Psalmist My Heart is enditing a good matter I speak of the things which I have made touching the King He was meditating on Spiritual things on the things of the Person and Kingdom of Christ. Hence his Heart bubbled up as it is in the Original a good matter It is an Allusion taken from a quick Spring of living Waters From its own life and fulness it bubbles up the water that runs and flows from it So is it with these thoughts in them that are Spiritually minded There is a living fulness of Spiritual things in their minds and Affections that springeth up into holy thoughts about them From hence doth our Saviour give us the great Description of Spiritual life It is a Well of living Water springing up into everlasting life Joh. 4.12 The Spirit with his Graces residing in the Heart of a Believer are a Well of living Water Nor is it such a Well as content with its own fulness doth not of its own accord without any Instrument or pains in drawing send out its refreshing waters as it is with most Wells though of living Water For this is spoken by our Saviour in answer and opposition unto that Objection of the Woman upon this mention of giving living water v. 10. Sir saith she thou hast nothing to draw and the Well is deep whence wilt thou have this Water V. 11. True saith he such is the nature of this Well and Water dead earthly things They are of no use unless we have Instruments Lines and Buckets to draw withall But the living Water which I shall give is of another nature It is not water to be kept in a Pit or Cistern without us whence it must be drawn but it is within us and that not dead and useless but continually springing up unto the use and refreshment of them that have it For so is it with the Principle of the New Creature of the new Nature the Spirit and his Graces in the Hearts of them that do believe It doth of it self and from it self without any external Influence on it incline and dispose the whole Soul unto spiritual Actings that tend unto Eternal Life Such are the thoughts of them that are Spiritually minded They arise from the inward Principle Inclination and Disposition of the Soul are the bublings of this Well of living water they are the mindings of the Spirit So our Saviour describes them Matth. 12.35 A Good man out of the Good Treasure of the Heart bringeth forth Good things First the Man is Good as he said before make the Tree Good or the Fruit cannot be Good v. 33. He is made so by Grace in the Change and Renovation of his Nature For in our selves we are every way evil This Good man hath a Treasure in his Heart So all men have as the next words are the evil man out of the evil Treasure of the Heart And this is the great difference that is between men in this world Every man hath a Treasure in his Heart that is a prevailing inexhaustible Principle of all his actings and operations But in some this Treasure is Good in others it is Evil. That is the prevailing Principle in the Heart which carries along with it its dispositions and Inclinations is in some Good and gracious in others it is evil Out of this Good Treasure a Good man bringeth forth Good things The first opening of it the first bringing of it forth is by these thoughts The Thoughts that arise out of the Heart are of the same nature with the Treasure that is in it If the Thoughts that naturally arise and spring up in us are for the most part vain foolish sensual earthly selfish such is the Treasure that is in our Hearts and such are we But where the Thoughts that thus naturally proceed from the Treasure that is in the Heart are spiritual and holy it is an argument that we are spiritually minded Where it is not thus with our Thoughts they give no such Evidence as that enquired after Men may have Thoughts of spiritual things and that many of them and that frequently which do not arise from this Principle but may be resolved into two other Causes 1. Inward Force 2. Outward Occasions 1. Inward Force as it may be called This is by Convictions Convictions put a kind of a force upon the mind or an Impression that causeth it to act contrary unto its own habitual Disposition and Inclination It is in the Nature of water to descend But apply an Instrument unto it that shall make a compression of it and force it unto a vent it will fly upwards vehemently as if that were its natural motion But so soon as the force of the Impression ceaseth it returns immediately unto its own proper tendency descending towards its center So is it with mens Thoughts oft-times They are earthly their natural course and motion is downwards unto the Earth and the things thereof But when any efficacious Conviction presseth on the mind it forceth the egress of its Thoughts upwards towards Heavenly things It will think much and frequently of them as if that were their proper motion and Course But so soon as the Power of the Conviction decayes or wears off that the mind is no more sensible of its force and impression the thoughts of it return again unto their old Course and Track as the water tends downwards This State and frame is graphically described Psal. 78.35 36 37. When he slew them then they sought him and they returned and enquired early after God And they remembred that God was their Rock and the high God their Redeemer Nevertheless they did but flatter him with their mouths and they lyed unto him with their tongues for their Heart was not right with him neither were they stedfast in his Covenant Men in Troubles Dangers Sickness Fears of Death or under effectual Conviction of Sin from the preaching of the Word will endeavour to think and meditate on spiritual Things Yea they will be greatly troubled that they cannot think of them more than they do and esteem it their folly that they think of any thing else But as freedom and Deliverance do approach so these thoughts decay and disappear The mind will not be compelled to give place unto them any more The Prophet gives the Reason of it Jer. 13.23 Can the Aethiopian change his skin or the Leopard his spots then may ye also do good that are accustomed unto evil They have had another haunt been taught another course the habit and Inclination of the mind lyes another way and they will no longer tend towards spiritual things than an impression is on them from their Convictions And it is an Argument of very mean Attainments of a low and weak degree in this frame of heart or in our being spiritually minded when our Thoughts of spiritual things do rise or fall according unto renewed occasional Convictions If when we are under Rebukes from God in our Persons or Relations
contract the Guilt of There are more ways of Spiritual and Eternal death than one as well as of Natural All that dye have not the Plague and all that perish eternally are not guilty of the same profligate sins The Covetous are excluded from the Kingdom of God no less severely than Fornicators Idolaters Adulterers and Thieves 1 Cor. 6.9 10. But there is a Degree in being earthly minded which they suppose their Interest Advantages Relations and Occasions of life do call for which they would be a little indulged in They may abide in such a frame without a disparagement of their Profession And the truth is they have too many companions to fear an especial Reflexion on themselves The Multitude of the Guilty take away the sense and shame of the Guilt But besides they hope well that it is not inconsistent absolutely with being spiritually minded Only they cannot well deny but that it is contrary unto such degrees in that grace such thriving in that Duty as is recommended unto them They think well of others who are Spiritually minded in an eminent degree At least they do so as unto the thing it self in general for when they come unto particular Instances of this or that man for the most part they esteem what is beyond their own Measure to be little better than pretence But in general to be Spiritually minded in an eminent degree they cannot but esteem it a thing excellent and desirable But it is for them who are more at leasure than they are their Circumstances and Occasions require them to satisfie themselves with an inferior measure To obviate such Pretences I shall insist on nothing in the Declaration of this Duty and the necessity of it but what is incumbent on all that believe and without which they have no Grounds to assure their Conscience before God And at present in general I shall say Whoever he be who doth not sincerely aim at the highest degree of being spiritually minded which the means he enjoyeth would lead him unto and which the light he hath received doth call for who judgeth it necessary unto his present Advantages Occasions and Circumstances to rest in such measures or degrees of it as he cannot but know that they come short of what he ought to aim at and so doth not endeavor after Compleatness in the Will of God herein can have no satisfaction in his own mind hath no unfailing Grounds whereon to believe that he hath any thing at all of the Reality of this Grace in him Such a Person possibly may have Life which accompanies the Essence of this Grace but he cannot have Peace which follows on its Degree in a due Improvement And it is to be feared that far the greatest number of them who satisfie themselves in this Apprehension willingly neglecting an Endeavour after the further Degrees of this Grace and growth in this Duty which their Light or Convictions and the means they enjoy do suggest unto them are indeed carnally minded and every way obnoxious unto death CHAP. II. A particular Account of the Nature of this Grace and Duty of being Spiritually minded How it is Stated in and evidenced by our Thoughts HAving Stated the General Concernments of that Frame of mind which is here recommended unto us we may proceed to enquire more particularly into the Nature of it according unto the Description before given in distinct Propositions And we shall carry on both these Intentions together First to shew What it is and wherein it doth consist and then how it doth evidence it self so as that we may frame a right Judgment whether it be in us or no. And we shall have no regard unto them who either neglect or despise these things on any pretence whatever For this is the Word according unto which we shall all shortly be Judged To be Carnally minded is Death but to be Spiritually minded is Life and Peace Thoughts and Meditations as proceeding from spiritual Affections are the first things wherein this Spiritual mindedness doth consist and whereby it doth evidence it self Our Thoughts are like the Blossoms on a Tree in the Spring You may see a Tree in the Spring all covered with Blossoms that nothing else of it appears Multitudes of them fall off and come to nothing Oft-times where there are most Blossoms there is least fruit But yet there is no fruit be it of what sort it will Good or Bad but it comes in and from some of those Blossoms The mind of man is covered with Thoughts as a Tree with Blossoms Most of them fall off vanish and come to nothing end in Vanity and sometimes where the mind doth most abound with them there is the least Fruit The Sap of the mind is wasted and consumed in them Howbeit there is no Fruit which actually we bring forth be it good or bad but it proceeds from some of these Thoughts Wherefore ordinarily these give the best and surest Measure of the Frame of mens minds As a man Thinketh in his Heart so is he Pro. 23.7 In case of strong or violent Temptations the real frame of a mans heart is not to be judged by the Multiplicity of Thoughts about any object For whether they are from Satans Suggestions or from inward Darkness trouble and horror they will impose such a continual sense of themselves on the mind as shall engage all its thoughts about them As when a man is in a Storm at Sea the current of his Thoughts runs quite another way than when he is in safety about his occasions But ordinarily Voluntary Thoughts are the best measure and indication of the frame of our minds As the nature of the Soil is judged by the Grass which it brings forth so may the disposition of the Heart by the predominancy of Voluntary thoughts They are the original acting of the Soul the way whereby the Heart puts forth and empties the Treasure that is in it the waters that first rise and flow from the fountain Every mans Heart is his Treasury and the Treasure that is in it is either Good or Evil as our Saviour tells us There is a good and bad Treasure of the Heart but whatever a man hath be it good or evil there it is This Treasure is opening emptying and spending it self continually though it can never be exhausted For it hath a Fountain in Nature or Grace which no Expence can diminish yea it increaseth and getteth strength by it The more you spend of the Treasure of your Hearts in any kind the more will you abound in Treasure of the same kind Whether it be Good or Evil it grows by Expence and Exercise And the principal way whereby it puts forth it self is by the Thoughts of the mind If the Heart be Evil they are for the most part vain filthy corrupt wicked foolish If it be under the Power of a Principle of Grace and so have a good Treasure in it it puts forth it self by thoughts suitable unto its
