..,:.: OF SPIRITUAL MINDEDNESS. 365 saken of reason, as to suppose that he hath any sincere affections for what he thinks little on, or not at all; or that he can have a true affection for any thing which will not stir up, and ingenerate in him continual thoughts about it. Let men try themselves as to their relations, or their employments, or the objects of their predominant lusts, and they will find how things are stated in their own minds. And, therefore, whereas .a11 men pretend to love God and Christ, and the ways of God, and yet know in their own hearts that they little think of them, or meditate upon them, both their pretence and religion is vain. Where our affections are duly placed on heavenly things, so as that we are indeed spiritually minded, they will be a constant spring of spiritual thoughts and meditations. But this also hath beenbefore spoken to. Fourthly.. When our affections are thus applied to spiritual things, they will be prevalent and victorious against solicitations to the contrary, or allurements to draw them off to any other objects. The work of all our spiritual adversaries, is to solicit and tempt our affections, to divert them from their proper object. There are some temptations of Satan that make an im- mediate impression on the mind and conscience. Such are his injection of diabolical blasphemous thoughts concerning God, his being, nature, and will; and the distresses which he reduceth men to in their conscien- ces, through darkness, and misrepresentations of God and his . goodness. But the high road and constant practice of all our spiritual adversaries, is by the soli- citation of our affections to objects that are in them- selves, or in the degree of-our affections towards them, evil and sinful. Of the first, are all sensual pleasures of the flesh, in drunkenness, uncleanness, gluttony, 3].*
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