Be of good cheer, Christian. The time is near when God and you shall be near, and as near as you can desire. You will dwell in his family.. in his presence. You will be his child, and he will be your Father. You shall be an heir of his Kingdom.

Marvel not, Christian, how it can be eternal life to know God and Jesus Christ. To enjoy God and Christ is eternal life, and the soul’s enjoying is in knowing. They that savour only of earth, and consult with flesh, think it a poor happiness to know God. But we know that we are of God, and the whole world lies in wickedness. And we know that the Son of God is come, and has given us an understanding, that we may know him who is true. And we are in him that is true, even in his Son, Jesus Christ. this is the true God, and eternal life
—Richard Baxter.

I do not and have not read fiction, of any kind, for a very long time now it seems. My reasons for this, are, that I have an illness that is likely to not give me as long on earth than I may have otherwise expected, (even given none of us know how long we have), and to me, reading fiction did not fulfill the Biblical mandate of Redeeming the time well, because there was absolutely no spiritual gain to be had by it. And reading books, any book, takes huge chunks of time.  I know other Christians who also do not read fiction, though I am unaware of what their own reasons are, but the above is mine.  It was pleasing to me under that consideration, to read In John Newton’s autobiography, how he laid aside his earthly pleasures this way,  his times of recreation in them, for very similar reasons.  The art of self denial or the practice of it to any extent,  needs to be brought back into the church as part of daily life for all professors; because many Professors, (though by far not all) wouldn’t know how to practice self denial if their life depended upon it, it often seems.  Christ said,  let any man who followed him take up his cross and deny himself, (Matt 16:24), yet by enlarge the spirit of self-denial seems to belong to a bygone age.  I also note in the below quote, that when Newton is taking of the things he laid aside, he also didn’t want learning or knowledge for its own sake; he laid them aside, realizing the real riches, were not knowledge for its own  sake,   but Christ, and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit by being nourished enough by what he fed upon, for him to practice experimental religion, and  not merely  have knowledge without understanding or practice. I’m afraid to say, that many or even most of us today, (self included) have more theology and learning than we know or have the ability to practice ind day to day life, which is a reflection of the age we live in I think, where filling our brains with as much information as we can,  because we can show off or out-do each other in our learning and knowledge, than does  heart work.

John Newton’s example is a worthy one to be followed I believe:

Having now much leisure time, I committed myself to the study of Latin with good success. In the space of two or three voyages I became tolerably acquainted with the best classics. I conceived a plan of becoming a Ciceronian myself, and I thought it would be a fine thing indeed to write pure and elegant Latin. I wrote some essays, but by this time the Lord was p leased to draw me nearer to Himself. he gave me a fuller view of the “Pearl of great price” (Matt. 13:46), the inestimable treasure hid in the file of the Holy Scriptures. For the ake of this, I was willing to part with all my newly-acquired riches.
I began to think that life was too short, especially my life, for such elaboratete trifling. Neither poet nor historian could tell me a word of Jesus, and I therefore applied myself to those who could. the classics were at first confined to one morning in te week, and at length, completely laid aside I prefer Buchanan’s Psalms to a whole shelf of Elzevirs. I have gained much from Latin since it enables me to read any useful or interesting book in that language. Beyond this, however, I have no interest. About the same time, and for the same reason, I laid aside mathematics. I found that it not only took up considerable time, but also so engrossed my thoughts that my  head was literally full of it. I was weary of cold, contemplative truths that can neither warm nor amend the heart, but rather tend to amplify self. I found no traces of this “wisdom” in the life of Jesus or the writings of Paul. I do not regret that I have had some opportunities of knowing the first principles of these things, but I praise the Lord that He inclined me to stop in time. While I was “spending my labour for that which is not bread” (Isa. 55:2), he was pleased to set before me “wine and milk, without money and without price” (Isa. 55:1)
—John Newton “Out of the depth’s”

