Nature and compliant with its inclinations Wherefore these Thoughts give the best measure of the frame of our Minds and Hearts I mean such as are Voluntary such as the mind of its own accord is apt for inclines and ordinarily betakes it self unto Men may have a multitude of Thoughts about the Affairs of their Callings and the Occasions of life which yet may give no due measure of the inward frame of their Hearts So men whose calling and work it is to study the Scripture or the things revealed therein and to preach them unto others cannot but have many Thoughts about Spiritual things and yet may be and oftentimes are most remote from being spiritually minded They may be forced by their Work and Calling to think of them early and late Evening and Morning and yet their Minds be no way rendred or proved Spiritual thereby It were well if all of us who are Preachers would diligently examine our selves herein So is it with them who oblige themselves to read the Scripture it may be so many Chapters every day notwithstanding the diligent performance of their Task they may be most remote from being spiritually minded See Ezek. 33.31 But there is a certain Track and Course of Thoughts that men ordinarily betake themselves unto when not affected with present Occasions If these be vain foolish Proud Ambitious sensual or filthy such is the mind and its frame If they be Holy Spiritual and Heavenly such may the frame of the mind be judged to be But these things must be more fully explained It is the great Character and description of the frame of mens minds in an unregenerate Condition or before the Renovation of their Natures That every Imagination of the Thoughts of their Hearts are only evil continually Gen. 6.5 They are continually coyning Figments and Imaginations in their Hearts stamping them into Thoughts that are vain foolish and wicked All other Thoughts in them are occasional these are the natural genuine product of their Hearts Hence the clearest and sometimes first discovery of the bottomless evil Treasure of filth folly and wickedness that is in the Heart of man by nature is from the innumerable multitude of evil Imaginations which are there coyned and thrust forth every day So the wicked are said to be like the troubled Sea when it cannot rest whose waters cast up mire and dirt Isa. 57.20 There is a fulness of evil in their Hearts like that of water in the Sea This fulness is troubled or put into continual Motion by their Lusts and impetuous desires Hence the mire and dirt of evil Thoughts are continually cast up in them It is therefore evident that the Predominancy of Voluntary thoughts is the best and most sure indication of the inward frame and State of the mind For if it be so on the one side as unto the Carnal mind it is so on the other as unto the Spiritual Wherefore to be spiritually minded in the first place is to have the Course and Stream of those Thoughts which we ordinarily retreat unto which we approve of as suited unto our Affections to be about spiritual things Therein consists the minding of the Spirit But because all men unless horribly profligate have thoughts about spiritual things yet we know that all men are not spiritually minded we must consider What is required unto such Thoughts to render them a certain Indication of the state of our minds And there are these three things required hereunto 1. That they be natural arising from our selves and not from outward occasions The Psalmist mentions the inward thoughts of men Psal. 49.11 64.6 But whereas all thoughts are the inward Acts of the mind it should seem that this expression makes no distinction of the especial kind of Thoughts intended from those of another sort But the difference is not in the formal Nature of them but in the Causes Springs and Occasions Inward thoughts are such as arise meerly and solely from mens inward Principles Dispositions and Inclinations that are not suggested or excited by any outward Objects Such in wicked men are those actings of their Lusts whereby they entice and seduce themselves Jam. 1.14 Their Lusts stir up thoughts leading and encouraging them to make Provision for the flesh These are their inward Thoughts Of the same Nature are those thoughts which are the minding of the Spirit They are the first natural egress and genuine acting of the habitual disposition of the Mind and Soul Thus in Covetous men there are two sorts of thoughts whereby their Covetousness acts it self First Such as are occasioned by outward Objects and Opportunities So it was with Achan Josh. 7.21 When saith he I saw among the Spoyls a goodly Babylonish Garment and two hundred Shekels of Silver and a Wedge of Gold then I coveted them His sight of them with an Opportunity of possessing himself of them excited covetous thoughts and desires in him So is it with others every day whose Occasions call them to converse with the Objects of their Lusts. And some by such Objects may be surprized into Thoughts that their minds are not