The Grace and Duty of Being Spiritually Minded

Now because it must be, that our affections are either Spiritual or Earthly in a Prevailing degree, that either God hath our hearts, or the World; that our edge is towards Heaven, or towards things here below: before I came to give an account of the Nature and Operations of Spiritual Affections, I shall consider and propose some of those Arguments and Motives which God is pleased to make use of, to call off our Affections from the desirable things of this World; For as they are weighty and cogent, such as cannot be neglected without the greatest contempt of Divine Wisdom and Goodness; So they serve to press and enforce those arguments and motives, that are proposed unto us to set our Affections on things that are above, which is to be Spiritually minded.

Now because it must be, that our affections are either Spiritual or Earthly in a Prevailing degree, that either God hath our hearts, or the World; that our edge is towards Heaven, or towards things here below: before I came to give an account of the Nature and Opperations of Spiritual Affections, I shall consider and propose some of those Arguments and Motives which God is pleased to make use of, to call off our Affections from the desireable things of this World; For as they are wightly and cogent, such as cannot be neglected without the greatest contempt of Divine Wisdom and Goodness; So they serve to press and enforce those arguments and motives, that are proposed unto us to set our Affections on things that are above, which is to be Spiritually minded.

First, He hath in all manner of Instances poured Contempt on the things of this World, in comparison of things Spiritual and Heavenly. All things here below were at first made beautiful and in order; and were declared by God himself to be exceeding good; and that not only in their being and nature, but in the use whereunto they were designed. They were then desirable unto men, and the enjoyment of them would have bin a blessing without danger of Temptation. For they were the Ordinance of God to lead us unto the knowledge of him, and love unto him. But since the entrance of sin, whereby the World fell under the Curse, & into the power of Satan, the things of it in his management are become effectual means to draw off the heart and the Affections from God. For, it is the World and the things of it as summed up by the Apostle,