The Grace and Duty of Being Spiritually Minded, Title page – Preface
foreign OR THE Grace and Duty OF BEING Spiritually-Minded, Declared and Practically Improved
By JOHN OWEN D. D.
ROM. 8.6.
To be Spiritually-Minded is Life and Peace.
COLOS. 3.2.
Set your Affections on things Above.
LONDON, Printed by J. G. for Nathaniel Ponder, at the Sign of the Peacock, in the Poultry, near the Church, 1681.
The Preface.
I Think it necessary to give the Reader a brief account of the nature and design of the plain ensuing Discourse, which may both direct him in the reading, and be some kind of Apology for my self in the publishing of it. He may therefore know, that the Thoughts here communicated, were originally private Meditations for my own use, in a season wherein I was every way unable to do any thing for the Edification of others, and far from expectation that ever I should be so able any more in this World. Receiving, as I thought, some Benefit and satisfaction in the Exercise of my own Meditations therein, when God was graciously pleased to restore a little strength unto me, I insisted on the same Subject, in the Instruction of a private Congregation; and this I did, partly out of a sense of the Advantage I had received my self by being conversant in them and partly from an Apprehension, that the Duties directed and pressed unto, in the whole Discourse, were seasonable from all sorts of present Circumstances, to be declared and urged on the Minds and Consciences of Professors. For leaving others unto the choice of their own Methods and Designs, I acknowledge that these are the two things whereby I regulate my Work in the whole Course of my Ministry. To impart those Truths of whose Power I hope I have had in some measure, a real Experience, and to press those Duties which present Occasions, Temptations, and other Circumstances do render necessary to be attended unto in a peculiar manner, are the things which I would principally apply my self unto in the Work of teaching others. For as in the Work of the Ministry, in general, the whole Councel of God concerning the Salvation of the Church by Jesus Christ is to be declared; so in particular, we are not to fight uncertainly as men beating the Air, nor shoot our Arrows at Random, without a certain Scope and Design. Knowledge of the Flock whereof we are Overseers, with a due Consideration of their Wants, their Graces, their Temptations, their Light, their Strength, and Weakness, are required herein. And when in pursuance of that Design, the Preparation of the Word to be dispensed, proceeds from Zeal to the glory of God, and Compassion unto the Souls of Men; when it is delivered with the Demonstration of a due Reverence unto God whose Word it is, and of Authority towards them unto whom it is dispensed, with a deep sense of that great account which both they that Preach, and they that hear the word Preached, must shortly give, before the Judgment Seat of Christ; there may the a Comfortable Expectation of a Blessed Issue of the whole Work. But my present Design is only to declare in particular, the Reasons why I Judg'd the Preaching and Publishing of this small and plain Discourse concening the Grace and Duty of being Spiritually Minded not to be altogether unseasonable at this time, in the present circumstances of of most Christians. And the first thing which I would observe unto this End is, the present Importunity of the World to Impose itself on the Minds of Men; and the various wayes of insinuation whereby it posesseth and filleth them. If it attain hereunto, if it can fill the Minds, the Thoughts and Affections of men with it self, it will in some, fortify the Soul against Faith and Obedience, and in others, Weaken all Grace, and endanger Eternal Ruin.
For if we Love the World the Love of the Father is not in us; And when the World fills our Thoughts, it will entangle our Affections. And First, the Present State of all Publick Affaires in it, with an apprehended concernment of Private Persons therein, continually Exerciseth the Thoughts of many, and is almost the only subject of their mutual converse. For the World is at present in a mighty hurry, and being in many places cast off from all Foundations of stedfastness, it makes the Mindes of Men giddy with its Revolutions, or disorderly in the Expectations of them.
Thoughts about these things are both allowable and unavoydable, if they take not the Mind out of its own Power, by their multiplicity, vehemency, and urgency, untill it be unframed as unto Spiritual things, retaining neither room nor time for their entertainment.
Hence Men walk and talke, as if the World were all, when Comparatively it is nothing.