habitually inclined unto And therefore when they are known it is our duty to avoid them But the same sort of Persons have thoughts of this nature arising from themselves only their own dispositions and inclinations without any outward Provocations The vile Person will speak villany and his heart will work iniquity Isa. 32.6 And this he doth as the liberal deviseth liberal things v. 8. from his own disposition and inclination he is contriving in his thoughts how to act according to them So the Vnclean Person hath two sorts of thoughts with respect unto the satisfaction of his Lusts. First Such as are occasioned in his mind by the external Objects of it Hereunto Stage-playes Revellings Dancings with the Society of bold Persons Persons of corrupt Communication do contribute their wicked Service For the avoidance of this Snare Job made a Covenant with his Eyes Chap. 31.1 And our Saviour gives that holy Declaration of the evil of it Mat. 5.28 But he hath an habitual Spring of these thoughts in himself constantly enclining and disposing him thereunto Hence the Apostle Peter tells us that such Persons have eyes full of an Adulteress that cannot cease from sin 2 Ep. 2.14 Their own Affections make them restless in their thoughts and contrivances about sin So is it with them who are given to excess in Wine or strong Drink They have pleasing thoughts raised in them from the Object of their lust represented unto them Hence Solomon gives that advice against the Occasion of them Prov. 23.31 But it is their own habitual disposition which carries them unto pleasing thoughts of the satisfaction of their Lusts which he describes v. 34 35. So is it in other Cases The thoughts of this latter sort are mens inward thoughts and such must these be of Spiritual things whence we may be esteemed spiritually minded Psal. 45.1 Saith the
absolutely evil and corrupt and Superstition suggests other Objects for them which they readily embrace but it is a vain Attempt The Minds and Hearts of men are continually Minting and Coining new Thoughts and Imaginations The cogitative Faculty is always at work As the streams of a mighty River running into the Ocean so are the Thoughts of a natural man and through self they run into Hell It is a fond thing to set a Damme before such a River to curb its streams For a little space there may be a stop made but it will quickly break down all Obstacles or overflow all its bounds There is no way to divert its Course but only by providing other Channels for its Waters and turning them thereinto The mighty Stream of the evil Thoughts of men will admit of no Bounds or Dammes to put a stop unto them There are but two wayes of Relief from them the one respecting their moral Evil the other their natural Abundance The first by throwing Salt into the Spring as Elisha cured the Waters of Jericho that is to get the Heart and Mind seasoned with Grace for the Tree must be made good before the Fruit will be so The other is to turn their Streams into new Chanels putting new Aims and Ends upon them fixing them on new Objects so shall we abound in Spiritual Thoughts for abound in Thoughts we shall whether we will or no. To this Purpose is the Advice of the Apostle Ephes. 5. 18 19. And be not drunk with Wine wherein is Excess but he filled with the Spirit speaking to your selves in Psalms and Hymns and Spiritual Songs When men are drunk with Wine unto an Excess they make it quickly evident what Vain Foolish Ridiculous Imaginations it filleth their minds withall In opposition hereunto the Apostle adviseth Believers to be filled with the Spirit to labour for such a Participation of him as may fill their Minds and Hearts as others fill themselves with Wine To what End unto what Purpose should they desire such a participation of him to be so filled with him It is unto this end namely that he by his Grace may fill them with Holy Spiritual Thoughts as on the contrary men Drunk unto an Excess as filled with those that are Foolish Vain and Wicked So the words of ver 19. do declare for he adviseth us to express our abounding Thoughts in such Duties as will give an especial vent unto them Wherefore when we are Spiritually minded we shall abound in Spiritual thoughts or Thoughts of Spiritual Things That we have such Thoughts will not sufficiently Evidence that we are so unless we abound in them And this leads us unto the principal Enquiry on this Head namely what measure we ought to assign hereof how we may know when we abound in Spiritual Thoughts so as that they may be an Evidence of our being Spiritually minded I answer in general among other Scriptures read over Psal. 119. with understanding Consider therein what David expresseth of himself as unto his constant Delight in and continual Thoughts of the Law of God which was the only means of Divine Revelation at that season Try your selves by that Pattern Examine your selves whether you can truly speak the same words with him at least if not in the same Degree of Zeal yet with the same