56 S E R M O N S upon Serra. V III. 5. 28, an envious man in thoughts of revenge ? and (hall not a fpiritual difpofition difcover its Pelf in our mufings ? Faith and Hope will fend the thoughts, as Spies, into the land of promife, Heb. j. Love will be thinking on the Obje& loved : The Trea- lures will take up the mind and heart` Mat. 6. 21. Can a man love God, and Chrift, and never think of them? Our pleafanf'mufings should be regarded. A Third fort of Thoughts are, 3. Counfels, and Contrivances or Devices, Rom. 13. 14. Make no provion for the fleJI;to fulfil the lofts thereof. They wholly bend their minds how to compass their worldly ends, and how to advance themfelver in the world, carking and caring for thefe Things, but God is not in all their thoughts, Pfal. lo. 4. Care not whether God be plea - fed or difpleafed, honoured and glorified, or dilhonoured, nor how to come to enjoy him, and carry on the fpiritual life with more fuccefs, and allure their intereft in eter- nal happinefs. The fpiritual life is not a thing of hap- hazard and peradventure, but to be carried on with contrivance, and heedfulness, ponder the path of thy feet, Prov. 4. 26. Now men imploy their Time and Wit upon other projeets than how to morti- fie fin, or perfect holinefs in the fear of God. Thus Thoughts being the fir[' iffues of the mind, difcover the temper of it. Thofe that are after the Beth are thorough and true to their principle, they can freely imploy their minds about things which are agreeable to their conftitution of foul, and can hardly take them off for any ferious and grave pur- pole 5 they do moft readily and delightfully entertain these Thoughts, mind the Worlds Weeks, Years, Days, but never find leafure or time to mind life to come. They never Phut the door againft vain Thoughts ; but thoughts'of God , Chrift, and Heaven, and Hell, fin and holinefs, what ftrangers are they ? And when they ruth in upon us, are thruft forth as unwelcome guests. Any thing relating to the flesh is pleating, and wel- come, but how to get our hearts wafhed and cleansed by the Blood or Spirit of Christ, is not regarded by them; how to be more holy, to beat peace with God, to keep that peace unbroken by an uniform courfe of obedience, this is not thought of, nor dif- courfed of in the mind, nor the happinefsmufed on, nor our care and contrivance im- ployed about it. 2. The word allo comprifeth the will and afellions,delires, purpofes, choices ; what we now read ( mind ) is in other tranflations (favour) the vulgar reads, Sapiunt ; Erafmsss reads, Curant walla fentiant, have a fenfe or guff ; fo in thefe things , we tranflate it favour, Mat. 16. 33. Thou favoureli not the things that be of God, mearÑetu r "> oc'. We tranflate it elsewhere, Col. 3.2. vd¡mmoan. Set ,our afe5iòns upon tbsssgs above, and not on things on earth. But the Word as it ftandeth in our Tranflarion will bear it; for when men men fay they have a mind to it, Neh. 4. 6. We built the Wall, for the people had a mind to the work. So here'tis true of the carnal minding, and the fpiritual minding; the relish and taft, which is in the will and alIions, floweth from the apprehension of the mind; we relifh and delight in objeas suitable to that nature which we have ; as the conftitution is, fo is theGull and Taft : Tell a carnal Perlon of the joys of the Life to come, the comforts of the Spirit, the Peace of a good Confcienee, the fweetnefs that is in the Word and Ordinances, they find no more favour in these things, than in thewhite of an egg, or a dry chip ; but Banquets, merry meetings,and idle (ports, they have a com- placency for thefe things, and loon find a delight free and flirting at the mention of them, their hearts are in the houfe of mirth, EccleC 7.4. To be well clad, and well fed, maintained in Pomp and State, thefe are the Things which are molt fweet and pleating to them, and which they molt delire and feek after, for they mind these things, and fo bellow their care and delight upon them, and can fpend Days and Hours without wea rinefsin them; carnal men relilh no fweetnefs in Religion r Cor. 2. 14. But the natu- ral man receivetb not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolifhnefs unto him ; nei- ther can he know them, becaufe they are fpiritually difcerned. As they do not perceive them, fo not receive them; thefe are not theThings which are likely to make an Impre& fion upon their fouis : But on the contrary, the fpiritual minding is difcovered by this, becaufe'tis bell pleafed with fpiritual things; fpiritual minds find a marvellous fweetnefs and comfort in the Word of God,and the means of Grace and Salvation, Pfal. 119. 103. How fweet are thy words to my taft, yea, Tweeter than honey to my mouth? and Pfal. 63. 5. My foal fhall be fatisfted, as with marrow and fatnefs ; and Job 23. 12. I have elieem- ed the words of his mouth more than my neceffäry food. What gladness doth Commu- nion with God put into their hearts ? One day with him is better than all thofe flefh- pleafing Vanities, wherewith othersare deludedand inticed from God. 3. It
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