Geoffrey chaucer tells In the Canterbuy Tales, is much like the characters of many real, historical puritans. Sadly, through the ages, we have gone from Chaucer’s quite accurate depiction, to the cardboard cut outs and caricatures we so often see today, as a representation of “puritanism” when, these “representation” for the most part, goes way beyond poetic licence, to border on slander, and even stark lies.  But enough truth has been left, that if we want to see who or what these  men and women were in actual fact, we can do o today, despite the passing of time, which is often not the case in  many instances. It is not so easy to defend John Calvin for instance, against all the hatred that is out there against him. And his writings, which we have translations of not in his original language written, could quite often mean other things than how they have been translated. Unless we understood the language he used at the TIME, he wrote it, (and many of us English speaking folk do not even understand English from those days) and also understand the times that Calvin lived in, that what may seem cruel or unjust to us today, was common place in those days, as one thing Calvin was, was a man of his time.  But that should give caution to folks who take issues of life, rather than Scripture passages which Calvin has exposited, and think they know what Calvin said on thi subject or that because of the translations we have available to us today, that the translations may actually be in some parts, stating the case far different to how Calvin intended when he wrote the original text, because of the above issues and perhaps some besides.

But the puritans it is not so hard as it to get a clear picture, even though the misrepresentations of them are perhaps even more rife than that of Calvin.  The Bible says Woe to them who call good evil, and evil good, and in the cases of both Calvin and the puritans, and more figures from the Reformation era, we have this very syndrome often times.  I could cite several sources, but, I think the reader is probably already aware of many of them, so unless anyone asks, I will not do so in the post.  But Chaucer’s depiction of his puritan he met on the way to Canterbury goes like this:

“His business and his opportunity was to preach to the people but in order to preach successfully he must preach to the people, must preach what the people would listen to and think they understood. He must preach what could be practiced, and he must himself practice what he preached. The preacher has to say that a man’s chief concern sould be with teh welfare of his own soul, that he m ust not let his life be swallowed up in immediate and material affairs but must dedicate it to spiritual ends.
—William Haller “The Rise of Puritanism” pp. 4

Chaucer lived in the fourteenth century, two or three centuries before the age of that which is known as puritanism began. Yet, he depicted the character quite accurately, and more than many modern day writers do, and sadly, even more than many who are part of the Reformed church. If we remain ignorant on such matters, that is our choice. But it is a choice. We have a duty to our God, and to our Reformed fore fathers to not remain ignorant, because to do so, we not only do so to the detriment of our own souls and spiritual welfare, we also do so, at the risk of harm and damage to the Reformed faith.

There are plenty of places in Scripture that give us warrant and duty to study Christian history, Psalm 78 is one that easily comes to mind, as does verses 4-5 from Psalm 22
There are other places in Scripture that also give a warrant to of course, it is not only a great encouragement to our faith, a strengthening of it, to see how God delivered or worked among his church through the ages, but it also helps us, to not tarnish the memory or testimony of those who paid with their blood for the love of Christ. Sadly there are too many who do so. And for me, its one of those things that steps upon my bllue suede shoes of Christendom. But whether puritan history, Reformed history, or any aspect, it is our duty to be learned in such matters, and Scripture calls us to it on many occassions, yet, it is sadly a subject oft neglected, and folk can fail to see the import of or relevance to us in our lives today. But it is HIStory. It does and always will have relevance, because of that alone.

Canterbury Tales

One thing that is quite clear, about the majority of Christians today, (self included) is that we do not have knowledge and indepth understanding that the puritans had nor before them the  Reformers.  The Bible was at the heart of the reformation, to making it accessible to the common man, and it not being shut up in darkness and obscurity and only having what the Pope said to understand and be able to interpret it for the common people. Our forefathers, paid for the freedom and easy accessibility we have today to the pages of God’s Word, with their blood and very lives often times. And what do we today do with this inestimable treasure? we do not prize it, as they did, at least over all, that is to be sure.. They had the Word in their hearts, as Scripture tells us to have it.  They were Biblicists in the real sense of the word, (and believe it or not I have even heard them called that in a way of trying to put them down!) Oh for more  such Biblicists among us today.  Knowledge or rather ignorance of the Bible, its teachings, God’s will, God Himself and Christ, are, in my opinion one of the major causes for the church to be in its current state of declination.  Even among  parts of the so-called Reformed church.  To know Him is to love him, that much is true. The more we know HIM, the more we will love HIM, and the more we will be the shining lights that we should be.  Rather than groping our way along, still in darkness and not being able to discern if we turn to the right or the left, so limping blindly on regardless and hoping for the best.  That we, of the Reformed faith, are no less culpable of this than any other branch of Christianity, is an abomination, when the Bible and its freedom and accessibility and availability to the common man,  was at the heart of the Reformation, and that they started off not having that glorious liberty we have today. And yet, we turn liberty to licentiousness, by refusing or rejecting the godly liberty of a Bible for every man, woman and child; to the ungodly liberties we find in the pleasures of the world.

