The Grace and Duty of Being Spiritually Minded

When a wise, tender, and careful Parent, hath been diligent in the use of all means for the Education of his Child, ⟨p. 277⟩and he for some time hath given good hopes of himself, finds him to slacken in his diligence, to be careless in his calling, to delight in evil Company, how solicitous is his heart about him, how much is he grieved, and affected with his miscarriage. The heart of the Spirit of God is infinitely more tender towards us, than that of the most affectionate Parent can be towards an only Child. And when he with Cost and Care hath nourished, and brought us up unto some Growth and Progress in Spiritual Affections, wherein all his Concerns in us do lye, for us to grow cold, dull, earthly-Minded, to cleave unto the Pleasures, or Lusts of this World, how is he grieved, how is he provoked. It may be this Consideration of grieving the Holy Spirit, is of no great weight with some; they should have little Concernment herein, if they could well free themselves in other Respects; but let such Persons know, it is impossible for them to give a greater Evidence of a profligate hardness in Sin.

When a wise, tender, and careful Parent, hath been diligent in the use of all means for the Education of his Child, ⟨p. 277⟩and he for some time hath given good hopes of himself, finds him to slacken in his diligence, to be careless in his calling, to delight in evil Company, how solicitous is his heart about him, how much is he grieved, and affected with his miscarriage. The heart of the Spirit of God is infinitely more tender towards us, than that of the most affectionate Parent can be towards an only Child. And when he with Cost and Care hath nourished, and brought us up unto some Growth and Progress in Spiritual Affections, wherein all his Concerns in us do lye, for us to grow cold, dul, earthly-Minded, to cleave unto the Pleasures, or Lusts of this World, how is he grieved, how is he provoked. It may be this Consideration of grieving the Holy Spirit, is of no great weight with some; they should have little Concernment herein, if they could well free themselves in other Respects; but let such Persons know, it is impossible for them to give a greater Evidence of a profligate hardness in Sin.