us Col. 1.27 Christ in you the hope of Glory Where Christ evidenceth his Presence with us he gives us an infallible hope of Glory he gives us an assured Pledge of it and worketh our Souls unto an expectation of it Hope in general is but an uncertain Expectation of a future Good which we desire But as it is a Gospel Grace all uncertainty is removed from it which would hinder us of the Advantage intended in it It is an earnest Expectation proceeding from Faith Trust and Confidence accompanied with longing desires of Enjoyment From a Mistake of its Nature it is that few Christians labour after it exercise themselves unto it or have the benefit of it For to live by Hope they suppose inferres a State not only beneath the Life of Faith and all assurance in believing but also exclusive of them They think to hope to be saved is a condition of men who have no grounds of Faith or Assurance But this is to turn a Blessed fruit of the Spirit into a common Affection of nature Gospel Hope is a fruit of Faith Trust and Confidence Yea the height of the actings of all Grace issues in a well grounded hope nor can it rise any higher Rom. 5. 2 3 4 5. Now the Reason why men have no more use of no more benefit by this excellent Grace is because they do not abide in Thoughts and contemplation of the things hoped for The especial Object of Hope is Eternal Glory Col. 1.27 Rom. 5.2 The peculiar use of it is to support comfort and refresh the Soul in all Trials under all weariness and Despondencies with a firm expectation of a speedy entrance into that Glory with an earnest desire after it Wherefore unless we acquaint our selves by continual Meditation with the Reality and Nature of this Glory it is impossible it should be the Object of a vigorous active Hope such as whereby the Apostle says we are saved Whithout this we can neither have that Evidence of Eternal things nor that valuation of them nor that preparedness in our minds for them as should keep us in the exercise of Gracious Hope about them Suppose sundry Persons engaged in a Voyage unto a most remote Countrey wherein all of them have an Apprehension that there is a place of Rest and an Inheritance provided for them Under this Apprehension they all put themselves upon their Voyage to possess what is so prepared Howbeit some of them have only a general Notion of these things they know nothing distinctly concerning them and are so busied about other affairs that they have no leisure to inquire into them or do suppose that they cannot come unto any satisfactory knowledge of them in particular and so are content to go on with general Hopes and Expectations Others there are who by all possible means acquaint themselves particularly with the nature of the Climate whither they are going with the Excellency of the Inheritance and Provision that is made for them Their Voyage proves long and wearisome their Difficulties many and their Dangers great and they have nothing to relieve and encourage themselves but the Hope and expectation of the Countrey whither they are going Those of the first sort will be very apt to despond and faint their general hopes will not be able to relieve them But those who have a distinct Notion and Apprehension of the State of things whither they are going and of their incomparable Excellency have alwayes in a readiness wherewith to chear their minds and support themselves In that Journey or Pilgrimage wherein we are ingaged towards an Heavenly Countrey we are sure to meet with all kinds of dangers difficulties and Perils It is not a general Notion of Blessedness that will excite and work in us a spiritual refreshing Hope But when we think and Meditate on future Glory as we ought that Grace which is neglected for the most part as unto its benefit and dead as unto its exercise will of all others be most Vigorous and active puting it self forth on all occasions This therefore is an inestimable Benefit of the Duty exhorted unto and which they find the Advantage of who are really Spiritually minded 3. This alone will make us ready for the Cross for all sorts of Sufferings that we may be exposed unto There is nothing more necessary unto Believers at this season than to have their minds furnished with provision of such things as may prepare them for the Cross and Sufferings Various Intimations of the mind of God Circumstances of Providence the present State of things in the World with the instant Peril of the latter dayes do all call them hereunto If it be otherwise with them they will at one time or other be wofully surprized and think strange of their Trials as if some strange thing did befall them Nothing is more usefull unto this end than constant Thoughts and contemplations of Eternal things and future Glory From thence alone can the Soul have in a readiness what to lay in the Ballance against all sorts of Sufferings When a Storm begins to arise at Sea the Mariners bestir themselves in the Management of the Tackling of the Ship and other Applications of their Art for their safety But if the Storm encrease and come to extremity they are forced to forego all other means and betake themselves unto a Sheat-Anchor to hold their Ship steady against its violence So when a Storm of Persecution and Troubles begins to arise men have various wayes and considerations for their Relief But if it once comes to extremity if Sword Nakedness Famine and Death are inevitably coming upon them they have nothing to betake themselves unto that will yield them solid Relief but the consideration and Faith of things Invisible and Eternal So the Apostle declares this State of things 2 Cor. 4. 