ledge and understanding, and therefore cannot be without some thoughts of spiritual things. Howbeit for the most part they are, as was said, but like unto waters that run after a shower of rain. They pour out themselves as if they proceeded from some strong living spring, whereas indeed they have none at all. When once the waters of the shower are spent, their channel is dry, there is nothing in it but stones and dirt. When the doctrine of the word falls on such persons as showers of rain, it gives a course, sometimes greater sometimes less, unto their thoughts towards spiritual things. But they have not a well of water in them springing up into everlasting life. AVhere- fore, after awhile their minds are dried up from such thoughts ; nothing remains in them but earth, and that perhaps foul and dirty.
It must be observed, that the best of men, the most holy and spiritually minded, may have, nay ought to have, their thoughts of spiritual things excited; multiplied, and con- firmed, by the preaching of the word. It is one end of its dispensation, one principal use of it in them by whom it is received. And it hath this effect two ways. 1. As it is the spiritual food of the soul, whereby its principle of life and grace is maintained and strengthened. The more this is done, the more shall we thrive in being spiritually minded. 2. As it administereth occasion unto the exercise of grace. For proposing the proper object of faith, love, fear, trust, reverence unto the soul, it draws forth all those graces into exercise. Wherefore, although the vigorous actings of spiritual thoughts be occasional from the word, be more under and after the preaching of it, than at other times, it is no more but what ariseth from the nature and use of the ordinance, by God's own appointment, nor is it any evidence that those with whom it is so are not spiritually minded ; but on the contrary that they are. Yet where men have no other thoughts of this matter but what are occasioned by the outward dispensation of the word, such thoughts do not prove them to be spiritually minded. Their endeavours in them are like those of men in a dream. Under some oppression of their spirits, their imagination fixeth on some thing or other, that is most earnestly to be desired or avoided. Herein they seem to themselves to
BEING SPIRITUALLY MINDED. 235
strive with all their might, to endeavour to go, run or con- tend, but all in vain ; every thing fails them, and they are not relieved until they are awaked. So such persons in impressions they receive from the word, seem to strive and contend in their thoughts and resolutions to comply with what is proposed unto them ; but their strength fails, they find no success for want of a principle of spiritual life, and after a time give over their endeavours until they are occa- sionally renewed again. Now the thoughts which in the dispensation of the word do proceed from an inward princi- ple of grace excited unto its due exercise, are distinguish- able from them which are only occasionally suggested unto the mind by the word outwardly preached. For, 1. They are especial actings of faith and love towards the things themselves that are preached. They belong unto our re- ceiving the truth in the love thereof. And love respects the goodness of the things themselves, and not merely the truth of the propositions wherein they are expressed. The other thoughts are only the sense of the mind as affected with light and truth, without any cordial love unto the things themselves. 2. They are accompanied with com- placency of soul arising from love, experience, more or less, of the power of them, and their suitableness unto the new nature or principle of grace in them. For when our minds find that so indeed it is in us, as it is in the word ; that this is that which we would be more conformable unto ; it gives a secret complacency with satisfaction unto the soul. The other thoughts which are only occasional, have none of these concomitants or effects, but are dry and barren, unless it be in a few words or transient discourse. 3. The former are means of spiritual growth. So some say the natural growth of vegetables is not by insensible motion, but by gusts and sensible eruptions of increase. These are both in spiritual growth, and the latter consists much in those thoughts which the principle of the new nature is excited unto by the word in the latter.
2. The duty of prayer is another means of the like na- ture. One principal end of it is to excite, stir up, and draw forth the principle of grace, of faith and love in the heart, unto a due exercise in holy thoughts of God and spiritual things, with affections suitable unto them. Those who de-
236 THE GRACE AND DUTY OF
sign not this end in prayer, know not at all what it is to pray. Now all sorts of persons have frequent occasion to join with others in prayer, and many are under the convic- tion that it is their own duty to pray every day, it may be in their families and otherwise. And it is hard to conceive how men can constantly join with others in prayer, much more how they can pray themselves, but that they must have thoughts of spiritual things every day ; howbeit it is possible that they may have no root, or living spring of them in themselves, but they are only occasional impres- sions on their minds from the outward performance of the duty. I shall give some instances of the grounds here- of, which on many reasons require our diligent consi- deration.