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affections upon things above.

"From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?" Whence are all the disorders in your minds, your vexations and disquietudes, your passions breaking forth sometimes into unseemly brawlings? are they not from hence? (the question is put to yourselves, and your own consciences,) namely, from your lusts, that is, the disorderly affections that tumultuate in you? Do but search yourselves, and you will quickly see whence all your troubles and disquietudes arise. Your lusts, or corrupt and inordinate affections, war in you, continually inclining you to things earthly or sensual. Hence many are best and most at quiet when they are in the world; worst when at home in their families; but never are they in such confusion as when they are forced to retire into themselves.

The due exercise of our affections on heavenly things hath quite another tendency and effect. It so unites the mind to them, it so brings them to it, and gives them such a subsistence in it, as that all the powers and faculties of it are in a progress towards their perfection: "Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God." True wisdom and understanding, with soundness of judgment in eternal things in the mind, holiness in the affections themselves, liberty in the will, power in the heart, and peace in the conscience, do in their measures all ensue hereon. Whatever tastes we may have of these things, whatever temporary experience we have of them, they will not flourish in us, they will not abide with us in any constancy, unless we are thus spiritually minded.

IV. In the future enjoyment of the present object of our spiritual affections, our eternal blessedness consists. All men, who are convinced of a future eternal condition, desire, when they depart hence, to enter into blessedness and glory, Howbeit, what that blessedness, even as to the general nature of it, is, they know nothing at all; and if they did, they

would not know how to desire it. For heaven, or blessedness, is nothing but the full enjoyment of what we are here to love and delight in above all, of that which is the object of our affections as spiritually renewed. Herein have they neither interest nor concern. But this is that which giveth life to the affections of believers. They know that in the enjoyment of God in Christ, their eternal blessedness consists. How this is their happiness and glory, how it will give them an everlasting overflowing satisfaction and rest, they understand in the first-fruits of it which they here receive. And this is the ultimate object of their affections in this world; and they go forth to all other spiritual things in order thereunto. The more, therefore, their affections are fixed on them, the more they are kept up to that due exercise, the nearer approaches they make to this blessed state. When their minds are possessed with this persuasion, when it is confirmed in them by daily experience of that sweetness, rest, and satisfaction, which they find in cleaving to God with fervent love and delight, in vain shall any other objects rise up in competition, to draw them off to themselves. The more we love God, the more like we are to him, and the more near the enjoyment of him.

CHAPTER XX.

The way how the soul applies itself, by its affections, to those objects which belong to our being spiritually minded.

HAVING Considered the nature of spiritual affections, as renewed by grace, and those notions of their objects under which they cleave to them, it remains only that we inquire into the way of the soul's application of itself to those objects by its affections, which belong also to our being spiritually minded. And I

shall give an account of this in some few particulars, with brief observations on them.

First, It is required that our adherence to all spiritual things with love and delight, be firm and stable. The affections are the powers and instruments of the soul, whereby it makes application to any thing without itself, and cleaves to it. This is their nature and use, with reference to things spiritual. Transient

thoughts of spiritual things, with vanishing desires, may rise out of present convictions, as they did with those who cried out to our Saviour, "Lord, give us evermore of this bread," and immediately left him. Such occasional thoughts and desires are common to all men, yea, the worst of them: "Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my latter end be like his." Fading satisfaction, with joy and delight, often befall men in their attendance on the word, who yet never come to have it rooted in their hearts.

There are various things wanting to the sincerity of these affections.

1. Those in whom they are, never had a clear spiritual view of the things themselves, in their own nature, with which they pretend to be affected.

2. They have not a sincere love to them, and delight in them, for their own sakes, but are only affected with some outward circumstances and concerns of them.

3. They find not a suitableness in them to the ruling principles of their minds. They do not practically, they cannot truly say, "The yoke of Christ is easy, and his burden is light;-his commandments are not grievous;" or, with the Psalmist, "O, how do 1 love thy law!"

4. Their affections are transient, unstable, vanishing, as to their exercise and operations. They are now pleased, and anon displeased; earnest for a little while, and then cold and indifferent. Hence the things which they seem to effect, have no transforming efficacy upon their souls; they dwell not in them in their power.

But where our affections to spiritual things are sin

cere, where they are the true genuine application of the soul, and adherence to them, they are firm and stable; love and delight are kept up to such a constant exercise as renders them immoveable. This is that to which we are exhorted: 66 Therefore, my be. loved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord." Transient affections, with their occasional operations, deceive multitudes. Ofttimes they are pregnant in their actings, as those that are most sincere; and many effects, in joys, in mournings, in complaints, they will produce, especially when excited by any outward affliction, sickness and the like; but their goodness is like the early cloud, or morning dew. Let none, therefore, please themselves with the operations of transient affections with respect to spiritual things, be they ever so urgent, or so pleasant, or so frequent in their returns; those that are sincere, are at all times firm and stable.

Secondly, That the soul find a spiritual relish and savour in the things to which it so adheres. The affections are the palate of the soul, whereby it tastes of all things which it receives or refuses; and it will not long cleave to any thing in which they find not a savour and relish. Something was spoken before of that sweetness which is in spiritual things; and the taste of them consists in a gracious sense of their suitableness to the affections, inclinations and dispositions of the mind. Hence they have no relish to men of carnal minds. Whoever, therefore, would know whether his affections sincerely adhere to spiritual things, let him examine what relish, what sweetness, what savour he findeth in them. When he is pleased with them, as the palate with suitable and proper food; when he finds that he receives nourishment by them in the inward man, then doth he adhere to them in a due manner.

This spiritual taste is the ground of all experience. It is not what we have heard or understood only, but what we have tried and tasted, whereof we have ex

perience. This makes us long for what we have formerly enjoyed, and strengthens faith, as to what we pray for and expect.

In every darkness, in every damp of spirit, under every apprehension of deadness, or the withdrawing of the sense of divine love, the soul knoweth what it wants, and what it desires. "Oh," saith such a one, "that it were now with me as in former days!" I know he who then gave me such refreshing tastes of his own goodness, who made every thing of himself sweet and pleasant to me, can renew this work of his grace towards me; he can give me a new spiritual appetite and relish; and he can make all spiritual things savoury to me again.

As a man, under a languishing sickness, or when he is chastened with strong pain, so that his soul abhorreth bread and his daily meat, can remember what appetite he had, with what gust and relish he was wont to take his food in the days of his health, which makes him to know that there is such a condition, and to desire a return to it; so is it with a sin-sick soul; it can find no relish, no gust, no sweetness in spiritual things; he finds no savour in the bread of the word, nor any refreshment in the ordinances of the gospel, which yet in themselves are daily meat, "a feast of fat things, and of wine well refined." Yet doth it remember former days, when all these things were sweet to him. And if he have any spark of spiritual life yet remaining, it will stir him up to seek with all diligence after a recovery. How is it with you who are now under spiritual decays; who find no taste nor relish in spiritual things; to whom the word is not savoury, nor other ordinances powerful? Call to mind how it hath been with you in former days, and what you found in these things: "If so be," saith the apostle, "that you have tasted that the Lord is gracious." If you have not, it is to be feared that you have never yet had the least sincere love to spiritual things; for where that is, it will give a spiritual relish of them. If you have, how is it you can give yourselves rest one moment, without an endeavour after the healing of your backsliding?

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