GOD THE SPIRIT

O Lord God,

pray not so much for graces as for
the Spirit himself,
because I feel his absence,
and act by my own spirit in everything.
Give me not weak desires but the power
of his presence,
for this is the surest way to have all his graces,
and when I have the seal I have the impression
also;
He can heal, help, quicken, humble suddenly
and easily,
can work grace and life effectually,
and being eternal he can give grace eternally.
Save me from great hindrances,
from being content with a little measure
of the Spirit,
from thinking thou wilt not give me more.
When I feel my lack of him, light up life and faith,
for when I lose thee I am either in the dark
and cannot see thee,
or Satan and my natural abilities content me
With a little light,
so that I seek no further for the Spirit of life.
Teach me then what to do.
Should I merely humble myself and not stir up
my heart?
Should I meditate and use all means to bring
him near,
not being contented by one means,
but trust him to give me a blessing by the use
of all,
depending only upon, and waiting always for,
thy light, by use of means?
Is it a duty or an error to pray
and look for the fullness of the Spirit in me?
Am I mistaken in feeling I am empty of the Spirit
because I do not sense his presence within,
when all the time I am most empty
and could be more full by faith in Christ?
Was the fullness of the Spirit in the apostles
chiefly a power,
giving the subsistence outside themselves
in Christ,
in whom was their life and joy?
Teach me to find and know fullness of the Spirit
only in Jesus.

—from The Valley of Vision, Arthur Bennett, editor (Banner of Truth Trust, 2002).

salme 135 (Geneva Bible)


1 Praise ye the Lord. Praise the Name of the Lorde: ye seruants of the Lord, praise him.
2 Ye that stande in the House of the Lord, and in the courtes of the House of our God,
3 Praise ye the Lord: for the Lorde is good: sing praises vnto his Name: for it is a comely thing.
4 For the Lord hath chosen Iaakob to himselfe, and Israel for his chiefe treasure.
5 For I know that the Lord is great, and that our Lord is aboue all gods.
6 Whatsoeuer pleased the Lorde, that did hee in heauen and in earth, in the sea, and in all the depths.
7 He bringeth vp the cloudes fro the ends of the earth, & maketh the lightnings with ye raine: he draweth foorth the winde out of his treasures.
8 He smote the first borne of Egypt both of man and beast.
9 He hath sent tokens and wonders into the middes of thee, O Egypt, vpon Pharaoh, and vpon all his seruants.
10 He smote many nations, and slew mightie Kings:
11 As Sihon King of the Amorites, and Og King of Bashan, & all the kingdomes of Canaan:
12 And gaue their lande for an inheritance, euen an inheritance vnto Israel his people.
13 Thy Name, O Lorde, endureth for euer: O Lorde, thy remembrance is from generation to generation.
14 For the Lord will iudge his people, and be pacified towardes his seruants.
15 The idoles of the heathen are siluer and golde, euen the worke of mens handes.
16 They haue a mouth, and speake not: they haue eyes and see not.
17 They haue eares and heare not, neither is there any breath in their mouth.
18 They that make them, are like vnto them: so are all that trust in them.
19 Praise the Lord, ye house of Israel: praise the Lord, ye house of Aaron.
20 Praise the Lorde, ye house of Leui: ye that feare the Lord, praise the Lord.
21 Praised bee the Lorde out of Zion, which dwelleth in Ierusalem. Praise ye the Lord.

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