And when men come with their warmed Affections reeking with thoughts of these things unto the performance of, or attendance unto any Spiritual Duty, it is very Difficult for them, if not impossible to stir up any Grace unto a Due and vigourous exercise. Unless this plausible Advantage which the World hath obtained of insinuating it self and its Occasions into the Mindes of Men, so as to fill them and Possesse them, be watched against, and obviated, so far, at least, as that it may not transform the Mind into its own Image and likeness this Grace of being Spiritually-Minded which is Life and Peace cannot be attained nor kept unto it's due Exercise.
Nor can we be, any of us, delivered from this Snare, at this season, without a watchful endeavour to keep and preserve our Minds in the Constant Contemplation of things Spiritual and Heavenly, proceeding from the prevalent adherence of our Affections unto them, as will appear in the ensuing discourse.
Again there are so great and Pregnant Evidences of the Prevalency of an Earthly Worldly Frame of Spirit, in many who make Profession of Religion, that it is high time they were call'd unto a due consideration, how unanswerable they are therein, unto the power and Spirituallity of that Religion which they do Profess. There is no way whereby such a Frame may be evinced to prevaile in many; yea in the Generallity of such Professiors, that is not manifest unto all. In their habits, attires and vestments, in their usual converse and mispence of time, in their over liberal entertainment of themselves and others unto the borders of Excess, and sundry other things of an a like nature, there is in many, such a Conformity unto the World (a thing severely forbidden) that it is hard to make a distinction between them. And these things do manifest such a predominancy of Carnal Affections in the Minds of Men, as whatever may be pretended unto the contrary, is inconsistent with Spiritual Peace. To call Men off from this evil Frame of Heart and Minde, to discover the Sin and danger of it, to direct them unto the wayes and meanes whereby it may be Effected, to supply their Thoughts and Affections with better Objects, to discover and presse that Excercise of them which is indispensiblely required of all Believers, if they design Life and Peace, is, some part of the work of the ensuing Discourse. It may be it will be Judged but a Weak attempt as unto the attaining of that end. But it cannot be denyed to have these two Advantages; first that it is seasonable; and secondly that it is sincerely intended. And if it have this only successe, that it may occasion others who have more Ability and opportunity then I have, to bring in their Assistance for an opposition unto the vehement and Importunate insinuations of the World in these things, to have an entertainment in the Minds of Professors, this Labour will not be Lost. But things are come to that pass amongst us, that unless a more than ordinary vigorous Exercise of the Ministry of the Word, with other meanes appointed unto the same end be ingag'd in, to recall Professors, unto that strict Mortification, that Sincerity of Conversation, that seperation from the ways of the World, that Heavenly Mindedness, that Delight in the Contemplation of Spiritual things, which the Gospel and the whole Nature of Christian Religion do require, we shall loose the Glory of our Profession, and leave it very uncertain what will be our Eternal Condition. The same may be spoken concerning Love of the World as unto the Advantages and Emoluments which Men trust to attain unto themselves thereby. This is that wi…h renders Men Earthly Minded, and most remote from having their Conversations above. In the pursuit of this Corrupt Affection do many Professors of Religion, grow withering, useless, sapless, giving no Evidence that the Love of God abideth in them. On these and many other accounts, do many, Christians evidence themselves to be strangers from Spiritual Mindedness, from a Life of Meditation and Holy Contemplation on things above; Yet unless we are found in these things in some Good Measure no Grace will thrive or Flourish in us; No Duty will be rightly Performed by us, no Condition Sanctified or Improved, nor are we Prepar'd, in a due manner, or made meet for the Inheritance of the Saints in Light. Wherfore as was said, to direct and provoke Men, unto that which is the only remedy of all these Evils which alone is the meanes of giving them a view, into, and a fore tast of Eternal Glory; Especially unto such who are in my own Condition, namely in a very neer approach unto a Departure out of this World, is the Design and Scope of the ensuing Discourse; wi…h is recommended unto the Grace of God for the benefit of the Reader.