Two Treatises, Treatise 1 · Chapter 2
CHAP. II. Earthly-mindedneſs diſcovered in Nine particulars.
THE firſt is this, When a man looks upon earthly things as the greateſt things of all, when he hath a high eſteem of earthly things, as THE things: as thus, Oh if I had ſuch and ſuch things as others have, Oh how happy ſhould I be, how happy are ſuch and ſuch men that do enjoy ſuch earthly things at their will, in their dwellings, their furniture, their comings in, Oh theſe are the brave things, theſe are the delightful things, theſe are THE things wherein felicity and happineſs doth conſiſt. When men ſhall promiſe to themſelves felicity in any earthly things, then they mind earthly things. I remember golden mouth'd Chryſoſtom hath a ſpeech of a covetous man, That he looks upon his Money, and he ſees more beauty in his Money than in the very Sun it ſelf that ſhines in the Firmament: When men look upon the things of the earth as the moſt beautiful things in their eyes: Certainly that man is in a diſtemper, when he puts ſuch a high eſteem upon any earthly things, this eſteem is not according to what God and his Saints do put upon earthly things, God never puts any great eminencie on any earthly thing; he never made any earthly things to be any great Conduit, or means of Conveyance of any great good from himſel unto his Creature; If you would know what your heart, are, you may know it by this one ſign as much as any What do you account your excellencie? according to what any man or woman accounts their excellency to conſiſt in, ſo are their hearts, their hearts are ſutable; in the 27. chap. of Geneſis, 28. 39. verſes. You ſhall find there Iſaac bleſſing of Jacob and Eſau, he bleſſes them both: but now, what I would obſerve is this, the difference in the placing of them, you ſhall obſerve, the bleſſing of Jacob in the 28. verſe, therefore God giveth of the dew of Heaven, and the fatneſs of the earth, and plenty of Corn and Wine, that's Jacob's bleſſing: Now look to Eſau's bleſſing, for the bleſſing was ſutable to their diſpoſition, and Jacob's father anſwered and ſaid unto him, behold thy dwelling ſhall be of the fatneſs of the earth, and of the dew of Heaven from above: mark, Iſaac bleſſes them both with the dew of Heaven and fatneſs of the earth; but now, in Jacob's bleſſing the dew of Heaven is firſt, and the fatneſs of the earth is in the ſecond place; but in Eſau's bleſſing the fatneſs of the earth is firſt, and then the dew of Heaven: noting this, That a godly man indeed, doth ſtand in need of the things of the earth, as Chriſt ſaith, your father knows you ſtand in need of this things; I but the great thing in the firſt place that a godly heart doth mind, it ts, The dew of Heaven, and then in the ſecond place, The bleſſing of the erath; But now, a carnal heart doth think it hath ſome need of the things of Heaven, it will acknowledge that: I but in the firſt place it's the fatneſs of the earth they deſire: and ſecondly the dew of Heaven, So that that's the firſt thing: Earthly minded men look upon theſe things as the high and chief things, and hence it is that the choiſe of the thoughts of an earthly-minded man is carried out on worldly objects.
