as they are in themselves and in their own nature It is true the Light of it cannot fully comprehend the nature of all those things which are the Objects of its Affections For they are infinite and incomprehensible such as are the Nature of God and the Person of Christ and some of them as future Glory are not yet clearly revealed But it discerns them all in a due manner so as that they may in themselves and not in any corrupt Representation or Imagination of them be the Object of our Affections They are as the Apostle speaks Spiritually discerned 1 Cor. 2.14 which is the reason why the natural man cannot receive them namely because he hath not Ability Spiritually to discern them And this is the principal end of the Renovation of our Minds the principal quality and effect of Faith namely the Communication unto our Minds and the acting in us of a Spiritual Saving Light whereby we may see and discern Spiritual things as they are in their own Nature Kind and proper Use see Ephes. 1.17 18 19. That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of Glory may give unto you the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation in the Knowledge of him The Eyes of your Understanding being enlightned that ye know what is the hope of his Calling and what the Riches of the Glory of his Inheritance in the Saints and what is the exceeding Greatness of his Power to us-ward who believe according to the working of his mighty Power 2 Cor. 4.6 God shines in our Hearts to give the Light of the Knowledge of his Glory in the Face of Jesus Christ. The End God designes is to draw our Hearts and Affections unto himself And unto this end he gives unto us a glorious internal Light whereby we may be enabled to discern the true nature of the things that we are to cleave unto with Love and Delight Without this we have nothing but false Images of Spiritual things in our Minds not alwayes as unto the Truth or Doctrine concerning them but as unto their Reality Power and Efficacy This is one of the principal Effects of Faith as it is the principal part of the Renovation of our Minds namely to discover in the Soul and represent unto the Affections things Spiritual and Heavenly in their Nature Beauty and genuine Excellency This attracts them if they are Spiritually renewed and causeth them to cleave with Delight unto what is so proposed unto them He that believes in Christ in a due manner who thereon discovers the Excellency of his Person and the Glory of his Mediation will both love him and on his Believing rejoyce with Joy unspeakable and full of Glory So is it in all other Instances the more steady is our view by Faith of Spiritual things the more firm and constant will our Affections be in cleaving unto them And wherever the Mind is darkned about them by Temptation or Seduction from the Truth there the Affections will be quickly weakned and impaired Wherefore Thirdly Affections thus lead unto and fixed on Spiritual and Heavenly things under the Light and Conduct of Faith are more and more renewed or made in themselves more Spiritual and Heavenly They are in their cleaving unto them and delight in them continually changed and Assimulated unto the things themselves becomming more and more to be what they are namely Spiritual and Heavenly This Transformation is wrought by Faith and is one of the most excellent Faculties and Operations see 2 Cor. 3.18 And the meanes whereby it works herein are our Affections In them as we are Carnal we are conformed unto this World and by them as Sanctifyed are we transformed in the renewing of our Minds Rom. 12.2 And this Transformation is the Introduction of a new Form or Nature into our Souls diverse from that wherewith we were before endued So is it described Isaiah 11.6 7 8 9. A Spiritual Nature they were changed into And it is twofold First Original and Radical as to the Substance or Essence of it which is the Effect of the first Act of Divine Grace upon our Souls when we are made new Creatures Herein our Affections are passive they do not transform us but are transformed Secondly Gradual as unto its Increase and therein Faith works in and by the Affections Whenever the Affections do cleave intensely unto any Object they receive an Impression from it as the Wax doth from the Seal when applyed unto it which changeth them into its own likeness So the Apostle affirms of sensual unclean Persons they have Eyes full of Adultery 2 Pet. 2.14 Their Affections are so wholly possessed and filled with their lustful Objects as that they have brought forth their own likeness upon their Imaginations That blots out all others and leaves them no Inclinations but what they stir up in them When men are filled with the Love of this World which carries along with it all their other Affections their Hopes Fears and Desires unto a constant Exercise about the same Object they become Earthly-Minded Their Minds are so changed into the Image of the things themselves by the effectual working of the corrupt Principles of Sin self-Self-Love and Lust as if they were made up of the Earth and therefore have no Savour of any thing else In like manner when by Faith men come to embrace Heavenly things through the effectual Working of a Principle of Spiritual Life and Grace in them they are every day more and more made Heavenly The Inward Man is renewed day by Day Love is more sincere and ardent Delight is more ravishing and sensible Desires are more inlarged and intense and by all a Tast and Relish of Heavenly things is heightned into refreshing Experience see Rom. 5.2 3 4 5. This is the way whereby one Grace is added unto another 2 Pet. 1.5 6. in Degrees Great is the Assimulation between renewed Affections and their Spiritual Objects that by this means may be attained The Mind hereby becomes the Temple of God wherein he dwells by the Spirit Christ also dwelleth in Believers and they in him God is Love and he that dwelleth in Love dwelleth in God and God in him 1 John 4.16 Love in its proper Exercise gives a mutual Inhabitation unto God and Believers In brief he whose Affections are set upon Heavenly things in a due manner will be Heavenly-Minded And in the due Exercise of them will that Heavenly Mindedness be encreased The Transformation and Assimulation that is wrought is not in the Object or Spiritual things themselves they are not changed neither in themselves nor in the Representation made of them unto our Minds But the Change is in our Affections which are made like unto them Two Cases deriving from this Principle and Consideration may be here spoken unto and shall be so the first in this and the other in the following Chapter The one is concerning the Slowness and Imperceptibility of the Growth of our Affections in their Assimulation unto
warned it is And this ariseth from hence that they have not as yet been overtaken with any enormous Sin which hath filled their Consciences with Terror and Disquietment But this is a false Notion also for every Decay is dangerous especially such as the Mind is ready to plead for and to countenance it self in Secondly They are prone to suppose that this Decay doth not arise from themselves and the Evil of their own Hearts but from their Circumstances Business present Occasion and State of Life which when they are freed from they will at least return unto their former Love and Delight in Spiritual things But this is a false Notion also by vertue of that Rule Heb. 3.12 Let mens Circumstances and Occasions of Life be what they will all their Departures from God are from an Evil Heart of Unbelief Thirdly They judge it no hard matter to retrive themselves out of this State but that which they can easily do when there is an absolute Necessity of it But this is a false Notion also Recovery from backsliding is the hardest task in Christian Religion and which few make either comfortable or honourable work of In this State I say men are apt by such false reasonings to deceive themselves unto their eternal Ruine which makes the consideration of it the more necessary Wherefore I say lastly upon the whole that who so find themselves under the Power of this wretched Frame who are sensible in themselves or at least make it evident unto others that they are under a Decay in their Spiritual Condition if they rest in that State without groaning labouring endeavouring for deliverance from it they can have no well grounded hopes in themselves of Life and Immortality yea they are in those Paths which go down unto the Chambers of Death I cannot let this pass without something of advice unto them who find themselves under such decayes are sensible of them and would be delivered from them and I shall give it in a few Words First Remember former things call to mind how it was with you in the Spring and vigour of your Affections and compare your present State Enjoyment Peace and Quiet with what they were then This will be a great Principle of Return to God Hos. 2.7 And to put a little weight upon it we may consider First God himself makes it on his part a ground and reason of his Return unto us in a way of Mercy and of the Continuance of his Love Jer. 2.2 Even when a People are under manifold Decays whil'st yet they are within the Bounds of Gods Covenant and Mercy he will remember their first Love with the Fruits and Actings of it in Tryals and Temptations which moves his Compassion towards them And the way to have God thus remember it is for us to remember with Delight and longing of Soul that it were with us as in those Dayes of old when we had the Love of Espousals for God in Christ Jeremiah 31.18 19 20. Secondly It is the way whereby the Saints of old have refreshed and encouraged themselves under their greatest Despondencies So doth the Psalmist in many places as for Instance Psal. 42.6 O my God my Soul is cast down within me therefore will I remember thee from the Land of Jordan and of the Hermonites from the Hill Missar David in the time of his Persecution by Saul when he wandred up and down in Deserts Wildernesses and Solitudes had under his Fears Distresses and Exercise great holy Spiritual Communion with God as many of his Psalms composed on such Occasions do testify And the greater his distresses were the more fervent were his Affections in all his Adresses unto God And he was never in greater than when he escaped out of the Cave at Adullam and went thence unto Mizpheh of Moab to get shelter for his Parents 1 Sam. 22.13 Then was he in the Land of the Hermonites the Hill Hermon being the boundary eastward of the Israelites Possession next to Moab Deut. 3.8 9. There no doubt David had a blessed Exercise of his Faith and of all his Affections towards God wherein his Soul found great Refreshment Being now in great Distress and Disconsolation of Spirit among other things under a Sense that God had forgotten him vers 9. He calls to mind the blessed Experience he had of Communion with God in the Land of the Hermonites wherein he now found Support and Refreshment So at other times he called to remembrance the Dayes of old and in them his Song in the Night or the sweet Refreshment he had in Spiritual Converse with God in former times I have known one in the depth of distress and darkness of Mind who going through Temptation to destroy himself was reâ—â—eved and delivered in the instant of Ruine by a sudden Remembrance that at such a time and in such a place he had prayed fervently with the ingagement of all his Affections unto God Wherefore you that are sensible of these Decayes or ought so to be take the Advice of our Saviour Remember whence you are fallen call to mind the former days consider if it were not better with you than now when in your lying down and your rising up you had many thoughts of God and of the things of God and they were sweet and pretious unto your Souls when you rejoyced at the Remembrance of his Holiness When you had Zeal for his Glory Delight in his Worship and were glad when they said Let us go to the House of God together When you poured forth your Soules with Freedom and enlarged Affections before him and were sensible of the Visits and Refreshments of his Love Remember what Peace what Tranquility of Mind what Joy you had whil'st it was so with you And consider what you have gotten since you have forsaken God in any Measure or Degree Dare to deal plainly with your selves Is not all wherein you have now to do with God either Form Custom and Selfishness or attended with Trouble Disquietment and Fears Do you truely know either how to live or how to die Are you not sometimes a Terrour unto yourselves It must be so unless you are hardened through the Deceitfulness of Sin What have all your Lovers done for you that you have entertained in the room of God in Christ and Spiritual things Speak plainly have they not defiled you wounded you weakened you and brought you into that Condition that you know not what you are nor to whom ye do belong What are your thoughts when you are most awake when you are most your selves Do you not sometimes part within your selves and say O that it were with us as in former Dayes And it you can be no way affected with the Remembrance of former things then one of these two great Evils you are certainly under For either 1 you never had a true and real Work on your Souls whatever you professed and so never had true and real Communion with God in any Duties
that our Affections are Spiritually renewed and that they have received some Progress in an Assimulation unto heavenly things namely when the Soul is delighted in making Christ their Pattern in all things Secondly The Rule of our Affections in their utmost Spiritual Improvement is the Scripture And two things are respected in them 1 Their Internal Actings 2 Their Exercise in outward Wayes and Means whereby they are expressed Of them both the Scripture is the entire Rule And with respect unto the former it gives us one general Law or Rule that is comprehensive of all others namely that we Love the Lord our God with all our hearts Souls Minds and Strength The Actings of all our Affections towards God in the utmost Degree of Perfection is required of us that in all Instances we prefer and value him above all things that we inseperably cleave unto him and do nothing whatever at any time that is not influenced and directed by the Love of God This Perfection as we shall see immediately is not attainable absolutely in this Life But it is proposed unto us as that which the Excellency of Gods Nature requires and which the Faculties Powers of our nature were creared for and which we ought in all things to design and aim at But the indispensible Obligation of this Rule is that we should alwayes be in a sincere Endeavour to cleave unto God continually in all things to prefer him above all and delight in him as our chiefest Good When this Frame and Disposition is habitually fixed in our Minds it will declare and act it self in all Instances of Duties on all Occasions of Tryal when other things put in for a predominant Interest in our Affections as they do every day And if it be not so with us we shall be at a continual Loss in all our Wayes This is that which makes us lifeless and heartless in Duties careless in Temptations or Occasions of them forgetful of God when it is impossible we should be preserved from Sin without a due Remembrance of his Holiness In brief the want of a Predominant Love unto God kept in continual Exercise is the Spring of all that unprofitable Profession of Religion that the World is filled withal Secondly There are Outward Wayes and Duties whereby our Spiritual Affections are expressed The Rule of them also is the Scripture The way marked out therein is the onely Channel wherein the Stream of our Spiritual Affections doth take its Course unto God The Graces required therein are to act themselves by the Duties it prescribes arâ— those which they stir up and enliven the Religious Worship it appoints is that wherein they have their Exercise Where this Rule hath been neglected mens Religious Affections have grown irregular yea wild and ungovernable All the Superstitions that the World is fil'd withal owe their original principally unto mens Affections set at loose from the Rule of the word There is nothing so fond absurd and foolish but they have imbondaged the â—ouls of Men unto nothing so horrid and difficult but they have ingaged them in And having once taken unto themselves this Liberty the corrupt Minds of men are a thousand times more satisfyed than in the regular exercise of them according to the Word of God Hence they will rejoyce in such Penances as are not without their Austeritys in such outward Duties of Devotion as are troublesome and chargeable in every thing that hath a Shew of Wisdom in Will-Worship and humility and neglect of the Body Hence will all their Affections be more sensibly moved by Images and Pictures and a melting Devotion be stirred up in them than by all the Motives and Incentives which God proposeth unto them to draw their Affections unto himself Nothing is more extravagant than the Affections of Men tinctured with some Devotion if they forsake the Rule of the Scripture Thirdly There is considerable concerning them the measure of their Attainments or what through due Exercise and holy Diligence they may be raised unto Now this is not absolute Perfection Not as though I had already attain'd or were already perfect but I follow after as the Apostle speaks Phil. 3.12 But there is that attainable which those who pretend highly unto Perfection seem to be Strangers unto And the State of our Affections under a due Exercise on heavenly things and in their Assimulation unto them may be fixed in these three things 1 An habitual Suitableness unto Spiritual things upon the proposal of them The wayes whereby Spiritual things are proposed unto our Minds are various They are so directly in all Ordinances of Divine Worship they are so indirectly and in just consequence by all the especial Providences wherein we are concern'd by our own thoughts and stated Meditations they are so by the motions of the Holy Spirit when he causeth us to hear a â—ord behind us saying this is the Way walk in it by holy Converse with others by all sorts of occurrences And as the ways of their Proposal are various so the Times and Seasons wherein a Representation of them is made unto us are comprehensive of all at least are not exclusive of any times and seasons of our Lives Be the way of their Proposal what it will and when ever be the season of it if our affections are duely improved by Spiritual Exercises they are suited unto them and will be ready to give them Entertainment Hence or for want hereof on the other hand are â—ergiversations and Shiftings in Duties Proneness to comply with Diversion all to keep off the Mind from closing with and receiving of those Spiritual things which it is not suited unto Wherefore as unto the solemn way of proposing Spiritual things unto our Minds which is in and by the Ordinances of Divine Worship when men have a prevalent loathness to ingage in them or when they are satisfyed with an outward Attendance on them but not enabled unto a vigorous stirring up of the inward man unto an holy affectionate converse with Spiritual and heavenly things it is because they are carnal When men can receive the fiery Darts of Satan in his Temptations into their Bosoms and suffer them to abide there yea foster and cherish them in thoughts of the Lusts that they kindle but quickly quench the Motions of the Spirit stirring them up unto the embracing of heavenly things they are carnal and carnally-Minded When Providences of Concernment in Afflictions Trials Deliverances do not ingage the Mind into thoughts of Spiritual things and excite the Affections unto the Entertainment of them Men are carnal and earthly When every Lust Corruption or Passion as Anger Envy Displeasure at this or that Person or thing can divert the Mind from compliance with the Proposal of Spiritual things that is made unto it we are carnal It is otherwise when our Affections are conformed unto things Spiritual and Heavenly Upon every Proposal of this the Mind finds a suitableness unto it self like that
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
Peace is some part of the work of the ensuing Discourse It may be it will be Judged but a Weak attempt as unto the attaining of that end But it cannot be denyed to have these two Advantages first that it is seasonable and secondly that it is sincerely intended And if it have this only successe that it may occasion others who have more Ability and opportunity then I have to bring in their Assistance for an opposition unto the vehement and Importunate insinuations of the World in these things to have an entertainment in the Minds of Professors this Labour will not be Lost. But things are come to that pass amongst us that unless a more than ordinary vigorous Exercise of the Ministry of the Word with other meanes appointed unto the same end be ingag'd in to recall Professors unto that strict Mortification that Sincerity of Conversation that seperation from the ways of the World that Heavenly Mindedness that Delight in the Contemplation of Spiritual things which the Gospel and the whole Nature of Christian Religion do require we shall loose the Glory of our Profession and leave it very uncertain what will be our Eternal Condition The same may be spoken concerning Love of the World as unto the Advantages and Emoluments which Men trust to attain unto themselves thereby This is that wiâ—h renders Men Earthly Minded and most remote from having their Conversations above In the pursuit of this Corrupt Affection do many Professors of Religion grow withering useless sapless giving no Evidence that the Love of God abideth in them On these and many other accounts do many Christians evidence themselves to be strangers from Spiritual Mindedness from a Life of Meditation and Holy Contemplation on things above Yet unless we are found in these things in some Good Measure no Grace will thrive or Flourish in us No Duty will be rightly Performed by us no Condition Sanctified or Improved nor are we Prepar'd in a due manner or made meet for the Inheritance of the Saints in Light Wherfore as was said to direct and provoke Men unto that which is the only remedy of all these Evils which alone is the meanes of giving them a view into and a fore tast of Eternal Glory Especially unto such who are in my own Condition namely in a very neer approach unto a Departure out of this World is the Design and Scope of the ensuing Discourse wiâ—h is recommended unto the Grace of God for the benefit of the Reader ROM viii 6. But to be Spiritually minded is Life and Peace CHAP. I. The Words of the Text explained THE Expression in our Translation sounds differently from that in the Original To be spiritually minded say we In the Original it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as that in the former part of the Verse is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we render to be carnally minded In the Margin we read the minding of the Flesh and the minding of the Spirit And there is great Variety in the rendring of the words in all Translations both ancient and modern Prudentia Sapientia Intelligentia Mens Cogitatio Discretio id quod Spiritus sapit the Wisdom the Vnderstanding the Mind the Thought or Contrivance the Discretion of the Spirit that which the Spirit savoureth are used to express it All our English Translations from Tindals the first of them have constantly used to be spiritually minded Neither do I know any words whereby the Emphasis of the Original considering the design of the Apostle in the place can be better expressed But the Meaning of the Holy Ghost in them must be further enquired into In the whole Verse there are two entire Propositions containing a double Antithesis the one in their Subjects the other in their Predicates And this Opposition is the highest and greatest that is beneath eternal Blessedness and Eternal Ruine The Opposite Subjects are the minding of the Flesh and the minding of the Spirit or the being carnally minded and spiritually minded And these two do constitute two States of Mankind unto the One of which every individual Person in the World doth belong And it is of the highest Concernment unto the Souls of men to know whetherof them they appertain unto As unto the Qualities expressed by the Flesh and the Spirit there may be a mixture of them in the same Persons at the same time there is so in all that are Regenerate For in them the Flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit lusteth against the Flesh and these are contrary Gal. 5.17 Thus different contrary actings in the same Subject constitute not distinct States But where either of them is predominant or hath a prevalent Rule in the Soul there it makes a different State This Distinction of States the Apostle expresseth v. 9. But ye are not in the Fesh but in the Spirit Some are in the flesh and cannot please God v. 8. They are after the flesh v. 5. they walk after the flesh v. 1. they live after the flesh v. 13. This is one State Others are in the Spirit v. 9. after the Spirit v. 5. walk after the Spirit v. 1. This is the other State The first sort are carnally minded the other are spiritually minded Unto One of these doth every living Man belong he is under the ruling Conduct of the Flesh or of the Spirit there is no middle state though there are different Degrees in each of these as to Good and Evil. The Difference between these two States is great and the distance in a manner infinite because an Eternity in Blessedness or Misery doth depend upon it And this at present is evidenced by the different Fruits and Effects of the Principles and their Operations which constitute these different States which is expressed in the Opposition that is between the Predicates of the Proposition For the minding of the Flesh is death but the minding of the Spirit is Life and Peace I. To be carnally minded is death Death as it is absolutely poenal is either Spiritual or Eternal The first of these it is formally the other meritoriously It is formally death spiritual for they that are carnally minded are dead in Trespasses and Sins Eph. 2.1 For those who fulfill the desires of the flesh and of the mind are by nature Children of wrath v. 3. are penally under the power of spiritual death They are dead in sins and the uncircumcision of the flesh Col. 2.13 And it is death eternal Meritoriously For if ye live after the flesh ye shall dye Rom. 8.13 as the Wages of Sin is death Chap. 6.23 The Reason why the Apostle denounces so woful a doom so dreadful a Sentence on the carnal mind he declares in the two next Verses For the carnal mind is Enmity against God for it is not subject unto the Law of God nor indeed can be so then they that are in the flesh cannot please God If it be thus with the Carnal mind it is no wonder that to be
