The Grace and Duty of Being Spiritually Minded

They would have Images of him which they would embrace, adore, and bedew with their tears. They would have Crucifixes as they called them, which they would carry about them, and wear next unto their hearts, as if they resolved to lodge Christ always in their bosoms. They would go in Pilgrimage to the place where he dyed and rose again, through a thousand dangers; and purchase a feigned Chip of a Tree whereon he suffered, at the price of all they had in the world. They would endeavour by long Thoughtfulness, Fastings and Watchings, to cast their Souls into ⟨p. 117⟩Raptures and Ecstasies, wherein they fancied themselves in his Presence. They came at last to make themselves like him, in getting impressions of wounds, on their sides, their hands and feet. Unto all these things and sundry others of an alike Nature and Tendency, did Superstition abuse and corrupt the Minds of men, from a pretence of a Principle of Truth; For there is no more certain Gospel Truth than this, that Believers ought continually to contemplate on Christ, by the actings of Faith in their Thoughts and Affections; and that thereby they are changed and transformed into his Image, 2 Cor. 3.18. And we are not to forego our Duty, because other men have been mistaken in theirs; nor part with practical fundamental Principles of Religion, because they have been abused by Superstition. But we may see herein, how dangerous it is to depart in any thing from the conduct of Scripture Light and Rule, when for want thereof, the best and most noble Endeavours of the minds of men, even to love Christ and to be like unto him, do issue in Provocations of the highest nature.

They would have Images of him which they would embrace, adore, and bedew with their tears. They would have Crucifixes as they called them, which they would carry about them, and wear next unto their hearts, as if they resolved to lodge Christ alwayes in their bosoms. They would go in Pilgrimage to the place where he dyed and rose again, through a thousand dangers; and purchase a feigned Chip of a Tree whereon he suffered, at the price of all they had in the world. They would endeavour by long Thoughtfulness, Fastings and Watchings, to cast their Souls into ⟨p. 117⟩Raptures and Extasies, wherein they fancied themselves in his Presence. They came at last to make themselves like him, in getting impressions of wounds, on their sides, their hands and feet. Unto all these things and sundry others of an alike Nature and Tendency, did Superstition abuse and corrupt the Minds of men, from a pretence of a Principle of Truth; For there is no more certain Gospel Truth than this, that Believers ought continually to contemplate on Christ, by the actings of Faith in their Thoughts and Affections; and that thereby they are changed and transformed into his Image,