Secondly, When the Cream and choiſe of the thoughts of men and women are buſied about earthly things then they mind earthly things in a ſinful manner: You may know what your hearts are by your thoughts as much as any thing, the thoughts are the immediate ebulitions or riſings up of the heart (as I may ſo call them) that is the bubbles that come from the heart immediately; a man cannot know what is in his heart ſo much by words and actions, as by the thoughts, becauſe the thoughts immediately ſpring from the heart, as thus, I can tell what the water is in ſuch a fountain better from that that bubbles up immediatly from the fountain-head, than I can tell by the water that runs in the ſtream a mile or two off, for there may many things intervene in the ſtream a mile or two off that never came from the fountain-head, but that that immediately bubbles from the fountain-head, that diſcovers of what nature the fountain is: So the thoughts are as it were the firſt born of the heart, and therefore the heart may be known what it is by the thoughts, Prov. 23. 7. ſaith the holy Ghoſt there, As he thinketh in his heart, ſo is he; That which is here ſpoken in a particular caſe may be applied in the general, As a man thinks in his heart ſo is he, as his thoughts are ſo is he: So is the heart as the thoughts of the mind are, Men may keep in words and actions out of by-reſpects, I but if you could know what the heart is, and look into the haunts of it in ſecret, that would diſcover to your ſelves what you are: as now, Many of your ſervants, when they are in your preſence before you or before others they may out of divers reſpects carry themſelves fairly, but if you would find them out, labour to know what they do when they are alone in their private haunts: So, would you know your own hearts? do not ſo much look at them, and take a ſcantling of them by how you behave your ſelves in words and actions before others, but what they are in your private chambers, what they are in the inward thoughts of the mind, there the heart comes to be diſcovered moſt; And by theſe thoughts I do not mean every kind of injection, or ſuggeſtion, for ſometimes the Devil may caſt in evil thoughts into the moſt holy; but I mean ſuch thoughts as are ſweet to the ſoul, whereby the ſoul comes to ſuck out ſweetneſs, and contentment, for that's the minding earthly things, when you find the ſtrength of your thoughts to be upon the things of the earth: and they are more ſutable to your hearts than any other: It is not when through weakneſs the mind may be wandring this way or that way, or through ſuggeſtions or temptations; but now, when men or women are moſt themſelves when alone and free, then for to examine what are the moſt ſutable thoughts to their hearts, Can you ſay when you are alone, Oh the very thoughts of God are ſweet to me, immediate in his Law day and night, and ſuck out ſweetneſs there as from an hony comb? But an unclean wretch will ſuck out ſweetneſs of his unclean thoughts when he is alone; and ſo the earthly minded man will ſuck out the ſweetneſs of his earthly thoughts, and ſo the Ambitious man the ſweetneſs of his pride when he is alone, and theſe are the moſt contentful thoughts to him, he can run along if it be two or three hours together and take delight and pleaſure in them: here's Earthly-mindedneſs.
The third thing is this, An Earthly-minded man, is one whoſe heart cleaves to the earth: for ſo I told you the word was, not only to mind, but to ſavour the things of the earth: his heart doth cleave to the earth: The Pſalmiſt in a far differing caſe ſaid, that his ſoul did cleave to the duſt: but it's true of many men in this caſe that I am ſpeaking of, their very ſouls do cleave to the duſt, their ſpirits are mixed with the earth, and therefore they are droſſie: Though it may be they have ſome good common gifts, ſome good natural parts, and ſome workings of the holy Ghoſt upon them, yet their ſpirits are droſſie: becauſe they are mixt with the earth: diſcourſe never ſo much to theſe men of the vanity of the things of the earth, they will give you the hearing, but when you have done all, their ſouls do cleave to the earth: and diſcourſe never ſo much to them of the excellency of heavenly things, they will hear you, but when you have done all, their ſouls ſtil cleaves to the earth: As a man whoſe ſoul cleaves in love to a woman, (As it is ſaid of Sampſon, his ſoul did cleave to Dalilab) talk what you will againſt that women, or of the excellency of any other woman, yet his ſoul cleaves to that woman: ſo 'tis in an earthly minded man, let what will be ſaid againſt the things of the earth, or what can be ſaid for the ſetting forth of the excellency of the things of Heaven, yet his ſoul cleaves to the earth: as the Serpents belly did to the duſt of the ground. That's an earthly minded man.
Fourthly, An earthly minded man, it on, whoſe heart is filled with diſtracting cares about the earth: what he ſhall eat and drink, and what he ſhall put on, how he ſhall provide for himſelf and his family, and what ſhall become of him at ſuch a time, Though he be well now yet what may become of him afterwards: when the heart is filled with diſtracting cares about the things of the earth; ſo far as the heart hath theſe prevailing over it, ſo far ſuch a man may be judged to be earthly.
There are two things that do cauſe diſtrating cares about anie buſineſſe
The firſt is, An apprehenſion of ſome verie great evil In caſe I ſhould be diſappointed, I look upon my diſappointment in ſuch a thing as a moſt intolerable evil to me, If I ſhould be diſappointed I know not what in the world to do That's the firſt
The ſecond is, An uncertaintie in the means for the preventment of this diſappointment: when as I look upon diſappointment as a very great evil, ſo thoſe means that ſhould prevent and help me againſt diſappointment I cannot truſt to: I look upon them as too weak to help me, notwithſtanding al ſuch means I may yet be deſappointed, this cauſes diſtracting thoughts; ſo, tis in the things of the earth, an earthly minded man or woman hath his thoughts fil'd with diſtracting cares about the world. That is thus
Firſt, They looking upon the things of the world as ſuch great things, they conceive if they ſhould be diſappointed they ſhould be undone; they look upon it as ſuch a fearful unſufferable evil to be depriv'd of their eſtate and outward comforts in this world.
Secondly, They don't look upon the means of proviſion for themſelves and families as having anie certaintie in it, which is a main thing to be conſidered of: As for outward things in the world, they find by experience there is uncertainty in them. And then for any promſe that there is in Scripture that God will provide for them and their families, alas that they dare not truſt to, that's a thing that of all means they think to be the weakeſt, Lord have mercy upon them (ſay they) if they have nothing elſe to truſt to, but only a word in Scripture, they think themſelves moſt miſerable and wretched. But now, it would be otherwiſe with the ſoul if it were not earthly minded, it would not be at any great pauſe how things do fall out here in the matters of the world, it's true, perhaps I may miſcarry in ſuch a buſineſſe, and my eſtate may be taken from me by the Caldeans or Sabeans as Jobs was, but I ſhall not be undone, my happineſs is not gone, I ſhall have that that will comfort me when all that is gone; ſuppoſe the worſt, yet this will not undo me, Indeed a man that ſends abroad in a venture all his whole eſtate, he is very ſolicitous becauſe if there be ill news about it he is undone; but another man that hath a great deal of riches, houſe, and Lands, and a ſtock at home to maintain him and his family, If there comes ſuch ill news, I have a ſtock to live on he thinks, therefore he is not ſo much ſolicitous: So a worldly man, all his ſtock is in the earth, there's his only portion, and if he miſcarries there he is undone; But a godly man, though he hath the things of the earth, yet he hath ſomething elſe, treaſures in Heaven to reſt upon beſides the earth, and therefore he is not ſo ſolicitous.
And then for the ſecond, The uncertainty of means and help: if a godly man looks upon outward cauſes, he ſees all is uncertain, but he hath a promiſe to reſt upon, I will never leave you nor forſake you: caſt your care upon me for I care for you; and this he looks upon as a certain means and help, whatſoever fals out, here's a promiſe that he can build upon, and therefore this takes off his ſolicitous cares: But an earthly minded man or woman whoſe heart is fild with diſtracting cares, becauſe he look upon himſelf as undone if he miſcarries here, and hath nothing to reſt upon for his proviſion in this world, more than the creature.
Fifthly, An earthly minded man or woman, is one whoſe great buſineſs of his heart and endeavours of his life are about the things of the earth: he makes it his great buſineſs, and the ſtrong endeavours of his ſpirit are exerciſed in the things of the earth: He eagerly and greedily works with the ſtrongeſt intention about theſe things, his whole Soul, the whole man is laid out about the world, it is the adequate object of his ſoul.