Nature and compliant with its inclinations Wherefore these Thoughts give the best measure of the frame of our Minds and Hearts I mean such as are Voluntary such as the mind of its own accord is apt for inclines and ordinarily betakes it self unto Men may have a multitude of Thoughts about the Affairs of their Callings and the Occasions of life which yet may give no due measure of the inward frame of their Hearts So men whose calling and work it is to study the Scripture or the things revealed therein and to preach them unto others cannot but have many Thoughts about Spiritual things and yet may be and oftentimes are most remote from being spiritually minded They may be forced by their Work and Calling to think of them early and late Evening and Morning and yet their Minds be no way rendred or proved Spiritual thereby It were well if all of us who are Preachers would diligently examine our selves herein So is it with them who oblige themselves to read the Scripture it may be so many Chapters every day notwithstanding the diligent performance of their Task they may be most remote from being spiritually minded See Ezek. 33.31 But there is a certain Track and Course of Thoughts that men ordinarily betake themselves unto when not affected with present Occasions If these be vain foolish Proud Ambitious sensual or filthy such is the mind and its frame If they be Holy Spiritual and Heavenly such may the frame of the mind be judged to be But these things must be more fully explained It is the great Character and description of the frame of mens minds in an unregenerate Condition or before the Renovation of their Natures That every Imagination of the Thoughts of their Hearts are only evil continually Gen. 6.5 They are continually coyning Figments and Imaginations in their Hearts stamping them into Thoughts that are vain foolish and wicked All other Thoughts in them are occasional these are the natural genuine product of their Hearts Hence the clearest and sometimes first discovery of the bottomless evil Treasure of filth folly and wickedness that is in the Heart of man by nature is from the innumerable multitude of evil Imaginations which are there coyned and thrust forth every day So the wicked are said to be like the troubled Sea when it cannot rest whose waters cast up mire and dirt Isa. 57.20 There is a fulness of evil in their Hearts like that of water in the Sea This fulness is troubled or put into continual Motion by their Lusts and impetuous desires Hence the mire and dirt of evil Thoughts are continually cast up in them It is therefore evident that the Predominancy of Voluntary thoughts is the best and most sure indication of the inward frame and State of the mind For if it be so on the one side as unto the Carnal mind it is so on the other as unto the Spiritual Wherefore to be spiritually minded in the first place is to have the Course and Stream of those Thoughts which we ordinarily retreat unto which we approve of as suited unto our Affections to be about spiritual things Therein consists the minding of the Spirit But because all men unless horribly profligate have thoughts about spiritual things yet we know that all men are not spiritually minded we must consider What is required unto such Thoughts to render them a certain Indication of the state of our minds And there are these three things required hereunto 1. That they be natural arising from our selves and not from outward occasions The Psalmist mentions the inward thoughts of men Psal. 49.11 64.6 But whereas all thoughts are the inward Acts of the mind it should seem that this expression makes no distinction of the especial kind of Thoughts intended from those of another sort But the difference is not in the formal Nature of them but in the Causes Springs and Occasions Inward thoughts are such as arise meerly and solely from mens inward Principles Dispositions and Inclinations that are not suggested or excited by any outward Objects Such in wicked men are those actings of their Lusts whereby they entice and seduce themselves Jam. 1.14 Their Lusts stir up thoughts leading and encouraging them to make Provision for the flesh These are their inward Thoughts Of the same Nature are those thoughts which are the minding of the Spirit They are the first natural egress and genuine acting of the habitual disposition of the Mind and Soul Thus in Covetous men there are two sorts of thoughts whereby their Covetousness acts it self First Such as are occasioned by outward Objects and Opportunities So it was with Achan Josh. 7.21 When saith he I saw among the Spoyls a goodly Babylonish Garment and two hundred Shekels of Silver and a Wedge of Gold then I coveted them His sight of them with an Opportunity of possessing himself of them excited covetous thoughts and desires in him So is it with others every day whose Occasions call them to converse with the Objects of their Lusts. And some by such Objects may be surprized into Thoughts that their minds are not habitually inclined unto And therefore when they are known it is our duty to avoid them But the same sort of Persons have thoughts of this nature arising from themselves only their own dispositions and inclinations without any outward Provocations The vile Person will speak villany and his heart will work iniquity Isa. 32.6 And this he doth as the liberal deviseth liberal things v. 8. from his own disposition and inclination he is contriving in his thoughts how to act according to them So the Vnclean Person hath two sorts of thoughts with respect unto the satisfaction of his Lusts. First Such as are occasioned in his mind by the external Objects of it Hereunto Stage-playes Revellings Dancings with the Society of bold Persons Persons of corrupt Communication do contribute their wicked Service For the avoidance of this Snare Job made a Covenant with his Eyes Chap. 31.1 And our Saviour gives that holy Declaration of the evil of it Mat. 5.28 But he hath an habitual Spring of these thoughts in himself constantly enclining and disposing him thereunto Hence the Apostle Peter tells us that such Persons have eyes full of an Adulteress that cannot cease from sin 2 Ep. 2.14 Their own Affections make them restless in their thoughts and contrivances about sin So is it with them who are given to excess in Wine or strong Drink They have pleasing thoughts raised in them from the Object of their lust represented unto them Hence Solomon gives that advice against the Occasion of them Prov. 23.31 But it is their own habitual disposition which carries them unto pleasing thoughts of the satisfaction of their Lusts which he describes v. 34 35. So is it in other Cases The thoughts of this latter sort are mens inward thoughts and such must these be of Spiritual things whence we may be esteemed spiritually minded Psal. 45.1 Saith the
so pass on Even the Countenances of some men will change hereon and they betake themselves unto an unsatisfied silence untill they can divert unto other things Some will make such replies of empty words as shall evidence their Hearts to be far enough estranged from the things proposed unto them But with others such occasional Discourses will make such Impressions on their minds as to stir up present thoughts of Spiritual things But though frequent occasions hereof may be renewed yet will such Thoughts give no evidence that any man is spiritually minded For they are not genuine from an internal Spring of Grace From these causes it is that the Thoughts of Spiritual Things are with many as Guests that come into an Inn and not like Children that dwell in the House They enter occasionally and then there is a great stir about them to provide meet entertainment for them Within a while they are disposed of and so depart unto their own occasions being neither lookt nor enquired after any more Things of another nature are attended unto New Occasions bring in new Guests for a season Children are owned in the House are missed if they are out of the way and have their daily Provision constantly made for them So is it with these occasional Thoughts about Spiritual things By one means or other they enter into the mind and there are entertained for a season On a sudden they depart and men hear of them no more But those that are Natural and Genuine arising from a living spring of Grace in the Heart disposing the mind unto them are as the Children of the House They are expected in their places and at their seasons If they are missing they are enquired after The Heart calls it self unto an Account whence it is that it hath been so long without them and calls them over into its wonted converse with them CHAP. IV. Other Evidences of Thoughts about Spiritual things arising from an Internal Principle of Grace whereby they are an Evidence of our being Spiritually Minded The abounding of these Thoughts how far and wherein such an Evidence II. THe second Evidence that our Thoughts of Spiritual things do proceed from an Internal Fountain of sanctified Light and Affections or that they are Acts or Fruits of our being Spiritually minded is that they abound in us that our minds are filled with them We may say of them as the Apostle doth of other Graces If these things are in you and abound you shall not be barren It is well indeed when our minds are like the Land of Egypt in the years of Plenty when it brought forth by handfulls when they flow from the Well of Living Water in us with a full Stream and Current But there is a measure of abounding which is necessary to evidence our being Spiritually minded in them There is a double Effect ascribed here unto this Frame of Spirit First Life and then Peace The Nature and Being of this Grace depends on the former Consideration of it namely its procedure from an Internal Principle of Grace the Effect and Consequence whereof is Life But that it is Peace also depends on this Degree and measure of the Actings of this part of it in our Spiritual Thoughts And this we must consider It is the Character of all men in the state of depraved Nature and Apostasie from God that every Imagination of the Thoughts of their Hearts