OP SPIRITUAL MINDEDNESS. 173 that fear on our hearts, in proportion to their contin- uance with us,, they are of no value, but will insensibly habituate us to a common bold frame of spirit, which he despises. So it is in the case of thoughts of a contrary nature. Thoughts of sin, of sinful objects, may arise in our minds from the remainders of corruption ; or be oc- casioned by the temptations and suggestions of Satan ; if these are immediately rejectedandcast out of us, the soul is not more prejudicedby their entrance, than it is advantaged by their rejection, through the power of grace. But if they make frequent returns into the minds of men, or make any abode or continuance in their soliciting of the affections, they greatly defile the mind and conscience, disposing the person to the fur- ther entertainment of them. So, if our occasional thoughts of God do immediately leave us, and pass away without much affecting our minds; we shall have little or no benefit by them. But if by their frequent visits, and some continuance with us, they dispose our souls to an holy reverence of God, they are blessed means of promoting our sanctification. Without this, I say, there may be thoughts of God to no advantage of the soul. There is implanted in our nature such a sense . of a divine power and presence, as that, on all sudden occa- sions and surprisals, it will act itself according to that sense and apprehension, vox naturce clamantis ad Dom- ïnum naturce : a voice in nature itself, upon any thing that is suddenly too hard for it, which cries out imme- diately to the God of nature. So men, on such occa- sions, without any consideration, are surprised into a calling on the name of God, and crying to him. And from the same natural apprehension it is, that wicked 15*
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