and delighted The minds of some men are apt on such occasions to be filled with thoughts of what they have received and their Affections to be wholly taken up with it But he who is Spiritually Minded will immediately retreat unto Thoughts of God placing his Delight and taking up his satisfaction in him And so on the other side great Distresses prevalent Sorrows strong Pains violent Distempers are apt of themselves to take up and exercise all the Thoughts of men about them But those who are spiritually minded will in and under them all continually betake themselves unto Thoughts of God wherein they find relief and refreshment against all that they feel or fear In every state their principal Joy is in the Remembrance of his Holiness 2. That they be accompanied with Godly Fear and Reverence These are required of us in all wherein we have to do with God Heb. 12.28 29. And as the Scripture doth not more abound with Precepts unto any Duty so the Nature of God and our own with the infinite distance between them make it indispensably necessary even in the light of the natural Conscience Infinite Greatness infinite Holiness infinite Power all which God is command the uttermost reverential fear that our nature are capable of The want hereof is the spring of innumerable evils yea indeed of all that is so Hence are blasphemous abuses of the holy Name of God in cursed Oaths and Execrations hence it is taken in vain in Ordinary Exclamations hence is all Formality in Religion It is the spiritual Mind alone that can Reconcile those things which are prescribe us as our Duty towards God To delight and Rejoyce in him alwayes to triumph in the Remembrance of him to draw nigh unto him with boldness and confidence are on the one hand prescrib'd unto us And on the other it is so that we fear and tremble before him that we fear that Great and dreadful Name the Lord our God that we have Grace to serve him with Reverence and Godly Fear because he is a consuming fire These things Carnal Reason can comprehend no consistency in what it is afraid of it cannot delight in and what it delights in it will not long fear But the Consideration of Faith concerning what God is in himself and what he will be unto us gives these different Graces their distinct Operations and a blessed Reconciliation in our Souls Wherefore all our Thoughts of God ought to be accompanied with an holy Awe and Reverence from a due sense of his Greatness Holiness and Power Two things will utterly vitiate all Thoughts of God and render them useless unto us 1. Vain Curiosity 2. Carnal Boldness It is inimaginable how the subtle disquisitions and disputes of men about the Nature Properties and Councels of God have been corrupted rendred sapless and useless by vain Curiosity and striving for an artificial Accuracy in the expression of mens apprehensions When the Wits and Minds of men are engaged in such Thoughts God is not in all their Thoughts even when all their Thoughts are concerning him When once men are got into their Metaphysical Curiosities and Logical Niceties in their Contemplations about God and his Divine Properties they bid farewell for the most part unto all Godly Fear and Reverence Others are under the power of Carnal Boldness that they think of God with no other respect than if they thought of Worms of the earth like themselves There is no holy Awfulness upon their Minds and Souls in the mention of his Name By these things may our Thoughts of God be so vitiated that the heart shall not in them be affected with a Reverence of him nor any Evidence be given that we are spiritually minded It is this holy Reverence that is the means of bringing in Sanctifying vertue into our Souls from God upon our Thoughts of him None that think of God with a due Reverence but he shall be sensible of Advantage by it Hereby do we sanctifie God in our Access unto him and when we do so he will sanctifie and purifie our hearts by those very Thoughts in which we draw nigh to him We may have many sudden occasional transient Thoughts of God that are not Introduced into our minds by a preceding Reverential Fear But if they leave not that fear on our hearts in proportion unto their continuance with us they are of no value but will insensibly habituate us unto a common bold frame of Spirit which he despises So is it in the case of Thoughts of a contrary nature Thoughts of sin of sinful Objects may arise in our minds from the Remainders of Corruption or be occasioned by the Temptations and Suggestions of Satan If these are immediately rejected and cast out of us the Soul is not more prejudiced by their entrance than it is Advantaged by their Rejection through the power of Grace But if they make frequent returns into the minds of men or make any abode or continuance in their soliciting of the Affections they greatly defile the Mind and Conscience disposing the person unto the further entertainment of them So if our occasional Thoughts of God do immediately leave us and pass away without much affecting our Minds we shall have little or