OF SPIRITUAL. MINDEDNESS. 379 regardlessness of the least of those mercies which are the peculiar purchase of the blood of his Son, and the effects of his eternal love and grace. He alone who is spiritually minded, values, prizes, and lays up these inestimable jewels in a due manner. (4.) Such persons only know now to use and improve all communications of a sense of divine love. These things are not granted to us to lie by us, without any use of them ; they are gracious provisions, wherewith we are furnished to enable us to all other duties, con- flicts, and trials. On all occasions are they to be called over for our spiritual relief and encouragement.-- Hereby are they safely retained : for in the due im- provement of them they grow more bright in our minds every day, and are ready for use, inwhich posture they are safely preserved. But these things will yet be further manifest in the instances that ensue. (2.) This frame of mind casts out all principles, and causes of trouble and disquietment, which are incon- sistent with life and peace. There are in us, by nature, principles of contrariety and opposition to spiritual life and peace, with sundry things, whose abode and prevalency in us is inconsistent with them. I shall give only one or two instances hereof. (1.) It will cast out all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness from our minds. Without this we can receive no benefit by means of grace, nor perform any duty in a right manner. Jam. i. 27. This is that which stands in direct immediate opposition and contrariety to our being spiritually minded, so as they can have no consistency in the same person, and they expel one another like heat and cold. And where there is this filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, there is neither life nor peace. Unclean lusts of the flesh, or of the
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