reckon that the Sufferings of this present time are not to be compared with the Glory that shall be revealed in us there is no comparison between them as if one had as much Evil and Misery in them as the other hath of Good and Blessedness as though his State was any way to be complained of who must undergo the one whilest he hath an interest in the other or as though to escape the one he hazard the enjoyment of the other It is inseparable from our Nature to have a fear of and aversation from great distressing Sufferings that are above the power of Nature to bear Even our Lord Jesus himself having taken on him all the sinless Properties of our Natures had a fear and aversation though holy and gracious with respect unto his own Those who through a stout-heartedness do contemn them before their Approach boasting in themselves of their Abilities to undergo them censuring such as will not unadvisedly engage in them are such as seldom glorify God when they are really to conflict with them Peter alone trusted unto himself that he would not forsake his Master and seemed to take the Warning ill that they should all do so and he alone denyed him All Church Stories are filled with Instances of such as having born themselves high before the Approach of Trials have shamefully miscarried when their Trials have come Wherefore it is moreover allowed unto us to use all lawfull means for the avoiding of them Both Rules and Examples of the Scripture give sufficient warranty for it But there are Times and Seasons wherein without any Tergiversation they are to be undergone unto the Glory of God and in the discharge of our Duty confessing Christ before men as we would be owned by him before his Father in Heaven All things do now call us to prepare for such a season to be Martyrs in Resolution though we should never really lose our lives by Violence Nothing will give us this Preparation but to have our minds exercised in the Contemplation of Heavenly things of things that are Invisible and Eternal He who is thus Spiritually Minded who hath his Thoughts and Affections set on things above will have alwayes in a Readiness what to oppose unto any circumstance of his Sufferings Those views which such an one hath had by Faith of the increated Glories above of the things in Heavenly Places where Christ sits at the right hand of God of the Glory within the Vail whereby they have been realized and made present unto his Soul will now visit him every moment abide with him continually and put forth their efficacy unto his supportment and refreshment Alas what will become of many of us who are grovelling continually on the Earth whose Bellies cleave unto the Dust who are strangers unto the Thoughts of Heavenly Things when distressing troubles shall befall us Why shall we think that refreshing Thoughts of things above will then visit our Souls when we resisted their admittance in dayes of Peace Do you come to me in your distress saith Jepthe when in the time of your Peace you drove me from you When we would thus think of Heavenly things to our Refreshment we shall hardly get them to make an abode with us I know God can come in by the mighty Power of his Spirit and Grace to support and comfort the Souls of them who are called and even surprized into the greatest of Sufferings Yet do I know also that it is our Duty not to Tempt him in the neglect of the ways and means which he hath appointed for the communication of his Grace unto us Our Lord Jesus Christ himself as the Author and finisher of our Faith for the Joy that was set before him endured the Cross and despised the Shame Heb. 12.2 His Mediatory Glory in the Salvation of the Church was the Matter of the Joy set before him This he took the view and prospect of in all his Sufferings unto his Refreshment and Supportment And his Example as the Author and finisher of our Faith is more efficaciously instructive than any other Rule or Precept Eternal Glory is set before us also It is the Design of Gods Wisdom and Grace that by the contemplation of it we should relieve our selves in all our Sufferings yea and rejoyce with Joy unspeakable and full of Glory How many of those blessed Souls now in the enjoyment of God and Glory who passed through fiery Trials and great Tribulations were enabled to sing and rejoyce in the Flames by a Prepossession of this Glory in their Minds through Believing yea some have been so filled with them as to take off all sence of pain under the most exquisite Tortures When Stephen was to be Stoned to encourage him in his Sufferings and comfort him in it the Heavens were opened and he saw Jesus standing at the right hand of God Who can conceive what contempt of all the Rage and madness of the Jews what a neglect of all the pains of Death this view raised his holy Soul unto To obtain therefore such views frequently by Faith as they do who are truely Spiritually minded is the most effectual way to encourage us unto all our Sufferings The Apostle gives us the force of this encouragement in a comparison with Earthly things 1 Cor. 9.25 Every man who striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things Now they do it to obtain a corruptible Crown but we an incorruptible If men when a corruptible Crown of vain Honour and Applause is proposed unto them will do and endure all that is needfull for the Attainment of it and relieve themselves in their hardships with Thoughts and Imaginations of attaining it grounded on uncertain hopes shall not we who have a Crown immortal and invisible proposed unto us and that with the highest assurance of the enjoyment of it chearfully undergo endure and suffer what we are to go through in the way unto it 4. This is the most effectual Means to wean the heart and affections from things here below to keep the mind unto an undervaluation yea a Contempt of them as occasion shall require For there is a season wherein there is such a contempt required in us of all Relations and enjoyments as our Saviour calleth the hating of them that is not absolutely but comparatively in comparison of him and the Gospel with the Duties which belong unto our Profession Luke 14.26 If any man come to me and hate not Father and Mother and Wife and Children and Brethren and Sisters yea and his own Life also he cannot be my Disciple Some I fear if they did but consider it would be apt to say This is an hard saying who can bear it and others cry out with the Disciples in another case Lord who then can be saved But it is the Word whereby we must be judged nor can we be the Disciples of Christ on any other Terms But here in an especial manner lyes the wound and weakness of
