The Grace and Duty of Being Spiritually Minded

Fourthly, When our Affections are thus applied unto Spiritual things, they will be prevalent and victorious against Solicitations unto the contrary, or Allurements to draw them off unto any other Objects. The work of all our Spiritual Adversaries, is to solicit and tempt our Affections, to divert them from their proper Object. There are some Temptations of Satan that make an immediate Impression on the Mind and Conscience. Such are his Injection of diabolical Blasphemous Thoughts concerning God, his Being, Nature, and Will; and the Distresses which he reduceth men unto in their Consciences, through Darkness, and Misrepresentations of God and his Goodness. But the high Road and constant Practice of all our Spiritual Adversaries, is by the Solicitation of our Affections unto Objects that are in themselves, or in the Degree of our Affections towards them, evil and sinful. Of the first, are all sensual Pleasures of the Flesh, in Drunkenness, Uncleanness, Gluttony, Chambering, and Wantonness, with all sorts of Sensual Pleasures. Of the latter is all our inordinate Love unto Self, our Families, and the whole World, or the things of it. Unto this end, every thing in the whole World, that may make Provision for Lust, is made use of. Herein consists the nature and efficacy of most of those Temptations which we have to conflict withal. Solicitations they are of our Affections to draw them off from things Spiritual and Heavenly, and to divert them unto other things. Hereby do our Enemies endeavour to beguile us, as the Serpent beguiled Eve; with fair and false Representations of other Beloveds, that our hearts be not preserved, as a chaste Virgin, in all their Affections for Christ.

Fourthly, When our Affections are thus applyed unto Spiritual things, they will be prevalent and victorious against Solicitations unto the contrary, or Allurements to draw them off unto any other Objects. The work of all our Spiritual Adversaries, is to sollicite and tempt our Affections, to divert them from their proper Object. There are some Temptations of Satan that make an immediate Impression on the Mind and Conscience. Such are his Injection of diabolical Blasphemous Thoughts concerning God, his Being, Nature, and Will; and the Distresses which he reduceth men unto in their Consciences, through Darkness, and Misrepresentations of God and his Goodness. But the high Road and constant Practice of all our Spiritual Adversaries, is by the Solicitation of our Affections unto Objects that are in themselves, or in the Degree of our Affections towards them, evil and sinful. Of the first, are all sensual Pleasures of the Flesh, in Drunkenness, Uncleanness, Gluttony, Chambering, and Wantonness, with all sorts of Sensual Pleasures. Of the latter is all our inordinate Love unto Self, our Families, and the whole World, or the things of it. Unto this end, every thing in the whole World, that may make Provision for Lust, is made use of. Herein consists the nature and efficacy of most of those Temptations which we have to conflict withal. Solicitations they are of our Affections to draw them off from things Spiritual and Heavenly, and to divert them unto other things. Hereby do our Enemies endeavour to beguile us, as the Serpent beguiled Eve; with fair and false Representations of other Beloveds, that our hearts be not preserved, as a chast Virgin, in all their Affections for Christ.