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
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
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
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
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-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
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
Hearts and Affections 3. Earnestness and appearing Fervency in Prayer as unto the outward delivery of the Words of it yea though the mind be so affected as to contribute much thereunto will not of themselves prove that the Thoughts of men therein do arise from an Internal Spring of Grace There is a Fervency of Spirit in Prayer that is one of the best Properties of it being an earnest Acting of Love Faith and Desire But there is a Fervency wherewith the mind it self may be affected that may arise from other Causes 1. It may do so from the ingagement of Natural Affections unto the Object of their Prayer or the things Prayed for Men may be mighty Earnest and Intent in their minds in praying for a Dear Relation or for Deliverance from Eminent Troubles or Imminent Dangers and yet all this Fervour arise from the vehement Actings of Natural Affections about the things prayed for excited in an especial manner by the present Duty Hence God calls the earnest cryes of some for Temporal things not a Crying unto him but an Howling Hosea 7.14 That is the cry of hungry Ravenous Beasts that would be satisfied 2. Sometimes it ariseth from the sharpness of Convictions which will make men even Roar in their Prayers for disquietment of Heart And this may be where there is no true Grace as yet received nor it may be ever will be so For the perplexing Work of Convictions goes before real Conversion and as it produceth many other Effects and Changes in the mind so it may do this of great Fervency in Vocal Prayers especially if it be accompanied with outward Afflictions Pains or Troubles Psal. 78.34 35. 3. Oft-times the Mind and Affections are very little concerned in that Fervour and Earnestness which appear in the outward Performance of the Duty But in the exercise of Gifts and through their own utterance men put their Natural Affections into such an Agitation as shall carry them out into a great Vehemency in their Expressions It hath been so with sundry Persons who have been discovered to be Rotten Hypocrites and have afterwards turned Cursed Apostates Wherefore all these things may be where there is no gracious Spring or Vital Principle Acting it self from within in Spiritual Thoughts Some it may be will design an Advantage by their Conceptions unto the Interest of Prophaneness and Scoffing For if there may be these evils under the Exercise of the Gift of Prayer both in Constancy and with Fervency if there may be a total want of the Exercise of all true Grace with it and under it then it may be all that is pretended of this Gift and its Use is but Hypocrisie and Talk But I say 1. It may be as well pretended that because the Sun shining on a Dung-hill doth occasion offensive and noisom Steams therefore all that is pretended of its Influence on Spices and Flowers causing them to give out their Fragrancy is utterly false No man ever thought that Spiritual Gifts did change or renew the Minds and Natures of Men where they are alone they only help and assist unto the useful Exercise of Natural Faculties and Powers And therefore where the Heart is not savingly renewed no Gifts can stir up a saving Exercise of Faith But where it is so they are a means to cause the Savour of it to flow forth 2. Be it so that there may be some Evils found under the Exercise of the Gift of Prayer what remedy for them may be proposed Is it that men should Renounce their use of it and betake themselves unto the Reading of Prayers only 1. The same may be said of all Spiritual Gifts whatever for they are all of them liable unto Abuse And shall we reject all the Powers of the World to come the whole complexe of Gospel Gifts for the Commuication whereof the Lord Christ hath promised to continue his Spirit with his Church unto the end of the World because by some they are abused 2. Not only the same but far greater evils may be found in and under the Reading of Prayers which needs no further Demonstration than what it gives of it self every Day 3. It is hard to understand how any benefit at all can accrew unto any by this Relief when the Advantages of the other way are evident Wherefore the Enquiry remains How we may know unto our own satisfaction that the Thoughts we have of Spiritual things in the Duty of Prayer are from Internal fountain of Grace and so are an evidence that we are Spiritually minded whereunto all these things do tend Some few things I shall offer towards Satisfaction herein 1. I take it for granted on the Evidence before given that Persons who have any Spiritual Light and will diligently Examine and Try their own Hearts will be able to discern what real Actings of Faith of Love and Delight in God there are in their Duties and consequently what is the Spring of their Spiritual Thoughts In general we are assured that he that believeth hath the Witness in himself 1 Joh. 5.10 Sincere Faith will be its own Evidence And where there are Sincere Actings of Faith they will evidence themselves if we try all things impartially by the Word But if men do as for the most part they do content themselves with the Performance of any Duty without an Examination of their Principles Frames and Actings of Grace in them it is no wonder if they walk in all Uncertainty 2. When the Soul finds a sweet Spiritual Complacency in and after its Duties it is an Evidence that Grace hath been acted in its Spiritual Thoughts and Desires Jer. 31. The Prophet receiveth a long gracious Message from God filled up with Excellent Promises and Pathetical Exhortations unto the Church The whole is as it were summ'd up in the close of it Ver. 25. For I have satiated the weary Soul and I have replenished every sorrowful Soul Whereon the Prophet adds Vpon this I awaked and beheld and my Sleep was sweet unto me God's gracious Message had so composed his spirits and freed his mind from Trouble as that he was at quiet Repose in himself like a man asleep But after the end of it he stirrs up himself unto a Review and Consideration of what had been spoken unto him I awaked and beheld or I stirred up my self and considered what had been delivered unto me And saith he my Sleep was sweet unto me I found a gracious Complacency in and Refreshment unto my Soul from what I had heard and received So is it oft-times with a Soul that hath had real Communion with God in the Duty of Prayer It finds it self both in it and afterwards when it is awakened unto the consideration of it spiritually refreshed it is sweet unto him This holy Complacency this Rest and sweet Repose of mind is the Foundation of the Delight of Believers in this Duty They do not pray only because it is their Duty so to do nor yet because
them in conjunction will bring in Relief unto the glory of God and your own Peace without Application by Faith unto him who is able to succour them that are Tempted Wherefore 3. Herein lyes your great Duty with respect unto your Temptations namely in a constant exercise of your Thoughts on the Love Care Compassion and tenderness of Christ with his Ability to help succour and save them that do believe so to strengthen your Faith and Trust in him which will prove assuredly successeful and Victorious The same Duty is incumbent on us with respect unto any urgent prevalent general Temptation There are Seasons wherein an hour of Temptation comes on the earth to try them that dwell therein What if a man should judge that now it is such an hour and that the Power of Darkness is put forth therein what if he should be perswaded that a general security coldness deadness and Decay in Grace especially as to the vigorous Actings of Zeal Love and Delight in God with an Indifferency unto Holy Duties are the effects of this hour of Temptation I do not say determinately that so it is let others judge as they see cause But if any one do so judge undoubtedly it is his Duty to be exercised in his Thoughts how he may escape in this day of Tryal and be counted worthy to stand before the Son of Man He will find it his concernment to be conversant in his mind with the Reasons and Motives unto watchfulness and how he may obtain such supplies of Grace as may effectually preserve him from such Decayes 3. All things in Religion both in Faith and Practice are to be the Objects of such Thoughts As they are proposed or occurr unto our Minds in great variety on all sorts of occasions so we ought to give them entertainment in our Meditations To hear things to have them proposed unto us it may be in the way of a Divine Ordinance and to let them slip out or flow from us as Water that is poured into a leaking Vessel is the Ruine of many Souls I shall therefore choose out some Instances as was before proposed of those things which I judge that they who would be Spiritually minded ought to abide and abound in Thoughts concerning them 1. It is our Duty greatly to mind the things that are above