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
and a great valuation of Earthly things with their Care about them and Converse in them they abate and decay in their Spiritual Affections every day They will abide in their Profession but have lost their first Love It is a shame and folly unutterable that it should be so with any who make Profession of that Religion wherein there are so many incomparable Excellencies to endear and ingage them to it more and more but why should we hide what Experience makes manifest in the Sight of the Sun and what multitudes proclaim concerning themselves Wherefore I look upon it as a great Evidence if not absolutely of the Sincerity of Grace yet of the Life and Growth of it when men as they grow up in age do grow in an Undervaluation of present things in contempt of the World in Duties of Charity and Bounty and decay not in any of them But I say it is usual that the Entrances of Mens Profession of Religion and Conversation unto God are attended with vigorous active Affections towards Spiritual things Of them who really and sincerely believed it is said that on their believing they rejoyced with Joy unspeakable and full of Glory And of those who only had a work of Conviction on them improved by temporary Faith that they received the Word with Joy and did many things gladly In this State do many abide and thrive until their Affections be wholly transformed into the Image and likeness of things above But with many of all sorts it is not so they fall into woful Decayes as unto their Affections about Spiritual things and consequently in their whole Profession and Conversation their Moisture becomes as the drought in Summer They have no Experience of the Life and Actings of them in themselves nor any Comfort or Refreshment from them they honour not the Gospel with any Fruits of Love Zeal or Delight nor are useful any way unto others by their Example Some of them have had seeming Recoveries and are yet again taken into a lifeless Frame Warnings Aflictions Sicknesses the Word have awakened them but they are fallen again into a dead Sleep so as that they seem to be Trees whose Fruit withereth without Fruit twice dead plucked up by the Roots Some things must be spoken unto this woful Condition in general as that which is directly opposite unto the Grace and Duty of being Spiritually Minded and contrary unto and obstructive of the Growth of Spiritual Affections in an Assimulation unto Heavenly things And what shall be spoken may be applied unto all the Degrees of these Decayes though all of them are not alike dangerous or perillous First There may be a time of Temptation wherein a Soul may apprehend in it self not only a Decay in but an utter Loss of all Spiritual Affections when yet it is not so As Believers may apprehend and Judge that the Lord hath forsaken and forgotten them when he hath not done so Isaiah 49.14 15. So they may under their Temptations apprehend that they have forsaken God when they have not done so As a man in the Night may apprehend he hath lost his way and be in great Distress when he is in his proper Road. For Temptation brings Darkness and Amazement and leads into Mistakes and a false Judgement in all things They find not it may be Grace working in Love Joy and Delight as formerly nor that Activity of Heart and Mind in Holy Duties which Spiritual Affections gave unto them But yet it may be the same Grace works in Godly Sorrow by Mourning Humiliation and Self-Abasement no less effectually nor less acceptably unto God Such as these I seperate from the present Consideration Secondly There may be a Decay in Affections themselves as unto their actings towards any Objects whatever at least as unto the outward Symptoms and Effects of them and on this ground their Opperations towards Spiritual things may be less sensible So men in their younger days may be more ready to express their Sorrow by tears and their Joy by sensible Exaltation and Motion of their Spirits than in riper Years And this may be so when there is no Decay of Grace in the Affections as renewed But 1 When it is so it is a Burthen unto them in whom it is They cannot but mourn and have a Godly-Jealousy over themselves least the Decayes they find should not be in the Outward but the Inward not in the natural but the Spiritual Man And they will labour that in all Duties and at all times it may be with them as in Dayes of old although they cannot attain Strength in them that vigour of Spirit that Life Joy Peace and Comfort which any have had Experience of Secondly There will be in such Persons no Decayes in Holiness of Life nor as unto Diligence in all Religious Duties If the Decay be really of Grace in the Affections it will be accompanied with a proportionable Decay in all other things wherein the Life of God is concerned But if it be only as unto the sensible Actings of natural Affections no such Decay will ensue Thirdly Grace will in this case more vigorously act it self in the other Faculties and Powers of the Soul as the Judgment and the Will in their Approbation of and firm adherence unto Spiritual