most earnestly to be desired or avoided Herein they seem to themselves to strive with all their might to endeavour to goe run or contend but all in vain every thing fails them and they are not relieved untill they are awaked So such Persons in Impressions they receive from the Word seem to strive and contend in their thoughts and resolutions to comply with what is proposed unto them but their strength fails they find no success for want of a Principle of Spiritual Life and after a time give over their Endeavours untill they are occasionally renewed again Now the Thoughts which in the Dispensation of the Word do proceed from an inward Principle of Grace excited unto its due exercise are distinguishable from them which are only occasionally suggested unto the mind by the Word outwardly Preached For 1. They are especial actings of Faith and Love towards the things themselves that are Preached They belong unto our receiving the Truth in the Love thereof And Love respects the Goodness of the things themselves and not meerly the Truth of the Propositions wherein they are expressed The other Thoughts are only the sence of the Mind as affected with Light and Truth without any cordial Love unto the things themselves 2. They are accompanied with Complacency of Soul arising from Love Experience more or less of the Power of them and their suitableness unto the new Nature or Principle of Grace in them For when our minds find that so indeed it is in us as it is in the Word that this is that which we would be more conformable unto it gives a secret Complacency with satisfaction unto the soul. The other Thoughts which are only occasional have none of these Concomitants or Effects but are dry and barren unless it be in a few words or transient Dicourse 3. The former are means of spiritual growth So some say the natural growth of Vegetables is not by insensible motion but by Gusts and sensible eruptions of increase These are both in spiritual Growth and the later consists much in those thoughts which the Principle of the new Nature is excited unto by the Word in the latter 2. The Duty of Prayer is another means of the like Nature One Principal end of it is to excite stir up and draw forth the Principle of Grace of Faith and Love in the Heart unto a due Exercise in holy thoughts of God and Spiritual things with Affections suitable unto them Those who design not this End in Prayer know not at all what it is to Pray Now all sorts of Persons have frequent Occasion to joyn with others in Prayer and many are under the Conviction that it is their own Duty to Pray every day it may be in their Families and otherwise And it is hard to conceive how men can constantly joyn with others in Prayer much more how they can Pray themselves but that they must have thoughts of Spiritual things every day Howbeit it is possible that they may have no Root or living spring of them in themselves but they are only occasional impressions on their minds from the outward performance of the Duty I shall give some Instances of the Grounds hereof which on many Reasons require our diligent Consideration Spiritual Thoughts may be raised in a Person in his own Duty by the Exercise of his Gifts when there is no acting of Grace in them at all For they lead and guide the mind unto such things as are the matter of Prayer that is Spiritual things Gifts are nothing but a spiritual improvement of our natural Faculties or Abilities And a man cannot speak or utter any thing but what proceeds from his Rational Faculties by Invention or Memory or both managed in and by his thoughts unless he speak by rote and that which is not rational What therefore proceeds from a mans rational Faculty in and by the Exercise of his Gifts that his Thoughts must be exercised about A man may read a long Prayer that expresseth Spiritual things and yet never have one Spiritual thought arise in his mind about them For there is no exercise of any Faculty of his mind required unto such reading but only to attend unto the words that are to be read This I say may be so I do not say that it is always so or that it must be so But as was said in the Exercise of Gifts it is impossible but there must be an Exercise of Reason by Invention Judgement and Memory and consequently thoughts of spiritual things Yet may they all be meerly occasional from the present external performance of the Duty without any living spring or exercise of Grace In such a Course may men of tolerable Gifts continue all their days unto the satisfaction of themselves and others deceiving both them and their own Souls This being evident from the Scripture and Experience an Enquiry may be made thereon as unto our own concernment in these things especially of those who have received Spiritual Gifts of their own and of them also in some degree who usually enjoy the Gifts of others in this Duty For it may be asked how we shall know whether the thoughts which we have of spiritual things in and upon Prayer do arise from Gifts only those of our own or other mens giving occasion unto them or are influenced from a living Principle and Spring of Grace in our Hearts A case this is however by some it may be apprehended of great importance and which would require much time fully to resolve For there is nothing whereby the refined sort of Hypocrites do more deceive themselves and others nothing whereby some men do give themselves more Countenance in an Indulgence unto their Lusts than by this Part of the Form of Godliness when they deny the Power thereof And besides it is that wherein the best of Believers ought to keep a diligent watch over themselves in every particular Instance of the Performance of this Duty With respect hereunto in an especial manner are they to watch unto Prayer If they are at any time negligent herein they may rest in a bare exercise of Gifts when on a due examination and trial they have no Evidence of the acting of Grace in what they have done I shall therefore with what brevity I can give a Resolution unto this Enquiry And to this end Observe 1. It is an ancient Complaint that Spiritual things are filled with great obscurity and difficulty and it is true Not that there is any such thing in themselves for they all come forth from the Father of lights and are full of Light Order Beauty and Wisdom And Light and Order are the only means whereby any thing makes a discovery of it self But the Ground of all darkness and difficulty in these things lyes in our selves We can more clearly and steadily see and behold the Moon and the Starres than we can the Sun when it shines in its greatest Lustre It is not because there is more light
Duty it self when we find the daily fruit and advantage of them especially in the preservation of our Souls in an holy humble watchfull frame Innumerable are the Advantages Benefits and Effects of Prayer which are commonly spoken unto Growth in Grace and Consolation is the substance of them Where there is continuance in Prayer there will be Spiritual Growth in some proportion For men to be Earnest in Prayer and Thriftless in Grace is a certain Indication of prevalent corruptions and want of being Spiritually Minded in Prayer it self If a man eats his daily food let him eat never so much or so often if he be not nourished by it his Body is under the Power of prevalent distempers And so is his Spiritual Constitution who thriveth not in the use of the food of the New Creature But that which I fix upon with respect unto the present enquiry is the Frame that it preserves the soul in It will keep it humble and upon a diligent watch as unto it's dispositions and actings He who prays as he ought will endeavour to live as he prayes This none can do who doth not with diligence keep his heart unto the things he hath prayed about To pray earnestly and live carelesly is to proclaim that a man is not Spiritually minded in his prayer Hereby then we shall know what is the Spring of those spiritual Thoughts which our minds are exercised withall in our supplications If they are influenced unto a constant daily watch for the preservation of that frame of Spirit those dispositions and Inclinations unto spiritual things which we pray for they are from an internal Spring of Grace If there be generally an unsuitableness in our minds unto what we seem to contend for in our Prayers the Gift may be in exercise but the Grace is wanting If a man be every day on the Exchange and there talketh diligently and earnestly about Merchandize and the Affairs of Trade but when he comes home thinks no more of them because indeed he hath nothing to do no interest in them he may be a very poor man notwithstanding his pretences And he may be spiritually very poor who is on occasions fervent in prayer if when he retires unto himself he is not carefull and diligent about the matter of it 4. When Spiritual Affections and due preparation of heart unto the Duty do excite and animate the Gift of Prayer and not the Gift make impressions on the Affections then are we Spiritually Minded therein Gifts are Servants not Rulers in the Mind are bestowed on us to be serviceable unto Grace not to lead it but to follow it and to be ready with their Assistance on its exercise For the most part where they lead all they are all alone This is the natural order of these things Grace habitually inclineth and disposeth the heart unto this Duty Providence and Rule gives the occasions for its excercise Sence of Duty calls for preparation Grace coming into actual exercise Gifts come in with their Assistance If they lead all all is out of order It may be otherwise sometimes A Person indispos'd and lifeless ingaging into Prayer in a way of Obedience upon conviction of Duty may in and by the Gift have his Affections excited and Graces engaged unto its proper Work It may be so I say but let men take heed how they trust unto this Order and Method For where it is so there may be little or nothing of the Exercise of true Grace in all their fervour and Commotion of Affections But when the genuine Actings of Faith Love holy Reverence and gracious Desires do stir up the Gift unto its Exercise calling in its assistance unto the expression of themselves then are the Heart and Mind in their proper Order 5. It is so when other Duties of Religion are equally regarded and attended unto with Prayer it self He all whose Religion lyes in Prayer and Hearing hath none at all God hath an equal respect unto all other Duties and so must we have also So is it expressed as unto the Instance of Alms Acts 10.31 And James placeth all Religion herein because there is none without it Jam. 1.27 I shall not value his Prayers at all be he never so earnest and frequent in them who gives not Alms according to his Ability And this in an especial manner is required of us who are Ministers that we be not like an hand set up in cross Wayes directing others which way to go but staying behind it self This digression about the Rise and Spring of Spiritual Thoughts in Prayer I judged not unnecessary in such a time and season wherein we ought to be very jealous lest Gifts impose themselves in the room of Grace and be careful that they are employed only unto their proper End which is to be serviceable unto Grace in its Exercise and not otherwise 3. There is another Occasion of Thoughts of spiritual things when they do not spring from a living Principle within and so are no evidence of being spiritually minded And this is the Discourse of others They that fear the Lord will be speaking one to another of the things wherein his Glory is concerned Mal. 3.16 To declare the Righteousness the Glory of God is the Delight of his Saints Psal. 145. 3 4 5 6 7 8. Great is the Lord and greatly to be Praised and his Greatness is unsearchable One Generation shall praise thy Works to another and shall declare thy mighty Works I will speak of the Glorious honour of thy Majesty and of thy wondrous Works And men shall speak of the might of thy terrible Acts and I will declare thy Greatness They shall abundantly utter the memory of thy great Goodness and shall sing of thy Righteousness The Lord is gracious and full of Compassion slow to Anger and of great Mercy And accordingly there are some who are ready on all occasions to be speaking or making mention of things Divine Spiritual and Holy and it is to be wished that there were more of them All the flagitious sins that the World is filled withall are not a greater evidence of the Degeneracy of Christian Religion than this is that it is grown unusual yea a shame or scorn for men to speak together of the things of God It was not so when Religion was in its primitive Power and Glory nor is it so with them who really fear God and are sensible of their Duty Some I say there are who embrace all occasions of Spiritual Communication Those with whom they do converse if they are not Profligate if they have any spiritual Light cannot but so far comply with what they say as to think of the things spoken which are spiritual Oft times the Track and Course of mens thoughts lye so out of the way are so contrary unto such things that they seem strange unto them they give them no Entertainment You do but cross their way with such Discourses whereon they stand still a little and
in fears of death and the like and withall have some renewed convictions of sin in Commission or Omission of Duties and thereon do endeavour to be more spiritually minded in the constant exercise of our Thoughts on spiritual things which we fail in and these thoughts decay as our Convictions in the causes of them do wear off or are removed we have attained a very low degree in this Grace if we have any Interest in it at all Water that ariseth and floweth from a living Spring runneth equally and constantly unless it be obstructed or diverted by some violent opposition but that which is from Thunder-showers runs furiously for a season but is quickly dryed up So are those Spiritual Thoughts which arise from a prevalent internal Principle of Grace in the Heart they are even and constant unless an interruption be put upon them for a season by Temptations But those which are excited by the Thunder of convictions however their streams may be filled for a season they quickly dry up and utterly decay 2. Such Thoughts may arise in the minds of men not spiritually minded from outward means and Occasions Such I intend as are indeed usefull yea appointed of God for this End among others that they may ingenerate and stir up holy Thoughts and Affections in us But there is a difference in their use and Operation In some they excite the inward Principle of the mind to act in holy Thoughts according unto its own sanctified disposition and prevalent Affections This is their proper End and Use. In others they occasionally suggest such thoughts unto the minds of men which spring only from the Notions of the things proposed unto them With respect unto this End also they are of singular use unto the souls of men howbeit such thoughts do not prove men to be spiritually minded Where you till and manure your Land if it brings forth plentifull crops of Corn it is an Evidence that the Soil it self is good and fertile the dressing of it only gives occasion and Advantage to put forth its own Fruit-bearing Vertue But if in the tilling of Land you lay much dung upon it and it brings forth here and there an handful where the dung lay you will say the Soil is barren it brings forth nothing of it self These means that we shall treat of are as the tilling of a fruitful Soil which help it in bringing forth its fruit by exciting its own Vertue and Power They stir up holy Affections unto holy Thoughts and desires But in others whose hearts are barren they only serve as it were some of them here and there to stir up spiritual Thoughts which gives no Evidence of a gracious Heart or Spirit But because this is a matter of great Importance it shall be handled distinctly by it self CHAP. III. Outward Means and Occasions of Thoughts of such Spiritual things which do not prove men to be spiritually minded Preaching of the Word Exercise of Gifts Prayer How we may know Whether our Thoughts of spiritual things in Prayer are truly spiritual Thoughts proving us to be spiritually minded 1. SUch a Means is the preaching of the Word it self It is observed concerning many in the Gospel that they heard it willingly received it with joy and did many things gladly upon the Preaching of it And we see the same thing exemplified in multitudes every day But none of these things can be without many thoughts in the minds of such Persons about the Spiritual things of the Word For they are the Effects of such Thoughts and being wrought in the minds of men will produce more of the same Nature Yet were they all Hypocrites concerning whom these things are spoken and were never spiritually minded The cause of this Miscarriage is given us by our Saviour Math. 13.20 21. He that receiveth the seed into stony places the same is he that heareth the Word and anon receiveth it with Joy yet hath he not root in himself but dureth for a while The Good Thoughts they have proceed not from any principle in themselves Neither their Affections nor their thoughts of these things have any internal root whereon they should grow So is it with many who live under the present dispensation of the Gospel They have thoughts of spiritual things continually suggested unto them and they do abide with them more or less according as they are affected For I speak not of them 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 all thoughts about it But I speak of them who attend with some Diligence and receive the Word with some Joy These insensibly grow in knowledge and understanding 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 dryed up from such thoughts nothing remains in them but earth and that perhaps foul and dirty 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 multiplyed 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 wayes 1. As it is the spiritual food of the Soul whereby its Principle of Life and Grace is maintained and strengthened The more this is done the more shall we thrive in being spiritually minded 2. As it administreth occasion unto the Exercise of Grace For proposing the proper Object of Faith Love Fear Trust Reverence unto the Soul it draws forth all those Graces into Exercise Wherefore although the Vigorous actings of spiritual thoughts be occasional from the Word be more under and after the preaching of it than at other times it is no more but what ariseth from the nature and use of the Ordinance by Gods own appointment nor is it any Evidence that those with whom it is so are not spiritually minded but on the contrary that they are Yet where men have no other thoughts of this matter but what are occasioned by the outward dispensation of the Word such thoughts do not prove them to be spiritually minded Their Endeavours in them are like those of men in a dream Under some oppression of their spirits their Imagination fixeth on something or other that is
Affections will fall off from earthly things of their own accord The keenness and sharpness of them in many things may be abated by the decay of their natural Powers in Age and the like They may be mated by frequent Disappointments by Sicknesses Pains and Afflictions as we shall see immediately or they may be willing unto a Distribution of earthly Enjoyments to have the Reputation of it wherein they still cleave unto the World but under another shape and appearance They may be startled by Convictions so as to do many things gladly that belong unto another Frame But or one pretence or other under one appearance or other they will for ever adhere and cleave unto earthly things unless they are mortified unto them through Faith in the Blood and Cross of Christ. Gal. 6.14 VVhatever thoughts you may have of your selves in this matter unless you have the Experience of a work of Mortification on your Affections you can have no refreshing ground of Assurance that you are in any thing Spiritually-Minded Fifthly In all Instances of Duty belonging unto your Stewardship of earthly things attend diligently unto the Rule of the Word without this the Grace exhorted unto may be abused So of old under a pretence of a relinquishment of the things of this World because of the danger in adhering unto them their own Superstition and the Craft of other men prevailed with many to part with all they had unto the Service of others not better it may be not so good as themselves This Evil wholly arose from want of attendance unto the Rule of Truth which gives no such Direction in ordinary Cases But there is not much seen in these days of an Excess in that kind But on the other hand in all Instances of Duties of this nature most mens Minds are habitually influenced with Pretences Reasonings and Considerations that turn the Scales as unto what they ought to do in proportion in this Duty on the side of the World If you would be safe you must in all Instances of Duty as in works of Charity Piety and Compassion give Authority in and over your Souls unto the Rule of the Word Let neither Self nor Unbelief nor the Custom and Example of others be heard to speak but let the Rule alone be attended unto and to what that speaks yeild Obedience Unless these things are found in us none of us no man living if it be not so with him can have any refreshing Evidence or Assurance that he is not under the Power of an inordinate yea and predominant Love unto this World And indeed to add a little further on the Occasion of this Digression it is a sad thing to have this Exception made against the State of any Man on just Grounds yea but he loves the World He is sober and industrious he is constant in Dutys of Religion it may be an earnest Preacher of them a man of sound Principles and blameless as unto the Excesses of Life but he loves the World The Question is how doth this appear it may be what you say is but one of those evil Surmises which all things are filled withal Wherefore I speak it not at all to give countenance unto the rash Judging of others which none are more prone unto than those who one way or other are eminently guilty themselves But I would have every man judge himself that we be none of us Condemned of the Lord. It notwithstanding the things mentioned any of us do center in Self which is supplyed and filled with the World if we preffer Self above all other things do aim at the Satisfaction of Self in what we do well or ill are useless unto the only Good and Blessed Ends of these earthly things in supplying the wants of others according unto the Proportions wherewith we are intrusted it is to be feared that the World and the things that are in it have the Principal Interest in our Affections And the danger is yet greater with them who divert on the other Extream Such are they who in Pride of Life Vanity in Apparrel Excess in Drinking pampering the Flesh every day tread close on the heels of the World if they do not also fully keep Company with it Altogether in vain is it for such Persons to countenance themselves with an Appearance of other Graces in them or the sedulous Performance of other Dutys This one Rule will eternally prevail against them If any man love the World the Love of the Father is not in him And by the way let men take heed how they walk in any Instance against the known Judgement and Practise of the wiser or more experienced sort of Christians to their Regret and Sorrow if not unto their Offence and Scandal or in any way whereunto they win the Consent of their own Light and Conscience by such Reasonings and Considerations as will not hold weight in the Ballance of the Sanctuary Yet thus and no otherwise is it with all them who under a Profession of Religion do indulge unto any Excesses wherein they are conformed unto the World Fifthly God makes a Hedge against the Excess of the Affections of men rational and any way enlightned unto the things of this World by suffering the Generality of men to carry the use of them and to be carried by the abuse of them into Actings so filthy so abominable so ridiculous as Reason it self cannot but abhor Men by them transform themselves into Beasts and Monsters as might be manifested by all sorts of Instances hence the Wise-man prayed against Riches lest he should not be able to manage the Temptations wherewith they are accompanied Prov. 30.8.9 Lastly to close this matter and to shew us what we are to expect in case we set our Affections on things here below and they have thereby a predominant Interest in our Hearts God hath positively determined and declared that if it be so he will have nothing to do with us nor will accept of those Affections which we pretend we can and do spare for him and Spiritual things If we abstain from open Sins if we abhor the Lewdness and Uncleanness of men in the World if we are constant in religious Dutys and give our selves up to walk after the most strict sort in Religion like Paul in his Pharisaism may we not will some say or think find acceptance with God though our Hearts cleave inordinately unto the things of this VVorld I say God hath preremptorily determined the contrary and if other Arguments will not prevail with us he leaves us at last unto this Go love the World and the things of it but know assuredly you do it unto the eternal Loss of your Souls 1 Joh. 2.15 Jam. 4. These few Instances have I given of the Arguments and Motives whereby God is pleased to deter us from fixing our Affections on things here below And they are most of them such only as he maketh use of in the Administation of his Providence There
