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{Since the Heavenly Trade Is the Best Trade…
Exhortation and Counsel to Professors of Christianity
Have and Keep Up a Heavenly Spirit
Properties of a Heavenly Spirit}
As is a person’s spirit, so will his thoughts, words, and way of life be. Observe what way the spirit of a person goes; the person himself will go that way. “For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace” (Romans 8:5–6 ESV). That is, those who are “altogether led by their carnal affections,” said Willet, “follow the guidance of the flesh.” Paraus said,539 “Those who are governed by a carnal spirit heed and pursue carnal things. But those who are of the Holy Spirit, who are under the rule and government of the Holy Spirit, who are spiritually minded—these people delight in and go after spiritual things.” The prophet Ezekiel spoke of the motion of second causes according to the first cause:540 “Wherever the spirit wanted to go, they went, and the wheels rose along with them, for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels” (Ezekiel 1:20 ESV). The same kind of thing may be said of the actions of people: they come from whatever spirit is in them. “If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit” (Galatians 5:25 NASB). Caleb’s fully following God was the fruit of that other spirit he received (Numbers 14:24).541 Those who rebuilt the Temple were those whose spirits God had stirred (הֵעִיר [root: ער uwr-oor]) to go up and do the work, as birds stir up their young to fly. “Then the heads of fathers’ households of Judah and Benjamin and the priests and the Levites arose, even everyone whose spirit God had stirred to go up and rebuild the house of the Lord which is in Jerusalem” (Ezra 1:5 NASB). Those who set about the work of Christianity must be people of stirred spirits, capable of ascending to things above. The reason why more people do not start this heavenly trade is because they lack this heavenly spirit; their spirit is earthly and that, as yeast in dough, pervades their entire souls and makes their ways of life earthly. It is contrary to nature for a carnal mind to delight in spiritual things, “because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be” (Romans 8:7 NKJV). It is as natural for a dropped stone to ascend or water to flow uphill as it is for an earthly heart to love and pursue heavenly things. A heavenly spirit is suited to heavenly things and it naturally inclines the soul to things above just as smoke from fire goes upward and rivers run to the ocean. A heavenly spirit delights in heavenly things and stirs up heavenly desires and movement toward divine things. A heavenly spirit conveys heavenly influences and strength out to the soul just as good blood and nervous energy strengthen the body. A heavenly spirit is influenced by heavenly reasoning and is persuaded by heavenly motives taken from the love of God, the excellence of Christ, the suitableness and advantage of spiritual things to the nature of the soul, and by what pleases and glorifies God. None of these things mean anything to an earthly and carnal heart, which understands, delights in, and is moved by carnal reasons and considerations. It is therefore a major part of a Christian’s business in this heavenly trade to take heed to one’s spirit, to get and keep it pure and heavenly; this leads to all other duties (Malachi 2:14–16).542 If the spring [of water] is corrupt, the stream cannot be good. [It is therefore necessary to see and discern heavenly things and to delight in heavenly things.]543
539Ashwood strung two partial quotations together from two different writers to make a sentence.
540Scripture teaches that all things that happen, happen because God did it, for example: “Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death” (Acts 2:23 NKJV). Therefore, theologians speak of God being the first cause of all events. If something is dropped, it will fall due to gravity. This is an example of a second cause. Both natural and spiritual laws are laws because God executes His providence in nature in a consistent and orderly manner in keeping with His holy, wise, faithful, and logical character. Miracles are merely when He does something different for a special purpose. Yet, God is in no way the cause of sin. How God makes all things happen, including sinful things, without Himself being the cause of the sin is a holy mystery. Suffice to say that a God who can create this vast and complex universe in six days must have some things figured out that we cannot.
541“But My servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit in him and has followed Me fully, I will bring into the land where he went, and his descendants shall inherit it” (Numbers 14:24 NKJV).
542“Yet you say, ‘For what reason?’ Because the Lord has been witness Between you and the wife of your youth, With whom you have dealt treacherously; Yet she is your companion And your wife by covenant. But did He not make them one, Having a remnant of the Spirit? And why one? He seeks godly offspring. Therefore take heed to your spirit, And let none deal treacherously with the wife of his youth. For the Lord God of Israel says That He hates divorce, ‘For it covers one’s garment with violence,’ Says the Lord of hosts. Therefore take heed to your spirit, That you do not deal treacherously” (Malachi 2:14–16 NKJV).
543This sentence is inserted by the editor to smooth the transition. Ashwood does not have even a paragraph break at this place, but his table of contents suggests a break here, and the editor has followed it.
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