The Grace and Duty of Being Spiritually Minded

And I am afraid that many of us are very negligent herein, unto the great prejudice of our Souls and Spiritual State. Many such Intimations are given us by the Holy Ghost through the Word, which we take little notice of, either we know not the Voice of Christ in them, or do not hearken unto him in a due manner, or refuse a Compliance with him, when we cannot but know that he speaks unto us, ⟨p. 327⟩see Cant. 5.2, 3. Or if we receive any Impressions of a gracious Sense of Divine Love in them, we quickly lose them, not knowing how much the Life of our Souls is concerned therein; and what use of them we may have in our following Temptations, Trials, and Duties.

And I am afraid that many of us are very negligent herein, unto the great prejudice of our Souls and Spiritual State. Many such Intimations are given us by the Holy Ghost through the Word, which we take little notice of, either we know not the Voice of Christ in them, or do not hearken unto him in a due manner, or refuse a Compliance with him, when we cannot but know that he speaks unto us, ⟨p. 327⟩see Cant. 5.2, 3. Or if we recieve any Impressions of a gratious Sense of Divine Love in them, we quickly lose them, not knowing how much the Life of our Souls is concerned therein; and what use of them we may have in our following Temptations, Tryals, and Duties.

Now the great means of retaining a Sense of the Love of God, which is the only spring of Life and Peace unto our Souls, is this Grace and Duty of being Spiritually-Minded. This is evident from the very nature of the Duty. For