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
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
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
unto there are two things from which we are secured by this Peace which is an Effect of being Spiritually Minded The first is Offences There is nothing of whose Danger we are more warned in the Gospel than of Offences Wo to the World saith our Saviour because of Offences All Ages all Times and Seasons are filled with them and they pâ—ove pernitious and destructive to the Souls of many Such are the Scandalous Divisions that are among Christians the endless Differences of Opinions and diversity of practices in Religion and the Worship of God the Falls and Sins of Professors the fearful ends of some of them the Reproaches that are cast on all that ingage into any peculiar way of Holiness and strictness of Life with other things of the like nature whereby the souls of innumerable Persons are disquieted subverted or infected are to be reckoned unto this Head Against any hurtful or noxious Influence on our Minds from these things against Disquietments Dejections of Spirit and Disconsolations are we secured by this Peace So the Psalmist assures us Psal. 119.165 Great Peace have they that love thy Law and nothing shall offend them The Law or the Word of God is the only way of the Revelation of God and his Will unto us and the only outward Way and Rule of our Converse and Communion with him Wherefore to love the Law is the principal part of our being heavenly Minded yea virtually that which comprehends the whole For such as do so nothing none of the things before mentioned nor any other of the like nature shall be an Offence a stumbling Block or cause of falling into sin And the reason is because they have such an Experience in themselves of the Truth Power Efficacy and Holiness of the Gospel as that the Miscarriages of Men under a Profession of it shall never be unto them an Occasion of falling or being offended at Christ. And I look upon it as a sign of a very evil Frame of Heart when men are concerned in the Miscarriages of some that have made Profession whereby they are it may be damaged in their Outward Concerns so as that they are surprized into Reflections on that Religion which they profess professing the same themselves 2 The second is Afflictions Persecutions and Sufferings of all Sorts It is known by all It were well if it were not so well known what Disquietments Dejections and Disconsolations these things are apt to fill the Minds of Men withal What Fears Troubles Sorrows they reflect upon them Against all these Effects of them this Peace intended gives us Security It makes us to preserve a peaceable yea a joyous Life in our Conflict with them see Joh. 16.33 Both these as here joyned together Life and Peace do comprize an holy Frame of Heart and Mind wherein the Souls of Believers do find Rest Quietness Refreshment and Satisfaction in God in the midst of Temptations Afflictions Offenâ—es and Sufferings It is the Souls Composure of it self in God in his Love in Christ Jesus so as not greatly to be put out of Order to be cast down with any thing that may befall it but affords men Chearfulness and Satisfaction in themselves though they walk sometimes in the Valley of the Shadow of Death Such Persons have that in them abiding with them as will give them Life and Peace under all Occurrences 2 Our next enquiry is how this Spiritual Mindedness is Life and Peace or what it contributes unto them how it produceth the Frame of Heart and Mind so expressed And this it doth several wayes 1 It is the only meanes on our part of retaining a Sense of Divine Love The Love of God in a gracious Sense of it as shed abroad in our Hearts by the Holy Ghost is the first and only Foundation of all durable Comforts Such as will support and refresh us under all Oppositions and Distresses that is of Life and Peace in our Souls in any Condition This God communicates by an Act of Soveraign Grace for the most part without any Preparation for it in our selves He creates the Fruit of the Lips Peace Peace But although Divine Love be in it self unchangeable and alwayes the same yet this Sense of it may be lost as it was in David when he prayed that God would restore unto him the Joys of his Salvation Psal. 51.12 And so many others have found it by woful Experience To insist upon all that is required on our parts that we may retain a gratious refreshing Sense of Divine Love after it is once granted unto us belongs not unto my present purpose But this I say there is not any thing wherein we are more concerned for to be careful and diligent in than as unto what belongs to that end For men who by a meer Act of Soveraign Grace have tasted herein of the Goodness of God who have had the Consolation and Joys of it to be negligent in the keeping and preserving it in their Souls is a Provocation that they will at one time or other be sensible of There is nothing doth more grieve the Holy Spirit than to have his especial Work whereby he Seales us unto the Day of Redemption neglected or despised And it argues a mighty Prevalency of some Corruption or Temptation that shall cause men willingly and by their own Sloth to forfeit so inestimable a Grace Mercy and Priviledge And it is that which there are but few of us who have not reason to bewail our Folly in Every Intimation of Divine Love is an inestimable Jewel which if safely treasured up in our Hearts adds unto our Spiritual Riches and being lost will at one time or another affect us with Sorrow And I am afraid that many of us are very negligent herein unto the great prejudice of our Souls and Spiritual State Many such Intimations are given us by the Holy Ghost through the Word which we take little notice of either we know not the Voice of Christ in them or do not hearken unto him in a due manner or refuse a Compliance with him when we cannot but know that he speaks unto us see Cant. 5.2 3. Or if we recieve any Impressions of a gratious Sense of Divine Love in them we quickly lose them not knowing how much the Life of our Souls is concerned therein and what use of them we may have in our following Temptations Tryals and Duties Now the great means of retaining a Sense of the Love of God which is the only spring of Life and Peace unto our Souls is this Grace and Duty of being Spiritually-Minded This is evident from the very nature of the Duty For 1 It is the Souls preserving of it self in a Frame meet to receive and retain this sense of Gods Love What other way can there be on our part but that our Minds which are so to receive it and retain it are Spiritual and Heavenly alwayes prepared for that holy Converse and Communion with himself which he
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
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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
carnally minded is death it is not meet it should be any thing else That which is Enmity against God is under the Curse of God In Opposition hereunto it is affirmed that to be spiritually minded or the minding of the Spirit is life and peace And these are the things which we are particularly to enquire into Namely What is this minding of the Spirit and then How it is Life and Peace 1. The Spirit in this Context is evidently used in a double sence as is usual where both the Holy Spirit himself and his Work on the Souls of men are related unto 1. The Person of the Spirit of God himself or the Holy Ghost is intended by it v. 9. If so be that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you And so also v. 11. The Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead He is spoken of as the principal efficient Cause of all the spiritual Mercies and Benefits here and afterwards insisted on 2. It is used for the Principle of spiritual Life wrought in all that are regenerate by the Holy Ghost For that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit Joh. 3.6 It is most probable that the name Spirit is here used in the latter sense not for the Spirit-himself but for that which is born of the Spirit the Principle of spiritual Life in them that are born of God For it is in its Nature Actings Inclinations and Operations opposed unto the flesh v. 1.4 5 But the Flesh here intended is that inherent corrupt Principle of Depraved Nature whence all evil Actions do proceed and wherewith the Actions of all Evil Men are vitiated The Opposition between them is the same with that mentioned and declared by the Apostle Gal. 5.17 18 c. Wherefore the Spirit in this Place is the holy vital Principle of new Obedience wrought in the Souls of Believers by the Holy Ghost enabling them to live unto God 2. Unto this Spirit there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ascribed which as we have intimated is translated with great Variety 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the principal Power and Act of the mind It is its Light Wisdom Prudence Knowledge Understanding and Discretion It is not so with respect unto Speculation or Ratiocination meerly which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is its Power as it is practical including the habitual frame and Inclination of the Affections also It is its faculty to conceive of things with a delight in them and adherence unto them from that suitableness which it finds in them unto all its Affections Hence we translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sometimes to think that is to conceive and judge Rom. 12.3 Sometimes to set the Affections Col. 3.2 to have such an Apprehension of things as to cleave unto them with our Affections Sometimes to mind to mind earthly things Phil. 3.19 which includeth that relish and savour which the mind finds in the things it is fixed on No where doth it design a Notional Conception of things only but principally the engagement of the Affections unto the things which the mind apprehends 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word here used expresseth the actual exercise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Power of the mind before described Wherefore the minding of the Spirit is the actual exercise of the mind as renewed by the Holy Ghost as furnished with a principle of spiritual life and light in its conception of spiritual things and the setting of its Affections on them as finding that relish and savour in them wherewith it is pleased and satisfied And something we must yet further observe to give light unto this Description of the minding of the Spirit as it is here spoken of 1. It is not spoken of absolutely as unto what it is in it self but with respect unto its Power and Prevalency in us significantly rendred to be spiritually minded that is to have the mind changed and renewed by a Principle of spiritual Life and Light so as to be continually acted and influenced thereby unto thoughts and Meditations of spiritual things from the Affections cleaving unto them with delight and satisfaction So on the contrary it is when Men mind earthly things From a Principle of love unto them arising from their suitableness unto their corrupt Affections their Thoughts Meditations and Desires are continually engaged about them Wherefore 2. Three things may be distinguished in the great Duty of being spiritually minded under which Notion it is here recommended unto us 1. The actual exercise of the Mind in its thoughts Meditations and desires about things spiritual and Heavenly So is it expressed in the Verse foregoing They that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh they think on them their contrivances are about them and their desires after them But they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit They mind them by fixing their Thoughts and Meditations upon them 2. The Inclination Disposition and frame of the mind in all its Affections whereby it adheres and cleaves unto spiritual things This minding of the Spirit resides habitually in the Affections Wherefore the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Spirit or the mind as renewed and acted by a spiritual Principle of light and life is the Exercise of its Thoughts Meditations and desires on spiritual things proceeding from the Love and delight of its Affections in them and engagement unto them 3. A Complacency of mind from that Gust Relish and Savour which it finds in spiritual things from their suitableness unto its Constitution Inclinations and desires There is a Salt in Spiritual things whereby they are condited and made savoury unto a renewed Mind though to others they are as the White of an Egge that hath no taste or savour in it In this Gust and Relish lyes the sweetness and satisfaction of spiritual Life Speculative Notions about Spiritual things when they are alone are drye sapless and barren In this Gust we taste by Experience that God is Gracious and that the Love of Christ is better than Wine or whatever else hath the most grateful relish unto a sensual Appetite This is the proper Foundation of the Joy which is unspeakable and full of Glory All these things do concurr in the minding of the Spirit or to constitute any Person spiritually minded And although the Foundation of the whole Duty included in it lyes in the Affections and their immediate Adherence unto spiritual things whence the Thoughts and Meditations of the mind about them do proceed yet I shall treat of the distinct Parts of this Duty in the Order layd down beginning with the Exercise of our Thoughts and Meditations about them For they being the first genuine Actings of the Mind according unto the Prevalency of Affections in it they will make the best and most evident discovery of what nature the Spring is from whence they do arise And I shall not need to speak
they stand in need of it so as that they cannot live without it but they have delight in it and to keep them from it is all one as to keep them from their daily food and refreshment Now we can have no delight in any thing but what we have found some Sweetness Rest and Complacency in Without any such Experience we may do or use any thing but cannot do it with delight And it ariseth 1. From the approach that is made unto God therein It is in its own Nature an Access unto God on a Throne of Grace Ephes. 2.18 Heb. 10.19 20. And when this Access is Animated by the Actings of Grace the Soul hath a Spiritual Experience of a nearness in that Approach Now God is the Fountain and Center of all Spiritual Refreshment Rest and Complacency And in such an Access unto him there is a refreshing Taste of them Communicated unto the Soul Psal. 36.7 8 9. How excellent is thy Loving kindness O God! therefore the children of men put their Trust under the shadow of thy Wings They shall be abundantly satisfied with the Fatness of thy house and thou shalt make them Drink of the River of thy pleasures For with thee is the fountain of Life in thy Light we shall see Light God is proposed in the Excellency of his Loving Kindness which is comprehensive of his Goodness Grace and Mercy And so is he also as the Spring of Life and Light all Spiritual Powers and Joyes Those that believe are described by their Trust under the shadow of his Wings In his Worship the Fatnesse of his House they make their Approaches unto him And the Fruit hereof is that he makes them to Drink of the River of his Pleasures the satisfying refreshing Streams of his Grace and Goodness they approach unto him as unto the Fountain of Life so as to Drink of that Fountain in renewed Communications of Life and Grace and in the Light of God the Light of his Countenance to see Light in satisfying Joy In these things doth consist and from them doth arise that Spiritual Complacency which the Souls of Believers do find in their Duties 2. From the due Exercise of Faith Love and Delight the Graces wherein the Life of the new Creature doth principally consist There is a suitableness unto our Natural Constitution and a secret Complacency of our Natures in the proper Actings of Life Natural for its own Preservation and Encrease There is so in our Spiritual Constitution in the proper Actings of the Powers of our Spiritual Life unto its Preservation and Encrease These Graces in their due Exercise do Compose and Refresh the mind as those which are Perfective of its State which quell and cast out whatever troubles it Thence a blessed Satisfaction and Complacency befalls the Soul Herein he that believeth hath the witness in himself Besides Faith and Love are never really Acted on Christ but they prepare and make meet the Soul to receive Communications of Love and Grace from him which it never faileth of although it be not always sensible thereof 3. From the Testimony of Conscience bearing witness unto our sincerity both in Aims Ends and Performances of the Duty Hence a gracious Repose of Mind and great Satisfactoriness doth ensue If we have no Experience of these things it is evident that we walk at Random in the best of our Duties For they are among the principal things that we do or ought to Pray for And if we have not Experience of the Effects of our Prayers in our Hearts we neither have advantage by them nor give Glory unto God in them But yet here as in most other Spiritual things one of the worst of Vices is ready to impose it self in the room and place of the best of our Graces And this is Self-pleasing in the Performance of the Duty This instead of a Grace steeped in Humility as all true Grace is is a vile effect of Spiritual Pride or the offering of a Sacrifice unto our own Net and Drag It is a glorying in the Flesh for whatever of Self any doth glory in it is but Flesh. When men have had enlargements in their Expressions and especially when they apprehend that others are satisfied or affected therewith they are apt to have a secret Self-pleasing in what they have done which before they are aware turns into Pride and a noxious Elation of mind The same may befall men in their most Secret Duties performed outwardly by the Aid of Spiritual Gifts But this is most remote from and contrary unto that Spiritual Complacency in Duty which we speak of which yet it will pretend unto untill it be diligently Examined The Language of this Spiritual Complacency is I will go in the strength of the Lord God I will make mention of thy Righteousness of thine only Psal. 71.16 That of Spiritual Pride is God I thank thee that I have done thus and thus as it was expressed by the Pharisee That is in God alone this is in Self That draws forth the Savour of all Graces this immediately covereth and buries them all if there be any in the Sâ—ul That fills the Soul eminently with Humility and Self-abasement this with a lifting up of the mind and Proud Self-conceit That casts out all Remembrance of what we have done our selves retaining only a sence of what we have received from God of the impressions of his Love and Grace This blots out all Remembrance of what we have freely received from God and retains only what we have done our selves Wherever it is there is no due sence either of the Greatness or Goodness of God Some it may be will say that if it be so they for their parts are cut off They have no experience of any such Spiritual rest and complacency in God in or after their Prayers At the best they begin them with tears and end them in sorrow and sometimes they know not what is become of them but fear that God is not glorified by them nor their own souls bettered I answer 1. There is great Spiritual Refreshment in that Godly sorrow which is at work in our Prayers Where the Holy Ghost is a Spirit of Grace and Supplication he causeth Mourning and in that Mourning there is Joy 2. The secret Encouragement which we receive by praying to adhere unto God constantly in Prayer ariseth from some experience of this Holy Complacency though we have not a sensible evidence of it 3. Perhaps some of them who make this complaint if they would awaken and consider will find that their souls at least sometimes have been thus refreshed and brought unto an holy Rest in God 4. Then shall you know the Lord if you follow on to know him Abide in seeking after this Complacency and satisfaction in God and you shall attain it 3. It is a sure Evidence that our Thoughts of Spiritual things in our Supplications are from an internal Spring of Grace and are not meerly occasioned by the
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
the present storm may as well be the secret sins of Professors as the open Provocations of ungodly men God will punish severely those which he hath known Amos 3.2 It is therefore certainly our Duty to search diligently that nothing be found resting in us against which God is declaring his Displeasure Take heed of negligence and security herein When our Saviour foretold his Disciples that one of them should betray him he who alone was guilty was the last that said Master is it I. Let no ground of hopes you have of your Spiritual condition and acceptance with God no Sence of your sincerity in any of your Duties no visible difference between you and others in the World impose themselves on your minds to divert them from diligence in this Duty The voice of the Lord cryeth unto the City and the man of wisdom will see his Name 2. A diligent endeavour to live in an holy Resignation of our Persons our Lives our Families all our Enjoyments unto the soveraign Will and Wisdom of God so as that we may be in a readiness to part with all things upon his call without repining This also is plainly declared in the voice of present Providences God is making Wings for mens Riches he is shaking their Habitations taking away the visible Defences of their Lives proclaiming the Instability and uncertainty of all things here below And if we are not minded to contend with him we have nothing left to give us rest and peace for a moment but an holy Resignation of all unto his Soveraign Pleasure Would you now know what you should fix and exercise your Thoughts upon so as that they may be Evidences of your being Spiritually minded I say be frequently conversant in them about these things They lye before you they call upon you and will find you a just employment Count them part of your business allow them some part of your time cease not untill you have the Testimony of your Consciences that you have in sincerity stated both these Duties in your minds which will never be done without many Thoughts about them Unless it be so with you God will be greatly displeased at the neglect of his coming and call now it is so plain and articulate Fear the woful Dooms recorded Prov. 1.24 25 26 27 28. Isa. 56.12 Chap. 66.4 to this purpose And if any calamity publick or private do overtake you under a neglect of these Duties you will be wofully surprized and not know which way to turn for Relief This therefore is the time and season wherein you may have an especial trial and experiment whether you be Spiritually minded or no. It is the wisdom of Faith to excite and draw forth Grace into Exercise according unto present Occasions If this Grace be habitually resident in you it will put it self forth in many Thoughts about these present Duties But alas for the most part men are apt to walk contrary to God in these things as the Wisdom of the flesh is contrary unto him in all things A great Instance we have with respect unto these Duties especially the latter of them For 1. Who almost makes a diligent search into and trial of his heart and ways with respect unto the procuring causes of the Displeasure and Judgments of God Generally when the Tokens and Evidences of them do most abound the World is full of outragious provoking sins These visibly proclaim themselves to be the causes of the coming of the Wrath of God on the Children of Disobedience Hence most men are apt to cast the whole Reason of present Judgments upon them and to put it wholly from themselves Hence commonly there is never less of self Examination than when it is called for in a peculiar manner But as I will not deny but that the open daring sins of the World are the procuring Cause of the Wrath of God against it in temporal Judgments so the wisest course for us is to refer them unto the great Judgment of the last Day This the Apostle directs us unto 2 Thess. 1.6 7 8 9 10. Our Duty it is to consider on what accounts Judgment begins at the House of God and to examine our selves with respect thereunto Again the other part of our present Duty in complyance with the voice of Providence is an humble Resignation of our selves and all our concernments unto the will of God sitting loose in our Affections from all earthly temporal Enjoyments This we neither do nor can do let us profess what we will unless our Thoughts are greatly exercised about the Reasons of it and Motives unto it For this is the way whereby Faith puts forth its efficacy unto the Mortification of Self and all earthly Enjoyments Wherefore without this we can make no Resignation of our selves unto the will of God But alas how many at present do openly walk contrary unto God herein The Ways the Countenances the Discourses of men do give Evidence hereunto Their Love unto present things their contrivances for their encrease and continuance do grow and thrive under the Calls of God to the contrary So it was of old They did eat they drank they married and gave in marriage untill the day that Noah entred into the Ark. Can the generality of Professors at this day give Testimony unto the Exercise of their Thoughts upon such things as should dispose them unto this holy Resignation That they meditate on the Calls of God and thence make themselves ready to part with all at his time and pleasure How can persons pretend to be Spiritually minded the current of whose Thoughts lies in direct contrariety unto the mind of God Here lyes the ground of their self-deceivings they are Professors of the Gospel in a peculiar manner they judge themselves Believers they hope they shall be saved and have many Evidences for it But one Negative Evidence will render an hundred that are positive useless All these things have I done saith the young man yet one thing thou wantest saith our Saviour And the want of that one rendred his all things of no avail unto him Many things you have done many things you do many grounds of hope abide with you neither your selves nor others do doubt of your Condition But are you Spiritually minded If this one thing be wanting all the rest will not avail you you have indeed neither Life nor Peace And what grounds have you to judge that you are so if the current of your thoughts lye in direct contrariety unto the present Calls of God If at such a time as this is your love to the World be such as ever it was and perhaps be encreased if your desires are strong to secure the things of this Life unto you and yours if the daily contrivance of your minds be not how you may attain a constant Resignation of your selves and your all unto the Will of God which will not be done without much Thoughtfulness and Meditations on the Reasons of it
