A53719:405
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.
Doth not God proclaim herein, that the things of this World are not to be valued or esteemed? if they were so, and had a real worth in themselves, would the Holy and Righteous God make such a Distribution of them. The most of those whom he Loves, who enjoy his Favour, not only comparatively have the meanest Share of them, but are exercised with all the Evils that the Destitution and want of them can be accompanied withal? His open and avowed Enemies in the mean time, have more than they know what to do withal. Who would set his Heart and Affections on those things which God poureth into the Bosoms of the vilest Men, to be a Snare unto them here, and an Aggravation of their Condemnation for ever; It seems, you may go and take the World, and take the Curse, Death and Hell along with it, and what will it profit a Man to gain the whole World and loose his own Soul. What can any Man do on the Consideration hereof, who will not forego all his Hopes and Expectations from God, but retreat unto the Faith of things Spiritual and Eternal, as containing an Excellency in them incomparably above all that may be enjoyed here below.
Doth not God proclaime herein, that the things of this World are not to be valued or esteemed? if they were so, and had a real worth in themselves, would the Holy and Righteous God make such a Distribution of them. The most of those whom he Loves, who enjoy his Favour, not only comparatively have the meanest Share of them, but are exercised with all the Evils that the Destitution and want of them can be accompanied withal? His open and avowed Enemies in the mean time, have more than they know what to do withal. VVho would set his Heart and Affections on those things which God poureth into the Bosomes of the vilest Men, to be a Snare unto them here, and an Aggravation of their Condemnation for ever; It seems, you may go and take the World, and take the Curse, Death and Hell along with it, and what will it profit a Man to gain the whole World and loose his own Soul. VVhat can any Man do on the Consideration hereof, who will not forego all his Hopes and Expectations from God, but retreat unto the Faith of things Spiritual and Eternal, as containing an Excellency in them incomparably above all that may be enjoyed here below.