sincerity of Grace You will say that was David It is not for us it is not our Duty to be like unto him at least not to be equal with him But as far as I know we must be like him if ever we intend to come to the place where he is It will ruine our Souls if when we read in the Scripture how the Saints of God express their Experience in Faith Love Delight in God and constant Meditations on him we grant that it was so with them that they were Good and Holy men but it is not necessary that it should be so with us These things are not written in the Scripture to shew what they were but what we ought to be All things concerning them were written for Admonition 1 Cor. 10.11 And if we have not the same Delight in God as they had the same Spiritual mindedness in Thoughts and Meditations of Heavenly things we can have no Evidence that we please God as they did or shall go to that place whither they are gone Profession of the Life of God passeth with many at a very low and easie Rate Their Thoughts are for the most part vain and earthly their Communication unsavoury and sometimes corrupt their lives at best uneven and uncertain as unto the Rule of Obedience yet all is well all is Life and Peace The Holy men of old who obtained this Testimany that they Pleased God did not so walk before him They meditated continually in the Law thought of God in the night seasons spake of his Ways his Works his Praise their whole Delight was in him and in all things they followed hard after him It is the Example of David in particular that I have proposed And it is a Promise of the Grace to be administred by the Gospel that he who is feeble shall be as David Zech. 12.8 And if we are not so in his being Spiritually minded it is to be feared we are not Partakers of the Promise But that we may the better judge of our selves therein I shall add some few Rules unto this Direction by Example 1. Consider what proportion your Thoughts of Spiritual Things bears with those about other things Our principal Interest and Concern as we profess lyes in things Spiritual Heavenly and Eternal Is it not then a foolish thing to suppose that our Thoughts about these things should not hold some proportion with those about other things nay that they should not exceed them No man is so vain in earthly things as to pretend that his Principal concern lyeth in that whereof he thinks very seldom in comparison of other things It is not so with men in reference unto their Families their Trades their occasions of Life It is a truth not only consecrated by the Testimony of him who is Truth but evident also in the Light of Reason That where our Treasure is there will our Hearts be also And the Affections of our Hearts do Act themselves by the Thoughts of our minds Wherefore if our principal Treasure be as we profess in things Spiritual and Heavenly and wo unto us if it be not so on them will our Affections and consequently our Desires and Thoughts be principally fixed That we may the better Examine our selves by this Rule we must consider of what sorts mens other Thoughts are and as unto our present purpose they may be reduced unto these heads 1. There are such as are exercised about their Callings and lawful occasions These are numberless and endless especially among a sort of men who rise early and go to bed late and eat the Bread of carefulness or are particularly industrious and diligent in their
contract the Guilt of There are more ways of Spiritual and Eternal death than one as well as of Natural All that dye have not the Plague and all that perish eternally are not guilty of the same profligate sins The Covetous are excluded from the Kingdom of God no less severely than Fornicators Idolaters Adulterers and Thieves 1 Cor. 6.9 10. But there is a Degree in being earthly minded which they suppose their Interest Advantages Relations and Occasions of life do call for which they would be a little indulged in They may abide in such a frame without a disparagement of their Profession And the truth is they have too many companions to fear an especial Reflexion on themselves The Multitude of the Guilty take away the sense and shame of the Guilt But besides they hope well that it is not inconsistent absolutely with being spiritually minded Only they cannot well deny but that it is contrary unto such degrees in that grace such thriving in that Duty as is recommended unto them They think well of others who are Spiritually minded in an eminent degree At least they do so as unto the thing it self in general for when they come unto particular Instances of this or that man for the most part they esteem what is beyond their own Measure to be little better than pretence But in general to be Spiritually minded in an eminent degree they cannot but esteem it a thing excellent and desirable But it is for them who are more at leasure than they are their Circumstances and Occasions require them to satisfie themselves with an inferior measure To obviate such Pretences I shall insist