and will not be throughly cured in any but by the due exercise of this part of Spiritual-mindedness There are other Duties required also unto the same end namely of the Mortification of our Desires and Affections unto earthly things whereof I have treated elsewhere But without this or a fixed contemplation on the Desirableness Beauty and Glory of Heavenly things it will not be attained Further to evince the Truth hereof we may observe these two things First If by any means a man do seem to have taken off his Heart from the Love of present things and be not at the same time taken up with the Love of things that are Heavenly his seeming Mortification is of no advantage unto him So persons frequently through Discontent Disappointments or dissatisfaction with Relations or meer natural Weariness have left the world the Affairs and cares of it as unto their wonted conversations in it and have betaken themselves to Monasteries Convents or other Retirements suiting their Principles without any Advantage to their Souls Secondly God is no such severe Lord and Master as to require us to take off our Affections from and mortifie them unto those things which the Law of our Nature makes dear unto us as Wives Children Houses Lands and Possessions and not propose unto us somewhat that is incomparably more excellent to fix them upon So he invites the Elect of the Gentiles unto Christ Psal. 45.10 Hearken O Daughter and consider and encline thine ear forget also thine own People and thy Fathers house that is come into the Faith of Abraham who forsook his Country and his Fathers house to follow God whither ever he pleased But he proposeth this for their encouragement ver 11. So shall the King greatly desire thy Beauty for he is thy Lord and worship thou him The Love of the Great King is an abundant satisfactory Recompence for parting with all things in this world So when Abrahams Servant was sent to take Rebecka for a Wife unto Isaac he required that she should immediately leave Father and Mother Brothers and all enjoyments and go along with him But withall that she might know her self to be no loser thereby he not only assured her of the Greatness of his Master but also at present he gave her Jewels of Silver and Jewels of Gold and Rayment Gen. 24.53 And when our Saviour requires that we should part with all for his sake and the Gospel he promiseth an hundred Fold in lieu of them even in this Life namely in an Interest in things Spiritual and Heavenly Wherefore without an assiduous Meditation on Heavenly things as a better more noble and suitable Object for our Affections to be fixed on we can never be freed in a due manner from an inordinate Love of the things here below It is sad to see some Professors who will keep up spiritual Duties in Churches and in their Families who will speak and discourse of Spiritual Things and keep themselves from the open Excesses of the world yet when they come to be tryed by such Duties as entrench on their Love and adherence unto Earthly Things quickly manifest how remote they are from being Spiritually-minded in a due manner Were they to be tryed as our Saviour tryed the young man who made such a profession of his conscientious and religious conversation Go sell what thou hast give to the poor and follow me something might be pleaded in excuse for their Tergiversation But alas they will decline their Duty when they are not touched unto the hundredth part of their enjoyments I bless God I speak not thus of many of my own knowledge and may say with the Apostle unto the most unto whom I usually speak in this manner But Beloved we are perswaded better things of you and things that accompany Salvation though we thus speak Heb. 6.9 Yea the same Testimony may be given of many in this City which the same Apostle gives unto the Churches of Macedonia 2 Cor. 8.1 2 3. Vnderstand the Grace of God bestowed on the Churches of Macedonia how that in a great Trial of Affliction the Abundance of their Joy and their Poverty abounded unto the Riches of their Liberality For to their Power and beyond their Power they were willing of themselves There hath been nothing done amongst us that may or can be boasted of yet considering all Circumstances it may be there have not been more Instances of true Evangelical Charity in any Age or Place for these many years For them who have been but useful and helpful herein the Lord remember them for good and spare them according to the Multitude of his Mercies It is true they have not many of them founded Colledges built Hospitals or raised works of State and Magnificence For very many of them are such as whose deep Poverty comparatively hath abounded unto the Riches of their Liberality The Basks and Bellyes of multitudes of poor and needy Servants of Christ have been warmed and refreshed by them blessing God for them Thank 's be to God saith the Apostle in this case for his unspeakable Gift 2 Cor. 9.15 Blessed be God who hath not left the Gospel without this Glory nor the Profession of it without this evidence of its Power and Efficacy Yea God hath exalted the Glory of Persecutions and Afflictions For many since they have lost much of their enjoyments by them and have all endangered continually have abounded in Dutyes of Charity beyond what they did in the dayes of their fulness and prosperity So out of the Eater there hath come forth meat And if the world did but know what Fruits in a way of Charity and Bounty unto the Praise of God and Glory of the Gospel have been occasioned by their making many poor it would abate of their satisfaction in their successes But with many it is not so Their Minds are so full of earthly things they do so cleave unto them in their Affections that no sence of Duty no Example of others no concernment of the Glory of God or the Gospel can make any impressions on them If there be yet in them so much Life and Light of Grace as to design a Deliverance from this woful condition the means insisted on must be made use of Especially this Advice is needful unto those who are Rich who have large Possessions or abound in the Goods of this world The Poor the Afflicted the Sorrowful are prompted from their outward circumstances as well as excited by inward Grace frequently to remember and to think of the Things above wherein lyes their only Reserve and Relief against the trouble and urgency of their present condition But the enjoyment of these things in abundance is accompanyed with a two-fold evil lying directly contrary unto this Duty 1. A Desire of encrease and adding thereunto Earthly enjoyments enlarge mens Earthly Desires and the Love of them grows with their income A moderate stock of Waters sufficient for our use may be kept within ordinary
all the actings of our souls in Spiritual Judgment as well as natural Affection and I do not understand how a man can be a sincere Believer unto whom sin is not the greatest Burden and sorrow Wherefore in the first place it belongs unto the true Notion of Heaven that it is a State wherein we shall be eternally freed from sin and all the concernments of it but only the exaltation of the Glory of Gods Grace in Christ by the pardon of it He that truely hates sin and abhorrs it whose principal Desire and Design of Life is to be freed from it so far as it is possible who walks in self Abasement through a sence of his many Disappointments when he hoped it should act in him no more cannot as I judge but frequently betake himself for Refreshment unto Thoughts of that state wherein he shall be freed from it and triumph over it unto eternity This is a Notion of Heaven that is easily apprehended and fixed on the Mind which we may dwell upon unto the great advantage and satisfaction of our Souls Frequent Thoughts and Meditations of Heaven under this notion do argue a man to be Spiritually minded For it is a convincing Evidence that sin is a Burden unto him that he longs to be delivered from it and all its consequents that no Thoughts are more welcome unto him than those of that state wherein sin shall be no more And although men are troubled about their sins and would desirously be freed from them so far as they perplex their Minds and make their Consciences uneasie yet if they are not much in the prospect of this Relief if they find not Refreshment in it I fear their trouble is not such as it ought to be Wherefore when men can so wrangle and wrestle with their Convictions of sin and yet take up the best of their Relief in hopes that it will be better with them at some times or other in this world without longing Desires after that state wherein sin shall be no more they can give no evidence that they are Spiritually minded It is quite otherwise with sincere Believers in the exercise of this Duty The considerations of the Grace and Love of God of the Blood of Christ of the Purity and Holiness of that good Spirit that dwelleth in them of the Light Grace and Mercy which they have attained through the Promises of the Gospel are those which make the Remainders of sin most grievous and burdensom unto them This is that which even breaks their hearts and makes some of them go mourning all the day long namely that any thing of that which alone God hates should be found in them or be remaining with them It is in this condition an Evidence that they are Spiritually minded if together with watchful endeavours for the universal mortification of sin and utter excision of it both root and branch they constantly adde these Thoughts of that blessed State wherein they shall be absolutely and eternally freed from all sin with Refreshment Delight and Complacency These things belong unto our Direction for the fixing of our Thoughts and Meditations on things above This the meanest and weakest person who hath the least spark of Sincerity and Grace is capable of apprehending and able to practise And it is that which the sense they have of the evil of sin will put them on every day if they shut not their eyes against the Light of the Refreshment that is in it Let them who cannot arise in their minds unto fixed and stable Thoughts of any other notion of these Invisible things dwell on this consideration of them wherein they will find no small Spiritual Advantage and Refreshment unto their Souls 2. As unto the Positive Part of this glorious future State the Thoughts and apprehensions of men are very various And that we may know as well what to avoid as what to embrace we shall a little reflect on some of them 1. Many are able to entertain no rational Conceptions about a future state of Blessedness and Glory no notions wherein either Faith or Reason is concerned Imagination they have of something that is great and glorious but what it is they know not No wonder if such Persons have no delight in no use of Thoughts of Heaven When their Imaginations have fluctuated up and down in all uncertainties for a while they are swallowed up in nothing Glorious and therefore desirable they take it for granted that it must be But nothing can be so unto them but what is suitable unto their present Dispositions Inclinations and Principles And hereof there is nothing in the true Spiritual Glory of Heaven or in the eternal enjoyment of God These things are not suited unto the Wills of their minds and of the flesh and therefore they cannot rise up unto any constant desires of them Hence to please themselves they begin to imagine what is not But whereas what is truely Heaven pleaseth them not and what doth please them is not Heaven nor there to be found they seldom or never endeavour in good earnest to exercise their Thoughts about it It were well if Darkness and Ignorance of the true nature of the future State and eternal Glory did not exceedingly prejudice Believers themselves as unto their Delight in them and Meditations about them They have nothing fixed or stated in their Minds which they can betake themselves unto in their Thoughts when they would contemplate about them And by the way whatever doth divert the minds of men from the power and life of Spiritual Worship as do all pompous Solemnities in the performance of it doth greatly hinder them as unto right Conceptions of our future state There was a Promise of Eternal Life given unto the Saints under the Old Testament But whereas they were obliged unto a Worship that was carnal and outwardly pompous they never had clear and distinct Apprehensions of the future state of Glory For Life and Immortality were brought to Light by the Gospel Wherefore although no man living can see or find out the infinite Riches of Eternal Glory yet is it the Duty of all to be acquainted with the Nature of it in general so as that they may have fixed Thoughts of it Love unto it earnest Desires after it all under its own true and proper Notion 2. So great a Part of Mankind as the Mahumetans unto whom God hath given all the principal and most desirable parts of the World to inhabit and possess do conceive the state of future Blessedness to consist in the full satisfaction of their sensual Lusts and Pleasures An Evidence this is that the Religion which they profess hath no power or Efficacy on their Minds to change them from the Love of Sin or placing their Happiness in fulfilling the Desires of the Flesh. It doth not at all enlighten their Minds to discern a Beauty in Spiritual things nor excite their Affections unto the Love of them nor free the Soul
to look after Blessedness in such things as alone are suited unto its rational Constitution For if it did they would place their Happiness and Blessedness in them Wherefore it is nothing but an Artifice of the god of this World to blind the Eyes of men unto their Eternal Destruction 3. Some of the Philosophers of old did attain an Apprehension that the Blessedness of men in another world doth consist in the Souls full satisfaction in the Goodness and Beauty of the Divine Nature And there is a Truth in this Notion which contemplative men have adorned with excellent and rational Discourses And sundry who have been and are Learned among Christians have greatly improved this Truth by the Light of the Scripture From Reason they take up with Thoughts of the Goodness the Amiableness the self-sufficiency the alsufficient satisfactoriness of the infinite Perfections of the Divine Nature These things shine in themselves with such a glorious Light as that there is no more required unto a perception of them but that men do not wilfully shut their eyes against it through bestial Sensuality and Love of Sin From Reason also do they frame their Conceptions concerning the Capacity of the Souls of men for the immediate Enjoyment of God and what is suited therein unto their utmost Blessedness No more is required unto these things but a due consideration of the Nature of God and Man with our Relation unto him and dependance on him By the Light of the Scripture they frame these things into that which they call the Beatifical Vision whereby they intend all the wayes whereby God in the highest and immediate Instances can and doth communicate of himself unto the Souls of men and the utmost Elevation of their intellectual Capacities to receive those Communications It is such an Intellectual Apprehension of the Divine Nature and Perfections with ineffable Love as gives the Soul the utmost Rest and Blessedness which its Capacities can extend unto These things are so and they have been by many both piously and elegantly illustrated Howbeit they are above the Capacities of ordinary Christians they know not how to manage them in their Minds nor exercise their Thoughts about them They cannot reduce them unto present usefulness nor make them subservient unto the exercise and encrease of Grace And the Truth is the Scripture gives us another Notion of Heaven and Glory not contrary unto this not inconsistent with it but more suited unto the Faith and Experience of Believers and which alone can convey a true and useful sence of these things unto our Minds This therefore is diligently to be enquired into and firmly stated in our Thoughts and Affections 4. The principal Notion which the Scripture gives us of the State of Heavenly Blessedness and which the meanest Believers are capable of improving in daily practice is That Faith shall be turned into Sight and Grace into Glory We walk now by Faith and not by Sight saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 5.7 Wherefore this is the Difference between our present and our future state that Sight hereafter shall supply the room of Faith 1 Joh. 3.2 And if Sight come into the place of Faith then the Object of that Sight must be the same with the present Object of our Faith So the Apostle informs us 1 Cor. 13.9.10 12. For we know in part and when we Prophesie in part but when that which is perfect is come that which is in part shall be done away For now we see through a Glass darkly but then face to face Those things which we see now darkly as in a glass we shall then have an immediate sight and full comprehension of for that which is perfect must come and doe away that which is in part What then is the principal Present Object of Faith as it is Evangelical into whose room Sight must succeed Is it not the Manifestation of the Glory of the infinite Wisdom Grace Love Kindness and Power of God in Christ the Revelation of the eternal Councels of his Will and the ways of their Accomplishment unto the eternal Salvation of the Church in and by him with the glorious exaltation of Christ himself Wherefore in the full satisfactory Representation of these things unto our Souls received by Sight or a direct immediate Intuition of them doth the Glory of Heaven principally consist We behold them now darkly as in a glass that is the utmost which by Faith we can attain unto in Heaven they shall be openly and fully displayed The infinite incomprehensible Excellencies of the Divine Nature are not proposed in Scripture as the immediate Object of our Faith nor shall they be so unto Sight in Heaven The Manifestation of them in Christ is the immediate Object of our Faith here and shall be of our Sight hereafter Only through this Manifestation of them we are lead even by Faith ultimately to acquiesce in them as we shall in Heaven be lead by Love perfectly to adhere unto them with Delight ineffable This is our immediate Objective Glory in Heaven we hope for no other And this if God will I shall shortly more fully explain Whoever lives in the exercise of Faith and hath any experience of the Life Power and Sweetness of these Heavenly things unto whom they are a Spring of Grace and Consolation they are able to meditate on the Glory of them in their full enjoyment Think much of Heaven as that which will give you a perfect view and comprehension of the Wisdom and Love and Grace of God in Christ with those other things which shall be immediately declared Some perhaps will be ready to say that if this be Heaven they can see no great Glory in it no such Beauty as for which it should be desired It may be so for some have no Instrument to take a view of Invisible things but carnal Imaginations Some have no Light no Principle no disposition of Mind or Soul whereunto these things are either acceptable or suitable Some will go no further in the consideration of the Divine Excellencies of God and the Faculties and actings of our Souls than Reason will guide them which may be of use But we look for no other Heaven we desire none but what we are lead unto and prepared for by the Light of the Gospel that which shall perfect all the beginnings of Gods Grace in us not what shall be quite of another nature and destructive of them We value not that Heaven which is equally suited unto the Desires and Inclinations of the worst of men as well as of the best for we know that they who like not Grace here neither do nor can like that which is Glory hereafter No man who is not acquainted experimentally in some measure with the Life Power and Evidence of Faith here hath any other Heaven in his aim but what is erected in his own Imagination The Glory of Heaven which the Gospel prepares us for which Faith leads and conducts us unto
Thought to express their Love and conformity unto him They would have Images of him which they would embrace adore and bedew with their tears They would have Crucifixes as they called them which they would carry about them and wear next unto their hearts as if they resolved to lodge Christ alwayes in their bosoms They would go in Pilgrimage to the place where he dyed and rose again through a thousand dangers and purchase a feigned Chip of a Tree whereon he suffered at the price of all they had in the world They would endeavour by long Thoughtfulness Fastings and Watchings to cast their Souls into Raptures and Extasies wherein they fancied themselves in his Presence They came at last to make themselves like him in getting impressions of wounds on their sides their hands and feet Unto all these things and sundry others of an alike Nature and Tendency did Superstition abuse and corrupt the Minds of men from a pretence of a Principle of Truth For there is no more certain Gospel Truth than this that Believers ought continually to contemplate on Christ by the actings of Faith in their Thoughts and Affections and that thereby they are changed and transformed into his Image 2 Cor. 3.18 And we are not to forego our Duty because other men have been mistaken in theirs nor part with practical fundamental Principles of Religion because they have been abused by Superstition But we may see herein how dangerous it is to depart in any thing from the conduct of Scripture Light and Rule when for want thereof the best and most noble Endeavours of the minds of men even to love Christ and to be like unto him do issue in Provocations of the highest nature Pray therefore that you may be kept unto the Truth in all things by a diligent Attendance unto the only Rule thereof and conscientious subjection of Soul unto the Authority of God in it For we ought not to suffer our Affections to be entangled with the paint or Artificial Beauty of any way or means of giving our Love unto Christ which are not warranted by the Word of Truth Yet I must say that I had rather be among them who in the actings of their Love and Affections unto Christ do fall into some irregularities and excesses in the manner of expressing it provided their Worship of him be neither Superstitious nor Idolatrous than among those who professing themselves to be Christians do almost disavow their having any Thoughts of or Affection unto the Person of Christ But there is no need that we should foolishly run into either of these extreams God hath in the Scripture sufficiently provided against them both He hath both shewed us the Necessity of our diligent acting of Faith and Love on the Person of Christ and hath limited out the way and means whereby we may so do And let our Designs be what they will where in any thing we depart from his Prescriptions we are not under the conduct of his Spirit and so are sure to lose all that we do Wherefore two things are required that we may thus think of Christ and Meditate on him according to the mind and will of God 1. That the means of bringing him to Mind be what God hath promised and appointed 2. That the continued Proposal of him as the Object of our Thoughts and Meditations be of the same kind For both these ends the superstitious minds of men invented the wayes of Images and Crucifixes with their Appurtenances before mentioned And this rendred all their Devotion an Abomination That which tends unto these ends among Believers is the Promise of the Spirit and the Institutions of the Word Would you then think of Christ as you ought take these two directions 1. Pray that the Holy Spirit may abide with you continually to mind you of him which he will do in all in whom he doth abide For it belongs unto his Office 2. For more fixed Thoughts and Meditations take some express place of Scripture wherein he is set forth and proposed either in his Person Office or Grace unto you Gal. 3.1 4. This Duty lyes at the Foundation of all that blessed communion and entercourse that is between Jesus Christ and the Souls of Believers This I confess is despised by some and the very Notion of it esteemed ridiculous But they do therein no less than renounce Christianity and turn the Lord Christ into an Idol that neither knoweth seeth nor heareth But I speak unto them who are not utter strangers unto the Life of Faith who know not what Religion is unless they have real spiritual entercourse and communion with the Lord Christ thereby Consider this therefore as it is in particular exemplified in the Book of Canticles There is not one Instance of it to be found which doth not suppose a continual Thoughtfulness of him And in answer unto them as they are actings of Faith and Love wherein he is delighted doth he by his Spirit insinuate into our Minds and Hearts a gracious sence of his own Love Kindness and Relation unto us The great variety wherein these things are mutually carryed on between him and the Church the singular endearments which ensue thereon and blessed Estate in Rest and Complacency do make up the substance of that Holy Discourse No Thoughts then of Christ proceeding from Faith accompanyed with Love and Delight shall be lost They that sow this seed shall return with their sheaves Christ will meet them with gracious Intimations of his Acceptance of them delight in them and return a sense of his own Love unto them He never will be he never was behind with any poor Soul in returns of Love Those gracious and blessed Promises which he hath made of coming unto them that believe in him of making his abode with them and of supping with them all expressions of a Gracious Presence and intimate Communion do all depend on this duty Wherefore we may consider three things concerning these Thoughts of Christ. 1. That they are exceeding acceptable unto him as the best pledges of our Cordial Affection Cant. 2.14 O my Dove that art in the clefts of the Rock in the secret places of the stairs let me see thy countenance let me hear thy voice for sweet is thy voice and thy countenance is comely When a Soul through manifold discouragements and despondencies withdraws and as it were hides it self from him he calleth to see a poor weeping blubbered face and to hear a broken voice that scarce goes beyond sighs and groans 2. These Thoughts are the only Means whereby we comply with the gracious intimations of his Love mentioned before By them do we hear his Knocking know his Voice and open the door of our Hearts to give him entrance that he may abide and sup with us Sometimes indeed the Soul is surprized into Acts of Gracious Communion with Christ Cant. 6.11 But they are not to be expected unless we abide in those wayes and means which prepare