Affections in the Degree treated about suppose of Love unto the World and the things of it are lawful and allowable is one of the Sophismes and Artifices wherewith many are deluded Hereon provided they run not out into scandalous Excesses they approve of themselves in such a Worldly Frame of Mind and acting according unto it as renders them fruitless useless senseless and is inconsistent with that prevailing adherence of Affections unto Spiritual things that ought to be in us Others are deluded by a pretence that it is in one Instance only they would be spared it is but this or that Object they would give out the Embraces of thier Affections unto in all other things they will be entire for God the Vanity of which Pretence we have spoken unto before Others are ruined by giving place unto their Solicitations with respect unto any one Affection whatever As suppose it be that of Fear In times of danger for Profession multitudes have lost all thier Affections unto Spiritual things through a Fear of losing that which is temporal as their Lives their Liberties thier Goods and the like When once Satan or the World have gotten as it were the mastery of this Affection or a prevalent Interest in it they will not fail to draw all others into a defection from Christ and the Gospel He that loves his Life shall lose it Wherefore it is no ordinary nor easy thing to preserve our Affections pure entire and steady in their vigorous adherence unto Spiritual things against all these Solicitations Watchfulness Prayer Faith in Exercise and a dayly Examination of our Selves are required hereunto For want of a due attendance unto the these things and that with respect unto this end namely the Preservation of our Spiritual Affections in their Integrity many even before they are aware die away as to all Power and vigour of Spiritual Life Fifthly Affections thus fixed upon things Spiritual and Heavenly will give great Relief against the remainders of that Vanity of Mind which Believers themselves are oft times perplexed withal Yea I do not know any thing that is a greater Burden unto them nor which they more groan for Deliverance from The Instability of the Mind its readiness to receive Impressions from things vain and useless the irregularity of their Thoughts are a continual Burden unto many Nothing can give the Soul any relief herein nothing can give bounds unto the endless vanity of foolish Imaginations nothing can dry up the Springs from whence they arise or render the Soyl wherein they grow barren as unto their Production and maintainance but only the Growth of Spiritual Affections with their continual vigorous Actings on Heavenly things For hereby the Heart and Mind will be so united unto them that which the Psalmist prayers for Psal. 86.11 as that they will not be ready to depart from them and give Entertainment unto vain empty foolish Imaginations Thoughts of other things greater and better than what this World can contain will be continually arising in the Mind not to be laid aside by any solicitations of Vanity For he that is wise cannot but know and consider that the spiritual things which it exerciseth its Thoughts about have Substance in them are durable profitable alwayes the same that the Advantage Peace Rest Riches and Reward of the Soul lyeth in them but other Imaginations which the foolish Mind is apt to give Entertainment unto are vain empty fruitless and such as end in Shame and Trouble Again the Vanity of the Mind in an Indulgence unto foolish Imaginations ariseth from or is animated and encreased by that Gust and Relish which it finds in earthly things and Enjoyments of them whether lawful or unlawful Hence on all Occasions yea in holy duties it will be ready to turn aside and take a tast of them and sometimes to take up with them like a tippling Traveller who though he be ingaged in a Journey on the most earnest Occasion yet he cannot but be bibbing here and there as he passes by and it may be at length before he comes to his Journeys end lodgeth himself in a nasty Ale-house When men are ingaged in important Duties yet if they alwayes carry about them a strong Gust and Relish of earthly things they will ever and anon in their thoughts divert unto them either as unto such real Objects as they are accustomed unto or as unto what present Circumstances do administer unto Corrupt Affections or as to what they fancy and create in their own Minds And sometimes it may be after they have made them a few shorter visits they take up with them and lose wholly the Work they were ingaged in Nothing as was said will give relief herein but the vigorous and constant Exercise of our Affections on Heavenly things For this will insensibly take off that Gust and Relish which the Mind hath found in things present earthly and sensual and make them as a sapless thing unto the whole Soul They will so place the Cross of Christ in particular on the Heart as that the World shall be crucifyed unto it losing all that brightness beauty and Savour which it made use of to solicite our Minds unto Thoughts and Desires about it Moreover this Frame of Spirit alone will keep us on our Watch against all those wayes and meanes whereby the Vanity of the mind is excited and maintained Such are the wandring and roving of the outward Senses The Senses especially that of the Eye are ready to become purveyors to make Provisions for the Vanity and Lusts of the Mind Hence the Psalmist prays Turn away mine Eyes from beholding Vanity If the Eyes rove after vain Objects the mind will ruminate upon them and another affirms that he had made a Covenant with his Eyes to preserve them from fixing on such Objects as might solicite Lust or corrupt Affections And it were an useful labour would this place admit of it to discover the ready serviceableness of the outward Senses and Members of the Body unto Sin and Folly if not watched against Rom. 6.13 19. Of the same nature is the incessant Working of the Fancy and Imagination which of it self is evil continually and all the day long This is the Food of a vain Mind and the vehicle or meanes of conveyance for all Temptations from Satan and the World Besides sundry Occasions of Life and Conversation are usually turned or abused unto the same end exciting and exercising of the Vanity of the Mind Wherever our Affections are fixed on Spiritual things our Minds will constantly be under a Warning or Charge to keep diligent watch against all these things whereby that Vanity which it so abhorreth which it is so burdened withal is maintained and excited Nor without this Prevalency in the Mind will ever a Work of Mortification be carried on in the Soul Col. 3.2 4 5. CHAP. XXI HAving declared wherein this Duty of being Spiritually-Minded doth consist that which remains in compliance with
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 OR THE Grace and Duty OF BEING Spiritually-Minded Declared and Practically Improved By JOHN OWEN D. D. ROM 8.6 To be Spiritually-Minded is Life and Peace COLOS. 3.2 Set your Affections on things Above LONDON Printed by J. G. for Nathaniel Ponder at the Sign of the Peacock in the Poultry near the Church 1681. The Preface I Think it necessary to give the Reader a brief account of the nature and design of the plain ensuing Discourse which may both direct him in the reading and be some kind of Apology for my self in the publishing of it He may therefore know that the Thoughts here communicated were originally private Meditations for my own use in a season wherein I was every way unable to do any thing for the Edification of others and far from expectation that ever I should be so able any more in this World Receiving as I thought some Benefit and satisfaction in the Exercise of my own Meditations therein when God was graciously pleased to restore a little strength unto me I insisted on the same Subject in the Instruction of a private Congregation and this I did partly out of a sense of the Advantage I had received my self by being conversant in them and partly from an Apprehension that the Duties directed and pressed unto in the whole Discourse were seasonable from all sorts of present Circumstances to be declared and urged on the Minds and Consciences of Professors For leaving others unto the choice of their own Methods and Designs I acknowledge that these are the two things whereby I regulate my Work in the whole Course of my Ministry To impart those Truths of whose Power I hope I have had in some measure a real Experience and to press those Duties which present Occasions Temptations and other Circumstances do render necessary to be attended unto in a peculiar manner are the things which I would principally apply my self unto in the Work of teaching others For as in the Work of the Ministry in general the whole Councel of God concerning the Salvation of the Church by Jesus Christ is to be declared so in particular we are not to fight uncertainly as men beating the Air nor shoot our Arrows at Random without a certain Scope and Design Knowledge of the Flock whereof we are Overseers with a due Consideration of their Wants their Graces their Temptations their Light their Strength and Weakness are required herein And when in pursuance of that Design the Preparation of the Word to be dispensed proceeds from Zeal to the glory of God and Compassion unto the Souls of Men when it is delivered with the Demonstration of a due Reverence unto God whose Word it is and of Authority towards them unto whom it is dispensed with a deep sense of that great account which both they that Preach and they that hear the word Preached must shortly give before the Judgment Seat of Christ there may the a Comfortable Expectation of a Blessed Issue of the whole Work But my present Design is only to declare in particular the Reasons why I Judg'd the Preaching and Publishing of this small and plain Discourse concening the Grace and Duty of being Spiritually Minded not to be altogether unseasonable at this time in the present circumstances of of most Christians And the first thing which I would observe unto this End is the present Importunity of the World to Impose itself on the Minds of Men and the various wayes of insinuation whereby it posesseth and filleth them If it attain hereunto if it can fill the Minds the Thoughts and Affections of men with it self it will in some fortify the Soul against Faith and Obedience and in others Weaken all Grace and endanger Eternal Ruin For if we Love the World the Love of the Father is not in us And when the World fills our Thoughts it will entangle our Affections And First the Present State of all Publick Affaires in it with an apprehended concernment of Private Persons therein continually Exerciseth the Thoughts of many and is almost the only subject of their mutual converse For the World is at present in a mighty hurry and being in many places cast off from all Foundations of stedfastness it makes the Mindes of Men giddy with its Revolutions or disorderly in the Expectations of them Thoughts about these things are both allowable and unavoydable if they take not the Mind out of its own Power by their multiplicity vehemency and urgency untill it be unframed as unto Spiritual things retaining neither room nor time for their entertainment Hence Men walk and talke as if the World were all when Comparatively it is nothing And when men come with their warmed Affections reeking with thoughts of these things unto the performance of or attendance unto any Spiritual Duty it is very Difficult for them if not impossible to stir up any Grace unto a Due and vigourous exercise Unless this plausible Advantage which the World hath obtained of insinuating it self and its Occasions into the Mindes of Men so as to fill them and Possesse them be watched against and obviated so far at least as that it may not transform the Mind into its own Image and likeness this Grace of being Spiritually-Minded which is Life and Peace cannot be attained nor kept unto it's due Exercise Nor can we be any of us delivered from this Snare at this season without a watchful endeavour to keep and preserve our Minds in the Constant Contemplation of things Spiritual and Heavenly proceeding from the prevalent adherence of our Affections unto them as will appear in the ensuing discourse Again there are so great and Pregnant Evidences of the Prevalency of an Earthly Worldly Frame of Spirit in many who make Profession of Religion that it is high time they were call'd unto a due consideration how unanswerable they are therein unto the power and Spirituallity of that Religion which they do Profess There is no way whereby such a Frame may be evinced to prevaile in many yea in the Generallity of such Professiors that is not manifest unto all In their habits attires and vestments in their usual converse and mispence of time in their over liberal entertainment of themselves and others unto the borders of Excess and sundry other things of an a like nature there is in many such a Conformity unto the World a thing severely forbidden that it is hard to make a distinction between them And these things do manifest such a predominancy of Carnal Affections in the Minds of Men as whatever may be pretended unto the contrary is inconsistent with Spiritual Peace To call Men off from this evil Frame of Heart and Minde to discover the Sin and danger of it to direct them unto the wayes and meanes whereby it may be Effected to supply their Thoughts and Affections with better Objects to discover and presse that Excercise of them which is indispensiblely required of all Believers if they design Life and
Psalmist My Heart is enditing a good matter I speak of the things which I have made touching the King He was meditating on Spiritual things on the things of the Person and Kingdom of Christ. Hence his Heart bubbled up as it is in the Original a good matter It is an Allusion taken from a quick Spring of living Waters From its own life and fulness it bubbles up the water that runs and flows from it So is it with these thoughts in them that are Spiritually minded There is a living fulness of Spiritual things in their minds and Affections that springeth up into holy thoughts about them From hence doth our Saviour give us the great Description of Spiritual life It is a Well of living Water springing up into everlasting life Joh. 4.12 The Spirit with his Graces residing in the Heart of a Believer are a Well of living Water Nor is it such a Well as content with its own fulness doth not of its own accord without any Instrument or pains in drawing send out its refreshing waters as it is with most Wells though of living Water For this is spoken by our Saviour in answer and opposition unto that Objection of the Woman upon this mention of giving living water v. 10. Sir saith she thou hast nothing to draw and the Well is deep whence wilt thou have this Water V. 11. True saith he such is the nature of this Well and Water dead earthly things They are of no use unless we have Instruments Lines and Buckets to draw withall But the living Water which I shall give is of another nature It is not water to be kept in a Pit or Cistern without us whence it must be drawn but it is within us and that not dead and useless but continually springing up unto the use and refreshment of them that have it For so is it with the Principle of the New Creature of the new Nature the Spirit and his Graces in the Hearts of them that do believe It doth of it self and from it self without any external Influence on it incline and dispose the whole Soul unto spiritual Actings that tend unto Eternal Life Such are the thoughts of them that are Spiritually minded They arise from the inward Principle Inclination and Disposition of the Soul are the bublings of this Well of living water they are the mindings of the Spirit So our Saviour describes them Matth. 12.35 A Good man out of the Good Treasure of the Heart bringeth forth Good things First the Man is Good as he said before make the Tree Good or the Fruit cannot be Good v. 33. He is made so by Grace in the Change and Renovation of his Nature For in our selves we are every way evil This Good man hath a Treasure in his Heart So all men have as the next words are the evil man out of the evil Treasure of the Heart And this is the great difference that is between men in this world Every man hath a Treasure in his Heart that is a prevailing inexhaustible Principle of all his actings and operations But in some this Treasure is Good in others it is Evil. That is the prevailing Principle in the Heart which carries along with it its dispositions and Inclinations is in some Good and gracious in others it is evil Out of this Good Treasure a Good man bringeth forth Good things The first opening of it the first bringing of it forth is by these thoughts The Thoughts that arise out of the Heart are of the same nature with the Treasure that is in it If the Thoughts that naturally arise and spring up in us are for the most part vain foolish sensual earthly selfish such is the Treasure that is in our Hearts and such are we But where the Thoughts that thus naturally proceed from the Treasure that is in the Heart are spiritual and holy it is an argument that we are spiritually minded Where it is not thus with our Thoughts they give no such Evidence as that enquired after Men may have Thoughts of spiritual things and that many of them and that frequently which do not arise from this Principle but may be resolved into two other Causes 1. Inward Force 2. Outward Occasions 1. Inward Force as it may be called This is by Convictions Convictions put a kind of a force upon the mind or an Impression that causeth it to act contrary unto its own habitual Disposition and Inclination It is in the Nature of water to descend But apply an Instrument unto it that shall make a compression of it and force it unto a vent it will fly upwards vehemently as if that were its natural motion But so soon as the force of the Impression ceaseth it returns immediately unto its own proper tendency descending towards its center So is it with mens Thoughts oft-times They are earthly their natural course and motion is downwards unto the Earth and the things thereof But when any efficacious Conviction presseth on the mind it forceth the egress of its Thoughts upwards towards Heavenly things It will think much and frequently of them as if that were their proper motion and Course But so soon as the Power of the Conviction decayes or wears off that the mind is no more sensible of its force and impression the thoughts of it return again unto their old Course and Track as the water tends downwards This State and frame is graphically described Psal. 78.35 36 37. When he slew them then they sought him and they returned and enquired early after God And they remembred that God was their Rock and the high God their Redeemer Nevertheless they did but flatter him with their mouths and they lyed unto him with their tongues for their Heart was not right with him neither were they stedfast in his Covenant Men in Troubles Dangers Sickness Fears of Death or under effectual Conviction of Sin from the preaching of the Word will endeavour to think and meditate on spiritual Things Yea they will be greatly troubled that they cannot think of them more than they do and esteem it their folly that they think of any thing else But as freedom and Deliverance do approach so these thoughts decay and disappear The mind will not be compelled to give place unto them any more The Prophet gives the Reason of it Jer. 13.23 Can the Aethiopian change his skin or the Leopard his spots then may ye also do good that are accustomed unto evil They have had another haunt been taught another course the habit and Inclination of the mind lyes another way and they will no longer tend towards spiritual things than an impression is on them from their Convictions And it is an Argument of very mean Attainments of a low and weak degree in this frame of heart or in our being spiritually minded when our Thoughts of spiritual things do rise or fall according unto renewed occasional Convictions If when we are under Rebukes from God in our Persons or Relations