eternal things both as unto their Reality their present State and our future enjoyment of them Herein consists the Life of this Grace and Duty To be Heavenly Minded that is to mind the things of Heaven and to be Spiritually Minded is all one Or it is the effect of being Spiritually Minded as unto its Original and essence or the first proper actings of it It is the Cause of it as unto its growth and Degrees and it is the Evidence of it in Experience Nor do I understand how it is possible for a Man to place his chief Interest in things above and not have many thoughts of them It is the great Advice of the Apostle on a supposition of our Interest in Christ and Conformity unto him Col. 3.1 2. If ye then be risen with Christ seek those things that are above where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God Set your Affections or your Thoughts Mind much the things that are above It becomes those who through the vertue of the Resurrection of Christ are raised unto Newness of Life to have their Thoughts exercised on the State of things above with respect unto the Presence of Christ among them And the singular use of our Prospect into these things or our Meditations on them he instructs us in 2 Cor. 4.16 17 18. For which cause we faint not but though our outward man perish yet the inward man is renewed day by day For our light Affliction which is but for a Moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory Whilst we look not at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen for the things which are seen are temporal but the things which are not seen are eternal Not to faint under the daily Decays of our outward man and the Approaches of Death thereby to bear afflictions as things light and Momentary to thrive under all in the inward man are unspeakable Mercies and Priviledges Can you attain a better frame Is there any thing that you would more desire if you are Believers Is it not better to have such a mind in us than to enjoy all the Peace and security that the world can afford One principal means whereby we are made partakers of these things is a due Meditation on things unseen and Eternal These are the things that are within the Vail whereon we ought to cast the Anchor of our Hope in all the Storms we meet withall Heb. 6.19 20. whereof we shall speak more afterwards Without doubt the generality of Christians are greatly defective in this Duty partly for want of Light into them partly for want of Delight in them they think little of an eternal Countrey Wherever men are they do not use to neglect Thoughts of that Countrey wherein their Inheritance lyes If they are absent from it for a season yet will they labour to acquaint themselves with the principal Concernments of it But this Heavenly Countrey wherein lyes our Eternal Inheritance is not regarded Men do not as they ought exercise themselves unto thoughts of things Eternal and Invisible It were impossible if they did so that their Minds should be so earthly and their Affections cleave so as they do unto present things He that looks steadily on the Sun although he cannot bear the lustre of its beams fully yet his sight is so affected with it that when he calls off his eyes from it he can see nothing as it were of the things about him they are all dark unto him And he who looks steadily in his Contemplations on things above eternal things though he cannot comprehend their Glory yet a Vail will be cast by it on all the desireable Beauties of Earthly things and take off his Affections from them Men live and act under the Power of a Conviction that there is a State of Immortality and Glory to come With a perswasion hereof they much relieve themselves in their Sorrows Sufferings and Temptations Yet with many it is only a Reserve when they can be here no more But as unto daily Contemplation of the Nature and Causes of it or as unto any entrance into it by Faith and Hope the most are Strangers thereunto If we are Spiritually minded nothing will be more natural unto us than to have many Thoughts of Eternal things as those wherein all our own principal Concerns do lye as well as those which are excellent and glorious in themselves The Direction thereon is that we would make Heavenly Things the things of the future State of Blessedness and Glory a principal Object of our Thoughts that we would think much about them that we
Faith and Profession in these our dayes The Bellies of men cleave unto the Dust or their Affections unto earthly things I speak not of those who by Rapine Deceit and Oppression strive to enrich themselves nor of those who design nothing more than the Attainment of Greatness and Promotions in the world though not by wayes of open wickedness least of all of them who make Religion and perhaps their Ministry therein a Means for the attaining Secular ends and Preferments No wise man can suppose such persons any of them to be spiritually minded and it is most easie to disprove all their pretences But I intend only those at present whose wayes and Means of attaining Riches are lawfull honest and unblameable who use them with some moderation and do profess that their Portion lyes in better things so as it is hard to fasten a Conviction on them in matter of their conversation Whatever may seem to reflect upon them they esteem it to be that whose omission would make them foolish in their Affairs or negligent in their Duty But even among these also there is oft times that inordinate Love unto present things that esteem and valuation of them that concernment in them as are not consistent with their being Spiritually minded With some their Relations with some their Enjoyments with most both in Conjunction are an Idol which they set up in their hearts and secretly bow down unto About these are their Hopes and Fears exercised on them is their Love in them is their Delight They are wholly taken up with their own concerns count all lost that is not spent on them and all time mispent that is not engaged about them Yet the things which they do they judge to be good in themselves their hearts do not condemn them as to the Matter of them The Valuation they have of their Relations and Enjoyments they suppose to be lawful within the bounds which they have assigned unto it Their care about them is in their own minds but their Duty It is no easie matter it requires much Spiritual Wisdom to fix right boundaries unto our Affections and their actings about Earthly things But let men plead and pretend what they please I shall offer one Rule in this case which will not fail And this is that when men are so confident in the good State and measure of their affections and their Actings towards earthly things as that they will oppose their ingagements into them unto known Duties of Religion Piety and Charity they are gone into a sinfull excess Is there a State of the Poor that requires their Liberality and Bounty you must excuse them they have Families to provide for when what is expected from them signifies nothing at all as unto a due provision for their Families nor is what would lessen their Inheritances or Portions one Penny in the issue Are they called to an Attendance on seasons of Religious Duties they are so full of Business that it is impossible for them to have leisure for any such occasions so by all ways declaring that they are under the power of a prevalent predominant Affection unto earthly things This fills all places with lifeless sapless useless Professors who approve themselves in their condition whilest it is visibly unspiritual and withering The Heart will have something whereon in a way of Preheminence it will fix it self and its Affections This in all its perpetual motions it seeks for rest and satisfaction in And every man hath an Edge the Edge of his Affections is set one way or other though it be more keen in some than others And whereas all sorts of things that the Heart can fix upon or turn the Edge of its Affections unto are distributed by the Apostle into things above and things beneath things Heavenly and things Earthly if we have not such a view and prospect of Heavenly things as to cause our Hearts to cleave unto them and delight in them let us pretend what we will it is impossible but that we shall be under the power of a predominant Affection unto the things of this World Herein lyes the great Danger of Multitudes at this present season For let men profess what they will under the power of this frame their Eternal state is in hazard every moment And Persons are ingaged in it in great variety of Degrees And we may cast them under two Heads 1. Some do not at all understand that things are amiss with them or that they are much to be blamed They plead as was before observed that they are all lawful things which their hearts do cleave unto and which it is their Duty to take care of and regard May they not delight in their own Relations especially at such a time when others break and cancel all Duties and bonds of Relation in the service of and provision they make for their Lusts May they not be careful in good and honest wayes of diligence about the things of the world when the most either lavish their time away in the pursuit of bestial Lusts or heap them