especial particular Lust may be so warmed and fomented by mens constitutions within or be so exposed unto provoking exciting occasions without as to bring perpetual trouble on the mind Yet this may be where no sin hath the predominancy enquired after And the Difference between the perplexing sollicitation of any corruption unto sin and the conquering prevalency of it lyes in this that under the former the Thoughts contrivances and actings of the mind are generally disposed and enclined unto an opposition unto it and a conflict with it how it may be obviated defeated destroyed how an absolute victory may be obtained against it Yea Death it self is sweet unto such Persons under this notion as it is that which will deliver them from the perplexing Power of their Corruptions so is the state of such a Soul at large represented Rom. 7. In the other case namely of its predominancy it disposeth of the Thoughts actually for the most part to make provision for the flesh and to fulfill it in the Lusts thereof It fills the mind with pleasing contemplations of its Object and puts it on contrivances for satisfaction Yea part of the Bitterness of Death unto such Persons is that it will make an everlasting separation between them and the satisfaction they have received in their Lusts. It is bitter in the Thoughts of it unto a worldly minded Man because it will take him from all his enjoyments his wealth profits and advantages It is so unto the sensual Person as that which finally determines all his pleasures 3. There is a difference in the Degrees of such a predominant Corruption In some it taints the Affections vitiates the Thoughts and works over the Will unto Acts of a secret complacency in sin but proceeds no farther The whole Mind may be vitiated by it and rendred in the Multitude of its Thoughts vain sensual or worldly according as is the nature of the prevailing Corruption Yet here God puts bounds unto the raging of some mens corruptions and sayes to their proud waves thus far shall ye proceed and no farther He either layes a restraint on their minds that when Lust hath fully conceived it shall not bring forth sin or he sets an hedge before them in his Providence that they shall not be able in their circumstances to find their way unto what perhaps they do most earnestly desire A woful Life it is that such Persons lead They are continually tortured between their Corruptions and Convictions or the Love of sin and fear of the Event With others it pursues its course into outward actual sins which in some are discovered in this world in others they are not For some mens sins go before them unto Judgment and some follow after Some fall into sin upon surprizal from a concurrence of Temptation with Corruption and Opportunities some habituate themselves unto a course in sin though in many it be not discovered in some it is But among those who have received any Spiritual Light and made Profession of Religion thereon this seldom falls out but from the great Displeasure of God For when men have long given way unto the Prevalency of sin in their Affections Inclinations and Thoughts and God hath set many an hedge before them to give bounds unto their Inclinations and to shut up the womb of sin sometimes by Afflictions sometimes by fears and dangers sometimes by the Word and yet the bent of their Spirits is towards their sin God takes off his hand of restraint removes his hindrances and gives them up unto their own Hearts Lusts to do the things that are not convenient All things hereon suits their Desires and they rush into actual sins and follies setting their feet in the paths that go down to the Chambers of Death The uncontrollable Power of sin in such Persons and the greatness of Gods Displeasure against them makes their condition most deplorable Those that are in this State of either sort the first or the latter are remote from being Spiritually minded nor is God in all their Thoughts as he ought to be For 1. They will not so think and meditate on God Their Delight is turned another way Their Affections which are the spring on their Thoughts which feed them continually do cleave unto the things which are most adverse unto him Love of sin is gotten to be the Spring in them and the whole stream of the Thoughts which they choose and delight in are towards the Pleasures of it If any Thoughts of God come in as a faint Tyde for a few minutes and drive back the other stream they are quickly repelled and carryed away with the strong current of those which proceed from their powerful Inclinations Yet may such Persons abide in the Performance of outward holy Duties or attendance unto them Pride of or satisfaction in their Gifts may give them Delight in their own performances and something in those of others they may be exceedingly pleased withal as it is expresly affirmed Ezek. 33.31 32. But in these things they have no immediate real Thoughts of God none that they delight in none that they seek to stirr up in themselves and those which impose themselves on them they reject 2. As they will not so they dare not think of God They will not because of the Power of their Lusts they dare not because of their Guilt No sooner should they begin to think of him in Good Earnest but their sin would lose all its desirable forms and appearances and represent it self in the Horror of Guilt alone And in that condition all the Properties of the Divine Nature are suited to encrease the Dread and Terror of the sinner Adam had heard Gods voice before with Delight and satisfaction But on the hearing of the same voice after he had sinned he hid himself and cryed that he was afraid There is a way for men to think of God with the Guilt of sin upon them which they intend to forsake but none for any to do it with the Guilt of sin which they resolve to continue in Wherefore of all these sorts of Persons it may be said that God is not in all their Thoughts and therefore are they far enough from being spiritually minded For unless we have many Thoughts of God we cannot be so Yea moreover there are two things required unto those Thoughts which we have of God that there may be an Evidence of our being so 1. That we take delight in them Psal. 30.4 Sing unto the Lord O ye Saints of his and give thanks at the remembrance of his Holiness The Remembrance of God delighteth and refresheth the Hearts of his Saints and stirrs them up unto Thankfulness 1. They rejoyce in what God is in himself Whatever is good amiable or desireable whatever is holy just and powerful whatever is gracious wise and merciful and all that is so they see and apprehend in God That God is what he is is the matter of their chiefest Joy Whatever befalls
two things that the weaker sort of Believers may be exercised with in their Thoughts of the Divine Being and Existence which may occasion them some trouble 1. Sathan knowing the weakness of our Minds in the immediate Contemplation of things infinite and incomprehensible will sometimes take advantage to insinuate blasphemous Imaginations in opposition unto what we would fix upon and relieve our selves withal He will take that very time trusting unto our weakness and his own methods of subtilty to suggest his Temptations unto Atheism by insnaring Enquiries when we go about to refresh our Souls with Thoughts of the Divine Being and Excellencies But is there a God indeed How do you know that there is a God and may it not be otherwise will be his language unto our minds For from his first Temptation by way of an ensnaring Question Yea and hath God said it ye shall not eat of every Tree of the Garden he proceeds still much in the same methods So he did with our Saviour himself If thou be the Son of God Is there a God how if there should be none In such a case the Rule is given us by the Apostle Above all take the shield of Faith whereby ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the Wicked Eph. 6.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the wicked one that is the Devil And two wayes will Faith Act it self on this occasion 1. By a speedy rejection of such Diabolical Suggestions with detestation So did our Saviour in a case not unlike it Get thee behind me Sathan Wherefore if any such Thoughts are suggested or seem to arise in your minds know assuredly that they are no less immediately from the Devil than if he personally stood before you and visibly appear'd unto you if he did so there is none of you but would arm your selves with an utter defiance of what he should offer unto you It is no less necessary on this occasion when you may feel him though you see him not Suffer not his fiery darts to abide one moment with you entertain no parly or dispute about them reject them with indignation and strengthen your rejection of them with some pertinent testimony of Scripture as our Saviour did If a man have a Granado or Fire-ball cast into his Cloaths by his Enemy he doth not consider whether it will burn or no but Immediately shakes it off from him Deal no otherwise with these fiery darts lest by their abode with you they inflame your Imagination unto greater disturbance 2. In case they utterly depart not upon this Endeavour for their exclusion and casting out return immediately without further dispute unto your own Experience When the Devil hath ask'd you the Question if you answer him you will be ensnar'd but if thereon you ask your selves the Question and apply your selves unto your own experience for an answer unto it you will frustrate all his designs There are Arguments to be taken as was said from the Light of Nature and Reason in its proper exercise sufficient to defeat all Objections of that kind But these are not our proper weapons in case of our own Temptation which alone is now under Consideration It requires longer and more sedate reasonings than such a state will admit of nor is it a Sanctified medium for our Relief It is what is suited unto suggestions on the occasion of our Meditations that we enquire after In them we are not to argue on such Principles but to take the shield of Faith to Quench these fiery darts And if on such occasions Sathan can divert us into long disputes about the Being of God he hath his end by carrying us off from the meditation on him which we did design and after a while he will prevail to make it a common road and trade that no sooner shall we begin to think of God but immediately we must dispute about his Being Therefore the way in this case for him who is really a Believer is to retreat immediately unto his own Experience which will pour shame and contempt on the suggestions of Sathan There is no Believer who hath knowledge and time to exercise the wisdom of Faith in the consideration of himself and of Gods dealings with him but hath a witness in himself of his eternal Power and Godhead as also of all those other Perfections of his Nature which he is pleased to manifest and glorify by Jesus Christ. Wherefore on this suggestion of Sathan that there is no God he will be able to say that he might better tell me that I do not Live nor Breathe that I am not fed by my Meat nor warm'd by my Cloaths that I know not my self nor any thing else For I have spiritual sence and experience of the contrary like him of old who when a cunning Sophister would prove unto him by Syllogisms that there was no such thing as motion he gave no answer unto his Arguments but Rose up and walked How often will he say have I had experience of the power and presence of God in Prayer as though I had not only heard of him by the hearing of the ear but also seen him by the seeing of the eye How often hath he put forth his Power and Grace in me by his Spirit and his Word with an uncontrollable Evidence of his Being Goodness Love and Grace How often hath he refreshed my Conscience with the sense of the pardon of sin speaking that peace unto my Soul which all the world could not communicate unto me In how many afflictions dangers troubles hath he been a present help and relief what sensible Emanations of Life and Power from him have I obtain'd in Meditation on his Grace and Glory As he who had been blind answered the Pharisees unto their ensnaring captious questions Be it what it will One thing I know that whereas I was blind now I see Whatever saith such a Soul be in this Temptation of Sathan one thing I know full well that whereas I was dead I am alive whereas I was blind now I see and that by an effect of divine power This shield of Faith managed in the hand of Experience will quench the fiery darts of Sathan and he will fall under a double defeat 1. His Temptations will be repell'd by the proper way of resistance whereon he will not only desist in his Attempt but even fly from you Resist the Devil saith the Apostle and he will fly from you He will not only depart and cease to trouble you but will depart as one defeated and confounded And it is for want of this resistance lively made use of that many hang so long in the Bryars of this Temptation 2. Recalling the Experiences we have had of God will lead us unto the exercise of all kind of Graces which is the greatest disappointment of our Adversary 2. In Thoughts of the Divine Being and Existence we are apt to be at a loss to be as it were overwhelmed in
their avoidance they will be filled with the fruit of their own wayes Indeed the Common Converses of Professors among themselves and others walking talking and behaving themselves like other men being as full of the world as the world is of it self hath lost the Grace of being Spiritually-minded within and stain'd the Glory of Profession without The Rule observ'd by David will manifest how careful we ought to be herein Psal. 39.1 2 3. I said I will take heed to my wayes that I sin not with my Tongue I will keep my Mouth with a bridle while the wicked is before me I was dumb with silence I held my peace even from good and my sorrow was stirred My heart was hot within me while I was musing the fire burned then spake I with my Tongue Which place was spoken unto before 3. An holy Constraint put on the Mind to abide in the Duty of Spiritual Thoughts and Meditations pressing it continually with the Consideration of their Necessity and Usefulness The Mind will be apt of it self to start aside from Duties purely Spiritual through the mixture of the Flesh abiding in it The more inward and purely Spiritual any Duty is which hath no outward Advantages the more prone will the Mind be to decline from it It will be so more from private Prayer than Publick more from Meditation than Prayer And other things will be apt to draw it aside by Objects without and various stirrings of the Affections within An holy Constraint is to be put upon it with a sudden Rejection of what rises up to its diversion or disturbance Wherefore we are to call in all constraining Motives such as the Consideration of the Love of Christ 2 Cor. 5.14 to keep the Mind steady unto its Duty 4. Diligent use of Means to furnish the Soul with that Light and Knowledge of Heavenly things which may administer continual matter of holy Thoughts and Meditations from within our selves This hath been spoken unto at large before And the want hereof is that which keeps many from the least Proficiency in these Duties As a man may have some skill or ability for a Trade yet if he have no Materials to work upon he must sit still and let his Trade alone And so must men do as unto the work of Holy Meditation whatever be the Ability of the natural Faculties their Inventions or Memories if they are not furnished with Knowledge of things Spiritual and Heavenly which are the subject matter of such Meditations they must let their work alone Hence the Apostle prays for the Colossians that the Word of God might dwell in them richly in all Wisdom Chap. 3.16 That is that they might abound in the knowledge of the mind of Christ without which we shall be unfit for this Duty 5. Vnweariedness in our Conflict with Sathan who by various Artifices and the Injection of fiery darts labours continually to divert us from these Duties He is seldom or never wanting unto this occasion He who is furnished in any measure with spiritual Wisdom and Vnderstanding may find him more sensibly at work in his Craft and Opposition with respect unto this Duty than any other way When we stand thus before the Lord he is alwayes at our right hand to resist us And oft-times his Strength is great Hence as was observed oft-times men design really to exercise themselves in holy Thoughts but end in vain Imaginations and rather take up with Trifles than continue in this Duty Steadiness in the Resistance of him on these Occasions is one great part of our Spiritual Warfare And we may know that he is at work by his Engines and Methods For they consist in his Suggestions of vain foolish or corrupt Imaginations When they begin to rise in our Minds at such times as we would engage them in Spiritual Meditation we may know assuredly from whence they are 6. Continual watchful Care that no root of Bitterness spring up and defile us that no Lust or Corruption be predominant in us When it is so if Persons in complyance with their Convictions do endeavour sometimes to be exercised in these Duties they shall labour in the very fire where all their Endeavours will be Immediately consumed 7. Mortification unto the World in our Affections and Desires with Moderation in our Endeavours after the Needful things of it are also necessary hereunto yea to that Degree that without them no man can in any sence be said to be Spiritually-minded For otherwise our Affections cannot be so preserved under the Power of Grace as that Spiritual things may be alwayes Savoury unto us Some it may be will say That if all these things are required thereunto it will take up a mans whole Life and Time to be Spiritually-minded They hope they may attain it at an easier rate and not forgoe all other Advantages and Sweetnesses of Life which a strict Observation of these things would cast them upon I answer that however it may prove an hard Saying unto some yet I must say it and my heart would reproach me if I should not say that if the principal part of our time be not spent about these things whatever we suppose we have indeed neither Life nor Peace The First-fruits of all were to be offered unto God and in Sacrifices he required the Blood and the Fat of the Inwards If the best be not his he will have nothing It is so as to our Time Tell me I pray you how you can spend your Time and your Lives better or to better purpose and I shall say Go on and prosper I am sure some spend so much of their time so much worse as it is a shame to see it Do you think you came into this World to spend your whole Time and Strength in your Employments your Trades your Pleasures unto the Satisfaction of the Will of the Flesh and of the Mind Have you Time enough to Eat to Drink to Sleep to Talk unprofitably it may be corruptly in all sorts of unnecessary Societies but have not enough to Live unto God in the very Essentials of that Life which consists in these things Alas you came into the World under this Law It is appointed to all men once to die and after that is the Judgment and the End why your Life here is granted unto you is that you may be prepared for that Judgement If this be neglected if the principal part of your Time be not improv'd with respect unto this End you will fall under the Sentence of it unto Eternity But men are apt to mistake in this matter They may think that these things tend to take them off from their Lawful Employments and Recreations which they are generally afraid of and unwilling to purchase any frame of Mind at so dear a rate They may suppose that to have men spiritually minded we would make them Mopes and to disregard all the Lawful Occasions of Life But let not any be mistaken I am not
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
the Old Man which is corrupt according to deceitful Lust or depraved Affections v. 22. These therefore are that Spirit of the Mind which encline bend and lead it to act suitably unto its Inclinations which is to be renewed And when our Affections are enclined by the saving Grace of the holy Spirit then are they renewed and not else No other Change will give them a Spiritual Renovation Hereby those things which are only natural Affections in themselves in them that believe become Fruits of the Spirit Gal. 5.22 The Fruit of the Spirit is Love Joy Peace c. They continue the same as they were in their Essence Substance and natural Powers but are changed in their Properties Qualities Inclinations when ever a new Nature is given unto them So the Waters at Marah were the same Waters still before and after their Cure But of themselves and in their own nature they were bitter so as that the People could not drink them in the casting of a Tree into them they were made sweet and useful Exod. 15.25 26. So was it with the Waters of Jerico which were cured by casting Salt into them 2 King 19 20 21. Our Affections continue the same as they were on their Nature and Essence but they are so cured by Grace as that their Properties Qualities and Inclinations are all cleansed or renewed The Tree or Salt that is cast into these Waters whereby the Cure is wrought is the Love of God above all proceeding from Faith in him by Christ Jesus CHAP. XIII The Work of the Renovation of our Affections How differenced from any other Impression on or Change wrought in them and how it is Evidenced so to be The first Instance in the Universality accompanying of Affections Spiritually renewed The Order of the Exercise of our Affections with Respect unto their Objects THat which is our Concernment herein is to enquire of what Nature that Work is which hath been on our own Affections or in them and how it differs from those which whatever they do or effect yet will not render us nor themselves Spiritual And we ought to use the best of our Diligence herein because the great means whereby Multitudes delude and deceive their own Souls perswading themselves that there has been an effectual Work of the Grace of the Gospel in them is the Change that they find in their Affections which may be on many Occasions without any Spiritual Renovation First As unto the temporary and Occasional Impressions in the Affections before mentioned whether from the Word or any other divine warning by Afflictions or Mercies they are common to all sorts of Persons Some there are whose Consciences are seared with a hot Iron 1 Tim. 4.2 who thereon being past feeling sensless of all Calls Warnings and rebukes do give themselves over unto Lasciviousness to work all uncleanness with Greediness Eph. 4.19 Such Persons having hardned themselves in a long Course of Sin and being given up unto a Reprobate Mind or Vile Affections in a way of Judgment have it may be no such Impressions on their Affections on any Occasion as to move them with a sense of things Spiritual and Eternal They may be terrified with Danger sudden Judgments and other Revelations of the Wrath of God from Heaven against the Ungodliness of Men but they are not drawn to take shelter in thoughts of Spiritual things Nothing but Hell will awaken them unto a due Consideration of themselves and things Eternal It is otherwise with the generality of Men who are not profligate and impudent in Sinning For although they are in a natural Condition and a course of Sin in the neglect of known Duties yet by one meanes or other most frequently by the preaching of the Word their Affections are stirred towards Heavenly Things Sometimes they are afraid sometimes they have hopes and desires about them These put them on Resolutions and some temporary Endeavours to change their Lives to abstain from Sin and to perform holy Duties But as the Prophet complains their Goodness is as the morning Cloud and as the early Dew so passeth it away Yet by means hereof do many poor ignorant Souls deceive themselves and cry Peace Peace when there is no Peace And they will sometimes so express how they are affected with Complaints of themselves as unto their long neglect of Spiritual things that others may entertain good hopes concerning them but all comes to nothing in the Tryal There is no difficulty unto Spiritual Light to distinguish between these occasional Impressions on the Affections and that Spiritual Renovation of them which we enquire after This alone is sufficient to do it that they are all of them temporary and evanid They abide for a while only as our Saviour speaks and every Occasion defeats all their Efficacy They may be frequently renewed but they never abide Some of them immediately pass away and are utterly lost between the place where they hear the Word and their own habitations and in vain shall they enquire after them again they are gone for ever Some have a larger Continuance endure longer in the Mind and produce some outward Effects None of them will hold any Tryal or Shock of Temptation Yet I have somewhat to say unto those who have such Impressions on their Affections and warning by them 1 Despise them not for God is in them Although he may not be in them in a way of Saving Grace yet he is in them in that which may be preparatory thereto They are not common humane accidents but especial Divine Warnings 2 Labour to retain them or a Sence of them upon your Hearts and Consciences You have got nothing by loosing so many of them already And if you proceed in their neglect after a while you will hear of them no more 3 Put no more in them than belongs unto them Do not presently conclude that your State is good because you have been affected at the hearing of the Word or under a sickness or in a danger Hereon many think that now all is well with them wherewith they please themselves untill they are wholly immersed in their former security Secondly We may consider the Difference that is between the Habitual Change of the Affections before described that Renovation by Grace which renders them Spiritual And this is of great Concernment unto us all to enquire into it with Diligence Multitudes are herein deceived and that unto their Ruine For they resolve their present Peace into and build their hopes of Eternal Life on such a Change in themselves as will not abide the Tryal This Difference therefore is to be examined by Scripture Light and the Experience of them that do believe And 1. There is a double Universality with respect unto the Spiritual Renovation of our Affections 1 That which is subjective with respect unto the Affections themselves And 2 That which is Objective with respect unto Spiritual things First Sanctification extends it self unto the whole Spirit
