Watts - Houston-Packer Collection BX5207.W3 S4x 1805 v.1

MM. /V.j I'LESi/ ANÌt. St'fÁTfi, &C. sg pies of holiness, as there are why flesh should signify the principles of sin. Ist. Because the objects and aim of holy souls are chiefly spiritual, viz. God and heaven, invisible and eternal things. Spiritual objects are chief in their esteem, most in their thoughts, and in their desires, and have the first place in their designs and pursuit: As they that are after the flesh, mind the things of the flesh; so they that are after the spirit, mind the things of the spirit; Born. viii. 5, A saint, who is spiritually-minded, aims at those things that are more a-kin to the nature of a spirit; he seeks the knowledge of the favour of God, who is the supreme of Spirits, the infinite and self-sufficient Spirit, in whose knowledge, and in whose love, all intelligent creatures find a full sufficiency of blessedness. He k lows that all created spirits, who are holy and happy; are made so by derivations from God's all- sufficient holiness. and happiness; and therefore he applies himself with zeal and vigour to all those spiritual exercises of medita- tion, faith and prayer, wherein God reveals himself and his mercy. Theknowledge of God and his worship, of Christ and his gospel, of the Holy Spirit and his grace, is the chief desire of a holy soul. These are the objects of the pursuit of a spiritual man; he has devoted him- self to God and things divine; upon account of which, a man is denominated holy, and therefore holiness iS called spirit. The holy man seeks the welfare of his own soul or spirit before that of his flesh; and while sinful men lay out their whole care and contrivance about the body, which must die, and grasp at the things of this life to make provision for the flesh, the saint is most concerned about his soul, which is an immortal spirit; he endea- vours to rectify those disorders of it, which sin and the flesh have introduced, and is ever diligent to make pro- vision for this soul of his in the spiritual and unseen world, because it must have a being there for ever. The holyman is most solicitous that his soul may be happy in an unknown hereafter, while the sinner seeks all his happiness here. As the natural man neglects the two chief Spirits he l4s any concern with, that is, God and his own soul ; sò

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