The Grace and Duty of Being Spiritually Minded

Gifts are gracious vouchsafements of Christ to make Grace useful unto our selves and others; yea they may make them useful unto the Grace of others, who have no Grace in themselves. But as unto our own souls they are of no other advantage or benefit but to stir up Grace unto its proper Exercise; and to be a vehicle to carry it on, in its proper use. If we do not always regard this in their Exercise, we had better be without them. If instead hereof, they once begin to impose themselves practically upon us, so as that we rest in spiritual Light acting our Inventions, Memories and Judgements with a ready utterance, or such as it is, there is no form of Prayer can be more prejudicial unto our Souls. As Wine if taken moderately and seasonably helps the Stomach in Digestion, and quickens the natural Spirits, enabling the Powers of Nature unto their Duty, is useful and helpful unto it, but if it be taken in excess, it doth not help Nature but oppress it, and takes on it self to do what nature should be assisted unto, it fills mens Carcasses with Diseases as well as their Souls with sin. So whilst Spiritual Gifts are used and employed only to excite, aid and assist Grace in its operations, they are unutterably useful. But if they put themselves in the Room thereof, to do all that Grace should do; they are hurtful and pernicious. We have need therefore to be very diligent in this Enquiry, whether our Spiritual Thoughts, even in our Prayers, be not rather occasioned from the Duty, than spring from a gracious ⟨p. 32⟩Principle in our Hearts, or are the actings of real saving Grace.

Gifts are gracious vouchsafements of Christ to make Grace useful unto our selves and others; yea they may make them useful unto the Grace of others, who have no Grace in themselves. But as unto our own souls they are of no other advantage or benefit but to stir up Grace unto its proper Exercise; and to be a vehicle to carry it on, in its proper use. If we do not always regard this in their Exercise, we had better be without them. If instead hereof, they once begin to impose themselves practically upon us, so as that we rest in spiritual Light acting our Inventions, Memories and Judgements with a ready utterance, or such as it is, there is no form of Prayer can be more prejudicial unto our Souls. As Wine if taken moderately and seasonably helps the Stomach in Digestion, and quickens the natural Spirits, enabling the Powers of Nature unto their Duty, is useful and helpful unto it, but if it be taken in excess, it doth not help Nature but oppress it, and takes on it self to do what nature should be assisted unto, it fills mens Carcasses with Diseases as well as their Souls with sin. So whilest Spiritual Gifts are used and employed only to excite, aid and assist Grace in its operations, they are unutterably useful. But if they put themselves in the Room thereof, to do all that Grace should do; they are hurtful and pernicious. We have need therefore to be very diligent in this Enquiry, whether our Spiritual Thoughts, even in our Prayers, be not rather occasioned from the Duty, than spring from a gracious