Two treatises of Mr. Jeremiah Burroughs. The first of earthly-mindedness

Thirdly, Examples though not sufficient ground and rule for faith, yet they should be enough to make us to enquire after those ways, and to examine and try, whether they have any footing in the Word, because the followers of them, are very upright and circumspect in their way. Let me at least enquire after these ways, let me examine them by the light of the Gospel, surely there is some probability that these ways are the very paths of Zion, and lead to the gate of Heaven, because the Professors of them are such friends of Jesus Christ; It's likely that these men should know the mind of God that do converse with God most, that lie in his bosom, as the beloved Disciple in Christs: Is it not more likely that a man that is a familiar friend, and converses daily with such an one that this man should know his secrets, his will rather than a stranger? so all men in the world are strangers to God, but only the Saints: they converse with God, they are the men of his Counsel, and his heart, and therefore of all men in the world it's most likely that they should have all the Wills of God revealed unto them: All Learning and Natural wisdom cannot show the mind of God so much as converse with God, and an holy humble familiarity with him; God loves to open his bosom to his hidden ones, to reveal his mind to them; and therefore when we see men that are godly whose Conversation ⟨p. 95⟩is in Heaven, that they walked in such and such ways, it should make us to think it is like there is, more good in these ways than I am aware of at the present, it's like that such men as God smiles upon, that they should know the mind of God more than other men: therefore though I will not presently conclude it's the mind of God, and do it merely because they do it, yet I'll examine and search whether it be not the mind of God or no according to the Scriptures.

Thirdly, Examples though not sufficient ground and rule for faith, yet they should be enough to make us to enquire after those waies, and to examine and try, whether they have any footing in the Word, because the followers of them, are very upright and circumspect in their way. Let me at least enquire after these waies, let me examine them by the light of the Gospel, surely there is some probability that these waies are the very paths of Sion, and lead to the gate of Heaven, because the Professors of them are such friends of Jesus Christ; It's likely that these men should know the mind of God that do converse with God most, that lie in his bosom, as the beloved Disciple in Christs: Is it not more likely that a man that is a familier friend, and converses daily with such an one that this man should know his secrets, his will rather than a stranger? so all men in the world are strangers to God, but only the Saints: they converse with God, they are the men of his Counsel, and his heart, and therefore of all men in the world it's most likely that they should have all the Wils of God revealed unto them: All Learning and Natural wisdom cannot shew the mind of God so much as converse with God, and an holy humble familiaritie with him; God loves to open his bosom to his hidden ones, to reveal his mind to them; and therefore when we see men that are godly whose Conversation