OF SPIRITUAL MINDEDNESS. 19 that hath no taste or savor in it. In this gust and rel- ish lies the sweetness and satisfaction of spiritual life. Speculative notions about spiritual things, when they are alone, aredry, .sapless, and barren. In this gust we taste by experience that God is gracious, and that the love of Christ is better than wine, or whatever else bath the most grateful relish unto a sensual appetite. This is the proper foundation of thatjoy which is un- speakable and full of glory. All these things do concur in the minding of the spirit, or to constitute any person .spiritually minded. And although the foundation of the whole duty included in it, lies in the affections, and .ti eir immediate adhe- rence unto spiritual things, whence the thoughts and meditations of the mind about them do proceed, yet I shall treat of the distinct parts of this duty in the order laid down, beginningwith the exercise of our thoughts and meditations about them. For they being the, first genuine actings of the mind, according unto the prevalency'of affections in it, they will make the best and most evident discovery of what nature the spring is from whence they do arise. And I shall not need to speak distinctly unto what is mentioned in the third place, concerning the cvmplacency of-the mind in what its affections are fixed on, for it will fall in with sundryother things that are to be spoken unto. But before we do proceed, it is not amiss, as I sup- pose, to put a remark upon those important truths, which are directly contained in the words proposed as the foundation of the present discourse. As, 1. To be spiritually minded is the great distinguish- ing character of true believers from all unregenerate persons. As such as it here asserted by the Apostle. All those who are carnally minded, who are in the "flesh,
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