on nothing in the Declaration of this Duty and the necessity of it but what is incumbent on all that believe and without which they have no Grounds to assure their Conscience before God And at present in general I shall say Whoever he be who doth not sincerely aim at the highest degree of being spiritually minded which the means he enjoyeth would lead him unto and which the light he hath received doth call for who judgeth it necessary unto his present Advantages Occasions and Circumstances to rest in such measures or degrees of it as he cannot but know that they come short of what he ought to aim at and so doth not endeavor after Compleatness in the Will of God herein can have no satisfaction in his own mind hath no unfailing Grounds whereon to believe that he hath any thing at all of the Reality of this Grace in him Such a Person possibly may have Life which accompanies the Essence of this Grace but he cannot have Peace which follows on its Degree in a due Improvement And it is to be feared that far the greatest number of them who satisfie themselves in this Apprehension willingly neglecting an Endeavour after the further Degrees of this Grace and growth in this Duty which their Light or Convictions and the means they enjoy do suggest unto them are indeed carnally minded and every way obnoxious unto death CHAP. II. A particular Account of the Nature of this Grace and Duty of being Spiritually minded How it is Stated in and evidenced by our Thoughts HAving Stated the General Concernments of that Frame of mind which is here recommended unto us we may proceed to enquire more particularly into the Nature of it according unto the Description before given in distinct Propositions And we shall carry on both these Intentions together First to shew What it is and wherein it doth consist and then how it doth evidence it self so as that we may frame a right Judgment whether it be in us or no. And we shall have no regard unto them who either neglect or despise these things on any pretence whatever For this is the Word according unto which we shall all shortly be Judged To be Carnally minded is Death but to be Spiritually minded is Life and Peace Thoughts and Meditations as proceeding from spiritual Affections are the first things wherein this Spiritual mindedness doth consist and whereby it doth evidence it self Our Thoughts are like the Blossoms on a Tree in the Spring You may see a Tree in the Spring all covered with Blossoms that nothing else of it appears Multitudes of them fall off and come to nothing Oft-times where there are most Blossoms there is least fruit But yet there is no fruit be it of what sort it will Good or Bad but it comes in and from some of those Blossoms The mind of man is covered with Thoughts as a Tree with Blossoms Most of them fall off vanish and come to nothing end in Vanity and sometimes where the mind doth most abound with them there is the least Fruit The Sap of the mind is wasted and consumed in them Howbeit there is no Fruit which actually we bring forth be it good or bad but it proceeds from some of these Thoughts Wherefore ordinarily these give the best and surest Measure of the Frame of mens minds As a man Thinketh in his Heart so is he Pro. 23.7 In case of strong or violent Temptations the real frame of a mans heart is not to be judged by the Multiplicity of Thoughts about any object For whether they are from Satans Suggestions or from inward Darkness trouble and horror they will impose such a continual sense of themselves on the mind as shall engage all its thoughts about them As when a man is in a Storm at Sea the current of his Thoughts runs quite another way than when he is in safety about his occasions But ordinarily Voluntary Thoughts are the best measure and indication of the frame of our minds As the nature of the Soil is judged by the Grass which it brings forth so may the disposition of the Heart by the predominancy of Voluntary thoughts They are the original acting of the Soul the way whereby the Heart puts forth and empties the Treasure that is in it the waters that first rise and flow from the fountain Every mans Heart is his Treasury and the Treasure that is in it is either Good or Evil as our Saviour tells us There is a good and bad Treasure of the Heart but whatever a man hath be it good or evil there it is This Treasure is opening emptying and spending it self continually though it can never be exhausted For it hath a Fountain in Nature or Grace which no Expence can diminish yea it increaseth and getteth strength by it The more you spend of the Treasure of your Hearts in any kind the more will you abound in Treasure of the same kind Whether it be Good or Evil it grows by Expence and Exercise And the principal way whereby it puts forth it self is by the Thoughts of the mind If the Heart be Evil they are for the most part vain filthy corrupt wicked foolish If it be under the Power of a Principle of Grace and so have a good Treasure in it it puts forth it self by thoughts suitable unto its
