The Grace and Duty of Being Spiritually Minded

The Reason why the Apostle denounces so woeful a doom, so dreadful a Sentence on the carnal mind, he declares in the two next Verses. For the carnal mind is Enmity against God; for it is not subject unto the Law of God, nor indeed can be; so then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. If it be thus with the Carnal mind, it is no wonder that to be carnally minded is death; it is not meet it should be any thing else. That which is Enmity against God, is under the Curse of God.

The Reason why the Apostle denounces so woful a doom, so dreadful a Sentence on the carnal mind, he declares in the two next Verses. For the carnal mind is Enmity against God; for it is not subject unto the Law of God, nor indeed can be; so then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. If it be thus with the Carnal mind, it is no wonder that to be carnally minded is death; it is not meet it should be any thing else. That which is Enmity against God, is under the Curse of God.

In Opposition hereunto it is affirmed, that to be spiritually minded, or the minding of the Spirit, is life and peace. And these are the things which we are particularly to enquire into; Namely, What is this minding of the Spirit; and then How it is Life and Peace.

1. The Spirit in this Context is evidently used in a double sense, as is usual where both the Holy Spirit himself and his Work on the Souls of men, are related unto. (1.) The Person of the Spirit of God himself, or the Holy Ghost is intended by it, v. 9. If so be that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you. And so also v. 11. The Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead. He is spoken of as the principal ⟨p. 4⟩efficient Cause of all the spiritual Mercies and Benefits here and afterwards insisted on. (2.) It is used for the Principle of spiritual Life wrought in all that are regenerate by the Holy Ghost. For that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit,