The Grace and Duty of Being Spiritually Minded

3. It is a sure Evidence that our Thoughts of Spiritual things in our Supplications are from an internal Spring of Grace, and are not merely occasioned by the Duty it self, when we find the daily fruit and advantage of them; especially in the preservation of our Souls in an holy, humble watchful frame.

3. It is a sure Evidence that our Thoughts of Spiritual things in our Supplications are from an internal Spring of Grace, and are not meerly occasioned by the Duty it self, when we find the daily fruit and advantage of them; especially in the preservation of our Souls in an holy, humble watchfull frame.

Innumerable are the Advantages, Benefits and Effects of Prayer; which are commonly spoken unto. Growth in Grace and Consolation is the substance of them. Where there is continuance in Prayer, there will be Spiritual ⟨p. 42⟩Growth in some proportion. For men to be Earnest in Prayer and Thriftless in Grace, is a certain Indication of prevalent corruptions, and want of being Spiritually Minded in Prayer it self. If a man eats his daily food, let him eat never so much, or so often, if he be not nourished by it, his Body is under the Power of prevalent distempers. And so is his Spiritual Constitution, who thriveth not in the use of the food of the New Creature. But that which I fix upon with respect unto the present enquiry, is the Frame that it preserves the soul in. It will keep it humble and upon a diligent watch as unto it's dispositions and actings. He who prays as he ought, will endeavour to live as he prays. This none can do who doth not with diligence keep his heart unto the things he hath prayed about. To pray earnestly and live carelessly, is to proclaim that a man is not Spiritually minded in his prayer. Hereby then we shall know what is the Spring of those spiritual Thoughts, which our minds are exercised withal in our supplications. If they are influenced unto a constant daily watch for the preservation of that frame of Spirit, those dispositions and Inclinations unto spiritual things which we pray for, they are from an internal Spring of Grace. If there be generally an unsuitableness in our minds unto what we seem to contend for in our Prayers, the Gift may be in exercise, but the Grace is wanting. If a man be every day on the Exchange, and there talketh diligently and earnestly about Merchandise and the Affairs of Trade, but when he comes home thinks no more of them, because indeed he hath nothing to do, no interest in them, he may be a very poor man notwithstanding his pretences. And he may be spiritually very poor who is on occasions fervent in prayer, if when he retires unto himself, he is not careful and diligent about the matter of it.