248 OF SPIRITUAL MINDEDNESS. In general, this depravation of our affections by na- ture may be reduced to two heads. First. An utter aversation from God and all spirit- ual things. In this lies the spring of all that dislike of God and his ways, that the hearts of men are filled with. Yea, they do not only produce an aversation from them, and dislike of them, but they fill the mind with an enmity against them. Therefore, ` men say in their hearts to God, depart from us, for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways ; what is the Almighty, that we should serve him'? Or what profit should we have, if we pray to himV Job xxi. 14, 15. See Rom. i. 28. Chap. viii. 7, 8. Secondly. An inordinate cleaving to things vain, earthly, and sensual; causing the soul to engage in the pursuit of them, as the horse rushes into the battle. Whilst our affections are in this stateand condition, we are far enough from being spiritually minded ; nor is it possible to engage them in an adherence to, or delight in, spiritual things. In this state, they may be two ways wrought upon, and yet not so renewed, as to be serviceable to this end. First. There may be various temporary impressions made on them, sometimes they are so by the preach- ing of the word. Hereon men may hear it with joy, and do many things gladly. Sometimes it is so by judgments, dangers, sickness, apprehensions of the approach of death. Psal. xxxiv. 78; xxxv. 37. These things take men off for a season from their greedy de- light in earthly things, and the pursuit of the interest of lust, in making provision for the flesh. ®n many other occasions, by great variety of causes, tin re may
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