in the Moon and Starres than in the Sun but because the light of the Sun is greater then our visive Faculty can directly bear and behold So we can more clearly discover the Truth and distinct Nature of things Moral and Natural than we can of things that are Heavenly and Spiritual See John 3.14 Not that there is more substance or reality in them but because the Ability of our Understanding is more suited unto the Comprehension of them The other are above us We know but in Part and our minds are liable to be hindred and disordered in their apprehension of things Heavenly and Spiritual by Ignorance Temptations and Prejudices of all sorts In nothing more are men subject unto mistakes than in the application of things unto themselves and a Judgement of their Interest in them Fear self-love with the prevalency of Temptations and Corruptions do all engage their Powers to darken the light of the mind and to pervert its Judgement In no case doth the deceitfulness of the heart or of sin which is all one more act it self Hence Multitudes say Peace to themselves to whom God doth not speak Peace and some who are Children of Light do yet walk in darkness Hence is that fervent Prayer of the Apostle for help in this case Ephes. 1.16 17 18 19. There is also a great similitude between Temporary Faith and that which is Saving and durable and between Gifts and Grace in their Operations which is that that is under present Consideration It is acknowledged therefore that without the especial light and conduct of the Spirit of God no man can make such a Judgement of his State and his Actions as shall be a stable Foundation of giving Glory to God and of obtaining peace unto his own soul. And therefore the greatest part of mankind do constantly deceive themselves in these things But ordinarily under this blessed Conduct in the search of our selves and the Concernments of our duty we may come unto a satisfaction whether they are influenced by Faith and have Grace exercised in them especially this duty of Prayer or whether it derive from the power of our natural Faculties raised by Light and spiritual Gifts only and so whether our spiritual Thoughts therein do spring from a Vital Principle of Grace or whether they come from occasional impressions on the mind by the performance of the Duty it self If men are willing to deceive themselves or to hide themselves from themselves to walk with God at all per adventures to leave all things at hazard to put off all Trials unto that at the last day and so never call themselves unto an account as unto the nature of their Duties in any particular Instance it is no wonder if they neither do nor can make any distinction in this matter as unto the true nature of their Thoughts in Spiritual Duties Two things are required hereunto 1. That we impartially and severely examine and try the Frames and actings of our minds in holy Duties by the Word of Truth and thereon not be afraid to speak that plainly unto our Souls which the Word speaks unto us This diligent search ought to respect our Principles Aims Ends Actings with the whole deportment of our Souls in every duty See 2 Cor. 13.5 If a man receiveth much Money and look only on the outward Form and Superscription when he supposeth that he hath great store of currant Coin in Gold and Silver he may have only heaps of Lead or Copper by him But he that trades in it as the comfort and support of his natural life and condition he will try what he receives both by the Ballance and the Touch-stone as the occasion requires especially if it be in a time when much adulterated Coin is passant in the World And if a man reckons on his Duties by Tale and Number he may be utterly deceived and be spiritually poor and a Bankrupt when he esteems himself rich encreased in Goods and wanting nothing Some Duties may appearingly hold in the Ballance as to Weight which will not hold it at the Touch-stone as to Worth Both means are to be used if we would not be mistaken in our Accounts Thus God himself in the midst of a multitude of Duties calls the People to try and examine themselves whether or no they are such as have Faith and Grace in them and so like to have acceptance with him Isa. 58.2 3 4 5. 2. Add we must unto our own diligent enquiry fervent Prayers unto God that he would search and try us as unto our sincerity and discover unto us the true frame of our hearts Hereof we have an express example Psal. 139.23 24. Search me O God and know my heart try me and know my thoughts and see if there be any wicked way in me and lead me in the way everlasting This is the only way whereby we may have the Spirit of God witnessing unto our sincerity with our own spirits There is need of calling in divine Assistance in this matter both from the importance of it and from its difficulty God alone knowing fully and perfectly what is in the hearts of men I no way doubt but that in the impartial use of these means a man may come to assured satisfaction in his own mind such as wherein he shall not be deceived whether he doth animate and quicken his thoughts of Spiritual things in Duties with inward Vital Grace or whether they are impressions on his mind by the occasion of the Duty A Duty this is of great Importance and necessity now Hipocrisie hath made so great an in-rode on Profession and Gifts have doflowred Grace in its principal Operations No Persons are in greater danger of walking at hazard with God than those who live in the exercise of Spiritual Gifts in Duties unto their own satisfaction and others For they may countenance themselves with an Appearance of every thing that should be in them in reality and power when there is nothing of it in them And so it hath fallen out We have seen many earnest in the Exercise of this Gift who have turned vile and debauched Apostates Some have been known to live in sin and an indulgence of their Lusts and yet to abide constant in their Duties Isa. 1.15 And we may hear Prayers sometimes that openly discover themselves unto Spiritual sense to be the Labour of the Brain by the help of Gifts in Memory and Invention without an Evidence of any mixture of Humility Reverence or Godly fear without any acting of Faith and Love They flow as Wine yet smell and taste of the unsavoury Cask from whence they proceed It is necessary therefore that we should put our selves on the severest trial lest we should be found not to be spiritually minded in Spiritual Duties Gifts are gracious vouchsafements of Christ to make Grace useful unto our selves and others yea they may make them useful unto the Grace of others who have no Grace in themselves But as
unto our own souls they are of no other advantage or benefit but to stir up Grace unto its proper Exercise and to be a vehicle to carry it on in its proper use If we do not always regard this in their Exercise we had better be without them If instead hereof they once begin to impose themselves practically upon us so as that we rest in spiritual Light acting our Inventions Memories and Judgements with a ready utterance or such as it is there is no form of Prayer can be more prejudicial unto our Souls As Wine if taken moderately and seasonably helps the Stomach in Digestion and quickens the natural Spirits enabling the Powers of Nature unto their Duty is useful and helpful unto it but if it be taken in excess it doth not help Nature but oppress it and takes on it self to do what nature should be assisted unto it fills mens Carcasses with Diseases as well as their Souls with sin So whilest Spiritual Gifts are used and employed only to excite aid and assist Grace in its operations they are unutterably useful But if they put themselves in the Room thereof to do all that Grace should do they are hurtful and pernicious We have need therefore to be very diligent in this Enquiry whether our Spiritual Thoughts even in our Prayers be not rather occasioned from the Duty than spring from a gracious Principle in our Hearts or are the actings of real saving Grace 2. Where thoughts of Spiritual things in Prayer are Occasional only in the way before described such Prayers will not be a means of Spiritual Growth unto the soul. They will not make the soul Humble Holy Watchful and Diligent in universal Obedience Grace will not thrive under the greatest constancy in such Duties It is an astonishing thing to see how under frequency of Prayer and a seeming fervency therein many of us are at a stand as to visible thriving in the Fruits of Grace and it is to be feared without any encrease of strength in the Root of it Gods Hand is not shortned that he cannot save nor his Ear deafned that he cannot hear He is the same as in the dayes of old when our Fathers cryed unto him and were delivered when they trusted in him and were not confounded Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and to day and for ever Prayer is the same that it was and shall lose nothing of its Prevalency whilest this World endureth Whence is it then that there is so much Prayer amongst us and so little success I speak not with respect unto the outward Dispensations of Divine Providence in Afflictions or Persecutions wherein God always acts in a way of Soveraignty and oft-times gives the most useful answer unto our Prayers by denying our Requests I intend that only whereof the Psalmist giveth us his Experience Psal. 138.3 In the day when I cryed thou answeredst me and strengthnedst me with strength in my soul. Where Prayers are effectual they will bring in spiritual strength But the Prayers of many seem to be very spiritual and to express all conceivable supplies of Grace and they are persisted in with Constancy And God forbid we should Judge them to be Hypocritical and wholly Insincere Yet is there a defect somewhere which should be enquired after For they are not so answered as that they who Pray them are strengthned with strength in their Souls There is not that spiritual thriving that growth in Grace which might be expected to accompany such Supplications I know that a man may pray often pray sincerely and frequently for an especial Mercy Grace or Deliverance from a particular Temptation and yet no spiritual Supply of strength unto his own experience come in thereby So Paul prayed thrice for the removal of his Temptation and yet had the Exercise of it continued In such a case there may be no defect in Prayer and yet the Grace in particular aimed at not be attained For God hath other Holy Ends to accomplish hereby on the Soul But how Persons should continue in Prayer in general according to the mind of God so far as can be outwardly discovered and yet thrive not at all as unto spiritual strength in their Souls is hard to be understood And which is yet more astonishable men abide in the Duty of Prayer and that in constancy in their Families and otherwise and yet live in known sins Whatever spiritual thoughts such men have in and by their Prayers they are not spiritually minded Shall we now say that all such Persons are gross Hypocrites such as know they do but mock God and Man know that they have not Desires nor Aims after the things which they mention in their own Prayers but do these things either for some corrupt end or at best to satisfie their Convictions Could we thus resolve the whole difficulty of the Case were taken off For such double minded Men have no Reason to think that they shall receive any thing of the Lord as James speaks Chap. 1.7 Indeed they do not They never Act Faith with reference unto their own Prayers But it is not so with all of this sort Some judge themselves Sincere and in good Earnest in their Prayers not without some Hopes and Expectations of Success I will not say of all such Persons that they are among the Number of them concerning whom the Wisdom of God says Because I called unto them and they refused they shall call on me but I will not answer they shall seek me early and shall not find me Prov. 1.18 19 20 21. And although we may say unto such Persons in general Either leave your Sinning or leave your Praying from Psal. 50.16 17. and that with respect unto present Scandal and certain Miscarriage in the End if both be continued in yet in particular I would not advise any such Person to leave off his Praying untill he had left his Sin This were to advise a sick Man to use no Remedies untill he were well cured Who knows but that the Holy Spirit who works when and how he pleaseth may take a Time to Animate these lifeless Prayers and make them a means of Deliverance from the Power of this Sin In the mean time the Fault and Guilt is wholly their own who have effected a Consistency between a way in Sinning and a Course in Praying And it ariseth from hence that they have never laboured to fill up their Requests with Grace What there hath been of Earnestness or Diligence in them hath been from a Force put upon them by their Convictions and Fears For no man was ever absolutely prevail'd on by Sin who prayed for Deliverance according to the mind of God Every Praying man that perisheth was an Hypocrite The Faithfulness of God in his Promises will not allow us to Judge otherwise Wherefore the Thoughts that such Persons have of Spiritual things even in their Duties do not arise from within nor are a natural Emanation of the Frames of their
Hearts and Affections 3. Earnestness and appearing Fervency in Prayer as unto the outward delivery of the Words of it yea though the mind be so affected as to contribute much thereunto will not of themselves prove that the Thoughts of men therein do arise from an Internal Spring of Grace There is a Fervency of Spirit in Prayer that is one of the best Properties of it being an earnest Acting of Love Faith and Desire But there is a Fervency wherewith the mind it self may be affected that may arise from other Causes 1. It may do so from the ingagement 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 Deliverance from Eminent Troubles or Imminent Dangers and yet all this Fervour arise from the vehement Actings of Natural Affections about the things prayed for excited in an especial manner by the present Duty Hence God calls the earnest cryes of some for Temporal things not a Crying unto him but an Howling Hosea 7.14 That is the cry of hungry Ravenous Beasts that would be satisfied 2. Sometimes it ariseth from the sharpness of Convictions 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 Convictions goes before real Conversion and as it produceth 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 Psal. 78.34 35. 3. Oft-times the Mind and Affections are very little concerned in that Fervour 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 their Expressions It hath been so with sundry Persons who have been discovered to be Rotten Hypocrites and have afterwards turned Cursed Apostates Wherefore all these things may be where there is no gracious Spring or Vital Principle Acting it self from within in Spiritual Thoughts Some it may be will design an Advantage by their Conceptions unto the Interest of Prophaneness and Scoffing For if there may be these evils under the Exercise of the Gift of Prayer both in Constancy and with Fervency if there may be a total want of the Exercise of all true Grace with it and under it then it may be all that is pretended of this Gift and its Use is but Hypocrisie and Talk But I say 1. It may be as well pretended that because the Sun shining on a Dung-hill doth occasion offensive and noisom Steams therefore all that is pretended of its Influence on Spices and Flowers causing them to give out their Fragrancy is utterly false No man ever thought that Spiritual Gifts did change or renew the Minds and Natures of Men where they are alone they only help and assist unto the useful Exercise of Natural Faculties and Powers And therefore where the Heart is not savingly renewed no Gifts can stir up a saving Exercise of Faith But where it is so they are a means to cause the Savour of it to flow forth 2. Be it so that there may be some Evils found under the Exercise of the Gift of Prayer what remedy for them may be proposed Is it that men should Renounce their use of it and betake themselves unto the Reading of Prayers only 1. The same may be said of all Spiritual Gifts whatever for they are all of them liable unto Abuse And shall we reject all the Powers of the World to come the whole complexe of Gospel Gifts for the Commuication whereof the Lord Christ hath promised to continue his Spirit with his Church unto the end of the World because by some they are abused 2. Not only the same but far greater evils may be found in and under the Reading of Prayers which needs no further Demonstration than what it gives of it self every Day 3. It is hard to understand how any benefit at all can accrew unto any by this Relief when the Advantages of the other way are evident Wherefore the Enquiry remains How we may know unto our own satisfaction that the Thoughts we have of Spiritual things in the Duty of Prayer are from Internal fountain of Grace and so are an evidence that we are Spiritually minded whereunto all these things do tend Some few things I shall offer towards Satisfaction herein 1. I take it for granted on the Evidence before given that Persons who have any Spiritual Light and will diligently Examine and Try their own Hearts will be able to discern what real Actings of Faith of Love and Delight in God there are in their Duties and consequently what is the Spring of their Spiritual Thoughts In general we are assured that he that believeth hath the Witness in himself 1 Joh. 5.10 Sincere Faith will be its own Evidence And where there are Sincere Actings of Faith they will evidence themselves if we try all things impartially by the Word But if men do as for the most part they do content themselves with the Performance of any Duty without an Examination of their Principles Frames and Actings of Grace in them it is no wonder if they walk in all Uncertainty 2. When the Soul finds a sweet Spiritual Complacency in and after its Duties it is an Evidence that Grace hath been acted in its Spiritual Thoughts and Desires Jer. 31. The Prophet receiveth a long gracious Message from God filled up with Excellent Promises and Pathetical Exhortations unto the Church The whole is as it were summ'd up in the close of it Ver. 25. For I have satiated the weary Soul and I have replenished every sorrowful Soul Whereon the Prophet adds Vpon this I awaked and beheld and my Sleep was sweet unto me God's gracious Message had so composed his spirits and freed his mind from Trouble as that he was at quiet Repose in himself like a man asleep But after the end of it he stirrs up himself unto a Review and Consideration of what had been spoken unto him I awaked and beheld or I stirred up my self and considered what had been delivered unto me And saith he my Sleep was sweet unto me I found a gracious Complacency in and Refreshment unto my Soul from what I had heard and received So is it oft-times with a Soul that hath had real Communion with God in the Duty of Prayer It finds it self both in it and afterwards when it is awakened unto the consideration of it spiritually refreshed it is sweet unto him This holy Complacency this Rest and sweet Repose of mind is the Foundation of the Delight of Believers in this Duty They do not pray only because it is their Duty so to do nor yet because
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
and Motives unto it I cannot understand how you can judge your selves to be Spiritually minded If any therefore shall say that they would abound more in Spiritual Thoughts only they know not what to fix them upon I propose this in the first place as that which will lead them unto the due performance of present Duties Secondly The special Trials and Temptations of men call for the Exercise of their Thoughts in a peculiar manner with respect unto them If a man hath a bodily Disease Pain or Distemper it will cause him to think much of it whether he will or no at least if he be wise he will so do nor will he always be complaining of their smart but enquire into their causes and seek their removal Yet are there some distempers as Lethargies which in their own Nature take away all sence and thoughts of themselves and some are of such a slow secret Progress as Hectick Feavers that they are not taken notice of But both these are mortal And shall men be more negligent about the Spiritual Distempers of their Souls so as to have multiplied Temptations the cause of all Spiritual Diseases and take no Thought about them Is it not to be fear'd that where it is so they are such as either in their own Nature have deprived them of Spiritual sence or by their deceitfulness are leading on insensibly unto death Eternal Not to have our minds exercised about these things is to be stupidly secure Prov. 23.34 35. There is I confess some difficulty in this matter how to exercise our Thoughts aright about our Temptations For the great way of the prevalency of Temptations is by stirring up multiplyed Thoughts about their Objects or what they do lead unto And this is done or occasioned several ways 1. From the previous power of Lust in the Affections This will fill the mind with Thoughts The heart will coin Imaginations in complyance therewith They are the way and means whereby Lust draws away the heart from Duty and enticeth unto sin Jam. 1.14 The means at least whereby men come to have eyes full of Adultery 2 Pet. 2.14 or live in constant Contemplation of the Pleasures of Sin 2. They arise and are occasioned by renewed Representations of the Object of Sin And this is twofold 1. That which is real as Achan saw the Wedge of Gold and coveted it Josh. 7.21 Prov. 23.31 Against this is that Prayer of the Psalmist Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity and the Covenant of Job chap. 31.1 2. Imaginary when the Imagination being tainted or infected by Lust continually represents the pleasure of sin and the actings of it unto the mind Herein do men make provision for the Flesh to fulfil the Lusts thereof Rom. 13.14 3. From the Suggestions of Sathan who useth all his Wiles and Artifices to stir up thoughts about that sin whereunto the Temptation leads And Temptation seldom fails of its end when it can stir up a multitude of unprofitable Thoughts about its Object For when Temptations do multiply Thoughts about Sin proceeding from some or all of these causes and the mind hath wonted it self to give them Entertainment those in whom they are do want nothing but opportunities and Occasions taking off the power of outward restraints for the commission of actual sin When men have so devised mischief they practise it when it is in the power of their hand Mic. 2.1 It is no way safe to advise such Persons to have many Thoughts about their Temptations they will all turn to their disadvantage I speak unto them only unto whom their Temptations are their Affliction and their Burden And such Persons also must be very careful how they suffer their Thoughts to be exercised about the Matter of their Temptation lest it be a snare and be too hard for them Men may begin their Thoughts of any Object with Abhorrency and Detestation and if it be in case of Temptation end them in Complacency and Approbation The deceitfulness of sin lays hold on something or other that Lust in the mind stays upon with Delectation and so corrupts the whole frame of Spirit which began the Duty There have been Instances wherein Persons have entred with a Resolution to punish sin and have been ensnared by the occasion unto the Commission of the sin they thought to punish Wherefore it is seldom that the mind of any one exercised with an actual Temptation is able safely to conflict with it if it entertain abiding thoughts of the matter of it or of the sin whereunto it leads For sin hath mille nocendi Artes and is able to transfuse its Poyson into the affections from every thing it hath once made a bait of especially if it hath already defiled the mind with pleasing Contemplations of it Yea oftentimes a man that hath some Spiritual strength and therein ingageth unto the performance of Duties if in the midst of them the matter of his Temptation is so presented unto him as to take hold of his thoughts in a moment as if he had seen as they say Medusa's Head he is turned into a Stone his spirits are all frozen his strength is gone all actings of Grace do cease his Armor falls from him and he gives up himself a Prey to his Temptation It must be a new supply of Grace that can give him any Deliverance Wherefore whilst Persons are exercised with any Temptation I do not advise them to be conversant in their thoughts about the matter of it For sometimes Remembrances of former satisfaction of their Lusts sometimes present surprizals with the suitableness of it unto corruption not yet mortified sometimes the craft of Sathan fixing their Imagination on it will be too hard for them and carry them unto a fresh complyance with that sin which they would be delivered from But this season calls in an especial manner for the exercise of the Thoughts of men about the wayes and means of Deliverance from the snare wherein they are taken or the danger they find themselves exposed unto Think of the Guilt of sin that you may be humbled Think of the Power of sin that you may seek strength against it Think not of the Matter of sin the things that are in the World suited unto the Lusts of the Flesh the Lust of the Eye and the Pride of Life lest you be more and more entangled But the present Direction is think much of the wayes of Relief from the power of your own Temptation leading unto sin But this men unless they are spiritually minded are very loth to come unto I speak not of them that love their Shackles that glory in their Yoak that like their Temptations well enough as those which give the most satisfactory entertainment unto their minds Such men know not well what to do unless they may in their Minds converse with the Objects of their Lusts and do multiply Thoughts about them continually The Apostle calls it making Provision for the Flesh
