And the principal way by which it puts itself forth, is by the thoughts of the mind. If the heart be evil, they are for the most part vain, filthy, corrupt, wicked, foolish if it be under the power of a principle of grace, and so have a good treasure in it, it puts itself forth by thoughts suitable to its nature, and compliant with its inclinations. : Wherefore, these thoughts give the best indication of the frame of our minds and hearts. I mean such as are voluntary, such as the mind of its own accord is apt for, inclines, and ordinarily betakes itself to. Men may have a multitude of thoughts about the affairs of their callings and the occasions of life, which yet may give no due indication of the inward frame of their hearts. So men, whose calling and work it is to study the Scriptures, or the things revealed therein, and to preach them to others, cannot but have many thoughts about spiritual things; and yet may be, and often are, most remote from being spiritually minded. They may be forced by their work and calling to think of them early and late, evening and morning; and yet their minds be no way rendered or proved spiritual thereby. It were well if all of us who are preachers would diligently examine ourselves herein. So it is with them whe oblige themselves to read the Scriptures, it may be so many chapters every day; notwithstanding the diligent performance of their task, they may be most remote from being spiritually minded. But there is a certain track and course of thought that men ordinarily betake themselves to, when not affected with present occasions. If these be vain, foolish, proud, ambitious, sensual, or filthy, such is the mind and its frame. If they be holy, spiritual, and heavenly, such may be judged to be the frame of the mind. But these things must be more fully explained. It is the great character and description of the frame of men's minds in an unregenerate condition, or before the renovation of their natures, "That every imagination of the thoughts of their hearts are only evil continually." They are continually coining figments and imaginations in their hearts, stamping them into thoughts that are vain, foolish, and wicked. All other thoughts in them are occasional; these are the natural genuine product of their hearts. Hence the clearest, and sometimes first discovery of the bottomless evil treasure of filth, folly, and wickedness that is in the heart of man by nature, is from the innumerable multitude of evil imaginations, which are there coined and thrust forth every day. So the wicked are said "to be like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt." There is a fulness of evil in their hearts, like that of water in the sea. This fulness is troubled or put into continual motion by their lusts and impetuous desires. Hence the mire and dirt of evil thoughts are continually cast up in them. It is therefore evident, that the predominancy of voluntary thoughts is the best and surest indication of the inward frame and state of the mind. For if it be so on the one side, as to the carnal mind, it is so on the other as to the spiritual. Wherefore, to be spiritually minded, in the first place, is to have the course and stream of those thoughts to which we ordinarily retreat, which we approve of as suited to our affections, to be about spiritual things. Therein consists the minding of the Spirit. But because all men, unless horribly profligate, have thoughts about spiritual things, and yet we know that all men are not spiritually minded, we must consider, what is required to such thoughts, to render them a certain indication of the state of our minds. And to this there are these three things required :— 1. That they be natural, arising from ourselves, and not from outward occasions. The Psalmist mentions the "inward thoughts" of men. But, whereas all thoughts are the inward acts of the mind, it should seem that this expression makes no distinction of the especial kind of thoughts intended. But the difference is not in the formal nature of them, but in the causes, springs, and occasions. Inward thoughts are such as arise merely and solely from men's inward principles, dispositions, and inclinations, that are not suggested or excited by any outward objects. Such in wicked men are those actings of their lusts, whereby they entice and seduce themselves. Their lusts stir up thoughts, leading and encouraging them to make provision for the flesh. These are their inward thoughts. Of the same nature are those thoughts which are the minding of the Spirit. They are the first natural egress and genuine acting of the habitual disposition of the mind and soul. Thus, in covetous men there are two sorts of thoughts, whereby their covetousness acts itself. First, Such as are occasioned by outward objects and opportunities. So it was with Achan. "When," saith he, "I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold, then I coveted them." His sight of them, with an opportunity of possessing himself of them, excited covetous thoughts and desires in him. So is it with others every day, whose occasions call them to converse with the objects of their lusts. And some by such objects may be surprised into thoughts to which their minds are not habitually inclined. And therefore, when