is only evil continually Gen. 6.5 All Persons in that condition are not Swearers Blasphemers Drunkards Adulterers Idolaters or the like These are the vices of particular Persons the effects of particular Constitutions and Temptations But thus it is with them all and every one of them all the Imaginations of the Thoughts of their Hearts are evil and that continually Some as unto the Matter of them some as unto their End all as unto their Principle for out of the evil Treasure of the Heart can proceed nothing but what is evil That infinite multitude of open sins which is in the World doth give a clear Prospect or Representation of the Nature and Effects of our Apostasie from God But he that can consider the numberless number of Thoughts which pass through the minds of every individual Person every day all evil and that continually he will have a farther Comprehension of it We can therefore have no greater Evidence of a change in us from this State and Condition than a change wrought in the course of our Thoughts A Relinquishment of this or that particular sin is not an Evidence of a Translation from this state For as was said such particular sins proceed from particular Lusts and Temptations and are not the immediate universal Consequence of that Depravation of Nature which is equal in all Such alone is the vanity and wickedness of the Thoughts and Imaginations of the Heart A change herein is a blessed Evidence of a change of State He who is cured of a Dropsie is not immediately healthy because he may have the prevailing seeds and matter of other Diseases in him and the next day die of a Lethargy But he who from a state of Sickness is restored in the Temperature of the Mass of Blood and the Animal Spirits and all the Principles of Life and Health unto a good Crasis and Temperature his state of Body is changed The Cure of a particular sin may leave behind it the seeds of Eternal Death which they may quickly effect But he who hath obtained a change in this Character which belongs essentially unto the state of depraved Nature is spiritually recovered And the more the stream of our Thoughts is turned the more our minds are filled with those of a contrary Nature the greater and more firm is our Evidence of a Translation out of that depraved state and condition There is nothing so unaccountable as the Multiplicity of Thoughts of the minds of men They fall from them like the Leaves of Trees when they are shaken with the Wind in Autumn To have all these Thoughts all the several Figments of the Heart all the conceptions that are framed and agitated in the mind to be evil and that continually what an Hell of Horrour and Confusion must it needs be A deliverance from this Loathsom hateful state is more to be valued than the whole World Without it neither Life nor Peace nor Immortality or Glory can ever be attained The design of Conviction is to put a stop unto these Thoughts to take off from their Number and thereby to lessen their Guilt It deserves not the name of Conviction of Sin which respects only outward Actions and regards not the inward Actings of the mind And this alone will for a season make a great change in the Thoughts especially it will do so when assisted by Superstition directing them unto other Objects These two in Conjunction are the rise of all that Devotional Religion which is in the Papacy Conviction labours to put some stop and bounds unto thoughts
absolutely evil and corrupt and Superstition suggests other Objects for them which they readily embrace but it is a vain Attempt The Minds and Hearts of men are continually Minting and Coining new Thoughts and Imaginations The cogitative Faculty is always at work As the streams of a mighty River running into the Ocean so are the Thoughts of a natural man and through self they run into Hell It is a fond thing to set a Damme before such a River to curb its streams For a little space there may be a stop made but it will quickly break down all Obstacles or overflow all its bounds There is no way to divert its Course but only by providing other Channels for its Waters and turning them thereinto The mighty Stream of the evil Thoughts of men will admit of no Bounds or Dammes to put a stop unto them There are but two wayes of Relief from them the one respecting their moral Evil the other their natural Abundance The first by throwing Salt into the Spring as Elisha cured the Waters of Jericho that is to get the Heart and Mind seasoned with Grace for the Tree must be made good before the Fruit will be so The other is to turn their Streams into new Chanels putting new Aims and Ends upon them fixing them on new Objects so shall we abound in Spiritual Thoughts for abound in Thoughts we shall whether we will or no. To this Purpose is the Advice of the Apostle Ephes. 5. 18 19. And be not drunk with Wine wherein is Excess but he filled with the Spirit speaking to your selves in Psalms and Hymns and Spiritual Songs When men are drunk with Wine unto an Excess they make it quickly evident what Vain Foolish Ridiculous Imaginations it filleth their minds withall In opposition hereunto the Apostle adviseth Believers to be filled with the Spirit to labour for such a Participation of him as may fill their Minds and Hearts as others fill themselves with Wine To what End unto what Purpose should they desire such a participation of him to be so filled with him It is unto this end namely that he by his Grace may fill them with Holy Spiritual Thoughts as on the contrary men Drunk unto an Excess as filled with those that are Foolish Vain and Wicked So the words of ver 19. do declare for he adviseth us to express our abounding Thoughts in such Duties as will give an especial vent unto them Wherefore when we are Spiritually minded we shall abound in Spiritual thoughts or Thoughts of Spiritual Things That we have such Thoughts will not sufficiently Evidence that we are so unless we abound in them And this leads us unto the principal Enquiry on this Head namely what measure we ought to assign hereof how we may know when we abound in Spiritual Thoughts so as that they may be an Evidence of our being Spiritually minded I answer in general among other Scriptures read over Psal. 119. with understanding Consider therein what David expresseth of himself as unto his constant Delight in and continual Thoughts of the Law of God which was the only means of Divine Revelation at that season Try your selves by that Pattern Examine your selves whether you can truly speak the same words with him at least if not in the same Degree of Zeal yet with the same sincerity of Grace You will say that was David It is not for us it is not our Duty to be like unto him at least not to be equal with him But as far as I know we must be like him if ever we intend to come to the place where he is It will ruine our Souls if when we read in the Scripture how the Saints of God express their Experience in Faith Love Delight in God and constant Meditations on him we grant that it was so with them that they were Good and Holy men but it is not necessary that it should be so with us These things are not written in the Scripture to shew what they were but what we ought to be All things concerning them were written for Admonition 1 Cor. 10.11 And if we have not the same Delight in God as they had the same Spiritual mindedness in Thoughts and Meditations of Heavenly things we can have no Evidence that we please God as they did or shall go to that place whither they are gone Profession of the Life of God passeth with many at a very low and easie Rate Their Thoughts are for the most part vain and earthly their Communication unsavoury and sometimes corrupt their lives at best uneven and uncertain as unto the Rule of Obedience yet all is well all is Life and Peace The Holy men of old who obtained this Testimany that they Pleased God did not so walk before him They meditated continually in the Law thought of God in the night seasons spake of his Ways his Works his Praise their whole Delight was in him and in all things they followed hard after him It is the Example of David in particular that I have proposed And it is a Promise of the Grace to be administred by the Gospel that he who is feeble shall be as David Zech. 12.8 And if we are not so in his being Spiritually minded it is to be feared we are not Partakers of the Promise But that we may the better judge of our selves therein I shall add some few Rules unto this Direction by Example 1. Consider what proportion your Thoughts of Spiritual Things bears with those about other things Our principal Interest and Concern as we profess lyes in things Spiritual Heavenly and Eternal Is it not then a foolish thing to suppose that our Thoughts about these things should not hold some proportion with those about other things nay that they should not exceed them No man is so vain in earthly things as to pretend that his Principal concern lyeth in that whereof he thinks very seldom in comparison of other things It is not so with men in reference unto their Families their Trades their occasions of Life It is a truth not only consecrated by the Testimony of him who is Truth but evident also in the Light of Reason That where our Treasure is there will our Hearts be also And the Affections of our Hearts do Act themselves by the Thoughts of our minds Wherefore if our principal Treasure be as we profess in things Spiritual and Heavenly and wo unto us if it be not so on them will our Affections and consequently our Desires and Thoughts be principally fixed That we may the better Examine our selves by this Rule we must consider of what sorts mens other Thoughts are and as unto our present purpose they may be reduced unto these heads 1. There are such as are exercised about their Callings and lawful occasions These are numberless and endless especially among a sort of men who rise early and go to bed late and eat the Bread of carefulness or are particularly industrious and diligent in their