Faith and Profession in these our dayes The Bellies of men cleave unto the Dust or their Affections unto earthly things I speak not of those who by Rapine Deceit and Oppression strive to enrich themselves nor of those who design nothing more than the Attainment of Greatness and Promotions in the world though not by wayes of open wickedness least of all of them who make Religion and perhaps their Ministry therein a Means for the attaining Secular ends and Preferments No wise man can suppose such persons any of them to be spiritually minded and it is most easie to disprove all their pretences But I intend only those at present whose wayes and Means of attaining Riches are lawfull honest and unblameable who use them with some moderation and do profess that their Portion lyes in better things so as it is hard to fasten a Conviction on them in matter of their conversation Whatever may seem to reflect upon them they esteem it to be that whose omission would make them foolish in their Affairs or negligent in their Duty But even among these also there is oft times that inordinate Love unto present things that esteem and valuation of them that concernment in them as are not consistent with their being Spiritually minded With some their Relations with some their Enjoyments with most both in Conjunction are an Idol which they set up in their hearts and secretly bow down unto About these are their Hopes and Fears exercised on them is their Love in them is their Delight They are wholly taken up with their own concerns count all lost that is not spent on them and all time mispent that is not engaged about them Yet the things which they do they judge to be good in themselves their hearts do not condemn them as to the Matter of them The Valuation they have of their Relations and Enjoyments they suppose to be lawful within the bounds which they have assigned unto it Their care about them is in their own minds but their Duty It is no easie matter it requires much Spiritual Wisdom to fix right boundaries unto our Affections and their actings about Earthly things But let men plead and pretend what they please I shall offer one Rule in this case which will not fail And this is that when men are so confident in the good State and measure of their affections and their Actings towards earthly things as that they will oppose their ingagements into them unto known Duties of Religion Piety and Charity they are gone into a sinfull excess Is there a State of the Poor that requires their Liberality and Bounty you must excuse them they have Families to provide for when what is expected from them signifies nothing at all as unto a due provision for their Families nor is what would lessen their Inheritances or Portions one Penny in the issue Are they called to an Attendance on seasons of Religious Duties they are so full of Business that it is impossible for them to have leisure for any such occasions so by all ways declaring that they are under the power of a prevalent predominant Affection unto earthly things This fills all places with lifeless sapless useless Professors who approve themselves in their condition whilest it is visibly unspiritual and withering The Heart will have something whereon in a way of Preheminence it will fix it self and its Affections This in all its perpetual motions it seeks for rest and satisfaction in And every man hath an Edge the Edge of his Affections is set one way or other though it be more keen in some than others And whereas all sorts of things that the Heart can fix upon or turn the Edge of its Affections unto are distributed by the Apostle into things above and things beneath things Heavenly and things Earthly if we have not such a view and prospect of Heavenly things as to cause our Hearts to cleave unto them and delight in them let us pretend what we will it is impossible but that we shall be under the power of a predominant Affection unto the things of this World Herein lyes the great Danger of Multitudes at this present season For let men profess what they will under the power of this frame their Eternal state is in hazard every moment And Persons are ingaged in it in great variety of Degrees And we may cast them under two Heads 1. Some do not at all understand that things are amiss with them or that they are much to be blamed They plead as was before observed that they are all lawful things which their hearts do cleave unto and which it is their Duty to take care of and regard May they not delight in their own Relations especially at such a time when others break and cancel all Duties and bonds of Relation in the service of and provision they make for their Lusts May they not be careful in good and honest wayes of diligence about the things of the world when the most either lavish their time away in the pursuit of bestial Lusts or heap them up by deceit and Oppression May they not contrive for the promotion of their children in the world to adde the other hundred or thousand pounds unto their Advancement that they may be in as good condition as others seeing he is worse than an Infidel who provides not for his own family By such reasonings and secret Thoughts do many justifie themselves in their earthly mindedness And so fixed they are in the Approbation of themselves that if you urge them to their Duty you shall loose their acquaintance if they do not become your Enemies for telling them the Truth Yea they will avoid one Duty that lyeth not against their earthly Interest because it leads unto another They will not ingage in Religious Assemblies or be constant unto their Duty in them for fear Dutyes of Charity should be required of them or expected from them On what Grounds such Persons can satisfie themselves that they are Spiritually-minded I know not I shall leave only one Rule with Persons that are thus minded Where our Love unto the world hath prevailed by its reasonings pleas and pretences to take away our fear and jealousy over our own hearts lest we should inordinately love it there it is assuredly predominant in us 2. Others are sensible of the evil of their hearts at least are jealous and afraid lest it should be found that their hearts do cleave inordinately unto these things Hence they endeavour to contend against this evil sometimes by forcing themselves unto such Acts of Piety or Charity as are contrary unto that frame and sometimes by labouring a change of the frame it self Especially they will do so when God is pleased to awaken them by Trials and Afflictions such as write Vanity and Emptiness on all earthly enjoyments But for the most part they strive not lawfully and so obtain not what they seem to aim at This Disease with many is mortal
Temptation in some and the ordinary State of Mind and Affections in others There may be a season wherein God in his holy wise Orderings of all things towards us and for his own Glory in his holy blessed Ends may suffer a Lust or Corruption to break loose in the Heart to strive tempt suggest and tumultuate unto the great trouble and disquietude of the Mind and Conscience Neither can it be denyed but that falling in conjunction with some vigorous Temptation it may proceed so far as to surprize the Person in whom it is into actual sin unto his defilement and amazement In this case no man can say he is tempted of God for God tempeth no man but every man is tempted of his own Lust and enticed But yet Temptations of what sort soever they be so far as they are afflictive corrective or penal are ordered and disposed by God himself For there is no evil of that nature and he hath not done it And where he will have the Power of any corruption to be afflictive in any Instance two things may safely be ascribed unto him 1. He withholds the supplies of that Grace whereby it might be effectually mortifyed and subdued He can give in a Sufficiency of Efficacious Grace to repell any Temptation to subdue any or all our Lusts and Sins For he can and doth work in us to will and to do according to his Pleasure Ordinarily he doth so in them that believe so that although their Lusts may rebell and war they cannot defile or prevail But unto the continual supplies of this actual prevailing Grace he is not obliged When it may have a Tendency unto his holy Ends he may and doth withhold it When it may be a proud Soul is to be humbled a careless Soul to be awakened an unthankful Soul to be convinced and rebuked a backsliding Soul to be recovered a froward selfish passionate Soul to be broken and meekened he can leave them for a season unto the sore exercise of a prevalent corruption which under his holy guidance shall contribute greatly unto his blessed Ends. It was so in the Temptation of Paul 2 Cor. 11.7 8 9. If a man through disorder and excesses is contracting many habitual Distempers of Body which gradually and insensibly tend unto his Death it may be an advantage to be cast into a violent feavour which threatens immediately to take away his Life For he will hereby be throughly awakened unto the consideration of his Danger and not only labour to be freed from his Feavour but also for the future to watch against those Disorders and Excesses which cast him into that condition And sometimes a loose careless Soul that walks in a secure formal Profession contracts many Spiritual Diseases which tend unto Death and ruine No Arguments or Considerations can prevail with him to awaken himself to shake himself out of the Dust and to betake himself unto a more diligent and humble walking before God In this state it may be through the permission of God he is surprized into some open actual sin Hereon through the vigorous actings of an enlightened Conscience and the stirrings of any sparks of Grace which yet remain he is amazed terrifyed and stirs up himself to seek after Deliverance 2. God may and doth in his Providence administer Objects and Occasions of mens Lusts for their Trial. He will place them in such Relations in such Circumstances as shall be apt to provoke their Affections Passions Desires and Inclinations unto those Objects that are suited unto them In this state any Lust will quickly get such Power in the Mind and Affections as to manage continual solicitations unto sin It will not only dispose the Affections towards it but multiply Thoughts about it and darken the mind as unto those Considerations which ought to prevail unto its Mortification In this condition it is hard to conceive how God should be in the Thoughts of men in a due manner However this state is very different from the habitual Prevalency of any secret sin or corruption in the ordinary course of mens walking in the world and therefore I do not directly intend it If any one shall enquire how we may know this Difference namely That is between the occasional Prevalency of any Lust or Corruption in conjunction with a Temptation and the Power of sin in any Instance habitually and constantly complyed withall or indulged in the Mind I answer 1. It is no great matter whether we are able to distinguish between them or no. For the End why God suffers any corruption to be such a Snare and Temptation such a Thorn and Bryar is to awaken the Souls of men out of their security and to humble them for their pride and negligence The more severe are their apprehensions concerning it the more effectual it will be unto this end and purpose It is Good it may be that the Soul should apprehend more of what is sinful in it as it is a corruption than of what is afflictive in it as it is a Temptation For if it be conceived as a predominant Lust if there be any spark of Grace remaining in the Soul it will not rest untill in some measure it be subdued It will also immediately put it upon a diligent search into it self which will issue in deep self-abasement the principal End designed But 2. For the Relief of them that may be perplexed in their Minds about their state and condition I say there is an apparent Difference between these things A Lust or Corruption arising up or breaking forth into a violent Temptation is the continual Burthen Grief and Affliction of the Soul wherein it is And as the Temptation for the most part which befalls such a Person will give him no rest from its reiterated solicitations so he will give the Temptation no Rest but will be continually conflicting with it and contending against it It fills the Souls with an Amazement at it self and continual self-abhorrency that any such seeds of filth and folly should be yet remaining in it With them in whom any sin is ordinarily prevalent it is otherwise According to their Light and renewed occasional convictions they have trouble about it they cannot but have so unless their Consciences are utterly seared But this Trouble respects principally if not solely its Guilt and Effects They know not what may ensue on their complyance with it in this world and another Beyond this they like it well enough and are not willing to part with it It is of this latter sort of Persons of whom we speak at present 2. We must distinguish between the perplexing sollicitation of any Lust and the conquering Predominancy of it The Evil that is present with us will be solliciting and pressing unto sin of its own accord even where there is no such especial Temptation as that spoken of before So is the case stated so are the nature and Operations of it described Rom. 1. Gal. 5. And sometimes an
them in this world whatever Troubles and Disquietment they are exercised withal the Remembrance of God is a satisfactory Refreshment unto them For therein they behold all that is Good and Excellent the infinite Center of all Perfections Wicked men would have God to be any thing but what he is Nothing that God is really and truely pleaseth them Wherefore they either frame false Notions of him in their Minds as Psal. 50.21 Or they think not of him at all at least as they ought unless sometimes they tremble at his Anger and Power Some Benefit they suppose may be had by what he can do but how there can be any Delight in what he is they know not Yea all their trouble ariseth from hence that he is what he is It would be a relief unto them if they could make any abatement of his Power his Holiness his Righteousness his Omnipresence But his Saints as the Psalmist speaks give thanks at the Remembrance of his Holiness And when we can delight in the Thoughts of what God is in himself of his infinite Excellencies and Perfections it gives us a threefold evidence of our being spiritually minded 1. In that it is such an Evidence that we have a gracious Interest in those Excellencies and Perfections whereon we can say with rejoycing in our selves this God thus holy thus powerful thus just good and gracious is our God and he will be our guide unto Death So the Psalmist under the consideration of his own frailty and apprehensions of Death in the midst of his years comforts and refresheth himself with Thoughts of Gods Eternity and Immutability with his Interest in them Psal. 102.23 24 25 26 27 28. And God himself proposeth unto us his infinite Immutability as the Ground whereon we may except safety and deliverance Mal. 3.6 When we can thus think of God and what he is with delight it is I say an Evidence that we have a gracious Covenant Interest even in what God is in Himself which none have but those who are spiritually minded 2. It is an Evidence that the Image of God is begun to be wrought in our own Souls and we approve of and rejoyce in it more than in all other things whatever Whatever Notions men may have of the Divine Goodness Holiness Righteousness and Purity they are all but barren jejune and fruitless unless there be a similitude and conformity unto them wrought in their Minds and Souls Without this they cannot rejoyce in the Thoughts and Remembrance of the Divine Excellencies Wherefore when we can do so when such Meditations of God are sweet unto us it is an Evidence that we have some experience in our selves of the excellency of the Image of those Perfections and that we rejoyce in them above all things in this world 3. They are so also in that they are manifest that we do discern and judge that our Eternal Blessedness doth consist in the full Manifestation and our Enjoyment of God in what he is and of all his Divine Excellencies This Men for the most part take for granted but how it should be so they know not They understand it in some measure whose hearts are here deeply affected with Delight in them they are able to believe that the manifestation and Enjoyment of the Divine Excellencies will give Eternal Rest satisfaction and complacency unto their Souls No wicked man can look upon it otherwise than a Torment to abide for ever with Eternal Holiness Isa. 33.14 And we our selves can have no present prospect into the fulness of future Glory when God shall be all in all but through the Delight and satisfaction which we have here in the contemplation of what God is in himself as the Center of all divine Perfections I would therefore press this unknown this neglected Duty on the minds of those of us in an especial manner who are visibly drawing nigh unto Eternity The Daies are coming wherein what God is in himself that is as manifest and exerted in Christ shall alone be as we hope the Eternal Blessedness and Reward of our Souls Is it possible that any thing should be more necessary for us more useful unto us than to be exercised in such Thoughts and Contemplations The Benefits we may have hereby are not to be reckoned some of them only may be named As 1. We shall have the best Trial of our selves how our hearts really stand affected towards God For if upon Examination we find our selves not really to delight and rejoyce in God for what he is in himself and that all Perfections are eternally resident in him how dwelleth the Love of God in us But if we can truely rejoyce at the Remembrance of his Holiness in the Thoughts of what he is our Hearts are upright with him 2. This is that which will effectually take off our Thoughts and Affections from things here below One spiritual view of the Divine Goodness Beauty and Holiness will have more efficacy to raise the heart unto a contempt of all earthly things than any other Evidences whatever 3. It will encrease the Grace of being heavenly minded in us on the Grounds before declared 4. It is the best I had almost said it is the only Preparation for the future full enjoyment of God This will gradually lead us into his Presence take away all fears of Death increase our longing after Eternal Rest and ever make us groan to be uncloathed Let us not than cease labouring with our hearts until through Grace we have a spiritually sensible Delight and Joy in the Remembrances and Thoughts of what God is in himself 2. In Thoughts of God his Saints rejoyce at the Remembrance of what he is and what he will be unto them Herein have they regard unto all the holy Relations that he hath taken on himself towards them with all the Effects of his Covenant in Christ Jesus To that purpose were some of the last words of David 2 Sam. 23. 5. Although my house be not so with God yet he hath made with me an everlasting Covenant ordered in all things and sure this is all my Salvation and all my desire In the prospect he had of all the Distresses that were to befall his Family he triumphantly rejoyceth in the Everlasting Covenant that God had made with him In these Thoughts his Saints take delight they are sweet unto them and full of refreshment Their Meditations of him are sweet and they are glad in the Lord Psal. 104.34 Thus is it with them that are truely spiritually minded They not only think much of God but they take Delight in these Thoughts they are sweet unto them and not only so but they have no solid Joy nor Delight but in their Thoughts of God which therefore they retreat unto continually They do so especially on great occasions which of themselves are apt to divert them from them As suppose a Man hath received a signal Mercy with the matter whereof he is exceedingly affected
are in their proper Exercise With respect unto them we have no sufficiency in our selves all our sufficiency must be of God There is no Truth among persons of Light and Knowledge more generally granted in the notion of it than this that of our selves we can do nothing and none more neglected in daily practice Men profess they can do nothing of themselves and yet go about their Duties as if they could do all things 3. Remember that I have not at present treated of solemn stated Meditation Concerning which other Rules and Instructions ought to be given By solemn or stated Meditation I intend the Thoughts of some Subject Spiritual and Divine with the fixing forcing and ordering our Thoughts about it with a design to affect our own Hearts and Souls with the matter of it or the things contained in it By this design it is distinguish'd from the study of the Word wherein our principal aim is to learn the Truth or to declare it unto others And so also from Prayer whereof God himself is the immediate Object But in Meditation it is the affecting of our own Hearts and Minds with Love Delight and Humiliation At present I have only shewed what it is to be Spiritually minded and that in this Instance of our Thoughts as they proceed from the habitual frame of our hearts and affections or of what sort the constant course of our Thoughts ought to be with respect unto all the occasions of the Life of God This persons may be in a readiness for who are yet unskilful in and unable for stated Meditation For there is required thereunto such an Exercise of our Natural Faculties and Abilities as some through their weakness and Ignorance are incapable of But as unto what we have hitherto insisted on it is not unattainable by any in whom is the Spirit of Faith and Love For it is but the frequent actings of them that I intend Wherefore do your Hearts and Affections lead you unto many Thoughts of God and Spiritual Things do they spring up in you as water in a well of living Waters Are you ready on all occasions to entertain such Thoughts and to be conversant with them as opportunity doth offer it self Do you labour to have in a readiness what is useful for you with respect unto Temptations and Duties Is God in Christ and the things of the Gospel the ordinary Retreat of your Souls Though you should not be able to carry on an orderly stated Meditation in your minds yet you may be spiritually minded A man may not have a Capacity and Ability to carry on a great Trade of Merchandize in the world The knowledge of all sorts of Commodities and Seasons of the World and Nations of it with those Contrivances and Accounts which belong unto such Trade may be above his comprehension and he may quickly ruine himself in undertaking such an Employment Yet may the Abilities of this man serve him well enough to carry on a retail Trade in a private Shop wherein perhaps he may thrive as well and get as good an Estate as any of those whose greater Capacities lead them forth unto more large and hazardous Employments So it may be with some in this case The natural Faculties of their minds are not sufficient to enable them unto Stated Meditation They cannot cast things into that method and order which is required thereunto nor frame the conceptions of their minds into words significant and expressive yet as unto frequency of Thoughts of God and a disposition of Mind thereunto they may thrive and be skilful beyond most others of greater natural Abilities Howbeit because even Stated Meditation is a necessary Duty yea the principal way whereby our spiritual Thoughts do profitably act themselves I shall have regard thereunto in the following Direction wherefore 4. Whatever Principle of Grace we have in our minds we cannot attain unto a ready exercise of it in a way of spiritual Meditation or otherwise without great Diligence nor without great Difficulty It was shewed at the entrance of this Discourse that there is a Difference in this Grace between the Essence Substance or Reality of it which we would not exclude men from under many failings or infirmities and the useful Degrees of it wherein it hath its principal exercise As there is a difference in Life natural and its actings in a weak deseased sickly Body and in that which is of a Good Constitution and in a vigorous health Supposing the first the Reality of this Grace be wrought in us or implanted in our Minds by the holy Ghost as a principal part of that new Nature which is the workmanship of God created in Christ Jesus unto good works yet unto the growth and improvement of it as of all other Graces our own diligent Care Watchfulness and spiritual striving in all holy Duties are required Unless the most fruitful Ground be manured it will not bring forth an useful Crop Let not any think that this frame of a Spiritual mind wherein there is a disposition unto and a readiness for all holy Thoughts of God of Christ of spiritual and heavenly things at all times and on all occasions will befall him and continue with him he knows not how As good it is for a poor man to expect to be rich in this world without Industry or a weak man to be strong and healthy without Food and Exercise as to be spiritually minded without an earnest endeavour after it It may be enquired what is requisite thereunto And we may name some of those things without which such an holy frame will not be attained As 1. A continual watch is to be kept in and on the Soul against the Incursions of vain Thoughts and Imaginations especially in such seasons wherein they are apt to obtain Advantage If they are suffer'd to make an inroad into the mind if we accustom our selves to give them entertainment if they are wont to lodge within in vain shall we hope or desire to be spiritually minded Herein consists a principal part of that duty which our Saviour so frequently so emphatically chargeth on us all namely to Watch Mark 3.37 Unless we keep a strict watch herein we shall be betray'd into the hands of our spiritual enemies for all such Thoughts are but making provision for the flesh to fullfill its desires in the lusts thereof however they may be disappointed as unto actual sin This is the substance of the advice given us in charge Prov. 4.23 Keep thy heart with all diligence for out of it are the Issues of Life 2. Careful Avoidance of all societies and businesses of this life which are apt under various pretences to draw and seduce the mind unto an earthly or sensual frame If men will venture on those things which they have found by Experience or may find by Observation that they seduce and draw off their Minds from an Heavenly frame unto that which is contrary thereunto and will not watch unto