16 17 18. the words before insisted on For which cause we faint not but though our outward man perish yet the inward 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 while 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 He lays all sorts of Afflictions in one Scale and on the consideration of them declares them to be light and but for a moment Then he layes Glory in the other Scale and finds it to be ponderous weighty and Eternal an exceeding weight of Glory In the one is Sorrow for a little while in the other Eternal Joy In the one Pain for a few moments in the other everlasting Rest In the one is the loss of some few temporary things in the other the full fruition of God in Christ who is all in all Hence the same Apostle casts up the account of these things and gives us his Judgment concerning them Rom. 8.18 For I
in fears of death and the like and withall have some renewed convictions of sin in Commission or Omission of Duties and thereon do endeavour to be more spiritually minded in the constant exercise of our Thoughts on spiritual things which we fail in and these thoughts decay as our Convictions in the causes of them do wear off or are removed we have attained a very low degree in this Grace if we have any Interest in it at all Water that ariseth and floweth from a living Spring runneth equally and constantly unless it be obstructed or diverted by some violent opposition but that which is from Thunder-showers runs furiously for a season but is quickly dryed up So are those Spiritual Thoughts which arise from a prevalent internal Principle of Grace in the Heart they are even and constant unless an interruption be put upon them for a season by Temptations But those which are excited by the Thunder of convictions however their streams may be filled for a season they quickly dry up and utterly decay 2. Such Thoughts may arise in the minds of men not spiritually minded from outward means and Occasions Such I intend as are indeed usefull yea appointed of God for this End among others that they may ingenerate and stir up holy Thoughts and Affections in us But there is a difference in their use and Operation In some they excite the inward Principle of the mind to act in holy Thoughts according unto its own sanctified disposition and prevalent Affections This is their proper End and Use. In others they occasionally suggest such thoughts unto the minds of men which spring only from the Notions of the things proposed unto them With respect unto this End also they are of singular use unto the souls of men howbeit such thoughts do not prove men to be spiritually minded Where you till and manure your Land if it brings forth plentifull crops of Corn it is an Evidence that the Soil it self is good and fertile the dressing of it only gives occasion and Advantage to put forth its own Fruit-bearing Vertue But if in the tilling of Land you lay much dung upon it and it brings forth here and there an handful where the dung lay you will say the Soil is barren it brings forth nothing of it self These means that we shall treat of are as the tilling of a fruitful Soil which help it in bringing forth its fruit by exciting its own Vertue and Power They stir up holy Affections unto holy Thoughts and desires But in others whose hearts are barren they only serve as it were some of them here and there to stir up spiritual Thoughts which gives no Evidence of a gracious Heart or Spirit But because this is a matter of great Importance it shall be handled distinctly by it self CHAP. III. Outward Means and Occasions of Thoughts of such Spiritual things which do not prove men to be spiritually minded Preaching of the Word Exercise of Gifts Prayer How we may know Whether our Thoughts of spiritual things in Prayer are truly spiritual Thoughts proving us to be spiritually minded 1. SUch a Means is the preaching of the Word it self It is observed concerning many in the Gospel that they heard it willingly received it with joy and did many things gladly upon the Preaching of it And we see the same thing exemplified in multitudes every day But none of these things can be without many thoughts in the minds of such Persons about the Spiritual things of the Word For they are the Effects of such Thoughts and