[2.] There is a universality that is objective in spiritual things, with respect unto the renovation of our affections; that is, affections spiritually renewed do fix themselves upon and cleave unto all spiritual things, in their proper places, and unto their proper ends: for the ground and reason of our adherence unto any one of them is the same with respect unto them all,—that is, their relation unto God in Christ. Wherefore, when our affections are renewed, we make no choice in spiritual things, cleaving unto some and refus- ing others, making use of Naaman’s restraint; but our adherence is the same unto them all in their proper places and degrees, And if, by reason of darkness and ignorance, we know not any of them to be from God,—as, for instance, the observation of the Lord’s day,——it is of unspeakable disadvantage unto us. An equal respect is required in us unto all God’s commands. Yet there are various distinctions in spiritual things, and thereon a man may and ought to value one above another as unto the degrees of his love and esteem, although he is to be sincere with respect unto them all:—
1st. God himself,—that is, as revealed in and by Christ,—is in the first and chiefest place the proper and adequate object of our affec- tions as they are renewed. He is so for himself, or his own sake alone. This is the spring, the centre, and chief object of our love. He that loves not God for himself,—that is, for what he is in him- self, and what from himself alone he is and will be unto us in Christ (which considerations are inseparable),—hath no true affection
CHAP. XIII.] | UNIVERSALITY IN RENEWED AFFECTIONS. 421
for any spiritual thing whatever. And not a few do here deceive themselves, or are deceived; which should make us the more diligent _ In the examination of ourselves. They suppose that they love hea- ven and heavenly things, and the duties of divine worship,—which persuasion may befall them on many grounds and occasions which will not endure the trial,—but as unto God himself, they can give no evidence that they have any love to him, either on the account of the glorious excellencies of his nature, with their natural relation unto him and dependence on him, or on the account of the mani- Jestation of himself in Christ, and the exercise of his grace therein. But whatever may be pretended, there is no love unto God whereof these things are not the formal reason, that proceeds not from these springs. And because all men pretend that they love God, and defy them that think them so vile as not to do so, though they live in open enmity against him and hatred of him, it becomes us strictly to examine ourselves on what grounds we pretend so to do. Is it because indeed we see an excellency, a beauty, a desirableness, in the glorious properties of his nature, such as our souls are refreshed and satisfied with the thoughts of, by faith, and in whose enjoyment our blessedness will consist, so that we always rejoice at the remem- brance of his holiness? Is it our great joy and satisfaction that God is what he is? Is it from the glorious manifestation that he hath made of himself and all his holy excellencies in Christ, with the communication of himself unto us in and by him? [If it be so in- deed, then is our love generous and gracious, from the renovation of our affections. But if we say we love God, yet truly know not why, or upon principles of education, and becatise it is esteemed the height of wickedness to do otherwise, we shall be at a loss when we are called unto our trial. This is the first object of our affections.
2dly. In other spiritual things, renewed affections do cleave unto ‘them according as God is in them. God alone is loved for himself; all other things for him, in the measure and degree of his presence in them. This alone gives them pre-eminence in renewed affections, For instance, God is in Christ, in the human nature of the man Christ Jesus, in a way and manner singular, in concern alike, incomprehen- sible, so as he is in the same kind in nothing else. Therefore is the Lord Christ, even as unto his human nature, the object of our affec- tions in such a way and degree as no other thing, spiritual or eter- nal, but God himself, is or ought to be. All other spiritual things become so from the presence of God in them, and from the degree of that presence have they their nature and use. Accordingly are they, or ought to be, the object of our affections as unto the degree of their exercise. Evidences of the presence of God in things and persons are the only attractives of renewed affections.
422 OF SPIRITUAL MINDEDNESS. [PART IL
3dly. In those things which seem to stand in an equality as unto what is of God in them, yet on some especial occasions and rea~ sons our love may go forth eminently unto one more than another. Some particular truth, with the grace communicated by it, may have been the means of our conversion unto God, of our edification m an especial manner, of our consolation in distress; it cannot be but that the mind will have a peculiar respect unto and valuation of such truths and the grace administered by them. And so it is as unto duties. We may have found such a lively intercourse and commu- nion with God in some of them as may give us a peculiar delight in them.