revealed we shall chearfully entertain every way and path that leads thereunto as suffering for the Truth doth in a peculiar manner Through this Medium we may look chearfully and comfortably on the loss of Name Reputation Goods Liberty Life it self as knowing in our selves that we have better and more abiding comforts to betake our selves unto And we can no other way glorify God by our Alacrity in the entrance of sufferings than when it ariseth from a prospect into and valuation of those invisible things which he hath promised as an abundant Recompence for all we can lose in this world 2. The great Aggravation of Sufferings is their long continuance without any rational Appearance or hopes of Relief Many who have entred into Sufferings with much Courage and Resolution have been wearied and worn out with their continuance Elijah himself was hereby reduced to pray that God would take away his Life to put an end unto his Ministry and Calamities And not a few in all Ages have been hereby so broken in their natural Spirits and so shaken in the exercise of Faith as that they have lost the Glory of their Confession in seeking deliverance by sinful compliances in the denial of the Truth And although this may be done out of meer weariness as it is the Design of Sathan to wear out the Saints of the most High with reluctance of Mind and a Love yet remaining unto the Truth in their Hearts yet hath it constantly one of these two Effects Some by the overwhelming sorrow that befalls them on the account of their failure in Profession and out of a deep sense of their unkindness unto the Lord Jesus are stirred up immediately unto higher Acts of confession than ever they were before ingaged in and unto an higher Provocation of their Adversaries untill their former troubles are doubled upon them which they frequently undergo with great satisfaction Instances of this nature occurr in all stories of great Persecutions Others being cowed and discouraged in their Profession and perhaps neglected by them whose Duty it was rather to restore them have by the craft of Sathan given place to their Declensions and become vile Apostates To prevent these evils arising from the Duration of sufferings without a prospect of Deliverance nothing is more prevalent than a constant Contemplation on the future Reward and Glory So the Apostle declares it Heb. 11.35 When the Mind is filled with the Thoughts of the unseen Glories of Eternity it hath in readiness what to lay in the Ballance against the longest continuance and Duration of sufferings which in comparison thereunto at their utmost extent are but for a Moment I have insisted the longer on these things because they are the peculiar Object of the Thoughts of them that are indeed Spiritually minded CHAP. VIII Spiritual Thoughts of God himself The Opposition unto them and Neglect of them with their Causes and the way of their Prevalency Predominant Corruptions expelling due Thoughts of God how to be discovered c. Thoughts of God of what nature and what they are to be accompanyed withal c. I Have spoken very briefly unto the first particular Instance of the Heavenly things that we are to fix our Thoughts upon namely the Person of Christ. And I have done it on the Reason before mentioned namely that I intend a peculiar Treatise on that subject or and Enquiry how we may behold the Glory of Christ in this Life and how we shall do so unto Eternity That which I have reserved unto the last place as unto the exercise of their Thoughts about who are Spiritually Minded is that which is the absolute Foundation and Spring of all spiritual things namely God himself He is the Fountain whence all these things proceed and the Ocean wherein they issue He is their Center and Circumference wherein they all begin meet and end So the Apostle issues his profound Discourse of the Councels of the Divine Will and Mysteries of the Gospel Rom. 11.36 Of him and through him and to him are all things to whom be Glory for ever All things arise from his Power are all disposed by his Wisdom into a tendency unto his Glory of him and through him and to him are all things Under that consideration alone are they to be the Objects of our Spiritual Meditations namely as they come from him and tend unto him All other things are finite and limited But they begin and end in that which is immense and infinite So God is All in All. He therefore is or ought to be the only Supream absolute Object of our Thoughts and Desires other things are from and for him only Where our Thoughts do not either immediately and directly or mediately and by just consequence tend unto and End in him they are not Spiritual 1. Pet. 1.21 To make way for Directions how to exercise our Thoughts on God himself some things must be premised concerning a sinful defect herein with the Causes of it 1. It is the great Character of a Man presumptuously and flagitiously wicked that God is not in all his Thoughts Psal. 10.4 That is he is in none