up by deceit and Oppression May they not contrive for the promotion of their children in the world to adde the other hundred or thousand pounds unto their Advancement that they may be in as good condition as others seeing he is worse than an Infidel who provides not for his own family By such reasonings and secret Thoughts do many justifie themselves in their earthly mindedness And so fixed they are in the Approbation of themselves that if you urge them to their Duty you shall loose their acquaintance if they do not become your Enemies for telling them the Truth Yea they will avoid one Duty that lyeth not against their earthly Interest because it leads unto another They will not ingage in Religious Assemblies or be constant unto their Duty in them for fear Dutyes of Charity should be required of them or expected from them On what Grounds such Persons can satisfie themselves that they are Spiritually-minded I know not I shall leave only one Rule with Persons that are thus minded Where our Love unto the world hath prevailed by its reasonings pleas and pretences to take away our fear and jealousy over our own hearts lest we should inordinately love it there it is assuredly predominant in us 2. Others are sensible of the evil of their hearts at least are jealous and afraid lest it should be found that their hearts do cleave inordinately unto these things Hence they endeavour to contend against this evil sometimes by forcing themselves unto such Acts of Piety or Charity as are contrary unto that frame and sometimes by labouring a change of the frame it self Especially they will do so when God is pleased to awaken them by Trials and Afflictions such as write Vanity and Emptiness on all earthly enjoyments But for the most part they strive not lawfully and so obtain not what they seem to aim at This Disease with many is mortal
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
in general but that men have decocted and wasted the Light and Power of Christian Religion It is the fullest Revelation of God that ever he made it is the last that ever he will make in this World If this be despised if men rebell against the Light of it if they break the Cords of it and are senseless of its Power nothing can preserve them from the highest Atheism that the nature of man is capable of It is in vain to expect Relief or Preservation from inferior means where the highest and most Noble is rejected Reason or the Light of Nature gives Evidences unto the being of God and Arguments are still well pleaded from them to the confusion of Atheists And they were sufficient to retain men in an Acknowledgment of the Divine Power and Godhead who had no other no higher Evidences of them But where men have had the Benefit of Divine Revelation where they have been Educated in the Principles of Christian Religion have had some Knowledge and made some Profession of them and have through the Love of sin and hatred of every thing that is truely good rejected all Convictions from them concerning the Being Power and Rule of God they will not be kept unto a Confession of them by any considerations that the Light of nature can suggest There are therefore among others three Reasons why there are more Atheists among them who live where the Christian Religion is professed and the Power of it rejected than among any other sort of men even than there were among the Heathens themselves 1. God hath designed to magnifie his Word above all his Name or all other wayes of the Revelation of himself unto the Children of Men Psal. 138.2 Where therefore this is rejected and despised he will not give the Honour unto Reason or the Light of Nature that they shall preserve the Minds of men from any evil whatever Reason shall not have the same Power and Efficacy on the Minds of men who reject the Light and Power of Divine Revelation by the Word as it hath or may have on them whose best guide it is who never enjoyed the Light of the Gospel And therefore there is oft times more common Honesty among civilized Heathens and Mahumetans than amongst degenerate Christians And from the same Reason the Children of Professors are sometimes irrecoverably profligate It will be said many are recovered unto God by Afflictions who have despised the Word But it is otherwise never any were converted unto God by Afflictions who had rejected the Word Men may by Afflictions be recalled unto the Light of the Word but none are immediately turned unto God by them As a good Shepheard when a Sheep wanders from the Flock and will not hear his call sends out his Dog which stops him and bites him Hereon he looks about him and hearing the call of the Shepheard returns again to the Flock Job 33.19 20 21 22 23 24 25. But with this sort of Persons it is the way of God that where the principal means of the Revelation of himself and wherein he doth most glorifie his Wisdom and his Goodness is despised he will not only take off the Efficacy of inferior means but judicially harden the Hearts and blind the Eyes of men that such means shall be of no use unto them See Isa. 6.8 9 10 11 12. Acts 13 40 41. Rom. 1.21 28. 2 Thes. 2.11 12. 2. The Contempt of Gospel Light and Christian Religion as it is supernatural which is the Beginning of Transgression unto all Atheists among us begets in and leaves on the mind such a depraved corrupt habit such a Congeries of all Evils that the Hatred of the Goodness Wisdom and Grace of God can produce that it cannot but be wholly inclined unto the worst of Evils as all our Original vitious Inclinations succeeded immediately on our rejection and loss of the Image of God The best things corrupted yeild the worst Savour as Manna stank and bred worms The Knowledge of the Gospel being rejected stinking Worms take the place of it in the Mind which grow into Vipers and Scorpions Every Degree of Apostacy from Gospel-Truth brings in a proportionate Degree of inclination unto wickedness into the Hearts and Minds of men 2 Pet. 2.21 And that which is total unto all the evils that they are capable of in this world Whereas therefore Multitudes from their Darkness Unbelief Temptation Love of Sin Pride and contempt of God do fall off from all subjection of Soul and Conscience unto the Gospel either notionally or practically deriding or despising all supernatural Revelations they are a thousand times more disposed unto down-right Atheism than Persons who never had the Light or Benefit of such Revelations Take heed of Decayes Whatever Ground the Gospel loseth in our Minds Sin possesseth it for it self and its own Ends. Let none say it is otherwise with them Men grow Cold and Negligent in the Duties of Gospel Worship publick and private which is to reject Gospel Light Let them say and pretend what they please that in other things in their Minds and Conversations it is well with them indeed it is not so Sin will sin doth one way or other make an encrease in them proportionate unto these Decayes and will sooner or later discover it self so to do And themselves if they are not utterly hardened may greatly discover it inwardly in their Peace or outwardly in their Lives 3. Where Men are resolved not to see the greater the Light is that shines about them the faster they must close they Eyes All Atheism springs from a Resolution not to see things invisible and Eternal Love of sin a resolved continuance in the practice of it the effectual Power of vitious Inclinations in opposition unto all that is Good make it the Interest of such men that there should be no God to call them to an account For a Supream unavoidable Judge an Eternal Rewarder of Good and Evil is inseparable from the first notion of a Divine Being Whereas therefore the most glorious Light and uncontroulable Evidence of these things shines forth in the Scripture men that will abide by their interest to love and live in sin must close their Eyes with all the Arts and Powers that they have or else they will pierce into their Minds unto their Torment This they do by down-right Atheism which alone pretends to give them security against the Light of Divine Revelation Against all other convictions they might take shelter from their fears under less degrees of it It is not therefore unto the Disparagement but honour of the Gospel that so many avow themselves to be Atheists in those places wherein the Truth of it is known and professed For none can have the least Inclination or Temptation thereunto untill they have before hand rejected the Gospel which immediately exposeth them unto the worst of Evils Nor is there any means for the Recovery of such Persons The Opposition that hath been
