The Grace and Duty of Being Spiritually Minded

To be carnally minded is, as the Apostle speaks, Death, it is so every way; and they who are so, are dead in trespasses and sins. This is opposed unto being Spiritually minded as unto its Nature or Essence. Where a man as unto the Substance and Being of the Grace and Duty intended is not Spiritually minded, he is carnally minded, that is, under the power of Death spiritual, and obnoxious unto death Eternal. This is the principal Foundation we proceed upon; whence we demonstrate the indispensable necessity of the frame of mind enquired after.

To be carnally minded is, as the Apostle speaks, Death, it is so every way; and they who are so, are dead in trespasses and sins. This is opposed unto being Spiritually minded as unto its Nature or Essence. Where a man as unto the Substance and Being of the Grace and Duty intended is not Spiritually minded, he is carnally minded, that is, under the power of Death spiritual, and obnoxious unto death Eternal. This is the principal Foundation we proceed upon; whence we demonstrate the indispensible necessity of the frame of mind enquired after.

There are two ways wherein Men are Earthly-minded. The one is absolute, when the love of earthly things is wholly predominant in the mind. This is not formally and properly to be carnally minded, which is of a larger extent. The one Denomination is from the Root and Principle, namely, the Flesh; the other from the Object, or the things of the Earth. The latter is a branch from the former, as its root. To be earthly minded, is an operation and effect of the carnal mind in one especial way and Instance. And it is as exclusive of Life and Salvation as the Carnal mind it self, Phil. 3.19. 1 Joh. 2.16. This therefore is opposed unto the Being of Spiritual mindedness, no less than to be carnally minded, is. When there is in any a Love of earthly things that is predominant, whence a Person may be rightly denominated to be earthly minded, he is not nor can be spiritually minded at all; he hath no Interest in the frame of heart and Spirit intended thereby. And thus it is evidently with the greatest part of them who are called Christians in the World, let them pretend what they will to the contrary.