The Grace and Duty of Being Spiritually Minded

God is in this place, the darkness is no darkness unto him, Light and Darkness are with him both alike, are sufficient considerations to lay in the Balance against any Temptation springing out of Secrecy and Opportunity. One Thought of the actual presence of the holy God, and the open view of his all-seeing eye, will do more to cool those Affections which Lust may put into a tumult on such occasions, than any other consideration whatever. A speedy Retreat hereunto upon the first perplexing Thought wherewith Temptation assaults the Soul, will be its strong Tower, where it shall be safe.

God is in this place, the darkness is no darkness unto him, Light and Darkness are with him both alike, are sufficient considerations to lay in the Ballance against any Temptation springing out of Secresie and Opportunity. One Thought of the actual presence of the holy God, and the open view of his all-seeing eye, will do more to cool those Affections which Lust may put into a tumult on such occasions, than any other consideration whatever. A speedy Retreat hereunto upon the first perplexing Thought wherewith Temptation assaults the Soul, will be its strong Tower, where it shall be safe.

2. A second Season calling for the Exercise of our minds in Thoughts of the Omnipresence and Omniscience of God, is made up of our Solitudes and Retirements. These give us the most genuine Trials whether we are spiritually minded or no. What we are in them, that we are and no more. But yet in some of them, as in Walking and Journeyings or the like, vain Thoughts and foolish Imaginations are exceeding apt to solicit our minds. Whatever is stored up in the Affections or Memory, will at such a time offer it self for our present entertainment: And where men have accustomed themselves unto any sort of things, they will press on them for the possession of their Thoughts, as ⟨p. 161⟩it were whether they will or no. The Psalmist gives us the way to prevent this evil; Psal. 16.7, 8. I will bless the Lord who hath given me counsel, my reins also instruct me in the night season. I have set the Lord always before me, because he is at my Right hand. His Reins, that is, his Affections, and secret Thoughts, gave him counsel and instructed him in all such seasons; But whence had they that wisdom and faithfulness: In themselves they are the seat of all Lusts and Corruptions, nor could do any thing but seduce him into an evil frame. It was from hence alone that he set the Lord always before him. Continual Apprehensions of the presence of God with him, kept his Mind, his Heart and Affections, in that Awe and Reverence of him, as that they always instructed him unto his Duty. But as I remember, I spake somewhat as unto the due management of our Thoughts in this Season before.