of them And of this want of Thoughts of God there are many Degrees for all wicked men are not equally so forgetful of him 1. Some are under the power of Atheistical Thoughts They deny or question or do not avowedly acknowledge the very Being of God This is the height of what the enmity of the carnal Mind can rise unto To acknowledge God and yet to refuse to be subject to his Law or Will a Man would think were as bad if not worse than to deny the Being of God But it is not so That is a Rebellion against his Authority this and Hatred unto the only Fountain of all Goodness Truth and Being and that because they cannot own it but withal they must acknowledge it to be infinitely righteous holy and powerful which would destroy all their desires and security Such may be the Person in the Psalm for the words may be read All his Thoughts are that there is no God Howbeit the Context describes him as one who rather despiseth his Providence than denyeth his Being But such there are whom the same Psalmist elsewhere brands for Fools though themselves seem to suppose that Wisdom was born and will dye with them Psal. 14.1 Psal. 53.1 It may be never any Age since the Flood did more abound with open Atheism among such as pretended unto the use and improvement of Reason than that wherein we live Among the ancient civilized Heathen we hear ever and anon of a person branded for an Atheist yet are not certain whether it was done justly or no. But in all Nations of Europe at this day Cities Courts Towns Fields Armies abound with Persons who if any credit may be given unto what they say or do believe not that there is a God And the Reason hereof may be a little enquired into Now this is no other
day of our Tryal This is the first thing wherein we may Evidence our selves unto our selves to be under the conduct of the minding of the Spirit or to be spiritually minded And I have insisted the longer on it because it contains the first sensible Egress of the Spring of living waters in us the first acting of spiritual Life unto our own experience I should now proceed unto the consideration of our Affections of whose frame and state these Thoughts are the only genuine Exposition But whereas there are or may be some who are sensible of their own weakness and deficiency in the discharge of that part of this duty in being spiritually minded which we have passed through and may fall under discouragements thereon we must follow him as we are able who will not Quench the smoaking Flax nor break the bruised Reed by offering something unto the relief of them that are sincere under the sense of their own weakness CHAP. X. Sundry things tendred unto such as Complain that they know not how that they are not able to abide in holy Thoughts of God and Spiritual or Heavenly things for their Relief Instruction and Direction Rules concerning stated Spiritual Meditation SOme will say yea many on all occasions do say That there is not any thing in all their Duty towards God wherein they are more at a loss than they are in this one of fixing or exercising their Thoughts or Meditations on things Heavenly or Spiritual They acknowledge knowledge it a Duty they see an Excellency in it with inexpressible usefulness But although they often try and attempt it they cannot attain unto any thing but what makes them ashamed both of it and themselves Their Minds they find are unsteady apt to rove and wander or give entertainment unto other things and not to abide on the Object which they design their Meditation towards Their Abilities are small their Invention barren their Memories frail and their Judgments to dispose of things into right order weak and unable They know not what to think on for the most part and when they fix on any thing they are immediately at loss as unto any progress and so give over Hence other Thoughts or Thoughts of other things take advantage to impose themselves on them and what began in spiritual Meditation ends in carnal Vanity On these considerations oft-times they are discouraged to enter on the Duty oft-times give it over so soon as it is begun and are glad if they come off without being losers by their Endeavours which often befals them With respect unto other Duties it is not so with them Unto such as are really concerned in these things unto whom their want and defect is a Burden who mourn under it and desire to be freed from it or refreshed in their conflict with it I shall offer the things that ensue 1. That sense of the Vanity of our Minds which this consideration duely attended unto will give us ought greatly to humble and abase our Souls Whence is it thus with us that we cannot abide in Thoughts and Meditations of things Spiritual and Heavenly It is because they are such things as we have no great concernment in It may be they are things worthless and unprofitable so that it is to purpose to spend our Thoughts about them The Truth is they alone are worthy useful and desireable all other things in comparison of them are but Loss