Rule and Dominion Secondly There is an Universality that is Objective in Spiritual things with respect unto the Renovation of our Affections that is Affections Spiritually renewed do fix themselves upon and cleave unto all all Spiritual things in their proper places and unto their proper Ends. For the Ground and Reason of our adherence unto any one of them are the same with respect unto them all That is their Relation unto God in Christ. Wherefore when our Affections are renewed we make no choice in Spiritual things cleaving unto some and refusing others making use of Naamans restraint but our adherence is the same unto them all in their proper places and Degrees And if by reason of Darkness and Ignorance we know not any of them to be from God as for Instance the Observation of the Lords Day it is of unspeakable Disadvantages unto us An equal respect is required in us unto all Gods Commands Yet there are various Distinctions in Spiritual things And thereon a man may and ought to value one above another as unto the Degrees of his Love and Esteem although they are to be sincere with respect unto them all First God himself that is as revealed in and by Christ is in the first and chiefest place the proper and adequate Object of our Affections as they are renewed He is so for himself or his own Sake alone This is the Spring the Center and chief Object of our Love He that loves not God for himself that is for what he is in himself and what from himself alone he is and will be unto us in Christ which Considerations are inseperable he hath no true Affection for any Spiritual thing whatever And not a few do here deceive themselves or are deceived which should make us the more strict and diligent in the Examination of our selves They suppose that they love Heaven and Heavenly things and the Duties of Divine Worships which Perswasion maybe fall them on many Grounds and Occasions which will not endure the Tryal But as unto God himself they can give no Evidence that they have any Love to him either on the account of the Glorious Excellencies of his Nature with their natural Relation unto him and Dependance on him nor on the account of the Manifestation of himself in Christ and the Exercise of his Grace therein But whatever be pretended there is no Love unto God whereof these things are not the formal Reason that proceed not from these Springs And because that all men pretend that they love God and defie them that think them so vile as not so to do though they live in open Enmity against him and hatred of him it becomes us strictly to examine our selves on what grounds we pretend so to do It is because indeed we see an Excellency a Beauty a desirableness in the glorious properties of his Nature such as our Souls are refreshed and satisfyed with the thoughts of by Faith and in whose Enjoyment our Blessedness will consist so that we alwayes rejoyce at the Remembrance of his Holyness It is our great Joy and Satisfaction that God is what he is is it from the glorious Manifestation that he hath made of himself and all his Holy Excellencies in Christ with the communication of himself unto us in and by him If it be so indeed then is our Lord generous and gracious from the Renovation of our Affections But if we say we love God yet truely know not why or upon Principles of Education and because it is esteemed the highth of Wickedness to do otherwise we shall be at a Loss when we are called unto our Tryal This is the first object of our Affections Secondly In other Spiritual things renewed Affections do cleave unto them according as God is in them God alone is loved for himself all other things for him in the measure and Degree of his presence in them This alone gives them preheminence in renewed Affections for Instance God is in Christ in the humane nature of the man Christ Jesus in a way and manner singular in concern a like incomprehensible so as he is in the same kind in nothing else Therefore is the Lord Christ even as unto his humane Nature the Object of our Love and Affections in such a way and Degree as no other thing Spiritual or Eternal but God himself is or ought to be all other Spiritual things become so from the Presence of God in them and from the Degree of that Presence have they their Nature and Use. Accordingly are they or ought to be the Object of our Affections as unto the degree of their Exercise Evidence of the Presence of God in things and Persons are the only attractives of renewed Affections Thirdly In those things which seem to stand in an equality as unto what is of God in them yet on some especial Occasions and Reasons our Love may go forth eminently unto one more than another Some particular Truth with the Grace communicated by it may have been the means of our Conversion unto God of our Edification in an especial manner of our Consolation in Distress it cannot be but that the Mind will have a peculiar respect unto and valuation of such Truths and the Grace administred by them And so it is as unto Duties We may have found such a lively Intercourse and Communion with God in some of them as may give us a peculiar Delight in them But notwithstanding these Differences Affections Spiritually renewed do cleave unto all Spiritual Things as such For the true formal Reason of their so doing is the same in them all namely God in them only they have several ways of acting themselves towards them whereof I shall give one Instance Our Saviour distributes Spiritual things into those that are Heavenly and those that are Earthly that is comparatively so Joh. 3.12 If I have told you earthly things and you believe not how shall ye believe if I tell you of Heavenly Things The Heavenly Things are the deep and misterious Councels of the Will of God These renewed Affections cleave unto with Holy Admiration and satisfactory Submission captivating the Understanding unto what it cannot comprehend So the Apostle declares it Rom. 11.33 34 35 36. O the depth of the Riches both of the Wisdom and Knowledge of God! How unsearcheable are his Judgments and his Ways past finding out for who hath known the Mind of the Lord or who hath been his Councellor Or who hath first given to him and it shall be recompenced to him again For of him and through him and to him are all things to whom be Glory for ever Amen What the Mind cannot comprehend the Heart doth admire and adore delighting in God and giving Glory unto him in all The Earthly Things intended by our Saviour in that place is the Work of God upon the Souls of Men in their Regeneration wrought here in the Earth Towards these the Affections act themselves with Delight and with great
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
but such also as will make Compensation in some measure for their Sins and therefore whereas they cannot but frequently fall into Sin they relieve themselves from the reflection of their Consciences by a Multiplication of Duties and Renewed Diligence in them It is inconceivable what Delight and Satisfaction men will take in any thing that seems to contribute so much unto a Righteousness of their own For it is suitable unto and pleaseth all the Principles of Nature as corrupt after it is brought under the Power of a Conviction concerning Sin Righteousness and Judgement This made the Jews of old so pertinaciously adhere unto the Ceremonies and Sacrifices of the Law and to prefer them above the Gospel the Kingdom of God and the Righteousness thereof Rom. 10.3 4. They looked and sought for Righteousness by them Those who for many Generations were kept up with great difficulty unto any tolerable Observance of them when they had learned to place all their hopes of a Righteousness in them would and did adhere unto them unto their temporal and eternal Ruine Rom. 9 31 32 33. And when men were perswaded that Righteousness was to be attained by Works of Munificence and supposed Charity in the dedication of their Substance unto the Use of the Church they who otherwise were covetous and greedy and oppressing would lavish Gold out of the Bag and give up their whole Patrimony with all their ill gotten Goods to attain it so powerfull an Influence hath the Desire of self Righteousness upon the Minds of Men. It is the best Fortification of the Soul against Christ and the Gospel the last Reserve whereby it maintains the Interest of self against the Grace of God Hence I say those that place their Righteousness or that which is the principal Part of it in the Duties of Religious Worship will not only be diligent in them but oft times abound in a Multiplication of them Especially will they do so if they may be performed in such a way and manner as pleaseth their Affections with a shew of Humility and Devotion requiring nothing of the Exercise of Faith or sincere Divine Love therein So is it with many in all kinds of Religion whether the way of their Worship be true or false whether it be appointed of God or rejected by him And the declaration hereof is the subject of the Discourse of the Prophet Isaiah 1.11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19. Also Mich. 6.7 8. Fourthly The Reputation of Devotion in Religious Duties may insensibly affect the unrenewed Minds of Men with great diligence and delight in their performance However Men are divided in their Apprehension and Practice about Religion however different from and contrary unto each other their ways of Divine Worship are Yet it is amongst all sorts of men yea in the secret thoughts of them who outwardly contemn these things a matter of Reputation to be devout to be diligent to be strict in and about those Duties of Religion which according to their own Light and Perswasion they judge incumbent on them This greatly affects the Minds of Men whil'st Pride is secretly predominant in them and they love the Praise of Men more than the Praise of God Especially will this Consideration prevail on them when they suppose that the Credit and Honour of the way which they profess in competition with others depends much on their Reputation as to their strictness in Duties of Devotion For then will they not only be diligent in themselves but zealous in drawing others unto the same Observances These two Principles their own Reputation and that of their Sect constituted the Life and Soul of Pharisaism of old According as the Minds of men are influenced with these Apprehensions so will a love unto and a delight in those Duties whereby their Reputation is attained thrive and grow in them I am far from apprehending that any Men are at least I speak not of them who are such vile Hypocrites as to do all that they do in Religion to be seen and praised of Men being influenced in all publick Duties thereby which some among the Pharisees were given up unto But I speak of them who being under the Convictions and Motives before mentioned do also yet give admittance unto this corrupt end of desire of Reputation or the Praise of Men. For every such end being admitted and prevalent in the Mind will universally influence the Affections unto a delight in those Duties whereby that end may be attained until the Person with whom it is so be habituated unto them with great Satisfaction Fifthly I should in the last place insist on Superstition As this is an undue Fear of the Divine Nature Will and Opperations built on false Notions and Apprehensions of them it may befall the Minds of Men in all Religions true and false It is an Internal Vice of the Mind As it respects the outward Way and Means of Religious Service and consists in the devout Performance of such Duties as God indeed accepts not but forbids so it belongs only to Religion as it is false and corrupt How in both respects it will engage the Minds of Men into the performance of Religious Duties and for the most part with the most scrupulous diligence and sometimes with prodigious attempts to exceed the measures of humane Nature in what they do design is too long a work here to be declared It may suffice to have mentioned it among the Causes and Reasons why men whose Affections are not Spiritually renewed may yet greatly delight in the diligent performance of the Outward Duties of Religion Our design in these things is the discovery of the true nature of this Grace and Duty of being Spiritually-Minded Hereunto we have declared that it is necessary that our Affections be Spiritually and Supernaturally renewed And because there may be a great Change wrought on the Affections of Men with respect unto Spiritual things where there is nothing of this Supernatural Renovation our present enquiry is what are the Differences that are between the actings of the Affections of the one sort and of the other whether Spiritually renewed or Occasionally changed And wherein the great Exercise of them consists in the Duties of Religious Worship I have declared what are the grounds and reasons whence Men of unrenewed Minds do delight oft times in the Duties of Divine Worship and are diligent in the performance of them From these and the like Considerations it may be made manifest that the greatest part of the Devotion that is in the World doth not spring from the Spiritual Renovation of of the Minds of Men without which it is not accepted with God That which remains to give in Instance farther Evidence unto the Discovery we are in the pursuit of is what are the grounds and reasons whereon those whose Minds and Affections are Spiritually renewed do delight in the Institutions of Divine Worship and attend unto their Observance with great heed and diligence And
because this is an Enquiry of great Importance and is of great use to be stated in other cases as well as that before us I shall treat of it by it self in the ensuing Chapter that the Reader may the more distinctly comprehend it both in the Nature of the Doctrine concerning it and in the place it holds in our present Discourse CHAP. XV. Delight of Believers in the Holy Institutions of Divine Worship The Grounds and Reasons thereof The Evidence of being Spiritually-Minded thereby c. THat all true Believers whose Minds are Spiritually renewed have a singular Delight in all the Institutions and Ordinances of Divine Worship is fully evident both in the Examples of the Saints in the Scripture and their own Experience which they will never forego For this hath been the greatest Cause of their suffering Persecution and Martydom it self in all Ages of the Primitive Christians under the Power of the Pagan Emperours or the Witnesses for Christ under the Antichristian Apostacy would or could have omitted the Observance If them according to the Advice and practice of the Gnosticks they might have escaped the rage of their Adversaries But they loved not their Lives in comparison unto that delight which they had in the Observance of the Commands of Christ as unto the Duties of Evangelical Worship David gives us frequently an Instance hereof in himself Psal. 42.1 2 3 4. As the Hart panteth after the Water-Brooks so panteth my Soul after thee O God My Soul thirsteth for God for the living God When shall I come and appear before God My tears have been my Meat day and night while they continually say unto me Where is thy God When I remember these things I pour out my Soul in me for I had gone with the multitude I went with them to the House of God with the voice of Joy and Praise with a multitude that kept Holy-Day Psal. 63.1 2 3 4 5. O God thou art my God early will I seek thee my Soul thirsteth for thee my Flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty Land where no Water is To see thy Power and thy Glory so as I have seen thee in thy Sanctuary Because thy Loving Kindness is better than Life my Lips shall praise thee Thus will I bless thee while I live I will lift up my hands in thy Name My Soul shall be satisfyed as with Marrow and Fatness and my Mouth shall praise thee with joyful Lips Psal. 84.1 2 3 4. How amiable are thy Tabernacles O Lord of Hosts My Soul longeth yea even fainteth for the Courts of the Lord my Heart cryeth out for the Living God Yea the Sparrow hath found an house and the Swallow a Nest for her self where she may lay her Young even thy Alters O Lord of Hosts my King and my God Blessed are they that dwell in thy House they will be still praising thee Selah But a greater than David is here Our Lord Jesus Christ himself did upon all Occasions declare his Delight in and Zeal for all the Ordinances of Divine Worship which was then in force by Vertue of Divine Institution and Command For although he severely reproved and rejected whatever men had added thereunto under the Pretence of a Supererogating Strictness or outward Order laying it all under that dreadful Sentence Every Plant which my Heavenly Father hath not Planted shall be plucked up and so cast into the Fire yet as unto what was of Divine Appoinment his delight therein was singular and exemplary unto all his Disciples With respect hereunto was it said of him that the Zeale of God's House had eaten him up by reason of the Affliction which he had in his Spirit to see the Worship of it neglected polluted and despised This caused him to cleanse the Temple the Seat of Divine Worship from the Pollutors and Pollutions of it not long before his Sufferings in the Face and unto the high provocation of all his Adversaries So with earnest desire he longed for the Celebration of his last Passeover Luk. 22.15 With desire have I desired to eat this Passeover with you before I suffer And it is a sufficient Evidence of the Frame of Spirit and Practice of his Disciples afterwards In reference to the Duties of Evangelical Worship by his Appointment that the Apostle gives it as an assured Token of an unsound Condition and that which tendeth to final cursed Apostacy when any fall into a neglect of them Heb. 10.25 26 27. These things are manifest and unquestionable But our present enquiry is only what it is which Believers do so delight in in the Ordinances and Institutions of Divine Gospel Worship and what it is that ingageth their Hearts and Minds into a diligent Observance of them as also how and wherein they do exercise their Love and Delight And I say in general that their Delight in all Ordinances of Divine Worship as is evident in the Testimonies before produced is in Christ himself or God in Christ. This alone is that which they seek after cleave unto and are satisfyed withall They make use of the Streams but only as means of Communication from the Spring When men are really renewed in the Spirit of their Minds it is so Their regard unto Ordinances and Duties of divine Worship is as they are appointed of God a Blessed means of Communion and Intercourse between himself in Christ and their Souls By them doth Christ Communicate of his Love and Grace unto us in and by them do we act Faith and Love on him It is the Treasure hid in the Field which when a man hath found he purchaseth the whole Field but it is that he may enjoy the Treasure which is hid therein Mat. 13.14 This Field is the Gospel and all the Ordinances of it This men do purchase sometimes at a dear rate even with the loss of all they enjoy But yet if they obtain nothing but the Field they will have little cause to rejoyce in their bargain It is Christ the Treasure alone that Pearl of Price that will eternally inrich the Soul The Field is to be used only as to find and dig up the Treasure that is in it It is I say Christ alone that in the preaching of the Gospel renewed Affections do cleave unto as the Treasure and unto all other things according as their Relation is unto him or they have a participation of him Wherefore in all Duties of Religion in all Ordinances of Worship their Enquiry is after him whom their Souls do love Cant. 1.7 But yet we must treat more particularly and distinctly of these things Those whose Affections are Spiritually renewed do love adhere unto and delight in Ordinances of Divine Service and Duties of Worship on the grounds and reasons ensuing First In general they do so as they find Faith and Love and Delight in God through Christ excited and acted in and by them This is their first and immediate End in their Institution It is a pernicious