them in this world whatever Troubles and Disquietment they are exercised withal the Remembrance of God is a satisfactory Refreshment unto them For therein they behold all that is Good and Excellent the infinite Center of all Perfections Wicked men would have God to be any thing but what he is Nothing that God is really and truely pleaseth them Wherefore they either frame false Notions of him in their Minds as Psal. 50.21 Or they think not of him at all at least as they ought unless sometimes they tremble at his Anger and Power Some Benefit they suppose may be had by what he can do but how there can be any Delight in what he is they know not Yea all their trouble ariseth from hence that he is what he is It would be a relief unto them if they could make any abatement of his Power his Holiness his Righteousness his Omnipresence But his Saints as the Psalmist speaks give thanks at the Remembrance of his Holiness And when we can delight in the Thoughts of what God is in himself of his infinite Excellencies and Perfections it gives us a threefold evidence of our being spiritually minded 1. In that it is such an Evidence that we have a gracious Interest in those Excellencies and Perfections whereon we can say with rejoycing in our selves this God thus holy thus powerful thus just good and gracious is our God and he will be our guide unto Death So the Psalmist under the consideration of his own frailty and apprehensions of Death in the midst of his years comforts and refresheth himself with Thoughts of Gods Eternity and Immutability with his Interest in them Psal. 102.23 24 25 26 27 28. And God himself proposeth unto us his infinite Immutability as the Ground whereon we may except safety and deliverance Mal. 3.6 When we can thus think of God and what he is with delight it is I say an Evidence that we have a gracious Covenant Interest even in what God is in Himself which none have but those who are spiritually minded 2. It is an Evidence that the Image of God is begun to be wrought in our own Souls and we approve of and rejoyce in it more than in all other things whatever Whatever Notions men may have of the Divine Goodness Holiness Righteousness and Purity they are all but barren jejune and fruitless unless there be a similitude and conformity unto them wrought in their Minds and Souls Without this they cannot rejoyce in the Thoughts and Remembrance of the Divine Excellencies Wherefore when we can do so when such Meditations of God are sweet unto us it is an Evidence that we have some experience in our selves of the excellency of the Image of those Perfections and that we rejoyce in them above all things in this world 3. They are so also in that they are manifest that we do discern and judge that our Eternal Blessedness doth consist in the full Manifestation and our Enjoyment of God in what he is and of all his Divine Excellencies This Men for the most part take for granted but how it should be so they know not They understand it in some measure whose hearts are here deeply affected with Delight in them they are able to believe that the manifestation and Enjoyment of the Divine Excellencies will give Eternal Rest satisfaction and complacency unto their Souls No wicked man can look upon it otherwise than a Torment to abide for ever with Eternal Holiness Isa. 33.14 And we our selves can have no present prospect into the fulness of future Glory when God shall be all in all but through the Delight and satisfaction which we have here in the contemplation of what God is in himself as the Center of all divine Perfections I would therefore press this unknown this neglected Duty on the minds of those of us in an especial manner who are visibly drawing nigh unto Eternity The Daies are coming wherein what God is in himself that is as manifest and exerted in Christ shall alone be as we hope the Eternal Blessedness and Reward of our Souls Is it possible that any thing should be more necessary for us more useful unto us than to be exercised in such Thoughts and Contemplations The Benefits we may have hereby are not to be reckoned some of them only may be named As 1. We shall have the best Trial of our selves how our hearts really stand affected towards God For if upon Examination we find our selves not really to delight and rejoyce in God for what he is in himself and that all Perfections are eternally resident in him how dwelleth the Love of God in us But if we can truely rejoyce at the Remembrance of his Holiness in the Thoughts of what he is our Hearts are upright with him 2. This is that which will effectually take off our Thoughts and Affections from things here below One spiritual view of the Divine Goodness Beauty and Holiness will have more efficacy to raise the heart unto a contempt of all earthly things than any other Evidences whatever 3. It will encrease the Grace of being heavenly minded in us on the Grounds before declared 4. It is the best I had almost said it is the only Preparation for the future full enjoyment of God This will gradually lead us into his Presence take away all fears of Death increase our longing after Eternal Rest and ever make us groan to be uncloathed Let us not than cease labouring with our hearts until through Grace we have a spiritually sensible Delight and Joy in the Remembrances and Thoughts of what God is in himself 2. In Thoughts of God his Saints rejoyce at the Remembrance of what he is and what he will be unto them Herein have they regard unto all the holy Relations that he hath taken on himself towards them with all the Effects of his Covenant in Christ Jesus To that purpose were some of the last words of David 2 Sam. 23. 5. Although my house be not so with God yet he hath made with me an everlasting Covenant ordered in all things and sure this is all my Salvation and all my desire In the prospect he had of all the Distresses that were to befall his Family he triumphantly rejoyceth in the Everlasting Covenant that God had made with him In these Thoughts his Saints take delight they are sweet unto them and full of refreshment Their Meditations of him are sweet and they are glad in the Lord Psal. 104.34 Thus is it with them that are truely spiritually minded They not only think much of God but they take Delight in these Thoughts they are sweet unto them and not only so but they have no solid Joy nor Delight but in their Thoughts of God which therefore they retreat unto continually They do so especially on great occasions which of themselves are apt to divert them from them As suppose a Man hath received a signal Mercy with the matter whereof he is exceedingly affected
are in their proper Exercise With respect unto them we have no sufficiency in our selves all our sufficiency must be of God There is no Truth among persons of Light and Knowledge more generally granted in the notion of it than this that of our selves we can do nothing and none more neglected in daily practice Men profess they can do nothing of themselves and yet go about their Duties as if they could do all things 3. Remember that I have not at present treated of solemn stated Meditation Concerning which other Rules and Instructions ought to be given By solemn or stated Meditation I intend the Thoughts of some Subject Spiritual and Divine with the fixing forcing and ordering our Thoughts about it with a design to affect our own Hearts and Souls with the matter of it or the things contained in it By this design it is distinguish'd from the study of the Word wherein our principal aim is to learn the Truth or to declare it unto others And so also from Prayer whereof God himself is the immediate Object But in Meditation it is the affecting of our own Hearts and Minds with Love Delight and Humiliation At present I have only shewed what it is to be Spiritually minded and that in this Instance of our Thoughts as they proceed from the habitual frame of our hearts and affections or of what sort the constant course of our Thoughts ought to be with respect unto all the occasions of the Life of God This persons may be in a readiness for who are yet unskilful in and unable for stated Meditation For there is required thereunto such an Exercise of our Natural Faculties and Abilities as some through their weakness and Ignorance are incapable of But as unto what we have hitherto insisted on it is not unattainable by any in whom is the Spirit of Faith and Love For it is but the frequent actings of them that I intend Wherefore do your Hearts and Affections lead you unto many Thoughts of God and Spiritual Things do they spring up in you as water in a well of living Waters Are you ready on all occasions to entertain such Thoughts and to be conversant with them as opportunity doth offer it self Do you labour to have in a readiness what is useful for you with respect unto Temptations and Duties Is God in Christ and the things of the Gospel the ordinary Retreat of your Souls Though you should not be able to carry on an orderly stated Meditation in your minds yet you may be spiritually minded A man may not have a Capacity and Ability to carry on a great Trade of Merchandize in the world The knowledge of all sorts of Commodities and Seasons of the World and Nations of it with those Contrivances and Accounts which belong unto such Trade may be above his comprehension and he may quickly ruine himself in undertaking such an Employment Yet may the Abilities of this man serve him well enough to carry on a retail Trade in a private Shop wherein perhaps he may thrive as well and get as good an Estate as any of those whose greater Capacities lead them forth unto more large and hazardous Employments So it may be with some in this case The natural Faculties of their minds are not sufficient to enable them unto Stated Meditation They cannot cast things into that