no Benefit by them But if by their frequent visits and some continuance with us they dispose Souls unto an holy Reverence of God they are a blessed means of promoting our Sanctification Without this I say there may be thoughts of God unto no advantage of the Soul There is implanted on our Nature such a sence of a Divine Power and Presence as that on all sudden occasions and surprizals it will act it self according unto that sence and apprehension There is Vox Naturae clamantis ad Dominum Naturae A voice in Nature it self upon any thing that is suddenly too hard for it which cryes out immediately unto the God of Nature So men on such occasions without any consideration are surprized into a calling on the Name of God and crying unto him And from the same natural apprehension it is that wicked and profane persons will break forth on all occasions into cursed Swearing by his Name So men in such wayes have Thoughts of God without either Reverence or Godly fear without giving any Glory unto him and for the most part unto their own disadvantage Such are all thoughts of God that are not accompanyed with holy Fear and Reverence There is scarce any Duty that ought at present to be more press'd on the Consciences of men than this of keeping up a constant holy Reverence of God in all wherein they have to do with him both in private and publick in their inward Thoughts and outward Communication Formality hath so prevailed on Religion and that under the most effectual means of its suppression that very many do manifest that they have little or no Reverence of God in the most solemn Duties of his Worship and less it may be in their secret
Soul and Body 1 Thes. 5.23 When we say that we are Sanctifyed in part only we do not say that any Part Power or Faculty of the Soul is unsanctifyed but only that the work is not absolutely perfect in any of them All Sin may retain Power in some one Affection as Anger fear or Love as unto actual Irruptions and Effects more than in all the rest As one Affection may be more eminently Sanctifyed in some than in others For it may have advantages unto this End from Mens natural Tempers and various outward Circumstances Hence some find little Difficulty in the Mortification of all other Lusts or corruptions in Comparison of what they meet withal in some one inordinate Affection or Corruption This it may be David had regard unto Psal. 18.23 I have known Persons shining examplarily in all other Graces who have been scarce free from giving great Scandal by the excess of their Passions and easy Provocations thereunto And yet they have known that the setting themselves unto the sincere vigorous Mortification of that disorder is the most eminent Pledg of their Sincerity in other things For the Tryal of our self denyal lyes in the things that our natural Inclinations lye strongest towards Howbeit as was said there is no Affection where there is this Work of Renovation but it is sanctifyed and renewed none of them is left absolutely unto the Service of Sin and Satan And therefore whereas by reason of the advantages mentioned Sin doth greatly contend to use some of them unto its Interest and Service in a peculiar manner yet are they inabled unto made meet for gracious Actings and do in their proper Seasons put forth themselves accordingly There is no Affection of the Mind from whence the Soul and Conscience hath received the greatest Dammage that was as it were the Field wherein the Contest is managed between Sin and Grace but hath its Spiritual Use and Exercise when the Mind is renewed There are some so inordinately subject to Anger and passion therein as if they were absolutely under the Power and Dominion of it yet do they also know how to be angry and sin not in being angry at Sin in themselves and others Yea what Indignation yea what Revenge 2 Cor. 7.7 Yea God is pleased sometimes to leave somewhat more than ordinary of the Power of Corruption in one Affection that it may be an Occasion of the Continual Exercise of Grace in the other Affections Yet are they all sanctifyed in their Degree that which is relieved as well as that which doth relieve And therefore as the remainder of Sin in them that believe is called the old Man which is to be crucifyed in all the Members of it because of its adherence unto the whole Person in all its Powers and Faculties So the Grace implanted in our natures is called the New Man there being nothing in us that is not seasoned and affected with it As nothing in our Natures escaped the taint of Sin so nothing in our Natures is accepted from the Renovation that is by Grace He in whom any one Affection is utrerly unrenewed hath no one graciously renewed in him Let men take heed how they indulge to any depraved Affection for it will be an unavoidable Impeachment of their Sincerity Think not to say with Naaman God be merciful unto me in this thing in all others I will be for him He require the whole Heart and will have it or more The chief work of a Christian is to make all his Affections in all their Operations