mistake to suppose that any external Duties of Worship as hearing the Word Prayer or the Sacraments are appointed for themselves or accepted for themselves Such thoughts the Jews of Old had concerning their Sacrifices namely that they were appointed for their own Sakes and were acceptable Service unto God meerly on their own Account Wherefore God to deliver them from this pernicious Mistake affirms ofttimes that he never appointed them at all that is for any such End Jer. 7.22 23. Isa. 1.12 13 14 c. And now under the Gospel Sundry things destructive to the Souls of men have proceeded from such a Supposition Some hereon have alwayes satisfyed and contented themselves with the external Observance of them without desiring or endeavouring any holy communion with God in them or by them This constitutes the State and Condition mentioned Rev. 3.1 And by following this tract the generality of Christians do wander out of the Way they cannot leave them nor do know how to use them unto their Advantage until they come wholly unto that woful State Isai. 29.13 And some to establish this Deceit have taught that there is much more in the Outward Work of these Duties than ever God put into them and that they are sanctifyed meerly by Vertue of the Work wrought But all the Duties of the Second Commandment as are all Instituted Ordinances of Worship are but means to express and exercise those of the First as Faith Love Fear Trust and Delight in God The end of them all is that through them and by them we may act those Graces on God in Christ Where this is not attended unto when the Souls of Men do not apply themselves unto this Exercise of Grace in them let them be never so Solemn as to their Outward Performance be attended unto with Diligence be performed with earnestness and delight they are neither acceptable unto God nor beneficial unto themselves Isai. 1.11 This therefore is the first general Spring of the Love of Believers of them whose Affections are Spiritually renewed unto the Ordinances of Divine Worship and their delight in them They have Experience that in and by them their Faith and Love are excited unto a gracious Exercise of themselves on God in Christ. And when they find it otherwise with them they can have no rest in their Souls For this end are they ordained sanctifyed and blessed of God and therefore are effectual means of it when their Efficacy is not defeated by Unbelief And those who have no Experience hereof in their attendance unto them do as hath been said fall into pernitious Extreams Some continue their Observance with little regard unto God in Cursed Formality So they make them a means of their ruine by Countenancing of them in their Security Others utterly reject them at least the most Solemn of them and therein both the Wisdom and Grace and Authority of God by whom they are appointed Because through the Power of their own Unbelief they find nothing in them This being the immediate end of all Divine Institutions this being the only way whereby we may give Glory unto God in their Observance which is their ultimate End in this World this being the Design in general of Believers in that Obedience they yield unto the Lord Christ in their diligent Observation of them We may consider how in what way and by what meanes those whose Affections are Spiritually renewed do and ought to apply their Minds and Souls unto their Observance And we may consider herein first What they do design and then what they endeavour to be found in the Exercise and Practice of in their use and Enjoyment First They come unto them with this Desire Design and Expectation namely to be enabled directed and excited by them unto the Exercise of Divine Faith and Love VVhen it is not so with any where there is not this Design they do in various degrees take the Name of God in vain in their Observance These are Approximationes Dei The ways of drawing nigh unto God as they are every where called in Scripture To suppose that a drawing nigh unto God may consist meerly in the Outward Performance of Duty VVhatever be its Solemnity is to reject all due Reverence of him Forasmuch saith the Lord as this People draw near me with their Mouth and with their Lips do honour me but have removed their Hearts far from me therefore I will proceed against them Isaiah 29.13 The Mouth and Lips are put by a Synechdoche for all the means of outward worship and honour These men may use diligently attend unto whil'st their Hearts are far from God that is when they do not draw nigh to him by Faith and Love But all this VVorship is rejected of God with the highest Tokens of his displeasure and Indignation against it First Our Souls then have no way of approach unto God in Duties of VVorship but by Faith no way of adherance or cleaving unto him but by Love no way of abiding in him but by Fear Reverence and Delight When ever these are not in Excercise Outward Duties of Worship are so far from being a meanes of such an Approach unto him as that they set us at a greater Distance from him than we were before at least are utterly useless and fruitless unto us So indeed they are unto the most who come unto them they know not why and behave themselves under them they care not how Nor is there any evil in the Hearts and ways of Men whereof God complaineth more in his Word as that which is accompanied with the highest Contempt of him And because these Ordinances of Divine Worship are means which the VVisdom and Grace of God hath appointed unto this end namely the Exercise and Increase of Divine Faith and Love and therefore doth Sanctify and Bless them thereunto I do not believe that they have any Delight in the Exercise of these Graces nor do design growth in them by whom these great meanes of them are despised or neglected And although I have seen those Vallies of publick Worship forsaken either on Pretences of higher Attainments in Faith Light and Love than to stand in need of them any more or on a Foolish Opinion that they cease upon the Dispensation of the Spirit which is given unto us to make them useful and effectual or on some Provocations that have been given unto some Men or which they have taken unto themselves which they have thought they could revenge by a neglect of Publick Administrations or through Slavish Peace and Negligence in times of Difficulty as is the manner of some who forsake the Assemblies of the Saints Heb. 16.25 Yet I never saw but it issued in a great decay if not in an utter loss of all exercise of Faith and Love and sometimes in open Profaneness For such Persons Contemn the way and meanes which God in his infinite Wisdom and Goodness hath appointed for their Exercise and Increase and this shall
not prosper VVe may therefore do well to consider that the principal way whereby we may Sanctify the Name of God in all Duties of his VVorship and obtain the Benefit of them to our own Souls is by a Conscientious Approach unto them with an holy Desire and Design to be found in the Exercise of Faith and Love on God in Christ and to be helped and guided therein by them To be under an Efficacious Influence from this Design is the best Preparation for any Duty So David expresseth his Delight in the VVorship of God How amiable are thy Tabernacles O Lord of Hosts My Soul longeth yea even fainteth for the Courts of the Lord my Heart and my Flesh cryeth out for the Living God Psal. 84.1 2. He longed for the Tabernacle and the Courts of it but it was the Enjoyment of God himself the Living God that he desired and sought after This was that which made him so servent in his Desires after those Ordinances of God So he expresseth it Psal. 63.2 To see thy Power and thy Glory so as I have seen thee in the Sanctuary David had had great Communion with and Delight in God by Faith and Love in the Solemn Duties of his VVorship And this was that which inflam'd him with Desires after renewed Opportunities unto the same End Secondly This Design is not general unactive useless and sloathful But such Persons diligently endeavour in the use of these Ordinances and attendance unto them to be found in the Exercise of these Graces They have not only an Antecedent Design to be so but a diligent actual Endeavour after it not suffering their Minds by any thing to be diverted from the pursuit of that Design Ecc. 5.1 Whatever is not quickned and enlivened hereby they esteem utterly lost Neither Outward Administrations nor Order will give them Satisfaction when these things are wanting in themselves Without the Internal Actings of the Life of Faith external Administrations of Ordinances of Worship are but dead things Nor can any Believer obtain real Satisfaction in them or Refreshment by them without an Inward Experience of Faith and Love in them and by them And it is that which if we are wise we shall continually attend unto the Consideration of A watchful Christian will be careful lest he loose any one Duty by taking up the Carcase of it And the danger of so doing is not small Our Affections are renewed but in part And as they are still liable to be diverted and seduced from Spirituality in Duty even by things earthly and carnal through the Corruption that remaineth in them So there is a Disposition abiding in them to be pleased with those external things in Religious Duties which others as we have shewed before who are no way graciously renewed do satisfy themselves withal The Grace and Oratory of the Speaker in preaching of the Word especially in these days wherein the Foppery of fine Language even in Sacred things is so much extolled the Order and Circumstances of other Duties with Inclination and Love unto a Party are apt to insinuate themselves with great Complacency into our Affections so far as they are unrenewed And these things discover the true Grounds whence it is that the Ordinances of Divine VVorship are so useless as they are to many who seem to attend unto them with Diligence They may be referred unto these three Heads 1 They do not come unto them as the meanes appointed of God for the Exercise of Faith and Love unto Christ so as to make it their Design in their Approaches to them without which all that is spoken of Advantage in and by other Duties is utterly lost 2 They do not in and under them labour to stir up Faith and Love unto their due Exercise 3 They suffer their Minds to be diverted from the Exercise of these Graces partly by occasional Temptations partly by attendance unto what is Outward only in the Ordinances themselves Spiritual Affections find no place of Rest in any of these things such Proposals of God in Christ of his VVill and their own Duty as may draw out their Faith Love Godly Fear and Delight into their due Exercise is that which they enquire after and acquiesce in Two things alone doth Faith regard in all Duties of Worship as unto the Outward Administration of it The one absolutely the other comparatively both with respect unto the End mentioned or the Exercise Growth and Encrease of Grace in us The first is that they may be of Divine Appointment Where their Original and Observance is resolved into Divine Authority there and there alone will they have a Divine Efficacy In all these things Faith hath regard to nothing but Divine Precepts and Promises Whatever hath regard to any thing else is not Faith but Fancy And therefore these uncommanded Duties in Religion which so abound in the Papal Church as that if not the whole yet all the principal Parts of their Worship consist in them are such as in whose Discharge it is impossible Faith should be in a due Exercise That which it hath comparative respect unto is the Spiritual Gifts of them unto whom the Administration of the Ordinances of the Gospel in the publick Worship of the Church is committed With respect unto them Believers may have more Delight and Satisfaction in the Ministry of one than of another as was touched before But this is not because one is more learned than another or more Elegant than another hath more ability of Speech than another or fervency in utterance than another is more fervent or earnest in his Delivery but because they find the Gifts of one more suited and more Effectual to stir up Faith and Love unto an holy Exercise in their Minds and Hearts then what they find in some others Hence they have a peculiar value for and delight in the Ministry of such Persons especially when they can enjoy it in due Order and without the Offence of others And Ministers that are wise will in Holy Administrations neglect all other tings and attend unto this alone how they may be helpful unto the Faith and Love and Joy of Believers so far as they are the Object of their Ministry This is the first reason and ground whereon Affections Spiritually-Renewed cleave unto Ordinances of Divine Worship with Delight and Satisfaction namely because they are the means appointed and Blessed of God for the Exercise and Increase of Faith and Love with an Experience of their Efficacy unto that End Secondly The Second is Because they are the meanes of the Communication of a Sense of Divine Love and Supplies of Divine Grace unto the Souls of them that do believe So far as our Affections are renewed this is the most principal attractive to cleave unto them with Delight and Complacency They are as was observed before the ways of our approaching unto God Now we do not draw nigh to God as himself speaks as a dry Hearth or a barren
in them and dis-esteem the chiefest Benefit which is to be obtained by them whence should Zeal for them delight in them or diligence in attendance unto them arise Let not any please themselves under the Power of such decayes they are Indications of their Inward Frame and those infallible Such Persons will grow cold careless and negligent as unto the Duties of publick Worship they will put themselves neither to Charge nor Trouble about them every Occasion of Life diverts them and finds ready Entertainment in their Minds And when they do attend upon them it is with great Indifferency and Unconcernedness Yet would they have it thought that all is still well within as ever it was they have as good a respect unto Religion as any But these things openly discover an ulcerous Disease in the very Souls of Men as evidently as if it were written on their Foreheads what ever they pretend unto the contrary they are under the Power of woful Decayes from all due regard unto Spiritual and Eternal Things And I would avoid the Society of such Persons as those who carry an infectious Disease about them unless it were to help on their Cure But herein it is that Affections Spiritually renewed do manifest themselves When we do delight in and value the Duties of Gods Worship because we find by Experience that they are and have been unto us meanes of communicating a Sense and renewed Pledges of the Love of God in Christ with all the Benefits and Priviledges which depend thereon then are our Affections renewed in and by the Holy Ghost Secondly They come for Supplies of Internal Sanctifying strengthning Grace This is the second great Design of Believers in their Approaches unto God in his VVorship The want hereof as unto Measures and Degrees they find in themselves and are sensible of it Yea therein lyes the great Burden of the Souls of Believers in this VVorld All that we do in the Life of God may be referred unto two Heads First The Observance of all Duties of Obedience And Secondly The Conflict with and Conquest over Temptations About these things are we continually exercised Hence the great thing which we desire labour for and pant after is Spiritual Strength and Ability for the Discharge of our selves in a due manner with respect unto these things This is that which every true Believer groaneth after in the inward Man and which he preferreth infinitely above all Earthly Things So he may have Grace sufficient in any competent measure for these ends let what will befal him he desireth no more in this VVorld God in Christ is the only Fountain of all this Grace There is not one Drachm of it to be obtained but from him alone And as he doth communicate it unto us of his own Soveraign Goodness and Pleasure so the ordinary way and meanes whereby he will do it are the Duties of his Worship Isaiah 40.28 29 30 31. Hast thou not known Hast thou not heard that the Everlasting God the Lord the Creator of the Ends of the Earth fainteth not neither is weary There is no searching of his Understanding He giveth Power to the faint and to them that have no Might he increaseth Strength Even the Youths shall faint and be weary and the Young Men shall utterly fail But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their Strength they shall mount up with Wings as Eagles they shall run and not be weary they shall walk and not faint All Grace and Spiritual Strength is originally seated in the nature of God v. 28. But what relief can that afford unto us who are weak feeble fainting He will act suitably unto his nature in the Communication of this Grace and Power v. 29. But how shall we have an Interest in this Grace in these Opperations wait on him in the Ordinances of his Worship v. 31. The Word as Preached is the Food of our Souls whereby God administreth Growth and Strength unto them Joh. 17.17 1 Pet. 2.23 Desire sayeth he the sincere Milk of the Word that ye may grow thereby But what Encouragement have we thereunto if so be sayeth he you have tasted that the Lord is gracious If in and by the Dispensation of this Word you have had Experience of the Grace the Goodness the Kindness of God unto your Souls you cannot but desire it and delight in it And otherwise you will not do so When men have fate some good while under the Dispensation of the VVord and in the enjoyment of other Ordinances without tasting in them and by them that the Lord is gracious they will grow weary of it and them Wherefore Prayer is the way of his Appointment for the Application of our Souls unto him to obtain a Participation of all needful Grace which therefore he hath proposed unto us in the Promises of the Covenant that we may know what to ask and how to plead for it In the Sacraments the same Promises are seal'd unto us and the Grace represented in them effectually exhibited Meditation confirms our Souls in the Exercise of Faith about it and is the especial Opening of the Heart unto the Reception of it By these meanes I say doth God communicate all Supplies of renewing strengthening and sanctifying Grace unto us that we may live unto him in all Holy Obedience and be able to get the Victory over our Temptations Under this Apprehension do Believers approach unto God in the Ordinances of his Worship They come unto them as the meanes of Gods Communication unto their Souls Hence they cleave unto them with Delight so far as their Affections are renewed So the Spouse testifyeth of her self I sate down under his Shadow with great Delight Cant 2.3 In these Ordinances is the protecting refreshing Presence of Christ. This she rested in with great Delight As they come unto them with these Designs and Expectations so they have Experience of the Spiritual Benefits and Advantages which they receive by them which more and more engageth them unto them in their Affections and Delights All these things those who have a Change wrought in their Affections but not a Spiritual Renovation are Strangers unto They neither have the Design before mentioned in coming to them nor the Experience of this Efficacy now proposed in their Attendance on them But these Benefits are great as for Instance when Men find the worth and Effect of the Word Preached on their Souls in its enlightning refreshing strengthening transforming Power when they find their Hearts warmed their Graces excited and strengthened the Love of God improved their Disponding Spirits under Trials and Temptations relieved their whole Souls gradually more and more Conformed unto Christ when they find themselves by it extricated out of Snares Doubts Fears Temptations and brought unto Satisfaction and Rest they cannot but delight in the Dispensation of it and rejoyce in it as the Food of their Souls And it is a great Hinderance unto the Encrease of Spiritual Life and
Obstruction unto Fruitfulness Thrnkfulness and Consolation when we are negligent in our Meditation about the Benefits that we receive by the Word and the Advantages which we have thereby For whil'st it is so with us we can neither value the Grace of God in granting us this Inestimable Priviledge nor perform any Duty with respect unto it in a right manner This renders it an especial Object of our Affections as Spiritually renewed That Secret Love unto and Heavenly Delight in the Statutes and Testimonies of God which David expresseth Psal 119. arose from the Spiritual Benefit and Advantage which he received by them as he constantly declares And the sole Reason on the other hand why men grow so careless negligent and cold in their Attendance unto the Preaching of the Word is because they have no Experience of any Spiritual Benefit or Advantage by it They have been brought unto it by one means or another mostly by conviction of their Duty Their Minds have been variously affected with it unto a Joy in the hearing of it and readiness unto sundry Duties Of Obedience But after a while when a sense of those Temporary Impressions is worn off finding no real Spiritual Benefit by it they loose all delight in it and become very indifferent as unto its Enjoyment The Frame which such Persons at length arrive unto is described Mal. 1.13 and 3.14 And none can give any greater Evidence of the Decay of all manner of Grace in them or of their being destitute of all Saving-Grace than when they apostatize from some degree of Zeal for and Delight in the Dispensation of the Word of God with such a cursed Indifferency as many are overtaken withal It cannot be otherwise For seeing this is a way and means of the Exercise of all Grace it will not be neglected but where there is a Decay of all Grace however Men may please themselves with other Pretences And when they are thus ensnared every foolish Prejudice every Provocation every wanton Opinion and Imagination will confirm them in and increase their gradual Backsliding And as it is with Believers as unto the hearing of the Word in general so it is as unto the Degrees of Advantage which they find by it VVhen Men have enjoyed the Dispensation of the Word in a peculiar manner Spiritual and Effectual if they can be content to forego it for that which is more cold and lifeless provided it possesseth the same time and outward Form with the other it is no great Evidence that their Souls do prosper It is therefore those alone who having a sense of the Efficacy of the Word on their Souls and Consciences unto all the holy Ends of it who cleave unto it with Spiritual Love and Delight They continually remember what holy Impressions it hath made on them what Engagements it hath brought their Souls into what encouragements unto Faith and Obedience it hath furnished them withal and long after renewed Sense of its Enjoyments When we do not find in our selves this Foundation of Spiritual delight in the Dispensation of the Gospel we can have no great Evidence that our Affections are renewed So also it is in the Duties of Prayer and Meditation VVhen the Soul of a Believer hath had Experience of the Communion which it hath had with God in them or either of them of the Spiritual Refreshment which it hath had from them of the Benefits and Mercies which are obtained by them in recovery from Temptations Snares Despondencies in Victory over Sin and Sathan in Spiritual Impressions working it unto an holy watchful Frame which hath abode with it in other VVayes and Occasions with the like Advantages wherewith fervent and Effectual Prayer and sincere Heavenly Meditation are accompanied it cannot but have Love unto them and Delight in them But if indeed we have no Experience of these things if we find not these Advantages in and by these Duties they cannot but be a Burden unto us nor do serve unto any other End but to satisfie Convictions He who had the benefit of a serene and wholsome Air in a recovery from many Diseases and Distempers with the Preservation of his Health so obtained will love it and prize it and so will he these Duties who hath been Partaker of any of these Saving Mercies and Priviledges wherewith they are accompanied Some have been delivered from the worst of Temptations and the nearest Approach of their Prevalency as to destroy themselves by a sudden Remembrance of the Frame of their Souls and the Intimations of Gods Love in such or such a Prayer at such a time Some have had the same Deliverance from Temptations unto Sin when they have been carried away under the Power of their Corruptions and all Circumstances have concurr'd under the Apprehensions of it a Sudden Thought of such a Prayer or Meditation with the Engagement they made of themselves therein unto God hath caused all the weapons of Sin to fall out of its hands and all the Beauties of its Allurements to disappear When others have been under the Power of such Dispondencies and Disconsolations as that no present tenders of Relief can approach unto them they have been suddenly raised and refreshed by the Remembrance of the intimate Love and Kindness between Christ and their Souls that hath evidenced it self in former Duties Multitudes in Feares Distresses and Temptations have found Relief unto their Spirits and Encouragement unto their Faith in the Remembrance of the Returnes they have had unto former Supplications in the like Distresses These are Grounds of Spiritual Delight in these Duties Heartless Lifeless wordy Prayer the Fruit of Convictions and Gifts or of Custom and outward Occasions however multiplyed and whatever Devotion they seem to be accompanied withal will never ingage Spiritual Affections unto them When these things are absent when the Soul hath not Experience of them Prayer is but a lifeless Form a dead Carcase which it would be a torment unto a Soul Spiritually alive to be tied unto There may be a Season indeed when God will seem to hide himself from Believers in their Prayers so as they shall neither find that Life in themselves which they have done formerly nor be sensible of any gracious Communications from him but this is done only for a time and principally to stir them up unto that Fervency and Preseverance in Prayer as may recover them into their former or a better Estate than yet they have attained unto The like may be said concerning all other Duties of Religion or Ordinances of Divine Worship Fourthly Believers whose Affections are Spiritually renewed do delight greatly in the duties of Divine Worship because they are the great instituted way whereby they may give Glory unto God This is the first and principal End of all Duties of Religion as they respect divine Appointment namely to ascribe and give unto God the Glory that is his due For in them all Acknowledgement is made of all the glorious Excellencies
