The Grace and Duty of Being Spiritually Minded

(2.) Our Hope is that ere long we shall be ever with him. And if so, it is certainly our Wisdom and Duty to be here with him as much as we can. It is a vain thing for any to suppose that they place their chiefest happiness in being for ever in the Presence of Christ, who care not at all to be with him here as they may. And the only way of our being present with him here, is by Faith and Love, acting themselves in Spiritual Thoughts and Affections. And it is an absurd thing for men to esteem themselves Christians, who scarce think of Christ all the day long. Yet some, as one complained of old, scarce ever think or speak of him but when they swear by his Name. I have read of them who have lived and dyed in continual Contemplation on him, so far as the Imperfection of our present state will admit. I have known them, I do know them, who call themselves unto a Reproof if at any time he hath been many minutes out of their Thoughts. And it is strange ⟨p. 116⟩that it should be otherwise with them who love him in sincerity; yet I wish I did not know more, who give evidences that it is a rare thing for them to be exercised in serious Thoughts and Meditations about him. Yea there are some who are not averse upon occasions to speak of God, of Mercy, of Pardon, of his Power and Goodness, who if you mention Christ unto them, with any thing of Faith, Love, Trust in him, they seem unto them as a strange thing. Few there are who are sensible of any Religion beyond what is natural. The things of the Wisdom and Power of God in Christ, are foolishness unto them. Take some Directions for the Discharge of this Duty. (1.) In your Thoughts of Christ be very careful that they are conceived and directed according to the Rule of the Word, lest you deceive your own souls, and give up the conduct of your Affections unto vain Imaginations. Spiritual Notions befalling carnal minds, did once by the means of Superstition ruin the Power of Religion. A Conviction men had that they must think much of Jesus Christ, and that this would make them conformable unto him; but having no real Evangelical Faith, nor the Wisdom of Faith to exercise it in their Thoughts and Affections in a due manner, nor understanding what it was to be truly like unto him, they gave up themselves unto many foolish Inventions and Imaginations; by which they Thought to express their Love and conformity unto him.

(2.) Our Hope is that e're long we shall be ever with him. And if so, it is certainly our Wisdom and Duty to be here with him as much as we can. It is a vain thing for any to suppose that they place their chiefest happiness in being for ever in the Presence of Christ, who care not at all to be with him here as they may. And the only way of our being present with him here, is by Faith and Love, acting themselves in Spiritual Thoughts and Affections. And it is an absurd thing for men to esteem themselves Christians, who scarce think of Christ all the day long. Yet some, as one complained of old, scarce ever think or speak of him but when they swear by his Name. I have read of them who have lived and dyed in continual Contemplation on him, so far as the Imperfection of our present state will admit. I have known them, I do know them, who call themselves unto a Reproof if at any time he hath been many minutes out of their Thoughts. And it is strange