OF SPIRITUAL MINDEDNESS. 325 to be careless inhis calling, to delight in evil compa- ny ; how solicitous is his heart about him, howmuch is he grieved and affected with his miscarriage ! The heart of the Spirit of God is infinitely more tender to- wards us, than that of the most affectionate parent can be towards an only child. And when hewith cost and care path nourished, andbrought us up to some growth and progress in spiritual affections, wherein all his concerns in us lie, for us to grow cold, dull, earth- ly minded, to cleave to the pleasures or lusts of this world, how is he grieved, how is he provoked! It may be this consideration of grieving the Holy Spirit, is of no great weight with some ; they should have little concernment herein, if they could well free themselves in other respects ; but let such persons know, it is impossible for them to give a greater evi- dence of a profligate hardness in sin. Thirdly. This is that which in an especial manner provoketh the judgments of God against any church, as was intimated before : When, in the order of pro- fession and worship, any church hath a name to live, but as to the power of grace acting in the affections, is dead ; when it is not so cold as to forsake the ex- ternal institutions of worship, nor so hot as to enliven their duties with spiritual affections, the Lord Christ will not long bear with them ; yea, judgment will sud- denly break out towards such a house of God. Fourthly. It is absolutely inconsistent withall com- fortable assurance of the love of God. Whatever per- sons under the power of such a frame, pretend to of that kind, it is sinful security, not gracious assurance or peace ; and constantly, as professors grow old and decay in their spiritual affections, stupidity of con- science and security of mind grow also upon them. 28
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