being wrought in the minds of men will produce more of the same Nature Yet were they all Hypocrites concerning whom these things are spoken and were never spiritually minded The cause of this Miscarriage is given us by our Saviour Math. 13.20 21. He that receiveth the seed into stony places the same is he that heareth the Word and anon receiveth it with Joy yet hath he not root in himself but dureth for a while The Good Thoughts they have proceed not from any principle in themselves Neither their Affections nor their thoughts of these things have any internal root whereon they should grow So is it with many who live under the present dispensation of the Gospel They have thoughts of spiritual things continually suggested unto them and they do abide with them more or less according as they are affected For I speak not of them who are either despisers of what they hear or way-side hearers who understand nothing of what they hear and immediately lose all sense of it all thoughts about it But I speak of them who attend with some Diligence and receive the Word with some Joy These insensibly grow in knowledge and understanding and therefore cannot be without some thoughts of spiritual things Howbeit for the most part they are as was said but like unto waters that run after a shower of rain They pour out themselves as if they proceeded from some strong living Spring whereas indeed they have none at all When once the waters of the shower are spent their Channel is dry there is nothing in it but Stones and dirt When the Doctrine of the Word falls on such Persons as showers of rain it gives a Course sometimes greater sometimes less unto their Thoughts towards spiritual things But they have not a Well of water in them springing up into Everlasting life Wherefore after a while their minds are dryed up from such thoughts nothing remains in them but earth and that perhaps foul and dirty It must be observed that the best of men the most holy and spiritually minded may have nay ought to have their Thoughts of spiritual things excited multiplyed and confirmed by the preaching of the Word It is one end of its Dispensation one principal use of it in them by whom it is received And it hath this effect two wayes 1. As it is the spiritual food of the Soul whereby its Principle of Life and Grace is maintained and strengthened The more this is done the more shall we thrive in being spiritually minded 2. As it administreth occasion unto the Exercise of Grace For proposing the proper Object of Faith Love Fear Trust Reverence unto the Soul it draws forth all those Graces into Exercise Wherefore although the Vigorous actings of spiritual thoughts be occasional from the Word be more under and after the preaching of it than at other times it is no more but what ariseth from the nature and use of the Ordinance by Gods own appointment nor is it any Evidence that those with whom it is so are not spiritually minded but on the contrary that they are Yet where men have no other thoughts of this matter but what are occasioned by the outward dispensation of the Word such thoughts do not prove them to be spiritually minded Their Endeavours in them are like those of men in a dream Under some oppression of their spirits their Imagination fixeth on something or other that is
the Text from whence the whole is educed is to manifest how it is Life and Peace which is affirmed by the Apostle This shall be done with all brevity as having passed through that which was principally designed And two things are we to enquire into 1 What is meant by Life and Peace 2 In what Sense to be Spiritually Minded is both of them 1 That Spiritual Life whereof we are made Partakers in this World is threefold or there are three Gospel Priviledges or Graces so expressed 1 There is the Life of Justification Therein the Just by Faith do live as freed from the Condemnatory Sentence of the Law So the Righteousness of one comes on all that believe unto the Justification of Life Rom. 5.18 It gives unto Believers a Right and Title to Life for they that receive the abundance of Grace and the Gift of Righteousness shall reign in Life by one Christ Jesus vers 17. This is not the Life here intended for this Life depends solely on the Soveraign Grace of God by Jesus Christ and the Imputation of his Righteousness unto us unto Pardon Right to Life and Salvation 2 There is a Life of Sanctification As Life in the foregoing sense in opposed unto Death spiritual as unto the the Guilt of it and the condemnatory Sentence of Death wherewith it was accompanied so in this it is opposed unto it as unto its internal Power on and Efficacy in the Soul to keep it under an Impotency unto all Acts of Spiritual Life yea an Enmity against them This is that Life wherewith we are quickned by Christ Jesus when before we were dead in Trespasses and Sins Ephes. 