The Grace and Duty of Being Spiritually Minded

Sometimes they are afraid, sometimes they have hopes and desires about them. These put them on Resolutions, and some temporary Endeavours to change their Lives, to abstain from Sin, and to perform holy Duties. But as the Prophet complains, their Goodness is as the morning Cloud, and as the early Dew, so passeth it away. Yet by means hereof, do many poor ignorant Souls deceive themselves, and cry Peace, Peace, when there is no Peace. And they will sometimes so express how they are affected with Complaints of themselves as unto their long neglect of Spiritual things that others may entertain good hopes concerning them; but all comes to nothing in the Trial.

Sometimes they are afraid, sometimes they have hopes and desires about them. These put them on Resolutions, and some temporary Endeavours to change their Lives, to abstain from Sin, and to perform holy Duties. But as the Prophet complains, their Goodness is as the morning Cloud, and as the early Dew, so passeth it away. Yet by means hereof, do many poor ignorant Souls deceive themselves, and cry Peace, Peace, when there is no Peace. And they will sometimes so express how they are affected with Complaints of themselves as unto their long neglect of Spiritual things that others may entertain good hopes concerning them; but all comes to nothing in the Tryal.

There is no difficulty unto Spiritual Light to distinguish between these occasional Impressions on the Affections, and that Spiritual Renovation of them which we enquire after. This alone is sufficient to do it, that they are all of them ⟨p. 210⟩temporary and evanid. They abide for a while only, as our Saviour speaks, and every Occasion defeats all their Efficacy. They may be frequently renewed, but they never abide. Some of them immediately pass away, and are utterly lost between the place where they hear the Word and their own habitations; and in vain shall they enquire after them again, they are gone for ever. Some have a larger Continuance, endure longer in the Mind, and produce some outward Effects; None of them will hold any Trial, or Shock of Temptation.