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 OR THE Grace and Duty OF BEING Spiritually-Minded Declared and Practically Improved By JOHN OWEN D. D. ROM 8.6 To be Spiritually-Minded is Life and Peace COLOS. 3.2 Set your Affections on things Above LONDON Printed by J. G. for Nathaniel Ponder at the Sign of the Peacock in the Poultry near the Church 1681. The Preface I Think it necessary to give the Reader a brief account of the nature and design of the plain ensuing Discourse which may both direct him in the reading and be some kind of Apology for my self in the publishing of it He may therefore know that the Thoughts here communicated were originally private Meditations for my own use in a season wherein I was every way unable to do any thing for the Edification of others and far from expectation that ever I should be so able any more in this World Receiving as I thought some Benefit and satisfaction in the Exercise of my own Meditations therein when God was graciously pleased to restore a little strength unto me I insisted on the same Subject in the Instruction of a private Congregation and this I did partly out of a sense of the Advantage I had received my self by being conversant in them and partly from an Apprehension that the Duties directed and pressed unto in the whole Discourse were seasonable from all sorts of present Circumstances to be declared and urged on the Minds and Consciences of Professors For leaving others unto the choice of their own Methods and Designs I acknowledge that these are the two things whereby I regulate my Work in the whole Course of my Ministry To impart those Truths of whose Power I hope I have had in some measure a real Experience and to press those Duties which present Occasions Temptations and other Circumstances do render necessary to be attended unto in a peculiar manner are the things which I would principally apply my self unto in the Work of teaching others For as in the Work of the Ministry in general the whole Councel of God concerning the Salvation of the Church by Jesus Christ is to be declared so in particular we are not to fight uncertainly as men beating the Air nor shoot our Arrows at Random without a certain Scope and Design Knowledge of the Flock whereof we are Overseers with a due Consideration of their Wants their Graces their Temptations their Light their Strength and Weakness are required herein And when in pursuance of that Design the Preparation of the Word to be dispensed proceeds from Zeal to the glory of God and Compassion unto the Souls of Men when it is delivered with the Demonstration of a due Reverence unto God whose Word it is and of Authority towards them unto whom it is dispensed with a deep sense of that great account which both they that Preach and they that hear the word Preached must shortly give before the Judgment Seat of Christ there may the a Comfortable Expectation of a Blessed Issue of the whole Work But my present Design is only to declare in particular the Reasons why I Judg'd the Preaching and Publishing of this small and plain Discourse concening the Grace and Duty of being Spiritually Minded not to be altogether unseasonable at this time in the present circumstances of of most Christians And the first thing which I would observe unto this End is the present Importunity of the World to Impose itself on the Minds of Men and the various wayes of insinuation whereby it posesseth and filleth them If it attain hereunto if it can fill the Minds the Thoughts and Affections of men with it self it will in some fortify the Soul against Faith and Obedience and in others Weaken all Grace and endanger Eternal Ruin For if we Love the World the Love of the Father is not in us And when the World fills our Thoughts it will entangle our Affections And First the Present State of all Publick Affaires in it with an apprehended concernment of Private Persons therein continually Exerciseth the Thoughts of many and is almost the only subject of their mutual converse For the World is at present in a mighty hurry and being in many places cast off from all Foundations of stedfastness it makes the Mindes of Men giddy with its Revolutions or disorderly in the Expectations of them Thoughts about these things are both allowable and unavoydable if they take not the Mind out of its own Power by their multiplicity vehemency and urgency untill it be unframed as unto Spiritual things retaining neither room nor time for their entertainment Hence Men walk and talke as if the World were all when Comparatively it is nothing And when men come with their warmed Affections reeking with thoughts of these things unto the performance of or attendance unto any Spiritual Duty it is very Difficult for them if not impossible to stir up any Grace unto a Due and vigourous exercise Unless this plausible Advantage which the World hath obtained of insinuating it self and its Occasions into the Mindes of Men so as to fill them and Possesse them be watched against and obviated so far at least as that it may not transform the Mind into its own Image and likeness this Grace of being Spiritually-Minded which is Life and Peace cannot be attained nor kept unto it's due Exercise Nor can we be any of us delivered from this Snare at this season without a watchful endeavour to keep and preserve our Minds in the Constant Contemplation of things Spiritual and Heavenly proceeding from the prevalent adherence of our Affections unto them as will appear in the ensuing discourse Again there are so great and Pregnant Evidences of the Prevalency of an Earthly Worldly Frame of Spirit in many who make Profession of Religion that it is high time they were call'd unto a due consideration how unanswerable they are therein unto the power and Spirituallity of that Religion which they do Profess There is no way whereby such a Frame may be evinced to prevaile in many yea in the Generallity of such Professiors that is not manifest unto all In their habits attires and vestments in their usual converse and mispence of time in their over liberal entertainment of themselves and others unto the borders of Excess and sundry other things of an a like nature there is in many such a Conformity unto the World a thing severely forbidden that it is hard to make a distinction between them And these things do manifest such a predominancy of Carnal Affections in the Minds of Men as whatever may be pretended unto the contrary is inconsistent with Spiritual Peace To call Men off from this evil Frame of Heart and Minde to discover the Sin and danger of it to direct them unto the wayes and meanes whereby it may be Effected to supply their Thoughts and Affections with better Objects to discover and presse that Excercise of them which is indispensiblely required of all Believers if they design Life and
Faith and Profession in these our dayes The Bellies of men cleave unto the Dust or their Affections unto earthly things I speak not of those who by Rapine Deceit and Oppression strive to enrich themselves nor of those who design nothing more than the Attainment of Greatness and Promotions in the world though not by wayes of open wickedness least of all of them who make Religion and perhaps their Ministry therein a Means for the attaining Secular ends and Preferments No wise man can suppose such persons any of them to be spiritually minded and it is most easie to disprove all their pretences But I intend only those at present whose wayes and Means of attaining Riches are lawfull honest and unblameable who use them with some moderation and do profess that their Portion lyes in better things so as it is hard to fasten a Conviction on them in matter of their conversation Whatever may seem to reflect upon them they esteem it to be that whose omission would make them foolish in their Affairs or negligent in their Duty But even among these also there is oft times that inordinate Love unto present things that esteem and valuation of them that concernment in them as are not consistent with their being Spiritually minded With some their Relations with some their Enjoyments with most both in Conjunction are an Idol which they set up in their hearts and secretly bow down unto About these are their Hopes and Fears exercised on them is their Love in them is their Delight They are wholly taken up with their own concerns count all lost that is not spent on them and all time mispent that is not engaged about them Yet the things which they do they judge to be good in themselves their hearts do not condemn them as to the Matter of them The Valuation they have of their Relations and Enjoyments they suppose to be lawful within the bounds which they have assigned unto it Their care about them is in their own minds but their Duty It is no easie matter it requires much Spiritual Wisdom to fix right boundaries unto our Affections and their actings about Earthly things But let men plead and pretend what they please I shall offer one Rule in this case which will not fail And this is that when men are so confident in the good State and measure of their affections and their Actings towards earthly things as that they will oppose their ingagements into them unto known Duties of Religion Piety and Charity they are gone into a sinfull excess Is there a State of the Poor that requires their Liberality and Bounty you must excuse them they have Families to provide for when what is expected from them signifies nothing at all as unto a due provision for their Families nor is what would lessen their Inheritances or Portions one Penny in the issue Are they called to an Attendance on seasons of Religious Duties they are so full of Business that it is impossible for them to have leisure for any such occasions so by all ways declaring that they are under the power of a prevalent predominant Affection unto earthly things This fills all places with lifeless sapless useless Professors who approve themselves in their condition whilest it is visibly unspiritual and withering The Heart will have something whereon in a way of Preheminence it will fix it self and its Affections This in all its perpetual motions it seeks for rest and satisfaction in And every man hath an Edge the Edge of his Affections is set one way or other though it be more keen in some than others And whereas all sorts of things that the Heart can fix upon or turn the Edge of its Affections unto are distributed by the Apostle into things above and things beneath things Heavenly and things Earthly if we have not such a view and prospect of Heavenly things as to cause our Hearts to cleave unto them and delight in them let us pretend what we will it is impossible but that we shall be under the power of a predominant Affection unto the things of this World Herein lyes the great Danger of Multitudes at this present season For let men profess what they will under the power of this frame their Eternal state is in hazard every moment And Persons are ingaged in it in great variety of Degrees And we may cast them under two Heads 1. Some do not at all understand that things are amiss with them or that they are much to be blamed They plead as was before observed that they are all lawful things which their hearts do cleave unto and which it is their Duty to take care of and regard May they not delight in their own Relations especially at such a time when others break and cancel all Duties and bonds of Relation in the service of and provision they make for their Lusts May they not be careful in good and honest wayes of diligence about the things of the world when the most either lavish their time away in the pursuit of bestial Lusts or heap them up by deceit and Oppression May they not contrive for the promotion of their children in the world to adde the other hundred or thousand pounds unto their Advancement that they may be in as good condition as others seeing he is worse than an Infidel who provides not for his own family By such reasonings and secret Thoughts do many justifie themselves in their earthly mindedness And so fixed they are in the Approbation of themselves that if you urge them to their Duty you shall loose their acquaintance if they do not become your Enemies for telling them the Truth Yea they will avoid one Duty that lyeth not against their earthly Interest because it leads unto another They will not ingage in Religious Assemblies or be constant unto their Duty in them for fear Dutyes of Charity should be required of them or expected from them On what Grounds such Persons can satisfie themselves that they are Spiritually-minded I know not I shall leave only one Rule with Persons that are thus minded Where our Love unto the world hath prevailed by its reasonings pleas and pretences to take away our fear and jealousy over our own hearts lest we should inordinately love it there it is assuredly predominant in us 2. Others are sensible of the evil of their hearts at least are jealous and afraid lest it should be found that their hearts do cleave inordinately unto these things Hence they endeavour to contend against this evil sometimes by forcing themselves unto such Acts of Piety or Charity as are contrary unto that frame and sometimes by labouring a change of the frame it self Especially they will do so when God is pleased to awaken them by Trials and Afflictions such as write Vanity and Emptiness on all earthly enjoyments But for the most part they strive not lawfully and so obtain not what they seem to aim at This Disease with many is mortal
