38 OF SPIRITUAL MINDEDNESS. who are either despisers of what they hear, or way- side hearers, who understand nothing of what they hear, and immediately lose all sense of it, and all thoughts about it ; but 1 speak of them who attend with some dilligence, and receive the word with some joy. These insensibly grow in knowledge and under- standing, and therefore cannot be without some thoughts of spiritual things : howbeit for the most part, they are, as was said, but like unto waters that run after a shower of rain. They pour out themselves as if they proceeded from some strong living spring, whereas indeed they have none at all. When once the waters of the shower are spent, their channel is dry; there is nothing in it but stones and dirt. When the doctrine of the word falls on such persons as showers of rain, it gives a course, sometimes greater, sometimes less, unto their thoughts towards spiritual things : but they have not a well of water in them springing up into everlasting life. Wherefore after a while their minds are dried up from such thoughts; nothing remains in them but earth, and that perhaps foul and dirty. ff It must be observed, that the best of men, the most holy and spiritually minded, may have, nay, ought to have, their thoughts of spiritual things excited, multi- plied, and confirmed by the preaching of the word. It is one end of its dispensation, one principal use of it in them by whom it is received. And it hath this effect two ways. 1. As it is the spiritual food of the soul, whereby its principle of life and grace is main- tained and strengthened. The more this is done, the more shall we thrive in being spiritually minded. 2. As it admin.istereth occasion unto the exercise of grace. Forproposing the proper object of faith, love,
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