Post by Admin on Nov 7, 2023 16:05:39 GMT -5
Chapter One: Doctrine: There is a great difference between a wicked man and a godly man. The one minds the earth; the
other's conversation is in heaven The Text Opened, Philippians 3:19 , "…who mind earthly things…"
This precious Scripture clearly holds forth the different dispositions of wicked and of godly men, especially of such wicked men as set themselves against the Gospel, for it relates to such as were professed enemies to the cross of Christ, that labored as best they could to hinder the success of the ministry of Paul. You will find, if
you look back a few verses, that this is meant of that kind of men especially, for he tells us that many walked so, as they were enemies to the cross of Christ. They were those that opposed the preaching of Paul and his ministry. He describes those men by divers characters, but I'll treat none of them but this, who mind earthly things, who savour or relish earthly things, you may translate this as well. It is a general word comprehending the actions and operations of both the under-standing and the will. It is, in
Scripture, applied to both, but most commonly to the actions of the will and affections. We will deal particularly with actions of the will.
Earthly things are those that are on the earth, whatever they are, the beauty, the glory, and pageantry of the earth; the profits that are earthly, the pleasures and honors of the world; who mind any things inordinately that are sublunary accommodations. But we carry and behave ourselves as free citizens of the city of Heaven, for so the words in the original are, if we should thus read them, "Our city, where we are citizens and where we have rights, is heaven."
But our conversation, our city converse, is of things that are above the earth. When the Apostle would have men to follow his example and not the example of others, in the 17th verse, he uses this as an argument that such and such men are enemies to the cross of Christ, and they make their belly their god, and they mind earthly things. Do not follow them; do not harken what they say to you; they come up and down from house to house and whisper this and that to you, and would take you off from the ways of God. God has
begun to enlighten you and to stir your consciences; do not let the precious affections of your souls run toward them, but be followers of us as we are of Christ, for our conversation is in heaven with our Lord and Master, this argument coming in the 20th verse. That being the only scope and meaning of the words, take this doctrinal truth:
THIS IS THE GREAT DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A WICKED MAN AND A GODLY MAN: ONE MINDS EARTHLY THINGS, AND THE OTHER HAS HIS CONVERSATION IN HEAVEN.
I intend to handle both these in order.
One of these minds earthly things. It is a parallel Scripture to Romans 8:5 , For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh. "Do mind," there is the same word, only here it is the participle and there it is the verb, but the meaning is the same. They that are after the earth mind earthly things; they that are after the flesh favor fleshly things. The first part of this point is the description of wicked men, they that are enemies to the cross of Christ and to the ways of godliness. They are men that mind earthly things, and the more gross of them are described before this as having their bellies as their gods. Some of them are very sensual, drunken, unclean, and altogether given to satisfy the flesh in fleshly lusts. But there are others that do not appear to be so brutish, yet they are men of earthly minds who savor only earthly things, and these are the men that are secret enemies to the cross of Christ, yea, and will many times appear so to be; it will break out at length. Such a man whose spirit has been earthly for a long time will appear at length to be an enemy to Christ's cross. Now in the handling of this point, I will propound these five things:
First, what it is to mind earthly things in a sinful way, or thus: When a man may be said to be an earthly-minded man, that we may know when a man is an earthly-minded man, what it is to mind earthly things that the Apostle describes here a wicked man by. Without the opening of this, all that I shall say afterwards will be to little purpose.
Secondly, the great evil that there is in minding earthly things, and I shall help you discover a greater evil in it than you are aware of.
Thirdly, lay down some proofs whereby those men and women that think they are clear of this sin may have it revealed to their consciences that they are the men and women that do mind earthly things.
Fourthly, I shall search into the reason why the hearts of men and women are so much after earthly things.
Fifthly, I shall labor to take your hearts off of earthly things. These are the five things that are to be done in the first part of the point,
namely, the character of wicked men here laid down, who mind
earthly things. '
First, who they are that mind earthly things. Certainly they are not all those that enjoy earthly things. All men who make use of earthly things must not be condemned for minding them. Paul himself, in this very epistle, Philippians 4:12 , wrote that though he knew how to want, yet he knew how to abound. He could tell how to make use of earthly things, and he gives charge that all those that are instructed should make such as had instructed them partakers of alltheir goods. Paul charges this! Yea, Christ Himself, in that Scripture where He labors most to take the thoughts of men off the earth, and not to take any thought for what they should eat or drink, still says,
Your heavenly Father knows that ye have need of these things, Matthew 6:32 . Galatians 6:6 , Let him that is taught in the Word communicate unto him that teacheth all good things, and if there be any pretence against it, yet he says, Be not deceived, God is not mocked for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
Therefore, it is not here charged, as a mark of an evil man, to have earthly things, and to justly require what is due unto him, as Paul does here. And the Galatians could not charge him with breaking his own rule which he wrote to the Philippians. Therefore, we must inquire what is meant by minding earthly things. When does a man or woman mind earthly things in a sinful way? For that there are several particulars.NINE PROOFS OF EARTHLY-MINDEDNESS
1. Seriously consider this: when a man rests upon earthly props,upon worldly helps for the good that he expects, if he can have those things, his heart seems to be upon the wing; he is very pleasant. But there is nothing else that can revive his heart, nothing else that can keep his spirit. Now that which a man or woman most trusts in, they have made to be their god. It properly belongs to God to put our trust in Him. We make God, then, to be our God when we roll ourselves upon Him. You will say, "I cannot trust in earthly things to bring me to God." No, but to trust in them for the comforts of this life while you are here in this world is an argument of an earthly spirit for, the truth is, the comfort of a man's life consists not in any earthly thing that he might enjoy.
OBJECTION: You will say, "Do not these things make our lives more comfortable?"
ANSWER: Yes, so far as God is pleased to let Himself out through them, but if your heart rests on these for comfort, and does not look higher than these for comfort, even for outward support, certainly you have an earthly heart. And so, when you are about any business, you have some earthly means to further you.
OBJECTION: You will say, "God would have us to take all outward means to help us."
ANSWER: Aye, but not to trust in anything. IF RICHES INCREASE, SET NOT YOUR HEARTS UPON THEM. If friends increase, set not your hearts upon them, but trust in the living God. Let it be the living God that you rest on for all outward things in this world.
2. A second proof is when men make most provision for the things of this world, both for themselves and for their children. Are these not your thoughts? I do not know what I may want hereafter, and I see many who have lived finely when they have been young yet, afterwards, they have lived miserably, and therefore I must make provision for aftertimes. But now, do you reason thus for the things of heaven? Do not I see many that have made a great blaze of religion, and yet afterwards they have come to nothing? They have gone out in a snuff as men that God has forsaken, and they have died in horror of conscience. Therefore, let me lay up provision now against an evil time, that I may not miscarry in the matters of my soul as others have done. This is a sign that your minds are not earthly.
God has sent you children and, oh, how you toil and labor! Your thoughts run in the night, and as soon as you wake in the morning, about what you shall get for their portions, and an estate for them. Now I appeal to your consciences before God, the Searcher of all hearts. Have your cares been to provide in a suitable way for their souls, for their spiritual and eternal estates? There is no question but that it's lawful for parents to provide in a providential way for their children, and they that do not are worse than infidels. But what is your chief provision for? Are your thoughts more solicitous to provide portions for them, than that they should have instructions in the fear of God, an interest in Christ, grace wrought in their hearts? You are loathe to die before you can bring your estate to its fullness so you may leave it to your children. Are you
not loathe to die before such a time as you can see some work of grace wrought in the heart of your children? These would be your thoughts if you were spiritual!
"Oh, could I discern just some seeds of grace sown before I was dissolved, I could rejoice abundantly," 'tis repeated of Austen's mother. The great thing she desired to live for was to see her son converted. God granted her desire, and then she found herself willing to die. There's nothing which will make the spiritual heart of a father or mother more willing to depart from this world, than to find grace wrought in their children. "Oh, that I may see before I die, my child left under the promise in covenant with God." But those whose cares and thoughts are mostly for these earthly things, in providing for themselves and their children, give proof that their hearts are earthly.
3. A third proof (which is very notable, and I beseech you all to lay this to heart and consider it seriously) of the evil of this earthly mindedness is that it is a very secret and close sin.Therefore I am going to be longer in this point. The proof is this: that man who can be content with a slight assurance in the matters of heaven, except for the matters of earth, never thinks himself sure enough. But he is very careful to make all things so infallible that there can be no way he can be deceived, that he may surely build upon what he has in the things of the earth. This is proof of an earthly mind. Come to men that are earthly and talk with them about matters that concern their souls. "What evidence have you that you are gone beyond any formal professor, that you are better than the stony ground that we read of in Scripture? What evidence have you that the saving work of grace is wrought in you? That you have shot the gulf? That you are translated out of the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of Jesus Christ?
And that your sins are pardoned and your souls justified? That you are at peace with God? What evidences do you have of peace made between God and your soul?"