a discriminating character of Believers This is no Heaven unto any others Those who have not an experience of the Excellency of these things in their initial state in this World and their incomparable Transcendency unto all other things cannot conceive how heavenly Glory and Blessedness should consist in them Unskilful men may cast away rough unwrought Diamonds as useless Stones they know not what polishing will bring them unto Nor do men unskilful in the Mysteries of Godliness judge there can be any Glory in rough unwrought Grace they know not what lustre and beauty the polishing of the Heavenly hand will give unto it It is generally supposed that however men differ in and about Religion here yet they agree well enough about Heaven they would all go to the same Heaven But it is a great Mistake they differ in nothing more they would not all go to the same Heaven How few are they who value that Heavenly State which we have treated of or do understand how any blessedness can consist in the enjoyment of it But this and no other Heaven would we go unto Other notions there may be there are of it which being but fruits and effects of mens own Imaginations the more they dwell in the contemplation of them the more carnal they may grow at best the more superstitious But spiritual Thoughts of this Heaven consisting principally in freedom from all sin in the Perfection of all Grace in the vision of the Glory of God in Christ and all the excellencies of the Divine Nature as manifested in him are an effectual Means for the improvement of spiritual Life and the encrease of all Graces in us For they cannot but effect an Assimilation in the Mind and Heart unto the things contemplated on where the Principles and Seeds of them are already inlaid and begun This is our first Direction Secondly Having fixed right Notions and Apprehensions of Heavenly things in our minds it is our Duty to think and contemplate greatly on them and our own concernment in them Without this all our Speculations concerning the nature of eternal things will be of no use unto us And unto your Encouragement and Direction take these few short Rules relating unto this Duty 1. Here lyes the great Trial whether we are spiritually minded or no by vertue of this Rule If we are risen with Christ we will mind the things that are above Col. 3.3 2. Here lyes the great Means whereby we may attain further degrees in that blessed frame of mind if it be already formed in us by vertue of that Rule Beholding the Glory of God as in a Glass we are changed into the same Image from Glory to Glory 2 Cor. 3.18 3. Here lyes the great Evidence whether we have a real interest in the things above or no whether we place our Portion and Blessedness in them by vertue of that Rule Where our Treasure is there will our Hearts be also Are they our Treasure our Portion our Reward in comparison whereof all other things are but loss and dung we shall assuredly be conversant in our minds about them 4. It cannot be imagined that a man should have in him a Principle cognate and suited unto things above of the same kind and nature with them that his Soul should be under the conduct of those habits of Grace which strive and naturally tend unto Perfection labouring greatly here under the weight of their own weaknesses as it is with all who are truely Spiritually Minded and yet not have his Thoughts greatly exercised about these things 1 Joh. 3.3 It were well if we would trye our selves by things of so uncontroulable Evidence What can any object unto the Truth of these things or the Necessity of this Duty If it be otherwise with us it is from one of these two causes either we are not convinced of the Truth and Reality of them or we have no delight in them because we are not spiritually minded Do we think that men may turmoyl themselves in earthly Thoughts all the day long and when they are freed of their Affairs betake themselves unto those that are vain and useless without any stated converse with things above and yet enjoy Life and Peace We must take other measures of things if we intend to live unto God to be like him and to come unto the enjoyment of him What is the matter with men that they are so stupid They all generally desire to go to Heaven at least when they can live here no longer Some indeed have no other regard unto it but only that they would not go to Hell But most would dye the Death of the Righteous and have their latter end like his yet few there are who endeavour to attain a right Notion of it to try how it is suited unto their Principles and Desires but content themselves with such general notions of it as please their Imaginations It is no wonder if such Persons seldom exercise their Minds or Thoughts about it nor do they so much as pretend to be Spiritually minded But as for those who are instructed in these things who profess their chiefest Interest to lye in them not to abound in Meditation concerning them it argues indeed that whatever they profess they are earthly and carnal Again Meditate and think of the Glory of Heaven so as to compare it with the opposite state of Death and eternal Misery Few men care to think much of Hell and the Everlasting Torments of the Wicked therein Those do so least who are in most danger of falling thereinto They put far from them the evil day and suppose their Covenant with Death and Hell to be sure Some begin to advance an Opinion that there is no such Place because it is their Interest and Desire that there should be none Some out of Profaneness make a Scoffe at it as though a future Judgment were but a Fable Most seem to think that there is a Severity in thoughts about it which it is not fit we should be too much terrified withal Some transient Thoughts they will have of it but not suffer them to abide in their minds lest they should be too much discomposed Or they think it not consistent with the Goodness of Christ to leave any men in that condition whereas there is more spoken directly of Hell its Torments and their Eternity by himself self 〈◊〉 in all the Scripture besides These Thoughts â—â—â—…ost proceed from an unwillingness to be troubled 〈◊〉 their sins and are useful unto none It is the height of Folly for men to endeavour the hiding of themselves for a few Moments from that which is unavoidably coming upon them unto Eternity and the due consideration whereof is a means for an Escape from it But I speak only of true Believers And the more they are conversant in their Thoughts about the future estate of Eternal Misery the greater Evidence they have of the Life and confidence of Faith It is a necessary Duty
Many a good Beginning hath been utterly ruined by this occasion and Temptation Privacy and Opportunity have overthrown many such persons in the best of their Resolutions And they are so unto all persons not yet flagitiously wicked Cursed fruits proceed every day from these Occasions We need no other Demonstration of their Power and Efficacy in Tempting unto sin but the visible Effects of them And what they are unto any they may be unto all if not diligently watched against So the Apostle reflects on the shameful things that are done in the dark in a concurrence of Secresie and Opportunity This therefore gives a Just season unto Thoughts of the Omnipresence and Omniscience of God and they will not be wanting in some measure in them that are spiritually minded God is in this place the darkness is no darkness unto him Light and Darkness are with him both alike are sufficient considerations to lay in the Ballance against any Temptation springing out of Secresie and Opportunity One Thought of the actual presence of the holy God and the open view of his all-seeing eye will do more to cool those Affections which Lust may put into a tumult on such occasions than any other consideration whatever A speedy Retreat hereunto upon the first perplexing Thought wherewith Temptation assaults the Soul will be its strong Tower where it shall be safe 2. A second Season calling for the Exercise of our minds in Thoughts of the Omnipresence and Omniscience of God is made up of our Solitudes and Retirements These give us the most genuine Tryals whether we are spiritually minded or no. What we are in them that we are and no more But yet in some of them as in Walking and Journeyings or the like vain Thoughts and foolish Imaginations are exceeding apt to solicit our minds Whatever is stored up in the Affections or Memory will at such a time offer it self for our present entertainment And where men have accustomed themselves unto any sort of things they will press on them for the possession of their Thoughts as it were whether they will or no. The Psalmist gives us the way to prevent this evil Psal. 16.7 8. I will bless the Lord who hath given me counsel my reins also instruct me in the night season I have set the Lord alwayes before me because he is at my Right hand His Reins that is his Affections and secret Thoughts gave him counsel and instructed him in all such seasons But whence had they that wisdom and faithfulness In themselves they are the seat of all Lusts and Corruptions nor could do any thing but seduce him into an evil frame It was from hence alone that he set the Lord alwayes before him Continual Apprehensions of the presence of God with him kept his Mind his Heart and Affections in that Awe and Reverence of him as that they alwayes instructed him unto his Duty But as I remember I spake somewhat as unto the due management of our Thoughts in this Season before 3. Times of great Difficulties Dangers and Perplexities of mind thereon are a season calling for the same Duty Suppose a man is left alone in his Tryals for the Profession of the Gospel as it was with Paul when all men forsook him and no man stood by him Suppose him to be brought before Princes Rulers or Judges that are fill'd with Rage and armed with Power against him all things being disposed to affect him with dread and terrour It is the Duty of such a one to call off his Thoughts from all things visibly present and to fix them on the Omnipresence and Omniscience of God He sits amongst those Judges though they acknowledge him not He rules over them at his pleasure He knows the cause of the Oppressed and justifies them whenever the world condemns and can deliver them when he pleaseth With the Thoughts hereof did those holy Souls support themselves when they stood before the fiery countenance of the bloody Tyrant on the one hand and the burning fiery Furnace on the other Dan. 3.14 Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace and he will deliver us out thine hand O King But if not be it known unto thee O King that we will not serve thy Gods nor worship the Golden Image which thou hast set up Thoughts of the Presence and Power of God gave them not only comfort and supportment under their distress when they were alone and helpless but Courage and Resolution to defie the Tyrant to his face And when the Apostle was brought before Nero that Monster of cruelty and villany and all men forsook him he affirms that the Lord stood by him and strengthened him 2 Tim. 4.17 He refreshed himself with Thoughts of his presence and had the blessed fruit of it Wherefore on such occasions when the Hearts of men are ready to quake when they see all things about them fill'd with dread and Terrour and all help far away it is I say their duty and wisdom to abstract and take off their Thoughts from all outward and present appearances and to fix them on the presence of God This will greatly change the Scene of things in their minds and they will find that Strength and Power and Wisdom are on their side alone all that appears against them being but vanity folly and weakness So when the Servant of Elisha saw the place where they were compassed with an Host both Horses and Chariots that came to take them he cryed out for fear Alas my Master how shall we do But upon the prayer of the Prophet the Lord opening the eyes of the young man to see the Heavenly guard that he had sent unto him the mountain being full of Horses and Chariots of fire round about Elisha his fear and trouble departed 2 Kings 6.15 16 17. And when in the like Extremity God opens the Eye of Faith to behold his glorious Presence we shall no more be afraid of the dread of men Herein did the Holy Martyrs triumph of Old and even despised their bloody Persecutors Our Saviour himself made it the ground of his supportment on the like occasion John 16.32 Behold saith he to his Disciples his only Friends the hour cometh yea is now come that ye shall be scattered every one to his own and leave me alone and yet I am not alone because the Father is with me Can we but possess our Souls with the Apprehension that when we are left alone in our tryals and dangers from any countenance of Friends or help of men yet that indeed we are not alone because the Father is with us it will support us under our despondencies and enable us unto our Duties 4. Especial Providential warnings call for Thoughts of Gods Omnipresence and Omniscience So Jacob in his nightly Vision instantly made this Conclusion God is in this place and I knew it not We have frequently such warnings given unto us Sometimes we have so in