things But Fourthly When men find or may find their Affections yet quick active and intent on other things as the lawful Enjoyments and Comforts of this Life it is in vain for them to relieve themselves that the Decayes they find are in their Affections as natural and not as they ought to be gratious If we see a man in his old age grow more in Love with the things of this World and less in Love with the things of God it is not through the weakness of nature but through the strength of Sin On these and it may be some other the like Occasions there may be an Apprehension of a Decay in Spiritual Affections when it may not be so at least not unto the Degree that is apprehended But when it is so really as it is evidently with many I had almost said with the most in these Dayes it is a woful Frame of Heart and never enough to be lamented It is that which lies in direct Contradiction unto that Spiritual-Mindedness which is Life and Peace It is a Consumption of the Soul which threatens it with Death every day It belongs not unto my Design to treat of it in particular yet I cannot let it pass without some remarks upon it it being an Evil almost epidemical among Professors and prevalent in some unto such a Degree as that they seem to be utterly forsaken of all Powers of Spiritual Life Now besides all that Folly and Sin which we before discovered as the Causes of the want of the Growth of our Affections in Spirituality and Heavenliness which in this case of their Decay are more abominable there is a multiplication of Evils wherewith this State of Heart and
which a well disposed Appetite finds unto savoury Meat As the full Soul loaths the Hony-Comb so a Mind under the Power of Carnal Affections hath an Aversation unto all Spiritual Sweetness But Spiritualized Affections desire them have an appetite unto them readily receive them on all Occasions as those which are natural unto them as milk is unto new-born Babes 2 Affections so disposed constantly find a Gust a pleasant Tast a Relish in Spiritual things They do in them tast that the Lord is gracious 1 Pet. 2.3 To tast of Gods Goodness is to have an Experience of a savoury Relish and Sweetness in Converse and Communion with him And Persons whose Affections are thus renewed and thus improved do tast a sweet Savour in all Spiritual things Some of them as a sense of the Love of Christ are sometimes as it were too hard for them and overpower them untill they are sick of Love and do rejoyce with Joy unspeakable and full of Glory Neither is there any of them however condited with Afflictions or Mortifications but it is sweet unto them Prov. 27.7 Every thing that is wholsome Food that is good Nourishment though it be but bitter Herbs is sweet to him that is hungry And when by our Affections we have raised up in us a Spiritual Appetite unto heavenly things however any of them in their own nature or in their Dispensation may be bitter to Flesh and Blood as are all the Doctrines of the Cross they are all sweet unto us and we can tast how gracious the Lord is in them When the Soul is filled with earthly things the Love of this World or when the Appetite is lost by Spiritual Sickness or vitiated and corrupted by any prevalent Sin heavenly things are unsavoury and sapless or as Job speaks like the white of an Egg wherein there is no tast There may be in the Dispensation of the Word a Tast or pleasing Relish given unto the Fancy there may be so unto the notional Understanding when the Affections find no Complacency in the things themselves But unto them who are Spiritually Minded unto the Degree intended they are all sweet savoury pleasant the Affections tast them immediately as the Palate doth Meat 3 They are a just Repository of all Graces and therein the Treasury of the Soul There are Graces of the Spirit whose formal direct Residence is in the Understanding and the Will as faith it self And therein are all other Graces radically comprized they grow from the Root Howbeit the most of them have their principal Residence in the Affections In them are they preserved secure and ready for Exercise on all Occasions And when they are duely Spiritual there is nothing that tends to their Growth or Improvement to their cherishing or quickening which they stand in need of continually and which God hath made Provision for in his Word but they reaedily receive it lay it up keep and preserve it Hereby they come to be filled with Grace with all Graces for there is room in them for all the Graces of the Spirit to inhabit and do readily comply with the Light and Direction of Faith unto their Exercise When Faith discerns and determines that there is any thing to be done or suffered in a way of Duty unto the Glory of God the Affections thus disposed do not shut up or stifle the Graces that are in them but chcarefully offer them unto their proper Exercise There are some of those things which our Affections conformed unto Heavenly things will attain unto And thus it is with Affections Spiritually renewed by being fixed on things Spiritual and Heavenly they are more and more conformed unto them made like them and become more spiritual and heavenly themselves It is not thus with them whose Affections have only an Occasional Change wrought upon them by the meanes before described but are not Spiritually renewed Yea on the contrary such Persons do design to debate Spiritual things to bring down heavenly things into a Conformity with their Affections which however changed are not Spiritual but Carnal To evince this we may observe 1 These Affections are under the Light and Conduct of such Notions in the Mind and Understanding as do not give a clear distinct Representation of them in their own nature unto them For where they are not themselves Spiritually renewed there the Mind it self is Carnal and unrenewed And such a Mind discerneth not the things of God