2, It is a great advantage to the work of grace upon the affections. Ponderous thoughts are the bellows that kindle and inflame the affec- tions ; they blow up those latent sparkles of grace that are in the soul. Impure thoughts stain the heart, and convey a taint and filth to the soul : 2 Peter ii, 14, ' Having eyes full of adultery,' When the fancy is rolled upon unclean objects, lust is kindled. Lust, revenge, covetous- ness, they are all fed with thoughts ; a wicked spirit distilleth sin into the quintessence of villany, the imaginations of the heart are evil. So suitably good thoughts leave a forcible impression upon the soul. The papists talk of St Francis and St Clara, that had the wounds of Christ impressed on them. It is true, in a spiritual way, deep thoughts leave the wounds and sorrows of Christ upon the heart, and do crucify us ; it is true morally, as well as mystically : ' I am crucified with Christ,' Gal, ii. 20. Certainly you find this by experience, that when you know not things, you are not so thoroughly affected with them. Serious medi- tation hath this advantage, that it doth make the object present, and as it were sensible ; therefore faith, which is a deep acting of the thoughts upon the promises, and upon glory to come, is called V7r6araai<;, ' the substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen,' Heb. xi. 1. It giveth the future blessedness a present subsistence in the soul, and therefore it must needs ravish it. It is a principle in nature, appetition followeth knowledge, and desire is answerable to that certain and clear judgment that we have of the worth, value, and dignity of the object. Now it is not enough that the judgment be once convinced, but that it stay upon the object, for things lose their virtue when we do not keep them in the eye of the soul. When the bird often leaveth her nest and is long absent, the eggs grow cold, and do not come to be quickened ; so do our desires grow cold and dull, which otherwise by a constant meditation are hatched into some life. Instance in any affection, Hope and trust are ripened by constant thoughts of the grace, power, truth, goodness, and unchangeableness of God : 2 Tim. i. 12, ' I know whom I have believed, and I am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed to him against that day,'
276 SERMONS UPON GENESIS XXIV. G3.
Presumption is an inconstant careless apprehension, and therefore soon overborne : Ps. ix. 10, ' They that know thy name will put their trust in thee ; ' that is, that seriously consider it ; for the Hebrew word is used for consider ; they that know what a God thou art, how merciful, true, and powerful thou art, they will trust thee. So for fear, so far as it is sanctified it is fed by a consideration of the dreadfulness of Gods wrath and displeasure : Ps. xc. 11, ' Who knows the power of thine anger ? according to thy fear, so is thy wrath ; ' that is, who doth seriously consider of it ? According to those awful apprehensions that they form within themselves doth God's wrath more or less move them. {So for desire, either of Christ or of heaven. Of Christ ; a serious con- sideration of the excellency of Christ is that which ravisheth the heart. The spouse formeth a description of Christ, and then she saitli he is all desires : Cant. v. 16, ' His mouth is more sweet, yea, he is altogether lovely.' Enough to ravish all our desires. The value of things lieth hid when we do but slightly and superficially look upon them, but when we meditate of them, they are double to that which is seen at the first blush : Job xi. 6, ' And that he would show thee the secrets of wisdom, that they are double to that which is.' In natural things serious thoughts are necessary, much more in spiritual, because the mind, by long use, having been inured to earthly objects and profits, had need to be much raised. We see that we do insensibly receive taint from those objects with which we do converse, and therefore we had need to be often and serious in meditating of the excellences of Christ, that by a spiritual art he may be as usual an object to us as the world. So for heaven, when we do not hold our hearts to the consideration of the glory of it, it doth not work upon us. Moses, Heb. xi. 26, ' Had respect to the recompense of the reward,' eire^XeTre ; he had an eye to it. The word noteth a serious and intent consideration ; we should again and again consider it, and be sending our thoughts as spies into the land of promise, to bring us reports and tidings of it, as love between men is maintained by constant visits and letters. So for sorrow for sin past : Ps. li. 3, ' My sin is ever before me ; ' and Jer. xxxi. 19, ' Surely after that I was turned I repented ; and after that I was instructed I smote upon my thigh ; I was ashamed, yea, even confounded, because I did bear the reproach of my youth.' When we come deeply to consider our errors, and the unkindness of them, that begetteth a sad sense. So for hatred and displicency against sin. Evil affections are nourished by thoughts, and kept up in life and strength, for thoughts are pabulum animce, the food of the soul: Rom. vii. 13, ' Sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good, that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful.' The sinfulness of sin appears by considering the purity of the law, the majesty of God, and the kindness of Christ. So for joy and delight ; the soul is feasted by meditation, it turneth the promises into marrow : Ps. Ixiii. 6y &/ My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness, and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips, when I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night-watches.' Hereby we discern their relish and savour : Ps. xxxiv. 8, ' Oh ! taste and see that the Lord is good ; ' the thoughts, taste, and the relish is left on the affections.