are two other Heads of things that offer themselves unto our Consideration First The Ways Means Arguings and Enticements which the VVorld makes use of to draw keep and secure the Affections of Men unto it self Secondly The Secret Powerful Efficacy of Grace in taking off the Heart from these things turning and drawing it unto God with the Arguments and Motives that the holy Spirit maketh use of in and by the VVord unto this End and wherein we must shew what is the Act of conquering Grace wherein the Heart is finally prevailed on to choose and adhere unto God in Love immutable But these things cannot be handled in any measure according to their nature and importance without such length of Discourse as I cannot not here divert unto I shall therefore proceed unto that which is the proper and peculiar Subject before us CHAP. XII What is required in and unto our Affections that they may be Spiritual A threefold work on the Affections described TO declare the Interest of our Affections in this Frame of being Spiritually-Minded and what they contribute thereunto I shall do these three things First Declare what is required hereunto that our Affections may be Spiritual wherein lyes the Foundation of the whole Duty Secondly What are their Actings when they are so Spiritual Thirdly What are the means whereby they may be kept and preserved in that Frame with sundry other things of the like nature How our Affections are concerned in or do belong unto the Frame of Mind enquired after hath been before declared Without Spiritual Affections we cannot be Spiritually-Minded And that they may be of this use three things are required First Their Principle Secondly Their Object Thirdly The way and manner of their Application unto their proper Object by Vertue of that Principle First As unto the Principle acting in them that our Affections may be Spiritual and the Spring of our being Spiritually-Minded it is required that they be changed renewed and in-laid with Grace Spiritual and Supernatural To clear the Sense hereof we must a little consider what is their State by Nature and then by what means they may be wrought upon as unto a Change or a Renovation For they are like unto some things which in themselves and their own Nature are poisonous but being corrected and receiving a due Temperament from a mixture of other Ingredients become Medicinal and of excellent Use. First By nature our Affections all of them are depraved and corrupted Nothing in the whole Nature of Man no Power or Faculty of the Soul is fallen under greater Disorder and Depravation by the Entrance of Sin than our Affections are In and by them is the Heart wholly gone and turned off from God Tit. 3.3 It were a long work to set forth this Depravation of our Affections nor doth it belong unto our present Design Some few things I shall briefly observe concerning it to make way unto what is proposed concerning their Change First This is the only Corruption and Depravation of our Nature by the Fall evident in and unto Reason or the Light of Nature it self Those who were wise among the Heathen both saw it and complained of it They found a weakness in the Mind but saw nothing of its darkness and depravation as unto things Spiritual But they were sensible enough of this Disorder and Tumult of the Affections in things moral which renders the Minds of men like a troubled Sea whose Waters cast up Mire and Dirt. This greatly aggravates the neglect of them who are not sensible of it in themselves seeing it is discernable in the Light of Nature Secondly They are as depraved the Seat and Subject of all Lusts both of the Flesh and of the Spirit Yea Lust or evil Concupiscence is nothing but the irregular Motion and Acting of our Affections as depraved defiled corrupted Rom. 7.9 Hence no one Sin can be mortifyed without a Change wrought in the Affections Thirdly They are the Spring Root and Cause of all actual Sin in the World Mat. 15.9 The evil Heart in the Scripture is the corrupt Affections of it with the Imaginations of the Mind whereby they are excited and acted Gen. 6.5 These are they which at this time fill the whole World with Wickedness Darkness Confusion and Terror And we may learn what is their Force and Efficacy from these Effects So the nature of the Plague is most evident when we see thousands dying of it every week Fourthly They are the way and means whereby the Soul applies it self unto all sinful Objects and Actings Hence are they called our Members our earthly Members because as the Body applies it self unto its Operations by its Members So doth the Soul apply it self unto what belongs unto it by its Affections Rom. 6.13 Col. 3.5 Fifthly They will not be under the Conduct of the Mind its Light or Convictions Rebellion against the Light of the Mind is the very form whereby their Corruption acts it self Job 24.13 Let the Apprehensions of the Mind and its Notions of Good and Evil be what they will they reject them and lead the Soul in pursuit of their Inclinations Hence no natural Man whatsoever doth in any measure answer the Light of his Mind or the Convictions of his Understanding but he sees and approves of better things following those that are worse And there is no greater Spiritual Judgement than for men to be given up unto themselves and their own evil Affections Rom. 1.26 Many other Instances might be given of the greatness of that Depravation which our Affections are fallen under by Sin these may suffice as unto our present purpose In general this Depravation of our Affections by nature may be reduced unto two Heads First An utter Aversation from God and all Spiritual things In this lyes the Spring of all that Dislike of God and his Ways that the Hearts of Men are filled withal Yea they do not only produce an Aversation from them and Dislike of them but they fill the Mind with an Enmity against them Therefore Men say in their Hearts unto God Depart from us for we desire not the Knowledge of thy Ways What is the Almighty that we should serve him Or what profit should we have if we Pray unto him Job 21.14 15. see Rom. 1.28 Chap. 8. 7 8. Secondly An inordinate cleaving unto things vain earthly and sensual causing the Soul to engage into the pursuit of them as the Horse rushes into the Battle Whil'st our Affections are in this State and Condition we are far enough from being Spiritually-Minded nor is it possible to engage them into an Adherence unto or Delight in Spiritual things In this State they may be two ways wrought upon and yet not so renewed as to be serviceable unto this End First There may be various temporary Impressions made on them sometimes there is so by the Preaching of the Word Hereon Men may hear it with joy and do many things gladly Sometimes it is so by
Judgements Dangers Sicknesses Apprehensions of the approach of Death Psal. 34 78.35 37. These things take men off for a season from their greedy Delight in earthly things and the pursuit of the Interest of Lust in making Provision for the Flesh. On many other Occasions by great variety of Causes there may be temporary Impressions made on the Affections that shall seem for a season to have turned the stream of them And thereon we have many who every day will be wholly as it were for God resolved to forsake Sin and all the Pleasures of it but the next return unto all their former Excesses For this is the Effect of those Impressions that whereas Men ordinarily are predominantly acted by Love Desire and Delight which lead them to act according unto the true natural Principles of the Soul now they are for a Season acted by Fear and Dread which put a kind of Force on all their Inclinations Hereon they have other thoughts of Good and Evil of Things Eternal and Tmporal of God and their own Duty for a season And hereon some of them may and do perswade themselves that there is a Change in their Hearts and Affections which there is not like a Man who perswades himself that he hath lost his Ague because his present Fit is over The next trial of Temptation carries them away again unto the World and Sin There are sometimes sudden Impressions made on Spiritual Affections which are always of great Advantage to the Soul renewing its Engagements unto God and Duty So was it with Jacob Gen. 28.16 17 18 19 20. So is it often with Believers in hearing the Word and other Occasions On all of them they renew their cleavings unto God with Love and Delight But the Effect of these Impressions on unrenewed Affections are neither Spiritual nor durable Yea for the most part they are but Checks given in the Providence of God unto the raging of their Lusts. Psal. 9.20 Secondly They are liable unto an habitual Change This the Experience of all Ages gives Testimony to There may be an habitual Change wrought in the Passions and Affections of the Mind as unto the inordinate and violent pursuit of their Inclinations without any gracious Renovation of them Education Philosophy or Reason long Afflictions Spiritual Light and Gifts have wrought this Change So Saul upon his Call to be King became another Man Hereby Persons naturally passionate and furious have been made sedate and moderate and those who have been sensual have become temperate yea and haters of Religion to be Professors of it All these things and many more of the like nature have proceeded from a Change wrought upon the Affections only whil'st the Mind Will and Conscience have been totally unsanctified By this Change where it is alone no man ever became Spiritually-Minded For whereas there are two parts of the Depravation of our Affections that whereby they are turned off from God and that whereby they inordinately cleave unto other things their Change principally if not only respects the latter They are brought into some Order with respect unto present things The Mind is not continually tossed up and down by them as the Waves of the Sea that are troubled and cast up mire and dirt They do not carry