these he has a deep and affecting conviction of the power, wifdom and goodness of him who made them all. He taftes the goodnefs of GOD in every enjoyment of fenfe; in every pleasure and refreshment. He eyes and enjoys GOD in every dispensation of providence. He receives every mercy as the gift of GOD, and a fresh obligation to gratitude, love and praise; and hears the voice of GOD in every affliction, reproving, chaftening and calling him home from fin, or quickening him to the performance of fome long-neglected duty.

(3.) The heavenly-minded man, converfes with, and enjoys GOD, in his word and ordinances. He reads the fcriptures diligently, with correfpondent holy affections; with gratitude and fpiritual defire and appetite. He hears GOD fpeaking to his foul in them; trembles at his word; delights in the purity of his laws, humbly submits to their authority, and feeds pleasurably upon his promifes and offers of mercy. He frequents ordinances, with no other view than to glorify and enjoy GOD in them. In prayer, he really, humbly and delightfully converfes with GOD. In praise, his foul exalts and magnifies the Almighty. He hears fermons that he may the better know GOD, and his duty, and love them; and that he may, by this means, cleanfe his way, reform his life, and get ftrength for

both. He prepares for facraments and attends them, that he may actually renew his covenant with GOD, and receive comfort and ftrength to keep it fleadfastly: And he has a pleasure and delight in thefe duties, fuperior to any which he feels in the enjoyment of this earth.*

(4.) The heavenly-minded man has a turn for fpiritualizing all the common occurrences and events of life. He is difpof ed to give a useful and edifying turn to every topic of converfation; and to profit even by the worst, or most common things that happen to himself, or to others around him. It would be endlefs to illuftrate this remark.

(5.) The heavenly-minded man, having his converfation, his heart, his hopes, his treasure, and the object of his dearest love, and strongest defire in heaven, muft needs have a peculiar and uncommon delight in thofe companions, and in that kind of conference and difcourfe, which are employed about fpiritual and heavenly things. Companions and converfation of this kind, exactly hit his tafte, as his mind is high and heavenly bent. This is fo juft and obvious a character of heavenly mindedness, that it needs no farther confirmation or illuftration. (6.) The heavenly-minded man may be -Ìxiij. 1, 2. -lxv 4,-lxxxiv. -xix. 7, -10, -cxix 73,-127.----ċxxii. 1,-4

Pfal. xxii 4. 5.

faid to live by the faith and hope of unseen and heavenly things. He confiders this world but as a wilderness through which he is journeying towards his Father's house, and eternal inheritance. Hence, prefent things affect him but little, as prefent conveniences would a travelling wayfaring man. He had rather have them than want them; but if he suffers a little in his journey, he cares not much for it. His Father, his Redeemer and almighty friend, and his brethren and fifters in Chrift which have left this world, are in heaven before him; his treasure is there; his reft, reward, crown, and inheritance are there.-His heart therefore must be there alfo.-He is therefore habitually, believingly, hopefully and joyfully looking forward to his journey's end. And indeed, the more eagerly that the eye of his faith and hope is fixed upon the heavenly prize, i.e. the more heavenly-minded he is, the lefs will he regard or mind the things that are around him, or the crofs accidents that happen to him on his journey thither. Hence it follows, that he walks by faith, not by sight; looketh not on the things that are feen and temporal, but at the things which are unfeen and eternal ;-fetteth his affection on things above, and not on things below. His fears and cares, hopes and defires, forrows and joys, are chiefly of the spiritual and bea

venly kind, and but little, seldom, and moderately moved about this world, and the things of it, which pafs away. On the contrary, earthly-mindednefs, difcovers itfelf by the following marks:-A loving and prefering the creature above GOD:the body and its concerns above the foul and its intereft;-earth above heaven ;the objects and enjoyments of fight and fense, above those of faith and hope. The earthly-minded man, prefers money before grace-earthly honor above heavenly ;the favor of men before that of GOD;-a good living in this world, before the hopes of heavenly bleffednefs. He is little moved by the works or providences of GOD; little affected by his word;-little delighted with bis ordinances or people; has no pleafurable relish for holinefs itfelf, or the means of attaining it: But performs these, if he does perform them at all, in a customary, formal, carnal, lifeless manner, to stop the mouth of confcience; to please the world and promote worldly ends; or to be feen and praised of men.

ESSAY XXVI.

GOSPEL SINCERITY, or UPRIGHTNESS.

1. GOSPEL fincerity is expreffed by two words :-The first fignifies

"a thing which will ftand the teft, if it is "examined or judged of by the light of "the fun, eilikrinia," and is used by the Apostle,* when he commands the Corinthians to keep the feaft with the unleavened bread of fincerity and truth; or it may allude to the judgment paffed on grain when it is winnowed, which will bear winnowing, and being feparated from the chaff, looks the better.-Sincerity is fomething which will ftand the teft.-The other word is aplotes which is commonly translated simplicity; which fignifies, a thing without folds, and intimates an open and undisguised behavior, without deceit, guile, or dissimulation.-Thus we are commanded to have our converfation in this world in simplicity and godly sincerity; not with worldly or knavish and deceitful wisdom.† And according to this fenfe of the word we are commanded to lay afide all guile and hypocrisy. And the man is pronounced bleffed in whofe fpirit there is no guile.|| And Nathanael is pronounced an Ifraelite indeed, in whom was no guile ;—that is, a plain man, as Jacob is called. **

2. Gospel fincerity supposes a single aim and intention of pleafing GOD in the whole