[3.] Such things as the Spirit urgeth and inclineth unto ; and these are communion with God here, and the full enjoyment of God hereafter. The great impression which the Spirit leaveth upon the soul is a tendency towards God ; for his office is to bring us to God, into com- munion with him here. God, as a Judge, by the Spirit of bondage, drives us to Christ as a Mediator ; and Christ, as a Mediator, by the
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Spirit of adoption, bringeth us to God as a Father : Rom. viii. 15, ' Ye have not received the Spirit of bondage again to fear, but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba Father.' One of the things which the Spirit urgeth us to look after is the favour of God : Ps. iv. 6, 7, ' Lord, lift up the light of thy countenance upon us,' etc. ; and communion with him here : Ps. xvii. 15, ' As for me, I will behold thy face with righteousness ; I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness ; ' and the full enjoyment of God hereafter : Eom. viii. 23, ' We ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our bodies : ' 2 Cor. v. 5, ' Now he that hath wrought us for the self same thing, is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit,' always groaning, longing to live with God for ever. So wlien the unregenerate and regenerate are spoken of as two contrary minds and affections, Phil. iii. 19, 20, the one are said to mind earthly things, the others are said to have iroXiTcvfia, their con- versation, in heaven. The flesh draweth us off from God to things earthly and fleshly ; but the Spirit's work is to raise the heart to things eternal and heavenly, that our main business might be there. Well nov.^, the things of the Spirit are all those things that are agreeable to the new and spiritual life, as righteousness, peace, grace, and glory, the image of God, and word of God ; these things suit with the new nature. Doct. 3. That men discover their temper and constitution of soul by their respect to either of these objects. To evidence this to you
1. I will show you what this minding is,
2. Give you some observations,
3. The reasons of the point.
1. What is this minding or respect ? Answer. — It may be considered simply, and apart ; or comparatively, our respects to these contrary objects being compared together.
[1.] Simply, by itself. Our minding is bewrayed by the three opera- tions of man — thoughts, word.s, and actions. That which he minds he often thinks of, speaks of, and seeks after, be they the things of the flesh, or of the spirit, the life and vigour of our souls are seen in thinking, speaking, and acting.
(1.) Men's thoughts will be where their hearts are, and their hearts are where their treasure is; Mat. vi. 21. Carnal men are brought in thinking of their worldly affairs : Luke xii. 17, 29, BteXoyiararo, and he ' dialogued with himself.' Not that it is simply unlawful to mind our earthly business : I bring it to show the temper of the men ; their hearts are always exercised with such kind of thoughts, talking with themselves. And on the other side, godly men are remembering God and heaven, and pleased with this kind of thoughts. ' My soul re- membered thee in the night ; ' and they are described : Mai. iii. 16, * They that feared the Lord, and thought upon his name.'
(2.) The same is true of words also, they declare the life and vigour of our spirits, for there is a quick intercourse between the tongue and the heart: 1 John iv. 5, 'They are of the world, and speak of the world, and the world heareth them ; ' men's speeches are as their temi)er is : Prov. x, 20, ' The tongue of the just is as choice silver, but the heart of the wicked is little worth.' When the heart is stored with
444 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SeR. VI.
knowledge, and biassed by spiritual affections, they will enrich others with their holy, savoury, profitable discourse ; but a drowsy, unsanctified heart in man, bewrayeth itself by his speeches and communications with others.
(3.) By actions, or what we seek after : if all our business be to gratify the flesh, Luke xii. 21 ; or sowing to the flesh, Gal. v. 8 ; it argues a fleshly mind. On the other side, they that have a spiritual mind, make it their business to grow in grace : Phil. iii. 13, ' This one thing I do, forgetting the things that are behind, I press forward towards the mark of the prize of the high calling in Christ Jesus.' They labour for spiritual and heavenly things : John xvii. 27, ' Seek the things that are above : ' Col. iii. 1, ' They mind the things of the Spirit.'
[2.] Comparatively, so the mark must be interpreted. The simple consideration is not so convictive as the comparative.