This answer would be given, "I hope I am converted. I trust in God's mercy. I am sure I have grace. I shall be saved, for God is merciful." But what evidences can they show? They scarcely know any. You will have many like that, because they do not know what assurance means, therefore they will think nobody can be assured. We may hope well, but we cannot come to be assured of it. A heart that is truly gracious and godly would loathe that to be true. They would not lose their part in the blessings of assurance for a thousand worlds, even if God were to make them kings or queens of the earth. But you have an earthly, drossy heart, and do not look much after assurance for matters of your soul and eternal estate. You will venture those matters and put them upon chance. But when it comes to the matters of the earth you'll make sure there, and go from this lawyer to that lawyer for counsel. If there is anything you can do to be more sure, you will do it. If you could but hear of anything your neighbors had done to be more certain than you, you would not even rest until you had done as much. Is it so in matters of your eternal estate?
Do you not hear of many saints of God who walk comfortably in the midst of all afflictions upon the assurance of God's love? You will have some who will be able to say, "Aye, and it's this Scripture I build upon and, through God's mercy, such has been the work of God upon my soul in revealing Himself to me, and such a promise I have sucked an abundance of honey from." But now, come to people upon their sick beds, and, generally, all they say is that they hope in God's mercy. But for the ground of hope, for showing how God has been pleased to bring their hearts and the Word together, and what real effects there have been upon their spirits by the Word, they can show nothing. You have, therefore, not gotten that assurance for your soul and eternal estate as others have, and yet you can go on quietly. Oh, it concerns you who are so busy in making all sure for your outward estate, to spend more thoughts and care in the matters of your soul and eternal estate than ever you have done. Here's an earthly-minded man that can be contented with slight assurance for the matters of his soul, and be satisfied with no kind of assurance in the matters of the world but would make those things more and more sure continually.
4. Further, an earthly-minded man may be convinced of his earthliness in this, that he is content with a little degree of sanctification, but regarding the matters of the world, he would have more and more. He looks at those that are the most eminent in his rank, and he would get as high as they are in the things of this life. But in matters of religion, he looks at the lowest Christians and is content to be as low as they are. Take an earthly-minded man that is of such and such a trade. If there is anyone of his profession or calling that had as little to begin with as he, and was thriving better, he would desire to get that high himself, and he is troubled that he is not as rich. That's how it is in the world. But now, take them in matters of God. There are such men who began when you began,and had as little means for the good of their souls as you have had, who have thrived and gone beyond you abundantly in the matters of God. Does this trouble you? Are your thoughts solicitous about this?
Do you say,"Oh, that I could attain to the degree of grace that man has, for he has a spiritual mind, and is full of the joy of the Holy Ghost! He is full of faith, he is able to depend upon God in the lack of all outward comforts, and certainly enjoys much communion with God, but I am far beneath him." Do these thoughts trouble you? It is ordinary for earthly spirits to look upon the lowest Christian and be satisfied that they are like them, but for the matters of the world they look upon the highest,and are not satisfied unless they attain to that level. That's a fourth evidence.
5. A fifth proof is this, earthly-minded men are very wise in matters of the world, but in matters that are spiritual are very weak and simple. You have many men who, in matters of religion, are very ignorant. If they do speak in points of saving knowledge, they speak like children, so that one would wonder where their understandings were. Now turn such men to the matters of the world. Oh, how wise they are in their generation. How subtle and crafty are they! The can see an objection there and know how to answer it. They can discern anything that will let them see a profit many miles off. But in those things that hinder their souls, they cannot see things there. They are wise in their generation and have memories for the matters of the world. They can understand things and remember things, and they can meditate there, but put them to meditate upon a point of religion, they come to a standstill. Let me appeal to you. Do not your consciences tell you? In worldly matters, when you are walking from here to London, you can run your thoughts on business all the way. You can plot this and contrive that. You can foresee this objection and that one, and you can answer each one in your own thoughts. But let me put this to you. When you walk through the fields, settle upon one meditation about Christ and see whether you are able to draw out that meditation the entire time you walk, whereas you can spin out an earthly meditation no matter how far your journey is. When you awake in the night, your thoughts are upon the things of the world, and you can draw them out and work with understanding, but how about the things of God? Oh, how barren and simple are you there! There is scarcely anyone who can outdo you in the things of the world, but in the matters of religion you are outdone; every slight temptation overcomes you there.
6. Besides this, you may know earthly-mindedness by the discourse and words of men. I John 4:5 says, They are of the world, therefore they speak of the world, and the world heareth them. Their breath is earthly. Oh, it's an ill sign that when you come to a friend's bedside and fear that they will die because their breath smells so earthy. It's symptom of the death of their bodies. So your hearts smell earthy, and it would be somewhat tolerable if it were only on the days when your calling requires you to talk about business. But even during that time that God has set apart for Himself, you are often discoursing in your own thoughts about the business of the world. You do it when you are praying, you do it when you are hearing the Word. The communication and discourses of men should relish what they have heard out of the Word, not go and talk about some earthly occurrences. Oh, it's this that has lost many precious truths. It may have been when you have been hearing the Word, God has darted some beam of gospel light into your souls, and you have lost it before you got home, and have come to lose the impression of the truth you have heard. Oh, what a seemly thing it is that those who come to hear the Word, depart with no discourse about what they have heard! Oh, how often are you in company and never leave anything to refresh one another's spirits, or to further one another in the way to eternal life! Though God gives you allowance to speak about your business, yet still, if you are spiritual and heavenly, He would have you to have something of eternal life before you depart.
7. A further proof is this, when spiritual things must give way to earthliness upon every little business. Prayer must pay for it. If I have any business to do, I will take it out of prayer time, or converse in the Word the less, or hear the Word less. When earthly things are as high as spiritual things, heaven must stand by until earth is served. This is an evil sign of an earthly spirit. Whereas, were the spirit heavenly, the very first thing that you would do when you awake in the morning would be to season your heart with something that is spiritual. In Psalm 139:17-18 , we read, How precious also are Thy thoughts unto me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I count them, they are more in number than the sand, when I awake I am still with Thee. That is an argument of a spiritual mind, to be with God upon awaking, When I am awake I am still with Thee. But now, I appeal to you, who are you with when you awake? Can you say, "Lord, when I awake I am still with Thee. I find an inclination in my spirit to be upon the matters of heaven, and when I am up, I would rather my worldly business give way than my spiritual duties."
8. When a man or woman cares not how it is with the church, with the kingdom of Jesus Christ, as long as it is well with them in matters of the world, this is proof of an earthly mind. When things are stirring abroad in the world, he does not inquire how things are in respect to the privileges of the saints, the ark of the church, as long as his cabin is safe. Truly, there is nothing needed but the examining of your own hearts, how they have been these last years of Jacob's troubles. In the time of war, Eli sat trembling because of the Ark of God. He did not sit trembling because the Philistines might prevail and take his home. No, it was because of the Ark of God. That was proof of the spirituality of Eli's mind. Likewise, it may be an argument of great comfort to you in these dangerous times if your consciences tell you this, that God, who knows all things, knows that the great thing your heart was solicitous in these evil days was "What shall become of Thy great name?" Lord, what shall become of religion? What shall become of the gospel? Lord, these were the things that took up my heart, not so much what should become of my estate and outward accommodations and relations in this world.
Oh, examine your hearts in this, whether the care of your spirits is more for the furtherance of the kingdom of Jesus Christ or for the furtherance of your estates. But for that man or woman who is most solicitous about the business of his or her outward estate, and does not much care how religion goes, or how the way of the kingdom of Christ is maintained, God at this time speaks to that soul.
You are an earthly-minded man or woman and, therefore, take heed lest what has been spoken concerning the great evil there is in earthly-mindedness befalls you, and especially these words, whose end is destruction, who art drowned in perdition. Lest hereafter, this be the thing that you shall lie crying out and cursing yourself for.
"Oh, I had a base and earthly heart, and sought the things of the earth. I made my portion there, and in the meantime, the blessed God has been forsaken. I have lost my portion in the Holy Land, for I had my portion in Egypt among the Egyptians, according as I chose for myself."
9. The more spiritual any truth is that is revealed, the less it takes with his heart. Some truths of religion move him, perhaps, but these are as bywords to him, he does not mind them at all. The more spiritual an ordinance is, the less his spirit is moved by it. If he comes to the Word and there is some earthly, natural excellence mingled there -like natural parts, wisdom, wit, eloquence, and learning -that will move him. It may be that some fine story is more pleasing to him than the goodly pearls of truth that are revealed in the Word, like the enjoyment of communion with God, the longing after Jesus Christ's coming, the living by faith upon a bare promise, the excellency that there is in suffering for Jesus Christ. These truths are spiritual, the mortifying of the inward lusts, self-denial.