You will ſay, Other men they are buſie in their callings as well as theſe that you account earthly minded men, I but mark, they are buſie about their callings in obedience to God; and for outward things ſet aſide their obedience to God, then (I ſay) all the things that they buſie themſelves about in the world, were it not under that conſideration that they were obeying God in it they would not be adequate objects for their ſouls. I mean by an adequate object, that that Is ſufficient to take up the whole ſtrength of the ſoul to lay it out fully: I'le give you this ſimilitude to expreſs my mind further, to ſhew you what I mean by an adequate object, You have a little child, he is playing at ſports, now this ſport it hath as much in it as there is in his ſpirit, there is a kind of equality between his ſpirit and ſuch a ſport, there is benefit enough a child conceives in ſuch a ſport as it's worth the laying out of all his ſtrength and might upon it: Now it may be, ſometimes a man or woman will play with their child, they will do as the child doth to play with it, but this ſport it's not an addequat object, that's thus, a man or woman for the while would pleaſe themſelves with the child, but not ſo as if there were as much good in this as would fill their ſouls, ſo as they would lay out all their mind and might upon this thing as that is fully adequate to the deſires of their ſoul; But ſport is fully adequat to the deſires of the ſoul of the child, but though a man or woman doth ſport ſo with the child, yet theſe things are not fully adequat to the deſires of a man or woman, and they have other matters in their heads than theſe, and buſineſſes of a higher nature: and ſo it is in thoſe that are not earthly minded, though they may be buſied about the things of this world, yet they uſe the world as if they uſed it not, the things of the world are not objects adequat to their hearts, a ſpiritual heart reſerves the chief ſtrength of it for higher things, I follow theſe things in the world but ſo, as I reſerve the chief ſtrength for a more deſirable good: As a man now, if he hath divers friends to come to him, perhaps he hath ſome of an ordinary rank, they come firſt, he makes ordinarie proviſion for them, but if he hath anie choiſe things for entertainment he reſerves them for ſome choiſe friends that are coming to him: ſo a man that is not of the world though he may be buſie in earthly things, yet the choiſe of his heart he both reſerve for things of a higher nature. I remember Tertullian hath a ſpeech of the Chriſtians how they eat, and drank; when they ſup'd, they eat and drank (ſaith he) ſo as they remembred they were to pray that night before they ſlept: So a gracious ſpiritual heart follows his out ward buſineſs in the world, but ſo as he remembers he is to converſe with God that night before de ſleeps, ſo that he reſerves the ſtrength of his ſpirit for communion with God; but now the other laies out all his ſtrength as having nothing to do afterwards: ſo that in this an earthly, and a ſpiritual heart are quite contrary; The Apoſtle you know would have godly men to uſe the world as if they uſed it not; ſo on the contrary, an earthly-minded man uſes ſpiritual things as if he uſed them not; look how an earthly minded mans heart is in ſpiritual things, ſo a ſpiritual mind is in earthly things: An earthly minded man wil do ſome things that are ſpiritual, he will come and hear the word, perhaps he wil pray in his familie, and reade a chapter, I but his heart is not much there, he doth it as he did it not, comes and hears as if he heard not, and praies as if he prayed not, he makes it not his buſineſs to pray or hear; ſo a ſpiritual minded man he doth the things of the world but as if he did them not, I mean in compariſon of his being buſie in ſpiritual things, there he doth it with all his might; An earthly minded man is like to Corab, Dathan, and Abiram, we reade of them that they were ſwallowed up of the earth: and ſo the truth is, the things of the earth, Contentments, proviſion for themſelves and families in earthly things, doth as it were open and ſwallow up the very hearts of earthly-minded men: and that's the fift thing for the diſcription of earthly mindedneſs.
