The Grace and Duty of Being Spiritually Minded

Again, I speak now with especial respect unto him in Heaven. The Glory of his Presence as God and Man eternally united, the Discharge of his Mediatory Office as he is at the right hand of God, the Glory of his present acting for the Church, as he is the Minister of ⟨p. 121⟩the Sanctuary and the true Tabernacle which God hath fixed and not Man, the Love, Power and Efficacy of his Intercession, whereby he takes care for the Accomplishment of the Salvation of the Church, the approach of his Glorious coming unto Judgment, are to be the Objects of our daily Thoughts and Meditations.

Let us not mistake our selves. To be spiritually minded is not to have the Notions and Knowledge of spiritual things in our minds; it is not to be constant, no not to abound in the performance of Duties, both which may be where there is no Grace in the Heart at all. It is to have our Minds really exercised with delight about Heavenly things, the things that are above, especially Christ himself as at the right hand of God.

Again: So think of eternal things as continually to lay them in the Balance against all the sufferings of this Life. This use of it I have spoken unto somewhat before; and it is necessary it should be pressed upon all occasions. It is very probable that we shall yet suffer more than we have done. Those who have gone before us, have done so; it is foretold in the Scripture, that if we will live Godly in Christ Jesus we must do so; we stand in need of it, and the World is prepared to bring it on us. And as we must suffer, so it is necessary unto the Glory of God, and our own Salvation, that we suffer in a due manner. Mere sufferings will neither commend us unto God, nor any way advantage our own Souls. When we suffer according to the will of God, it is an eminent Grace, Gift and Privilege, Psal. 1.29. But many things are required hereunto. It is not enough that men suppose themselves to suffer for Conscience sake, though if we do not so, all our sufferings are in vain. Nor is it enough that we suffer for this or that way of Profession in Religion, which we esteem to be true and according to the Mind of God, in opposition unto what is not