souls in every duty. 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, 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 passing 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 apparently hold in the balance as to weight, which will not hold at the touch-stone 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 not they are such as have faith and grace in them, and so likely to have acceptance with him, Isa. lviii. 2—5.

2. We must add to our own diligent inquiry, fervent prayers to God, that he would search and try us, as to our sincerity, and discover to us the true frame of our hearts. Of this we have an express example: "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 to 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, so as 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.

This is a duty of great importance and necessity, now that 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, to their own and others' satisfaction. 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. And we sometimes may hear prayers, that openly discover themselves to 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 to ourselves and others; yea, they may make them useful to the grace of others, who have no grace in themselves. But, as to our own souls, they are of no other advantage or benefit, but to stir up grace to 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 judgments, with a ready utterance, or such as it is; there is no form of prayer can be more prejudicial to our souls. As wine, if taken moderately and seasonably, helps the stomach in digestion, and quickens the natural spirits, enabling the powers of nature to their duty; but if it be taken in excess, it doth not

help nature, but oppress it, and takes on itself to do what nature should be assisted to; it fills men's 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 inquiry, whether our spiritual thoughts, even in our prayers, be not rather occasioned from the duty, than spring from a gracious principle in our hearts, or are the actings of real saving grace.

Secondly, Where thoughts of spiritual things in prayer are occasional only, in the way before described, such prayers will not be a means of spiritual growth to the soul. They will not make the soul humble, holy, watchful, and diligent in universal obedience. Grace will not thrive under the greatest constancy in such duties. It is an astonishing thing to see, how, under frequency of prayer, and a seeming fervency therein, many of us are at a stand, as to visible thriving in the fruits of grace, and it is to be feared, without any increase of strength in the root of it. God's hand is not shortened that he cannot save, nor his ear deafened, that he cannot hear. He is the same as in the days of old, when our fathers cried unto him, and were delivered, when they trusted in him, and were not confounded. "Jesus Christ is the same, yesterday, and to-day, and for ever." Prayer is the same that it was, and shall lose nothing of its prevalency whilst this world endureth. Whence is it, then, that there is so much prayer amongst us, and so little success? I speak not with respect unto the outward dispensations of divine providence in afflictions or persecutions, wherein God always acts in a way of sovereignty, and ofttimes gives the most useful answer to our prayers, by denying our requests. I intend that only whereof the Psalmist giveth us his experience-" In the day when I cried, thou answeredst me, and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul." Where prayers are

effectual, they will bring in spiritual strength. But the prayers of many seem to be very spiritual, and to express all conceivable supplies of grace, and they are persisted in with constancy. And God forbid we should judge them to be hypocritical and wholly insincere. Yet is there a defect somewhere, which should be inquired after; for they are not so answered, as that they who pray them are strengthened with strength in their souls. There is not that spiritual thriving, that growth in grace, which might be expected to accompany such supplications.

I know that a man may pray often, pray sincerely, and frequently, for an especial mercy, grace, or deliverance, from a particular temptation; and yet no spiritual supply of strength to his own experience come in thereby. So Paul prayed thrice for the removal of his temptation, and yet had the exercise of it continued. In such a case, there may be no defect in prayer, and yet the grace in particular aimed at not be attained: for God hath other holy ends to accomplish on the soul. But how persons should continue in prayer, in general, according to the mind of God, so far as can be outwardly discovered, and yet thrive not at all, as to spiritual strength in their souls, is hard to be understood.

And, which is yet more astonishing, men abide in the duty of prayer, and that in constancy, in their families, and otherwise, and yet live in known sins. Whatever spiritual thoughts such men have in and by their prayers, they are not spiritually minded. Shall we now say, that all such persons are gross hypocrites, such as know they do but mock God and man; know that they have not desires nor aims after the things which they mention in their own prayers, but do these things either for some corrupt end, or, at best, to satisfy their convictions? Could we thus resolve, the whole difficulty of the case were taken off. For such double-minded men have no reason to think that they should receive any thing of the Lord. Indeed they do not. They never act faith with reference to

their own prayers.

But it is not so with all this sort.

Some judge themselves sincere, and in good earnest in their prayers, not without some hopes and expectations of success. I will not say of all such persons, that they are among the number of them concerning whom the wisdom of God says, "Because I called unto them, and they refused; they shall call on me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, and shall not find me. And although we may say to such persons, in general, Either leave your sinning, or leave your praying, and that with respect to present scandal, and certain miscarriage in the end, if both be continued in; yet, in particular, I would not advise any such person to leave off his praying, until he had left his sin. This were to advise a sick man to use no remedies until he were well cured. Who knows but that the Holy Spirit, who works when and how he pleaseth, may take a time to animate these lifeless prayers, and make them a means of deliverance from the power of this sin! In the meantime, the fault and guilt is wholly their own, who have effected a consistency between a way in sinning, and a course in praying. And it ariseth from this, that they have never laboured to fill up their requests with grace. What there hath been of earnestness or diligence in them, hath been from a force put upon them by their convictions and fears. For no man was ever absolutely prevailed on by sin, who prayed for deliverance according to the mind of God. Every praying man that perisheth was a hypocrite. The faithfulness of God in his promises will not allow us to judge otherwise. Wherefore, the thoughts that such persons have of spiritual things, even in their duties, do not arise from within, nor are a natural emanation of the frames of their hearts and affections.

Thirdly, Earnestness, and apparent fervency in prayer, as to the outward delivery of the words of it, yea, though the mind be so affected, as to contribute much thereunto, will not of themselves prove that the thoughts of men therein do arise from an internal spring of grace. There is a fervency of spirit in prayer, that is one of the best properties of it, being