s 2
260 THE GRACE AND DUTY OF
be the principal thing in your thoughts and consciences. We may therefore conclude, that at least they must hold an exceeding proportion with them.
Let a man industriously engaged in the way of his calling, try himself by this rule every evening. Let him consider what have been his thoughts about his earthly occasions, and what about spiritual things ; and thereon ask of himself whether ne be spiritually minded or no. Be not deceived ; as a man thinketh, so is he. And if we account it a strange thing, tliat our thoughts should be more exercised about spiritual things than about the affairs of our callings, we must not think it strange if, when we come to the trial, we cannot find that we have either life or peace.
Moreover it is known, how often, when we are engaged in spiritual duties, other thoughts will interpose, and impose themselves on our minds. Those which are about men's secular concernments will do so. The world will frequently make an inroad on the ways to heaven, to disturb the passengers and wayfaring men. There is nothing more fre- quently complained of by such as are awake unto their duty, and sensible of their weakness. Call to mind therefore, how often on the other hand, spiritual thoughts do interpose, and as it were impose themselves on your minds, whilst you are engaged in your earthly affairs. Sometimes, no doubt, but with all that are true believers it is so. 'Or ever I was aware,' saith the spouse, * my soul made me as the chariots of Amminadib;' Cant. vi. 12. Grace in her own soul surprised her into a ready willing frame unto spiritual communion with Christ, when she was intent on other occasions. But if these thoughts of heavenly things so arising in us, bear no proportion with the other sort, it is an evidence what frame and principle is predominant in us.
2. There are a multitude of thoughts in the minds of men, which are vain, useless, and altogether unprofitable. These ordinarily, through a dangerous mistake, are looked on as not sinful, because, as it is supposed, the matter of them is not so. And therefore, men rather shake them off for their folly than their guilt. But they arise from a corrupt fountain, and wofuUy pollute both the mind and conscience. Wherever there are ' vain thoug-hts,' there is sin; Jer. iv. 14. Such are those numberless imaginations.
BEING SPIRITUALLY MINDED.
261
whereby men fancy themselves to be what they are not, to do what they do not, to enjoy what they enjoy not, to dispose of themselves and others, at their pleasure. That our nature is liable unto such a pernicious folly, which some of tena- cious fancies have turned into madness, we are beholding alone to our cursed apostacy from God, and the vanity that possessed our minds thereon. Hence the prince of Tyrus thought he was a god, and ' sat in the s6at of God ;' Ezek. xxviii. 2. So it hath been with others. And in those, in whom such imaginations are kept unto some better order and bounds, yet being traced unto their original, they will be found to spring some of them immediately from pride, some from sensual lusts, some from the love of the world, all from self, and the old ambition to be as God, to dispose of all things as we think meet. I know no greater misery or punishment in this world, than the debasing of our nature to such vain imaginations ; and a perfect freedom from them is a part of the blessedness of heaven. It is not my present work to shew how sinful they are ; let them be esteemed only fruitless, foolish, vain, and ludicrous. But let men ex- amine themselves, what number of these vain useless thoughts night and day, do rove up and down in their minds, if now it be apprehended too severe, that men's thoughts of spiritual things should exceed them that are employed about their lawful callings, let them consider what proportion they bear unto those that are vain and useless. Do not many give more time unto them than they do unto holy meditations, without an endeavour to mortify the one, or to stir up and enliven the other? Are they not more wonted to their seasons than holy thoughts are? And shall we suppose that those with whom it is so are spiritually minded?
3. There are thoughts that are formally evil ; they are so in their own nature, being corrupt contrivances to fulfil the desires of the flesh in the lusts thereof. These also will attempt the minds of believers. But they are always looked on as professed enemies to the soul, and are watched against. I shall not therefore make any comparison between them and spiritual thoughts, for they abound only in them that are carnally minded.
2. The second rule to this purpose is, that we would consider, whether thoughts of spiritual things do constantly
262 THE GRACE AND DUTY OF
take possession of their proper seasons. There are some times and seasons in the course of men's lives, wherein they retire themselves unto their own thoughts. The most busied men in the world have some times of thinking unto them- selves. And those who design no such thing, as being afraid of coming to be Vvfiser and better than they are, do yet spend time therein whether they v.ill or no. But they who are wise will be at home as much as they can, and have as many seasons for such their retirements as is possible for them to attain. If that man be foolish who busieth himself so much abroad in the concerns of others, that he hath no time to consider the state of his own house and family, much more is he so, who spendeth all his thoughts about other things, and never makes use of them in an inquiry, how it is with himself and his own soul. However, men can hardly avoid, but that they must have some seasons, partly stated, partly occasional, wherein they entertain themselves with their own thouo-hts. The evening and the morning, the times of waking on the bed, those of the necessary cessation of all ordinary affairs, of walking, journeying, and the like, are such seasons.