200 Or SPIRITUAL NiINDÉDNËSái sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of our- selves, but our sufficiency is of God.' He speaks prin- cipally of ministers of the gospel, and that of such as were most eminently furnished with spiritual gifts and graces, as he declares, v. 6. And if it be so with them, and that with respect to the work and duties of their calling, how much more is it so with others, who have not their graces nor their offices 2 Wherefore, if men, without regard to the present actual grace of God, and the supplies of his Spirit, do suppose that they can, of themselves, exercise their minds in spirit- ual thoughts, and so only fret at themselves when they fall into disappointment, not knowing what is the matter with them, they will live in a lifeless, barren frame, all their days. By the strength of their natural abilities, men may frame thoughts of . God and heavenly things in their minds, according to the knowledge they have of them. They may methodize them by rules of art, and ex- press them elegantly to others; but even while they do so, they may be far enough from being spiritually minded; for there may be in their thoughts no actings of faith, love, or holy delight in God, nor any grace at all. But such alone are things which we inquire after; they are such only as wherein the graces of the spirit are in their proper exercise. With respect to them, we have no sufficiency in ourselves, all our suf- ficiency must be of God. There is no truth among persons of light and knowledge more generally grant- ed in the notion of it than this, that of ourselves we can do nothing ; and none more neglected in daily practice. Men profess they can do nothing of them- selves, and yet go about their duties as if they could do all things
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