and dung Or it is because the faculties and Powers of our Souls were not originally suited unto the contemplation of them and delight in them This also is otherwise They were all given unto us all created of God for this End all fitted with Inclinations and power to abide with God in all things without aversation or weariness Nothing was so natural easie and pleasant unto them as steadiness in the contemplation of God and his works The cause therefore of all this evil lyes at our own doors All this therefore and all other Evils came upon us by the entrance of sin And therefore Solomon in his Enquiry after all the Causes and Effects of Vanity brings it under this Head Lo this only have I found that God made man upright but they have sought out many Inventions Eccles. 7.29 For hereby our Minds that were created in a state of blessed Adherence unto God where wholly turned off from him and not only so but filled with Enmity against him In this state that Vanity which is prevalent in them is both their Sin and their Punishment Their sin in a perpetual Inclination unto things vain foolish sensual and wicked So the Apostle describes it at large Ephes. 4.17 18 19. Tit. 3.3 And their punishment in that being turned off from the chiefest Good wherein alone Rest is to be found they are filled with darkness confusion and disquietment being like a troubled Sea that cannot rest whose waters cast up mire and dirt By grace our Minds are renewed that is changed and delivered from this frame but they are so partially only The Principle of Vanity is no longer predominant in us to alienate us from the life of God or to keep us in Enmity against him Those who are so renewed do not walk in the Vanity of their Minds as others do Ephes. 4.17 They go up and down in all their wayes and occasions with a Stream of vain Thoughts in their Minds But the remainders of it are effectually Operative in us in all the actings of our minds towards God affecting them with Vncertainty and Instability As he who hath received a great wound in any principal part of his Body though it may be so cured as that death shall not immediately ensue thereon yet it may make him go weak and lame all his dayes and hinder him in the Exercise of all the powers of Life The Vanity of our Minds is so cured as to deliver us from spiritual death but yet such a wound such a weakness doth remain as both weakens and hinders us in all the operations of Spiritual life Hence those who have made any progress in Grace are sensible of their Vanity as the greatest Burden of their Souls and do groan after such a compleat Renovation of their Minds as whereby they may be perfectly freed from it This is that which they principally regard in that complaining desire Rom. 7.24 O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death Yea they groan under a sence of it every day nor is any thing such a trouble unto them observing how it defeats them in their designs to contemplate on Heavenly things how it frustrates their best Resolutions to abide in the spiritual actings of Faith and Love how they are imposed on by it with the Thoughts of things which either in themselves or in their consequences they most abhorre nothing are they so afraid of nothing is so grievous and burdensome unto them nothing do they more groan for deliverance from When there is War
excess in it both weakens Spiritual Life and disturbs yea destroys all solid Spiritual Peace I have occasionally spoken unto it before as also the way whereby our minding of the things that are above in a due manner doth deliver and preserve our Souls from the Snares of it And if we diligently examine our selves we shall find that in our inordinate Affections and cleaving unto these things the principal Causes why we thrive no more in the power of Spiritual Life and whence we meet with so many Disquietments and Dejections of Spirit unto the disturbance of our Prace and Rest in God is from hence For there is no Grace which is not impaired by it in its nature or not obstructed by it in its Exercise Wherefore to be Spiritually Minded is Life and Peace because it subdues and expells that inordinate Love unto present things which is destructive of them both and inconsistent with them 4 It preserves the Mind in a due and holy Frame in the Performance of all other Duties This also is indispensibly required unto the Preservation of Life and Peace especially unto the improvement of them They will not abide much less thrive and flourish in any Persons who are negligent in holy Duties or do not perform them in a due manner And there are four things which impede or hinder us from such an attendance unto Holy Duties as may be advantagious unto our Souls against all which we have relief by being Spiritually Minded 1 Distractions 2 Despondencies 3 Weariness 4 Unreadiness of Grace for Exercise 1 Distraction of Mind and Thoughts hath this evil Effect which many complain of few take the right way of Deliverance from For this Evil will not be cured