subservient unto the Life of God Rom. 6.17 And he who is wise will keep a continual Watch over those wherein he finds the greatest Reluctancy thereunto And every Affection is originally sanctifyed according unto the use it is to be of in the Life of Holiness and Obedience To be intire for God to follow him wholly to cleave unto him with purpose of Heart to have the Heart circumcis'd to love him is to have all our Affections renewed and sanctifyed without which we can do none of them When it is otherwise there is a double Heart an Heart and a Heart which he abhors Their Heart is divided now shall they be found faulty Hosea 10.2 So it is in the other Change mentioned What ever is or may be wrought upon our Affections when they are not Spiritually renewed That very change as unto the Degree of it is not universal it doth not affect the whole Mind in all its Powers and Affections until a vital prevailing Principle and habit of Grace is implanted in the Soul Sin will not only radically adhere unto all the Faculties Powers and Affections but it will under any Change that may befall them refer the Rule and Dominion in some of them unto it self So was it with the young Man that came unto our Lord Jesus Christ to know what he should do to obtain Eternal Life Mark 10.17 18 19 20 21 22. Thus there are many who in other things are reduced unto Moderation Sobriety and Temperance yet there remaineth in them the Love of Mony in a predominant Degree which to them is the Root of all evil as the Apostle Speaks some seem to be Religious but they bridle not their Tongues through Anger Envy Hatred and the like their Religion is in vain The most of Men in their several ways of Profession pretend not only unto Religion but unto zeal in it yet set no Bounds unto their Affections unto earthly Enjoyments Some of old who had most eminently in all other things subdued their Passions and Affections were the greatest Enemies unto and Persecutors of the Gospel Some who seem to have had a mighty Change wrought in them by a Superstitious Devotion do yet walk in the Spirit of Cain towards all the Disciples of Christ as it is with the principal Devotionists in the Church of Rome and elsewhere we may see some go soberly about the Persecution and Destruction of other Christians Some will cherish one Secret Lust or other which they cannot but know to be pernitious unto their Souls Some love the Praise of Men which will never permit them to be truely Spiritually Minded so our Saviour testifyeth of some that they could not believe because they loved the Praise of Men. This was the known Vice of all the antient Philosophers They had many of them on the Principles of Reason and by severe Exercise subdued their Affections unto great Moderation about Temporary things But in the mean time were all of them Slaves to vain glory and the praise of men untill by the publick Observation of it and some Contradictions in their Lives unto their Pretences unto Virtue they lost that also among wise and considerative Men. And generally if men not Spiritually renewed were able to search themselves they would find that some of their Affections are so far from having any change wrought in them as that they are a quiet Habitation for Sin where it exerciseth its
Obstruction unto Fruitfulness Thrnkfulness and Consolation when we are negligent in our Meditation about the Benefits that we receive by the Word and the Advantages which we have thereby For whil'st it is so with us we can neither value the Grace of God in granting us this Inestimable Priviledge nor perform any Duty with respect unto it in a right manner This renders it an especial Object of our Affections as Spiritually renewed That Secret Love unto and Heavenly Delight in the Statutes and Testimonies of God which David expresseth Psal 119. arose from the Spiritual Benefit and Advantage which he received by them as he constantly declares And the sole Reason on the other hand why men grow so careless negligent and cold in their Attendance unto the Preaching of the Word is because they have no Experience of any Spiritual Benefit or Advantage by it They have been brought unto it by one means or another mostly by conviction of their Duty Their Minds have been variously affected with it unto a Joy in the hearing of it and readiness unto sundry Duties Of Obedience But after a while when a sense of those Temporary Impressions is worn off finding no real Spiritual Benefit by it they loose all delight in it and become very indifferent as unto its Enjoyment The Frame which such Persons at length arrive unto is described Mal. 1.13 and 3.14 And none can give any greater Evidence of the Decay of all manner of Grace in them or of their being destitute of all Saving-Grace than when they apostatize from some degree of Zeal for and Delight in the Dispensation of the Word of God with such a cursed Indifferency as many are overtaken withal It cannot be otherwise For seeing this is a way and means of the Exercise of all Grace it will not be neglected but where there is a Decay