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sign not this end in prayer, know not at all what it is to pray. Now all sorts of persons have frequent occasion to join with others in prayer, and many are under the conviction that it is their own duty to pray every day, it may be in their families and otherwise. And it is hard to conceive how men can constantly join with others in prayer, much more how they can pray themselves, but that they must have thoughts of spiritual things every day; howbeit it is possible that they may have no root, or living spring of them in themselves, but they are only occasional impressions on their minds from the outward performance of the duty. I shall give some instances of the grounds hereof, which on many reasons require our diligent consideration.

Spiritual thoughts may be raised in a person in his own duty, by the exercise of his gifts, when there is no acting of grace in them at all. For they lead and guide the mind. unto such things as are the matter of prayer; that is, spiritual things. Gifts are nothing but a spiritual improvement of our natural faculties or abilities. And a man cannot speak or utter any thing but what proceeds from his rational faculties by invention or memory, or both, managed in and by his thoughts, unless he speak by rote, and that which is not rational. What therefore proceeds from a man's rational faculty in and by the exercise of his gifts, that his thoughts must be exercised about.

A man may read a long prayer that expresseth spiritual things, and yet never have one spiritual thought arise in his mind about them. For there is no exercise of any faculty of his mind required unto such reading, but only to attend unto the words that are to be read. This I say may be so, I do not say that it is always so, or that it must be so. But as was said in the exercise of gifts, it is impossible but there must be an exercise of reason, by invention, judgment, and memory; and consequently, thoughts of spiritual things. Yet may they all be merely occasional from the present external performance of the duty, without any living spring or exercise of grace. In such a course may men of tolerable gifts continue all their days, unto the satisfaction of themselves and others, deceiving both them and their own souls.

This being evident from the Scripture and experience, an inquiry may be made thereon, as unto our own concernment in these things; especially of those who have received spiritual gifts of their own, and of them also in some degree, who usually enjoy the gifts of others in this duty. For it may be asked, how we shall know whether the thoughts which we have of spiritual things in and upon prayer do arise from gifts only, those of our own or other men's, giving occasion unto them, or are influenced from a living principle and spring of grace in our hearts. A case this is (however by some it may be apprehended) of great importance, and which would require much time fully to resolve. For there is nothing whereby the refined sort of hypocrites do more deceive themselves and others, nothing whereby some men do give themselves more countenance in an indulgence unto their lusts, than by this part of the form of godliness, when they deny the power thereof.

And besides, it is that wherein the best of believers ought to keep a diligent watch over themselves, in every particular instance of the performance of this duty. With respect hereunto, in an especial manner, are they to watch unto prayer. If they are at any time negligent herein, they may rest in a bare exercise of gifts, when on a due examination and trial, they have no evidence of the acting of grace in what they have done. I shall, therefore, with what brevity I can, give a resolution unto this inquiry. And to this end observe,

1. It is an ancient complaint, that spiritual things are filled with great obscurity and difficulty; and it is true. Not that there is any such thing in themselves, for they all come forth from the Father of lights, and are full of light, order, beauty, and wisdom. And light and order are the only means whereby any thing makes a discovery of itself. But the ground of all darkness and difficulty in these things lies in ourselves. We can more clearly and steadily see and behold the moon and the stars, than we can the sun when it shines in its greatest lustre. It is not because there is more light in the moon and stars than in the sun, but because the light of the sun is greater than our visive faculty can directly bear and behold. So we can more clearly discover the truth and distinct nature of things,

moral and natural, than we can of things that are heavenly and spiritual. See John iii. 14. Not that there is more substance or reality in them, but because the ability of our understanding is more suited unto the comprehension of them. The other are above us. We know but in part, and our minds are liable to be hindered and disordered in their apprehension of things heavenly and spiritual, by ignorance, temptations, and prejudices of all sorts. In nothing more are men subject unto mistakes than in the application of things unto themselves, and a judgment of their interest in them. Fear, self-love, with the prevalency of temptations and corruptions, do all engage their powers to darken the light of the mind and to pervert its judgment. In no case doth the deceitfulness of the heart, or of sin, which is all one, more act itself. Hence multitudes say peace to themselves, to whom God doth not speak peace; and some who are children of light do yet walk in darkness. Hence is that fervent prayer of the apostle for help in this case, Ephes. i. 16-19. There is also a great similitude between temporary faith, and that which is saving and durable; and between gifts and graces in their operations, which is that that is under present consideration. It is acknowledged, therefore, that without the especial light and conduct of the Spirit of God, no man can make such a judgment of his state and his actions, as shall be a stable foundation of giving glory to God, and of obtaining peace unto his own soul. And therefore the greatest part of mankind do constantly deceive themselves in these things.