those in whom they are into vitious sensual Actions but they allow them to make Vertue in Moderation Sobriety Temperance Fidelity and Usefulness in several Ways to be their Design And it is admirable to think what Degrees of Eminency in all sorts of Moral Vertues upon this one Principle of moderating the Affections even many among the Heathens attained unto But as unto their Aversation from God and Spiritual things in the true Spiritual Notion of them they are not cured by this Change At least this Change may be and yet this latter not be wrought Again This Alteration doth but turn the Course or Stream of Mens Affections it doth not change the Nature of them They are the same in their Spring and Fountain as ever they were only they are habituated unto another Course than what of themselves they are inclined unto You may take a young Whelp of the most fierce and savage Creatures as of a Tygar or a Wolf and by custom or usage make it as tame and harmless as any domestick Creature a Dog or the like But although it may be turned unto quite another way or course of acting than what it was of it self enclined unto yet its nature is not changed And therefore frequently on Occasion Opportunity or Provocation it will fall into its own savage Inclination And having tasted of the Blood of Creatures it will never be reclaimed So is it with the depraved Affections of men with respect unto their Change their streams are turned they are habituated unto a new Course their Nature is not altered at least not from rational unto Spiritual from earthly unto heavenly Yet this is that which was most beautiful and desirable in nature the Glory of it and the utmost of its Attainments He who has by any means proceeded unto such a moderation of his Affections as to render him kind benign patient useful preferring publick Good before private inordinate and temporate in all things will rise up in Judgement against those who professing themselves to be under the Conduct of the Light of Grace do yet by being morose angry selfish wordly manifest that their Affections are not subdued by the Power of that Grace Wherefore that we may be Spiritually-minded there is yet another work upon our Affections required which is their internal Renovation whereby not only the Course of their Actings is changed but their Nature is altered and Spiritually renewed I intend that which is expressed in that great Evangelical Promise Isai. 17.6 7 8 9. The Wolf shall dwell with the Lamb the Leopard shall lye down with the Kid and the Calf and the young Lion and the Fatlings together and a little Child shall lead them and the Cow and the Bear shall feed their young ones shall lye down together and the Lion shall eat Straw like the Ox and the sucking Child shall play on the hole of the Asp and the weaned Child shall put his Hand on the Cockatrice Den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy Mountain A Change and Alteration is promised in the Natures Principles and first Inclinations of the worst and most Savage Sinners who pass under the Power of Gospel Grace This is that which is required of us in a way of Duty Ephes. 4.13 And be ye renewed in the Spirit of your Minds There is a Renovation of the Mind it self by the Communication of Spiritual Saving Light and Understanding thereunto whereof I have treated elsewhere at large see Rom. 12.2 Ephes. 1.17 18. But the Spirit of the Mind that whereby it is enlivened lead and disposed unto its Actings that is to be renewed also The Spirit of the Mind is in this Place opposed unto
Mind is accompanied For First It is that which of all things the Lord Christ is most displeased with in Churches or Professors He pitties them in their Temptations he suffers with them in their Persecution he interceeds for them on their Surprizal but threatens them under their Spiritual Decayes Rev. 2.4 5. Chap. 3.2 This he cannot bear with as that which both reflects Dishonour upon himself and which he knows to be ruinous unto those in whom it is He will longer bear with them who are utterly dead than with those who abide under these Decayes Rev. 3.15 16. This is the only Case wherein he threatens to reject and cast off a Professing Church to take away his Candlestick from it unless it be that of False Worship and Idolatry He that spake thus unto the Churches of old speaks now the same unto us for he lives for ever and is alwayes the same and his Word is living and unchangeable There is not one of us who are under this Frame but the Lord Christ by his Word and Spirit testifyeth his displeasure against us and if he be against us who shall plead for us Consider what he says in this Case Revel 2.5 Chapter 3.3 O who can stand before these dreadful Intimations of his Displeasure The Lord help us to mind it least he in whom we profess to place our only trust be in our Tryal found our greatest Enemy Take heed of such sins as Christ himself our only Advocate hath put a mark upon as those which he will not save us in Secondly It is that wherewith above all things the Holy Spirit is grieved His work it is to give Grace an Encrease and Progress in our Souls He begins it and he carries it on And there can be no greater grief unto a wise and gratious Worker than to have his work decay and go backward under his hand This is the Occasion of those Complaints of God which we find in the Scripture of the unprofitableness and backsliding of Men after the use of means and remedies for their Fruitfulness and Cure What saith he could I have done more for my Vineyard than I have done Why then when I looked for Grapes did it bring forth wild Grapes Can any thing be apprehended to be such a just matter of Grief and Complaint unto the Holy Spirit to see and find those whom he had once raised up unto Holy and Heavenly Affections so as that their Delights were in and their Thoughts much upon the things that are above to become Earthly or sensual to have no sensible Actings of any of his Graces in them which is the State of them who are under the Power of Spiritual Decayes And this is the only cause wherein God speaks unto men in the way of complaint and Expostulation and useth all sorts of Arguments to convince them of their Folly herein When a wise tender and careful Parent hath been diligent in the use of all means for the Education of his Child and he for some time hath given good hopes of himself finds him to slacken in his diligence to be careless in his calling to delight in evil Company how solicitous is his heart about him how much is he grieved and affected with his miscarriage The heart of the Spirit of God is infinitely more tender towards us than that of the most affectionate Parent can be towards an only Child And when he with Cost and Care hath nourished and brought us up unto some Growth and Progress in Spiritual Affections wherein all his Concerns in us do lye for us to grow cold dul earthly-Minded to cleave unto the Pleasures or Lusts of this World how is he grieved how is he provoked It may be this Consideration of grieving the Holy Spirit is of no great weight with some they should have little Concernment herein if they could well free themselves in other Respects but let such Persons know it is impossible for them to give a greater Evidence of a profligate hardness in Sin Thirdly This is that which in an especial manner provoketh the Judgements of God against any Church as was intimated before When in the Order of Profession and Worship any Church hath a Name to live but as to the Power of Grace acting in the Affections is dead when it is not so cold as to forsake the external Institutions of Worship nor so hot as to enliven their Duties with Spiritual Affections the Lord Christ will not long bear with them yea Judgement will suddenly break out towards such an House of God Fourthly It is absolutely inconsistent with all Comfortable Assurance of the Love of God Whatever Persons under the Power of such a Frame pretend unto of that kind it is sinful Security not gracious Assurance or Peace And constantly as Professors grow cold and decay in their Spiritual Affections Stupidity of Conscience and Security of Mind do grow also uâ—on them It is so I say unless they are sometimes surprised or overtaken with some greater Sin which reflects severely on their Consciences and casts them for a time under Troubles and Distresses But that Peace with God and a comfortable Assurance of Salvation should be consistent with an habitual Decay in Grace especially in those Graces which should act themselves in our Affections is contrary to the whole Tenour and Testimony of the Scripture and the Supposition of it would be the Bane and Poyson of Religion I do not say that our Assurance and Peace with God do arise wholly from the Actings of Grace in us there are other Causes of them whereinto they are principally resolved But this I say under an habitual Declension or Decay of Grace in the Spirituality of our Affections no man can keep or maintain a gracious Sense of the Love of God or of Peace with him And therefore there is no Duty more severely to be pressed on all at this Day than a diligent Examination and Trial of the grounds of their Peace least it should be with any of them as it was with Luodicen who was satisfyed in her good State and Condition when it was most miserable and almost desperate Yea I must say that it is impossible that many Professors whom we see and converse withal should have any solid Peace with God Do men gather Figs from Thorns or Grapes from Thistles It is a Fruit that will not grow on a vain earthly selfish Frame of Mind and Conversation And therefore such Persons whatever they pretend are either asleep in a sinful Security or live on most uncertain Hopes which probably may deceive them Nothing can be so ruinous unto our Profession as once to suppose it is an easy Matter a thing of Course to maintain our Peace with God God forbid but that our utmost Diligence and continued Endeavours to thrive in every Grace should be required thereunto The whole Beauty and Glory of our Religion depends hereon To be Spiritually-Minded is Life and Peace 5. Such a decay as that described