of all Grace however Men may please themselves with other Pretences And when they are thus ensnared every foolish Prejudice every Provocation every wanton Opinion and Imagination will confirm them in and increase their gradual Backsliding And as it is with Believers as unto the hearing of the Word in general so it is as unto the Degrees of Advantage which they find by it VVhen Men have enjoyed the Dispensation of the Word in a peculiar manner Spiritual and Effectual if they can be content to forego it for that which is more cold and lifeless provided it possesseth the same time and outward Form with the other it is no great Evidence that their Souls do prosper It is therefore those alone who having a sense of the Efficacy of the Word on their Souls and Consciences unto all the holy Ends of it who cleave unto it with Spiritual Love and Delight They continually remember what holy Impressions it hath made on them what Engagements it hath brought their Souls into what encouragements unto Faith and Obedience it hath furnished them withal and long after renewed Sense of its Enjoyments When we do not find in our selves this Foundation of Spiritual delight in the Dispensation of the Gospel we can have no great Evidence that our Affections are renewed So also it is in the Duties of Prayer and Meditation VVhen the Soul of a Believer hath had Experience of the Communion which it hath had with God in them or either of them of the Spiritual Refreshment which it hath had from them of the Benefits and Mercies which are obtained by them in recovery from Temptations Snares Despondencies in Victory over Sin and Sathan in Spiritual Impressions working it unto an holy watchful Frame which hath abode with it in other VVayes and Occasions with the like Advantages wherewith fervent and Effectual Prayer and sincere Heavenly Meditation are accompanied it cannot but have Love unto them and Delight in them But if indeed we have no Experience of these things if we find not these Advantages in and by these Duties they cannot but be a Burden unto us nor do serve unto any other End but to satisfie Convictions He who had the benefit of a serene and wholsome Air in a recovery from many Diseases and Distempers with the Preservation of his Health so obtained will love it and prize it and so will he these Duties who hath been Partaker of any of these Saving Mercies and Priviledges wherewith they are accompanied Some have been delivered from the worst of Temptations and the nearest Approach of their Prevalency as to destroy themselves by a sudden Remembrance of the Frame of their Souls and the Intimations of Gods Love in such or such a Prayer at such a time Some have had the same Deliverance from Temptations unto Sin when they have been carried away under the Power of their Corruptions and all Circumstances have concurr'd under the Apprehensions of it a Sudden Thought of such a Prayer or Meditation with the Engagement they made of themselves therein unto God hath caused all the weapons of Sin to fall out of its hands and all the Beauties of its Allurements to disappear When others have been under the Power of such Dispondencies and Disconsolations as that no present tenders of Relief can approach unto them they have been suddenly raised and refreshed by the Remembrance of the intimate Love and Kindness between Christ and their Souls that hath evidenced it self in former Duties Multitudes in Feares Distresses and Temptations have found Relief unto their Spirits and Encouragement unto their Faith in the Remembrance of the Returnes they have had unto former Supplications in the like Distresses These are Grounds of Spiritual Delight in these Duties Heartless Lifeless wordy Prayer the Fruit of Convictions and Gifts or of Custom and outward Occasions however multiplyed and whatever Devotion they seem to be accompanied withal will never ingage Spiritual Affections unto them When these things are absent when the Soul hath not Experience of them Prayer is but a lifeless Form a dead Carcase which it would be a torment unto a Soul Spiritually alive to be tied unto There may be a Season indeed when God will seem to hide himself from Believers in their Prayers so as they shall neither find that Life in themselves which they have done formerly nor be sensible of any gracious Communications from him but this is done only for a time and principally to stir them up unto that Fervency and Preseverance in Prayer as may recover them into their former or a better Estate than yet they have attained unto The like may be said concerning all other Duties of Religion or Ordinances of Divine Worship Fourthly Believers whose Affections are Spiritually renewed do delight greatly in the duties of Divine Worship because they are the great instituted way whereby they may give Glory unto God This is the first and principal End of all Duties of Religion as they respect divine Appointment namely to ascribe and give unto God the Glory that is his due For in them all Acknowledgement is made of all the glorious Excellencies