The Grace and Duty of Being Spiritually Minded

What is the matter with men that they are so stupid? They all generally desire to go to Heaven, at least when they can live here no longer. Some indeed have no other regard unto it, but only that they would not go to Hell. But most would dye the Death of the Righteous, and have their latter end like his, yet few there are who endeavour to attain a right Notion of it, to try how it is suited unto their Principles and Desires; but content themselves with such general notions of it as please their Imaginations. It is no wonder if ⟨p. 112⟩such Persons seldom exercise their Minds or Thoughts about it, nor do they so much as pretend to be Spiritually minded. But as for those who are instructed in these things, who profess their chiefest Interest to lye in them, not to abound in Meditation concerning them, it argues indeed that whatever they profess, they are earthly and carnal.

Again; Meditate and think of the Glory of Heaven, so as to compare it with the opposite state of Death and eternal Misery. Few men care to think much of Hell, and the Everlasting Torments of the Wicked therein. Those do so least, who are in most danger of falling thereinto. They put far from them the evil day, and suppose their Covenant with Death and Hell to be sure. Some begin to advance an Opinion that there is no such Place, because it is their Interest and Desire that there should be none. Some out of Profaneness make a Scoff at it, as though a future Judgment were but a Fable. Most seem to think that there is a Severity in thoughts about it, which it is not fit we should be too much terrified withal. Some transient Thoughts they will have of it, but not suffer them to abide in their minds, lest they should be too much discomposed. Or they think it not consistent with the Goodness of Christ to leave any men in that condition; whereas there is more spoken directly of Hell, its Torments and their Eternity, by himself self […] in all the Scripture besides. These Thoughts •••ost proceed from an unwillingness to be troubled […] their sins, and are useful unto none. It is the height of Folly for men to endeavour the hiding of themselves for a few Moments from that which is unavoidably coming upon them unto Eternity; and the due consideration whereof, is a means for an Escape from it. But I speak only of true Believers. And the more they are conversant in their Thoughts about the future estate of Eternal Misery, the greater Evidence they have of