The Grace and Duty of Being Spiritually Minded

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 therein. It is in its own Nature an Access unto God on a Throne of Grace. Ephes. 2.18. Heb. 10.19, 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, Rest and Complacency: And in such an Access unto him, there is a refreshing Taste of them Communicated unto the Soul. Psal. 36.7, 8, 9. How excellent is thy Loving kindness, 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 is he also ⟨p. 39⟩as the Spring of Life and Light, all Spiritual 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.