OF SPIRITUAL MINDEDNESS. 243 any man love theworld, the love of the Father is not in him. And by the way, let men take heed how they walk in any instanceagainst the known judgment and practice of the wiser or more experienced sort of Christians, to their regret and sorrow, if not to their offence and scandal, or in any way whereto they win the consent of their own light and conscience, by such reasonings and considerations as will not hold weight in the balanceof the sanctuary. Yet thus, and no other- wise, is it with all those who, under a profession of religion, indulge to any excesses wherein they are conformed to the world. Fifthly. God makes a hedge against the excesses of the affections of men, rational and any way enlight- ened, to the things of this world, by suffering the gen- erality of men to carry the use of them, and to be car- ried by the abuse of them, into actings so filthy, so abominable, so ridiculous, as reason itself cannot but abhor. Men by them transform themselves intobeasts and monsters, as might be manifested by all sorts of instances : hence the wise man prayed against riches, lest he should not be able to manage the temptations wherewith they are accompanied. Prov. xxx. 8, 9. Lastly. To close this matter, and to show us what we are to expect, in case we set our affections on things here below, and they have thereby a predomi- nant interest in our hearts, God hath positively deter- mined and declared, that if it be so, he will have no- thing to do with us, nor will accept of those affections which, we pretend, we can and do spare for him, and spiritual things. If we abstain from open sins, if we abhor the lewdness and uncleanness of men in the world, if we are constant in religious duties, and give ourselves up to walk after the most strict sort in re.
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