The Grace and Duty of Being Spiritually Minded

These are the things that are within the Veil, whereon we ought to cast the Anchor of our Hope in all the Storms we meet withal, Heb. 6.19, 20. whereof we shall speak more afterwards.

These are the things that are within the Vail, whereon we ought to cast the Anchor of our Hope in all the Storms we meet withall, Heb. 6.19, 20. whereof we shall speak more afterwards.

Without doubt the generality of Christians are greatly defective in this Duty, partly for want of Light into them, partly for want of Delight in them; they think little of an eternal Country. Wherever men are, they do not use to neglect Thoughts of that Country wherein their Inheritance lies. If they are absent from it for a season, yet will they labour to acquaint themselves with the principal Concernments of it. But this Heavenly Country wherein lies our Eternal Inheritance, is not regarded. Men do not as they ought exercise themselves unto thoughts of things Eternal and Invisible. It were impossible if they did so, that their Minds should be so earthly, and their Affections cleave so as they do unto present things. He that looks steadily on the Sun, although he cannot bear the lustre of its beams fully, yet his sight is so affected with it, that when he calls off his eyes from it, he can see nothing as it were of the things about him, they are all dark unto him. And he who looks steadily in his Contemplations on things above, eternal things, though he cannot comprehend their Glory, yet a Veil will be cast by it on all the desirable Beauties of Earthly things, and take off his Affections from them.

Without doubt the generality of Christians are greatly defective in this Duty, partly for want of Light into them, partly for want of Delight in them; they think little of an eternal Countrey. Wherever men are, they do not use to neglect Thoughts of that Countrey wherein their Inheritance lyes. If they are absent from it for a season, yet will they labour to acquaint themselves with the principal Concernments of it. But this Heavenly Countrey wherein lyes our Eternal Inheritance, is not regarded. Men do not as they ought exercise themselves unto thoughts of things Eternal and Invisible. It were impossible if they did so, that their Minds should be so earthly, and their Affections cleave so as they do unto present things. He that looks steadily on the Sun, although he cannot bear the lustre of its beams fully, yet his sight is so affected with it, that when he calls off his eyes from it, he can see nothing as it were of the things about him, they are all dark unto him. And he who looks steadily in his Contemplations on things above, eternal things, though he cannot comprehend their Glory, yet a Vail will be cast by it on all the desireable Beauties of Earthly things, and take off his Affections from them.