V; r. 5. the 8th Cbsipter of the ROMANS. 43 What is this minding or refpebl. AnC It may be confidered fimf /, and apart ; or comparatively, our refpects to thefe contrary Objects being compared together. t. Simply, by it felt. Our minding is bewrayed by the three Operations of man, Thoughts, Words, and Anions, That which he minds, he often thinks of, (peaks of and feeks after, be they the things of the flefh, or of the fpirit, the life and vigor of our fouls is feen in thinking, fpeaking and ailing. r. Mens thoughts will be where their hearts are, and their Hearts are where their Tre- fare is, Matth. 6.2 t. Carnal men are brought in thinking of theit worldly affairs, Luk. 12. 17, 29. I4tacv, a 10, and he dialogued with himfelf: Not that it is (imply unlawful to mind our earthly bufinefs; I bring it to thew the temper of the men; their hearts are al- ways exercifed with fuch kind of thoughts, talking with themfelves. And on the other fide,godly men areremembringGod and Heaven,and pleafed with thefe kind of thoughts, My foul remembred thee in the night; and they are defcribed, Mal. 3. 16. They that fea- red the Lord, and thought upon his name. 2. The fame is true of words alfo, they declare the Life and Vigor of out fpirits, for there is a quick intercourfe betwen the Tongue and the Heart, t John 4. 5, They are of the world, and (peak of the world, and the world heareth them : mens fpeeches are as their temper.is, Prov. so. 20. The tongue of the jufi is as choice Elver, but the heart of the wicked is little worth. When the heart is stored with ktlowledg, and bialfed by fpiritual affe&ions, they will inrich others with their holy, favour), profitable difiourfe but a drowfie, unfanl ified heart in man, bewrayeth it fell by his speeches and commu- nications with others. 3. By allions, or what we feek after : If all our bufrnefs be togratifiethe flefh, Luk. t a. 21. or fowing to theflefb, Gal. 5. 8. it argues a fie/My mind. On the other fide, they that have a fpiritual mind,make it their bufinefs to grow in grace, Phil. 3. 13. This one thing I do, forgetting the things that are behind, l prefs forward towards it mark of the prize of the high calling in Chrifl f of s. They labour for fpiritual and heavenly things, John 17, 27. Seelethe things that are above. Col. 3. s. They mind the things of the fpirit. 2. Comparitively, fo the mark mutt be interpreted. The Pimple Confederation is not fo canviïlive as the comparative. 1. Partly, becaufe all minding the flefh is not fitful, but an over - minding the Flefh ; the body bath its neceflities, and they muftbe cared for ; yea, take the flesh for fenfitive Appetite,topleale it with lawful fatis£aûíons,is no fin; for it is a Faculty put into us by God, and in due fubordination to Religion may be pleafed; to pleafe it by things forbid. den, is certainly a fm; and to prefer it before the pleafingof God, is a great fin indeed, for it is a Chara ler of them who are ina fiate of damnation,that they are lovers of plea. frees more than lovers of God, 2 Tim. 3, 4. Therefore tho we mull obferve ours Thoughts, Words, andAllions: Yet it mull be thus interpreted, not to condemn every alte but that we may know in what proportion the vigor of mind is manifefted and carried out to either of thefeObjells, by Thoughts, Words, or Allions. If our thoughts of the world thin out all thoughts of God, Pfal. 12. 4. God is not in all their thoughts; Ifour thinking of fpiritual things be too rare, unfrequeat and unpleafing to us, we are after the.flefh; fo for words, if we are heartlefs in our talk of heavenly things and we are in our element when (peaking of carnal things, and when a ferious word is interpo= fed for God,we frown upon the motion ; fo for actionscompare mens care for the world with their care for their foulssif they more earneftly and indullrioufly leek to pleafe the flefh than to fave their fouls, it is a fign the flefh and its interefis are predominant in them ; all things are done fuperficially and by the by in Religion, not as becomes thofe that work from and for life, with any diligence and Fervency. There is no proportion be- tween endeavours for the world, and their preparations for eternal life 5 all is earneft on one fide, but either nothing is done, or in a very flight manner, on the other fide ; their thoughts, and love, and life, and ftrength are wholly occupied and taken up about the things of the flefh. 2. Partly, Becaufe we muff dillinguifh between the fn of fleji.pleaftng, and the /late of flefb pleafng; for a, man is to judg of his fpiritual condition, not by fngle ails, but his ftate,or the habitualframe of his heart. Who is there among Gods own Children who loth not mind the flesh, and too much indulge the flesh? but they who make it their bu- finefs to pleafe the flea], are over careful aboutit, Rom. 13. 14. Who make proviftsn for the Flefh, to fulfil the !lifts thereof:. And fo indulge the minding of the flefh, as not to mind the things of the fpirit, fo that vain pleafures do exceed their delight in God and kill it yet more and more, and bring a flavery upon themfelves, which they cannot help, 8 F 2 Tit.
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