by attendance unto any particular Directions without a change of the whole Frame of our Minds Nothing can give us Relief herein but a prevalent Delight in being exercised about things Spiritual and Heavenly For hence arise all our Distractions the want of fixing our minds on Spiritual things with Delight makes them obnoxious to be diverted from them on all occasions yea to seek occasions for such Diversions It is this frame alone namely of Spiritual Mindedness that will give us this Delight For thereby the Soul is transformed into the likness of Spiritual things so as that they are suited unto it and pleasant unto our Affections The mind and the things themselves are thereby so fitted unto each other that on every occasion they are ready for mutual Embraces and not easily drawn off by any cause or means Of the Distractions so complained of yea they will all be prevented hereby 2 Despondencys in Duties arise from the frequent Incursions of the Guilt of Sin The remembrance hereof frequently sollicites the Minds of Persons in their first entrances into Duty unless they are under especial actings of Grace stirring them up unto earnestness and fervency in what they undertake At other seasons it renders men Lifeless and Heartless so as that they know not whether they had best Pray or no when Duty and Opportunity call them thereunto To be Spiritually Minded we have manifested in many Instances is the great Preservative against these disheartening incursions of sin It is the Souls watch and guard against them whence ever they arise or proceed No lust or corruption can be Prevalent in a Spiritual mind And this is the Principal cause of such Incursions of Sin as affect the Soul with a disheartening sense of Guilt No Affections can abide in any sinful Disorder where the Mind is so affected This also gives sin an entrance unto a distracting sense of Guilt But the fole Cure hereof lyes in this Grace and Duty The like may be said of all other wayes meanes and Occasions of such Incursions of Sin 3 Weariness in and of Spiritual Duties abate their tendency unto the Improvement of Life and Peace in us This Evil ariseth from the same Cause with that or Distraction before mentioned And it is oft-times encreased by the Weakness and Indispositions of the Flesh or of the outward man Sometimes the Spirit is willing but through the weakness of the Flesh it is disappointed The principal cure hereof lyes in that Delight which spiritual Mindedness gives unto the Soul in Spiritual things For where there is constant Delight in any thing there will be no weariness at least not such as shall hinder any from cleaving firmly unto the things wherein he doth delight Whil'st therefore we are exercised in a delight in Spiritual things weariness cannot prevalently assault the Mind And it is the only Relief against that Weariness which proceeds from the Indispositions of the outward man For as it will preserve the Mind from attending too much unto their Solicitations crying spare thy self by filling and possessing the Thoughts with other things so it will offer an holy Violence unto the Complaints of the Flesh silencing them with a sense of and delight in holy Duties 4 The Unreadiness of Grace for its due and proper Excercise is another thing which defeats us of the Benefit of holy Duties The Seasons of them are come sense of Duty carries men unto an Attendance unto them and the performance of them But when they should enter upon them those Graces of Faith Love Fear and Delight wherein the Soul and Being of them do consist are out of the way unready for a due Exercise so as that men take up and satisfy themselves with the meer outward Performance of them The Heart and Mind have been taken up with other things due Preparation hath been wanting men come unto them with reaking Thoughts of earthly Occasions and it is no easy matter in or immediately out of such a Frame to stir up Grace unto a due Exercise But herein lyeth the very Life of being Spiritually Minded The nature of it consists in the keeping and preserving all Grace in a Readiness for its Exercise as our Occasions require And this is an effectual way whereby this Grace come to be Life and Peace For they cannot be attained they cannot be preserved without such a constancy and Spirituality in all holy Duties as we shall never arive at unless we are Spiritually Minded Lastly this frame of mind brings the Soul unto and keeps it at its nearest approaches unto Heaven and Blessedness wherein lye the eternal springs of life and Peace According unto the Degrees of this Grace in us such are those of our approaches unto God Nearness unto him gives us our initial conformity unto him by the Renovation of his Image in us as our Presence with him will give us Perfection therein for when we see him we shall be like unto him He therefore alone as he is in Christ being the fountain of Life and Peace by our drawing nigh unto him and by our Likeness of him will they thrive and flourish in our Souls FINIS