nor can do so because they are spiritually discerned They cannot be discerned aright in their own Beauty and Glory but in and by a spiritual saving Light which the Mind is devoid of And where they are not thus represented the Affections cannot receive or cleave unto them as they ought nor will ever be conformed unto them 2 Those Notions in such Persons are oft-times variously influenced and corrupted by Fancy and Imagination They are meerly puffed up in their Fleshly Minds that is they are filled with vain foolish proud Imaginations about spiritual things as the Apostle declares Col. 2.18 19. And the work of Fancy in a fleshly mind is to raise up such Images of Spiritual things as may render them suitable unto natural unrenewed Affections 3 This in the Progress of it produceth Superstition False Worship and Idolatry For they are all of them an Attempt to represent Spiritual things in a way suited unto carnal unrenewed Affections hence men suppose themselves to be excited by them unto Love Joy Fear Delight in the things themselves when they all respect that false Representation of them whereby they are suited unto them as Carnal These have been the Spring of all false Worship and Idolatry in the Christian World First The Mind and Affections have been changed and tinctured with Devotion by some of the meanes we have before insisted on Herein they will one way or other be exercised about Spiritual things and are ready to receive impressions from any thing that Superstition can impose upon them Secondly They are by Errour and false Information set at liberty from the onely Rule of their Actings and Exercise that is the Word of God Men satisfyed themselves that so their Affections were ingaged about things Spiritual and Heavenly it was no matter at all whether the way of their Exercise was directed by the Scripture or no. Having thus lost their Guide and their Way every Igâ—u Fatuus every wandring Meteor allures them to follow its Conduct into Foolish Superstitions Nothing almost is so ridiculous nothing so Horrid and difficult that they will not embrace under the notion of things Spiritual and Heavenly Thirdly The carnal Minds of men having no Proper Distinct apprehensions and notions of Spiritual things in their own Nature do Endeavour to present them under such â—otions and Images as may suit them unto their carnal unrenewed Affections For it is implanted a most indelâ—bly upon them that the end of all Knowledge of Spiritual things is to propose them unto the Embraces of
capable of yet would he not dare to pretend that all his Affections were filled and Satisfyed with them that they afforded him perfect Rest and Peace Should he do so the working of his Mind every Day would convince him of his Falsehood and his Folly But all Spiritual things derive from and lead unto that which is infinite which is thâ—refore able to fill all our Affections and to give them full Satisfaction with Rest and Peace They all lead us to the Fountain of living Waters the Eternal Spring of Goodness and Blessedness I do not say that our Affections do attain unto this fâ—ll Rest and Satisfaction in this Life But what they come short of therein ariseth not from any defect in the things themselves to give this Rest and Satisfaction as it is with the whole World but from the weakness of our Affections themselves which are in part only renewed and cannot take in the full measures of Divine Goodness which in another World they will receive But whil'st we are here the more we receive them into our Minds and Souls the more firmly we adhere unto them the nearer Approaches we make unto our Rest and Center Secondly Spiritual things are to be considered as they are filled with Divine Wisdom I speak not of himself whose Essential Wisdom is one of the most amiable Excellencies of his holy nature but of all the Effects of his Will and Grace by Jesus Christ. All Spiritual Truths all Spiritual and Heavenly things whereby God reveales and communicates himself unto the Souls of Men and all the wayes and means of our approach unto him in Faith and Obedience through Christ Jesus I now intend All these are filled with Divine Wisdom see 1 Cor. 2.7 Eph. 3.10 Chap. 1.8 9. Now Wisdom in it self and in all the Effects of it is attractive of rational Affections Most men are brutish in them and their Actings for the most part pouring them out on things fleshly sensual and carnal But where they are at all reduced under the Conduct of Reason nothing is so attractive of them so suited unto them which they delight in as that which hath at least an appearance of Wisdom A wise and good man doth command the Affections of others unless it be their Interest to hate and oppose him as commonly it is And where there is true Wisdom in the Conduct of civil Affairs sober Men cannot but approve of it like it delight in it men of Understanding do bewail the Loss of it since Craft Falsehood Treachery and all sorts of Villany have driven it out of the world So is Divine Wisdom attractive of divine gracious Affections The Psalmist declares his Admiration of and Delight in the VVorks of God because he hath made them all in Wisdom Psal. 104.24 Those Characters of divine VVisdom which are upon them which they are filled with draw the Souls of Men into a delightful Contemplation of them But all the Treasures all the Glory of this Wisdom are laid up laid forth in the great Spiritual things of the Gospel in the Mystery of God in Christ and the Dispensation of his Grace and Goodness unto us by him The Consideration hereof fills the Souls of Believers with holy Admiration and Delight and thereon they cleave unto them with all their Affections VVhen we see there is Light in them and all other things are in Darkness that Wisdom is in them in them alone and all other things are filled with Vanity and Folly then are our Souls truely affected with