§ 7. A heavenly mind is the freest from sin, because it hath truer and livelier apprehensions of spiritual things. He hath so deep an insight into the evil of sin, the vanity of the creature, the brutishness of fleshly, sensual delights, that temptations have little power over him. _In vain the net is spread_, says Solomon, _in the sight of any bird_. And usually in vain doth Satan lay his snares to entrap the soul that plainly sees them. Earth is the place for his temptations, and earth the ordinary bait; and how shall these ensnare the Christian, who hath left the earth, and walks with God? Is converse with wise and learned men, the way to make one wise? Much more is converse with God. If travellers return home with wisdom and experience, how much more he that travels to heaven? If our bodies are suited to the air and climate we must live in; his understanding must be fuller of light, who lives with the Father of lights. The men of the world, that dwell below, and know no other conversation but earthly, no wonder if their _understanding be darkened_, and Satan _takes them captive at his will_. How can worms and moles see, whose dwelling is always in the earth? While this dust is in their eyes, no wonder they mistake gain for godliness, sin for grace, the world for God, their own wills for the law of Christ, and, in the issue, hell for heaven. But when a Christian withdraws himself from his worldly thoughts, and begins to converse with God in heaven, methinks he is, as Nebuchadnezzar, taken from the beast of the field to the throne, and _his reason returneth unto him_. When he hath had a glimpse of eternity, and looks down on the world again, how doth he charge with folly his neglects of Christ, his fleshly pleasures, his earthly cares? How doth he say of his _laughter it is mad_; and of his vain _mirth, what doth it_? How doth he verily think there is no man in bedlam so truly mad, as wilful sinners, and unworthy slighters of Christ and glory? This makes a dying man usually wiser than others, because he looks on eternity as near, and hath more heart-piercing thoughts of it, than he ever had in health and prosperity. Then many of the most bitter enemies of the saints have their eyes opened, and, like Balaam, cry out _O that I might die the death of the righteous, and that my last end might be like his_! Yet let the same men recover, and lose their apprehensions of the life to come, and how quickly do they lose their understandings with it? Tell a dying sinner of the riches, honors, or pleasures of the world, and would he not answer, "What is all this to me, who must presently appear before God, and give account of all my life?" Christian, if the apprehended nearness of eternity will work such strange effects upon the ungodly, and make them so much wiser than before; O what rare effects would it produce in thee, if thou couldst always dwell in the views of God, and in lively thoughts of thy everlasting state! Surely a believer, if he improve his faith, may ordinarily have more quickening apprehensions of the life to come, in the time of his health, than an unbeliever hath at the hour of his death.
§ 8. A heavenly mind is also fortified against temptations, because the affections are thoroughly prepossessed with the high delights of another world. He that loves most, and not he that only knows most, will most easily resist the motions of sin. The will doth as sweetly relish goodness, as the understanding doth truth; and here lies much of a Christian's strength. When thou hast had a fresh delightful taste of heaven, thou wilt not be so easily persuaded from it. You cannot persuade a child to part with his sweetmeats, while he hath the taste in his mouth. O that you would be much in feeding on _the hidden manna_, and be frequently tasting the delights of heaven! How would this confirm thy resolutions, and make thee despise the fooleries of the world, and scorn to be cheated with such childish toys? If the Devil had set upon Peter in the mount of transfiguration, when he saw Moses and Elias talking with Christ, would he so easily have been drawn to deny his Lord? What, with all that glory in his eye? No. So if he should set upon a believing soul, when he is taken up in the mount with Christ, what would such a soul say? "Get thee behind me, Satan; wouldst thou persuade me hence with trifling pleasures, and steal my heart from this my rest? Wouldst thou have me sell these joys for nothing? Is there any honor or delight like this? or can that be profit, for which I must lose this?" But Satan stays till we are come down, and the taste of heaven is out of our mouths, and the glory we saw is even forgotten, and then he easily deceives our hearts. Though the Israelites below, eat and drink, and rise up to play before their idol, Moses in the mount will not do so. O if we could keep the taste of our souls continually delighted with the sweetness above, with what disdain should we spit out the baits of sin?