OP SPIRITUAL MINDEDNESS. 383 of deliverance from. For this evilwill not be cured by attendance to any particular directions, without a change of the whole frame of our minds. Nothing can give us relief herein, but a prevalent delight in being exercised about things spiritual and heavenly. For hence arise all our distractions; the want of fixing our minds on spiritual things with delight, makes them obnoxious to be diverted from them on all occasions, yea, to seek occasions for such diversions. It is this frame alone, namely, of spiritual mindedness, that will give us this delight : for therebythe soul is transformed to the likeness of spiritual things; so as that they are suited to it, and pleasant to our affections. The mind and the things themselves, are thereby so fitted to each other, that on every occasion they are ready for mutual embraces, and not easily drawn offby any cause or means of the distractions so complained of; yea, they will all be prevented hereby. (2.) Despondencies in duties arise from the frequent incursions of the guilt of sin. The remembrance hereof frequently solicits the minds ofpersons in their first entrances to duty, unless they are under especial actings of grace, stirring them up to earnestness and fervency, in what they undertake. At other seasons it renders men lifeless and heartless, so as that they know not whether they had best pray or not, when duty and opportunity call them thereunto. To be spiritually minded, we have manifested in many instan- ces, is the great preservative against these dishearten- ing incursions of sin. It is the soul's watch and guard against them, whence ever they arise or proceed. No lust or corruption can be prevalent in a spiritual mind. And this is the principal cause of such incur- sions of sin, as affect the soul with a disheartening
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