failed with looking upwards O Lord I am oppressed undertake for me Isa. 38.14 When the Soul labours sincerely for Communion with God but sinks into broken confused thoughts under the weight of its own weakness yet if he looks to God for relief his chattering and Mourning will be accepted with God and profitable unto himself 2. Supply the Brokenness of your Thoughts with Ejaculatory Prayers according as either the Matter of them or your defect in the Management of them doth require So was it with Hezekiah in the Instance before mentioned where his own Meditations were weak and broken he cryes out in the midst of them O Lord I am oppressed undertake for me And Meditation is properly a Mixture of Spiritual Apprehension of God and heavenly things in the Thoughts and Conceptions of the Mind with Desires and Supplications thereon It is good and profitable to have some special designed Subject of Meditation in our Thoughts I have at large declared before what things are the proper Objects of the Thoughts of them that are Spiritually-minded But they may be more peculiarly considered as the matter of designed Meditation And they may be taken out of some especial spiritual Experience that we have lately had or some Warnings we have received of God or something wherewith we have been peculiarly affected in the Reading or Preaching of the Word or what we find the present posture and Frame of our Minds and Souls to require or that which supplyes all most frequently the Person and Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. If any thing of this nature be peculiarly designed antecedently unto this Duty and a Season be sought for it with respect thereunto the Mind will be fixed and kept from wandering after variety of Subjects wherein it is apt to lose it self and brings nothing to Perfection Lastly Be not discouraged with an Apprehension that all that you can attain unto in the discharge of this duty is so little so contemptible as that it is to no purpose to persist in it Nor be wearied with the difficulties you meet withal in its performance You have to do with him only in this matter who will not break the bruised Reed nor quench the smoaking Flax whose will it is that none should despise the day of small things And if there be in this Duty a ready Mind it is accepted according to what a man hath and not according to what he hath not He that can bring into this Treasure only the Mites of broken Desires and Ejaculatory Prayers so they be his best shall not come behind them who cast into it out of their greater abundance in Ability and Skill To faint and give out because we cannot arise unto such a height as we aim at is a fruit of Pride and Unbelief He who finds himself to gain nothing by continual Endeavours after holy fixed Meditations but only a living active sense of his own Vileness and Unworthiness is a sufficient gainer by all his Pains Cost and Charge But ordinarily it shall not be so Constancy in the Duty will give Ability for it Those who conscientiously abide in its Performance shall increase in Light Wisdom and Experience untill they are able to manage it with great Success These few plain Directions may possibly be of some use unto the weaker sort of Christians when they find a disability in themselves unto the discharge of this Duty wherein those who are Spiritually minded ought to be peculiarly exercised PART II. CHAP. XI The Seat of Spiritual-Mindedness in the Affections The Nature and use of them The Ways and Means used by God himself to call the Affections of Men from the World IN the Account given at the entrance of this Discourse of what it is to be Spiritually Minded it was reduced unto there Heads The First was the Habitual Frame Disposition and Inclination of the Mind in its Affections The Second was the Usual Exercise of the Mind in its Thoughts Meditations and Desires about Heavenly Things Whereunto Thirdly was added the Complacency of Mind in that Relish and Savour which it finds in Spiritual Things so thought and meditated on The Second of these hath hitherto alone been spoken unto as that which leads the way unto the others and gives the most sensible Evidence of the state enquired after Therein consists the Stream which rising in the Fountain of our Affections runs into a Holy Rest and Complacency of Mind The first and last I shall now handle together and therein comprehend the Account of what it is to be Spiritually Minded Spiritual Affections whereby the Soul adhears unto Spiritual Things taking in such a Savour and Relish of them as wherein it finds Rest and Satisfaction is the peculiar Spring and Substance of our being Spiritually Minded This is that which I shall now further explain and confirm The great contest of Heaven and Earth is about the Affections of the poor Worm which we call Man That the World should contend for them is no wonder It is the best that it can pretend unto All things here below are capable of no higher Ambition than to be possessed of the Affections of Men. And as they â—y under the Curse it can do us no greater Mischief than â—y â— prevailing in this Design But that the Holy God should as it were ingage in the Contest and strive for the Affections of Man is an effect of Infinite Condiscention and Grace This he doth expresly My Son sayeth he give me thy Heart Prov. 23.26 It is our Affections he asketh for and comparatively nothing else to be sure he will accept of nothing from us without them The most fat and costly Sacrifice will not be accepted if it be without a Heart All the wayes and methods of the Dispensation of his Will by his Word all the Designs of his effectual Grace are suited unto and prepared for this end namely to recover the Affections of man unto himself So he expresseth himself concerning his Word Deut. 10.12 And now Israel What doth the Lord thy God require of thee but to Fear the Lord thy God to walk in all his Wayes and to Love and to Serve the Lord thy God with all thy Heart and with all thy Soul And as unto the Word of his Grace he declares it unto the same purpose Deut. 30.6 And the Lord thy God will Circumcise thy Heart and the Heart of thy Seed to Love the Lord thy God with all thy Heart and with all thy Soul And on the other side all the Artifices of the World all the Paint it puts on its Face all the great Promises it makes all the false Appearances and Attires it cloaths it self withal by the help of Satan have no other end but to draw and keep the Affections of Men unto it self And if the World be preferred before God in this address which is made unto us for our Affections we shall justly perish with the World unto Eternity and be rejected by him whom we
have rejected Prov. 1.24 25 31. Our Affections are upon the Matter our all They are all we have to give or bestow the only Power of our Souls whereby if we may give away our selves from our selves and become anothers Other Faculties of our Souls even the most noble of them are suited to receive in unto our own advantage by our Affections we can give away what we are and have Hereby we give our Hearts unto God as he requireth Wherefore unto him we give our Affections unto whom we give our All our selves and all that we have and to whom we give them not what ever we give upon the matter we give nothing at all In what we do unto or for others whatsoever is good valuable or praise-worthy in it procceds from the Affections wherewith we do it To do any thing for others without an animating Affection is but a contempt of them for we Judge them really unworthy that we should do any thing for them To give to the Poor upon their importunity without Pity or Compassion To supply the wants of Saints without Love and Kindnesss with other actings and Duties of the like Nature are things of no value things that recommend us neither unto God nor men It is so in general with God and the World Whatsoever we do in the Service of God whatever duty we perform on his Command whatever we undergo or suffer for his Name-Sake if it proceed not from the cleaving of our Souls unto him by our Affections it is dispised by him he owns us not As if a Man would give all the Substance of his House for Love it would utterly be coutemned Cant. 5. It is not to be bought nor purchased with Riches So if a man would give to God all the Substance of his House without Love it would in like manner be dispised And however on the other hand we may be diligent industrous and sedulous in and about the things of this World yet if it have not our Affections we are not of the World we belong not unto it They are the Seat of all Sincerity which is the Jewel of divine and humane Conversation the Life and Soul of every thing that is good and praise-worthy whatever Men pretend as their Affections are so are they Hypocrisy is a deceitful Interposition of the Mind on various Reasons and Pretences between Mens Affections and their Profession whereby a Man appears to be what he is not Sincerity is the open avowment of the Reality of Mens Affections which renders them good and useful Affections are in the Soul as the Helm in the Ship if it be laid hold on by a Skilful Hand he turneth the whole Vessel which way he pleaseth If God hath the Powerful Hand of his Grace upon our Affections he turns our Souls unto a compliance with his Institutions Instructions in Mercy Affâ—ctions Tryals all sorts of Providences and holds them firm against all Winds and Storms of Temptations that they shall not hurry them on pernitious Dangers Such a Soul alone is tractable and pliable unto all Intimations of Gods Will. All others are stubborn and obstinate stout Hearted and far from Righteousness And when the World hath the Hand on our Affections it turns the Mind with the whole Industry of the Soul unto its Interest and Concerns And it is vain to contend with any thing that hath the Power of our Affections in its disposal it will prevail at last On all these Considerations it is of the highest importance to consider a right how things are stated in our Affections and what is the prevailing bent of them Iron sharpneth Iron so a Man sharpeneth the Countenance of his Friend sayeth the wise Man Prov. 27.17 Every man hath his Edge which may be sharpened by outward helps and advantages The predominant Inclination of a Mans Affections is his Edge According as that is set so he cutteth and works that way he is sharp and keen but blunt unto all other things Now because it must be that our affections are either Spiritual or Earthly in a Prevailing degree that either God hath our hearts or the World that our edge is towards Heaven or towards things here below before I came to give an account of the Nature and Opperations of Spiritual Affections I shall consider and propose some of those Arguments and Motives which God is pleased to make use of to call off our Affections from the desireable things of this World For as they are wightly and cogent such as cannot be neglected without the greatest contempt of Divine Wisdom and Goodness So they serve to press and enforce those arguments and motives that are proposed unto us to set our Affections on things that are above which is to be Spiritually minded First He hath in all manner of Instances powred Contempt on the things of this World in comparison of things Spiritual and Heavenly All things here below were at first made beautiful and in order and were declared by God himself to be exceeding good and that not only in their being and nature but in the use whereunto they were designed They were then desireable unto men and the enjoyment of them would have bin a blessing without danger of Temptation For they were the Ordinance of God to lead us unto the knowledge of him and love unto him But since the entrance of sin weherby the World fel under the Curse into the power of Satan the things of it in his managment are become effectual means to draw off the heart and the Affections from God For it is the World and the things of it as sum'd up by the Apostle 1 Joh. 2.15 16 that alone strive for our Affections to be the Object of them Sin and Sathan do but woe for the World to take them off from God By them doth the God of this World Blind the Eyes of them that believe not and the principle way whereby he worketh in them is by promises of satisfaction unto all the lusts of the minds of men with a proposall of whatever is dreadful and terrible in the want of them Being now in this State and condition and used unto this end through the Craft of Sathan and the folly of the minds of men God hath shewed by various Instances that they are all vain empty unsatisfactory and every way to be dispised in comparison of things Eternal First He did it most eminently and signally in the Life Death and Cross of Christ. What can be seen or found in this World after the Son of God hath spent his Life in it not having where to lay his Head and after he went out of it on the Cross. Had there bin ought of real worth in things here below certainly he had enjoyed if not Crowns and Empires which where all in his Power yet such Goods and Posessions as men of sober reasonings and moderate affeons do esteem a competency But things were quite otherwise disposed To manifest that there is nothing
of value or use in these things but only to support nature unto the performance of service unto God wherein they are serviceable unto eternity He never attained he never enjoyed more then dayly supplies of Bread out of the Stores of Providence and which alone he hath Instructed us to Pray for Math. 8.20 In his Cross the World proclaimed all its good qualities and all is Powers and hath given unto them that believe its naked Face to view and contemplate Nor is it now one jot more comely than it was when it had gotten Christ on the Cross. Hence is that inference and Conclusion of the Apostle Gal. 6.14 But God forbid that I should glory save in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ whereby the World is Crucifyed unto me and I unto the World Since I have believed since I have had a Sense of the Power and Vertue of the Cross of Christ I have done with all things in this World it is a dead thing unto me nor have I any affection for it This is that which made the difference between the Promises of the Old Covenant and the New For they were many of them about temporal things the good things of this World and this Life Those of the New are mostly of things Spiritual and Eternal God would not call off the Church wholly from a regard unto these things until he had given a Demonstration of their Emptiness Vanity and Insufficiency in the Cross of Christ. 2 Cor. 4.16 17 18. Whither so fast my Friend What meaneth this rising so early and going to Bed late eating the Bread of Carefulness Why this Diligence why these Contrivances why these savings and hoardings of Riches and Wealth To what end is all this Care and Councel Alas saith one it is to get that which is enough in and of this World for me and my Children to prefer them to raise an Estate for them which if not so great as others may yet be a Competency to give them some satisfaction in their Lives and some Reputation in the World Fair Pretences neither shall I ever discourage any from the exercise of Industy in their Lawful Callings But yet I know that with many this is but a pretence and covering for a shameful Engagement of their Affections unto the World Wherefore in all these things be perswaded sometimes to have an Eye to Jesus the Author and Finisher of our Faith behold how he is set before us in the Gospel poor despised reproached persecuted nailed to the Cross and all by this World Whatever be your Designs and Aims let his Cross continually interpose between your Affections and this World If you are Believers your hopes are within a few dayes to be with him for evermore Unto him you must give an Account of your selves and what you have done in this World will it be accepted with him to declare what you have saved of this World what you have gained what you have preserved and embrac'd your selves in and what you have left behind you was this any part of his Imployment and Business in this World hath he left us an Example for any such Course Wherefore no man can set his Affections on things here below who hath any regard unto the pattern of Christ or is any measure influenced with the Power and Efficacy of his Cross. My Love is Crucifyed said an Holy Martyr of old he whom his Soul Loved was so and in him his Love unto all things here below Do you therefore find your Affections ready to be engag'd unto or too much intangled with the things of this World are your Desires of encreasing them your hopes of keeping them your Fears of loosing them your Love unto them and Delight in them operative in your Minds possessing your Thoughts and influencing your Conversations Turn aside a little and by Faith contemplate the Life and Death of the Son of God a blessed Glass will it be where you may see what contemptible things they are which you perplex your selves about Oh! that any of us should love or esteem the things of this World the Power Riches Goods or Reputation of it who have had a Spiritual view of them in the Cross of Christ. It may be it will be said that the Circumstances mentioned were necessary unto the Lord Christ with respect unto the especial Work he had to do as the Saviour and Redeemer of the Church And therefore it doth not thence follow that we ought to be poor and want all things as he did I confess it doth not and therefore do all along make an allowance for honest Industry in our Callings But this follows unavoidably hereon that what he did forego and trample on for our Sake that ought not to be the Object of our Affections nor can such Affections prevaile in us if he Dwell in our Hearts by Faith Secondly He hath done the same in his Dealings with the Apostles and generally with all that have been most dear unto him and instrumental unto the Interest of his Glory in the World especially since Life and Immortality were brought to Light by the Gospel He had great work to do by the Apostles and that of the greatest use unto his Interest and Kingdom The laying of the Foundations of the glorious Kingdom of Christ in the World was committed unto them Who would not think that he should provide for them if not Principalities or Popedoms yet at least Arch-Bishopricks and Bishopricks with other good Ecclesiastical Dignities and Preferments Hereby might they have been made meet to converse with Princes and had been freed from the Contempt of the Vulgar But Infinite Wisdom did otherwise dispose of them and their Concerns in this World For as God was pleased to exercise them with the common Afflictions and Calamities of this Life which he makes use of to take off the Sweetness of present Enjoyments so they lived and died in a Condition of Poverty Distress Persecution and Reproach God set them forth as Examples as unto other ends namely of Light Grace Zeal and Holiness in their Lives so to manifest of how little Concernment unto our own Blessedness or an Interest in his Love is the abundance of all things here below as also that the want of them all may consist with the highest Participation of his Love and Favour 1 Cor. 4.9.11 12 13. For I think that God hath set forth us the Apostles Last as it were appointed to Death For we are made a Spectacle unto the World and unto Angels and to Men. Even unto this present Hour we both hunger and thirst and are naked and are buffetted and have no certain Dwelling-Place and labour working with our own hands being reviled we bless being persecuted we suffer it being defamed we intreat we are made as the Filth of the World and are the off-scouring of all things unto this Day And if the Consideration thereof be not of weight with others undoubtedly it ought to be so with
