The Grace and Duty of Being Spiritually Minded

It will be said, Do not all men, the best of men, perform all Spiritual Duties out of a Conviction of their Necessity? do they not know it would be their Sin to omit them, and so find Satisfaction in their Minds upon their performance; I say they do; but it is one thing to perform a Duty out of conviction of a necessity, as it is Gods Ordinance, which Conviction respects only the Duty it self; another thing to perform it, to give satisfaction unto Convictions of other Sins, or to quiet Conscience under its trouble about them, which latter we speak unto. This begins and ends in self, self-Satisfaction is the sole Design of it. By it men aim at some Rest and Quietness in their own Minds, which otherwise they cannot attain. But in the performance of Duties in Faith, from a Conviction of their necessity as Gods Ordinance, and their Use in the way of his Grace, the Soul begins and ends in God. It seeks no Satisfaction in them, nor finds it from them, but in and from God alone by them.

Thirdly, The principal reason why Men whose Affections are only changed, not Spiritually renewed, do delight in holy Duties of Divine Worship, is, because they place their Righteousness before God in them, whereon they hope to be accepted with him. They know not, they seek not after any other Righteousness but what is of their own working out. Whatever Notions they may have of the Righteousness of Faith, of the Righteousness of Christ, that which they ⟨p. 226⟩practically trust unto, is their own; and it discovers it self so to be in their own Consciences on every Trial that befalls them. Yea, when they cry unto the Lord, and pretend unto Faith in Christ, they quickly make it evident that their principal trust is resolved into themselves. Now in all that they can plead in a way of Duties or Obedience, nothing carrieth a fairer pretence unto a Righteousness, than what they do in the Worship of God, and the Exercise of the Acts of Religion towards him. This is that which he expects at their hands, what is due unto him, in the Light of their Consciences; the best that they can do to please him, which therefore they must put their trust in or nothing. They secretly suppose not only that there is a Righteousness in these things which will answer for it self, but such also as will make Compensation in some measure for their Sins; and therefore whereas they cannot but frequently fall into Sin, they relieve themselves from the reflection of their Consciences by a Multiplication of Duties, and Renewed Diligence in them.