364 OF SPIRITUAL MINDEDNESS. pleasant to me, can renew this work of his grace to- wards me ; he can give me a new spiritual appetite and relish, and he can make all spiritual things savory to me again. As a man under a languishing sickness, or when he is chastened with strong pain, so as that his soul abhor- reth bread, and his daily meat, can remember what appetite he had, with what gust and relish he was wont to take his food in the days of his health, whichmakes him to know that there is such a condition, and to desire a return to it. So it is with a sin-sick soul; it can find no relish, no gust, no sweetness in spiritual things : he finds no savor in the bread of the word, nor any refreshment in the ordinances of the gospel, which yet in themselves are daily meat, a `feast of fat things, and of winewell refined ;' yet doth he remember former days, when all these things were sweet to him, and if he have any spark of spiritual life yet remaining, it will stir him up to seek with all diligence after a recovery. How is it with you, who are now under spiritual decays ; who find no taste nor relish in spirit- ual things i to whom the word is not savory, nor other ordinances powerful l Call to mind how it hath been with you in former days, and what ye found in these things ; if so be, saith the apostle, that you have tasted that the Lord is gracious. If you have not, it is to be feared that you have never yet had the least sincere love to spiritual things ; for where that is, it will give a spiritual relish of them. If you have, how is it you can give yourselves rest one moment, without an endeavor after the healing of your backsliding l (3.) It is required that our affections be so set on spiritual things, so as to be a continual spring of spirit- ual thoughts and meditations. No man can be so for-
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