The Grace and Duty of Being Spiritually Minded

It is inseparable from our Nature to have a fear of and aversation from great distressing Sufferings, that are above the power of Nature to bear. Even our Lord Jesus himself, having taken on him all the sinless Properties of our Natures, had a fear and aversation, though holy and gracious with respect unto his own. Those who through a stout-heartedness do contemn them before their Approach, boasting in themselves of their Abilities to undergo them, censuring such as will not unadvisedly engage in them, are such as seldom glorify God when they are really to conflict with them. Peter alone trusted unto himself that he would not forsake his Master, and seemed to take the Warning ill that they should all do so; and he alone denied him. All Church Stories are filled with Instances of such as having born themselves ⟨p. 85⟩high before the Approach of Trials, have shamefully miscarried when their Trials have come. Wherefore it is moreover allowed unto us, to use all lawful means for the avoiding of them. Both Rules and Examples of the Scripture give sufficient warranty for it. But there are Times and Seasons wherein without any Tergiversation they are to be undergone unto the Glory of God, and in the discharge of our Duty, confessing Christ before men, as we would be owned by him before his Father in Heaven. All things do now call us to prepare for such a season, to be Martyrs in Resolution, though we should never really lose our lives by Violence. Nothing will give us this Preparation, but to have our minds exercised in the Contemplation of Heavenly things, of things that are Invisible and Eternal. He who is thus Spiritually Minded, who hath his Thoughts and Affections set on things above, will have always in a Readiness what to oppose unto any circumstance of his Sufferings.

It is inseparable from our Nature to have a fear of and aversation from great distressing Sufferings, that are above the power of Nature to bear. Even our Lord Jesus himself, having taken on him all the sinless Properties of our Natures, had a fear and aversation, though holy and gracious with respect unto his own. Those who through a stout-heartedness do contemn them before their Approach, boasting in themselves of their Abilities to undergo them, censuring such as will not unadvisedly engage in them, are such as seldom glorify God when they are really to conflict with them. Peter alone trusted unto himself that he would not forsake his Master, and seemed to take the Warning ill that they should all do so; and he alone denyed him. All Church Stories are filled with Instances of such as having born themselves