of the divine Nature our dependance on him and relation unto him And this is that which in the first place Believers design in all the Duties of divine Worship And the Pattern set us by our Blessed Saviour in the Prayer he taught his Disciples directs us thereunto All the first Requests of it concern immediately the Glory of God and the Advancement thereof For therein also all the Blessedness and Safety of the Church is included Those who fail in this design do err in all that they do they never tend unto the mark proposed unto them But this is that which principally animates the Souls of them that believe in all their Duties this their universal Relation unto him and Love in that Relation makes necessary Wherefore that way and means whereby they may directly and solemnly ascribe and give Glory unto God is pretious and delightful unto them And such are all the duties of divine Worship These are some of the things wherein the respect of Affections Spiritually renewed unto Ordinances and Duties of divine Worship doth differ from the Actings of Affections towards the same Object which are not so santifyed and renewed There are yet other things accompanied with the same Evidence of the difference between Affections Spiritually renewed and those which have only a general Change wrought in them by Convictions and some outward Occasions which must in one or two Instances more be insisted on with the Consideration of such Cases as derive from them For my design herein is not only to declare when our Minds are Spiritually renewed but also what is the nature and operation of our Affections whereby we are constituted and denominated Spiritually-Minded which is the Subject of our whole Enquiry Herein then we shall proceed CHAP. XVI Assimulation unto things Heavenly and Spiritual in Affections Spiritually renewed This Assimulation the Work of Faith How and whereby Reasons of the want of Growth in our Spiritual Affections as unto this Assimulation WHen Affections are Spiritually renewed in their Exercise or fixing of themselves on Spiritual things There is an Assimulation wrought in them and in the whole Soul unto those Spiritual and Heavenly things by Faith But when there is a Change in them only from other Causes and Occasions and not from Renewing Grace there is an Assimulation effected of Spiritual and Heavenly Things unto themselves unto those Affections by Imagination This must somewhat at large be spoken unto as that which gives the most eminent Distinction between the Frames of Mind whose difference we enquire into And to that end we shall cast our consideration of it into the ensuing Observations First Affections Spiritually renewed are in all their Actings in their whole Exercise under the Guidance and Conduct of Faith It is Faith which in its Spiritual Light hath the leading of the Soul in the whole Life of God we live here by Faith as we shall do hereafter by Light If our Affections deviate or decline in the least from the Guidance of the Faith they degenerate from their Spirituality and give up themselves unto the Service of Superstition Next unto corrupt secular Interest in the management of crafty selfish Seducers this hath been the great in-let of all Superstition and false Worship into the World Blind Affection groping in the dark after Spiritual Things having not the Saving Light of Faith to conduct them have seduced the Minds of Men into all manner of Superstitions Imaginations and Practices continuing to do so at this day And wherever they will lead the way when Faith goeth not before them to discover both way and end they that lead and the Mind that is led must fall into one Snare and Pit or another Wherefore Affections that are Spiritually renewed move not act not but as Faith discovers their Object and directs them unto it It is Faith that works by Love we can love nothing sincerely with divine Love but what we believe Savingly with Divine Faith Let our Affections unto any Spiritual Things be never so vehement if they spring not from Faith if they are not guided by it they are neither accepted with God nor will promote the Interest of Spirituality and Holiness in our own Souls Heb. 11.6 Mat. 6.22 23. And this is the reason whence we oft times see great and plausible Appearances of Spiritual Affections which yet endure only for a Season They have been awakened excited acted by one means or another outward or inward but not having the Light of Faith to guide them unto their proper Object they either wither and dye as unto any appearing of Spiritual Motions or else keep the Mind tossed up and down in perpetual disquietment without rest or Peace The foolish Man wearieth himself because he cannot find the way to the City So was it with them who on the account of their Attendance unto the Doctrine of Christ are called his Disciples Joh. 6. Having preached unto them about the Bread which came down from Heaven and giveth Life unto them that feed they were greatly affected with it and cryed out Lord evermore give us of this Bread v. 34. But when he proceeded to declare the Mystery of it they having not Faith to discern and apprehend it their Affections immediately decayed and they forsook both him and his Doctrine vers 66. We may consider one especial Instance of this nature Persons every day fall under great and effectual Convictions of Sin and of their danger or certain Misery thereby This stirs up and acts all their Affections especially their Fears Hopes Desires Sorrow Self-Revenge according as their Condition calls for them Hence sometimes they grow restless in their Complaints and turn themselves every way for relief like men that are out of the way and bewildred in the night But in this State and Condition tell them of the only proper way and means of their Relief which let the World say what it will is Christ and his Righteousness alone with the Grace of God in him and they quickly discover that they are strange things unto them such as they do not understand nor indeed approve They cannot see them they cannot discern them nor any Beauty in them for which they should be desired Wherefore after their Affections have been tossed up and down for a season under the Power and Torment of this Conviction they come unto one or other of these Issues with them For either they utterly decay and the Mind looseth all sense of any Impressions from them so as that they wonder in themselves whence they were so foolish as to be tossed and troubled with such melancholy Fancies and so commonly prove as bad a sort of Men as live upon the Earth or they take up in a formal legal Profession wherein they never attain to be Spiritually-Minded This is the best end that our Affections towards Spiritual things not guided by the Light of Faith do come unto Secondly Faith hath a clear prospect into and Apprehension of Spiritual things
A Signal Contempt of the Love Grace Faithfulness and Wisdom of God in giving of us such Promises of Grace to make us to encrease thrive and grow How can it be done more effectually than by such a neglect of his Promised Grace Secondly An Evidence that such Persons love not care not for Grace or Holiness for their own Souls but meerly to serve their turn at present as they suppose nor do desire the least of Grace or Priviledge by Christ without which they can have any hopes to get to Heaven This sufficiently discovers men to be wholly under the Power of Self-Love and to center therein for if they may have so much Grace and Mercy as may save them they care for no more Thirdly It is repugnant unto the Honour of Gospel Grace as though it would carry us so far and no farther in the way to Glory For it must be known that this sort of Persons who sit down in their present Measures and Attainments either really have no true Grace at all or that which is of the lowest meanest and most imperceptible size and degree For if any one hath attained any considerable Growth in Faith and Love in the Mortification of Sin in Heavenly-Mindedness it is utterly impossible but that ordinarily he will be pressing forward towards farther Attainments and farther Degrees of Spiritual Strength in the Life of God So the Apostle declares it in his own Example Phil. 3.10 11 12 13 14. What thoughts can these Persons have concerning the Glory Power and Efficacy of Gospel Grace which they suppose they have received If they measure them by the Effects which they find in themselves either as unto the Mortification of Sin or Strength unto and Delight in Duties of Holiness or as unto Spiritual Consolation they can see no Excellency nor Beauty in them For they do not manifest themselves but in their Success as they transform the Soul dayly into the Image of Christ. Fourthly It is that which hath lost the Reputation and Glory of the Religion in the World and therein the Honour of the Gospel it self For the most of Professors do take up with such Measures as put no lustre upon it as give no Commendation unto the Religion they profess For their measures allow them such a Conformity unto the World in their Wayes Words and Actions in their Gestures Apparrel and Attire as that they are no way visibly to be distinguished from it Yea the Ground and Reason why the most do rest in their present measures is because they will not be further differenced from the World This hath greatly lost the Glory Honour and Reputation of Religion amongst us And on the other side if all visible Professors would endeavour continually to grow and thrive in Spirituality of Mind and Heavenlyness of Affections with Fruits suited thereunto it would bring a Conviction on the world that there is a Secret Invisible Power accompanying the Religion they profess transforming them dayly into the Image and Likeness of God Fifthly Whatever is pretended unto the contrary it is inconsistent with all solid Peace of Conscience For so such thing is promised unto any who live in such a Contempt of Divine Promises nor is it attainable but by the diligent Exercise of all those Graces which lye neglected under this Frame Few men are able to judge whether they have real eternal abiding Peace or no unless it be in Case of Tryals and Temptations At other Seasons general Hopes and Confidences do or may supply the want of it in their Minds But when any Fear Danger Tryal or Word of Conviction befalls them they cannot but enquire and examine how it is with them And if they find their Affections cold dead earthly carnal withering not spiritual or heavenly there will be an end of their supposed Peace and they will fall into woful Disquietments and they will then find that the Root of all this Evil lyes in this Frame and Disposition They have been so far satisfyed with their present measures or attainments in Religion as that the utmost of their Endeavours have been but to preserve their Station or not to forfeit it by open Sins to keep their Souls alive from the severe Reflections of the Word and their Reputation fair in the Church of God Spiritually to thrive to prosper in their Souls to wax fat and flourishing in the Inward Man to bring forth more fruit as Age increaseth to press towards Perfection are things they have not designed nor pursued Hence it is that so many among us are visibly at an unthrifty stand in the World that where they were one Year there they are another like Shrubs in the Wilderness not like the Plants in the Garden of God not as Vines planted in a very fruitful Hill Yea though many are sensible themselves that they are cold lifeless and fruitless Yet will they not be convinced that there is a necessity of making a dayly progress in Spirituality and Heavenly-Mindedness whereby the Inward man may be renewed day by day and Grace augmented with the Increase of God This is a work as they suppose for them who have nothing else to do not consistent with their Business Callings and Occasions not necessary as they hope unto their Salvation nor it may be to be attained by them if they should set themselves about it This Apprehension of Imagination upon the beginning of the Declension and decay of Christian Religion in the many Cast of all Holiness and Devotion unto a sort of men who undertook to retire themselves utterly out of the World amongst whom also the Substance of Religion was quickly lost and a Cloud or Meteor of Superstition embraced in the Room of it But this Folly is ominous unto the Souls of men Those who have made the greatest Progress in the Conformity of their Affections unto things Spiritual and Heavenly know most of its Necessity Excellency and Desireableness yea without some Progress in it these things will not be known Such will testify that the more they attain herein the more they see there is yet to be attained and the more they do desire to attain what is behind Forgetting those things which are behind they reach forth unto the things that are yet before them like men running in a Race whose Prize and Reward is yet before them Phil. 3.13 14. It is a comely thing to see a Christian weaned from the World minding Heavenly Things green and flourishing in Spiritual Affection And it is the more lovely because it is so rare The generality of them take up with those measures which neither glorifie God nor bring in durable Peace into their own Souls That which men pretend and complain of herein is the difficulty of the Work They can as they suppose preserve their present Station but to press forward to grow in Grace to thrive in their Affections this is too hard for them But this Complaint is unequal and unjust and adds unto the guilt of
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
Mind is accompanied For First It is that which of all things the Lord Christ is most displeased with in Churches or Professors He pitties them in their Temptations he suffers with them in their Persecution he interceeds for them on their Surprizal but threatens them under their Spiritual Decayes Rev. 2.4 5. Chap. 3.2 This he cannot bear with as that which both reflects Dishonour upon himself and which he knows to be ruinous unto those in whom it is He will longer bear with them who are utterly dead than with those who abide under these Decayes Rev. 3.15 16. This is the only Case wherein he threatens to reject and cast off a Professing Church to take away his Candlestick from it unless it be that of False Worship and Idolatry He that spake thus unto the Churches of old speaks now the same unto us for he lives for ever and is alwayes the same and his Word is living and unchangeable There is not one of us who are under this Frame but the Lord Christ by his Word and Spirit testifyeth his displeasure against us and if he be against us who shall plead for us Consider what he says in this Case Revel 2.5 Chapter 3.3 O who can stand before these dreadful Intimations of his Displeasure The Lord help us to mind it least he in whom we profess to place our only trust be in our Tryal found our greatest Enemy Take heed of such sins as Christ himself our only Advocate hath put a mark upon as those which he will not save us in Secondly It is that wherewith above all things the Holy Spirit is grieved His work it is to give Grace an Encrease and Progress in our Souls He begins it and he carries it on And there can be no greater grief unto a wise and gratious Worker than to have his work decay and go backward under his hand This is the Occasion of those Complaints of God which we find in the Scripture of the unprofitableness and backsliding of Men after the use of means and remedies for their Fruitfulness and Cure What saith he could I have done more for my Vineyard than I have done Why then when I looked for Grapes did it bring forth wild Grapes Can any thing be apprehended to be such a just matter of Grief and Complaint unto the Holy Spirit to see and find those whom he had once raised up unto Holy and Heavenly Affections so as that their Delights were in and their Thoughts much upon the things that are above to become Earthly or sensual to have no sensible Actings of any of his Graces in them which is the State of them who are under the Power of Spiritual Decayes And this is the only cause wherein God speaks unto men in the way of complaint and Expostulation and useth all sorts of Arguments to convince them of their Folly herein When a wise tender and careful Parent hath been diligent in the use of all means for the Education of his Child and he for some time hath given good hopes of himself finds him to slacken in his diligence to be careless in his calling to delight in evil Company how solicitous is his heart about him how much is he grieved and affected with his miscarriage The heart of the Spirit of God is infinitely more tender towards us than that of the most affectionate Parent can be towards an only Child And when he with Cost and Care hath nourished and brought us up unto some Growth and Progress in Spiritual Affections wherein all his Concerns in us do lye for us to grow cold dul earthly-Minded to cleave unto the Pleasures or Lusts of this World how is he grieved how is he provoked It may be this Consideration of grieving the Holy Spirit is of no great weight with some they should have little Concernment herein if they could well free themselves in other Respects but let such Persons know it is impossible for them to give a greater Evidence of a profligate hardness in Sin Thirdly This is that which in an especial manner provoketh the Judgements of God against any Church as was intimated before When in the Order of Profession and Worship any Church hath a Name to live but as to the Power of Grace acting in the Affections is dead when it is not so cold as to forsake the external Institutions of Worship nor so hot as to enliven their Duties with Spiritual Affections the Lord Christ will not long bear with them yea Judgement will suddenly break out towards such an House of God Fourthly It is absolutely inconsistent with all Comfortable Assurance of the Love of God Whatever Persons under the Power of such a Frame pretend unto of that kind it is sinful Security not gracious Assurance or Peace And constantly as Professors grow cold and decay in their Spiritual Affections Stupidity of Conscience and Security of Mind do grow also uâ—on them It is so I say unless they are sometimes surprised or overtaken with some greater Sin which reflects severely on their Consciences and casts them for a time under Troubles and Distresses But that Peace with God and a comfortable Assurance of Salvation should be consistent with an habitual Decay in Grace especially in those Graces which should act themselves in our Affections is contrary to the whole Tenour and Testimony of the Scripture and the Supposition of it would be the Bane and Poyson of Religion I do not say that our Assurance and Peace with God do arise wholly from the Actings of Grace in us there are other Causes of them whereinto they are principally resolved But this I say under an habitual Declension or Decay of Grace in the Spirituality of our Affections no man can keep or maintain a gracious Sense of the Love of God or of Peace with him And therefore there is no Duty more severely to be pressed on all at this Day than a diligent Examination and Trial of the grounds of their Peace least it should be with any of them as it was with Luodicen who was satisfyed in her good State and Condition when it was most miserable and almost desperate Yea I must say that it is impossible that many Professors whom we see and converse withal should have any solid Peace with God Do men gather Figs from Thorns or Grapes from Thistles It is a Fruit that will not grow on a vain earthly selfish Frame of Mind and Conversation And therefore such Persons whatever they pretend are either asleep in a sinful Security or live on most uncertain Hopes which probably may deceive them Nothing can be so ruinous unto our Profession as once to suppose it is an easy Matter a thing of Course to maintain our Peace with God God forbid but that our utmost Diligence and continued Endeavours to thrive in every Grace should be required thereunto The whole Beauty and Glory of our Religion depends hereon To be Spiritually-Minded is Life and Peace 5. Such a decay as that described
You had only a temporary Work which excited your Affections for a season which now it is worn off leaves no sweet Remembrance of it self upon your Minds Had your Faith and Love been sincere in what you did it were impossible but that the Remembrance of their Actings in some especial Instances should be sweet and refreshing unto you Or else 2 You are hardened through the Deceitfulness of Sin and there is no way left to give a Sense or Impression of Spiritual things upon your Minds You have truely nothing left in Religion but the Fear of Hell and trouble of Duties I speak not to such at present As unto those unto whom this Frame is a Burden there is no more effectual means to stir them unto Endeavours for Deliverance than a continual Remembrance of former things and Experiences they have had of holy Entercourse and Communion with God This will revive quicken and strengthen the things that are ready to dye and beget a Self-Abhorrency in them in consideration of that woful Frame and temper of Mind which by their Sins and Negligence they have brought themselves into 2dly Consider that as there are many things dreadfully pronounced in the Scripture against Backsliding and Backsliders in heart as it is with you yet also there are especial Calls and Promises given and proposed unto those in your Condition And know assuredly that upon your Compliance or non-Compliance with them depends your everlasting Blessedness or Woe Consider both Call and Promise in that Word of Gods Grace Jer. 3.12 13 14. Go and proclaim these Words towards the North and say Return thou Backsliding Israel saith the Lord and I will not cause mine Anger to fall upon you for I am merciful faith the Lord and I will not keep anger for ever Only acknowledge thine Iniquity that thou hast transgressed against the Lord thy God and hast scattered thy wayes to the Strangers under every green Tree and ye have not obeyed my Voice saith the Lord. Turn O backsliding Children saith the Lord for I am married unto you and I will take you one of a City and two of a Family and I will bring you to Zion Add thereunto this blessed Promise Hos. 14.4 I will heal their backsliding I will love them freely for mine anger is turned away from them If you design to live and not die it must be by yielding Obedience unto this Call and pleading this Promise before God mixing it with Faith Your Return must be by the Word Isai. 57.18 19. Here lies your great Encouragement and Direction herein lyeth your only Relief As you value your Souls defer not the Duty you are called unto one moment You know not how soon you may be without the reach of Calls and Promises And he that can hear them without stirring up himself in Sincerity to comply with them hath made already a great Progress towards that length 3 As unto those who on these and the like Considerations do not only desire but will endeavour also to retrieve themselves from this Condition I shall give no advice at present but this be in good earnest As the Prophet speaks in another Case if you will return return and come make through work of it You must do so at one time or another or you will perish Why not now Why is not this the best Season Who knows but it may be the only time you will have for it It were easy to multiply all sorts of Arguments unto this purpose Trifling Endeavours Occasional Resolutions and Attempts like the early Cloud and morning Dew shifting with Warnings and Convictions by renewed Duties until their Impressions are worn out will ruine your Souls Unless there be universal Diligence and Permanency in your Endeavours you are undone Then shall ye know the Lord if you follow on to know him But now to return These things I say through our Sloth Negligence and Sin may befal us as unto our Spiritually renewed Affections Their Progress in Conformity unto Spiritual and Heavenly things may be slow imperceptible yea totally obstructed for a season and not only so but they may fall under Decays and the Soul therein be guilty of backsliding from God But this is that which they are capacitated for by their Renovation this is that whereby the Grace wherewith they are renewed doth lead unto this is that which in the diligent use of means they will grow up unto whereon our Comfort and Peace do depend namely an holy Assimulation unto those Spiritual and heavenly things which they are set and fixed on wherein they are renewed and made more Spiritual and Heavenly every day CHAP. XVIII IT remains only as unto this Head now spoken unto that we briefly consider what is the State of Spiritual Affections thus daily exercised and improved And this we shall do by shewing 1 What is their Pattern 2 What is their Rule 3 What is their Measure or whereunto they may attain First The Pattern which we ought continually to bear in our Eyes whereunto our Affections ought to be conformed is Jesus Christ and the Affections of his holy Soul The Mind is the Seat of all our Affections and this is that we ought continually to design and endeavour namely that the same Mind be in us that was in Christ Jesus Phil. 2.5 To have our Minds so affected with Spiritual things as was the Mind of Christ is the principal Part of our Duty and Grace Nor do I think that any man can attain any considerable Degree in Spiritual Mindedness who is not much in the Contemplation of the same Mind in Christ 2 Cor. 3.18 To this purpose ought we to furnish our Minds with Instances of the holy Affections that were in Christ and their blessed Exercise on all Occasions The Scripture makes a full Representation of them unto us and we ought to be conversant in our Meditations on them What glorious things are spoken of his Love to God and his Delight in him whence also he delighted to do his Will and his Law was in the midst of his Bowels Psal. 40.8 Seated in the throne of his Affections What Pitty and Compassion had he for the Souls of men yea for whole humane Kind in all their Sufferings Pains and Distresses How were all his Affections alwayes in Perfection of Order under the Conduct of the Spirit of his Mind Thence was his Self-denial his Contempt of the World his Readiness for the Cross to do or suffer according to the Will of God If this Pattern be continually before us it will put forth a transforming Efficacy to change us into the same Image When we find our Minds liable unto any Disorders cleaving inordinately unto the things of this World moved with intemperate Passions vain and frothy in Conversation darkened or disturbed by the Fumes of distempered Lusts let us call things to an account and ask of our selves whether this be the Frame of Mind that was in Christ Jesus This therefore is an Evidence