they are known, it is our duty to avoid them. But the same sort of persons have thoughts of this nature arising from themselves only, their own dispositions and inclinations, without any outward provocations. "The vile person will speak villany, and his heart will work iniquity.' And this he doth as the "liberal deviseth liberal things;" from his own disposition and inclination, he is contriving in his thoughts how to act according to them. So the unclean person hath two sorts of thoughts with respect to the satisfaction of his lusts. First, Such as are occasioned in his mind by the external objects of it. Hereunto stage plays, revellings, dancings with the society of bold persons, persons of corrupt communication, contribute their wicked service. For the avoidance of this snare, Job made "a covenant with his eyes. And our Saviour gives that holy declaration of the evil of it, Matt. v. 28. But he hath a habitual spring of these thoughts in himself, constantly inclining and disposing him thereto. Hence the apostle Peter tells us, that such persons" have eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin." Their own affections make them restless in their thoughts and contrivances about sin. So is it with them who are given to excess in wine or strong drink. They have pleasing thoughts raised in them from the object of their lust represented unto them. Hence Solomon gives that advice against the occasion of them, "Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright." But it is their own habitual disposition which carries them to pleasing thoughts of the satisfaction of their lusts, which he describes-" When shall I awake? I will seek it yet again." So is it in other cases. The thoughts of this latter sort, are men's inward thoughts; and such must these be of spiritual things, that we may be esteemed spiritually minded. The Psalmist saith, "My heart is inditing a good matter; I speak of the things which I have made touching the King.' He was meditating on spiritual things, on the things of the person and kingdom of Christ. Hence his heart bubbled up, as it is in the original, a good matter. It is an allusion taken from a quick spring of living waters: from its own life and fulness it bubbles up the water that runs and flows from it. So is it with these thoughts in them that are spiritually minded. There is a living fulness of spiritual things in their minds and affections, that springeth up into holy thoughts about them. From hence our Saviour gives us the great description of spiritual life. It is "a well of living water, springing up into everlasting life." The Spirit with his graces, residing in the heart of a believer, are a well of living water. Nor is it such a well, as, content with its own fulness, doth not, of its own accord, without any instrument or pains in drawing, send out its refreshing waters, as it is with most wells, though of liv ing water. For this is spoken by our Saviour in answer to that objection of the woman, upon this mention of giving living water: "Sir," saith she, "thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep, whence wilt thou have this water?" True, saith he, such is the nature of this well and water, dead, earthly things. They are of no use unless we have instruments, lines and buckets to draw with. But the living water which I shall give is of another nature. It is not water to be kept in a pit or cistern without us, whence it must be drawn; but it is within us; and that not dead and useless, but continually springing up to the use and refreshment of them that have it. For so is it with the principle of the new creature, of the new nature, the Spirit and his graces in the hearts of them that believe. It doth of itself and from itself, without any external influence on it, incline and dispose the whole soul to spiritual actings that tend to eternal life. Such are the thoughts of them that are spiritually minded. They arise from the inward principle, inclination, and disposition of the soul, are the bubblings of this well of living water; they are the mindings of the Spirit. So our Saviour describes them-" A good man, out of the good treasure of the heart, bringeth forth good things.' First the man is good; as he said before"Make the tree good, or the fruit cannot be good." He is made so by grace in the change and renovation of his nature; for in ourselves we are every way evil. This good man hath a treasure in his heart. So all men have; as the next words are, "The evil man, out of the evil treasure of the heart." And this is the great difference between men in this world. Every man hath a treasure in his heart; that is, a prevailing inexhaustible principle of all his actings and operations. But in some this treasure is good, in others it is evil; that is, the prevailing principle in the heart, which carries along with it its dispositions and inclinations, is in some good and gracious, in others it is evil. Out of this good treasure, a good man bringeth forth good things. The first opening of it, the first bringing of it forth, is by these thoughts. The thoughts that arise out of the heart are of the same nature with the trea sure that is in it. If the thoughts that naturally arise and spring up in us, are for the most part vain, foolish, |