them and do rejoyce in them with Joy unspeakable and full of Glory Unto the most this Wisdom of God is Foolishness It was so of old as the Apostle testifieth 1 Cor. 1. And so it continues yet to be And therefore is the Mystery of the Gospel despised by them they can see neither Form nor Comliness in it for which it should be desired Nor will ever any man have sincere Spiritual Affections unto Spiritual things who hath not a Spiritual View of the VVisdom of God in them This is that which attracts our Souls by holy Admiration unto unspeakable Delight And the Reason why Men do so generally decline from any Love unto the Gospel and lose all Satisfaction in the Mystery of it is because they are not able to discern that infinite Wisdom which is the Spring Life and Soul of it VVhen our Minds are raised unto the admiration of this VVisdom in Divine Revelations then will our affections cleave unto the things that are revealed Thirdly The acting of our affections in their adherence unto spiritual things is perfective of our present State and Condition That which of all other things doth most debase the nature of Man wherein it makes the nearest approaches unto Brutality yea whereby it becomes in some Respects more vile than the nature of Beasts is the giving up of the Affections unto things sensual unclean base and unworthy of its more noble Principles Hence are men said to debase themselves unto Hell Isai. 57.9 And their Affections do become vile so as that their being under the Power of them is an Effect of Revenging Justice punishing men for the worst of Sins Rom. 1.26 There is nothing more vile nothing more contemptible nothing more like to Beasts in Baseness and to Hell in Punishment then is the Condition of them who have enslaved their nature unto brutish sensual Affections I say vile Affections fixed on and cleaving unto sensual Objects do debase the nature of man and do both corrupt and enslave all the more noble Faculties of it the very Consciences and Minds of Men are defiled by them If you see a Man whose Affections are set inordinately on any thing here below it is easy to discern how he goes off from his native Worth and debaseth himself therein But the fixing of Spiritual Affections on Spiritual Objects is perfective of our present State and Condition Not that we can attain Perfection by it but that therein our Souls are in a Progress towards Perfection This may be granted look how much vile Affections fixed on and furiously pursuing things carnal and sensual do debase our Natures beneath its rational Constitution and make it degenerate into Bestiality so much Spiritual Affections fixed on and cleaving unto things Spiritual and Heavenly do exalt our Nature above its mere natural Capacity making an approach unto the State of Angels and of Just men made perfect And as brutish Affections when they have the Reins as they say on their Necks and are pursued with Delight and Greediness do darken the Mind and disturb all the rational Powers of the Soul for Whordom and Wine and new-Wine do take away the Heart as the Prophet speaks and Wickedness altereth the Understanding So holy Affections fixed on Spiritual things do elevate raise and enlighten the Mind with true Wisdom and Understanding For the Fear of the Lord that is Wisdom and to depart from Iniquity that is Understanding And again as the
carnally minded is death it is not meet it should be any thing else That which is Enmity against God is under the Curse of God In Opposition hereunto it is affirmed that to be spiritually minded or the minding of the Spirit is life and peace And these are the things which we are particularly to enquire into Namely What is this minding of the Spirit and then How it is Life and Peace 1. The Spirit in this Context is evidently used in a double sence as is usual where both the Holy Spirit himself and his Work on the Souls of men are related unto 1. The Person of the Spirit of God himself or the Holy Ghost is intended by it v. 9. If so be that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you And so also v. 11. The Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead He is spoken of as the principal efficient Cause of all the spiritual Mercies and Benefits here and afterwards insisted on 2. It is used for the Principle of spiritual Life wrought in all that are regenerate by the Holy Ghost For that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit Joh. 3.6 It is most probable that the name Spirit is here used in the latter sense not for the Spirit-himself but for that which is born of the Spirit the Principle of spiritual Life in them that are born of God For it is in its Nature Actings Inclinations and Operations opposed unto the flesh v. 1.4 5 But the Flesh here intended is that inherent corrupt Principle of Depraved Nature whence all evil Actions do proceed and wherewith the Actions of all Evil Men are vitiated The Opposition between them is the same with that mentioned and declared by the Apostle Gal. 5.17 18 c. Wherefore the Spirit in this Place is the holy vital Principle of new Obedience wrought in the Souls of Believers by the Holy Ghost enabling them to live unto God 2. Unto this Spirit there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ascribed which as we have intimated is translated with great Variety 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the principal Power and Act of the mind It is its Light Wisdom Prudence Knowledge Understanding and Discretion It is not so with respect unto Speculation or Ratiocination meerly which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is its Power as it is practical including the habitual frame and Inclination of the Affections also It is its faculty to conceive of things with a delight in them and adherence unto them from that suitableness which it finds in them unto all its Affections Hence we translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sometimes to think that is to conceive and judge Rom. 12.3 Sometimes to set the Affections Col. 3.2 to have such an Apprehension of things as to cleave unto them with our Affections Sometimes to mind to mind earthly things Phil. 3.19 which includeth that relish and savour which the mind finds in the things it is fixed on No where doth it design a Notional Conception of things only but principally the engagement of the Affections unto the things which the mind apprehends 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word here used expresseth the actual exercise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Power of the mind before described Wherefore the minding of the Spirit is the actual exercise of the mind as renewed by the Holy Ghost as furnished with a principle of spiritual life and light in its conception of spiritual things and the setting of its Affections on them as finding that relish and savour in them wherewith it is pleased and satisfied And something we must yet further observe to give light unto this Description of the minding of the Spirit as it is here spoken of 1. It is not spoken of absolutely as unto what it is in it self but with respect unto its Power and Prevalency in us significantly rendred to be spiritually minded that is to have the mind changed and renewed by a Principle of spiritual Life and Light so as to be continually acted and influenced thereby unto thoughts and Meditations of spiritual things from the Affections cleaving unto them with delight and satisfaction So on the contrary it is when Men mind earthly things From a Principle of love unto them arising from their suitableness unto their corrupt Affections their Thoughts Meditations and Desires are continually engaged about them Wherefore 2. Three things may be distinguished in the great Duty of being spiritually minded under which Notion it is here recommended unto us 1. The actual exercise of the Mind in its thoughts Meditations and desires about things spiritual and Heavenly So is it expressed in the Verse foregoing They that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh they think on them their contrivances are about them and their desires after them But they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit They mind them by fixing their Thoughts and Meditations upon them 2. The Inclination Disposition and frame of the mind in all its Affections whereby it adheres and cleaves unto spiritual things This minding of the Spirit resides habitually in the Affections Wherefore the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Spirit or the mind as renewed and acted by a spiritual Principle of light and life is the Exercise of its Thoughts Meditations and desires on spiritual things proceeding from the Love and delight of its Affections in them and engagement unto them 3. A Complacency of mind from that Gust Relish and Savour which it finds in spiritual things from their suitableness unto its Constitution Inclinations and desires There is a Salt in Spiritual things whereby they are condited and made savoury unto a renewed Mind though to others they are as the White of an Egge that hath no taste or savour in it In this Gust and Relish lyes the sweetness and satisfaction of spiritual Life Speculative Notions about Spiritual things when they are alone are drye sapless and barren In this Gust we taste by Experience that God is Gracious and that the Love of Christ is better than Wine or whatever else hath the most grateful relish unto a sensual Appetite This is the proper Foundation of the Joy which is unspeakable and full of Glory All these things do concurr in the minding of the Spirit or to constitute any Person spiritually minded And although the Foundation of the whole Duty included in it lyes in the Affections and their immediate Adherence unto spiritual things whence the Thoughts and Meditations of the mind about them do proceed yet I shall treat of the distinct Parts of this Duty in the Order layd down beginning with the Exercise of our Thoughts and Meditations about them For they being the first genuine Actings of the Mind according unto the Prevalency of Affections in it they will make the best and most evident discovery of what nature the Spring is from whence they do arise And I shall not need to speak
which the Souls of Believers long after as that which will give full Rest Satisfaction and Complacency is the full open perfect Manifestation of the Glory of the Wisdom Goodness and Love of God in Christ in his Person and Mediation with the Revelation of all his Councels concerning them and the communication of their effects unto us He that likes it not unto whom it is not desireable may betake himself unto Mahomets Paradise or the Philosophers Speculations in the Gospel Heaven he hath no Interest These are the things which we see now darkly as in a Glass by Faith in the view of them are our Souls gradually changed into the likeness of God and the comprehension of them is that which shall give us our utmost conformity and likeness unto him whereof our natures are capable In a sense and experience of their Reality and Goodness given us by the Holy Ghost do all our spiritual Consolations and Joyes consist The Effects produced by them in our Souls are the first fruits of Glory Our Light Sense Experience and Enjoyment of these things however weak and frequently interrupted our Apprehensions of them however dark and obscure are the only means whereby we are made meet for the Inheritance of the Saints in Light To have the eternal Glory of God in Christ with all the fruits of his Wisdom and Love whilest we are our selves under the full participation of the effects of them immediately directly revealed proposed made known unto us in a divine and glorious Light our Souls being furnished with a