These things are favored but little by an earthly- minded man. Tell him of the privileges of the saints, the mysteries of the gospel. Anything that is spiritual is but a notion to him. As it is with men that are upon the earth, they look up to heaven and see the things of heaven only slightly. Why is it that the stars seem so small to us here? It is because we are on the earth. The earth seems a vast body to us, but the stars seem little to us, even though they are far bigger than the earth. Were we in heaven, the heavenly bodies would seem vast to us, and the earthly bodies would scarcely be discerned by us. Were men's hearts heavenly, all the things of the earth would seem little to them, but because they are earthly, the things of heaven and spiritual mysteries are very small in their eyes.
Earthly-Mindedness Discovered in Nine Particulars
The first sign of a person who is too focused on earthly things is when they consider them to be the most important things in life. They have a high regard for earthly possessions, thinking that if only they had what others have, they would be truly happy. They see material things such as homes, furniture, and wealth as the pinnacle of happiness and fulfilment. When someone promises themselves happiness in earthly things, they are guilty of minding earthly things. Chrysostom once spoke of a covetous man who saw more beauty in his money than in the sun that shines in the sky. Such people look upon the things of the earth as the most beautiful things, which is a sign of a disordered mind. God never intended for earthly things to be the primary means of conveying His blessings to His people. He places no great importance on material possessions, and a person's estimation of their own worth is revealed by where they find their value.
In Genesis 27:28-39, we see the difference in the blessings given to Jacob and Esau by their father, Isaac. In Jacob's blessing, God gives him the dew of heaven and the fatness of the earth, along with an abundance of crops and wine. Esau's blessing, however, is more focused on earthly things, with the fatness of the earth being mentioned before the dew of heaven. A godly person certainly needs earthly things, but the priority of their heart is the dew of heaven first and the blessings of the earth second. Conversely, a worldly person acknowledges their need for heavenly things but desires the fatness of the earth more. This is why the thoughts of an earthly minded person are always preoccupied with worldly objects.
Secondly, when the rich, valuable thoughts of men and women are occupied with earthly things, they are preoccupied with them in a sinful manner. You can discern what kind of hearts you have by your thoughts about anything. Thoughts are the immediate eruptions or outbursts of the heart, like the bubbles that arise from the heart directly.
A person cannot know what is in their heart as well by their words and actions as they can by their thoughts since thoughts arise directly from the heart. For instance, I can tell what the water is in a fountain better by the water that immediately bubbles up from the source than by the water that runs in the stream a mile or two away that never came from the source. That which immediately bubbles up from the source shows the nature of the fountain.
Thoughts are, so to speak, the firstborn of the heart and, therefore, the heart can be discerned by the thoughts. The Holy Ghost said in Proverbs 23:7, "As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he." This can be applied in general, not just in particular. As a person thinks in their heart, so are they; their thoughts reveal who they are. The heart is as the mind's thoughts are. People can keep their words and actions in check out of respect. If you could know what the heart is and look into its private dwelling places, that would reveal to you what a person is really like. Many of your servants may behave themselves well in your presence or in front of others out of respect, but to truly know them, try to understand what they do when they are alone in their private places.
So, if you want to know your own hearts, don't just look at how you behave in front of others, but also what they are like in your private thoughts. That's where your heart is most revealed. By private thoughts, I don't mean every kind of idea or suggestion, because sometimes the devil may put evil thoughts into even the most holy people. But I mean thoughts that are sweet to the soul, where the soul comes to find contentment. That's when you're minding earthly things: when you find your thoughts focused on earthly things and they seem more suitable to your heart than any other. It's not when the mind is simply wandering, or through suggestions or temptations, but when you are truly yourself, alone and free. Can you say that when you're alone, "Oh, the very thoughts of God are sweet to me, I meditate on His law day and night"? Can you find sweetness in prayer, as from a honeycomb? But an unclean person will find sweetness in impure thoughts when alone. An earthly-minded person will find sweetness in earthly thoughts, and an ambitious person will find sweetness in pride when alone. These are the most satisfying thoughts to them. They can spend hours lost in them, that's earthly-mindedness.
The third thing is this: an earthly-minded person is someone whose heart clings to the earth. As I said earlier, the word "minding" means not only to think about, but to savour the things of the earth, and their heart clings to the earth. The Psalmist, in a very different context, said that his soul clung to the dust, but that's true of many people in this case. Their very souls cling to the dust, their spirits are mixed with the earth, and so they are dross. They may have some good common gifts, some good natural abilities, and some workings of the Holy Spirit upon them, but their spirits are impure, because they are mixed with the earth. Talk to these people about the vanity of earthly things and they will listen, but when you're done, their souls still cling to the earth. Talk to them about the excellence of heavenly things, and they will listen, but when you're done, their souls still cling to the earth, like a person whose soul clings in love to someone (as it's said of Samson, his soul clung to Delilah). Say what you will against that person, or of the excellence of anyone else, yet their soul clings to that person. So it is with an earthly-minded person: no matter what you say against earthly things, or what you say in praise of heavenly things, their soul still clings to the earth, like the serpent's belly clings to the dust of the ground. That's an earthly-minded person.
Fourthly, an earthly-minded person is one whose heart is consumed by distracting concerns about earthly matters: what to eat, what to drink, what to wear, how to provide for oneself and their family, and what the future may hold. Even if they are doing well now, they worry about what will happen later. The more these earthly concerns dominate their heart, the more they can be considered earthly. There are only two things that cause distracting worries about any business: The first is the fear of a great disaster. If I were to fail, I would consider it an unbearable disaster. If I fail, I don't know what I will do. That is the first.
The second is uncertainty about the means of avoiding this disaster. If I see failure as a great evil, I cannot rely on the things that are supposed to prevent it. I see them as too weak to help me. Despite these means, I may still fail, which causes distracting thoughts. An earthly-minded person is one whose thoughts are consumed with worries about worldly things, such as what to eat, drink, wear, how to provide for themselves and their families, and what will happen in the future. They fear disappointment and see it as a great evil that could lead to their undoing. They do not have confidence in the means of provision and experience uncertainty in them. Even the promise in Scripture that God will provide for them and their families does not give them peace, as they consider it the weakest means of support. However, if the soul were not earthly-minded, it would not be greatly concerned about the things of the world. Even if one's estate is taken away, as happened to Job, they would not be undone or lose their
happiness. They would have something that would comfort them even if everything else is lost. A person who invests their entire estate abroad in a venture is very anxious because bad news could mean their undoing. But another person who has many riches, property, and a stock at home to maintain them and their family, is not as anxious. Similarly, a godly person has treasures in heaven to rely on, and therefore, is not as concerned about losing their earthly possessions. And then the second concern is the uncertainty of means and help. A godly person knows that outward causes are uncertain, but they can rely on the promise of God: "I will never leave you nor forsake you."
They can cast their cares upon Him because He cares for them. This promise is certain, and it helps to alleviate their worries. But an earthly-minded person's heart is filled with distracting cares because they believe that they are undone if they fail in this world and have nothing more than the creature to rely on for their provision.
Fifthly, an earthly-minded person is someone whose primary focus and life's work revolve around the things of the earth. They make it their top priority, and their strongest efforts are dedicated to these things. They are eager and greedy in their pursuit of worldly goods; their entire being is consumed by it. It is the only thing that their soul desires. You might argue, "Other people are busy with their jobs just like these earthly-minded people." Yes, but they are busy with their work out of obedience to God. For outward things, they put aside their obedience to God. If it weren't for the fact that they were obeying God in their work, the things that they busy themselves with in the world would not be enough to occupy their souls completely. By an "adequate object," I mean something that is sufficient to fully engage the strength of the soul.
I'll give you an example to show you what I mean by an adequate object. Imagine a little child playing a sport. This sport has as much in it as there is in the child's spirit, there is a kind of equality between the child's spirit and such a sport. A child receives enough benefit from a sport that it's worth putting all their effort into it. Now, it may be, sometimes a person will play with their child. They will play as the child does, but this sport is not an adequate object. A person will play with the child for a while, but there is not enough good in this
play to fill their souls, though it is fully adequate to the desires of the child. These things are not fully adequate to the desires of a person. They have other matters in their minds than these, and businesses of a higher nature. And so it is in those that are not earthly-minded. Though they may be busy with worldly things, yet they use the world as if they do not fully rely on it. The things of the world are not adequate objects to their hearts. A spiritual heart reserves the chief strength of it for higher things. They follow these things in the world, but they reserve the chief strength for a more desirable good. If a person has friends come to them, perhaps some of an ordinary rank come first. They make ordinary provision for them,but if they have any choice things for entertaining, they reserve them for some choice friends that are coming. So a person that is not of the world, though they may be busy with earthly things, yet the choice of their heart is reserved for things of a higher nature. I remember Tertullian had a speech about Christians and how they ate and drank when they supped. "They ate and drank so as they remembered they were to pray that night before they slept." So a gracious, spiritual heart follows their outward business in the world, but remembers they are to converse with God that night before they sleep, so that they
reserve the strength of their spirit for communion with God. But the other lays out all their strength as if they have nothing to do afterward. In this, an earthly and a spiritual heart are quite contrary.