warned it is And this ariseth from hence that they have not as yet been overtaken with any enormous Sin which hath filled their Consciences with Terror and Disquietment But this is a false Notion also for every Decay is dangerous especially such as the Mind is ready to plead for and to countenance it self in Secondly They are prone to suppose that this Decay doth not arise from themselves and the Evil of their own Hearts but from their Circumstances Business present Occasion and State of Life which when they are freed from they will at least return unto their former Love and Delight in Spiritual things But this is a false Notion also by vertue of that Rule Heb. 3.12 Let mens Circumstances and Occasions of Life be what they will all their Departures from God are from an Evil Heart of Unbelief Thirdly They judge it no hard matter to retrive themselves out of this State but that which they can easily do when there is an absolute Necessity of it But this is a false Notion also Recovery from backsliding is the hardest task in Christian Religion and which few make either comfortable or honourable work of In this State I say men are apt by such false reasonings to deceive themselves unto their eternal Ruine which makes the consideration of it the more necessary Wherefore I say lastly upon the whole that who so find themselves under the Power of this wretched Frame who are sensible in themselves or at least make it evident unto others that they are under a Decay in their Spiritual Condition if they rest in that State without groaning labouring endeavouring for deliverance from it they can have no well grounded hopes in themselves of Life and Immortality yea they are in those Paths which go down unto the Chambers of Death I cannot let this pass without something of advice unto them who find themselves under such decayes are sensible of them and would be delivered from them and I shall give it in a few Words First Remember former things call to mind how it was with you in the Spring and vigour of your Affections and compare your present State Enjoyment Peace and Quiet with what they were then This will be a great Principle of Return to God Hos. 2.7 And to put a little weight upon it we may consider First God himself makes it on his part a ground and reason of his Return unto us in a way of Mercy and of the Continuance of his Love Jer. 2.2 Even when a People are under manifold Decays whil'st yet they are within the Bounds of Gods Covenant and Mercy he will remember their first Love with the Fruits and Actings of it in Tryals and Temptations which moves his Compassion towards them And the way to have God thus remember it is for us to remember with Delight and longing of Soul that it were with us as in those Dayes of old when we had the Love of Espousals for God in Christ Jeremiah 31.18 19 20. Secondly It is the way whereby the Saints of old have refreshed and encouraged themselves under their greatest Despondencies So doth the Psalmist in many places as for Instance Psal. 42.6 O my God my Soul is cast down within me therefore will I remember thee from the Land of Jordan and of the Hermonites from the Hill Missar David in the time of his Persecution by Saul when he wandred up and down in Deserts Wildernesses and Solitudes had under his Fears Distresses and Exercise great holy Spiritual Communion with God as many of his Psalms composed on such Occasions do testify And the greater his distresses were the more fervent were his Affections in all his Adresses unto God And he was never in greater than when he escaped out of the Cave at Adullam and went thence unto Mizpheh of Moab to get shelter for his Parents 1 Sam. 22.13 Then was he in the Land of the Hermonites the Hill Hermon being the boundary eastward of the Israelites Possession next to Moab Deut. 3.8 9. There no doubt David had a blessed Exercise of his Faith and of all his Affections towards God wherein his Soul found great Refreshment Being now in great Distress and Disconsolation of Spirit among other things under a Sense that God had forgotten him vers 9. He calls to mind the blessed Experience he had of Communion with God in the Land of the Hermonites wherein he now found Support and Refreshment So at other times he called to remembrance the Dayes of old and in them his Song in the Night or the sweet Refreshment he had in Spiritual Converse with God in former times I have known one in the depth of distress and darkness of Mind who going through Temptation to destroy himself was reâ—â—eved and delivered in the instant of Ruine by a sudden Remembrance that at such a time and in such a place he had prayed fervently with the ingagement of all his Affections unto God Wherefore you that are sensible of these Decayes or ought so to be take the Advice of our Saviour Remember whence you are fallen call to mind the former days consider if it were not better with you than now when in your lying down and your rising up you had many thoughts of God and of the things of God and they were sweet and pretious unto your Souls when you rejoyced at the Remembrance of his Holiness When you had Zeal for his Glory Delight in his Worship and were glad when they said Let us go to the House of God together When you poured forth your Soules with Freedom and enlarged Affections before him and were sensible of the Visits and Refreshments of his Love Remember what Peace what Tranquility of Mind what Joy you had whil'st it was so with you And consider what you have gotten since you have forsaken God in any Measure or Degree Dare to deal plainly with your selves Is not all wherein you have now to do with God either Form Custom and Selfishness or attended with Trouble Disquietment and Fears Do you truely know either how to live or how to die Are you not sometimes a Terrour unto yourselves It must be so unless you are hardened through the Deceitfulness of Sin What have all your Lovers done for you that you have entertained in the room of God in Christ and Spiritual things Speak plainly have they not defiled you wounded you weakened you and brought you into that Condition that you know not what you are nor to whom ye do belong What are your thoughts when you are most awake when you are most your selves Do you not sometimes part within your selves and say O that it were with us as in former Dayes And it you can be no way affected with the Remembrance of former things then one of these two great Evils you are certainly under For either 1 you never had a true and real Work on your Souls whatever you professed and so never had true and real Communion with God in any Duties
unto there are two things from which we are secured by this Peace which is an Effect of being Spiritually Minded The first is Offences There is nothing of whose Danger we are more warned in the Gospel than of Offences Wo to the World saith our Saviour because of Offences All Ages all Times and Seasons are filled with them and they pâ—ove pernitious and destructive to the Souls of many Such are the Scandalous Divisions that are among Christians the endless Differences of Opinions and diversity of practices in Religion and the Worship of God the Falls and Sins of Professors the fearful ends of some of them the Reproaches that are cast on all that ingage into any peculiar way of Holiness and strictness of Life with other things of the like nature whereby the souls of innumerable Persons are disquieted subverted or infected are to be reckoned unto this Head Against any hurtful or noxious Influence on our Minds from these things against Disquietments Dejections of Spirit and Disconsolations are we secured by this Peace So the Psalmist assures us Psal. 119.165 Great Peace have they that love thy Law and nothing shall offend them The Law or the Word of God is the only way of the Revelation of God and his Will unto us and the only outward Way and Rule of our Converse and Communion with him Wherefore to love the Law is the principal part of our being heavenly Minded yea virtually that which comprehends the whole For such as do so nothing none of the things before mentioned nor any other of the like nature shall be an Offence a stumbling Block or cause of falling into sin And the reason is because they have such an Experience in themselves of the Truth Power Efficacy and Holiness of the Gospel as that the Miscarriages of Men under a Profession of it shall never be unto them an Occasion of falling or being offended at Christ. And I look upon it as a sign of a very evil Frame of Heart when men are concerned in the Miscarriages of some that have made Profession whereby they are it may be damaged in their Outward Concerns so as that they are surprized into Reflections on that Religion which they profess professing the same themselves 2 The second is Afflictions Persecutions and Sufferings of all Sorts It is known by all It were well if it were not so well known what Disquietments Dejections and Disconsolations these things are apt to fill the Minds of Men withal What Fears Troubles Sorrows they reflect upon them Against all these Effects of them this Peace intended gives us Security It makes us to preserve a peaceable yea a joyous Life in our Conflict with them see Joh. 16.33 Both these as here joyned together Life and Peace do comprize an holy Frame of Heart and Mind wherein the Souls of Believers do find Rest Quietness Refreshment and Satisfaction in God in the midst of Temptations Afflictions Offenâ—es and Sufferings It is the Souls Composure of it self in God in his Love in Christ Jesus so as not greatly to be put out of Order to be cast down with any thing that may befall it but affords men Chearfulness and Satisfaction in themselves though they walk sometimes in the Valley of the Shadow of Death Such Persons have that in them abiding with them as will give them Life and Peace under all Occurrences 2 Our next enquiry is how this Spiritual Mindedness is Life and Peace or what it contributes unto them how it produceth the Frame of Heart and Mind so expressed And this it doth several wayes 1 It is the only meanes on our part of retaining a Sense of Divine Love The Love of God in a gracious Sense of it as shed abroad in our Hearts by the Holy Ghost is the first and only Foundation of all durable Comforts Such as will support and refresh us under all Oppositions and Distresses that is of Life and Peace in our Souls in any Condition This God communicates by an Act of Soveraign Grace for the most part without any Preparation for it in our selves He creates the Fruit of the Lips Peace Peace But although Divine Love be in it self unchangeable and alwayes the same yet this Sense of it may be lost as it was in David when he prayed that God would restore unto him the Joys of his Salvation Psal. 51.12 And so many others have found it by woful Experience To insist upon all that is required on our parts that we may retain a gratious refreshing Sense of Divine Love after it is once granted unto us belongs not unto my present purpose But this I say there is not any thing wherein we are more concerned for to be careful and diligent in than as unto what belongs to that end For men who by a meer Act of Soveraign Grace have tasted herein of the Goodness of God who have had the Consolation and Joys of it to be negligent in the keeping and preserving it in their Souls is a Provocation that they will at one time or other be sensible of There is nothing doth more grieve the Holy Spirit than to have his especial Work whereby he Seales us unto the Day of Redemption neglected or despised And it argues a mighty Prevalency of some Corruption or Temptation that shall cause men willingly and by their own Sloth to forfeit so inestimable a Grace Mercy and Priviledge And it is that which there are but few of us who have not reason to bewail our Folly in Every Intimation of Divine Love is an inestimable Jewel which if safely treasured up in our Hearts adds unto our Spiritual Riches and being lost will at one time or another affect us with Sorrow And I am afraid that many of us are very negligent herein unto the great prejudice of our Souls and Spiritual State Many such Intimations are given us by the Holy Ghost through the Word which we take little notice of either we know not the Voice of Christ in them or do not hearken unto him in a due manner or refuse a Compliance with him when we cannot but know that he speaks unto us see Cant. 5.2 3. Or if we recieve any Impressions of a gratious Sense of Divine Love in them we quickly lose them not knowing how much the Life of our Souls is concerned therein and what use of them we may have in our following Temptations Tryals and Duties Now the great means of retaining a Sense of the Love of God which is the only spring of Life and Peace unto our Souls is this Grace and Duty of being Spiritually-Minded This is evident from the very nature of the Duty For 1 It is the Souls preserving of it self in a Frame meet to receive and retain this sense of Gods Love What other way can there be on our part but that our Minds which are so to receive it and retain it are Spiritual and Heavenly alwayes prepared for that holy Converse and Communion with himself which he