Today we have Bible memorization programmes, and the technology to help them stick, such as this one by John Piper’s  ministry So, what excuse do we have. And also, God makes it quite clear, that ignorance is not an excuse for sin. And I myself have long believed, that ignorance is often a choice.

A New England Antinomian  was heard to utter:

I had rather hear such a one that speaks from mere notion of the Spirit, without any study at all, than any of your learned scholars, although he maybe fuller of Scripture.

Which would also seem to confirm my theory that often, ignorance is a choice.

According to a biography on John Bruen, Robert Pasfield who was an illiterate servant of Bruen’s was:

“a man utterly unlearned, being unable to read a sentence or write a sylablle. Yet he was so well acquainted with the history of the Bible, and the sum and substance of every book and chapter, that hardly could any ask him where such a sayinkg or sentence were, but he would with very little ado tell them in what book, and what chapter they might find it.”

We all have to start somewhere. You can’t expect a two year old Christian to have the vast stores of understanding and knowledge  that a 15 year old on will have. But if after, considerable time has passed, and  medical reasons notwithstanding, that could cause it,   the person remains ignorant as many a new born babe, then, I think that person should do some soul searching to ask why it is so.

Lord perseve us from ignorance, and from choosing the worldly pelasures to the dteriment of spiritual concerns. Give us grace to perservere, even when we don’t see  progress, but trust that your grace is sufficient, in this matter, as much as it is, in any other. In Jesus, Name. Amen.

This seems like it maybe an appropriate post to start off my series of “Reformed or Deformed” which at the moment I am trying to organize in my mind to set down on paper in an organized way.

Matthew 4:19 And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.

Christians are the followers of Christ, and they should follow him… We see from what we have heard, how great the labour and travail of Christ’s soul was for others’ salvation, and what earnest and strong cries to God accompanied his labours. Here he hath set us an example. Herein he hath set an example for ministers, who should as co-workers with Christ, travail in birth with them till Christ be found in them; “My little children, of whom I travail in birth against until Christ be formed in you” (Galatians 4:19). They should be willing to spend and be spent for them. They should not only labour for them, and pray earnestly for them, but should, if occasion required, be ready to suffer for them, and to spend not only their strength, but their blood for them: “And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved” (2 Corinthians 12:15). Here is an example for parents, showing how they ought to labour to cry to God for the spiritual good of their children. You see how Christ laboured and strove and cried to God for the salvation of his spiritual children; and will you not earnestly seek and cry to God for your natural children?
—Jonathan Edwards

2 Tim 1:9.—Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began.

The mystical union betwixt Christ and a sinner is brought to pass in the effectual calling of a sinner, which I come now to explain, and we have in the text. The apostle had exhorted Timothy to a confident adhering to the doctrine of the gospel, over the belly of afflictions for the cause of God; and in the text shews a good reason that both he himself and Timothy had to do so, taken from what God had done for them.

1. What the Lord had done for them. (1) Saved them; namely, from sin and wrath; i.e. had brought them into a state of salvation out of a state of sin and misery, applied Christ’s salvation to them, which is so effectual that never one dies of the disease after it is applied, and therefore may be said thereupon to be saved. (2) Called them, namely, by his Spirit, when they were at a distance from him; he called them to himself, saved and called; not that he first saved, and then called them; but he saved them by calling them; which shews this call to be an effectual call. Therefore also it is called an holy calling, not only as proceeding from an holy God, but as making the called holy too. continue

A man is not so prone to live according to the truth he knows except it deeply affect him, so neither doth his soul enjoy its sweetness, except speculation do pass to affection. The understanding is not the whole soul, and therefore cannot do the whole work… The understanding must take in truths, and prepare them for the will, and it must receive them and commend them to the affections;… the affections, are, as it were, the bottom of the soul.
—Richard Baxter

Marvel not, Christian, how can it be eternal  life to know God and Jesus Christ. To enjoy God and Christ in eternal life, and the soul’s enjoying is in knowing. They that savour only of earth, and consult with flesh, think it a poor happiness to know God But we know that we are of God, and the whole world lies in wickedness. And we know that the Son of God is come, and has given us an understanding, that we may know him who is true. And we are in him  that is true, even in his Son, Jesus Christ.  This is the true God, and eternal life.
—Richard Baxter “Saint’s Everlasting Rest”

No surer shorter way there is than when a man is led to despise the present life and meditate upon heavenly immortality. From this derive two rules: The first rule is that those who use this world must have as little affection for it, as if they used it not; those who marry, as if they did not marry; those who buy, as if they did not buy–according to St. Paul’s rule. The second rule is that we learn equally to bear poverty with grateful and patient hearts, and to use affluence with moderation.
He who bids us use this world as if we used not, not only suppresses all intemperance in eating, drinking, all delights too great ambition, pride, overfastidiousness in buildings, clothing, styles of life; but also corrects all care and inclination that divert and hinder us from thinking  on the heavenly life and from decking our soul with its true ornaments. Long ago Cato truly said, “Where there is great care for dress there is great neglect of virtue.” And as the old proverb bears it out that those who are much occupied with pampering and decking our their bodies do not take sufficient care of their souls.
Therefore, although the freedom of the faithful in outward matters must be restricted to fixed formulas, still it is subject to this law, namely that they allow themselves as little as possible on the other hand that they be watchful to cut back all superfluity and vain show of affluence–but not intemperately and diligently to guard against making hindrances of the things that ought to help them.
—John Calvin, “The Piety of John Calvin”

I have a significant amount I would like and hope to say on The dreamer, John Bunyan over the coming time, (DV); but for now, I offer two poems on this man of God. One from William Cowper, the other from Rudyard Kipling.

May we all learn to live our faith, with the convictions of the immortal dreamer, Bunyan, and have our consciences bound to God alone as he did.

William Cowper:

“Oh thou, whom borne on fancy’s eager wing,
Back to the season of Life’s happy spring,
I pleased remember and while memory yet holds
Fast her office here can never forget.
Ingenious dreamer, in whose well-told tale
Sweet fiction and sweet truth alike prevail;
Whose humorous vein strong sense and simple style
May teach the gayest, make the bravest smile;
Witty and well employed, and like thy Lord,
Speaking in parables His slighted word.”
“Rather Than Thus to Violate My Faith and Principle”

Rudyard Kipling:

“A tinker out of Bedford,
A vagrant oft in quod,
A private under Fairfax,
A minister of God;
Two hundred years and thirty
Ere Armageddon came
His single hand portrayed it,
And Bunyan was his name.
“All enemy divisions,
Recruits of every class,
And highly screened positions
For flame or poison-gas;
The craft that we call modern,
The crimes that we call new,
John Bunyan had ‘em typed and filed
In Sixteen Eighty-two.
“He mapped for those who followed,
The world in which we are —
This famous town of ‘Mansoul’
That makes the Holy War.
Her true and traitor people
The gates along her wall,
From Eye Gate into Feel Gate,
John Bunyan showed them all.”

The glory in the kingdom of heaven shall be begun at death, but not perfected until the resurrection… Heaven is not only a kingdom which God has promised, but which Christ has purchased (Eph. 1:14) with the price of His blood (Heb. 10:19)… The elect must have this blessed kingdom by virtue of their coalition and union with Jesus Christ. They are members of Christ, therefore they must be where their head is. Can Christ lose a member of his body?
—-Thomas Watson, “Practical Divinity”

OKAY, so Scott Brown got elected to the senate. I am very tempted to follow that with a “so what?” and would do so if it was in the UK too.  I am not calling his integrity or sincerity, personally into question, however: What is he likely to achieve, besides some token gestures, by issues that are either defeated, or never even given serious consideration? I’m sorry, but I fail to see why American Christians are in the least excited over this. The greatest victories in Christian history, were not achieved by token gestures, but by real action, and a force to be reckoned with.
Folks today often criticise Calvin and his contemporaries because we see them from our times, and yet they were very much men of their age. But in their age, they achieved, and under such trying, and impoverished conditions, when even writing was done with quill and paper. How do we compare as far as achievements, in our days of comparative luxury and where writing and anything else we want to do in life, can be done almost with the push of a button?
Christians in politics have a notoriously bad history. What we need before Christian politicians IMHO, is revival, ,and then Christians elected into politics, would have a lot more power, as it seems more like a gesture or token as far as what he can achieve to me in the current climate.But then I wonder if Christians are so excited about this in our age, because we are people of our age, where often meaningless, empty gestures or words without action, seems often the path that is trodden?

Brown, Coakley spar over abortion NECN

Flame is soon spent, graces that act most strongly require most influence, as beng most subject to abatement. We sooner lose our affections than anything else. Love is a grace we can ill spare; it is the spring and rise of all duties to God and man… If we would do anything in the resistance of sin, in keeping the commandments, we cannot spare our love… Well, then, watch the more earnestly against the decays and abatement’s of love.
Sin confessed without remorse… prayer made for spiritual blessings without the desire of obtaining… hearing without attention… singing without any delight or melody of heart—all this is but the just account of a heart declining in the love of God.
—Thomas Manton, “The Epistle of Jude”

The fourth piece in the Christian’s panoply… is the shield of faith. Justifying faith. A grace that makes  him the devils match… not a naked assent to the truths of the gospel [but] an act of the soul whereby it rests on Christ crucified for pardon and life, and that upon the warrant of [God's] promise.
Faith is… a shield intended for the defense of the whole body… Sometimes temptation is levelled at the head… against this truth and that, to make the Christian call them into question… blot out the Deity of Christ, with other mysterious truths of the Gospel… Now faith comes between the Christian and this arrow. It comes into the relief of the Christian’s weak understanding.
—William Gurnall “Christian in complete Armour.”

As the eyelid is made to open and shut, to save the eye, so patience is set to keep the soul and save the heart whole, to cheer the body again. Therefore if you note when you can go by an offence and take little wrong, and suffer trouble quietly, you have a kind of peace and joy in your heart, as if you had gotten the victory. The greater is your patience, the less is your pain…. “In all things,” says Paul, “we are more than conquerors” (Rom. 8:37)… As the tree which Moses cast into the spring seasoned the bitterness of the waters, so patience, cast into our troubles, seasons the bitterness of the cross… This power has God given to patience, the medicinable virtue, that it should be like a wholesome herb in the world, or a general physician for all persons and diseases.
—Henry Smith–”The Trial of the Righteous”

The Lord Jesus had no need to bear the cross, endure trials, except to attest and prove his obedience towards God his Father. But necessary for us it is, for several reasons, to be unceasingly afflicted in this life. First, as we are by nature inclined to exalt ourselves and claim all things for ourselves, if our frailty is not set before our very eyes, we immediately value our own virtue beyond measure, unhesitatingly deeming itself unconquerable against all troubles that could beset it.
From this it comes to pass that we are puffed up in empty foolish confidence in the flesh, which later rouses us to haughtiness against God as if our own strength suffice without his grace. This arrogance he best restrains in showing us by experience how in us there lies not only stupidity–but also frailty. Therefore he afflicts us either by disgrace, by poverty, disease, bereavement, or other calamities to which—resist them as we will–directly we succumb, not having the power to bear them.
Thus humbled, we learn to call upon his power, which alone makes us stand firm, unflinching, under the weight of such burdens.
—-”The Piety of John Calvin” pp. 88

None but the upright, who are indeed renewed by the sanctifying Spirit of Christ, will in all things make Christ’s will their rule and in everything hold close to it, preferring it before their pleasure, profit, preferment, or any other outward allurement. They who do so give good evidence that they belong to the body of Christ, and may be sure that Christ is their Saviour.
Christ became a King to govern us, a Prophet to instruct us, a Priest to make atonement for us… He wholly set himself apart for our use and benefit.
—William Gouge “Domestic Duties.”

Another glorious effect of acquaintance with God, is that it makes a man like God… Company is of an assimilating nature. He that before was unholy, and like the devil, by conversion to God and converse with him is made holy like God… A full and perfect conformity and likeness to God is the very glory of glory… Be acquainted with him, and you shall be like him. Keep much in his company by faith, secret prayer, and meditation, and you will be more holy, divine and spiritual. The last effect of this acquaintance with God: it will make a man better, far more excellent in all states and relations. All his friends will have the better life with him, the whole family… will fare the better with him.
—-James Janeway “Heaven upon Earth: Jesus the best friend of man.”

Faith is the root of all graces, and of all obedience and holiness….Hope looks out for [the fulfillment] of divine promises. The gospel, being held by faith, provides a hope that has substance and reality in it.
The work of grace may evidence to you the truth of your hope; but the ground it fastens on is Jesus Christ, in whom all our rights and evidences hold good: his death assuring us of freedom from condemnation, and his life and possession of glory being the foundation of our hope (Heb. 6:19). If you would have it immutable, rest it there. Lay all this hope on him, and when assaulted fetch all your answers for it from him. For it is “Christ in you” that is your “hope of glory.” (Col. 1:27).
—-Robert Leighton “A practical commentary on 1 Peter.”

“I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.”—Rev 3:18

My soul, take advice of thy Lord, for he is a Wonderful Counsellor, and all these blessings will be thine. He will cause thee to inherit substance, and fill all thy treasures; yea, he will give thee durable riches and righteousness. If Jesus clothe thee with the robe of his salvation, thy nakedness will be indeed covered; but no fig-leaves of thine own gathering and sewing together will do this for thee. If Jesus but anoint thine eyes with the precious anointing of his Holy Spirit, thou wilt both see and know the way to buy this tried gold. Now, pause over this sweet verse, and ask thyself, how thou shalt buy this golden treasure? What is the treasure, but faith? For the Holy Ghost calls it precious faith; “Yea, more precious than gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire,” 1 Pet 1:7. And if thy Lord, who gives thee counsel to buy, will sell this article to thee, as he sells it to all his people, “Without money and without price,” it will get for thee every thing thou needest, to cover and to clothe, to give sight, and to gain substance. It will become both meat and drink, and house and home; it will keep thee from every danger; yea, and preserve thee to his heavenly kingdom. It will form a complete livelihood, for “The just live by faith;” and as to riches, there are none, properly speaking, that deserve to be called so, but “The rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom.” So that if thou make this purchase, here is a title to all that God in Christ is to his people. God himself, thy Father, is thine; Christ, with all his fulness, is thine; the Holy Ghost, with all his blessed influences, is thine. The promises are all thine; all the blessings of grace are thine; and all the inheritance of glory is thine. And let Satan vent whatever rage he may, as thou art
going home to thy Father’s house, yet, by following the counsel of Jesus, and buying of him gold tried in the fire, by thus taking the “Shield of faith, this will quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.” Precious Jesus! give me, Lord, I pray thee, grace to follow thy counsel, and to buy of thee this gold tried in the fire, and bless both the counsel and the Wonderful Counsellor, who both counsels and inclines my soul to follow what my Lord hath said, and to enjoy in him all things which make for my present peace and everlasting happiness.
—Robert Hawker “The Poor Man’s Portion”

The way to prevail is to get the victory over the pride of our own nature, by taking shame to ourselves, in humble confession to God; to overcome the unbelief of our hearts, by yielding to the promise of pardon; to set ourselves against those sins which have prevailed over us, in confidence of Christ’s assistance. Then, prevailing over ourselves, we shall easily prevail over all our enemies.
—Richard Sibbes “The Bruised Reed.”

Faith is the proper foundation of holiness and good works… The faith of Christians is a “most holy faith”; no doctrine has such pure precepts, such high examples, such raised motives, such mysterious enforcement’s, such blessed rewards, and all to encourage holiness.
In the Word of God you have the copy of his holiness…an impure life will not suit with a holy faith; you dishonour God and disparage your religion when you walk as heathens. This holy faith is but “kept in pure conscience.” (1 Tim 3:9).
Good company preserves and keeps up your warmth and vigour as a remedy against apostasy.
—Thomas Manton “The Epistle of Jude”

Seeing we are chosen in Christ, and predestinated to be like him, those graces of holiness have the most evident and legible characters of electing love upon them which are most effectual in working us unto a conformity to him. That grace is certainly from an eternal spring which makes us like Jesus Christ. Of this sort are meekness, humility, self-denial, contempt of the world, readiness to pass by wrongs, to forgive enemies, to love and do good to all—which indeed are despised by the most, and duly regarded but by few.
—John Owen “Discourse on the Holy Sprit”

Though it is not the mind or memory or brain, physically or otherwise that is usually the problem in the way of below, it is the unsoundness of heart.

Psalms 119:93 I will never forget thy precepts: for with them thou hast quickened me.

Men of the world, however, with accurate recollections of all matters, connected with their temporal advantage, are remarkably slow in retaining the truths of God. They plead their short memories, although conscious that this infirmity does not extend to their important secular engagements. But what wonder that they forget the precepts, when they have never been quickened with them–never received any benefit from them? The Word of God is not precious to them: they acknowledge no obligation to it: they have no acquaintance with it. It has no place in their affections, and therefore but little abode in their remembrance.
–Charles Bridges, “An Exposition on Psalm 119″ pp. 237