method and order which is required thereunto nor frame the conceptions of their minds into words significant and expressive yet as unto frequency of Thoughts of God and a disposition of Mind thereunto they may thrive and be skilful beyond most others of greater natural Abilities Howbeit because even Stated Meditation is a necessary Duty yea the principal way whereby our spiritual Thoughts do profitably act themselves I shall have regard thereunto in the following Direction wherefore 4. Whatever Principle of Grace we have in our minds we cannot attain unto a ready exercise of it in a way of spiritual Meditation or otherwise without great Diligence nor without great Difficulty It was shewed at the entrance of this Discourse that there is a Difference in this Grace between the Essence Substance or Reality of it which we would not exclude men from under many failings or infirmities and the useful Degrees of it wherein it hath its principal exercise As there is a difference in Life natural and its actings in a weak deseased sickly Body and in that which is of a Good Constitution and in a vigorous health Supposing the first the Reality of this Grace be wrought in us or implanted in our Minds by the holy Ghost as a principal part of that new Nature which is the workmanship of God created in Christ Jesus unto good works yet unto the growth and improvement of it as of all other Graces our own diligent Care Watchfulness and spiritual striving in all holy Duties are required Unless the most fruitful Ground be manured it will not bring forth an useful Crop Let not any think that this frame of a Spiritual mind wherein there is a disposition unto and a readiness for all holy Thoughts of God of Christ of spiritual and heavenly things at all times and on all occasions will befall him and continue with him he knows not how As good it is for a poor man to expect to be rich in this world without Industry or a weak man to be strong and healthy without Food and Exercise as to be spiritually minded without an earnest endeavour after it It may be enquired what is requisite thereunto And we may name some of those things without which such an holy frame will not be attained As 1. A continual watch is to be kept in and on the Soul against the Incursions of vain Thoughts and Imaginations especially in such seasons wherein they are apt to obtain Advantage If they are suffer'd to make an inroad into the mind if we accustom our selves to give them entertainment if they are wont to lodge within in vain shall we hope or desire to be spiritually minded Herein consists a principal part of that duty which our Saviour so frequently so emphatically chargeth on us all namely to Watch Mark 3.37 Unless we keep a strict watch herein we shall be betray'd into the hands of our spiritual enemies for all such Thoughts are but making provision for the flesh to fullfill its desires in the lusts thereof however they may be disappointed as unto actual sin This is the substance of the advice given us in charge Prov. 4.23 Keep thy heart with all diligence for out of it are the Issues of Life 2. Careful Avoidance of all societies and businesses of this life which are apt under various pretences to draw and seduce the mind unto an earthly or sensual frame If men will venture on those things which they have found by Experience or may find by Observation that they seduce and draw off their Minds from an Heavenly frame unto that which is contrary thereunto and will not watch unto
of value or use in these things but only to support nature unto the performance of service unto God wherein they are serviceable unto eternity He never attained he never enjoyed more then dayly supplies of Bread out of the Stores of Providence and which alone he hath Instructed us to Pray for Math. 8.20 In his Cross the World proclaimed all its good qualities and all is Powers and hath given unto them that believe its naked Face to view and contemplate Nor is it now one jot more comely than it was when it had gotten Christ on the Cross. Hence is that inference and Conclusion of the Apostle Gal. 6.14 But God forbid that I should glory save in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ whereby the World is Crucifyed unto me and I unto the World Since I have believed since I have had a Sense of the Power and Vertue of the Cross of Christ I have done with all things in this World it is a dead thing unto me nor have I any affection for it This is that which made the difference between the Promises of the Old Covenant and the New For they were many of them about temporal things the good things of this World and this Life Those of the New are mostly of things Spiritual and Eternal God would not call off the Church wholly from a regard unto these things until he had given a Demonstration of their Emptiness Vanity and Insufficiency in the Cross of Christ. 2 Cor. 4.16 17 18. Whither so fast my Friend What meaneth this rising so early and going to Bed late eating the Bread of Carefulness Why this Diligence why these Contrivances why these savings and hoardings of Riches and Wealth To what end is all this Care and Councel Alas saith one it is to get that which is enough in and of this World for me and my Children to prefer them to raise an Estate for them which if not so great as others may yet be a Competency to give them some satisfaction in their Lives and some Reputation in the World Fair Pretences neither shall I ever discourage any from the exercise of Industy in their Lawful Callings But yet I know that with many this is but a pretence and covering for a shameful Engagement of their Affections unto the World Wherefore in all these things be perswaded sometimes to have an Eye to Jesus the Author and Finisher of our Faith behold how he is set before us in the Gospel poor despised reproached persecuted nailed to the Cross and all by this World Whatever be your Designs and Aims let his Cross continually interpose between your Affections and this World If you are Believers your hopes are within a few dayes to be with him for evermore Unto him you must give an Account of your selves and what you have done in this World will it be accepted with him to declare what you have saved of this World what you have gained what you have preserved and embrac'd your selves in and what you have left behind you was this any part of his Imployment and Business in this World hath he left us an Example for any such Course Wherefore no man can set his Affections on things here below who hath any regard unto the pattern of Christ or is any measure influenced with the Power and Efficacy of his Cross. My Love is Crucifyed said an Holy Martyr of old he whom his Soul Loved was so and in him his Love unto all things here below Do you therefore find your Affections ready to be engag'd unto or too much intangled with the things of this World are your Desires of encreasing them your hopes of keeping them your Fears of loosing them your Love unto them and Delight in them operative in your Minds possessing your Thoughts and influencing your Conversations Turn aside a little and by Faith contemplate the Life and Death of the Son of God a blessed Glass will it be where you may see what contemptible things they are which you perplex your selves about Oh! that any of us should love or esteem the things of this World the Power Riches Goods or Reputation of it who have had a Spiritual view of them in the Cross of Christ. It may be it will be said that the Circumstances mentioned were necessary unto the Lord Christ with respect unto the especial Work he had to do as the Saviour and Redeemer of the Church And therefore it doth not thence follow that we ought to be poor and want all things as he did I confess it doth not and therefore do all along make an allowance for honest Industry in our Callings But this follows unavoidably hereon that what he did forego and trample on for our Sake that ought not to be the Object of our Affections nor can such Affections prevaile in us if he Dwell in our Hearts by Faith Secondly He hath done the same in his Dealings with the Apostles and generally with all that have been most dear unto him and instrumental unto the Interest of his Glory in the World especially since Life and Immortality were brought to Light by the Gospel He had great work to do by the Apostles and that of the greatest use unto his Interest and Kingdom The laying of the Foundations of the glorious Kingdom of Christ in the World was committed unto them Who would not think that he should provide for them if not Principalities or Popedoms yet at least Arch-Bishopricks and Bishopricks with other good Ecclesiastical Dignities and Preferments Hereby might they have been made meet to converse with Princes and had been freed from the Contempt of the Vulgar But Infinite Wisdom did otherwise dispose of them and their Concerns in this World For as God was pleased to exercise them with the common Afflictions and Calamities of this Life which he makes use of to take off the Sweetness of present Enjoyments so they lived and died in a Condition of Poverty Distress Persecution and Reproach God set them forth as Examples as unto other ends namely of Light Grace Zeal and Holiness in their Lives so to manifest of how little Concernment unto our own Blessedness or an Interest in his Love is the abundance of all things here below as also that the want of them all may consist with the highest Participation of his Love and Favour 1 Cor. 4.9.11 12 13. For I think that God hath set forth us the Apostles Last as it were appointed to Death For we are made a Spectacle unto the World and unto Angels and to Men. Even unto this present Hour we both hunger and thirst and are naked and are buffetted and have no certain Dwelling-Place and labour working with our own hands being reviled we bless being persecuted we suffer it being defamed we intreat we are made as the Filth of the World and are the off-scouring of all things unto this Day And if the Consideration thereof be not of weight with others undoubtedly it ought to be so with