which a well disposed Appetite finds unto savoury Meat As the full Soul loaths the Hony-Comb so a Mind under the Power of Carnal Affections hath an Aversation unto all Spiritual Sweetness But Spiritualized Affections desire them have an appetite unto them readily receive them on all Occasions as those which are natural unto them as milk is unto new-born Babes 2 Affections so disposed constantly find a Gust a pleasant Tast a Relish in Spiritual things They do in them tast that the Lord is gracious 1 Pet. 2.3 To tast of Gods Goodness is to have an Experience of a savoury Relish and Sweetness in Converse and Communion with him And Persons whose Affections are thus renewed and thus improved do tast a sweet Savour in all Spiritual things Some of them as a sense of the Love of Christ are sometimes as it were too hard for them and overpower them untill they are sick of Love and do rejoyce with Joy unspeakable and full of Glory Neither is there any of them however condited with Afflictions or Mortifications but it is sweet unto them Prov. 27.7 Every thing that is wholsome Food that is good Nourishment though it be but bitter Herbs is sweet to him that is hungry And when by our Affections we have raised up in us a Spiritual Appetite unto heavenly things however any of them in their own nature or in their Dispensation may be bitter to Flesh and Blood as are all the Doctrines of the Cross they are all sweet unto us and we can tast how gracious the Lord is in them When the Soul is filled with earthly things the Love of this World or when the Appetite is lost by Spiritual Sickness or vitiated and corrupted by any prevalent Sin heavenly things are unsavoury and sapless or as Job speaks like the white of an Egg wherein there is no tast There may be in the Dispensation of the Word a Tast or pleasing Relish given unto the Fancy there may be so unto the notional Understanding when the Affections find no Complacency in the things themselves But unto them who are Spiritually Minded unto the Degree intended they are all sweet savoury pleasant the Affections tast them immediately as the Palate doth Meat 3 They are a just Repository of all Graces and therein the Treasury of the Soul There are Graces of the Spirit whose formal direct Residence is in the Understanding and the Will as faith it self And therein are all other Graces radically comprized they grow from the Root Howbeit the most of them have their principal Residence in the Affections In them are they preserved secure and ready for Exercise on all Occasions And when they are duely Spiritual there is nothing that tends to their Growth or Improvement to their cherishing or quickening which they stand in need of continually and which God hath made Provision for in his Word but they reaedily receive it lay it up keep and preserve it Hereby they come to be filled with Grace with all Graces for there is room in them for all the Graces of the Spirit to inhabit and do readily comply with the Light and Direction of Faith unto their Exercise When Faith discerns and determines that there is any thing to be done or suffered in a way of Duty unto the Glory of God the Affections thus disposed do not shut up or stifle the Graces that are in them but chcarefully offer them unto their proper Exercise There are some of those things which our Affections conformed unto Heavenly things will attain unto And thus it is with Affections Spiritually renewed by being fixed on things Spiritual and Heavenly they are more and more conformed unto them made like them and become more spiritual and heavenly themselves It is not thus with them whose Affections have only an Occasional Change wrought upon them by the meanes before described but are not Spiritually renewed Yea on the contrary such Persons do design to debate Spiritual things to bring down heavenly things into a Conformity with their Affections which however changed are not Spiritual but Carnal To evince this we may observe 1 These Affections are under the Light and Conduct of such Notions in the Mind and Understanding as do not give a clear distinct Representation of them in their own nature unto them For where they are not themselves Spiritually renewed there the Mind it self is Carnal and unrenewed And such a Mind discerneth not the things of God nor can do so because they are spiritually discerned They cannot be discerned aright in their own Beauty and Glory but in and by a spiritual saving Light which the Mind is devoid of And where they are not thus represented the Affections cannot receive or cleave unto them as they ought nor will ever be conformed unto them 2 Those Notions in such Persons are oft-times variously influenced and corrupted by Fancy and Imagination They are meerly puffed up in their Fleshly Minds that is they are filled with vain foolish proud Imaginations about spiritual things as the Apostle declares Col. 2.18 19. And the work of Fancy in a fleshly mind is to raise up such Images of Spiritual things as may render them suitable unto natural unrenewed Affections 3 This in the Progress of it produceth Superstition False Worship and Idolatry For they are all of them an Attempt to represent Spiritual things in a way suited unto carnal unrenewed Affections hence men suppose themselves to be excited by them unto Love Joy Fear Delight in the things themselves when they all respect that false Representation of them whereby they are suited unto them as Carnal These have been the Spring of all false Worship and Idolatry in the Christian World First The Mind and Affections have been changed and tinctured with Devotion by some of the meanes we have before insisted on Herein they will one way or other be exercised about Spiritual things and are ready to receive impressions from any thing that Superstition can impose upon them Secondly They are by Errour and false Information set at liberty from the onely Rule of their Actings and Exercise that is the Word of God Men satisfyed themselves that so their Affections were ingaged about things Spiritual and Heavenly it was no matter at all whether the way of their Exercise was directed by the Scripture or no. Having thus lost their Guide and their Way every Igâ—u Fatuus every wandring Meteor allures them to follow its Conduct into Foolish Superstitions Nothing almost is so ridiculous nothing so Horrid and difficult that they will not embrace under the notion of things Spiritual and Heavenly Thirdly The carnal Minds of men having no Proper Distinct apprehensions and notions of Spiritual things in their own Nature do Endeavour to present them under such â—otions and Images as may suit them unto their carnal unrenewed Affections For it is implanted a most indelâ—bly upon them that the end of all Knowledge of Spiritual things is to propose them unto the Embraces of
the Affections It were easy to manifest that from these three corrupt Springs arose that Flood of Idolatry and False-Worship which spread it self over the Church of Rome and with whose Machinations the Minds of men are yet too much replenished Fourthly Where it is not thus yet carnal Affections do variously debase Spiritual things to bring them into a Conformity with themselves And this may proceed so far until men think wickedly that God is altogether like unto them But I shall not insist on these things any farther Lastly Where Affections are Spiritually renewed the Person oâ— Christ is the Center of them but where they are changed only they tend unto an End in Self Where the new man as â—ut on Christ is all in all Col. 3.10 11. He is the Spring by his Spirit that gives them Life Light and Being and he is the Ocean that receives all their Sâ—â—egâ—â—â— God even the Father presents not himself in his Beauty and Amiableness as the Object of our Affections but as he is in Christ acting his Love in him 1 Joh. 4.8 9. And as unto all other Spiritual things renewed Affections cleave unto them according as they derive from Christ and lead unto him for he is unto them all and in all It is he whom the Souls of his Saints do love for himself for his own Sake and all other things of Religion in and for him The Air is pleasant and useful that without which we cannot live or breath But if the Sun did not enlighten it and warm it with its Beams if it were alwayes one perpetual Night and cold what Refreshment could be received by it Christ is the Sun of Righteousness and if his Beams do not quicken animate and enlighten the best the most necessary Duties of Religion nothing desirable would remain in them This is the most certain Character of Affections Spiritually renewed They can rest in nothing but in Christ they fix on nothing but what is amiable by a Participation of his Beauty and in whatever he is therein do they find Complacency It is otherwise with them whose Affections may be changed but are not renewed That Truth is and it may be made good by all sorts of Instances that Christ in the Mystery of his Person and in the Glory of his Mediation are the only things that they dislike in Religion False Representations of him by Images and Pictures they may embrace and delight in false Notions of his present Glory Greatness and Power may affect them a Worship of their own devising they may give unto him and please themselves in it Corrupt Opinions concerning his Office and Grace may possess their Minds and they may contend for them but those who are not Spiritually renewed cannot love the Lord Jesus Christ in Sincerity yea they have an inward Secret Aversation from the Mystery of his Person and his Grace It is Self which all their Affections center in the wayes whereof are too long here to be declared This is the first thing that is required to render our Affections in such a State and Condition as that from and by them we may be Spiritually-Minded namely That they themselves are Spiritually and savingly renewed The things that remain will admit of a speedy dispatch as I suppose CHAP. XIX THE Second thing required that we may be Spiritually Minded as unto the Interest of our Affections therein is the Object of them about which they are conversant and whereunto they do adhere What this is materially or what are the Spiritual things which our Affections are to be set upon hath been declared already under the Consideration of the Object of our Thoughts and Meditations for they are the same Yea as hath been intimated the fixing of our Affections upon them is the Spring and cause of our Thoughts about them But that which we shall now enquire into is the true Notion and Consideration of Spiritual and Heavenly things which renders them the formal proper Object of Spiritual Affections and is the reason of their Adherance unto them For as was intimated before men may have false Notions of Spiritual things under which they may like them and embrace them with unrenewed Affections Wherefore we shall enquire into some of those Considerations of Heavenly things under which Affections Spiritually renewed do satisfactorily cleave unto them with Delight and Complacency 1. And the First is that as they comprehend God in Christ and all other things as deriving from him and tending unto him they have an infinite Beauty Goodness and Amiableness in them which are powerfully attractive of Spiritual Affections and which alone are able to fill to them to satisfy them to give them Rest and Acquiescency Love is the most ruling and prevalent Affection in the whole Soul But it cannot be fixed on any Object without an Apprehension true or false of an Amiableness and Desirableness in it from a suitable Goodness unto all its Desires And our Fear so far as it is Spiritual hath divine Goodness for its Object Hos. 3.5 Unless this be that which draws our Hearts unto God and the things of God in all Pretence of Love unto him men do but Frame Idols to themselves according to their own Understanding as the Prophet speaks Hos. 13.2 Wherefore that our Affections may cleave unto Spiritual things in a due manner three things are required 1 That we apprehend and do find a Goodness a Beauty and thence an Amiableness and Desirableness in them â—â—ech â— 17 Many pretend to love God and Spiritual things but they know not why Why they love other things they know well enough but why they love God they cannot tell Many are afraid of him suppose they ought to love him and therefore pretend so to do though indeed they know they do not they do but flatter him with their lips when their hearts are far from him Some are much affected with the Benefits and Mercies they receive from him and suppose that they love him on that account But this love is no other but what the Devil falsely charged Job withal Chap. 1.8 9 10 11. Some have Delight in the outward Modes and Rites of Divine Worship wherewith they satisfy themselves that they love God and Spiritual things when they only please their own Imaginations and Carnal Minds Many have a Traditional Apprehension that they ought to love God they know no reason why they should not they know it will be ill for them if they do not and these take it for granted that they do How few are there who have that Spiritual discerning and apprehension of the divine Excellencies that view of the Excellency of the Goodness and Love of God in Christ as thereby alone to be drawn after him and to delight in him yet is this the ground of all sincere real love unto God Two things are required that we may apprehend an amiable Goodness in any thing and cleave unto it with sincere Affection First A real Worth or
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
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
excess in it both weakens Spiritual Life and disturbs yea destroys all solid Spiritual Peace I have occasionally spoken unto it before as also the way whereby our minding of the things that are above in a due manner doth deliver and preserve our Souls from the Snares of it And if we diligently examine our selves we shall find that in our inordinate Affections and cleaving unto these things the principal Causes why we thrive no more in the power of Spiritual Life and whence we meet with so many Disquietments and Dejections of Spirit unto the disturbance of our Prace and Rest in God is from hence For there is no Grace which is not impaired by it in its nature or not obstructed by it in its Exercise Wherefore to be Spiritually Minded is Life and Peace because it subdues and expells that inordinate Love unto present things which is destructive of them both and inconsistent with them 4 It preserves the Mind in a due and holy Frame in the Performance of all other Duties This also is indispensibly required unto the Preservation of Life and Peace especially unto the improvement of them They will not abide much less thrive and flourish in any Persons who are negligent in holy Duties or do not perform them in a due manner And there are four things which impede or hinder us from such an attendance unto Holy Duties as may be advantagious unto our Souls against all which we have relief by being Spiritually Minded 1 Distractions 2 Despondencies 3 Weariness 4 Unreadiness of Grace for Exercise 1 Distraction of Mind and Thoughts hath this evil Effect which many complain of few take the right way of Deliverance from For this Evil will not be cured by attendance unto any particular Directions without a change of the whole Frame of our Minds Nothing can give us Relief herein but a prevalent Delight in being exercised about things Spiritual and Heavenly For hence arise all our Distractions the want of fixing our minds on Spiritual things with Delight makes them obnoxious to be diverted from them on all occasions yea to seek occasions for such Diversions It is this frame alone namely of Spiritual Mindedness that will give us this Delight For thereby the Soul is transformed into the likness of Spiritual things so as that they are suited unto it and pleasant unto our Affections The mind and the things themselves are thereby so fitted unto each other that on every occasion they are ready for mutual Embraces and not easily drawn off by any cause or means Of the Distractions so complained of yea they will all be prevented hereby 2 Despondencys in Duties arise from the frequent Incursions of the Guilt of Sin The remembrance hereof frequently sollicites the Minds of Persons in their first entrances into Duty unless they are under especial actings of Grace stirring them up unto earnestness and fervency in what they undertake At other seasons it renders men Lifeless and Heartless so as that they know not whether they had best Pray or no when Duty and Opportunity call them thereunto To be Spiritually Minded we have manifested in many Instances is the great Preservative against these disheartening incursions of sin It is the Souls watch and guard against them whence ever they arise or proceed No lust or corruption can be Prevalent in a Spiritual mind And this is the Principal cause of such Incursions of Sin as affect the Soul with a disheartening sense of Guilt No Affections can abide in any sinful Disorder where the Mind is so affected This also gives sin an entrance unto a distracting sense of Guilt But the fole Cure hereof lyes in this Grace and Duty The like may be said of all other wayes meanes and Occasions of such Incursions of Sin 3 Weariness in and of Spiritual Duties abate their tendency unto the Improvement of Life and Peace in us This Evil ariseth from the same Cause with that or Distraction before mentioned And it is oft-times encreased by the Weakness and Indispositions of the Flesh or of the outward man Sometimes the Spirit is willing but through the weakness of the Flesh it is disappointed The principal cure hereof lyes in that Delight which spiritual Mindedness gives unto the Soul in Spiritual things For where there is constant Delight in any thing there will be no weariness at least not such as shall hinder any from cleaving firmly unto the things wherein he doth delight Whil'st therefore we are exercised in a delight in Spiritual things weariness cannot prevalently assault the Mind And it is the only Relief against that Weariness which proceeds from the Indispositions of the outward man For as it will preserve the Mind from attending too much unto their Solicitations crying spare thy self by filling and possessing the Thoughts with other things so it will offer an holy Violence unto the Complaints of the Flesh silencing them with a sense of and delight in holy Duties 4 The Unreadiness of Grace for its due and proper Excercise is another thing which defeats us of the Benefit of holy Duties The Seasons of them are come sense of Duty carries men unto an Attendance unto them and the performance of them But when they should enter upon them those Graces of Faith Love Fear and Delight wherein the Soul and Being of them do consist are out of the way unready for a due Exercise so as that men take up and satisfy themselves with the meer outward Performance of them The Heart and Mind have been taken up with other things due Preparation hath been wanting men come unto them with reaking Thoughts of earthly Occasions and it is no easy matter in or immediately out of such a Frame to stir up Grace unto a due Exercise But herein lyeth the very Life of being Spiritually Minded The nature of it consists in the keeping and preserving all Grace in a Readiness for its Exercise as our Occasions require And this is an effectual way whereby this Grace come to be Life and Peace For they cannot be attained they cannot be preserved without such a constancy and Spirituality in all holy Duties as we shall never arive at unless we are Spiritually Minded Lastly this frame of mind brings the Soul unto and keeps it at its nearest approaches unto Heaven and Blessedness wherein lye the eternal springs of life and Peace According unto the Degrees of this Grace in us such are those of our approaches unto God Nearness unto him gives us our initial conformity unto him by the Renovation of his Image in us as our Presence with him will give us Perfection therein for when we see him we shall be like unto him He therefore alone as he is in Christ being the fountain of Life and Peace by our drawing nigh unto him and by our Likeness of him will they thrive and flourish in our Souls FINIS
to consider it as what we were by nature obnoxious unto as being Children of Wrath what we have deserved by our Personal sins as the wages of sin is Death what we are delivered from through Jesus the Deliverer who saves us from the wrath to come what expression it is of the Indignation of God against sin who hath prepared this Tophet of Old that we may be delivered from sin kept up to an Abhorrency of it walking in Humility self-abasement and the Admiration of Divine Grace This therefore is required of us that in our Thoughts and Meditations we compare the state of Blessedness and Eternal Glory as a free and absolute effect of the Grace of God in and through Christ Jesus with that state of Eternal Misery which we had deserved And if there be any spark of Grace or of holy Thankfulness in our Hearts it will be stirred up unto its due exercise Some it may be will say that they complained before that they cannot get their minds fixed on these things Weakness Weariness Darkness Diversions Occasions do prevalently obstruct their abiding in such Thoughts I shall speak further unto this afterwards at present I shall only suggest two things 1. If you cannot attain yet continue to follow after get your minds in a perpetual endeavour after an abode in spiritual Thoughts Let your minds be rising towards them every hour yea an hundred times a day on all occasions on a continual sense of Duty and sigh within your selves for deliverance when you find Disappointments or not a continuance in them It is the sence of that Place Rom. 8.23 24 25 26 27. 2. Take care you go not backwards and lose what you have wrought If you neglect these things for a season you will quickly find your selves neglected by them So I observe it every day in the hearing of the Word Whilst Persons keep up themselves to a diligent Attendance on it where they find it preached unto their Edification they find great Delight in it and will undergo great Difficulties for the enjoyment of it Let them be diverted from it for a season after a while it grows indifferent unto them any thing will satisfy them that pretends unto the same Duty CHAP. VII Especial Objects of Spiritual Thoughts on the Glorious State of Heaven and what belongs thereunto First of Christ himself Thoughts of Heavenly Glory in opposition unto Thoughts of Eternal Misery The Use of such Thoughts Advantage in Sufferings IT will be unto our Advantage having stated right Notions of the Glory of the blessed State above in our minds to fix on some particulars belonging unto it as the especial Object of our Thoughts and Meditations As 1. Think much of him who unto us is the Life and Center of all the Glory of Heaven that is Christ himself I shall be very brief in treating hereof because I have designed a peculiar Treatise on this Subject of beholding the Glory of Christ both here and unto Eternity At present therefore a few things only shall be mentioned because on this occasion they are not to be omitted The whole of the Glory of the State above is expressed by being ever with the Lord where he is to behold his Glory For in and through him is the Beatifical manifestation of God and his Glory made for evermore And through him are all Communications of inward Glory unto us The present Resplendency of Heavenly Glory consists in his Mediatory Ministry as I have at large elsewhere declared And he will be the means of all glorious communications between God and the Church unto Eternity Wherefore if we are Spiritually minded we should fix our Thoughts on Christ above as the Center of all Heavenly Glory To help us herein we may consider the things that follow 1. Faith hath continual Recourse unto him on the account of what he did and suffered for us in this world For thereon Pardon of sin Justification and Peace with God do depend This ariseth in the first place from a sence of our own wants But Love of him is no less necessary unto us than Faith in him And although we have powerful Motives unto Love from what he did and was in this world yet the formal Reason of our Adherence unto him thereby is what he is in himself as he is now exalted in Heaven If we rejoyce not at the Remembrance of his present Glory if the Thoughts of it be not frequent with us and refreshing unto us how dwelleth his Love in us 2. Our Hope is that e're long we shall be ever with him And if so it is certainly our Wisdom and Duty to be here with him as much as we can It is a vain thing for any to suppose that they place their chiefest happiness in being for ever in the Presence of Christ who care not at all to be with him here as they may And the only way of our being present with him here is by Faith and Love acting themselves in Spiritual Thoughts and Affections And it is an absurd thing for men to esteem themselves Christians who scarce think of Christ all the day long Yet some as one complained of old scarce ever think or speak of him but when they swear by his Name I have read of them who have lived and dyed in continual Contemplation on him so far as the Imperfection of our present state will admit I have known them I do know them who call themselves unto a Reproof if at any time he hath been many minutes out of their Thoughts And it is strange that it should be otherwise with them who love him in sincerity yet I wish I did not know more who give evidences that it is a rare thing for them to be exercised in serious Thoughts and Meditations about him Yea there are some who are not averse upon occasions to speak of God of Mercy of Pardon of his Power and Goodness who if you mention Christ unto them with any thing of Faith Love Trust in him they seem unto them as a strange thing Few there are who are sensible of any Religion beyond what is natural The things of the Wisdom and Power of God in Christ are foolishness unto them Take some Directions for the Discharge of this Duty 1. In your Thoughts of Christ be very careful that they are conceived and directed according to the Rule of the Word lest you deceive your own souls and give up the conduct of your Affections unto vain Imaginations Spiritual Notions befalling carnal minds did once by the means of Superstition ruine the Power of Religion A Conviction men had that they must think much of Jesus Christ and that this would make them conformable unto him but having no real Evangelical Faith nor the Wisdom of Faith to exercise it in their Thoughts and Affections in a due manner nor understanding what it was to be truely like unto him they gave up themselves unto many foolish Inventions and Imaginations by which they