A53719:296
The Grace and Duty of Being Spiritually Minded
Phronemma tou pneumatou, or, The grace and duty of being spiritually-minded declared and practically improved / by John Owen ...Phronēma tou pneumatou, or, The grace and duty of being spiritually-minded declared and practically improved / by John Owen ...
London: printed by J.G. for Nathaniel Ponder, 1681
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
It is this holy Reverence that is the means of bringing in Sanctifying virtue into our Souls, from God, upon our Thoughts of him. None that think of God with a due Reverence, but he shall be sensible of Advantage by it. Hereby do we sanctify God in our Access unto him, and when we do so, he will sanctify and purify our hearts by those very Thoughts in which we draw nigh to him.
It is this holy Reverence that is the means of bringing in Sanctifying vertue into our Souls, from God, upon our Thoughts of him. None that think of God with a due Reverence, but he shall be sensible of Advantage by it. Hereby do we sanctifie God in our Access unto him, and when we do so, he will sanctifie and purifie our hearts by those very Thoughts in which we draw nigh to him.
We may have many sudden, occasional, transient Thoughts of God, that are not Introduced into our minds by a preceding Reverential Fear. But if they leave not that fear on our hearts, in proportion unto their continuance with us, they are of no value, but will insensibly habituate us unto a common bold frame of Spirit, which he despises.
So is it in the case of Thoughts of a contrary nature. Thoughts of sin, of sinful Objects may arise in our minds from the Remainders of Corruption; or be occasioned by the Temptations and Suggestions of Satan; If these are immediately rejected and cast out of us, the Soul is not more prejudiced by their entrance, than it is Advantaged by their Rejection through the power of Grace. But if they make frequent returns into the minds of ⟨p. 148⟩men, or make any abode or continuance in their soliciting of the Affections, they greatly defile the Mind and Conscience, disposing the person unto the further entertainment of them. So if our occasional Thoughts of God, do immediately leave us, and pass away without much affecting our Minds; we shall have little or no Benefit by them. But if by their frequent visits, and some continuance with us, they dispose Souls unto an holy Reverence of God, they are a blessed means of promoting our Sanctification. Without this, I say, there may be thoughts of God unto no advantage of the Soul.