The Grace and Duty of Being Spiritually Minded

This digression about the Rise and Spring of Spiritual ⟨p. 44⟩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, Mal. 3.16. To declare the Righteousness, the Glory of God, is the Delight of his Saints. Psal. 145. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 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 the 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 Anger and of great Mercy. And accordingly there are some who are 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 Degeneracy of Christian Religion, than this is, that it is grown unusual, yea a shame or scorn for men to speak together 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 Communication. 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