The Apostle urges godly people to use the world without becoming overly attached to it. Conversely, those who are earthly-minded treat spiritual matters as if they were unimportant. Even if an earthly minded person engages in spiritual activities, such as attending church or praying, their heart is not fully present. They go through the motions without truly committing themselves. In contrast, a spiritually-minded person regards worldly pursuits as secondary to spiritual ones. They devote their full energy to the latter. Earthly minded individuals resemble Corah, Dathan, and Abiram, who were swallowed up by the earth, and their hearts are consumed by earthly
concerns, such as contentment and providing for themselves and their families.
Furthermore, even if a person does not appear overly focused onearthly things, they are still considered earthly-minded if they pursue material goods for their own sake, rather than in service of a higher good. In 2 Corinthians 4:18, Paul speaks of how we should not focus on the temporal and earthly things that we can see, but rather seek
them in subordination to something higher. For instance, a godly person goes about their daily business like anyone else, but their ultimate goal is to serve God in their generation. Even when they engage in outward activities, their aim is to use those means to better serve God. This is the purpose that underlies everything they do.
But now on the other hand, an earthly-minded person's goal is to follow their business and focus on the work of their profession in order to gain material possessions. They want to acquire more for themselves and their children so that they can be somebody in the world. They may have enough to satisfy their desires, so they pursue their work with great intensity just to satisfy their fleshly desires.
Indeed, all the good deeds they perform are done in subordination to their pursuit of material wealth. To put it simply, a spiritually minded person does not seek earthly possessions for their own benefit, but an earthly-minded person does. Or to be more precise, an earthly-minded person is focused on material possessions in all that they do, both in earthly and spiritual matters. In contrast, a spiritually-minded person is focused on spiritual things in all that they do, both in spiritual and earthly matters. When an earthly minded person is engaged in earthly activities, their focus is solely on material gain and they do not consider obedience to God in their actions. On the other hand, a spiritually-minded person says, "I will pursue my calling because God has called me to do it," but an earthly-minded person thinks, "I will pursue it because I see financial gain coming from it." This mindset is focused on earthly things. Although the activities themselves may be lawful (and it is one's duty to pursue their calling), to pursue it solely for financial gain is earthly. Pursuing it because it is one's duty and the place
where God has placed them is spirituality in earthly matters. An earthly-minded person is focused on material gain in earthly matters and even more so in spiritual matters. When they engage in spiritual activities, they have an earthly goal in mind, whether it is to gain the esteem of others or to cover up some wrongdoing. Perhaps they do it
simply as a formality or for their own peace of mind.
In contrast, a spiritually-minded person is spiritual even in earthly matters. Someone with a spiritual mindset is more heavenly and spiritual even when engaged in the most mundane tasks, such as cutting hedges, digging ditches, pulling ropes or lines,or using an axe or hammer. They are more focused on spiritual matters than an earthly-minded person is when praying, hearing, or receiving sacraments. This is certainly true and will be proven on the Day of
Judgment, when all the secrets of every heart will be revealed. The seventh thing we may add is that an earthly-minded man is also earthly in spiritual things. Although the best of saints may have some earthly tendencies in spiritual matters, I speak of those in whom earthliness predominates. The frame of their heart in the performance of spiritual duties is earthly, and their ends are also earthly.
The eighth thing in which we find an earthly-minded man is that he faces many great difficulties in earthly matters, yet they seem insignificant to him. Though he labors hard in earthly things, he is never weary because it is his natural element. Therefore, no matter what difficulties arise, which would be too great for another man, he
disregards them. Even though there is much toil and labor, he does not grow weary. Why? Because he is in his own element.Just as a fish does not tire of swimming, so an earthly-minded man does not tire of pursuing earthly things. When a man's spirit is in this state, no difficulties can hinder him in his pursuit of earthly gain. He will wake
up early in the morning to attend to his affairs and not let any weather or obstacles deter him. Men will endure all sorts of hardships, storms at sea, hazards on land, sit up late, and rise early, and work tirelessly for earthly gain, but when it comes to spiritual matters, every little difficulty puts them off. Every small obstacle becomes a mountain in their way. They may complain that it is too hard to wake up early in the morning, especially in cold winters, or that it is very difficult to read and pray.
Keeping watch over one's heart is a challenging task. For an earthly minded individual, anything that pertains to the spirit is difficult, and the obstacles discourage them. They become exhausted with spiritual matters, as we see in Malachi 1:13, where they exclaim, "What a burden!" However, they can work tirelessly all day long in
worldly affairs, just like a horse. I challenge you to try spending one Sabbath day focusing on spiritual and heavenly thoughts, rising early in the morning, praying alone in your closet, reading, listening, meditating, and discussing good things with others. See how tiresome it will be to your heart if it is carnal.
On the other hand, a spiritual heart considers the Sabbath a joy, and for such a person, it is merely a type and precursor of the eternal rest they will experience in the kingdom of heaven. A spiritual person views the Sabbath as a day of rest, but an earthly-minded person becomes quickly fatigued by spiritual matters and gives up. In Nehemiah 4:6, we read about the challenges that Nehemiah and his team faced while working, yet they persevered because they were determined. Therefore, the willingness to complete a task depends on a person's state of mind. If someone is earthly-minded, they will complete their worldly work because they enjoy it, whereas if they undertake a spiritual work, they will abandon it halfway through.
They rarely finish any spiritual work because they lack the desire to do so. However, if someone has a spiritual heart and begins a spiritual task, they will see it through to completion.
Lastly, an earthly-minded individual is one who understands the heavenly truths revealed in the Bible through an earthly perspective based on their intellect, disposition, and temperament. I believe this is a particular emphasis in this context since the Apostle is discussing those who opposed his ministry and were adversaries to the cross of
Christ. These individuals have earthly thoughts, and, as a result, it is unsurprising that they fail to appreciate the spiritual and heavenly truths that we present to them. Their minds are earthly, so they only comprehend such things from an earthly perspective.
What was the main message that the Apostle brought to the Philippians? It was the way of reconciling the world to God,making peace with God,and our justification through Jesus Christ. There is no aspect of religion more spiritual, heavenly, and divine than the doctrine of reconciliation and justification through Jesus Christ.
Even though someone with an earthly disposition may understand the necessity of pardoning sin and making peace with God, they may think of it in an earthly manner. They have worldly thoughts and beliefs about their relationship with God and obtaining forgiveness for their sins. They believe that making peace with God is similar to how two people reconcile after a fight and that obtaining forgiveness from God is something they must do. However, free justification by the grace of God in Christ is too divine, spiritual, and heavenly for an earthly-minded person to comprehend. Their understanding of God is only in a worldly, earthly way.
As the prophet Isaiah says in Isaiah 1:3, "The ox knows its owner, and the donkey its master's crib." Similarly, an earthly-minded person knows God like an ox knows its owner and a donkey knows where it gets fed. The ox knows its owner because it is fed daily, so an earthly-minded person's understanding of God is limited to the
benefits they receive from God in this world. God makes their crops grow or ensures their safe travels. An earthly-minded person may reach a level of understanding where they view God as the provider of good things in this life, but a spiritual and heavenly-minded person perceives God as God. They do not simply view God as good
in respect to the benefits they receive from God in this world, but they see God as God is. They see the face of God. There is a significant difference between someone who knows another person and an animal that recognizes a person. The ox knows its owner, the man who brings it hay and provisions, but a human being knows another human being in a deeper way. A human being knows the nature of humanity, what it means to be a rational creature. Similarly, a spiritual person knows God in a deeper way than others do. They see the face of God and understand God's nature as it truly is. The difference between the knowledge of God that a spiritual person has, someone who is pure in heart, and the knowledge of God that an earthly-minded person has, is vast. Just as
the ox knows the person who leads it to rich pastures, an earthly minded person knows God as the giver of good things. In contrast, a spiritual person knows God in the same way as one person knows another, although not in full excellency. There is a significant difference between how a spiritual heart apprehends God and how an earthly heart apprehends God. There are many other spiritual and divine truths that an earthly mind apprehends only in an earthly way. For example, consider heaven. How does an earthly mind perceive it? They perceive that they will be freed from pain and will experience some kind of glory, but they do not know what it is. They imagine it as some grand,
glorious thing where they will live in pleasure and not in pain, and therefore they view all the glory of heaven in a sensual way. A spiritual heart looks at heaven differently. They see the enjoyment of communion with God and Jesus Christ in heaven and living the life of God in heaven. This is something an earthly heart cannot understand or appreciate. Thus far, I have revealed what an earthly-minded person is like. I urge you to examine yourselves and consider to what extent these things apply to you. In addition to these, I have other arguments to persuade men and women that there is still much earthliness in them, but we will address them later in an orderly manner.
The second point to consider is this: the great harm of being earthly minded is that they focus on earthly things. "Is that such a big deal?" you may ask. "We cannot comprehend how bad it truly is. We believe there's a lot of wrongdoing in cursing, fornicating, drinking, and similar disgraceful sins. But to have an earthly mind? We don't
believe it to be such an immense harm." Yet you will find that the Bible speaks of this most severely, and if God is willing to impress this upon your hearts, I trust that much honour may be given to God, and much good to you in particular.
other's conversation is in heaven The Text Opened, Philippians 3:19 , "…who mind earthly things…"
This precious Scripture clearly holds forth the different dispositions of wicked and of godly men, especially of such wicked men as set themselves against the Gospel, for it relates to such as were professed enemies to the cross of Christ, that labored as best they could to hinder the success of the ministry of Paul. You will find, if
you look back a few verses, that this is meant of that kind of men especially, for he tells us that many walked so, as they were enemies to the cross of Christ. They were those that opposed the preaching of Paul and his ministry. He describes those men by divers characters, but I'll treat none of them but this, who mind earthly things, who savour or relish earthly things, you may translate this as well. It is a general word comprehending the actions and operations of both the under-standing and the will. It is, in
Scripture, applied to both, but most commonly to the actions of the will and affections. We will deal particularly with actions of the will.
Earthly things are those that are on the earth, whatever they are, the beauty, the glory, and pageantry of the earth; the profits that are earthly, the pleasures and honors of the world; who mind any things inordinately that are sublunary accommodations. But we carry and behave ourselves as free citizens of the city of Heaven, for so the words in the original are, if we should thus read them, "Our city, where we are citizens and where we have rights, is heaven."
But our conversation, our city converse, is of things that are above the earth. When the Apostle would have men to follow his example and not the example of others, in the 17th verse, he uses this as an argument that such and such men are enemies to the cross of Christ, and they make their belly their god, and they mind earthly things. Do not follow them; do not harken what they say to you; they come up and down from house to house and whisper this and that to you, and would take you off from the ways of God. God has
begun to enlighten you and to stir your consciences; do not let the precious affections of your souls run toward them, but be followers of us as we are of Christ, for our conversation is in heaven with our Lord and Master, this argument coming in the 20th verse. That being the only scope and meaning of the words, take this doctrinal truth:
THIS IS THE GREAT DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A WICKED MAN AND A GODLY MAN: ONE MINDS EARTHLY THINGS, AND THE OTHER HAS HIS CONVERSATION IN HEAVEN.
I intend to handle both these in order.
One of these minds earthly things. It is a parallel Scripture to Romans 8:5 , For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh. "Do mind," there is the same word, only here it is the participle and there it is the verb, but the meaning is the same. They that are after the earth mind earthly things; they that are after the flesh favor fleshly things. The first part of this point is the description of wicked men, they that are enemies to the cross of Christ and to the ways of godliness. They are men that mind earthly things, and the more gross of them are described before this as having their bellies as their gods. Some of them are very sensual, drunken, unclean, and altogether given to satisfy the flesh in fleshly lusts. But there are others that do not appear to be so brutish, yet they are men of earthly minds who savor only earthly things, and these are the men that are secret enemies to the cross of Christ, yea, and will many times appear so to be; it will break out at length. Such a man whose spirit has been earthly for a long time will appear at length to be an enemy to Christ's cross. Now in the handling of this point, I will propound these five things:
First, what it is to mind earthly things in a sinful way, or thus: When a man may be said to be an earthly-minded man, that we may know when a man is an earthly-minded man, what it is to mind earthly things that the Apostle describes here a wicked man by. Without the opening of this, all that I shall say afterwards will be to little purpose.
Secondly, the great evil that there is in minding earthly things, and I shall help you discover a greater evil in it than you are aware of.
Thirdly, lay down some proofs whereby those men and women that think they are clear of this sin may have it revealed to their consciences that they are the men and women that do mind earthly things.
Fourthly, I shall search into the reason why the hearts of men and women are so much after earthly things.
Fifthly, I shall labor to take your hearts off of earthly things. These are the five things that are to be done in the first part of the point,
namely, the character of wicked men here laid down, who mind
earthly things. '
First, who they are that mind earthly things. Certainly they are not all those that enjoy earthly things. All men who make use of earthly things must not be condemned for minding them. Paul himself, in this very epistle, Philippians 4:12 , wrote that though he knew how to want, yet he knew how to abound. He could tell how to make use of earthly things, and he gives charge that all those that are instructed should make such as had instructed them partakers of alltheir goods. Paul charges this! Yea, Christ Himself, in that Scripture where He labors most to take the thoughts of men off the earth, and not to take any thought for what they should eat or drink, still says,
Your heavenly Father knows that ye have need of these things, Matthew 6:32 . Galatians 6:6 , Let him that is taught in the Word communicate unto him that teacheth all good things, and if there be any pretence against it, yet he says, Be not deceived, God is not mocked for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
Therefore, it is not here charged, as a mark of an evil man, to have earthly things, and to justly require what is due unto him, as Paul does here. And the Galatians could not charge him with breaking his own rule which he wrote to the Philippians. Therefore, we must inquire what is meant by minding earthly things. When does a man or woman mind earthly things in a sinful way? For that there are several particulars.NINE PROOFS OF EARTHLY-MINDEDNESS
1. Seriously consider this: when a man rests upon earthly props,upon worldly helps for the good that he expects, if he can have those things, his heart seems to be upon the wing; he is very pleasant. But there is nothing else that can revive his heart, nothing else that can keep his spirit. Now that which a man or woman most trusts in, they have made to be their god. It properly belongs to God to put our trust in Him. We make God, then, to be our God when we roll ourselves upon Him. You will say, "I cannot trust in earthly things to bring me to God." No, but to trust in them for the comforts of this life while you are here in this world is an argument of an earthly spirit for, the truth is, the comfort of a man's life consists not in any earthly thing that he might enjoy.
OBJECTION: You will say, "Do not these things make our lives more comfortable?"
ANSWER: Yes, so far as God is pleased to let Himself out through them, but if your heart rests on these for comfort, and does not look higher than these for comfort, even for outward support, certainly you have an earthly heart. And so, when you are about any business, you have some earthly means to further you.
OBJECTION: You will say, "God would have us to take all outward means to help us."
ANSWER: Aye, but not to trust in anything. IF RICHES INCREASE, SET NOT YOUR HEARTS UPON THEM. If friends increase, set not your hearts upon them, but trust in the living God. Let it be the living God that you rest on for all outward things in this world.
2. A second proof is when men make most provision for the things of this world, both for themselves and for their children. Are these not your thoughts? I do not know what I may want hereafter, and I see many who have lived finely when they have been young yet, afterwards, they have lived miserably, and therefore I must make provision for aftertimes. But now, do you reason thus for the things of heaven? Do not I see many that have made a great blaze of religion, and yet afterwards they have come to nothing? They have gone out in a snuff as men that God has forsaken, and they have died in horror of conscience. Therefore, let me lay up provision now against an evil time, that I may not miscarry in the matters of my soul as others have done. This is a sign that your minds are not earthly.
God has sent you children and, oh, how you toil and labor! Your thoughts run in the night, and as soon as you wake in the morning, about what you shall get for their portions, and an estate for them. Now I appeal to your consciences before God, the Searcher of all hearts. Have your cares been to provide in a suitable way for their souls, for their spiritual and eternal estates? There is no question but that it's lawful for parents to provide in a providential way for their children, and they that do not are worse than infidels. But what is your chief provision for? Are your thoughts more solicitous to provide portions for them, than that they should have instructions in the fear of God, an interest in Christ, grace wrought in their hearts? You are loathe to die before you can bring your estate to its fullness so you may leave it to your children. Are you
not loathe to die before such a time as you can see some work of grace wrought in the heart of your children? These would be your thoughts if you were spiritual!
"Oh, could I discern just some seeds of grace sown before I was dissolved, I could rejoice abundantly," 'tis repeated of Austen's mother. The great thing she desired to live for was to see her son converted. God granted her desire, and then she found herself willing to die. There's nothing which will make the spiritual heart of a father or mother more willing to depart from this world, than to find grace wrought in their children. "Oh, that I may see before I die, my child left under the promise in covenant with God." But those whose cares and thoughts are mostly for these earthly things, in providing for themselves and their children, give proof that their hearts are earthly.
3. A third proof (which is very notable, and I beseech you all to lay this to heart and consider it seriously) of the evil of this earthly mindedness is that it is a very secret and close sin.Therefore I am going to be longer in this point. The proof is this: that man who can be content with a slight assurance in the matters of heaven, except for the matters of earth, never thinks himself sure enough. But he is very careful to make all things so infallible that there can be no way he can be deceived, that he may surely build upon what he has in the things of the earth. This is proof of an earthly mind. Come to men that are earthly and talk with them about matters that concern their souls. "What evidence have you that you are gone beyond any formal professor, that you are better than the stony ground that we read of in Scripture? What evidence have you that the saving work of grace is wrought in you? That you have shot the gulf? That you are translated out of the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of Jesus Christ?
And that your sins are pardoned and your souls justified? That you are at peace with God? What evidences do you have of peace made between God and your soul?"
