IN a leaf of the saintly Rev. John Howe’s Bible, the following words were found written with his own hand:—”26th December, 1689. After I had long, seriously, and repeatedly thought within myself, that besides a full and undoubted assent to the objects of faith, a vivifying, savoury taste and relish of them was also necessary, that with stronger force and more powerful energy they might penetrate into the most inward centre of my heart, and there, being most deeply rooted and fixed, might govern my life; and that there could be no other sure ground whereon to conclude and pass a sound judgment on my good estate Godward; and after I had been in the course of my preaching; largely insisting on Paul’s testimony of a good conscience; this morning I awoke out of a most refreshing sleep, having had a most ravishing and delightful impression, as if a wonderful and copious stream of celestial rays from the lofty throne of the Divine Majesty, had darted into my open and expanded breast. I have often since, with great complacency, reflected on that very signal pledge of special Divine favour vouchsafed to me on that noted, memorable day: and have, with repeated fresh pleasure, tasted the delight thereof.
“But what of the same kind I sensibly felt, through the admirable bounty of my God, and the most pleasant comfortable influence of the Holy Spirit, on 22nd October, 1702 (thirteen years afterwards) far surpassed the most expressive words my thoughts can suggest. I then experienced an inexpressible melting of heart, tears gushing out of my eyes for joy that God should shed abroad His love through the hearts of men so abundantly; and that for this very purpose my own heart should be so signally possessed of and by His blessed Spirit.”
Dr. Calamy, who preached his funeral sermon, says, “It was observed, and is to this day, I believe, remembered by some of his flock, that in his last illness, and when he had been declining for some time, he was once in a most affecting, melting, heavenly frame at the Communion; and carried out into such a ravishing, and transporting celebration of the love of Christ, that both he, himself, and they who communicated with him, were apprehensive he would have expired in that very service.”
The Rev. John Flavel, the well-known author of several standard theological works, gives, in his Treatise of the Soul of Man, the following account of a season in his own religious experience, modestly relating it in the third person:—”that in a journey on horseback he fell into a divine meditation, wherein he had such tokens of the love of God, and his interest in the Divine favour manifested to him, that greatly surpassed all the rational and inferential evidences he had ever experienced of the Divine favour. His rapture, he adds, seemed so great that he felt it would be too much for his weak body to sustain, and was constrained to pray that God would either strengthen his nature or restrain further Divine communications, saying, ‘Lord, either withhold Thy comforts, or enlarge the vessel to contain them, for I cannot bear these joys.'”
Mr. John Janeway, brother to the author of “A Token for Children,” which has been greatly blessed, gives the following account of a gracious visitation thus afforded to his aged and declining parent, after a season of deep dejection and abasement:—”I visited him in his sickness, and found him in perfect possession of all his faculties; but, owing in a great measure to his constitutional melancholy, under dark and dismal apprehensions as to his standing right with God, and in a posture for future happiness with him. ‘O, son,’ said he to me, taking me by the hand, ‘this passing into Eternity is a great thing. This dying is solemn work, and enough to make any one’s heart ache that has not his pardon sealed;’ adding, ‘I am under no small fears for my future state. O that God would make clear His love; O that I might be able to look death cheerfully in the face!'”
“I retired deeply affected, after having suggested to him suitable topics of spiritual relief and comfort. I continued earnest in prayer with God, for his recovery out of that desponding state, and experience of the light and glory of God’s salvation. On my return, I found him in a flood of tears, which prevented him for awhile from speaking. At length he exclaimed, ‘O, son, it is come. Now it is come. I bless God I can die. The Spirit of God has witnessed with my spirit that I am His child. Now I can look up to God as my dear Father, and to Christ as my Redeemer. I can now say, this is my Friend, this is my Beloved. My heart is full, brim full. I can hold no more. I now know what that sentence means, ‘the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds.’ I now know what that stone is, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it. And that weeping which you saw just now, was an overpowering flood of joy and rapture, which I could not restrain, so great was it that I could not from my heart contain myself; neither can I express what glorious discoveries God has made of Himself to me. And had that joy been greater I question whether I could have borne it, and whether it would not have separated soul and body.'”
These manifestations of the Spirit are sovereign in their communications. God reserves to Himself the liberty of bestowing them according to His good pleasure, both as to “times and seasons,” and as to the individuals who are selected to receive them. Yet though they can neither be commanded nor anticipated by us, we may observe, as a general rule, that they are usually afforded in hours of devout meditation or earnest waiting upon God in His ordinances. Sometimes, indeed, they are preparatory to a more than ordinary encounter with difficulties, while at other times they occur as the recompense of fidelity and courage. It is, however, in perilous times, times of fierce persecution and conflict for the truth, that God has been most wont thus to favour His servants. To this let the psalm singing of martyrs in prison and at the stake bear testimony. Frequently have such heavenly raptures been experienced during the agonising period of dissolving nature.
Days of prosperity, through this work of the Holy Spirit, yet await the Christian Church beyond what she has ever known. These will fully redeem the prophetic pledges of her future glory. Prosperity, not only external but internal, shall distinguish her coming age, for the Church will increase intensively and extensively at the same time. Then will the glorious Being dwell again illustriously in His holy temple. Not literally, but spiritually, for the temple of God in the last days will be no material edifice, but the souls of men inhabited by the gracious Spirit of God. Then the Christian Church will loose herself from the bands of her neck, will arise and put on her beautiful garments, for His glory shall be seen upon her, and its heavenly irradiations will create a Millennium of universal joy and gladness. To conclude with the words of the Rev. John Howe:—”The external pompousness of the Church will be less studied; the life and spirit of it much more; and if I may express my own sense on this matter, it should be in the words of that most worthy ancient (Isidore of Pelusium) namely, that supposing an option or choice were left me, I would choose to have lived in a time when the temples were less adorned with all sorts of marbles, the Church not being destitute of spiritual graces.”