predominant in us what if we miss in our measures and that which we approve of in our selves should be disapproved of God we are cast for ever we belong unto the World and with the World we shall perish It may be said that if it be so difficult to distinguish between these things namely the lawful use of things here below and their abuse the allowable Industry about them and the inordinate Love of them on the Knowledge whereof our Eternal Conditions depends it is impossible but men must spend their time in solicitous anxiety of Mind as not knowing when they have aright discharged their Duty Ans. 1 I press these things at present no further but only to shew how dangerous a thing it is for any to encline in his Affections unto the Things of this World wherein an excess is ruinous and hardly discoverable Surely no Wise-man will venture freely and frequently unto the edge of such a Precipice He will be jealous of his Measures lest they will not hold by the Rule of the Word And a due Sense hereof is the best preservative of the Soul from cleaving inordinately unto these things below And when God in any Instance by Afflictions or otherwise shews unto Believers their Transgression herein and how they have exceeded Job 38.8 9. it makes them careful for the future They will now or never be diligent that they fall not under that peremptory Rule 1 Joh. 2.14 Secondly Where the Soul is upright and sincere there is no need in this case of any more Solicitousness or Anxiety of Mind than there is unto or about other Duties But when it is byased and acted by self-Love and its more strong Inclinations unto things present it is impossible men should enjoy Solid Peace or be freed from severe reflexions on them by their own Consciences in such Seasons wherein they are awakened unto their Duty and the Consideration of their State nor have I any thing to tender for their Relief With others it is not so and therefore I shall so far digress in this place as to give some directions unto those who in sincerity would be satisfyed in this lawful use and enjoyment of earthly things so as not to adhere unto them with inordinate Affections First Remember always that you are not Proprietors nor absolute Possessors of these things but only Stewards of them With respect unto men you are or may be just Proprietors of what you enjoy with Respect unto him who is the great Possessor of Heaven and Earth you are but Stewards This Stewardship we are to give an account of as we are taught in the Parable Luk. 16.1 2. This rule always attended unto will be a Blessed Guide in all Instancss and Occasions of Duty But if a man be left in Trust with Houses and large Possessions as a Steward for the right Lord Owner and Proprietor of them if he fall into a pleasing Dream that they are all his own and use them accordingly it will be a woful Surprisal unto him when he shall be called to account for all he hath received and laid out whether he will or no. And when indeed he hath nothing to pay It will scarce be otherwise with them at the great Day who forget the trust which is committed to them and suppose they may do what they will with what they call their own Secondly There is nothing in the ways of getting enjoying or using of these things but giveth its own Evidence unto Spiritual Wisdom whether it be within the bounds of Duty or no. Men are not lightly deceived herein but when they are evidently under the Power of corrupt Affections or will not at all attend unto themselves and the Language of their own Consciences It is a mans own Fault alone if he know not wherein he doth exceed A due Examination of our selves in the Sight of God with respect unto these things the Frame and Actings of our Minds in them will greatly give check unto our corrupt Inclinations and discover the Folly of those Reasonings whereby we deceive our selves into the Love of Earthly things or justify our selves therein and bring to Light the Secret Principle of Self-Love which is the Root of all this evil Thirdly If you would be able to make a right Judgement in this Case be sure that you have another Object for your Affections which hath a predominant Interest in your Minds and which will Evidence it self so to have on all Occasions Let a Man be never so observant of himself as unto all Outward Dutys required to him with respect unto these earthly things let him be liberal in the Disposal of them on all Occasions let him be watchful against all Intemperance and Excesses in the use of them yet if he hath not another Object for his Affections which hath a prevailing Influence upon them if they are not set upon the Things that are above one way or other it is the World that hath the Possession of his Heart For the Affections of our Minds will and must be placed in chief on things below or things above there will be a predominant Love in us and therefore although all our Actions should testify another Frame yet if God and the things of God be not the Principal Object of our Affections by one way or other unto the World we do belong this is that which is taught us so expresly by our Saviour Luk. 16.9 10 11 12 13. And I say unto you make to your selves Friends of the Mammon of Unrighteousness that when you fail they may receive you into everlasting Habitations He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much If therefore you have not been faithful in the unrighteous Mammon Who will commit to your trust the true Riches And if ye have not been faithful in that which is anothert Mans who shall give you that which is your own No Servant can serve two Masters for either he will hate the one and love the other or else he will hold to the one and despise the other ye cannot serve God and Mammon Fourthly Labour continually for the Mortification of your Affections unto the things of this World They are in the State of corrupted Nature set and fixed on them nor will any Reasonings or Considerations effectually divert them or take them off in a due manner unless they are mortifyed unto them by the Cross of Christ. Whatever Change be otherwise wrought in them it will be of no Advantage unto us It is Mortification alone that will take them off from earthly things unto the Glory of God Hence the Apostle having given us that Charge Set your Affections on things above and not on things below on the Earth Col. 3.2 Adds this as the only way and means whereby we may do so Mortify therefore your Members that are on the Earth v. 5. Let no man think that his
are two other Heads of things that offer themselves unto our Consideration First The Ways Means Arguings and Enticements which the VVorld makes use of to draw keep and secure the Affections of Men unto it self Secondly The Secret Powerful Efficacy of Grace in taking off the Heart from these things turning and drawing it unto God with the Arguments and Motives that the holy Spirit maketh use of in and by the VVord unto this End and wherein we must shew what is the Act of conquering Grace wherein the Heart is finally prevailed on to choose and adhere unto God in Love immutable But these things cannot be handled in any measure according to their nature and importance without such length of Discourse as I cannot not here divert unto I shall therefore proceed unto that which is the proper and peculiar Subject before us CHAP. XII What is required in and unto our Affections that they may be Spiritual A threefold work on the Affections described TO declare the Interest of our Affections in this Frame of being Spiritually-Minded and what they contribute thereunto I shall do these three things First Declare what is required hereunto that our Affections may be Spiritual wherein lyes the Foundation of the whole Duty Secondly What are their Actings when they are so Spiritual Thirdly What are the means whereby they may be kept and preserved in that Frame with sundry other things of the like nature How our Affections are concerned in or do belong unto the Frame of Mind enquired after hath been before declared Without Spiritual Affections we cannot be Spiritually-Minded And that they may be of this use three things are required First Their Principle Secondly Their Object Thirdly The way and manner of their Application unto their proper Object by Vertue of that Principle First As unto the Principle acting in them that our Affections may be Spiritual and the Spring of our being Spiritually-Minded it is required that they be changed renewed and in-laid with Grace Spiritual and Supernatural To clear the Sense hereof we must a little consider what is their State by Nature and then by what means they may be wrought upon as unto a Change or a Renovation For they are like unto some things which in themselves and their own Nature are poisonous but being corrected and receiving a due Temperament from a mixture of other Ingredients become Medicinal and of excellent Use. First By nature our Affections all of them are depraved and corrupted Nothing in the whole Nature of Man no Power or Faculty of the Soul is fallen under greater Disorder and Depravation by the Entrance of Sin than our Affections are In and by them is the Heart wholly gone and turned off from God Tit. 3.3 It were a long work to set forth this Depravation of our Affections nor doth it belong unto our present Design Some few things I shall briefly observe concerning it to make way unto what is proposed concerning their Change First This is the only Corruption and Depravation of our Nature by the Fall evident in and unto Reason or the Light of Nature it self Those who were wise among the Heathen both saw it and complained of it They found a weakness in the Mind but saw nothing of its darkness and depravation as unto things Spiritual But they were sensible enough of this Disorder and Tumult of the Affections in things moral which renders the Minds of men like a troubled Sea whose Waters cast up Mire and Dirt. This greatly aggravates the neglect of them who are not sensible of it in themselves seeing it is discernable in the Light of Nature Secondly They are as depraved the Seat and Subject of all Lusts both of the Flesh and of the Spirit Yea Lust or evil Concupiscence is nothing but the irregular Motion and Acting of our Affections as depraved defiled corrupted Rom. 7.9 Hence no one Sin can be mortifyed without a Change wrought in the Affections Thirdly They are the Spring Root and Cause of all actual Sin in the World Mat. 15.9 The evil Heart in the Scripture is the corrupt Affections of it with the Imaginations of the Mind whereby they are excited and acted Gen. 6.5 These are they which at this time fill the whole World with Wickedness Darkness Confusion and Terror And we may learn what is their Force and Efficacy from these Effects So the nature of the Plague is most evident when we see thousands dying of it every week Fourthly They are the way and means whereby the Soul applies it self unto all sinful Objects and Actings Hence are they called our Members our earthly Members because as the Body applies it self unto its Operations by its Members So doth the Soul apply it self unto what belongs unto it by its Affections Rom. 6.13 Col. 3.5 Fifthly They will not be under the Conduct of the Mind its Light or Convictions Rebellion against the Light of the Mind is the very form whereby their Corruption acts it self Job 24.13 Let the Apprehensions of the Mind and its Notions of Good and Evil be what they will they reject them and lead the Soul in pursuit of their Inclinations Hence no natural Man whatsoever doth in any measure answer the Light of his Mind or the Convictions of his Understanding but he sees and approves of better things following those that are worse And there is no greater Spiritual Judgement than for men to be given up unto themselves and their own evil Affections Rom. 1.26 Many other Instances might be given of the greatness of that Depravation which our Affections are fallen under by Sin these may suffice as unto our present purpose In general this Depravation of our Affections by nature may be reduced unto two Heads First An utter Aversation from God and all Spiritual things In this lyes the Spring of all that Dislike of God and his Ways that the Hearts of Men are filled withal Yea they do not only produce an Aversation from them and Dislike of them but they fill the Mind with an Enmity against them Therefore Men say in their Hearts unto God Depart from us for we desire not the Knowledge of thy Ways What is the Almighty that we should serve him Or what profit should we have if we Pray unto him Job 21.14 15. see Rom. 1.28 Chap. 8. 7 8. Secondly An inordinate cleaving unto things vain earthly and sensual causing the Soul to engage into the pursuit of them as the Horse rushes into the Battle Whil'st our Affections are in this State and Condition we are far enough from being Spiritually-Minded nor is it possible to engage them into an Adherence unto or Delight in Spiritual things In this State they may be two ways wrought upon and yet not so renewed as to be serviceable unto this End First There may be various temporary Impressions made on them sometimes there is so by the Preaching of the Word Hereon Men may hear it with joy and do many things gladly Sometimes it is so by
Soul and Body 1 Thes. 5.23 When we say that we are Sanctifyed in part only we do not say that any Part Power or Faculty of the Soul is unsanctifyed but only that the work is not absolutely perfect in any of them All Sin may retain Power in some one Affection as Anger fear or Love as unto actual Irruptions and Effects more than in all the rest As one Affection may be more eminently Sanctifyed in some than in others For it may have advantages unto this End from Mens natural Tempers and various outward Circumstances Hence some find little Difficulty in the Mortification of all other Lusts or corruptions in Comparison of what they meet withal in some one inordinate Affection or Corruption This it may be David had regard unto Psal. 18.23 I have known Persons shining examplarily in all other Graces who have been scarce free from giving great Scandal by the excess of their Passions and easy Provocations thereunto And yet they have known that the setting themselves unto the sincere vigorous Mortification of that disorder is the most eminent Pledg of their Sincerity in other things For the Tryal of our self denyal lyes in the things that our natural Inclinations lye strongest towards Howbeit as was said there is no Affection where there is this Work of Renovation but it is sanctifyed and renewed none of them is left absolutely unto the Service of Sin and Satan And therefore whereas by reason of the advantages mentioned Sin doth greatly contend to use some of them unto its Interest and Service in a peculiar manner yet are they inabled unto made meet for gracious Actings and do in their proper Seasons put forth themselves accordingly There is no Affection of the Mind from whence the Soul and Conscience hath received the greatest Dammage that was as it were the Field wherein the Contest is managed between Sin and Grace but hath its Spiritual Use and Exercise when the Mind is renewed There are some so inordinately subject to Anger and passion therein as if they were absolutely under the Power and Dominion of it yet do they also know how to be angry and sin not in being angry at Sin in themselves and others Yea what Indignation yea what Revenge 2 Cor. 7.7 Yea God is pleased sometimes to leave somewhat more than ordinary of the Power of Corruption in one Affection that it may be an Occasion of the Continual Exercise of Grace in the other Affections Yet are they all sanctifyed in their Degree that which is relieved as well as that which doth relieve And therefore as the remainder of Sin in them that believe is called the old Man which is to be crucifyed in all the Members of it because of its adherence unto the whole Person in all its Powers and Faculties So the Grace implanted in our natures is called the New Man there being nothing in us that is not seasoned and affected with it As nothing in our Natures escaped the taint of Sin so nothing in our Natures is accepted from the Renovation that is by Grace He in whom any one Affection is utrerly unrenewed hath no one graciously renewed in him Let men take heed how they indulge to any depraved Affection for it will be an unavoidable Impeachment of their Sincerity Think not to say with Naaman God be merciful unto me in this thing in all others I will be for him He require the whole Heart and will have it or more The chief work of a Christian is to make all his Affections in all their Operations subservient unto the Life of God Rom. 6.17 And he who is wise will keep a continual Watch over those wherein he finds the greatest Reluctancy thereunto And every Affection is originally sanctifyed according unto the use it is to be of in the Life of Holiness and Obedience To be intire for God to follow him wholly to cleave unto him with purpose of Heart to have the Heart circumcis'd to love him is to have all our Affections renewed and sanctifyed without which we can do none of them When it is otherwise there is a double Heart an Heart and a Heart which he abhors Their Heart is divided now shall they be found faulty Hosea 10.2 So it is in the other Change mentioned What ever is or may be wrought upon our Affections when they are not Spiritually renewed That very change as unto the Degree of it is not universal it doth not affect the whole Mind in all its Powers and Affections until a vital prevailing Principle and habit of Grace is implanted in the Soul Sin will not only radically adhere unto all the Faculties Powers and Affections but it will under any Change that may befall them refer the Rule and Dominion in some of them unto it self So was it with the young Man that came unto our Lord Jesus Christ to know what he should do to obtain Eternal Life Mark 10.17 18 19 20 21 22. Thus there are many who in other things are reduced unto Moderation Sobriety and Temperance yet there remaineth in them the Love of Mony in a predominant Degree which to them is the Root of all evil as the Apostle Speaks some seem to be Religious but they bridle not their Tongues through Anger Envy Hatred and the like their Religion is in vain The most of Men in their several ways of Profession pretend not only unto Religion but unto zeal in it yet set no Bounds unto their Affections unto earthly Enjoyments Some of old who had most eminently in all other things subdued their Passions and Affections were the greatest Enemies unto and Persecutors of the Gospel Some who seem to have had a mighty Change wrought in them by a Superstitious Devotion do yet walk in the Spirit of Cain towards all the Disciples of Christ as it is with the principal Devotionists in the Church of Rome and elsewhere we may see some go soberly about the Persecution and Destruction of other Christians Some will cherish one Secret Lust or other which they cannot but know to be pernitious unto their Souls Some love the Praise of Men which will never permit them to be truely Spiritually Minded so our Saviour testifyeth of some that they could not believe because they loved the Praise of Men. This was the known Vice of all the antient Philosophers They had many of them on the Principles of Reason and by severe Exercise subdued their Affections unto great Moderation about Temporary things But in the mean time were all of them Slaves to vain glory and the praise of men untill by the publick Observation of it and some Contradictions in their Lives unto their Pretences unto Virtue they lost that also among wise and considerative Men. And generally if men not Spiritually renewed were able to search themselves they would find that some of their Affections are so far from having any change wrought in them as that they are a quiet Habitation for Sin where it exerciseth its
are content to loose their Spiritual Affections acting themselves in Faith and Love embracing in their stead a Carnal Imaginary Devotion Hence two Persons may at the same time attend unto the same Ordinances of Divine Worship with equal delight on very distinct Principles as if two men should come into the same Garden planted and adorned with all variety of Herbs and Flowers one ignorant of the nature of them the other a skilful Herbalist Both may be equally delighted the one with the colours and smell of the Flowers the other with the consideration of their various natures their uses in Pyhsical Remedies or the like So it may be in the hearing of the Word For Instance one may be delighted with the outward Administration another with its Spiritual Efficacy at the same time Hence Austin tells us that singing in the Church was laid aside by Athanasius at Alexandria not the Peoples singing of Psalms but a kind of singing in the reading of the Scripture and some Offices of Worship which began then to be introduced in the Church And the reason he gave why he did it was that the modulation of the Voice and musical Iune might not divert the Minds of men from that Spiritual Affection which is required of them in Sacred Duties What there is of real Order in the Worship of God as there is that Order which is an Effect of Divine Wisdom it is suited and useful unto Spiritual Affections because proceeding from the same Spirit whereby they are internally renewed Beholding your Order Col. 2.5 Every thing of Gods Appointment is both helpful and delightful unto them None can say with higher raptures of Admiration How amiable are thy Tabernacles O Lord Psal. 84.1 2. then they whose Affections are renewed Yet is not their Delight terminated on them as we shall see immediately Secondly Men may be delighted in the Performance of Outward Duties of Divine Worship because in them they comply with and give some kind of Satisfaction unto their Convictions When Conscience is awakened unto a Sense of the necessities of such Duties namely of those wherein Divine Worship doth consist it will give the Mind no rest or peace in the neglect of them Let them be attended unto in the Seasons which Light Conviction and Custome call for it will be so far satisfyed as that the Mind shall find present Ease and Refreshment in it And when the Soul is wonted unto this Relief it will not only be diligent in the performance of such Duties it will not only not omit them but it will delight in them as those which bring them in great Advantage Hence many will not omit the Duty of Prayer every Morning who upon the matter are resolv'd to live in Sin all the day long And there are but few who sedulously endeavour to live and walk in the frame of their Hearts and Ways answerable unto their own Prayers yet all that is in our Prayers beyond our Endeavours to answer it in a conformity of Heart and Life is but the Exercise of Gifts in answer to Convictions Others find them an allay of Troubles in them like that which sick Persons may find by drinking cold Water in a Feaver whose Flames are asswaged for a season by it They make them as an Antidote against the Poison and Sting of Sin which alayeth its rage but cannot expel its Venome Or these Duties are unto them like the Sacifices for Sin under the Law They gave a guilty Person present Ease But as the Apostle speaks they made not men perfect They took not away utterly a Conscience condemning for Sin Presently on the first Omission of Duty a sense of Sin again returned on them and that not only as the Fact but as the Person himself was condemned by the Law Then were the Sacrifices to be repeated for a renewed Propitiation This gave that Carnal People such delight and satisfaction in those Sacrifices that they trusted unto them for Righteousness Life and Salvation So it is with Persons who are constant in Spiritual Duties meerly from Conviction The performance of those Duties gives them a present Relief and Ease though it heal not their Wound it asswageth their pain and dispelleth their present Fears Hence are they frequent in them and that oft times not without delight because they find ease thereby And their Condition is somewhat dangerous who upon the sense of the guilt of any Sin do betake themselves for relief unto their Prayers which having discharged they are much at ease in their Minds and Consciences although they have obtained no real sense of the Pardon of Sin nor any strength against it It will be said Do not all men the best of men perform all Spiritual Duties out of a Conviction of their Necessity do they not know it would be their Sin to omit them and so find Satisfaction in their Minds upon their performance I say they do but it is one thing to perform a Duty out of conviction of a necessity as it is Gods Ordinance which Conviction respects only the Duty it self another thing to perform it to give satisfaction unto Convictions of other Sins or to quiet Conscience under its trouble about them which latter we speak unto This begins and ends in self self-Satisfaction is the sole Design of it By it men aim at some Rest and Quietness in their own Minds which otherwise they cannot attain But in the performance of Duties in Faith from a Conviction of their necessity as Gods Ordinance and their Use in the way of his Grace the Soul begins and ends in God It seeks no Satisfaction in them nor finds it from them but in and from God alone by them Thirdly The principal reason why Men whose Affections are only changed not Spiritually renewed do delight in holy Duties of Divine Worship is because they place their Righteousness before God in them whereon they hope to be accepted with him They know not they seek not after any other Righteousness but what is of their own working out Whatever Notions they may have of the Righteousness of Faith of the Righteousness of Christ that which they practically trust unto is their own and it discovers it self so to be in their own Consciences on every Tryal that befalls them Yea when they cry unto the Lord and pretend unto Faith in Christ they quickly make it evident that their principal trust is resolved into themselves Now in all that they can plead in a way of Duties or Obedience nothing carrieth a fairer pretence unto a Righteousness than what they do in the Worship of God and the Exercise of the Acts of Religion towards him This is that which he expects at their hands what is due unto him in the Light of their Consciences the best that they can do to please him which therefore they must put their trust in or nothing They secretly suppose not only that there is a Righteousness in these things which will answer for it self