2.1 5. Of this Life the Apostle treats directly in this place for having in the first four verses of the Chapter declared the Life of Justification in the nature and Causes of it in the following he treats of Death spiritual in Sin with the Life of Sanctification whereby we are freed from it And to be Spiritually-Minded is this Life in a double Sense 1 In that it is the principal Effect and Fruit of that Life The Life it self consists in the Infusion and Communication of a Principle of Life that is of Faith and Obedience unto all the Faculties and Powers of our Soul enabling us to live unto God To be Spiritually-Minded which is a Grace whereunto many Duties do concur and that not only as to the Actings of all Grace in them but as unto the Degrees of their Exercise cannot be this Life formally But it is that wherein the Power of this Principle of Life doth in the first and chiefest place put forth it self All Actings of Grace all Duties of Obedience internal and external do proceed from this Spring and Fountain Nothing of that kind is acceptable unto God but what is influenced by it and is an Effect of it but it principally puts forth its Vertue and Efficacy in rendring our Minds Spiritual which if it effect not it works not at all that is we are utterly destitute of it The next and immediate Work of the Principle of Life in our Sanctification is to renew the Mind to make it Spiritual and thereon gradually to carry it on unto that Degree which is here called being Spiritually-Minded 2 It is the proper Adjunct and Evidence of it Would any one know whether he be Spiritually alive unto God with the Life of Sanctification and Holiness The Communication of it unto him being by an Almighty Act of creating Power Ephes 2.10 It is not easily discernable so as to help us to make a right Judgement of it from its Essence or Form But where things are in themselves indiscernable we may know them from their proper and inseperable Adjuncts which are therefore called by the Names of the Essence or the Form it self Such is this being Spiritually-Minded with respect unto the Life of Sanctification it is an inseperable Property and Adjunct of it whereby it infallibly evidenceth if self unto them in whom it is In these two respects it is the Life of Sanctification 3 Life is taken for the Comforts and Refreshments of Life So speaks the Apostle 1 Thes. 3.8 Now we live if you stand fast in the Lord now our Life will do us good we have the Comforts the Refreshments and the Joyes of it Non est vivere Sed valere vita The Comforts and Satisfactions of Life are more Life than Life it self It is Life that is that which makes Life to be so bringing in that Satisfaction those Refreshments unto it which make it pleasant and desirable And I do suppose this is that which is principally intended in the Words of the Apostle it is Life a chearful joyous Life a Life worth the living In Explication and Confirmation whereof it is added that it is Peace also Peace is twofold 1 General and absolute that is Peace with God through Jesus Christ which is celebrated in the Scripture and which is the only Original Spring and Fountain of all Consolation unto Believers that which virtually containes in it every thing that is good Useful or desirable unto them But it is not here precisely intended It is not so 1 As to the immediate ground and Cause of it which is our Justification not our Sanctification Rom. 5.1 Being justifyed by Faith we have Peace with God So Christ alone is our Peace as he who hath made Peace for us by the Blood of the Cross Ephes. 2.14 15. Hereof our being Spiritually-Minded is no way the cause or reason only it is an Evidence and Pledge of it as we shall see 2 Not as unto the formal nature of it Peace with God through the Blood of Christ is one thing and Peace in our Minds through an holy Frame in them is another The former is communicated unto us by an immediate Act of the Holy Spirit dwelling in us Rom. 5.5 The latter is an Effect on our Minds begun and gradually carryed on by the Duties we have before at large declared The immediate Actings of the holy Spirit in sealing us witnessing unto our Adoption and being an Earnest of Glory are required unto the former Our own Sedulity and Diligence in Duties and the Exercise of all Grace are required unto the latter 2 Peace is taken for a peculiar Fruit of the Spirit consisting in a gracious Quietness and Composure of Mind in the mid'st of Difficulties Temptations Troubles and such other things as are apt to fill us with Fears Despondencies and Disquietments This is that which keeps the Soul in its own Power free from Transports by Fears or Passions on all the abiding Grounds of Gospel Consolation For although this be a peculiar especial Grace yet it it that which is influenced and kept alive by the Consideration of all the Love of God in Christ and all the Fruits of it And whereas Peace includes in the first Notion of it an inward Freedom from Oppositions and Troubles which those in whom it is are outwardly exposed