4. When spiritual affections and due preparation of heart unto the duty do excite and animate the gift of prayer, and not the gift make impressions on the affections, then are we spiritually minded therein. Gifts are servants, not rulers, in the mind ; are bestowed on us to be serviceable unto grace, not to lead, but to follow it, and to be ready with their as- sistance on its exercise. For the most part where they lead all, they are all alone. This is the natural order of these things. Grace habitually inclineth and disposeth the heart unto this duty. Providence and rule give the occasions for its exercise. Sense of duty calls for preparation. Grace comino; into actual exercise, gifts come in with their assist- ance. If they lead all, all is out of order. It may be other- wise sometimes. A person indisposed and lifeless, engaging into prayer in a way of obedience, upon conviction of duty, may, in and by the gift, have his affections excited, and graces engaged unto its proper work. It may be so, I say ; but let men take heed how they trust unto this order and method. For where it is so, there may be little or nothing of
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the exercise of true grace in all their fervour and commotion of affections. But when the genuine actings of faith, love, holy reverence, and gracious desires, do stir up the gift unto its exercise, calling in its assistance unto the expression of themselves, then are the heart and mind in their proper order.
5. It is so when other duties of religion are equally re- garded and attended unto with prayer itself. He, all whose religion lies in prayer and hearing, hath none at all. God hath an equal respect unto all other duties, and so must we have also. So is it expressed as unto the instance of alms. Acts X. 31. And James placeth all religion herein, because there is none without it, chap. i. 27. I shall not value his prayers at all, be he never so earnest and frequent in them, who gives not alms according to his ability. And this in an especial manner is required of us who are ministers; that we be not like a hand set up in cross ways, directing others which way to go, but staying behind itself.
This digression about the rise and spring of spiritual thoughts in prayer, I judged not unnecessary in such a time and season wherein we ought to be very jealous, lest gifts impose themselves in the room of grace, and be careful that they are employed only unto their proper end, which is to be serviceable unto grace in its exercise, and not otherwise.
3. There is another occasion of thoughts of spiritual things, when they do not spring from a living principle within, and so are no evidence of being spiritually minded. And this is the discourse of others. * They that fear the Lord will be speaking one to another' of the things wherein his glory is concerned, Mai. iii. 16. To declare the righ- teousness, the glory of God, is the delight of his saints. Psal. cxlv. 3 — 8. ' Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, and his greatness is unsearchable. One generation shall praise thy works to another, and shall declare thy mighty works. I will speak of the glorious honour of thy majesty, and of thy wondrous works. And men shall speak of tlie might of thy terrible acts ; and I will declare thy greatness. They shall abundantly utter the memory of thy great goodness, and shall sing of thy righteousness. The Lord is gracious and full of compassion, slow to auger and
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of great mercy.' And accordingly there are some who arc ready on all occasions to be speaking or making mention of things divine, spiritual, and holy, and it is to be wished that there were more of them. All the flagitious sins that the world is filled withal, are not a greater evidence of the de- generacy of the Christian religion than this is, that it is grown unusual, yea, a shame or scorn, for men to speak to- gether of the things of God. It was not so when religion was in its primitive power and glory ; nor is it so with them who really fear God, and are sensible of their duty. Some, I say, there are, who embrace all occasions of spiritual com- munication. Those with whom they do converse, if they are not profligate, if they have any spiritual light, cannot but so far comply with what they say, as to think of the things spoken which are spiritual. Ofttimes the track and course of men's thoughts lie so out of the way, are so contrary unto such things, that they seem strange unto them, they give them no entertainment. You do but cross their way with such discourses, whereon they stand still a little and so pass on. Even the countenances of some men will change hereon, and they betake themselves unto an unsatisfied silence, until they can divert unto other things. Some will make such replies of empty words, as shall evidence their hearts to be far enough estranged from the things proposed unto them. But with others, such occasional discourses will make such impressions on their minds as to stir up present thoughts of spiritual things. But though frequent occasions hereof may be renewed, yet will such thoughts give no evidence that any man is spiritually minded. For they are not genuine, from an internal spring of grace.