The Grace and Duty of Being Spiritually Minded

First, As unto the Principle acting in them, that our Affections may be Spiritual, and the Spring of our being Spiritually-Minded, ⟨p. 201⟩it is required that they be changed, renewed, and in-laid with Grace, Spiritual and Supernatural. To clear the Sense hereof, we must a little consider, what is their State by Nature, and then, by what means they may be wrought upon, as unto a Change, or a Renovation. For they are like unto some things, which in themselves, and their own Nature, are poisonous; but being corrected, and receiving a due Temperament, from a mixture of other Ingredients, become Medicinal, and of excellent Use.

First, By nature, our Affections all of them are depraved and corrupted. Nothing in the whole Nature of Man, no Power or Faculty of the Soul is fallen under greater Disorder and Depravation by the Entrance of Sin, than our Affections are. In and by them is the Heart wholly gone and turned off from God, Tit. 3.3. It were a long work to set forth this Depravation of our Affections, nor doth it belong unto our present Design. Some few things I shall briefly observe concerning it, to make way unto what is proposed concerning their Change.

First, This is the only Corruption and Depravation of our Nature, by the Fall evident in and unto Reason, or the Light of Nature it self. Those who were wise among the Heathen, both saw it and complained of it. They found a weakness in the Mind, but saw nothing of its darkness and depravation,as unto things Spiritual. But they were sensible enough of this Disorder and Tumult of the Affections in things moral, which renders the Minds of men like a troubled Sea, whose Waters cast up Mire and Dirt. This greatly aggravates the neglect of them who are not sensible of it in themselves, seeing it is discernible in the Light of Nature.