predominant in us what if we miss in our measures and that which we approve of in our selves should be disapproved of God we are cast for ever we belong unto the World and with the World we shall perish It may be said that if it be so difficult to distinguish between these things namely the lawful use of things here below and their abuse the allowable Industry about them and the inordinate Love of them on the Knowledge whereof our Eternal Conditions depends it is impossible but men must spend their time in solicitous anxiety of Mind as not knowing when they have aright discharged their Duty Ans. 1 I press these things at present no further but only to shew how dangerous a thing it is for any to encline in his Affections unto the Things of this World wherein an excess is ruinous and hardly discoverable Surely no Wise-man will venture freely and frequently unto the edge of such a Precipice He will be jealous of his Measures lest they will not hold by the Rule of the Word And a due Sense hereof is the best preservative of the Soul from cleaving inordinately unto these things below And when God in any Instance by Afflictions or otherwise shews unto Believers their Transgression herein and how they have exceeded Job 38.8 9. it makes them careful for the future They will now or never be diligent that they fall not under that peremptory Rule 1 Joh. 2.14 Secondly Where the Soul is upright and sincere there is no need in this case of any more Solicitousness or Anxiety of Mind than there is unto or about other Duties But when it is byased and acted by self-Love and its more strong Inclinations unto things present it is impossible men should enjoy Solid Peace or be freed from severe reflexions on them by their own Consciences in such Seasons wherein they are awakened unto their Duty and the Consideration of their State nor have I any thing to tender for their Relief With others it is not so and therefore I shall so far digress in this place as to give some directions unto those who in sincerity would be satisfyed in this lawful use and enjoyment of earthly things so as not to adhere unto them with inordinate Affections First Remember always that you are not Proprietors nor absolute Possessors of these things but only Stewards of them With respect unto men you are or may be just Proprietors of what you enjoy with Respect unto him who is the great Possessor of Heaven and Earth you are but Stewards This Stewardship we are to give an account of as we are taught in the Parable Luk. 16.1 2. This rule always attended unto will be a Blessed Guide in all Instancss and Occasions of Duty But if a man be left in Trust with Houses and large Possessions as a Steward for the right Lord Owner and Proprietor of them if he fall into a pleasing Dream that they are all his own and use them accordingly it will be a woful Surprisal unto him when he shall be called to account for all he hath received and laid out whether he will or no. And when indeed he hath nothing to pay It will scarce be otherwise with them at the great Day who forget the trust which is committed to them and suppose they may do what they will with what they call their own Secondly There is nothing in the ways of getting enjoying or using of these things but giveth its own Evidence unto Spiritual Wisdom whether it be within the bounds of Duty or no. Men are not lightly deceived herein but when they are evidently under the Power of corrupt Affections or will not at all attend unto themselves and the Language of their own Consciences It is a mans own Fault alone if he know not wherein he doth exceed A due Examination of our selves in the Sight of God with respect unto these things the Frame and Actings of our Minds in them will greatly give check unto our corrupt Inclinations and discover the Folly of those Reasonings whereby we deceive our selves into the Love of Earthly things or justify our selves therein and bring to Light the Secret Principle of Self-Love which is the Root of all this evil Thirdly If you would be able to make a right Judgement in this Case be sure that you have another Object for your Affections which hath a predominant Interest in your Minds and which will Evidence it self so to have on all Occasions Let a Man be never so observant of himself as unto all Outward Dutys required to him with respect unto these earthly things let him be liberal in the Disposal of them on all Occasions let him be watchful against all Intemperance and Excesses in the use of them yet if he hath not another Object for his Affections which hath a prevailing Influence upon them if they are not set upon the Things that are above one way or other it is the World that hath the Possession of his Heart For the Affections of our Minds will and must be placed in chief on things below or things above there will be a predominant Love in us and therefore although all our Actions should testify another Frame yet if God and the things of God be not the Principal Object of our Affections by one way or other unto the World we do belong this is that which is taught us so expresly by our Saviour Luk. 16.9 10 11 12 13. And I say unto you make to your selves Friends of the Mammon of Unrighteousness that when you fail they may receive you into everlasting Habitations He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much If therefore you have not been faithful in the unrighteous Mammon Who will commit to your trust the true Riches And if ye have not been faithful in that which is anothert Mans who shall give you that which is your own No Servant can serve two Masters for either he will hate the one and love the other or else he will hold to the one and despise the other ye cannot serve God and Mammon Fourthly Labour continually for the Mortification of your Affections unto the things of this World They are in the State of corrupted Nature set and fixed on them nor will any Reasonings or Considerations effectually divert them or take them off in a due manner unless they are mortifyed unto them by the Cross of Christ. Whatever Change be otherwise wrought in them it will be of no Advantage unto us It is Mortification alone that will take them off from earthly things unto the Glory of God Hence the Apostle having given us that Charge Set your Affections on things above and not on things below on the Earth Col. 3.2 Adds this as the only way and means whereby we may do so Mortify therefore your Members that are on the Earth v. 5. Let no man think that his
are two other Heads of things that offer themselves unto our Consideration First The Ways Means Arguings and Enticements which the VVorld makes use of to draw keep and secure the Affections of Men unto it self Secondly The Secret Powerful Efficacy of Grace in taking off the Heart from these things turning and drawing it unto God with the Arguments and Motives that the holy Spirit maketh use of in and by the VVord unto this End and wherein we must shew what is the Act of conquering Grace wherein the Heart is finally prevailed on to choose and adhere unto God in Love immutable But these things cannot be handled in any measure according to their nature and importance without such length of Discourse as I cannot not here divert unto I shall therefore proceed unto that which is the proper and peculiar Subject before us CHAP. XII What is required in and unto our Affections that they may be Spiritual A threefold work on the Affections described TO declare the Interest of our Affections in this Frame of being Spiritually-Minded and what they contribute thereunto I shall do these three things First Declare what is required hereunto that our Affections may be Spiritual wherein lyes the Foundation of the whole Duty Secondly What are their Actings when they are so Spiritual Thirdly What are the means whereby they may be kept and preserved in that Frame with sundry other things of the like nature How our Affections are concerned in or do belong unto the Frame of Mind enquired after hath been before declared Without Spiritual Affections we cannot be Spiritually-Minded And that they may be of this use three things are required First Their Principle Secondly Their Object Thirdly The way and manner of their Application unto their proper Object by Vertue of that Principle First As unto the Principle acting in them that our Affections