This answer would be given, "I hope I am converted. I trust in God's mercy. I am sure I have grace. I shall be saved, for God is merciful." But what evidences can they show? They scarcely know any. You will have many like that, because they do not know what assurance means, therefore they will think nobody can be assured. We may hope well, but we cannot come to be assured of it. A heart that is truly gracious and godly would loathe that to be true. They would not lose their part in the blessings of assurance for a thousand worlds, even if God were to make them kings or queens of the earth. But you have an earthly, drossy heart, and do not look much after assurance for matters of your soul and eternal estate. You will venture those matters and put them upon chance. But when it comes to the matters of the earth you'll make sure there, and go from this lawyer to that lawyer for counsel. If there is anything you can do to be more sure, you will do it. If you could but hear of anything your neighbors had done to be more certain than you, you would not even rest until you had done as much. Is it so in matters of your eternal estate?
Do you not hear of many saints of God who walk comfortably in the midst of all afflictions upon the assurance of God's love? You will have some who will be able to say, "Aye, and it's this Scripture I build upon and, through God's mercy, such has been the work of God upon my soul in revealing Himself to me, and such a promise I have sucked an abundance of honey from." But now, come to people upon their sick beds, and, generally, all they say is that they hope in God's mercy. But for the ground of hope, for showing how God has been pleased to bring their hearts and the Word together, and what real effects there have been upon their spirits by the Word, they can show nothing. You have, therefore, not gotten that assurance for your soul and eternal estate as others have, and yet you can go on quietly. Oh, it concerns you who are so busy in making all sure for your outward estate, to spend more thoughts and care in the matters of your soul and eternal estate than ever you have done. Here's an earthly-minded man that can be contented with slight assurance for the matters of his soul, and be satisfied with no kind of assurance in the matters of the world but would make those things more and more sure continually.
4. Further, an earthly-minded man may be convinced of his earthliness in this, that he is content with a little degree of sanctification, but regarding the matters of the world, he would have more and more. He looks at those that are the most eminent in his rank, and he would get as high as they are in the things of this life. But in matters of religion, he looks at the lowest Christians and is content to be as low as they are. Take an earthly-minded man that is of such and such a trade. If there is anyone of his profession or calling that had as little to begin with as he, and was thriving better, he would desire to get that high himself, and he is troubled that he is not as rich. That's how it is in the world. But now, take them in matters of God. There are such men who began when you began,and had as little means for the good of their souls as you have had, who have thrived and gone beyond you abundantly in the matters of God. Does this trouble you? Are your thoughts solicitous about this?
Do you say,"Oh, that I could attain to the degree of grace that man has, for he has a spiritual mind, and is full of the joy of the Holy Ghost! He is full of faith, he is able to depend upon God in the lack of all outward comforts, and certainly enjoys much communion with God, but I am far beneath him." Do these thoughts trouble you? It is ordinary for earthly spirits to look upon the lowest Christian and be satisfied that they are like them, but for the matters of the world they look upon the highest,and are not satisfied unless they attain to that level. That's a fourth evidence.
5. A fifth proof is this, earthly-minded men are very wise in matters of the world, but in matters that are spiritual are very weak and simple. You have many men who, in matters of religion, are very ignorant. If they do speak in points of saving knowledge, they speak like children, so that one would wonder where their understandings were. Now turn such men to the matters of the world. Oh, how wise they are in their generation. How subtle and crafty are they! The can see an objection there and know how to answer it. They can discern anything that will let them see a profit many miles off. But in those things that hinder their souls, they cannot see things there. They are wise in their generation and have memories for the matters of the world. They can understand things and remember things, and they can meditate there, but put them to meditate upon a point of religion, they come to a standstill. Let me appeal to you. Do not your consciences tell you? In worldly matters, when you are walking from here to London, you can run your thoughts on business all the way. You can plot this and contrive that. You can foresee this objection and that one, and you can answer each one in your own thoughts. But let me put this to you. When you walk through the fields, settle upon one meditation about Christ and see whether you are able to draw out that meditation the entire time you walk, whereas you can spin out an earthly meditation no matter how far your journey is. When you awake in the night, your thoughts are upon the things of the world, and you can draw them out and work with understanding, but how about the things of God? Oh, how barren and simple are you there! There is scarcely anyone who can outdo you in the things of the world, but in the matters of religion you are outdone; every slight temptation overcomes you there.
6. Besides this, you may know earthly-mindedness by the discourse and words of men. I John 4:5 says, They are of the world, therefore they speak of the world, and the world heareth them. Their breath is earthly. Oh, it's an ill sign that when you come to a friend's bedside and fear that they will die because their breath smells so earthy. It's symptom of the death of their bodies. So your hearts smell earthy, and it would be somewhat tolerable if it were only on the days when your calling requires you to talk about business. But even during that time that God has set apart for Himself, you are often discoursing in your own thoughts about the business of the world. You do it when you are praying, you do it when you are hearing the Word. The communication and discourses of men should relish what they have heard out of the Word, not go and talk about some earthly occurrences. Oh, it's this that has lost many precious truths. It may have been when you have been hearing the Word, God has darted some beam of gospel light into your souls, and you have lost it before you got home, and have come to lose the impression of the truth you have heard. Oh, what a seemly thing it is that those who come to hear the Word, depart with no discourse about what they have heard! Oh, how often are you in company and never leave anything to refresh one another's spirits, or to further one another in the way to eternal life! Though God gives you allowance to speak about your business, yet still, if you are spiritual and heavenly, He would have you to have something of eternal life before you depart.
7. A further proof is this, when spiritual things must give way to earthliness upon every little business. Prayer must pay for it. If I have any business to do, I will take it out of prayer time, or converse in the Word the less, or hear the Word less. When earthly things are as high as spiritual things, heaven must stand by until earth is served. This is an evil sign of an earthly spirit. Whereas, were the spirit heavenly, the very first thing that you would do when you awake in the morning would be to season your heart with something that is spiritual. In Psalm 139:17-18 , we read, How precious also are Thy thoughts unto me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I count them, they are more in number than the sand, when I awake I am still with Thee. That is an argument of a spiritual mind, to be with God upon awaking, When I am awake I am still with Thee. But now, I appeal to you, who are you with when you awake? Can you say, "Lord, when I awake I am still with Thee. I find an inclination in my spirit to be upon the matters of heaven, and when I am up, I would rather my worldly business give way than my spiritual duties."
8. When a man or woman cares not how it is with the church, with the kingdom of Jesus Christ, as long as it is well with them in matters of the world, this is proof of an earthly mind. When things are stirring abroad in the world, he does not inquire how things are in respect to the privileges of the saints, the ark of the church, as long as his cabin is safe. Truly, there is nothing needed but the examining of your own hearts, how they have been these last years of Jacob's troubles. In the time of war, Eli sat trembling because of the Ark of God. He did not sit trembling because the Philistines might prevail and take his home. No, it was because of the Ark of God. That was proof of the spirituality of Eli's mind. Likewise, it may be an argument of great comfort to you in these dangerous times if your consciences tell you this, that God, who knows all things, knows that the great thing your heart was solicitous in these evil days was "What shall become of Thy great name?" Lord, what shall become of religion? What shall become of the gospel? Lord, these were the things that took up my heart, not so much what should become of my estate and outward accommodations and relations in this world.
Oh, examine your hearts in this, whether the care of your spirits is more for the furtherance of the kingdom of Jesus Christ or for the furtherance of your estates. But for that man or woman who is most solicitous about the business of his or her outward estate, and does not much care how religion goes, or how the way of the kingdom of Christ is maintained, God at this time speaks to that soul.
You are an earthly-minded man or woman and, therefore, take heed lest what has been spoken concerning the great evil there is in earthly-mindedness befalls you, and especially these words, whose end is destruction, who art drowned in perdition. Lest hereafter, this be the thing that you shall lie crying out and cursing yourself for.
"Oh, I had a base and earthly heart, and sought the things of the earth. I made my portion there, and in the meantime, the blessed God has been forsaken. I have lost my portion in the Holy Land, for I had my portion in Egypt among the Egyptians, according as I chose for myself."
9. The more spiritual any truth is that is revealed, the less it takes with his heart. Some truths of religion move him, perhaps, but these are as bywords to him, he does not mind them at all. The more spiritual an ordinance is, the less his spirit is moved by it. If he comes to the Word and there is some earthly, natural excellence mingled there -like natural parts, wisdom, wit, eloquence, and learning -that will move him. It may be that some fine story is more pleasing to him than the goodly pearls of truth that are revealed in the Word, like the enjoyment of communion with God, the longing after Jesus Christ's coming, the living by faith upon a bare promise, the excellency that there is in suffering for Jesus Christ. These truths are spiritual, the mortifying of the inward lusts, self-denial.
These things are favored but little by an earthly- minded man. Tell him of the privileges of the saints, the mysteries of the gospel. Anything that is spiritual is but a notion to him. As it is with men that are upon the earth, they look up to heaven and see the things of heaven only slightly. Why is it that the stars seem so small to us here? It is because we are on the earth. The earth seems a vast body to us, but the stars seem little to us, even though they are far bigger than the earth. Were we in heaven, the heavenly bodies would seem vast to us, and the earthly bodies would scarcely be discerned by us. Were men's hearts heavenly, all the things of the earth would seem little to them, but because they are earthly, the things of heaven and spiritual mysteries are very small in their eyes.