Sixthly, But ſuppoſe a man doth not ſeem to be ſo ſtrongly intent, to lay out his whole ſtrength and heart about earthly things, yet when anie man or woman ſhall ſeek anie earthlie thing for it ſelf (obſerve it) and not in ſubordination to ſome higher good, this is an earthly-minded man ſo for as this prevailes; in the 2 Cor. 4. 18. our Apoſtle Paul ſpeaks there of the things that are ſeen that are but temporal, While we look not at the things that are ſeen, for the things that are ſeen are earthly and temporal: the word is foreignas much as to ſay, while we do not look as our ſcope upon temporal and earthly things that are ſeen, we do not make them our end, but we ſeek them in ſubordination, there is ſomewhat elſe that we look at higher in all theſe things, as for inſtance, a man that is godly, he follows his buſineſs as other men do, but what is it that he would have? It's this, I ſhew my obedience to God, and I would provide thoſe things that may be helpful to me to ſerve God in my generation; that's my end, I can appeal to God in this, that even in the following my buſineſs and all outward things, it is that I might follow God in the uſe of means for the providing of ſuch things as may enable me to ſerve him the more in my generation: this is my ſcope in what I do. But now on the other ſide, an earthly-minded man makes his ſcope this, he will follow his buſineſs and look about the buſineſs of his calling that he might gain, he would get that he might get, he would have more that he might have more, and that he and his children might be ſomebodie in the world, and it may be that he might have enough to have his will, and luſts, therefore he follows his buſineſs very intent, meerly that he may get to ſatisfie the fleſh, yea, indeed all the good things that he doth he brings them in ſubordination to earthly things. You may take it thus, a ſpiritual man doth not ſeek earthly things for himſelf, but an earthly man doth; or thus more fully, (you may mak it a diſtinct head if you will,) An earthly man is earthly in all he doth do, both in earthly and ſpiritual things, and a ſpiritual minded man is ſpiritual in all he doth, both in ſpiritual and in earthly things; an earthly man when he is in earthly things he is altogether earthly, he looks not at obedience to God in what he doth, as thus, I'le follow my calling becauſe God hath required it, but an earthly man thinketh, I'le follow it becauſe I ſee gain come in by it, this is earth; though the things be lawful, and it's your duty to follow your calling, but to follow it meerly for gain, this is earthly: but becauſe it is your duty and the place God hath ſet you in, that's ſpiritualneſs in earthly things: An earthly man is earthly in earthly things, and he is more earthly in ſpiritual things: when he performes ſpiritual duties he hath an earthly end in it, either to get eſteem from men, or to cover ſome evil, or meerly for form and faſhion, he doth it in an earthly way, and it may be at the moſt that that he doth do, it is but meerly for his own quiet, and to ſatisfie his own conſcience, he is earthly in ſpiritual things. But now, a ſpiritual man, is ſpiritual in earthly things. one of a ſpiritual mind, is more heavenly and ſpiritual when he is about his calling though the meaneſt, as hedging, and ditching, or when he is pulling his ropes and lines, or uſing his Ax or hammer, he is more ſpiritual I ſay then, than an earthly man is, when he is praying, or hearing, or receiving Sacraments; certainly it is ſo, and it will be found to be ſo at the great day of Judgment, when the ſecrets of all hearts ſhall be diſcloſed: that's the ſixt thing, when a man ſeeks earthly things for himſelf.
And that that we may add as a ſeventh is, That he is earthly in ſpiritual things. I grant that the beſt of the Saints may have ſome earthlineſſe in ſpirtual things; but I ſpeak of the predominancie, it's that that doth rule in the heart, ſo that in the performance of ſpiritual things, his very ends are but earthly, and the frame of his heart is but earthly in ſpiritual performances.
