n inquiry follows into the olyects of spiritual thoughts; which are,—1. The dispensa- tions BE Pavone: 2. Special trials and temptations; and 3. Heavenly and eternal realities. In regard to the latter,—(1.) The motives inducing us to fix our thoughts on them are mentioned ; faith is thereby increased, hope is exercised, preparation is made for the cross, and the mind weaned from the world. And (2.) Directions for this spiritual exercise are supplied ;—the mind must be occupied with right notions of these objects, directed to them with intensity, and led to compare the blessedness of an interest in them with the opposite state of eternal death and misery, v. vi. The especial oljects of spi- ritual contemplation are,—1. The person of Christ; and, 2. God himself, who must be in our thoughts, in opposition to atheism, practical infidelity, various inferior degrees and ways of forgetting God, and the indulgence of secret lusts. The thoughts which are characteristic of spiritual affections are delineated, viz., vit. In our consideration of God, we must think of,—(1.) His being; (2.) His omnipresence and omniscience; and, (3.) His omnipotence, 1x. Various counsels are tendered to such as cannot fix their thoughts with steadiness on spiritual and heavenly objects, x.
Part II. The two divisions of the proposed method respecting the inclination of the mind to spiritual thoughts and complacency in them are considered together; a preli- minary account is given of the various ways by which God weans our affections from the world, xt. In order that our affections may be spiritual, it is shown,—I. that in principle they must be renewed by grace: which renovation is proved,—l. By the universality of the gracious change produced; 2. The delight experienced in sacred duties; 3. The assimi- lating influence exerted on the mind by spiritual objects; and, 4. By the circumstance that, if our affections are renewed, the person of Christ is the centre of them, xm.-xvurt. lI. Spiritual mindedness in our affections is farther seen in the olject about which they are conyersant,—God in Christ. The considerations endearing the object to us are,— 1. its infinite beauty; 2. the fulness of wisdom in spiritual things; 3. their value as per- fective of our present condition; and, 4. as constituting in the future enjoyment of them our eternal blessedness, xix. IIT. The soul’s application to such objects must be firm, accompanied with a spiritual relish for them, must afford a continual spring of spiritual affections, must be prevailing and victorious, and afford help in subduing the remaining vanity to which the heart may be addicted, xx. After this copious exposition of the na-
ture of spiritual mindedness, the blessings accruing from it are briefly unfolded,—“ life and peace,’ xx1.— Ep.
PREFACE.
I THINK it necessary to give the reader a brief account of the nature and design of the ensuing plain discourse, which may both direct him in the reading and be some kind of apology for myself in the publishing of it. He may know, therefore, 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 edi- fication 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 re- store 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 myself by being conversant in them, and partly from an apprehen- sion that the duties directed and pressed unto in the whole discourse were season- able, 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 myself unto in the work of teaching others; for as in the work of the ministry in general, the whole counsel 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 ran- dom, without a certain scope and design. Knowledge of the flock whereof we are overseers, with a due consideration of their wants, their graces, their tempta- tions, 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 for 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 be 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 judged the preaching and publishing of this small and plain discourse, concerning “ the Grace and Duty of being Spiritually Minded,” not to be altogether unseasonable at this time in the present circumstances 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 ways of insinuation whereby it possesseth and