their Sloth It reflects upon the Words of our Saviour that his Yoke is easy and his Burden Light that his Commandments are not grievious It expersseth Unbelief in the Promises of God tendring such Supplies of Grace as to render all the wayes of Wisdom easy yea Mercy and Peace It is contrary unto the Experience of all who have with any Sincerity and Diligence ingaged in the wayes of Gospel Obedience And the whole cause of the pretended Difficulty lyes in themselves alone which may be reduced unto these two Heads First A Desire to retain some thing or things that is or are inconsistent with such a Progress For unless the Heart be ready on all Occasions to esteem every things as Loss and Dung so as we may win Christ the work will be accomcompanied with insuperable Difficulties This is the first Principle of Religion of Gospel Obedience that all things are to be despised for Christ. But this Difficulty ariseth not from the thing it self but from our Indisposition unto it and unfitness for it That which is an easy pleasant Walk unto a found and healthy Man is a toilsome Journey to him that is diseased and infirm In particular whilst Men will retain an inordinate respect unto the World the Vanities the Pleasures the Profits the Contentments of it whil'st Self-Love putting an undue Valuation on our Persons our Relations our Enjoyments our Reputations doth cleave unto us we shall labour in the Fire when we ingage in this Duty or rather we shall not at all sincerely ingage in it wherefore the Apostle tells us that in this case we must cast off every weight and the Sin that doth so easily beset us if we intend to run with Joy the Race that is set before us Heb. 12.1 Secondly It is because Men dwell continually upon the Entrances of Religion in the first and lowest Exercise of Grace some are alwayes beginning at Religion and the beginning of things are alwayes difficult They design not to be Compleat in the whole Will of God nor to give all Graces their perfect Work They do not with use habituate Grace unto a readiness in all the Actings of it which the Apostle commends in them that are perfect or compleat Heb. 5.14 Hence he calls such Persons Babes and Carnal comparatively unto them that are strong men and Spiriual Such Persons do not obliege themselves unto the whole Work and all the Duties of Religion but only what they Judge necessary unto them in their present Circumstances In particular they do not attempt a thorow-work in the Mortification of any Sin but are hewing and hacking at it as their Convictions are urgent or abate the Wounds whereof in the Body of Sin are quickly healed They give not any Grace its perfect Work but are alwayes making Essayes and so give over Whil'st it is thus with any they shall alwayes be deluded with the Apprehensions of insuperable Difficulties as to the Growth of their Affections in Spirituality and Heavenliness Remove these things out of the way as the ought to be removed and we shall find all the Paths wherein we are to walk towards God to be Pleasantness and Peace This is the first Cause whence it is that there may be Affections truely Spiritual and gratiously renewed in some Persons who yet do not thrive in an Assimulation and Conformity unto Heavenly things Men take up with their present measures and thereon pretend either necessary Occasion or Discouragements from Difficulties in attempting Spiritual Growth in the inward Man But they may thank themselves if as they bring no honour unto Christ so they have no solid Peace in their own Souls Secondly As the Evil proceedeth from Folly so it is alwayes the Consequent of Sin of many Sins of various sorts Let us not dwell on heartless Complaints that we do not find our Affections lively and heavenly that we do not find the Inward Man to thrive or grow Let us not hearken after this or that Relief or Comfort under this Consideration as many things are usually insisted on unto that purpose They may be of use when Persons are under Temptations and not able to make a right Judgement of themselves But in the Course of our ordinary walking with God they are not to be attended not retired unto The general Reason of this evil State is our own sinful Carelesness Negligence and Sloth with perhaps an Indulgence unto some known Lust or Corruption And we do in vain seek after refreshing Cordials as though we were only Spiritually faint when we stand in need of Launcings and Burnings as nigh unto a Lethargy It would be too long to give Instances of these Sins which fail not effectually to obstruct the thriving of Spiritual Affections But in general when men are careless as unto that continual Watch which they ought to keep over their Hearts whil'st they are negligent in holy Duties either as unto the seasons of them or the manner of their Performance when they are Strangers unto holy Meditation and self-Examination whil'st they inordinately pursue the things of the World or are so tender and delicate as that they will not undergo the hardship of an heavenly Life either as unto the Inward or Outward Man much more when they are vain in their Conversation corrupt in their Communication especially if under the Predominant Influence of any particular Lust it is vain to think of thriving in Spiritual Affections And yet thus it is with all who ordinarily and in their constant Course are thriftless herein CHAP. XVII Decayes in Spiritual Affections with the Causes and Danger of them Advice unto them who are sensible of the Evil of Spiritual Decays IT must be acknowledged that there is yet that which is worse than what we have yet insisted on and more opposite unto the Growth of Affections in Conformity unto Heavenly things which is the proper Character of those that are Spiritually renewed And this is their Spiritual Decay manifesting it self in sensible and visible Effects Some there are yea many who upon the Beginning of a Profession of their Conversion unto God have made a great appearance of vigorous active Spiritual Affections yea it is so with most it may be all who are really so converted God takes notice of the Love of the Youth in his People of the Love of their Espousals In some this vigiour of Spiritual Affections is from the real Power of Grace exerting its Efficacy on their Hearts and in their Minds In others it is from other Causes as for Instance Relief from Conviction by Spiritual Illumination will produce this Effect And this falls out unto their Advantage of such Persons that generally a Change is wrought in their younger dayes For then their Affections in their natural Powers are active and bear great sway in the whole Soul Wherefore the Change that is made is most eminent in them be it what it will But as men Increase in Age and thereon grow up in Carnal Wisdom
and a great valuation of Earthly things with their Care about them and Converse in them they abate and decay in their Spiritual Affections every day They will abide in their Profession but have lost their first Love It is a shame and folly unutterable that it should be so with any who make Profession of that Religion wherein there are so many incomparable Excellencies to endear and ingage them to it more and more but why should we hide what Experience makes manifest in the Sight of the Sun and what multitudes proclaim concerning themselves Wherefore I look upon it as a great Evidence if not absolutely of the Sincerity of Grace yet of the Life and Growth of it when men as they grow up in age do grow in an Undervaluation of present things in contempt of the World in Duties of Charity and Bounty and decay not in any of them But I say it is usual that the Entrances of Mens Profession of Religion and Conversation unto God are attended with vigorous active Affections towards Spiritual things Of them who really and sincerely believed it is said that on their believing they rejoyced with Joy unspeakable and full of Glory And of those who only had a work of Conviction on them improved by temporary Faith that they received the Word with Joy and did many things gladly In this State do many abide and thrive until their Affections be wholly transformed into the Image and likeness of things above But with many of all sorts it is not so they fall into woful Decayes as unto their Affections about Spiritual things and consequently in their whole Profession and Conversation their Moisture becomes as the drought in Summer They have no Experience of the Life and Actings of them in themselves nor any Comfort or Refreshment from them they honour not the Gospel with any Fruits of Love Zeal or Delight nor are useful any way unto others by their Example Some of them have had seeming Recoveries and are yet again taken into a lifeless Frame Warnings Aflictions Sicknesses the Word have awakened them but they are fallen again into a dead Sleep so as that they seem to be Trees whose Fruit withereth without Fruit twice dead plucked up by the Roots Some things must be spoken unto this woful Condition in general as that which is directly opposite unto the Grace and Duty of being Spiritually Minded and contrary unto and obstructive of the Growth of Spiritual Affections in an Assimulation unto Heavenly things And what shall be spoken may be applied unto all the Degrees of these Decayes though all of them are not alike dangerous or perillous First There may be a time of Temptation wherein a Soul may apprehend in it self not only a Decay in but an utter Loss of all Spiritual Affections when yet it is not so As Believers may apprehend and Judge that the Lord hath forsaken and forgotten them when he hath not done so Isaiah 49.14 15. So they may under their Temptations apprehend that they have forsaken God when they have not done so As a man in the Night may apprehend he hath lost his way and be in great Distress when he is in his proper Road. For Temptation brings Darkness and Amazement and leads into Mistakes and a false Judgement in all things They find not it may be Grace working in Love Joy and Delight as formerly nor that Activity of Heart and Mind in Holy Duties which Spiritual Affections gave unto them But yet it may be the same Grace works in Godly Sorrow by Mourning Humiliation and Self-Abasement no less effectually nor less acceptably unto God Such as these I seperate from the present Consideration Secondly There may be a Decay in Affections themselves as unto their actings towards any Objects whatever at least as unto the outward Symptoms and Effects of them and on this ground their Opperations towards Spiritual things may be less sensible So men in their younger days may be more ready to express their Sorrow by tears and their Joy by sensible Exaltation and Motion of their Spirits than in riper Years And this may be so when there is no Decay of Grace in the Affections as renewed But 1 When it is so it is a Burthen unto them in whom it is They cannot but mourn and have a Godly-Jealousy over themselves least the Decayes they find should not be in the Outward but the Inward not in the natural but the Spiritual Man And they will labour that in all Duties and at all times it may be with them as in Dayes of old although they cannot attain Strength in them that vigour of Spirit that Life Joy Peace and Comfort which any have had Experience of Secondly There will be in such Persons no Decayes in Holiness of Life nor as unto Diligence in all Religious Duties If the Decay be really of Grace in the Affections it will be accompanied with a proportionable Decay in all other things wherein the Life of God is concerned But if it be only as unto the sensible Actings of natural Affections no such Decay will ensue Thirdly Grace will in this case more vigorously act it self in the other Faculties and Powers of the Soul as the Judgment and the Will in their Approbation of and firm adherence unto Spiritual things But Fourthly When men find or may find their Affections yet quick active and intent on other things as the lawful Enjoyments and Comforts of this Life it is in vain for them to relieve themselves that the Decayes they find are in their Affections as natural and not as they ought to be gratious If we see a man in his old age grow more in Love with the things of this World and less in Love with the things of God it is not through the weakness of nature but through the strength of Sin On these and it may be some other the like Occasions there may be an Apprehension of a Decay in Spiritual Affections when it may not be so at least not unto the Degree that is apprehended But when it is so really as it is evidently with many I had almost said with the most in these Dayes it is a woful Frame of Heart and never enough to be lamented It is that which lies in direct Contradiction unto that Spiritual-Mindedness which is Life and Peace It is a Consumption of the Soul which threatens it with Death every day It belongs not unto my Design to treat of it in particular yet I cannot let it pass without some remarks upon it it being an Evil almost epidemical among Professors and prevalent in some unto such a Degree as that they seem to be utterly forsaken of all Powers of Spiritual Life Now besides all that Folly and Sin which we before discovered as the Causes of the want of the Growth of our Affections in Spirituality and Heavenliness which in this case of their Decay are more abominable there is a multiplication of Evils wherewith this State of Heart and
Excellency in it self Secondly A suitableness therein unto our Condition State and Desires after Rest and Blessedness The first of these is in God from what he is in himself the latter is from what he is unto us in Christ from both he is the only suitable Object unto our Affections Under this Apprehension do we love God for himself or for his own sake not exclusively unto our Advantage therein For a desire of Union and Enjoyment which is our only Advantage is inseparable from this Love It may be some cannot say that a distinct Apprehension of these things was the first Foundation and Cause of their Love to God yet are they satisfyed that they do love him in Sincerity with all their souls And I say it may be so God sometimes calls the skirt of his own Love over the heart of a poor sinner and efficaciously draws it unto himself without a distinct Apprehension of these things by a meere sense of the Love it hath received So Elijah passed by Elisha and cast his Mantle upon him as a transient Act. But there was such a Communication of Virtue thereby that he ran after him and would not be deferred though Elijah said go back again for what have I done unto thee 1 Kings 19.19 20. When God hath so cast his Love on any soul it follows after him with all its Affections And whereas God may seem at some times to say go back again for what have I done unto thee its Answer is Lord whether shall I go I cannot leave thee my Heart is given up unto thee and shall never be taken from thee But I say unto such and to all others that if we would have refreshing Evidences of our Love unto God that it is sincere if we would have it thrive and flourish befervent and constant we are to exercise our selves unto the Contemplation of the Divine Goodness and the Suitableness of it unto our souls in and by Jesus Christ. Nor can we cleave unto any spiritual things whatever with sincere Affections but under these Notions of it First That it hath a real Worth or Excellency in it self Secondly That it is suitable and desirable unto us And it is to be bewailed to see how many walk at random in Profession that know neither what they do nor where they go Secondly As we must see a Goodness and Probableness in Spiritual things absolutely so as that we may fix our Affections on them in a due manner so we must see it comparatively with respect unto all other things which gives them a preference in our Affections before and above them all The Tryal of Love lyes in the prevailing Degree on more or less If we love other things Father Mother Houses Lands Possessions more than Christ we do not love him at all Nor is there any Equality allowed in this matter that we may equally love temporal and Spiritual things If we love not Christ more than all those things we love him not at all Wherefore that our Affections may cleave unto them in a due manner we must see an Excellency in things Spiritual and heavenly rendring them more desirable than all other things whatever With what loving Countenances do men look upon their temporal Enjoyments with what tenacious Embraces do they cleave unto them They see that in them which is amiable which is desirable and suitable unto their Affections Let them pretend what they please if they see not a greater Goodness that which is more amiable more desirable in Spiritual things they love them not in a due manner it is temporal things that hath the Rule of their Affections Our Psalmist preferrs Jerusalem before his chiefest Joy Psal. 137.6 Another affirms that the Law of Gods Mouth was better to him than Thousands of Gold and Silver Psal. 119.72 More to be desired are the Statutes of the Lord than Gold yea than much fine Gold sweeter also than Honey or the Honey-comb Psal. 19.1 For Wisdom is better than Rubies and all things that may be desired are not to be compared unto it Prov. 8.11 This is the only stable Foundation of all divine Affections A spiritual view and Judgement of a Goodness an Excellency in them incomparably above whatever is in the most desirable things of this World are required thereunto And if the Affections of many pretending highly to them should come to be weighed in this Ballance I fear they would be found light and wanting However it is the Duty of them who would not be deceived in this matter which is of Eternal importance to examine what is that Goodness and Excellency which is in Spiritual things which they desire in them upon the account whereof they do sincerely value and esteem them above all things in this World whatever And let not any deceive themselves with vain Words and Pretences whil'st their Esteem and Valuation of present Enjoyments doth evidently ingage all their Affections their Care their Diligence their Industry so as that a man of a discerning Spirit may even feel them turned into self whil'st they are cold formal negligent about spiritual things we must say How dwelleth the Love of God in them Much more when we see men not only giving up the whole of their time and strength with the vigour of their Spirits but sacrificing their Consciences also unto the attaining of Dignities Honours Preferments Wealth and Ease in the World who know in their own Hearts that they perform Religious Duties with respect unto temporal Advantages I cannot conceive how it is possible they should discern and approve of a Goodness and Excellency in Spiritual things above all others A due Consideration is required hereunto that all Spiritual things do proceed from and are resolved into an infinite Fountain of Goodness so as that our Affections may absolutely come unto Rest and Complacency and find full assured Satisfaction in them It is otherwise as unto all temporal things Men would very fain have them to be such as might give absolute Rest and Satisfaction unto all their Affections But they are every one of them so far from it that all of them together cannot compose their Minds in Rest and Peace for one hour They gain sometimes a Transport of Affections and seem for a season to have filled the whole Soul so as it hath no leasure to consider their Emptiness and Vanity But a little Composure of Mens thoughts shew that they are but a Diversion in a Journey or Labour they are no Rest. Hence are they called broken Cisterns that will hold no Water Let a man prize them at the highest rate that it is possible for a rational Creature to be reduced into the thoughts of whereof there have been prodigious Instances let him possess them in abundance beyond whatever any man enjoyed in this World or his own Imagination could before hand reach unto let him be assured of the utmost peaceable Continuance in the Enjoyment of them â—hat his and their natures are
