of our affections, whereby we are constituted and denominated spiritually minded, which is the subject of our whole inquiry.

CHAPTER XVI.

Assimilation to things heavenly and spiritual in affections spiritually renewed. This assimilation the work of faith. How, and whereby. Reasons of the want of growth in our spiritual affections, as to this assimilation.

WHEN affections are spiritually renewed in their exercise on spiritual things, there is an assimilation wrought in them, and in the whole soul, to those spiritual and heavenly things by faith. But when there is a change in them only, from other causes and occa sions, and not from renewing grace, there is an assimilation effected of spiritual and heavenly things to themselves, to those affections, by imagination.

This must be illustrated somewhat at large, as that which gives the most eminent distinction between the frames of mind, into whose difference we inquire.

I. Affections spiritually renewed are, in all their actings and exercise, under the guidance and conduct of faith. It is faith which, in its spiritual light, hath the leading of the soul in the whole life of God; we live here by faith, as we shall do hereafter by light. If our affections deviate or decline in the least from the guidance of faith, they degenerate from their spirituality, and give themselves up to the service of superstition. Next to corrupt secular interest in the management of crafty selfish seducers, this hath been the great inlet of all superstition and false worship into the world. Blind affection groping in the dark after spiritual things, having not the saving light of faith to conduct them, have seduced the minds of men into all manner of superstitions, imaginations, and practices,

continuing to do so at this day. And wherever they lead the way, when faith goes not before them to discover both the way and the end, they that lead, and the mind that is led, must fall into one snare and pit or another.

Wherefore, affections that are spiritually renewed, move not, act not, but as faith discovers their object, and directs them to it. It is faith that works by love; we can love nothing sincerely with divine love, but what we believe savingly with divine faith. Let our affections to any spiritual things be never so vehement, if they spring not from faith, if they are not guided by it, they are neither accepted with God, nor will promote the interest of spirituality and holiness in our own souls. And this is the reason why we ofttimes see great and plausible appearances of spiritual affections, which yet endure only for a season. They have been awakened, and excited, by one means or another, outward or inward; but not having the light of faith to guide them to their proper object, they either wither and die, as to any appearing of spiritual notions, or else keep the mind tossed up and down in perpetual disquietude, without rest or peace. "The foolish man wearieth himself, because he cannot find the way to the city." So was it with those who, on the account of their attendance to the doctrine of Christ, are called his disciples. Having preached to them about the bread which came down from heaven, and giveth life to those that feed, they were greatly affected with it, and cried out, "Lord, evermore give us of this bread." But when he proceeded to declare the mystery of it, they not having faith to discern and apprehend it, their affections immediately decayed, and they forsook both him and his doctrine.

We may consider one especial instance of this nature. Persons every day fall under great and effectual convictions of sin, and of their danger or certain misery thereby. This stirs up all their affections, especially their fears, hopes, desires, sorrow, self-revenge, according as their condition calls for them. Hence some

times they grow restless in their complaints, and turn

themselves every way for relief, like men that are out of the way, and bewildered in the night. But in this state and condition, tell them of the only proper way and means of their relief, which, let the world say what it will, is Christ and his righteousness alone, with the grace of God in him, and they quickly discover that they are strange things to them, such as they do not understand, nor indeed approve. They cannot see them, they cannot discern them, nor any beauty in them for which they should be desired.

Wherefore, after their affections have been tossed up and down for a season, under the power and torment of this conviction, they come to one or other of these conclusions. Either they utterly decay, and the mind loses all sense of any impressions from them, so that they wonder in themselves whence they were so foolish as to be tossed and troubled with such melancholy fancies, and so commonly prove as bad sort of men as live upon the earth; or they take up in a formal legal profession wherein they never attain to be spiritually minded. This is the best end that our affections towards spiritual things, not guided by the light of faith, do come to.

II. Faith hath a clear prospect into, and apprehension of spiritual things, as they are in themselves, and in their own nature. It is true, the light of it cannot fully comprehend the nature of all those things which are the objects of its affections, for they are infinite and incomprehensible, such as are the nature of God, and the person of Christ; and some of them, as future glory, are not yet clearly revealed: but it discerns them all in a due manner, so that they may in themselves, and not in any corrupt representation, or imagination of them, be the object of our affections. They are, as the apostle speaks, "spiritually discerned," which is the reason why the natural man cannot receive them, namely, because he hath not ability spiritually to discern them. And this is the principal end of the renovation of our minds, the principal quality and effect of faith, namely, the communication to our minds, and the acting in us, of a spiritual saving light,

whereby we may see and discern spiritual things as they are in their own nature, kind, and proper use― "That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of his power to usward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power." "God shines in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of his glory in the face of Jesus Christ." The end God designs, is to draw our hearts and affections to himself. And, to this end, he gives us a glorious internal light, whereby we may be enabled to discern the true nature of the things that we are to cleave to with love and delight. Without this we have nothing but false images of spiritual things in our minds; not always as to the truth or doctrine concerning them, but as to their reality, power, and efficacy. This is one of the principal effects of faith, as it is the principal part of the renovation of our minds, namely, to discover in the soul, and represent to the affections, things spiritual and heavenly, in their nature, beauty, and genuine excellency. This attracts them, if they are spiritually renewed, and causes them to cleave with delight to what is so proposed to them. He that believes in Christ in a due manner, and thereon discovers the excellency of his person, and the glory of his mediation, will both love him, and, on his believing, rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory. So is it in all other instances; the more steady is our view by faith of spiritual things, the more firm and constant will our affections be in cleaving to them. And wherever the mind is darkened about them, by temptation or seduction from the truth, there the affections will be quickly weakened and impaired.Wherefore,

III. Affections thus led to, and fixed on spiritual and heavenly things under the light and conduct of faith, are more and more renewed, or made in them

selves more spiritual and heavenly. They are in their cleaving to them, and delight in them, continually changed and assimilated to the things themselves; becoming more and more to be what they are, namely, spiritual and heavenly.

;

This transformation is wrought by faith, and is one of its most excellent faculties and operations-" But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image, from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord." And the means whereby it works, are our affections in them, as we are carnal, we are "conformed to this world;" and by them, as sanctified, "are we transformed in the renewing of our minds." And this transformation is the introduction of a new form or nature into our souls, diverse from that wherewith we were before endued. So is it described, Isa. xi. 6—9. They were changed into a spiritual nature; and it is twofold.

First, Original and radical, as to the substance or essence of it, which is the effect of the first act of divine grace upon our souls, when we are made new creatures. Herein our affections are passive, they do not transform us, but are transformed.

Secondly, Gradual, as to its increase; and therein faith works in and by the affections.

Whenever the affections cleave intensely to any object, they receive an impression from it, as the wax doth from the seal when applied to it, which changes them into its own likeness. So the Apostle affirms of sensual, unclean persons: they "have eyes full of adultery.' Their affections are so wholly possessed and filled with their lustful objects, as that they have brought forth their own likeness upon their imaginations that blots out all others, and leaves them no inclinations but what they stir up in them. When men are filled with the love of this world, which carries along with it all their other affections, their hopes, fears, and desires, to a constant exercise about the same object, they become earthly minded. Their minds are so changed into the image of the things