The Grace and Duty of Being Spiritually Minded

3. Oft-times the Mind and Affections are very little concerned in that Fervour and Earnestness which appear in the outward Performance of the Duty. But in the exercise of Gifts and through their own utterance, men put their Natural Affections into such an Agitation, as shall carry them out into a great Vehemency in their Expressions. It hath been so with sundry Persons, who have been discovered to be Rotten Hypocrites, and have afterwards turned Cursed Apostates. Wherefore all these things may be, where there is no gracious Spring, or Vital Principle, Acting it self from within in Spiritual Thoughts.

Some it may be will design an Advantage by their Conceptions unto the Interest of Profaneness and Scoffing. ⟨p. 36⟩For if there may be these evils under the Exercise of the Gift of Prayer, both in Constancy and with Fervency; if there may be a total want of the Exercise of all true Grace with it and under it; then it may be all that is pretended of this Gift and its Use, is but Hypocrisy and Talk. But I say, (1.) It may be as well pretended, that because the Sun shining on a Dung-hill, doth occasion offensive and noisome Steams, therefore all that is pretended of its Influence on Spices and Flowers, causing them to give out their Fragrancy, is utterly false. No man ever thought that Spiritual Gifts did change, or renew the Minds and Natures of Men; where they are alone they only help and assist unto the useful Exercise of Natural Faculties and Powers. And therefore where the Heart is not savingly renewed, no Gifts can stir up a saving Exercise of Faith. But where it is so, they are a means to cause the Savour of it to flow forth. (2.) Be it so that there may be some Evils found under the Exercise of the Gift of Prayer, what remedy for them may be proposed? Is it that men should Renounce their use of it, and betake themselves unto the Reading of Prayers only? (1.) The same may be said of all Spiritual Gifts whatever, for they are all of them liable unto Abuse. And shall we reject all the Powers of the World to come, the whole complex of Gospel Gifts, for the Communication whereof the Lord Christ hath promised to continue his Spirit with his Church unto the end of the World, because by some they are abused? (2.) Not only the same, but far greater evils may be found in and under the Reading of Prayers, which needs no further Demonstration than what it gives of it self every Day. (3.) It is hard to understand, how any benefit at all can accrue unto any by this Relief, when the Advantages of the other way are evident.