The eight thing wherein we may find an earthly minded man is this, That he paſſes through many and great difficulties in matters of the earth, and they are very little to him; and though he hath a great deal of toyl for the matters of the earth, yet he is never weary with it, becauſe he is in his proper element; and therefore let there be what difficulties there will be, which to another man would be very great, he makes of them as nothing, and though there be much toyl and labour yet he is not weary, why? becauſe he is in his own element: The fiſh is not weary with ſwimming, but a man is quickly weary, I but the fiſh is in it's element and a man is not; ſo, I beſeech you obſerve this, when a mans ſpirit is in this kind of temper, let him but be buſied about earthly things, wherein earthly advantage comes in, no difficulties will hinder him, no wind or weather, he will riſe in cold mornings and go abroad, do any thing in the world. Oh! what difficulties will men endure In ſtorms at Sea, and hazards there, and troubles at land many waies for things of the earth, and ſit up late, and riſe early, and toyl themſelves, and complain of no wearineſſe nor no difficulties But now, let them come but to ſpiritual things, to ſoul-buſineſſes that concern God and their ſpiritual eſtates, every little difficulty puts them aſide and diſcourages them, every mole-hill is a mountain in their way, I would do ſo and ſo indeed, but 'tis ſo hard, and 'tis tedious to riſe in a morning, eſpecially in cold winters morning; it is very hard and difficult to reade and pray and ſo he is complaining of the difficulty of theſe things: And to watch over the heart, it's a mighty difficulty: to an earthly man any ſpiritual thing is difficult, and the difficulties doth diſcourage him, and in ſpiritual things, Oh how weary are they! as they in the 1. of Micha, 13. they cryed out, What a wearineſs is it: But in the buſineſſe of the world they can follow it, from morning to night they are never tired, they can work (as we ſay ſometimes of men) like a horſe and yet never out of breath: Oh I would but deſire you try your hearts once, but to endeavour to ſpend one Sabbath exctly, and ſee what a wearineſſe that would be to you, reſolve but one Sabbath to riſe early in the morning, & to have your thoughts ſpiritual & heavenly as much as you can, and then get up & pray alone in your cloſet, then reade, and hear, and meditate, and mark what you hear; and when you go home think of it, and confer about it, and when you come again attend upon the word, and ſo ſpend the whole day in hearing, reading, meditating, and conference about good things, Calling your family to account, and praying again, and ſee how tireſom this will be unto your hearts if they be carnal. But now a ſpiritual heart will call the Sabbath a delight unto it: And the Sabbath unto ſuch an one is no other than that type and fore runner of that eternal day of reſt it ſhall enjoy in the kingdom of heaven: one that is ſpiritual accounts the Sabbath to be a day of reſt, but an earthly man is quickly tired in ſpiritual things, he will give over his work and not go through it: we reade in the 4. of Nehe. 6. verſe Nehemiah having ſpoken of the great difficulties that they met withal in their work, and yet (ſaith he) the work went on, for they bad a mind to it. So, look how a mans mind is, ſo he will be able to go through his work; If a man be an earthly-minded man, ſuch a man will go through ſtich with his work, If he take up buſineſſe for the world he will go through with it, for he hath a mind to it, he is a man of an earthly mind; But let him take in hand a ſpiritual work, and he will lay it aſide before it be half done, he will ſeldom bring to perfection any ſpiritual work, why? becauſe he hath no mind to it, whereas were the heart ſpiritual, and there were any ſpiritual work undertaken, ſuch a one would go through with it till all was finiſhed.
Another note about the diſcription of an earthly-minded man, is this: An earthly-minded man, is one that doth conceive of the moſt heavenly Truths that are revealed in the Word in an earthly way, according to his mind, his genious, and diſpoſition of his own heart: And I verily think this is in a ſpecial manner meant in this place, for the Apoſtle is ſpeaking of thoſe that did oppoſe him in his Miniſtery, and that were enemies to the Croſſe of Chriſt: Now (ſaith he) Theſe mind earthly things, their mindes are of an earthly temper, and therefore no marvell (as if he ſhould ſay) though they do not ſavour thoſe Heavenly and Spiritual Truths that we bring to them, for their minds being earthly, they only apprehend thoſe things after an earthly manner: As now, what was the great Truth that the Apoſtle did bring to the Philippians? It was the way