was! Me-thinks, I see him still; how sweetly, did his face shine! O, with what a lovely countenance did he walk up and down, his lips going; his body oft reaching up, as if he would have taken his flight into Heaven! His looks, smiles, and every motion spake him to be upon the very Confines of Glory. O, had one but known what he was then feeding on! Sure, he had meat to eat which the world knew not of! Did we but know how welcome God made him when he brought him into his banqueting-house! That which one might easily perceive his heart to be most fixed upon, was, The infinite love of God in Christ, to the poor lost Sons and Daughters of Adam. What else meant his high expressions? What else did his own words to a dear friend signifie, but an extraordinary sense of the freeness, fulness, and duration of that love? To use his own words, God (saith he) holds mine eyes most upon his Goodness, his unmeasurable-Goodness, and the Promises which are most sure, and firm in Christ. His love to us is greater, surer, fuller than ours to our selves.
