To be spiritually minded is life and peace.
Rom 8:6
Set your affection on things above.
Col 3:2
There is a living fullness of spiritual things in their minds and affections, that springs up into holy thoughts about them.
From this our Savior gives us this great description of spiritual life. It is “a well of living water springing up into everlasting life,” Joh 4.10-14. The Spirit, with his graces residing in the heart of a believer, is a well of living water. Nor is it such a well that, content with its own fullness, it does not of its own accord — without any instrument or pains in drawing — send out its refreshing waters, as it is with most wells, even though it is of living water. For this is spoken by our Savior in answer and opposition to that objection of the woman, upon his mention of giving living water, verse 10: “Sir,” she says, “you have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep; where will you get this water from?” verse 11. He responds, in essence, “True, such is the nature of this well and water, of dead, earthly things — they are of no use unless we have instruments, lines and buckets to draw with. But the living water which I will give is of another nature. It is not water to be kept in a pit or cistern outside us, from which it must be drawn; but it is within us. And that water is not dead and useless, but continually springing up for the use and refreshment of those who 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 those who believe — 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 those who are spiritually minded. They arise from the inward principle, inclination, and disposition of the soul — these are the bubblings of this well of living water; they are the mindings of the Spirit.
If the thoughts that naturally arise and spring up in us, are for the most part vain, foolish, sensual, earthly, and selfish — such is the treasure that is in our hearts, and such are we. But where the thoughts that naturally proceed from the treasure that is in the heart, are spiritual and holy, it is an argument that we are spiritually minded.
Where it is not this way with our thoughts, they give no such evidence of what we inquire after. Men may have thoughts of spiritual things — many of them, and frequently — which do not arise from this principle, but may be resolved into two other causes:
- Inward force.
- Outward occasions.
1. Inward force, as it may be called. This is by convictions. Convictions put a kind of a force upon the mind, or an impression that causes it to act contrary to its own habitual disposition and inclination. It is in the nature of water to descend; but apply an instrument to it that compresses it and forces it to a vent, it will fly upwards vehemently, as if that were its natural motion. But as soon as the force of the compression ceases, it returns immediately to its own proper tendency, descending towards its center. So it is with men’s thoughts oftentimes. They are earthly — their natural course and motion is downwards to the earth and the things of earth. But when any efficacious conviction presses on the mind, it forces the egress of its thoughts upwards towards heavenly things. It will think much and frequently about them, as if that were their proper motion and course. But as soon as the power of conviction decays or wears off, and the mind is no longer sensible of its force and impression, thoughts of it return again to their old course and track, as the water tends downwards.
This state and frame is graphically described in Psa 128:34-37, “When he slew them, then they sought him: and they returned and inquired early after God. And they remembered that God was their rock, and the high God their redeemer. Nevertheless, they flattered him with their mouths, and lied to him with their tongues. For their heart was not right with him, neither were they steadfast in His covenant.”
Men in troubles, dangers, sickness, fears of death, or under effectual conviction of sin from the preaching of the word, will endeavor to think and meditate on spiritual things. Indeed, they will be greatly troubled that they cannot think of them more than they do, and esteem it their folly that they think of anything else. But as freedom and deliverance approach, these thoughts decay and disappear; the mind will not be compelled to give way to them anymore. The prophet gives the reason for it, Jer 13.23, “Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? Then may you also do good, who are accustomed to doing evil.” They have had another haunt, been taught another course — the habit and inclination of the mind lies another way, and they will tend towards spiritual things no longer than an impression is made on them from their convictions.
And it is an argument for very mean attainments, for a low and weak degree in this frame of heart — in our being spiritually minded — when our thoughts of spiritual things rise or fall according to renewed occasional convictions. Say we are under rebukes from God in our persons or relations, in fear of death and the like, and with this we have renewed convictions of sin in their commission, or omission of duties, and thereupon we endeavor to be more spiritually minded in the constant exercise of our thoughts on the spiritual things that we fail in. If these thoughts decay as our convictions in their causes wear off or are removed, then we have attained a very low degree in this grace, if we have any interest in it at all.
Water that rises and flows from a living spring runs equally and constantly, unless it is obstructed or diverted by some violent opposition; but water from thundershowers runs furiously only for a time, and is quickly dried up. So those spiritual thoughts which arise from a prevalent internal principle of grace in the heart, are even and constant, unless they are interrupted for a time by temptations. But those which are excited by the thunder of convictions, however filled their streams may be for a time, they quickly dry up and utterly decay.
2. Such thoughts of spiritual things may arise in the minds of men who are not spiritually minded, from outward means and occasions. I intend those thoughts which are indeed useful, indeed appointed by God for this end among others: that they may ingenerate and stir up holy thoughts and affections in us. But there is a difference in their use and operation. In some, they excite the inward principle of the mind to act in holy thoughts, according to its own sanctified disposition and prevalent affections. This is their proper end and use. In others, they occasionally suggest such thoughts to the minds of men, which spring only from the notions of the things proposed to them. With respect to this end they are also of singular use to the souls of men. Yet such thoughts do not prove men are spiritually minded. When you till and manure your land, if it brings forth plentiful crops of corn, it is an evidence that the soil itself is good and fertile; the dressing of the soil only gives occasion and advantage to produce its own fruit-bearing virtue. But if in tilling the land, you lay much dung upon it, and it brings forth here and there a handful only where the dung lay, you will say, “The soil is barren; it brings forth nothing of itself.”
The means that we will address, are like tilling fruitful soil. They help it produce its fruit, by exciting its own virtue and power — they stir up holy affections to holy thoughts and desires. But in others, whose hearts are barren, they only serve some of them, here and there as it were, to stir up spiritual thoughts — which gives no evidence of a gracious heart or spirit.
John Owen. THE GRACE AND DUTY OF BEING SPIRITUALLY MINDED.
