The Grace and Duty of Being Spiritually Minded

2. Be always sensible of your own Insufficiency to raise in your Minds or to managed spiritual Thoughts, or Thoughts of things spiritual and Heavenly in a due manner. But in this case men are apt to suppose, that as they may, so they can think of what they please. Thoughts are their own, and therefore be they of what sort they will, they need no assistance for them. They cannot think as they ought, they can do nothing at all. And nothing will convince them of their folly, until they are burdened with an experience of the contrary, as unto Spiritual things. But the advice given is expressly laid down by the Apostle in the Instance of himself. 2 Cor. 3.5. Not that we are sufficient of our selves to think any thing as of our selves, but our sufficiency is of God. He speaks principally of Ministers of the Gospel, and that of such as were most eminently furnished with Spiritual Gifts and Graces, as he declares v. 6. And If it be so with them, and that with respect unto the work and Duties of their Calling, how much more is it so with others, who have not their Graces nor their Offices? Wherefore if men without regard unto the present actual Grace of God, and the supplies of his Spirit, do suppose that they can of themselves, exercise their Minds in spiritual Thoughts, and so only fret at themselves when they fall into disappointment, not knowing what is the matter with them, they will live in a lifeless barren frame all their days.

2. Be alwaies sensible of your own Insufficincy to raise in your Minds or to managed spiritual Thoughts, or Thoughts of things spiritual and Heavenly in a due manner. But in this case men are apt to suppose, that as they may, so they can think of what they please. Thoughts are their own, and therefore be they of what sort they will, they need no assistance for them. They cannot think as they ought, they can do nothing at all. And nothing will convince them of their folly, untill they are burdened with an experience of the contrary, as unto Spiritual things. But the advice given is expressely laid down by the Apostle in the Instance of himself. 2 Cor. 3.5. Not that we are sufficient of our selves to think any thing as of our selves, but our sufficiency is of God. He speaks principally of Ministers of the Gospel, and that of such as were most eminently furnished with Spiritual Gifts and Graces, as he declares v. 6. And If it be so with them, and that with respect unto the work and Duties of their Calling, how much more is it so with others, who have not their Graces nor their Offices? Wherefore if men without regard unto the present actual Grace of God, and the supplies of his Spirit, do suppose that they can of themselves, exercise their Minds in spiritual Thoughts, and so only fret at themselves when they fall into disappointment, not knowing what is the matter with them, they will live in a lifeless barren frame all their dayes.