The Grace and Duty of Being Spiritually Minded

1. Possess your Minds with right notions and apprehensions of things above, and of the state of future Glory. We are in this duty to look at the things which are not seen, 2 Cor. 4.16. It is Faith only whereby we have a prospect of them; for we walk by Faith and not by sight. And Faith can give us no interest in them, unless we have due apprehensions of them. For it doth but assent and cleave unto the Truth of what is proposed unto it. And the greatest part of Mankind do both deceive themselves, and ⟨p. 97⟩feed on Ashes in this matter. They fancy a future Estate which hath no foundation but in their own Imaginations. Wherefore the Apostle directing us to seek and mind the things that are above, adds for the guidance of our Thoughts, the consideration of the principal concernment of them, where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God, Col. 3.1, 2. He would lead us unto distinct Apprehensions of those Heavenly things, especially of the presence of Christ in his Exaltation and Glory. Wherefore the true Notion of these things which we are to possess our minds withal, may here be considered.

1. Possess your Minds with right notions and apprehensions of things above, and of the state of future Glory. We are in this duty to look at the things which are not seen, 2 Cor. 4.16. It is Faith only whereby we have a prospect of them; for we walk by Faith and not by sight. And Faith can give us no interest in them, unless we have due apprehensions of them. For it doth but assent and cleave unto the Truth of what is proposed unto it. And the greatest part of Mankind do both deceive themselves, and ⟨p. 97⟩feed on Ashes in this matter. They fancy a future Estate which hath no foundation but in their own Imaginations. Wherefore the Apostle directing us to seek and mind the things that are above, addes for the guidance of our Thoughts, the consideration of the principal concernment of them, where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God,