Wherefore the inquiry remains, How we may know unto our own satisfaction, that the thoughts we have of spiritual things in the duty of prayer, are from an internal fountain of grace, and so are an evidence that we are spiritually minded, whereunto all these things do tend. Some few things I shall offer towards satisfaction herein.
1. I take it for granted, on the evidence before given, that persons who have any spiritual light, and will dili- gently examine and try their own hearts, will be able to discern what real actings of faith, of love, and delight in God, there are in their duties; and consequently, what is the spring of their spiritual thoughts. In general we are assured, that ' he that believcth, hath the witness in himself;' 1 John V. 10. Sincere faith will be its own evidence. And where there are sincere actings of faith, they will evidence themselves, if we try all things impartially by the word. But if men do, as for the most part they do, content them- selves with the performance of any duty, without an ex-
246 THE GRACE AND DUTY OF
amination of their principles, frames, and actings of grace in them, it is no wonder if they walk in all uncertainty.
2. When the soul finds a sweet spiritual complacency in and after its duties, it is an evidence that grace hath been acted in its spiritual thoughts and desires. Jer. xxxi. the prophet receiveth a long gracious message from God, filled up with excellent promises and pathetical exhortations unto the church. The whole is as it were summed up in the close of it, ver. 25. * For I have satiated the weary soul, and I have replenished every sorrowful soul.' Where- on the prophet adds, ' Upon this I awaked, and beheld, and my sleep was sweet unto me.' God's gracious message had so composed his spirits, and freed his mind from trouble, as that he was at quiet repose in himself, like a man asleep. But after the end of it, he stirs up himself unto a review and consideration of what had been spoken unto him : ' I awaked and beheld,' or I stirred up myself, and considered what had been delivered unto me ; and, saith he, ' my sleep was sweet unto me ;' I found a gracious complacency in, and refreshment unto, my soul, from what I had heard and received. So is it ofttimes with a soul that hath had real communion with God in the duty of prayer. It finds itself both in it, and afterward when it is awakened unto the consideration of it, spiritually refreshed, it is sweet unto him.
This holy complacency, this rest and sweet repose of mind, is the foundation of the delight of believers in this duty. They do not pray only because it is their duty so to do, nor yet because they stand in need of it, so as that they cannot live without it, but they have delight in it ; and to keep them from it, is all one as to keep them from their daily food and refreshment. Now we can have no delight in any thing but what we have found some sweetness, rest, and complacency in. Without any such experience we may do or use any thing, but cannot do it with delight. And it ariseth, 1. From the approach that is made unto God there- in. It is in its own nature an access unto God on a throne of grace ; Ephes. ii. 18. Heb. x. 19, 20. And when this access is animated by the actings of grace, the soul hath a spiritual experience of a nearness in that approach. Now God is the fountain and centre of all spiritual refreshment.
BEING SPlllITUALLY MINDED. 247
rest, and complacency : and in such an access unto him, there is a refreshing taste of them communicated unto the soul. Psal. xxxvi. 7 — 9". ' How excellent is thy loving kind- ness, O God ! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings. They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house : and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures. For with thee is the fountain of life : in thy light we shall see light.' God is proposed in the excellency of his loving kindness, which is comprehensive of his goodness, grace, and mercy. And so he is also as the spring of life and light, all spiri- tual powers and joys. Those that believe, are described by their 'trust under the shadow of his wings.' In his worship, the fatness of his house, they make their approaches unto him. And the fruit hereof is, that he makes them to ' drink of the river of his pleasures,' the satisfying, refreshing streams of his grace and goodness ; they approach unto him as unto the * fountain of life,' so as to drink of that fountain, in renewed communications of life and grace ; and in the light of God, the light of his countenance, to 'see light,' in satisfying joy. In these things doth consist, and from them doth arise, that spiritual complacency which the souls of believers do find in their duties. 2. From the due exercise of faith, love, and delight, the graces wherein the life of the new creature doth principally consist. There is a suitableness unto our natural constitution, and a secret complacency of our natures in the proper actings of life na- tural, for its own preservation and increase. There is so in in our spiritual constitution, in the proper actings of the powers of our spiritual life unto its preservation and in- ci'ease. These graces, in their due exercise, do compose and refresh the mind, as those which are perfective of its state, which quell and cast out whatever troubles it. Thence a blessed satisfaction and complacency befalls the soul. Here- in 'he that believeth hath the witness in himself.' Besides, faith and love are never really acted on Christ, but they prepare and make meet the soul to receive communications of love and grace from him ; which it never faileth of, al- though it be not always sensible thereof. 3. From the testimony of conscience, bearing witness unto our sin- cerity, both in aims, ends, and performances of the duty.