The Grace and Duty of Being Spiritually Minded

In this State do many abide and thrive, until their Affections be wholly transformed into the Image and likeness of things above. But with many of all sorts it is not so; they fall into woeful Decays as unto their Affections about Spiritual things, and consequently in their whole Profession and Conversation, their Moisture becomes as the drought in Summer. They have no Experience of the Life and Actings of them in themselves, nor any Comfort, or Refreshment from them; they honour not the Gospel with any Fruits of ⟨p. 273⟩Love, Zeal, or Delight, nor are useful any way unto others by their Example. Some of them have had seeming Recoveries, and are yet again taken into a lifeless Frame: Warnings, Afflictions, Sicknesses, the Word have awakened them, but they are fallen again into a dead Sleep; so as that they seem to be Trees whose Fruit withereth, without Fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the Roots.

In this State do many abide and thrive, until their Affections be wholly transformed into the Image and likeness of things above. But with many of all sorts it is not so; they fall into woful Decayes as unto their Affections about Spiritual things, and consequently in their whole Profession and Conversation, their Moisture becomes as the drought in Summer. They have no Experience of the Life and Actings of them in themselves, nor any Comfort, or Refreshment from them; they honour not the Gospel with any Fruits of ⟨p. 273⟩Love, Zeal, or Delight, nor are useful any way unto others by their Example. Some of them have had seeming Recoveries, and are yet again taken into a lifeless Frame: Warnings, Aflictions, Sicknesses, the Word have awakened them, but they are fallen again into a dead Sleep; so as that they seem to be Trees whose Fruit withereth, without Fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the Roots.

Some things must be spoken unto this woeful Condition in general, as that which is directly opposite unto the Grace and Duty of being Spiritually Minded; and contrary unto, and obstructive of the Growth of Spiritual Affections in an Assimilation unto Heavenly things. And what shall be spoken may be applied unto all the Degrees of these Decays, though all of them are not alike dangerous or perilous.