186 OF SPIRITUAL MINDEDNESS. temptation assaults the soul, will be its strong tower, where it shall be safe. 2. A second season calling for the exercise of our minds in thoughts of the omnipresence and omni- science of God, is made up of our solitudes and retire- ments. Thesegive us the most genuine trials, whether we are spiritually minded or not. What we are in them, that we are, and no more. But yet in some of them, as in walkings and in journeyings, or the like, vain thoughts and foolish imaginations are exceedingly apt to solicit ourminds. Whatever is stored up in the affections or memory, will at such a time car itself for our present entertainment : and where men have accustomed themselves to any sort of things, they will press on them for the possession of theirthoughts, as it were, whether they will or not. The Psalmist gives us the way to prevent this evil : Psal. xvi. 7, 8. ' I will bless the Lord, who hath given me counsel; my reins also instruct me in the night season. I have set the Lord always before me, because he is at my right hand.' His reins, that is, his affections, and secret thoughts, gave him counsel, and instructed him in all such seasons; but whence had they that wisdom and faithfulness ' In themselves they are the seat of all lusts and corruptions ; nor could they do any thing but seduce him into an evil frame. It was from hence alone, that he has set the Lord always before him. Continual apprehensions of the presence of God with him, kept his mind, his heart and affections, in that awe and reverence of him, as that they always instructed him to his duty. But as I remember, I spake some- what as to the duemanagement of our thoughts in this season before. 3. Times of great difficulties, dangers, and perplex-
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