4. This work operates greatly on the ^affections. We have given instances in the /ear, sorrow, joy, and delight about spiritual things that are stirred up and acted thereby. But yet it comes short in two things of a thorough work upon the affections themselves: for, (1.) it doth not fix them ; and, (2.) it doth not fill th6m. (1.) It is required that our affections be fixed on heavenly and spiritual things, and true grace will effect it: Col. iii. 1, 2, "If ye be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above." The joys, the fears, the hopes, the sorrows, with reference unto spiritual and eternal things, which the work before mentioned doth produce, are evanid, uncertain, unstable, not only as to the degrees, but as to the very being of them. Sometimes they are as a river ready to overflow its banks, — men cannot but be pouring them out on all occasions ; and sometimes as waters that fail, — no drop comes from them. Some-
240 WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT [BOOK III,
times they are hot, aud sometimes cold ; sometimes up, and some- times down ; sometimes all heaven, and sometimes all world ; with- out equality, without stability. But true grace fixeth the affections on spiritual things. As to the degrees of their exercise, there may be and is in them great variety, according as they may be excited, aided, assisted, by grace and the means of it, or obstructed and im- peded by the interposition of temj)tations and diversions. But the constant bent and inclination of renewed affections is unto .spiritual things, as the Scripture everywhere testifieth and expericDce doth confirm. (2.) The forementioned work doth not fill the affections, however it may serve to take them up and pacify them. It comes like many strangers to an inn to lodge, which take up a great deal of room, and make an appearance as if none were in the house but themselves; and yet they turn not out the family which dwelleth there, but there they make their abode still. Light and conviction, with all their train and attendants, come into the mind and affec- tions as if they would fill them, and possess them for themselves alone ; but yet, when they have done all, they leave the quiet places of the house for the world, and sin, and self. They do not thrust them out of the affections, and fill up their places with spiritual things. But saving grace fills up the affections with spiritual things, fills the soul with spiritual love, joy, and delight, and exerciseth all other affections about their proper objects. It denies not a room to any other things, relations, possessions, enjoyments, merely as they are natural, and are content to be subordinate unto God and sjiiri- tual things ; but if they would be carnal, disorderly, or predominant, it casts them out.
5. This work is oftentimes carried on very far in reformation of life and conversation, so that it will express the whole form of god- liness therein. But herein, also, it is subject unto a threefold defect and imperfection; for, — (1.) It will consist with and allow of raging and reigning sins of ignorance. The conducting light in this work not leading unto the abhorrency of all sin as sin, nor into a pursuit of holiness out of a design to be universally conformable unto Christ, but being gathered up from this and that particular command, it ofttimes leaves behind it great sins unregarded. So it left persecu- tion in Paul before his conversion; and so it leaves hatred and a desire of persecution in many at this day. And other sins of the like nature may escape its utmost search, to the ruin of the soul. (2.) Its reformation of the conversation is seldom universal as to all known sins, unless it be for a season, whilst the soul is under Si flag- rant pursuit of self-righteousness. Paul in that condition had pre- served himself so as that, according to the law, he was blameless; and the young man thought he had kept all the commandments from his
CHAP. IT.] PREPARATORY UNTO REGENERATION. 241
youth. But setting aside this consideration, notwithstanding the utmost that this Avork can attain unto, after the efficacy of its first impressions begin to abate, htst Avill reserve some joecuUar way of venting and discovering itself; which is much spoken unto. (3.) The conversations of persons who live and abide under the power of this work only is assuredly fading and decaying. Coldness, sloth, negli- gence, love of the world, carnal wisdom, and security, do every day get ground upon them. Hence, although by a long course of absti- nence from open sensual sins, and stating of a contrary interest, they are not given up unto them, yet, by the decays of the power of their convictions, and the ground that sin gets upon them, they become walking and talking skeletons in religion, — dry, sapless, useless, world- lings. But where the soul is inlaid with real saving grace, it is in a state of thriving continually. Such an one will go on from strength to sti'ength, from grace to grace, from glory to glory, and will be fat and flourishing in old age. By these things may we learn to distin- guish in ourselves between the preparatory work mentioned, and that of real saving conversion unto God. And these are some of the heads of those operations of the Holy Spirit on the minds of men, which oftentimes are preparatory unto a real conversion unto God; and sometimes, [by] their contempt and rejection, a gTeat aggrava- tion of the sin and misery of them in whom they were wrought.