qo Spiritual Per[eflion. fp~ritu.a l frame of t.he He_arr, a~d the aCtions fl?w.ing from ir. The charaB:er and denomtnatton of Men m Scnpture Js from t wo Pnnctple~, the Flefh and Spirir. T he Apo. ~i;r t=! 1; 4{t;~~t;t;;~;;t:h:~e~;b;;{~e:i:Ze ~;~;,.do T~:fe1~:~~;:~; ~%/~frr~turili~dr::z the Carnal tn the Refumchon of Grace, !ball not be fepa rared from them in the Re. furrecbon of Glory . , T he. Carnal are unde r the prevalent influences ~f tHe Outward Sctlfcs; their Minds and W1ns, their Imaginati_ons and A ffc8:ions, their Dtfcourfes and ACtions, are_ all pointed on the Earth ; their weak Eyes are dazled with the falfe luflre 'of worldly rhmgs · their Heans are ravifh'd with them. With what an ~cccnt an? e~phafis _do they exprefs cheir defires, Who w1!1 jbtov w any good? The World IS the pnnc1pal ObJett of their Efieem and Love; they labour conunually; they fweat and freeze. and move in a circle of roil · foa~c Ernpl?yrneors; ~heir d_elircs arc unceffam and unfatisfied without obtaining it ; and t ht: Ir acqulflng one thmg, kmdles de fires after another: Bur how flow and flack arc their endeavours after eternal things? They ufe God to enjoy the World. an:~~~~~~~~~n::,:~~[P(;/;~~~\?z~~~ i;ter~~ifel~,e ~~~;~~a~f t~~~ivi~o~i:~~Ye~'~;t;~; pleaong in his oght This difcovers it fclf by o•1r Eflcem, Aff<Elions and Converfa 1i. ons: When the mind is purified from Carnal Prejudices and Paffions, then the beauty and goodnefs of God, all his amiable excellencies, appear, and powerfully attract the Thoughts and Affections. The Chriflian that can fay wi th the Spiri t of the Pfalmill H1hom h~tvt I in Heavw hut thu, ar.d tha:e U none upon Earth 1 dt{ire befide rhu; and i~ the Expreffion of the Church, 1he Lord u m7 portion, faith m7 So11l, he is fpirituallyrninded: He places his Happinefs to the Favour and Fruition of God : H1s temporal af. f?i,·s are fubordi~ate eo ~is main defign: He profecutes with the g ~eatell refolution, di. J1gcncc, and dehght, Ins bleffed End : He ufes the World to enJOY God: Riches is principally valued by him, as he fees God's Love in them, and !hews his Glory by them. Now 'tis ao infalhble Rule, as we are affetled towards God, and thofe things that have tbe ·near,ft refemblance to him, accordingly we may judge of the degrees of our Spirituality. More particularly, 1. The Divine Law is a clear Glafs, wherein the Wifdom, the Retlitude, the Good. nefs and Holincfs of God are evldent; and confequemly according to our Valuations and Love to it, there is a fure fign of a Divine Temper, and its prevalency in the Soul. Davtd, the rvran after God's own Hearr3 declares it to be his i11~omp1.rahle Treafure, hiJ drarejl Enjo}'ntnt: 'Twas the p!eafing Objetl of his Mind and Will: 'Tw.u hiJ medil4· tioiJ all the day. He expreff'es his love to it in the higheA: degree, by intimat ing 'tis in· cxpreffible. Oh horv I low 1h7 Law! He lovtd it bwu{< 't••M pur.. The Holinefs of God fo confpicuouOy !bin'd in its Precepts, that it was as llrong an ingagemenr to his Af. fell ions, as the Majc fl y of God by its Santt.ion, oblig'd his Confcience to obey it. 2. When the Wor!b1p of God, in its pumy and fimplicity, is the ObJell of ?ur Efleem and Love, ,tis the effi:a of a fpirimal frame of Sou l. Durmg the Levitical Difpenfarion, t he Service of God was perform'd with Pomp and Lullre, fuirable to the Church in irs minority, when Fai r h did need the affiftance of the Senfes: BJJt now the Church is come to mature Age, and brought to nearer Communion with God, the gaudy allurements of SenfC are taken away. Men are natu rally under the dominion of fenfe; of rhis there is the mofl cl t ar and palpable Proof in the Heathen World, that would rather wodhip vifiblc Idols , than the true invilible God. ,Tis a certain indication of Mens Carnal Minds, that they are plclfc:d with Carnal Se rvice, that lavifhly runs out in Formalities, which by fymparhy wori<S upon them. This affells the Eye, and is far more eafierhan Spiritual inward Wor!bip, tlv.r ilfues from the flrength of the Soul, and IS performed wi th anemion and ardency. 'This is very difparaging to the Nature of God ; for It pro· cecds from the conceiving of him to ,be like themfelves ( who are not _Heavenly ~nd Spiritual) to be plea(ed with an Earthly Bodily Service. The inrroductn~ Thwnca l Ceremonies into the Serv ice of God, is direllly oppoote to the fimpltc1ty ot the Gofpel. \Vhatever pretences arc made, that they f(: r a glofs upon t~e plainne~ or Ch~i fi:.Ian \Vodh ip, and make it more amiable and venerable, they are like the arufic1al Pamr~ng of natural Beauty , that corrupts and does not commend it. The produaions of Human Minds are imperfetl: at firll, and are polilh'd, and arrive to perfeEt: ion by degrees: But Divin.: Inflimtions arc corn pl ea t in their kind at fi rll , aod the more they recede from their origi03l, they lofe of their purit y and perfeCtion. How acceptable t hofe pares of ~~~i~~: :~;t ;~o~~~~i~~~nftcl~~~e':a nif~~Y i:~dt;ci;~~r:~~~~~~ t~~~e;::r;e~to~0~f Man
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