The Grace and Duty of Being Spiritually Minded

Wherefore you that are sensible of these Decays, or ought so to be, take the Advice of our Saviour, Remember whence you are fallen; call to mind the former days; consider if it were not better with you than now; when in your lying down, and your rising up, you had many thoughts of God, and of the things of God, and they were sweet and precious unto your Souls? when you rejoiced at the Remembrance of his Holiness? When you had Zeal for his Glory, Delight in his Worship, and were glad when they said, Let us go to the House of God together? When you poured forth your Souls with Freedom, and enlarged Affections before him, and were sensible of the Visits and Refreshments of his Love? Remember what Peace, what Tranquility of Mind, what Joy you had whilst it was so with you. And consider what you have gotten since you have forsaken God, in any Measure or Degree. Dare to deal plainly with your selves. Is not all wherein you have now to do with God, either Form, Custom, and Selfishness, or attended with Trouble, Disquietment, and Fears? Do you truly know, either how to live, or how to die? Are you not sometimes a Terror unto yourselves? It must be so, unless you are hardened through the Deceitfulness of Sin. What have all your Lovers done for you, that you have entertained in the room of God in Christ, and Spiritual things? Speak plainly, have they not defiled you, wounded you, weakened you, and brought you into that Condition, that you know not what you are, nor to whom ye do belong? What are your thoughts when you are most awake, when you are most your selves? Do you not sometimes part within your selves, and say, O that it were with us as in former Days.

Wherefore you that are sensible of these Decayes, or ought so to be, take the Advice of our Saviour, Remember whence you are fallen; call to mind the former days; consider if it were not better with you than now; when in your lying down, and your rising up, you had many thoughts of God, and of the things of God, and they were sweet and pretious unto your Souls? when you rejoyced at the Remembrance of his Holiness? When you had Zeal for his Glory, Delight in his Worship, and were glad when they said, Let us go to the House of God together? When you poured forth your Soules with Freedom, and enlarged Affections before him, and were sensible of the Visits and Refreshments of his Love? Remember what Peace, what Tranquility of Mind, what Joy you had whil'st it was so with you. And consider what you have gotten since you have forsaken God, in any Measure or Degree. Dare to deal plainly with your selves. Is not all wherein you have now to do with God, either Form, Custom, and Selfishness, or attended with Trouble, Disquietment, and Fears? Do you truely know, either how to live, or how to die? Are you not sometimes a Terrour unto yourselves? It must be so, unless you are hardened through the Deceitfulness of Sin. What have all your Lovers done for you, that you have entertained in the room of God in Christ, and Spiritual things? Speak plainly, have they not defiled you, wounded you, weakened you, and brought you into that Condition, that you know not what you are, nor to whom ye do belong? What are your thoughts when you are most awake, when you are most your selves? Do you not sometimes part within your selves, and say, O that it were with us as in former Dayes.