Capacity to behold and perfectly comprehend them this is the Heaven which according unto Gods Promise we look for But as was said these things shall be elsewere more fully treated of It is true that there are sundry other things in particular that belong unto this State of Glory But what we have mentioned is the Fountain and Spring of them all We can never have an immeditate enjoyment of God in the Immensity of his Nature nor can any created understanding conceive any such things Gods communications of himself unto us and our enjoyment of him shall be in and by the manifestation of his Glory in Christ. He who can see no Glory who is sensible of no Blessedness in these things is a stranger unto that Heaven which the Scripture reveals and which Faith leads unto It may be enquired what is the Subjective Glory or what Change is to be wrought in our selves that we may enjoy this Glory Now that consists principally as unto our Souls in the Perfection of all Grace which is initially wrought and subjectively resides in us in this world The Grace which we have here shall not be done away as unto its essence and nature though somewhat of it shall cease as unto the manner of its Operation What Soul could think with Joy of going to Heaven if thereby he must lose all his present Light Faith and Love of God though he be told that he should receive that in lieu of them which is more excellent whereof he hath no experience nor can understand of what nature it is When the Saints enter into Rest their Good Works do follow them and how can they do so if their Grace do not accompany them from whence they proceed The Perfection of our present Graces which are here weak and interrupted in their operations is a principal Eminency of the State of Glory Faith shall be heightned into Vision as was proved before which doth not destroy its Nature but cause it to cease as unto its manner of Operation towards things invisible If a man have a weak small Faith in this Life with little Evidence and no Assurance so that he doubts of all things questions all things and hath no Comfort from what he doth believe if afterwards through supplyes of Grace he hath a mighty prevailing Evidence of the things believed is filled with Comfort and Assurance this is not by a Faith or Grace of another kind than what he had before but by the same Faith raised unto an higher Degree of Perfection When our Saviour cured the Blind man and gave him hls sight Mark 8. at first he saw all things obscurely and imperfectly he saw men as Trees walking ver 24. But on another application of Vertue unto him he saw all things clearly ver 25. It was not a sight of another kind which he then received than what he had at first only its imperfection whereby he saw men like Trees walking was taken away Nor will our perfect vision of things above be a Grace absolutely of another kind from the Light of Faith which we here enjoy only what is imperfect in it will be done away and it will be made meet for the present enjoyment of things here at a distance and invisible Love shall have its Perfection also and the least Alteration in its manner of Operation of any Grace whatever And there is nothing that should more excite us to labour after a growth in Love to God in Christ than this that it shall to all Eternity be the same in its Nature and in all its Operations only both the one and the other shall be made absolutely perfect The Soul will by it be enabled to cleave unto God unchangeably with eternal Delight Satisfaction and Complacency Hope shall be perfect in Enjoyment which is all the Perfection it is capable of So shall it be as unto other Graces This subjective Perfection of our Natures especially in all the Faculties Powers and Affections of our Souls and all their Operations belongs unto our Blessedness nor can we be blessed without it All the Objective Glory in Heaven would not in our beholding and enjoyment of it if it were possible make us blessed and happy if our own Natures were not made perfect freed from all disorder irregular motions and weak imperfect Operations What is it then that must give our Nature this subjective Perfection It is that Grace alone whose beginnings we are here made partakers of For therein consists the Renovation of the Image of God in us And the perfect communication of that Image unto us is the absolute Perfection of our Natures the utmost which their capacity is suited unto And this gives us the last thing to be enquired into namely by what means in our selves we shall eternally abide in that state And this is by the unalterable Adherence of our whole Souls unto God in perfect Love and Delight This is that whereby alone the Soul reacheth unto the essence of God and the infinite incomprehensible perfections of his Nature For the perfect nature hereof Divine Revelation hath left it under a vail and so must we do also Nor do I designedly handle these things in this place but only in the way of a Direction how to exercise our Thoughts about them This is that notion of Heaven which those who are spiritually minded ought to be conversant withall And the true stating of it by Faith is
