76 Dire ionsforgetting and keeping 3. Yet mutt you well remember, that this Willing; nefs and choice is flill imperfect : and therefore when I mention et hearty iillingnefs, I mean not aperfeat ívillingnefs.There may be and is in the moft gracious fouls on earth, much undifpolednefs, backwardnefs and withdrawing ofheart?which is too great a mea- lure of unjwillingnefs to duty. Efpecially to thole du. ties which the flefh is moft averle from, and which require moft ofGod and his Spirit to the right per- formance ofthem. Among all Duties, I think the foul is naturally moft backward to thefe following, i To fecret pray. er : becaufe it is fpiritual, and requires great reve. rence, and bath nothing ofexternal pomp or form to take us up with, and confifteth not much in the exer- cife ofcommon gifts, but in the exercife of fpeciai' Grace , and the breathings ofthe Spirit, and fearch- ings,pantings,and firivingsofa gracious foul towards God. (I do not fpeak of the heartlefs repeating of bare words, learned by rote, and either not under= Itood, or not uttered from thefeelingof the foul. ). 2. To ferious Meditation, allo is the foul very back- ward: that is either tomeditate on God,and the pro. mffed Glory, or any fpiritual fubjeâ, to this end that the heart may be thereby quìckned`& railed, & gra- ces exercifed(though to meditate on the fame fubjed, only to know or difpute on it, the heart is nothing near fobackward.) Or elfe to meditateon the flare ofour own hearts, by way of felf-examination, or Pelf- judging, or felf-reprehenfion, or fell-exciting. 3.. Alf() to the Duty of faithful dealing with each others fouls,in fecret reproof& exhortation, plainly (though lovingly) to tell eachotherof our fins aná dargeti
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