But ordinarily, under this blessed conduct in the search of ourselves and the concernments of our duty, we may come unto a satisfaction whether they are influenced by faith and have grace exercised in them, especially this duty of prayer, or whether it derive from the power of our natural faculties, raised by light and spiritual gifts only; and so whether our spiritual thoughts therein do spring from a vital principle of grace, or whether they come from occasional impressions on the mind, by the performance of the duty itself.

If men are willing to deceive themselves, or to hide themselves from themselves, to walk with God at all peradventures, to leave all things at hazard, to put off all trials unto

that at the last day, and so never call themselves unto an account as unto the nature of their duties in any particular instance, it is no wonder, if they neither do nor can make any distinction in this matter as unto the true nature of their thoughts in spiritual duties. Two things are required hereunto.

1. That we impartially and severely examine and try the frames and actings of our minds in holy duties by the word of truth; and thereon not be afraid to speak that plainly unto our souls which the word speaks unto us. This dili gent search ought to respect our principles, aims, ends, actings, with the whole deportment of our souls in every duty. See 2 Cor. xiii. 5. If a man receiveth much money, and look only on the outward form and superscription, when he supposeth that he hath great store of current coin in gold and silver, he may have only heaps of lead or copper by him. But he that trades in it as the comfort and support of his natural life and condition, he will try what he receives both by the balance and the touchstone, as the occasion requires, especially if it be in a time when much adulterated coin is passant in the world. And if a man reckons on his duties by tale and number, he may be utterly deceived; and be spiritually poor and a bankrupt, when he esteems himself rich, increased in goods, and wanting nothing. Some duties may appearingly hold in the balance as to weight, which will not hold it at the touchstone as to worth. Both means are to be used if we would not be mistaken in our accounts. Thus God himself, in the midst of a multitude of duties, calls the people to try and examine themselves, whether or no they are such as have faith and grace in them, and so like to have acceptance with him. Isa. lviii. 2-5.

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2. Add we must unto our own diligent inquiry fervent prayers unto God, that he would search and try us, as unto our sincerity, and discover unto us the true frame of our hearts. Hereof we have an express example, Psal. cxxxix. 23, 24. Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.' This is the only way whereby we may have the Spirit of God witnessing unto our sincerity, with our own spirits. There

is need of calling in divine assistance in this matter, both from the importance of it, and from its difficulty; God alone knowing fully and perfectly, what is in the hearts of men.

I no way doubt but that in the impartial use of these means, a man may come to assured satisfaction in his own mind, such as wherein he shall not be deceived, whether he doth animate and quicken his thoughts of spiritual things in duties with inward vital grace, or whether they are impressions on his mind, by the occasion of the duty.

A duty this is of great importance and necessity, now hypocrisy hath made so great an inroad on profession, and gifts have deflowered grace in its principal operations. No persons are in greater danger of walking at hazard with God, than those who live in the exercise of spiritual gifts in duties, unto their own satisfaction and others. For they may countenance themselves with an appearance of every thing that should be in them in reality and power, when there is nothing of it in them. And so it hath fallen out. We have seen many earnest in the exercise of this gift, who have turned vile and debauched apostates. Some have been known to live in sin and an indulgence of their lusts, and yet to abide constant in their duties. Isa. i. 15. And we may hear prayers sometimes that openly discover themselves unto spiritual sense, to be the labour of the brain, by the help of gifts in memory and invention, without an evidence of any mixture of humility, reverence, or godly fear; without any acting of faith and love. They flow as wine, yet smell and taste of the unsavoury cask from whence they proceed. It is necessary therefore that we should put ourselves on the severest trial, lest we should be found not to be spiritually minded in spiritual duties.

Gifts are gracious vouchsafements of Christ to make grace useful unto ourselves 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,

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