and make our Souls meet for the Reception and entertainment of him Wherefore 3. Our want of experience in the power of this Holy entercourse and communion with Christ ariseth principally from our Defect in this Duty I have known one who after a long Profession of Faith and Holiness fell into great Darkness and distress meerly on this account that he did not experience in himself the Sweetness Life and Power of the Testimonies given concerning the real Communications of the Love of Christ unto and the intimation of his Presence with Believers He knew well enough the Doctrine of it but did not feel the Power of it at least he understood there was more in it than he had experience of God carryed him by Faith through that Darkness but taught him withal that no sence of these things was to be let into the Soul but by constant Thoughtfulness and Contemplations on Christ. How many blessed visits do we lose by not being exercised unto this Duty See Cant. 5.1 2 3. Sometimes we are busie sometimes careless and negligent sometimes slothful sometimes under the power of Temptations so that we neither enquire after nor are ready to receive them This is not the way to have our Joyes abound Again I speak now with especial respect unto him in Heaven The Glory of his Presence as God and Man eternally united the Discharge of his Mediatory Office as he is at the right hand of God the Glory of his present acting for the Church as he is the Minister of the Sanctuary and the true Tabernacle which God hath fixed and not Man the Love Power and Efficacy of his Intercession whereby he takes care for the Accomplishment of the Salvation of the Church the approach of his Glorious coming unto Judgment are to be the Objects of our daily Thoughts and Meditations Let us not mistake our selves To be spiritually minded is not to have the Notions and Knowledge of spiritual things in our minds it is not to be constant no not to abound in the performance of Duties both which may be where there is no Grace in the Heart at all It is to have our Minds really exercised with delight about Heavenly things the things that are above especially Christ himself as at the right hand of God Again So think of eternal things as continually to lay them in the Ballance against all the sufferings of this Life This use of it I have spoken unto somewhat before and it is necessary it should be pressed upon all occasions It is very probable that we shall yet suffer more than we have done Those who have gone before us have done so it is foretold in the Scripture that if we will live Godly in Christ Jesus we must do so we stand in need of it and the World is prepared to bring it on us And as we must suffer so it is necessary unto the Glory of God and our own Salvation that we suffer in a due manner Meer sufferings will neither commend us unto God nor any way advantage our own Souls When we suffer acording to the will of God it is an eminent Grace Gift and Priviledge Psal. 1.29 But many things are required hereunto It is not enough that men suppose themselves to suffer for Conscience sake though if we do not so all our sufferings are in vain Nor is it enough that we suffer for this or that way of Profession in Religion which we esteem to be true and according to the Mind of God in opposition unto what is not so The Glory of Sufferings on these accounts solely hath been much sullied in the dayes wherein we live It is evident that Persons out of a natural Courage accompanied with deep radicate perswasions and having their minds influenced with some sinister ends may undergo things hard and difficult in giving Testimony unto what is not according to the Mind of God Examples we have had hereof in all Ages and in that wherein we live in an especial manner See 1 Pet. 4.14 15 16. We have had enough to take off all paint and appearance of Honour from them who in their sufferings are deceived in what they profess But men may from the same Principles suffer for what is indeed according to the Mind of God yea may give their bodyes to be burned therein and yet not to his Glory nor their own eternal Advantage Wherefore we are duely to consider all things that are requisite to make our sufferings acceptable unto God and honourable unto the Gospel I have observed in many a frame of Spirit with respect unto sufferings that I never saw good event of when it was tryed to the uttermost Boldness confidence a pretended contempt of hardships and scorning other men whom they suppose defective in these things are the Garments or Livery they wear on this Occasion Such Principles may carry men out in a bad Cause they will never do so in a good Evangelical Truth will not be honourably witnessed unto but by Evangelical Graces Distrust of our selves a due apprehension of the nature of the evils to be undergone and of our own frailty with continual Prayers to be delivered from them or supported under them and prudent care to avoid them without an inroad on conscience or neglect of Duty are much better preparations for an entrance into a state of Suffering Many things belong unto our Learning aright this first and last Lesson of the Gospel namely of bearing the Cross or undergoing all sorts of sufferings for the Profession of it But they belong not unto our present Occasion This only is that which we now press as an evidence of our sincerity in our sufferings and an effectual means to enable us chearfully to undergo them which is to have such a continual prospect of the future state of Glory so as to lay it in the Ballance against all that we may undergo For 1. To have our Minds filled and possessed with Thoughts thereof will give us an Alacrity in our entrance into sufferings in a way of Duty Other considerations will offer themselves unto our Relief which will quickly fade and disappear They are like a Cordial Water which gives a little Relief for a Season and then leaves the Spirits to sink beneath what they were before it was taken Some relieve themselves from the consideration of the Nature of their Sufferings they are not so great but that they may conflict with them and come off with safety But there is nothing of that kind so small which will not prove too hard and strong for us unless we have especial Assistance Some do the same from their Duration they are but for ten dayes or six months and then they shall be free Some from the Compassion and esteem of Men. These and the like considerations are apt to occur unto the minds of all sorts of Persons whether they are spiritually minded or no. But when our Minds are accustomed unto Thoughts of the Glory that shall be