The Grace and Duty of Being Spiritually Minded

I pray God, that this, at least as unto some Degrees of it, be not the condition of many among us. I speak not now of men who visibly and openly live in sin, profane in their Principles and profligate in their Lives. The Prayers of such Persons are an Abomination unto the Lord; neither have they ever any Thoughts of him, which he doth accept: But I speak of them who are sober in their Lives, industrious in their Callings, and not openly negligent about the outward Duties of Religion. Such men are apt to approve of themselves, and others also to speak well of them; for these things are in themselves commendable and praise-worthy. But if they are traced home, it will be found as to many of them, that God is not in all their Thoughts as he ought to be. Their Earthly Conversation, their vain Communication, with their foolish Designs, do all manifest that the vigour of their spirits, and most intense contrivances of their Minds, are engaged into things below. Some refuse, transient, unmanaged Thoughts are sometimes cast away on God, which he despiseth.

I pray God, that this, at least as unto some Degrees of it, be not the condition of many among us. I speak not now of men who visibly and openly live in sin, profane in their Principles and profligate in their Lives. The Prayers of such Persons are an Abomination unto the Lord; neither have they ever any Thoughts of him, which he doth accept: But I speak of them who are sober in their Lives, industrious in their Callings, and not openly negligent about the outward Duties of Religion. Such men are apt to approve of themselves, and others also to speak well of them; for these things are in themselves commendable and praise-worthy. But if they are traced home, it will be found as to many of them, that God is not in all their Thoughts as he ought to be. Their Earthly Conversation, their vain Communication, with their foolish Designs, do all manifest that the vigour of their spirits, and most intense contrivances of their Minds, are ingaged into things below. Some refuse, transient, unmanaged Thoughts are sometimes cast away on God, which he despiseth.

4. Where Persons do cherish secret predominant Lusts in their hearts and lives, God is not in their Thoughts as he ought to be. He may be, he often is much in the words of such Persons, but in their Thoughts he is not, he cannot be in a due manner. And such Persons no doubt there are. Ever and anon, we hear of one and another whose secret Lusts break forth into a discovery. They flatter themselves for a season, but God