may be Spiritual and the Spring of our being Spiritually-Minded it is required that they be changed renewed and in-laid with Grace Spiritual and Supernatural To clear the Sense hereof we must a little consider what is their State by Nature and then by what means they may be wrought upon as unto a Change or a Renovation For they are like unto some things which in themselves and their own Nature are poisonous but being corrected and receiving a due Temperament from a mixture of other Ingredients become Medicinal and of excellent Use. First By nature our Affections all of them are depraved and corrupted Nothing in the whole Nature of Man no Power or Faculty of the Soul is fallen under greater Disorder and Depravation by the Entrance of Sin than our Affections are In and by them is the Heart wholly gone and turned off from God Tit. 3.3 It were a long work to set forth this Depravation of our Affections nor doth it belong unto our present Design Some few things I shall briefly observe concerning it to make way unto what is proposed concerning their Change First This is the only Corruption and Depravation of our Nature by the Fall evident in and unto Reason or the Light of Nature it self Those who were wise among the Heathen both saw it and complained of it They found a weakness in the Mind but saw nothing of its darkness and depravation as unto things Spiritual But they were sensible enough of this Disorder and Tumult of the Affections in things moral which renders the Minds of men like a troubled Sea whose Waters cast up Mire and Dirt. This greatly aggravates the neglect of them who are not sensible of it in themselves seeing it is discernable in the Light of Nature Secondly They are as depraved the Seat and Subject of all Lusts both of the Flesh and of the Spirit Yea Lust or evil Concupiscence is nothing but the irregular Motion and Acting of our Affections as depraved defiled corrupted Rom. 7.9 Hence no one Sin can be mortifyed without a Change wrought in the Affections Thirdly They are the Spring Root and Cause of all actual Sin in the World Mat. 15.9 The evil Heart in the Scripture is the corrupt Affections of it with the Imaginations of the Mind whereby they are excited and acted Gen. 6.5 These are they which at this time fill the whole World with Wickedness Darkness Confusion and Terror And we may learn what is their Force and Efficacy from these Effects So the nature of the Plague is most evident when we see thousands dying of it every week Fourthly They are the way and means whereby the Soul applies it self unto all sinful Objects and Actings Hence are they called our Members our earthly Members because as the Body applies it self unto its Operations by its Members So doth the Soul apply it self unto what belongs unto it by its Affections Rom. 6.13 Col. 3.5 Fifthly They will not be under the Conduct of the Mind its Light or Convictions Rebellion against the Light of the Mind is the very form whereby their Corruption acts it self Job 24.13 Let the Apprehensions of the Mind and its Notions of Good and Evil be what they will they reject them and lead the Soul in pursuit of their Inclinations Hence no natural Man whatsoever doth in any measure answer the Light of his Mind or the Convictions of his Understanding but he sees and approves of better things following those that are worse And there is no greater Spiritual Judgement than for men to be given up unto themselves and their own evil Affections Rom. 1.26 Many other Instances might be given of the greatness of that Depravation which our Affections are fallen under by Sin these may suffice as unto our present purpose In general this Depravation of our Affections by nature may be reduced unto two Heads First An utter Aversation from God and all Spiritual things In this lyes the Spring of all that Dislike of God and his Ways that the Hearts of Men are filled withal Yea they do not only produce an Aversation from them and Dislike of them but they fill the Mind with an Enmity against them Therefore Men say in their Hearts unto God Depart from us for we desire not the Knowledge of thy Ways What is the Almighty that we should serve him Or what profit should we have if we Pray unto him Job 21.14 15. see Rom. 1.28 Chap. 8. 7 8. Secondly An inordinate cleaving unto things vain earthly and sensual causing the Soul to engage into the pursuit of them as the Horse rushes into the Battle Whil'st our Affections are in this State and Condition we are far enough from being Spiritually-Minded nor is it possible to engage them into an Adherence unto or Delight in Spiritual things In this State they may be two ways wrought upon and yet not so renewed as to be serviceable unto this End First There may be various temporary Impressions made on them sometimes there is so by the Preaching of the Word Hereon Men may hear it with joy and do many things gladly Sometimes it is so by
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
Wilderness where no Refreshment is to be obtained To make a Pretence of Coming unto God and not with Expectation of receiving good and great things from him is to despise God himself to overthrow the nature of the Duty and deprive our own Souls of all Benefit thereby And want hereof is that which renders the worship of the most useless and fruitless unto themselves VVe are alwayes to come unto God as unto an Eternal Spring of Goodness Grace and Mercy of all that our Souls do stand in need of of all we can desire in order unto our Everlasting Blessedness and all these things as unto Believers may be reduced unto the two Heads before mentioned First They come for a Communication of a Sense of his Love in Jesus Christ. Hence doth all our Peace Consolation and Joy all our Encouragement to do and suffer according to the VVill of God all our Supportments under our Sufferings solely depend In these things do our Souls live and without them we are of all Men the most miserable It is the Holy Spirit who is the immediate efficient Cause of all these things in us He sheds abroad the Love of God in our Hearts Rom. 5.5 He witnesseth our Adoption unto us Chap. 8.15 16. And thereby an Intrest in the Love of the Father in God as he is Love But the Outward Way and means whereby he communicates these things unto us and effects them in us is by the Dispensation of the Gospel or the Preaching of it ordinarily He doth the same work also in Prayer oft-times in other Holy Administrations For this end for a Participation of this Grace of these Mercies do Believers come unto God by them They use them as meanes to draw Water from the Wells of Salvation and to receive in that Spiritual Sense of Divine Love which God by them will communicate So Christ by his VVord knocks at the Door of the Heart if it be opened by Faith he cometh in and Suppeth with men giving them a gracious Refreshment by the Testimony of his own Love and the Love of the Father Rev. 3.20 Joh. 14.23 This Believers look for in and this they do in various measures receive by the Ordinances of Divine VVorship And although some through their Fears and Temptations are not sensible hereof yet do they secretly receive these blessed gracious Supplies whereby their Souls are held in Life without which they would pine away and perish So he dealeth with them Cant. 4.5 6. These are the Gardens and Galleries of Christ wherein he gives us of his Love Cant. 7.12 Those who are humble and sincere know how often their Souls have been refreshed in them and how long sometimes the Impressions they have received of Divine Grace and Love have continued with them unto their unspeakable Consolation They remember what they have received in the Opening and Application of the exceeding great and pretious Promises that are given unto them whereby they are gradually more and more made Partakers of the Divine Nature how many a time they have received Light in Darkness Refreshment under Despondencies Relief in their Conflicts with dangers and temptations in and by them For this Cause do Affections that are Spiritually renewed cleave unto them VVho can but love and delight in that which he hath found by experience to be the way and means of Communicating unto him the most invaluable Mercy the most inestimable Benefit whereof in this Life he can be made partaker He who hath found an hidden Treasure although he should at once take away the whole of it yet will esteem the place where he found it But if it be of that nature that no more can be found or taken of it at once but what is sufficient for the present Occasion yet is so full and boundless as that whenever he comes again to seek for it he shall be sure to obtain present Supply he will alwayes value it and constantly apply himself unto it And such is the Treasure of Grace and divine Love that is in the Ordinances of divine VVorship If we are Strangers unto these things if we have never received Efficatious Intimations of Divine Love unto our Souls in and by the Duties of Divine Worship we cannot love them and delight in them as we ought VVhat do men come to hear the VVord of God for What do they pray for VVhat do they expect to receive from him Do they come unto God as the Eternal Fountain of Living Waters as the God of all Grace Peace and Consolation Or do they come unto his VVorship without any Design as unto a dry and empty shew Do they fight uncertainly with these things as men beating the Air or do they think they bring something unto God but receive nothing from him that the best of their Business is to please him in doing what he commands but to receive any thing from him they expect not nor do ever examine themselves whether they have done so or no It is not for Persons who walk in such wayes ever to attain a due Delight in the Ordinances of Divine Worship Believers have other Designs herein and among the rest this in the First place that they may be a fresh made Partakers of Refreshing Comforting Pledges of the Love of God in Christ and thereby of their Adoption of the Pardon of their Sins and acceptance of their Persons According as they meet with these things in the Duties of Holy Worship publick or private so will they love value and adhere unto them Some Men are full of other Thoughts and Affections so as that these things are not their principal Design or Desire or are contented with that measure of them which they suppose themselves to have attained or at least are not sensible of the need they stand in to have fresh Communications of them made unto their Souls supposing that they can do well enough without a renewed Sense of Divine Love every Day some are so Ignorant of what they ought to design to look after in the Duties of Gospel Worship as that it is impossible they should have any real Design in them Many of the better sort of Professors are too negligent in this matter They do not long and pant in the Inward man after renewed Pledges of the Love of God They do not consider how much need they have of them that they may be encouraged and strengthened unto all other Duties of Obedience they do not prepare their Minds for their Reception of them nor come with Expectation of their Communication unto them they do not rightly fix their Faith on this Truth namely that these Holy Administrations and Duties are appointed of God in the first place as the wayes and meanes of conveying his Love and a Sense of it unto our Souls From hence springs all that Luke-warmness Coldness and Indifferency in and unto the Duties of holy Worship that are growing among us For if Men have lost the Principal Design of Faith
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
is a dangerous Symtom of an Evil State and Condition and that those in whom it is will at last be found to be but Hypocrites I know such Persons will or may have pretended Evidences unto the contrary and that they are well enough satisfyed of and with their own Sincerity in many things so as that it is impossible to fix upon the the Sense and Conviction of being but Hypocrites But this Apprehension ariseth from a false notion of Hypocrisy No man they suppose is an Hypocrite but he that generally or universally pretends himself in Religion to be what he is not and what he knows himself not to be or at least might easily do so And it is true that this is the broadest Notion of Pharisaical Hypocrisy But take an Hypoerite for him who under Light Profession Gifts Duties doth habitually and willingly fail in any Point of sincerity he is no less a perishing Hypocrite than the former and it may alter the Case with them I do not say that every one in whom there is this prevalent Decay in Spiritual Affections is an Hypocrite God forbid I only say that where it continues without Remedy it is such a Symtome of Hypocrisy as that he who is wise and hath a care of his Soul will not rest until he hath searched it unto the bottom For it seemes as if it were thus with such Persons They have had a false or imperfect Work in that Conversion unto God which they have professed Conviction of Sin Communication of Spiritual Light and Gifts Alteration upon the Affections Change of Socicty and Conversation have made it up Now it is the nature of such a Work greatly to flourish for a Season in all the principal Parts and Duties of Profession But it is in its Nature also gradually to decay until it be quite withered away In some it is lost by the Power of some vigorous Temptations and particular Lusts indulged unto ending in Worldliness and Sensuality but in the most it decayes gradually until it hath lost all its Savour and Sap see Joh. 15.3 Wherefore whil'st men find this Decay in themselves unless they are fallen under the Power of a destructive Security unless thay are hardned through be Deceitfulness of Sin they cannot but think it their Duty to examine how things stand with them whether they ever effectually closed with Christ and had the Faith of Gods Elect which works by Love seeing it is with them as though they had only a work of another nature For a Saving Work in its own nature and in the diligent use of Means Thrives and Groweth as the whole Scripture testifyeth but it is this false and imperfect working that hath no Root and is thus subject to withering Sixthly Persons in such an Estate are apt to deceive themselves with false Hopes and Notions whereby the Deceitfulness of Sin doth put forth its Power to harden them unto their Ruine Two ways there are whereby this pernitious Effect is produced The one by the prevalency of a particular Lust or Sin the other by a neglect of Spiritual Duties and a vain Conversation in the World under which the Soul pines away and consumes As unto the first of these there are three false Notions whereby the Deceitfulness of Sin deludes the Souls of Men. The First is that it is that one Sin alone wherein they would be indulged Let them be spared in this one thing and in all other they will be exact enough This is the Composition that Naaman would have made in the Matters of Religion 2 Kings 5.18 And it is that which many trust unto Hence it hath by the Event been made to appear that some Persons have lived long in the Practice of some gross Sins and yet all the while used a Semblance of great diligence in other Duties of Religion This is a false Notion whereby poor Sinners delude their own Souls For suppose it possible that a man should give himself up unto any Lust or be under the Power of it and yet be observant of all other Duties yet this would give him no Relief as unto the Eternal Condition of his Soul The Rule is peremptory unto this purpose Jam. 2.10 11. One Sin willingly lived in is as able to destroy a Mans Soul as a thousand Besides it is practically false There is no man that lives in any one known Sin but he really lives in more though that only bears the chiefest Sway. With some such Persons these Sins appear unto others who observe their Frame and Spirit though they appear not to themselves In some they are manifest in themselves although they are hidden from others 1 Tim. 5.24 But let no man relieve himself with thoughts that it is but one Sin whil'st that one Sin keeps him in a constant Neglect of God Hence Secondly They deceive themselves hereby for they Judge that although they cannot as yet shake off their Sin yet they will continue still to love God and abound in the Duties of his Worship They will not become Haters of God and his Wayes and Persecutors for all the World and therefore hope that notwithstanding this one Zoar this lesser Sin which their Constitution and their Circumstances ingage them in that it may be well with them at the last This also is a false Notion a meer Instrument in the hand of Sin to act its Deceit by For no man that willingly liveth in any Sin can love God at all as is evident in that Rule 1 Joh. 2.15 It is but a false Pretence of Love to God that any man hath who liveth in any known Sin Where God is not loved above all he is not loved at all And he is not so where men will not part with one Cursed Lust for his Sake Let not your Light deceive you nor your Gifts nor your Duties nor your Profession if you live in Sin you love not God Thirdly They determine that at such or such a Season on time after such Satisfaction given unto their Lusts or Pleasures they will utterly give over so as that Iniquity shall not be their Ruine But this is a false Notion also an effectual Instrument of the Deceitfulness of Sin He that will not now give over who will not imediately upon the Discovery of the Prevalency of any Sin and warning about it endeavour sincerely and constantly its Relinquishment say what he will and pretend what he will he never intends to give over nor is it probable in an ordinary way that ever he will do so When mens Decays are from the Prevalency of particular Sins by these and the like false Notions do they harden themselves unto Ruine For those who are pining away under Hectical Consumption a general Decay of the vital Spirits of Religion they have also false Notions whereby they deceive themselves As First that although they have some Cause to mistrust themselves yet indeed their Condition is not so bad as some may apprehend it or as they are
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
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
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
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
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