of reconciling the world to God, of making our peace with God, and of our Juſtification through Jeſus Chriſt. Now there is no point of Religion more Spiritual, Heavenly, and Divine, than the Doctrin of Reconciliation, and of Juſtification by Jeſus Chriſt. So that, one that is of an earthly diſpoſition, though he may be convinc'd of a neceſſity of pardon of ſin, and peace with God, yet he apprehends the making of his peace with God, and obtaining pardon of his ſin, but in an earthly manner, he hath carnal thoughts and apprehenſions about his peace with God, and about obtaining pardon of ſin, he thinks it is the ſame way that one man obtains peace with another when he is fallen out, and of getting pardon from another man that he hath offended, he conceives it in an earthly way, he looks upon his making peace with God, by ſome thing that he himſelf muſt perform; but for the point of Free juſtification by the grace of God in Chriſt, it's too Divine, Spiritual and Heavenly for an earthly-minded man to apprehend in the Spiritualneſſe of it; an earthly-minded man, his apprehenſions of God are but in a carnal, earthly way; as the Prophet ſpeaks in the 1 of Iſa. The Ox knows his owner, and the Aſs his maſters crib: Even after that manner doth an earthly-minded man know God; as an Ox his owner, and the Aſs his maſters crib: as thus, the ox knows his owner becauſe he brings him fodder daily, ſo an earthly-minded man hath no other apprehenſions of God but this, he thinks God gives him good things in this world, God makes his corn to grow, or Proſpers his voyage. An earthly-minded man may riſe ſo high to have apprehenſions of God as bringing good things unto him here on earth: But one that is ſpiritual and heavenly doth apprehend God as God, doth not look upon God meerly as good in reſpect of the benefit he receives from God here, but he looks upon God as he is in himſelf, he ſees the face of God: as there's a great deal of difference between a man that knows another man, and a beaſt that knows a man, The ox knows his owner, the ox knows the man that brings hay or provender to him, but a man knows a man in another way, knows what the nature of a man is, knows what it is to be a rational creature, ſo one that is ſpiritual, knows what God is in himſelf, he ſees the face of God, and underſtands what God is in another way than others do: the difference between the knowledge of God that a ſpiritual ſoul hath, one that is pure in heart, and the knowledge of God that an earthly heart hath, is juſt ſo much difference as comes to this, As the ox knows the man that drives him to fat paſtures, ſo doth an earthly man know God that gives him good things: but a ſpiritual heart knows God as one man knows another, not in his full excellency, I mean not ſo, but there is ſuch a kind of difference in ſome degree, between the apprehenſions of God in a ſpiritual heart, and the apprehenſions of God in an earthly heart: And ſo we might mention in many other Spiritual and Divine Truths, that an earthly mind doth apprehend but in an earthly way; conſider of Heaven its ſelf, how doth an earthly mind apprehend that? he apprehends that he ſhall be delivered from pain, and ſhall have ſome kind of glory, but knows not what it is, conceives it according to the way of the earth, ſome pompous, glotious thing, that he ſhall live in pleaſures and not in pain; and ſo apprehends all the glory of Heaven but in ſenſuality; whereas a ſpiritual heart looks at Heaven in another kind of notion, he looks upon the enjoyment of Communion with God and Jeſus Chriſt in Heaven, and living of the life of God in Heaven; that's a thing that an earthly heart hath no skill at all in, neither doth ſuch an heart ſo much as ſavour it. Thus I have in theſe ſeveral particulars diſcovered what an earthly-minded man is, Oh that you would lay your hands upon your hearts, and every one conſider how far theſe things do reach you. But I have beſides theſe, divers other convincements, to convince the conſciences of men and women that yet there is much earthlineſſe in them: but of them we ſhall treat of in their order afterwards.
The Second head to conſider is this. The great evill that there is in earthly-mindedneſs, They mind earthly things. Is that any ſuch great matter (you will ſay) indeed we cannot imagine the tranſcendency of the evil that there is in this, We think there's a great deal of evil in ſwearing, whoring, drinking, and ſuch kind of ſcandalous ſins, and indeed there is, But to have an earthly mind we do not think this to be ſo exceeding evil; yet you will find that the Scripture doth ſpeak moſt dreadful things againſt this, and if God pleaſe to ſet them home upon your hearts, I hope there is much glory may come to God by it, and much good unto you in particular.