We may know whether the Spirit of God have wrought anything in us by our embracing of good things ; for, as I said, God hath made our souls thus, when the soiil is convinced of the truth and goodness of a thing, and is persuaded, the aflections will always follow that that is shewed to be the best. Now when the Spirit of God discovers to the soul the excellencies of religion to be above all other excellencies whatsoever, ' that the favour of God is better than life itself,' Ps. Isiii. 3, and discovers to the soul the vanity of all other things, then comes the soul to embrace them. For the soul cannot but embrace that which the understanding being convinced designs to be best, and best for me ; in comparison of all other things, this is now at this time, all things considered, best for me to do. Hereupon comes embracing always. The aflections follow spiritual persuasion.
There be two main branches of faith : one is spiritual conviction and persuasion that things are so good, and that they belong to us ; another branch of faith is to go out, and close, and meet with the things. Upon discovery of the excellency of the things, the heart opens itself to let in those things.
It is in grace as it is in nature : the heart is open upwards, and pointed downward. So the heart and soul of a man opens to heavenward. When those things are discovered by the soul to be best, the Spirit opens and closeth with those things.
A man may know what he is in religion by his afi'ections, by his afl'ection of love ; for the aflection of love will open to the things that are discovered to be best, whereof he is persuaded. And his aflection of joy ; he will delight in those things. And his aflection of grief ; his heart will be shut in things that are contrary ; and his afl'ection of zeal in the pursuit of the means, and in opposing that that is an enemy to that good. It is alway so. The heart embraceth what we are persuaded of.
God hath made the aflections of the soul for supernatural things, he hath made our understanding to conceive of the heavenly light, and those pre- rogatives and privileges, and he hath made our aflections to embrace those heavenly things. And then a man is in his right subordination, in his right
440 FAITH TRIUMPHANT.
state under God ; he is framed as he should be. He is in a right frame of soul, when his soul is convinced of the excellency of the best things, and when his affections of joy and love and delight, of zeal and trust, and all are set on those things. For then a man is raised above the condition of an ordinary man. Such a man is come to his perfection. He is come out of that cursed estate that naturally all are in. For now the soul is set upon things that make it better than itself. For the soul is as the things are it is carried to. 'When the soul is persuaded of heavenly things and of its interest in them, and is carried to them by the sway and weight of the aflections of love, and joy, and delight, — which is called here embracing, — then the things embraced transform the soul to be like them, as they be heavenly, and glorious, and excellent. There is nothing in the world to be named with them. All else is dung and dross. Then a man comes to be holy, and heavenly, and spiritual. He is raised in a condition far above others, above all other men, though he be never so mean in the world. When his soul is enlightened, and answerable to the light, there is heat ; when there is hght in the understanding, and heat in the affections accord- ingly to embrace, then the soul is in a right temper, a man is a holy and happy man. Therefore no wonder if upon persuasion and sight they embraced those things.
Let us try the truth of our estate by our affections, by our embracing of good things, by opening our hearts to the best things, by our joy and delight in them. Is there a holy wonderment at them ? ' Oh how I love thy law ! ' Ps. cxix. 97 ; and ' one day in thy courts is better than ten thousand else- where,' Ps. Ixxxiv. 10 ; and ' Oh the depth of his mercies ! ' Kom. xi. 33 ; and ' one thing have I desired of the Lord ; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,' Ps. xxvii. 4. When the soul stands in admiration of God and good things, when it is ready to welcome Christ and heavenly things and the state of religion : now away all former vanities ! away all lusts of youth ! away all confidence in beauty, and strength, and riches ! All these are but dung to the soul. The soul hath seen better things. There is a discovery of better things ; and now the respect of all other things falls down in the soul when there is a discovery of better things.