Again; this alteration doth but turn the course or stream of men’s affections, it doth not change the nature of them. They are the same in their spring and fountain as ever they were, only they are habituated unto another course than what of themselves they are inclined unto. You may take a young whelp of the most fierce and savage creature, as of a tiger or a wolf, and by custom or usage make it as tame and harmless as any domestic creature,—a dog, or the like: but although it may be turned into quite another way or course of acting than what it was of itself inclined unto, yet its na- ture is not changed; and therefore frequently, on occasion, opportu- nity, or provocation, it will fall into its own savage inclination, and having tasted of the blood of creatures, it will never be reclaimed. So is it with the depraved’ affections of men with respect unto their change: their streams are turned, they are habituated unto a new course; but their nature is not altered, at least not from rational unto spiritual, from earthly unto heavenly. Yet this is that which was most beautiful and desirable in nature, the glory of it, and the ut- most of its attainments. He who has by any means proceeded unto such a moderation of his affections as to render him kind, benign, patient, useful, preferring public good before private, ordinate and temperate in all things, will rise up in judgment against those who, professing themselves to be under the conduct of the light of grace, do yet, by being morose, angry, selfish, worldly, manifest that their affections are not subdued by the power of that grace. . Wherefore, that we may be spiritually minded, there is yet another work upon our affections required, which is their internal renovation, whereby not only the course of their actings is changed, but their nature is
CHAP. XU.] THE NATURAL DEPRAVITY OF OUR AFFECTIONS. 415
altered and spiritually renewed. I intend that which is expressed in that great evangelical promise, Isa. xi. 6-9, “The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice’ den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain.” A change and alteration is promised in the natures, principles, and first inclinations, of the worst and most savage sinners who pass under the power of gospel grace.
This is that which is required of us in a way of duty, Eph. iv. 28, “ Be ye renewed in the spirit of your mind.” There is a reno- vation of the mind itself, by the communication of spiritual, saving light and understanding thereunto, whereof I have treated elsewhere at large. See Rom. xu. 2; Eph.i 17,18. But “the spirit of the mind,” that whereby it is enlivened, led, and disposed unto its act- ings, that is to be renewed also, “The spirit of the mind” is in this place opposed unto “the old man, which is corrupt according to the de- ceitful lusts,” or depraved affections, Eph. iv. 22. These, therefore, are that “spirit of the mind,” which inclines, bends, and leads it to act suitably unto its inclinations, which is to be renewed. And when our affections are inclined by the saving grace of the Holy Spirit, then are they renewed, and not else. No other change will give them a ‘spiritual renovation. Hereby those things which are only natural affections in themselves, in them that believe become fruits of the Spirit: Gal. v. 22, 23, “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace,” ete. ’ They continue the same as they were in their essence, substance, and natural powers; but are changed in their properties, qualities, incli- nations, whenever a new nature is given unto them. So the waters at Marah were the same waters still before and after their cure. But of themselves and in their own nature they were bitter, so as that the people could not drink them; on the casting of a tree into them, they were made sweet and useful, Exod. xv. 25. So was it with the waters of Jericho, which were cured by casting salt into them, 2 Kings ii. 19-22. Our affections continue the same as they were in their nature and essence; but they are so cured by grace as that their properties, qualities, and inclinations, are all cleansed or re- newed. ‘The tree or salt that is cast into these waters, whereby the cure is wrought, is the love of God above all, proceeding from faith in him by Christ Jesus.
416 OF SPIRITUAL MINDEDNESS. [PART IL
CHAPTER XIII.
The work of the renovation of our affections—How differenced from any other impression on or change wrought in them, and how it is evidenced so to be —The first instance, in the universality accompanying of affections spiritually renewed—The order of the exercise of our affections with respect unto their objects.
THAT which is our concernment herein is, to inquire of what nature that work is which hath been on our own affections, or in them, and how it differs from those which, whatever they do or effect, yet will not render us nor themselves spiritual.