capable of yet would he not dare to pretend that all his Affections were filled and Satisfyed with them that they afforded him perfect Rest and Peace Should he do so the working of his Mind every Day would convince him of his Falsehood and his Folly But all Spiritual things derive from and lead unto that which is infinite which is thâ—refore able to fill all our Affections and to give them full Satisfaction with Rest and Peace They all lead us to the Fountain of living Waters the Eternal Spring of Goodness and Blessedness I do not say that our Affections do attain unto this fâ—ll Rest and Satisfaction in this Life But what they come short of therein ariseth not from any defect in the things themselves to give this Rest and Satisfaction as it is with the whole World but from the weakness of our Affections themselves which are in part only renewed and cannot take in the full measures of Divine Goodness which in another World they will receive But whil'st we are here the more we receive them into our Minds and Souls the more firmly we adhere unto them the nearer Approaches we make unto our Rest and Center Secondly Spiritual things are to be considered as they are filled with Divine Wisdom I speak not of himself whose Essential Wisdom is one of the most amiable Excellencies of his holy nature but of all the Effects of his Will and Grace by Jesus Christ. All Spiritual Truths all Spiritual and Heavenly things whereby God reveales and communicates himself unto the Souls of Men and all the wayes and means of our approach unto him in Faith and Obedience through Christ Jesus I now intend All these are filled with Divine Wisdom see 1 Cor. 2.7 Eph. 3.10 Chap. 1.8 9. Now Wisdom in it self and in all the Effects of it is attractive of rational Affections Most men are brutish in them and their Actings for the most part pouring them out on things fleshly sensual and carnal But where they are at all reduced under the Conduct of Reason nothing is so attractive of them so suited unto them which they delight in as that which hath at least an appearance of Wisdom A wise and good man doth command the Affections of others unless it be their Interest to hate and oppose him as commonly it is And where there is true Wisdom in the Conduct of civil Affairs sober Men cannot but approve of it like it delight in it men of Understanding do bewail the Loss of it since Craft Falsehood Treachery and all sorts of Villany have driven it out of the world So is Divine Wisdom attractive of divine gracious Affections The Psalmist declares his Admiration of and Delight in the VVorks of God because he hath made them all in Wisdom Psal. 104.24 Those Characters of divine VVisdom which are upon them which they are filled with draw the Souls of Men into a delightful Contemplation of them But all the Treasures all the Glory of this Wisdom are laid up laid forth in the great Spiritual things of the Gospel in the Mystery of God in Christ and the Dispensation of his Grace and Goodness unto us by him The Consideration hereof fills the Souls of Believers with holy Admiration and Delight and thereon they cleave unto them with all their Affections VVhen we see there is Light in them and all other things are in Darkness that Wisdom is in them in them alone and all other things are filled with Vanity and Folly then are our Souls truely affected with them and do rejoyce in them with Joy unspeakable and full of Glory Unto the most this Wisdom of God is Foolishness It was so of old as the Apostle testifieth 1 Cor. 1. And so it continues yet to be And therefore is the Mystery of the Gospel despised by them they can see neither Form nor Comliness in it for which it should be desired Nor will ever any man have sincere Spiritual Affections unto Spiritual things who hath not a Spiritual View of the VVisdom of God in them This is that which attracts our Souls by holy Admiration unto unspeakable Delight And the Reason why Men do so generally decline from any Love unto the Gospel and lose all Satisfaction in the Mystery of it is because they are not able to discern that infinite Wisdom which is the Spring Life and Soul of it VVhen our Minds are raised unto the admiration of this VVisdom in Divine Revelations then will our affections cleave unto the things that are revealed Thirdly The acting of our affections in their adherence unto spiritual things is perfective of our present State and Condition That which of all other things doth most debase the nature of Man wherein it makes the nearest approaches unto Brutality yea whereby it becomes in some Respects more vile than the nature of Beasts is the giving up of the Affections unto things sensual unclean base and unworthy of its more noble Principles Hence are men said to debase themselves unto Hell Isai. 57.9 And their Affections do become vile so as that their being under the Power of them is an Effect of Revenging Justice punishing men for the worst of Sins Rom. 1.26 There is nothing more vile nothing more contemptible nothing more like to Beasts in Baseness and to Hell in Punishment then is the Condition of them who have enslaved their nature unto brutish sensual Affections I say vile Affections fixed on and cleaving unto sensual Objects do debase the nature of man and do both corrupt and enslave all the more noble Faculties of it the very Consciences and Minds of Men are defiled by them If you see a Man whose Affections are set inordinately on any thing here below it is easy to discern how he goes off from his native Worth and debaseth himself therein But the fixing of Spiritual Affections on Spiritual Objects is perfective of our present State and Condition Not that we can attain Perfection by it but that therein our Souls are in a Progress towards Perfection This may be granted look how much vile Affections fixed on and furiously pursuing things carnal and sensual do debase our Natures beneath its rational Constitution and make it degenerate into Bestiality so much Spiritual Affections fixed on and cleaving unto things Spiritual and Heavenly do exalt our Nature above its mere natural Capacity making an approach unto the State of Angels and of Just men made perfect And as brutish Affections when they have the Reins as they say on their Necks and are pursued with Delight and Greediness do darken the Mind and disturb all the rational Powers of the Soul for Whordom and Wine and new-Wine do take away the Heart as the Prophet speaks and Wickedness altereth the Understanding So holy Affections fixed on Spiritual things do elevate raise and enlighten the Mind with true Wisdom and Understanding For the Fear of the Lord that is Wisdom and to depart from Iniquity that is Understanding And again as the
Power of vile Affections fill the Soul and Conscience with tumult disorder Fear and Shame where Men are not utterly Profligate so as that the Minds Thoughts and Consciences of Persons under their Power is a very Hell for Confusion and Troubles so Spiritual Affections duely Exercised on their proper Objects do preserve all things in order in the whole Soul they are Life and Peace All things are quiet and secure in the Mind there is Order and Peace in the whole Soul in all its Faculties and all their Operations whil'st the affections are in a due prevailing manner fixed upon the things that are above Hence many Persons after great turmoilings in the World after they have endeavoured by all means to come to rest and satisfaction therein have utterly renounced all Concernments in Earthly things and betaken themselves unto the Contemplation of things above and that only Many I confess of them were mistaken as to the practical part of their Devotions having various Superstitions imposed on their Minds by the craft of others but they missed it not in the Principle that Tranquillity of Mind was attainable only in setting our affections upon things above Jam. 4.1 From whence come Wars and Fightings among you come they not hence even of your Lusts that were in your Members Whence are all the Disorders in your Minds your Vexations and Disquietments your Passions breaking forth sometimes into unseemly Brawlings are they not from hence The Question is put unto your selves and your own Consciences namely from your Lusts that is the disorderly affections that tumultuate in you Do but search your selves and you will quickly see whence all your Troubles and Disquietments do arise Your Lusts or corrupt and inordinate affections do war in you continually inclining you to things earthly or sensual Hence many are best and most at quiet when they are in the World worst when at home in their Families but never are they in such Confusion as when they are forced to retire into themselves The due Exercise of our Affections on heavenly things hath quite another Tendency and Effect It so unites the Mind unto them it so bringeth them unto it and gives them such a Subsistance in it as that all the Powers and Faculties of it are in a progress towards their Perfection see 2 Cor. 7.1 True Wisdom and Understanding with soundness of Judgement in eternal things in the Mind Holiness in the Affections themselves Liberty in the Will Power in the Heart and Peace in the Conscience do in their measures all ensue hereon Whatever tasts we may have of these things whatever temporary Experience we have of them they will not flourish in us they will not abide with us in any Constancy unless we are thus Spiritually Minded Fourthly In the future Enjoyment of the present Object of our Spiritual Affections doth our Eternal Blessedness consist All men who are convinced of a future eternal Condition do desire when they depart hence to enter in Blessedness and Glory Howbeit what that Blessedness even as unto the general nature of it is they know nothing at all and if they did they would not know how to desire it For Heaven or Blessedness is nothing but the full Enjoyment of what we are here to love and delight in above all of that which is the Object of our Affections as Spiritually renewed Herein have they neither Interest nor Concern But this is that which giveth Life unto the Affections of Believers they know that in the Enjoyment of God in Christ their eternal Blessedness doth consist How this is their Happiness and Glory how it will give them an everlasting overflowing Satisfaction and Rest they understand in the first Fruits of it which they here receive And this is the ultimate Object of their Affections in this World and they go forth unto all other Spiritual things in order thereunto The more therefore their affections are fixed on them the more they are kept up unto that due Exercise the nearer Approaches they make unto this blessed State When their Minds are Possessed with this Perswasion when it is confirmed in them by dayly Experience of that Sweetness Rest and Satisfaction which they find in cleaving unto God with fervent Love and Delight in vain shall any other Objects rise up in Competition to draw them off unto themselves The more we love God the more like we are unto him and the more near the Enjoyment of him CHAP. XX. HAving considered the nature of Spiritual Affections as renewed by Grace and those Notions of their Objects under which they cleave unto them it remains only that we enquire into the way of the Souls Application of it self unto those Objects by its Affections which belong also unto our being Spiritually-Minded And I shall give an account hereof in some few particulars with brief Observations on them First It is required that our adherence unto all Spiritual things with Love and Delight be firm and stable The Affections are the Powers and Instruments of the Soul whereby it makes Application unto any thing without it self and cleaves unto it This is their nature and use with reference unto things Spiritual Transient Thoughts of Spiritual things with vanishing Desires may rise out of present Convictions as they did with them who cryed out unto our Saviour Lord give us evermore of this Bread and immediately left him Such Occasional Thoughts and Desires are common unto all sorts of Men yea the worst of them let me die the Death of the Righteous and let my End be as his Fading Satisfaction with joy and delight do often befall men in their Attendance on the Word who yet never come to have it rooted in their Hearts There are sundry things wanting unto the sincerity of these Affections 1 Those in whom they are never had a clear Spiritual view of the things themselves in their own Nature which they pretend to be affected withal 2 They have not a sincere Love unto them and delight in them for their own sakes but are only affected with some outward Circumstances and Concernments of them 3 They find not a suitableness in them unto the ruling Principles of their Minds They do not practically they cannot truely say the Yoke of Christ is easy and his Burden is light his Commandments are not grievous or with the Psalmist Oh! how do I love thy Law 4 Their Affections are transient unstable vanishing as unto their Exercise and Operations They are on and off now pleased and anon displeased earnest for a little while and then cold and indifferent Hence the things which they seem to effect have no transforming Efficacy upon their Souls they dwell not in them in their Power But where our Affections unto Spiritual things are sincere where they are the true genuine Application of the Soul and adherence unto them they are firm and stable Love and Delight are kept up unto such a constant Exercise as renders them immoveable this is that which we
are exhorted unto 1 Cor. 15 58. Therefore my beloved Brethren be ye stedfast unmoveable alwayes abounding in the Work of the Lord forasmuch as you know that your Labour is not in vain in the Lord. Transient Affections with their occasional Operations deceive Multitudes oft times they are pregnant in their Actings as those that are most sincere and many Effects in Joys in Mournings in Complaints they will produce especially when excited by any outward Affliction Sickness and the like But their Goodness is like the early Cloud or morning Dew Let none therefore please themselves with the Operations of transient Affections with respect unto Spiritual things be they never so urgent or so pleasant or so frequent in their returns those that are sincere are at all times firm and stable 2 That the Soul do find a Spiritual Relish and Savour in the things which it so adheres unto The Affections are the Palate of the Soul whereby it tasts of all things which it receiveth or refuseth and it will not long cleave unto any thing which they find not a Savour and Relish in Something was spoken before of that Sweetness which is in Spiritual things and the tast of them consists in a gracious Sense of their Suitableness unto the Affections Inclinations and Dispositions of the Mind Hence they have no Relish unto Men of Carnal Minds Whoever therefore would know whether his Affections do sincerely adhere unto Spiritual things let him examine what Relish what Sweetness what Savour he findeth in them When he is pleased with them as the Palate with suitable and proper Food when he finds that he receives Nourishment by them in the inward man then doth he adhere unto them in a due manner This Spiritual Tast is the Ground of all Experience it is not what we have heard or understood only but what we have tryed and tasted whereof we have Experience This makes us long for what we have formerly enjoyed and strengthens Faith as unto what we pray for and expect In every darkness in every damp of Spirit under every apprehension of Dreadness or the withdrawing of the sense of Divine Love the Soul knoweth what it wants and what it doth desire Oh! saith such an one that it were now with me as in former dayes I know he who then gave me such refreshing Tasts of his own Goodness who made every thing of himself sweet and pleasant unto me can renew this work of his Grace towards me he can give me a new Spiritual Appetite and Relish and he can make all Spiritual things Savoury unto me again As a man under a Languishing Sickness or when he is chastened with strong pain so as that his Soul abhorreth Bread and his dayly Meat can remember what Appetite he had with what Gust and Relish he was wont to take in his Food in the dayes of his Health which makes him to know that there is such a Condition and to desire a return unto it So is it with a Sin sick Soul It can find no relish no gust no sweetness in Spiritual things He finds no Savour in the Bread of the Word nor any refreshment in the Ordinances of the Gospel which yet in themselves are dayly Meat a Feast of fat things and of Wine well refined Yet doth it remember former Days when all these things were sweet unto him And if he have any spark of Spiritual Life yet remaining it will stir him up to seek with all diligence after a Recovery How is it with you who are now under Spiritual Decays who find no Tast nor Relish in Spiritual things unto whom the Word is not savoury nor other Ordinances powerful call to mind how it hath been with you in former dayes and what ye found in these things if so be saith the Apostle that you have tasted that the Lord is gracious If you have not it is to be feared that you have never yet had the least sincere Love unto Spiritual things for where that is it will give a Spiritual Relish of them If you have how is it you can give your selves Rest one Moment without an Endeavour after the healing of your backsliding 3 It is required that our Affections be so set on Spiritual things so as to be a continual Spring of Spiritual thoughts and Meditations No man can be so forsaken of Reason as to suppose that he hath any sincere affections for what he thinks little on or not at all or that he can have a true Affection for any thing which will not stir up and ingenerate in him continual Thoughts about it Let men try themselves as unto their Relations or their Enjoyments or the Objects of their predominant Lusts and they will find how things are stated in their own Minds And therefore whereas all men pretend to love God and Christ and the wayes of God and yet know in their own Hearts that they little think of them or meditate upon them both their Pretence and Religion is vain Where our Affections are duely placed on Heavenly things so as that we are indeed Spiritually Minded they will be a constant Spring of Spiritual Thoughts and Meditation But this also hath been before spoken unto Fourthly When our Affections are thus applyed unto Spiritual things they will be prevalent and victorious against Solicitations unto the contrary or Allurements to draw them off unto any other Objects The work of all our Spiritual Adversaries is to sollicite and tempt our Affections to divert them from their proper Object There are some Temptations of Satan that make an immediate Impression on the Mind and Conscience Such are his Injection of diabolical Blasphemous Thoughts concerning God his Being Nature and Will and the Distresses which he reduceth men unto in their Consciences through Darkness and Misrepresentations of God and his Goodness But the high Road and constant Practice of all our Spiritual Adversaries is by the Solicitation of our Affections unto Objects that are in themselves or in the Degree of our Affections towards them evil and sinful Of the first are all sensual Pleasures of the Flesh in Drunkenness Uncleanness Gluttony Chambering and Wantonness with all sorts of Sensual Pleasures Of the latter is all our inordinate Love unto Self our Families and the whole World or the things of it Unto this end every thing in the whole World that may make Provision for Lust is made use of Herein consists the nature and efficacy of most of those Temptations which we have to conflict withal Solicitations they are of our Affections to draw them off from things Spiritual and Heavenly and to divert them unto other things Hereby do our Enemies endeavour to beguile us as the Serpent beguiled Eve with fair and false Representations of other Beloveds that our hearts be not preserved as a chast Virgin in all their Affections for Christ. And it is almost incredible how apt we are to be beguiled by the specious Pretences wherewith we are sollicited That our
is pleased to grant us through Jesus Christ. And 2 It will fix our Thoughts and Affections upon the Grace and Love of God communicating such an inestimable Mercy unto us as is a Sense of his Love which is the only meanes for the Preservation of a Relish of it in our Hearts He who is in this Frame of Mind will remember call over and ruminate upon all such gracious Pledges of divine Favour as David is often remembring and calling over what he received in such Places as in the Land of the Hermonites and at the Hill Missar Psal. 42. This is the great way whereby this Treasure may be preserved 3 A Person so minded and he alone will have a due Valuation of such Intimations and Pledges of Divine Love Those who are full of other things whose Affections cleave unto them do never esteem Heavenly Mercies and Priviledges as they ought The full Soul loatheth the Honey-Comb And God is well pleased when an high Valuation is put upon his kindness as he is greatly provoked by the contrary Frame which indeed nothing but infinite Patience could bear withal It is an high Provocation of God when men are regardless of and unthankful for Outward temporal Mercies when they receive them and use them as if they were their own that they were Lords of them at least that they are due unto them Much more is he provoked with our regardlesness of the least of those Mercies which are the peculiar purchase of the Blood of his Son and the Effects of his Eternal Love and Grace He alone who is spiritually-Minded valueth prizeth and layes up these ininestimable Jewels in a due manner 4 Such Persons only know how to use and improve all Communications of a sense of Divine Love These things are not granted unto us to lye by us without any use of them They are gratious Provisions wherewith we are furnished to enable us unto all other Duties Conflicts and Tryals On all Occasions are they to be called over for our Spiritual Relief and Encouragement Hereby are they safely retained For in the due improvement of them they grow more bright in our Minds every day and are ready for use in which posture they are safely preserved But these things will yet be farther manifest in the Instances that ensue 2 This Frame of Mind casts out all Principles and Causes of Trouble and Disquietment which are inconsistent with Life and Peace There are in us by nature Principles of Contrariety and Opposition unto Spiritual Life and Peace with sundry things whose Abode and Prevalency in us is inconsistent with them I shall give only one or two Instances hereof 1 It will cast out all Filthiness and Superfluity of naughtiness from our Minds Without this we can receive no Benefit by the meanes of Grace nor perform any Duty in a right manner Jam. 1.27 This is that which stands in direct immediate Opposition and Contrariety unto our being spiritually Minded so as they can have no Consistency in the same Person And they Expel on another like heat and Cold. And where there is this Filthyness and Superfluity of Naughtiness there is neither Life nor Peace Unclean Lusts of the Flesh or of the Spirit working tumultuating acting themselves in the Minds of Men will not suffer either the Life of Holiness to flourish in them or any solid Peace to abide with them The Soul is weakned by them as unto all Spiritual Actings and made like a troubled Sea that cannot rest whose Waters cast up mire and dirt Where they are absolutely predominant there is an Hell within of Darkness Confusion and Enmity against God preparing men for an Hell of Punishment without unto Eternity And according as they remain or have any Prevalency in us so are Spiritual Life and Peace impaired and obstructed by them Now the very nature of this Grace and its universal Exercise is suited to the casting out of all the Relicks of this Filthiness and Supersfluity of Naughtiness It brings in a Principle into the Mind directly contrary unto that from whence they do proceed All the Actings of it which we have described lie in direct tendency unto the Extirpation of these Causes of Filthiness which ruine Life and Peace nor will they by any other way be cast out If the Mind be not Spiritual it will be carnal if it mind not Things above it will not fix it self inordinately on things below 2 That Disorder which is by nature in the Affections and Passions of the Mind which is directly opposite unto spiritual Life and Peace is cast out or cured hereby It is a blessed Promise of the times of the New Testament of the Kingdom and Rule of Christ that through the Efficacy of Gospel Grace The Lion shall lye down with the Lamb and the Leopard with the Kid Isaiah 11.6 Persons of the most intemperate and outragious Passions shall be made meek and lovely Where this is not in some measure effected according unto the Degrees of the Prevalency of such Passions in us we have not been made Partakers of Evangelical Grace It were an easy Task to demonstrate how the Disorder of our Affections and Passions is destructive of Spiritual Life and Peace The Contrariety that is in them and Contradiction unto one another their Violence Impetuousness and Restlesness their readiness to receive and take in Provocations on all Occasions and frequently on none at all but what Imagination presents unto them are sufficient Evidences hereof Can we think that Life and Peace do inhabit that Soul wherein Anger Wrath Envy Excess in Love unto earthly things no dwell and on all Occasions exert themselves there where there is a continual Tumult Fighting and Rebellion as there is where the Passions of the Mind are not under the Conduct of Reason nor of Grace The Nature and principal Effect of this spiritual Mindedness is to bring all the Affections and Passions of our Minds into that holy Order wherein they were created This was that uprightness wherein God made us namely the whole blessed Order of all the Powers Faculties and Affections of our Souls in all their Operations in order unto our living unto God And this is restored unto us by this Grace this Duty of being Spiritually Minded And wherein it falls short of that Perfection which we had originally for the remainders of that Disorder which befell us by Sin will still in part continue it is recompenced by the Actings of that new Principle of Gospel Grace which is exercised in it For every Act of of our Affections towards God in the Power of Grace exceeds and is of another nature above that we could do or attain unto in the State of nature uncorrupted Hereby are Life and Peace brought into our Souls and preserved in them 3 It is that whereby our Hearts and Minds are taken off from the World and all inordinate Love thereunto Where this is in prevalent Degree there is neither Life nor Peace And every