OF SPIRITUAL MINDEDNESS. 51 of men therein do arise from an internal spring of grace. There is a fervency of spirit in prayer4 that is one of the best properties of it, being an earnest acting of love, faith, and desire : But there is a fer- vency wherewith the mind itself may be affected, that may arise from other causes. 1. It may do so from the engagement of natural affections unto the object of their prayer, or the things prayed for. Men may be mighty earnest and intent in their minds, in praying for a dear relation, or for deliverence from imminent troubles, or imminent dangers; and yet all this fervour arise from the vehe- ment áctings of natural affections about the things prayed for, excited in an especial manner by the pre- sent duty. Hence God calls the earnest cries of some for temporal things not a crying unto him, but an howling, Hosea, vii. 14. That is, the cry of hungry ravenous beasts, that would be satisfied. 2. Sometimes it ariseth from the sharpness of con- victions, which will make men even, roar in their prayers for disquietment of heart. And this may be, where there is no true grace as yet received, nor, it may be, ever will be so. For the perplexing work of conviction goes before real conversion ; and as it pro- duceth many other effects and changes in the mind, so it may do this of great fervency in vocal prayers, especially if it be accompanied with outward afflictions, pains, or troubles. Psalm lxxviii, 34, 35. 3. Oft-times the mind and affections are very little concerned in that fervor and earnestness which appear in the outward performance of the duty ; but in the exercise of gifts, and through their own utterance, men put their natural affections into such an agitation as shall carry them out into a great vehemency in
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