Earthly-Mindedness Discovered in Nine Particulars
The first sign of a person who is too focused on earthly things is when they consider them to be the most important things in life. They have a high regard for earthly possessions, thinking that if only they had what others have, they would be truly happy. They see material things such as homes, furniture, and wealth as the pinnacle of happiness and fulfilment. When someone promises themselves happiness in earthly things, they are guilty of minding earthly things. Chrysostom once spoke of a covetous man who saw more beauty in his money than in the sun that shines in the sky. Such people look upon the things of the earth as the most beautiful things, which is a sign of a disordered mind. God never intended for earthly things to be the primary means of conveying His blessings to His people. He places no great importance on material possessions, and a person's estimation of their own worth is revealed by where they find their value.
In Genesis 27:28-39, we see the difference in the blessings given to Jacob and Esau by their father, Isaac. In Jacob's blessing, God gives him the dew of heaven and the fatness of the earth, along with an abundance of crops and wine. Esau's blessing, however, is more focused on earthly things, with the fatness of the earth being mentioned before the dew of heaven. A godly person certainly needs earthly things, but the priority of their heart is the dew of heaven first and the blessings of the earth second. Conversely, a worldly person acknowledges their need for heavenly things but desires the fatness of the earth more. This is why the thoughts of an earthly minded person are always preoccupied with worldly objects.
Secondly, when the rich, valuable thoughts of men and women are occupied with earthly things, they are preoccupied with them in a sinful manner. You can discern what kind of hearts you have by your thoughts about anything. Thoughts are the immediate eruptions or outbursts of the heart, like the bubbles that arise from the heart directly.
A person cannot know what is in their heart as well by their words and actions as they can by their thoughts since thoughts arise directly from the heart. For instance, I can tell what the water is in a fountain better by the water that immediately bubbles up from the source than by the water that runs in the stream a mile or two away that never came from the source. That which immediately bubbles up from the source shows the nature of the fountain.
Thoughts are, so to speak, the firstborn of the heart and, therefore, the heart can be discerned by the thoughts. The Holy Ghost said in Proverbs 23:7, "As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he." This can be applied in general, not just in particular. As a person thinks in their heart, so are they; their thoughts reveal who they are. The heart is as the mind's thoughts are. People can keep their words and actions in check out of respect. If you could know what the heart is and look into its private dwelling places, that would reveal to you what a person is really like. Many of your servants may behave themselves well in your presence or in front of others out of respect, but to truly know them, try to understand what they do when they are alone in their private places.
So, if you want to know your own hearts, don't just look at how you behave in front of others, but also what they are like in your private thoughts. That's where your heart is most revealed. By private thoughts, I don't mean every kind of idea or suggestion, because sometimes the devil may put evil thoughts into even the most holy people. But I mean thoughts that are sweet to the soul, where the soul comes to find contentment. That's when you're minding earthly things: when you find your thoughts focused on earthly things and they seem more suitable to your heart than any other. It's not when the mind is simply wandering, or through suggestions or temptations, but when you are truly yourself, alone and free. Can you say that when you're alone, "Oh, the very thoughts of God are sweet to me, I meditate on His law day and night"? Can you find sweetness in prayer, as from a honeycomb? But an unclean person will find sweetness in impure thoughts when alone. An earthly-minded person will find sweetness in earthly thoughts, and an ambitious person will find sweetness in pride when alone. These are the most satisfying thoughts to them. They can spend hours lost in them, that's earthly-mindedness.
The third thing is this: an earthly-minded person is someone whose heart clings to the earth. As I said earlier, the word "minding" means not only to think about, but to savour the things of the earth, and their heart clings to the earth. The Psalmist, in a very different context, said that his soul clung to the dust, but that's true of many people in this case. Their very souls cling to the dust, their spirits are mixed with the earth, and so they are dross. They may have some good common gifts, some good natural abilities, and some workings of the Holy Spirit upon them, but their spirits are impure, because they are mixed with the earth. Talk to these people about the vanity of earthly things and they will listen, but when you're done, their souls still cling to the earth. Talk to them about the excellence of heavenly things, and they will listen, but when you're done, their souls still cling to the earth, like a person whose soul clings in love to someone (as it's said of Samson, his soul clung to Delilah). Say what you will against that person, or of the excellence of anyone else, yet their soul clings to that person. So it is with an earthly-minded person: no matter what you say against earthly things, or what you say in praise of heavenly things, their soul still clings to the earth, like the serpent's belly clings to the dust of the ground. That's an earthly-minded person.
Fourthly, an earthly-minded person is one whose heart is consumed by distracting concerns about earthly matters: what to eat, what to drink, what to wear, how to provide for oneself and their family, and what the future may hold. Even if they are doing well now, they worry about what will happen later. The more these earthly concerns dominate their heart, the more they can be considered earthly. There are only two things that cause distracting worries about any business: The first is the fear of a great disaster. If I were to fail, I would consider it an unbearable disaster. If I fail, I don't know what I will do. That is the first.
The second is uncertainty about the means of avoiding this disaster. If I see failure as a great evil, I cannot rely on the things that are supposed to prevent it. I see them as too weak to help me. Despite these means, I may still fail, which causes distracting thoughts. An earthly-minded person is one whose thoughts are consumed with worries about worldly things, such as what to eat, drink, wear, how to provide for themselves and their families, and what will happen in the future. They fear disappointment and see it as a great evil that could lead to their undoing. They do not have confidence in the means of provision and experience uncertainty in them. Even the promise in Scripture that God will provide for them and their families does not give them peace, as they consider it the weakest means of support. However, if the soul were not earthly-minded, it would not be greatly concerned about the things of the world. Even if one's estate is taken away, as happened to Job, they would not be undone or lose their
happiness. They would have something that would comfort them even if everything else is lost. A person who invests their entire estate abroad in a venture is very anxious because bad news could mean their undoing. But another person who has many riches, property, and a stock at home to maintain them and their family, is not as anxious. Similarly, a godly person has treasures in heaven to rely on, and therefore, is not as concerned about losing their earthly possessions. And then the second concern is the uncertainty of means and help. A godly person knows that outward causes are uncertain, but they can rely on the promise of God: "I will never leave you nor forsake you."
They can cast their cares upon Him because He cares for them. This promise is certain, and it helps to alleviate their worries. But an earthly-minded person's heart is filled with distracting cares because they believe that they are undone if they fail in this world and have nothing more than the creature to rely on for their provision.
Fifthly, an earthly-minded person is someone whose primary focus and life's work revolve around the things of the earth. They make it their top priority, and their strongest efforts are dedicated to these things. They are eager and greedy in their pursuit of worldly goods; their entire being is consumed by it. It is the only thing that their soul desires. You might argue, "Other people are busy with their jobs just like these earthly-minded people." Yes, but they are busy with their work out of obedience to God. For outward things, they put aside their obedience to God. If it weren't for the fact that they were obeying God in their work, the things that they busy themselves with in the world would not be enough to occupy their souls completely. By an "adequate object," I mean something that is sufficient to fully engage the strength of the soul.
I'll give you an example to show you what I mean by an adequate object. Imagine a little child playing a sport. This sport has as much in it as there is in the child's spirit, there is a kind of equality between the child's spirit and such a sport. A child receives enough benefit from a sport that it's worth putting all their effort into it. Now, it may be, sometimes a person will play with their child. They will play as the child does, but this sport is not an adequate object. A person will play with the child for a while, but there is not enough good in this
play to fill their souls, though it is fully adequate to the desires of the child. These things are not fully adequate to the desires of a person. They have other matters in their minds than these, and businesses of a higher nature. And so it is in those that are not earthly-minded. Though they may be busy with worldly things, yet they use the world as if they do not fully rely on it. The things of the world are not adequate objects to their hearts. A spiritual heart reserves the chief strength of it for higher things. They follow these things in the world, but they reserve the chief strength for a more desirable good. If a person has friends come to them, perhaps some of an ordinary rank come first. They make ordinary provision for them,but if they have any choice things for entertaining, they reserve them for some choice friends that are coming. So a person that is not of the world, though they may be busy with earthly things, yet the choice of their heart is reserved for things of a higher nature. I remember Tertullian had a speech about Christians and how they ate and drank when they supped. "They ate and drank so as they remembered they were to pray that night before they slept." So a gracious, spiritual heart follows their outward business in the world, but remembers they are to converse with God that night before they sleep, so that they
reserve the strength of their spirit for communion with God. But the other lays out all their strength as if they have nothing to do afterward. In this, an earthly and a spiritual heart are quite contrary.
The Apostle urges godly people to use the world without becoming overly attached to it. Conversely, those who are earthly-minded treat spiritual matters as if they were unimportant. Even if an earthly minded person engages in spiritual activities, such as attending church or praying, their heart is not fully present. They go through the motions without truly committing themselves. In contrast, a spiritually-minded person regards worldly pursuits as secondary to spiritual ones. They devote their full energy to the latter. Earthly minded individuals resemble Corah, Dathan, and Abiram, who were swallowed up by the earth, and their hearts are consumed by earthly
concerns, such as contentment and providing for themselves and their families.
Furthermore, even if a person does not appear overly focused onearthly things, they are still considered earthly-minded if they pursue material goods for their own sake, rather than in service of a higher good. In 2 Corinthians 4:18, Paul speaks of how we should not focus on the temporal and earthly things that we can see, but rather seek
them in subordination to something higher. For instance, a godly person goes about their daily business like anyone else, but their ultimate goal is to serve God in their generation. Even when they engage in outward activities, their aim is to use those means to better serve God. This is the purpose that underlies everything they do.
But now on the other hand, an earthly-minded person's goal is to follow their business and focus on the work of their profession in order to gain material possessions. They want to acquire more for themselves and their children so that they can be somebody in the world. They may have enough to satisfy their desires, so they pursue their work with great intensity just to satisfy their fleshly desires.
Indeed, all the good deeds they perform are done in subordination to their pursuit of material wealth. To put it simply, a spiritually minded person does not seek earthly possessions for their own benefit, but an earthly-minded person does. Or to be more precise, an earthly-minded person is focused on material possessions in all that they do, both in earthly and spiritual matters. In contrast, a spiritually-minded person is focused on spiritual things in all that they do, both in spiritual and earthly matters. When an earthly minded person is engaged in earthly activities, their focus is solely on material gain and they do not consider obedience to God in their actions. On the other hand, a spiritually-minded person says, "I will pursue my calling because God has called me to do it," but an earthly-minded person thinks, "I will pursue it because I see financial gain coming from it." This mindset is focused on earthly things. Although the activities themselves may be lawful (and it is one's duty to pursue their calling), to pursue it solely for financial gain is earthly. Pursuing it because it is one's duty and the place
where God has placed them is spirituality in earthly matters. An earthly-minded person is focused on material gain in earthly matters and even more so in spiritual matters. When they engage in spiritual activities, they have an earthly goal in mind, whether it is to gain the esteem of others or to cover up some wrongdoing. Perhaps they do it
simply as a formality or for their own peace of mind.
In contrast, a spiritually-minded person is spiritual even in earthly matters. Someone with a spiritual mindset is more heavenly and spiritual even when engaged in the most mundane tasks, such as cutting hedges, digging ditches, pulling ropes or lines,or using an axe or hammer. They are more focused on spiritual matters than an earthly-minded person is when praying, hearing, or receiving sacraments. This is certainly true and will be proven on the Day of
Judgment, when all the secrets of every heart will be revealed. The seventh thing we may add is that an earthly-minded man is also earthly in spiritual things. Although the best of saints may have some earthly tendencies in spiritual matters, I speak of those in whom earthliness predominates. The frame of their heart in the performance of spiritual duties is earthly, and their ends are also earthly.
The eighth thing in which we find an earthly-minded man is that he faces many great difficulties in earthly matters, yet they seem insignificant to him. Though he labors hard in earthly things, he is never weary because it is his natural element. Therefore, no matter what difficulties arise, which would be too great for another man, he
disregards them. Even though there is much toil and labor, he does not grow weary. Why? Because he is in his own element.Just as a fish does not tire of swimming, so an earthly-minded man does not tire of pursuing earthly things. When a man's spirit is in this state, no difficulties can hinder him in his pursuit of earthly gain. He will wake
up early in the morning to attend to his affairs and not let any weather or obstacles deter him. Men will endure all sorts of hardships, storms at sea, hazards on land, sit up late, and rise early, and work tirelessly for earthly gain, but when it comes to spiritual matters, every little difficulty puts them off. Every small obstacle becomes a mountain in their way. They may complain that it is too hard to wake up early in the morning, especially in cold winters, or that it is very difficult to read and pray.
Keeping watch over one's heart is a challenging task. For an earthly minded individual, anything that pertains to the spirit is difficult, and the obstacles discourage them. They become exhausted with spiritual matters, as we see in Malachi 1:13, where they exclaim, "What a burden!" However, they can work tirelessly all day long in
worldly affairs, just like a horse. I challenge you to try spending one Sabbath day focusing on spiritual and heavenly thoughts, rising early in the morning, praying alone in your closet, reading, listening, meditating, and discussing good things with others. See how tiresome it will be to your heart if it is carnal.
On the other hand, a spiritual heart considers the Sabbath a joy, and for such a person, it is merely a type and precursor of the eternal rest they will experience in the kingdom of heaven. A spiritual person views the Sabbath as a day of rest, but an earthly-minded person becomes quickly fatigued by spiritual matters and gives up. In Nehemiah 4:6, we read about the challenges that Nehemiah and his team faced while working, yet they persevered because they were determined. Therefore, the willingness to complete a task depends on a person's state of mind. If someone is earthly-minded, they will complete their worldly work because they enjoy it, whereas if they undertake a spiritual work, they will abandon it halfway through.
They rarely finish any spiritual work because they lack the desire to do so. However, if someone has a spiritual heart and begins a spiritual task, they will see it through to completion.
Lastly, an earthly-minded individual is one who understands the heavenly truths revealed in the Bible through an earthly perspective based on their intellect, disposition, and temperament. I believe this is a particular emphasis in this context since the Apostle is discussing those who opposed his ministry and were adversaries to the cross of
Christ. These individuals have earthly thoughts, and, as a result, it is unsurprising that they fail to appreciate the spiritual and heavenly truths that we present to them. Their minds are earthly, so they only comprehend such things from an earthly perspective.
What was the main message that the Apostle brought to the Philippians? It was the way of reconciling the world to God,making peace with God,and our justification through Jesus Christ. There is no aspect of religion more spiritual, heavenly, and divine than the doctrine of reconciliation and justification through Jesus Christ.
Even though someone with an earthly disposition may understand the necessity of pardoning sin and making peace with God, they may think of it in an earthly manner. They have worldly thoughts and beliefs about their relationship with God and obtaining forgiveness for their sins. They believe that making peace with God is similar to how two people reconcile after a fight and that obtaining forgiveness from God is something they must do. However, free justification by the grace of God in Christ is too divine, spiritual, and heavenly for an earthly-minded person to comprehend. Their understanding of God is only in a worldly, earthly way.
As the prophet Isaiah says in Isaiah 1:3, "The ox knows its owner, and the donkey its master's crib." Similarly, an earthly-minded person knows God like an ox knows its owner and a donkey knows where it gets fed. The ox knows its owner because it is fed daily, so an earthly-minded person's understanding of God is limited to the
benefits they receive from God in this world. God makes their crops grow or ensures their safe travels. An earthly-minded person may reach a level of understanding where they view God as the provider of good things in this life, but a spiritual and heavenly-minded person perceives God as God. They do not simply view God as good
in respect to the benefits they receive from God in this world, but they see God as God is. They see the face of God. There is a significant difference between someone who knows another person and an animal that recognizes a person. The ox knows its owner, the man who brings it hay and provisions, but a human being knows another human being in a deeper way. A human being knows the nature of humanity, what it means to be a rational creature. Similarly, a spiritual person knows God in a deeper way than others do. They see the face of God and understand God's nature as it truly is. The difference between the knowledge of God that a spiritual person has, someone who is pure in heart, and the knowledge of God that an earthly-minded person has, is vast. Just as
the ox knows the person who leads it to rich pastures, an earthly minded person knows God as the giver of good things. In contrast, a spiritual person knows God in the same way as one person knows another, although not in full excellency. There is a significant difference between how a spiritual heart apprehends God and how an earthly heart apprehends God. There are many other spiritual and divine truths that an earthly mind apprehends only in an earthly way. For example, consider heaven. How does an earthly mind perceive it? They perceive that they will be freed from pain and will experience some kind of glory, but they do not know what it is. They imagine it as some grand,
glorious thing where they will live in pleasure and not in pain, and therefore they view all the glory of heaven in a sensual way. A spiritual heart looks at heaven differently. They see the enjoyment of communion with God and Jesus Christ in heaven and living the life of God in heaven. This is something an earthly heart cannot understand or appreciate. Thus far, I have revealed what an earthly-minded person is like. I urge you to examine yourselves and consider to what extent these things apply to you. In addition to these, I have other arguments to persuade men and women that there is still much earthliness in them, but we will address them later in an orderly manner.
The second point to consider is this: the great harm of being earthly minded is that they focus on earthly things. "Is that such a big deal?" you may ask. "We cannot comprehend how bad it truly is. We believe there's a lot of wrongdoing in cursing, fornicating, drinking, and similar disgraceful sins. But to have an earthly mind? We don't
believe it to be such an immense harm." Yet you will find that the Bible speaks of this most severely, and if God is willing to impress this upon your hearts, I trust that much honour may be given to God, and much good to you in particular.