Lastly, Where affections are spiritually renewed, the person of Christ is the centre of them; but where they are changed only, they tend unto an end in self. Where the “new man” is put on, “Christ is all, and in all,” Col. iii. 10, 11. He is the spring, by his Spirit, that gives them life, light, and being; and he is the ocean that receives all their streams. God, even the Father, presents not himself in his beauty and amiableness as the object of our affections, but as he is in Christ, acting his love in him, 1 John iv 8,9. And as unto all other spiritual things, renewed affections cleave unto them according as they derive from Christ and lead unto him; for he is unto them “all, and in all.” It is he whom the souls of his saints do love for himself, for his own
47-4 OF SPIRITUAL MINDEDNESS. [PART IL
sake, and all other things of religion in and for him, The air is pleasant and useful, that without which we cannot live or breathe; but if the sun did not enlighten it and warm it with its beams, if it were always one perpetual night and cold, what refreshment could be received by it? Christ is the “Sun of Righteousness,” and if his beams do not quicken, animate, and enlighten, the best, the most necessary duties of religion, nothing desirable would remain in them. This is the most certain character of affections spiritually renewed: They can rest in nothing but in Christ; they fix on nothing but what is amiable by a participation of his beauty; and in whatever he is, therein do they find complacency. It is otherwise with them whose affections may be changed but are not renewed. The truth is,—and it may be made good by all sorts of instances,—that Christ, in the mystery of his person and in the glory of his mediation, is the only thing that they dislike in religion, False representations of him by images and pictures they may embrace and delight in; false notions of his present glory, greatness, and power may affect them; a worship of their own devising they may give unto him, and please themselves in it; corrupt opinions concerning his office and grace may possess their minds, and they may contend for them: but those who are not spiritually renewed cannot love the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity, yea, they have an inward, secret aversation from the mystery of his person and his grace. It is self which all their affec- tions centre in, the ways whereof are too long here to be declared.
This is the first thing that is required to render our affections in such a state and condition as that from and by them we may be spiritually minded,—namely, that they themselves are spiritually and savingly renewed.
The things that remain..will admit of a speedy despatch, as I suppose,
CHAPTER XIX. [The true notion and consideration of spiritual and heavenly things. ]
II. TE second thing required that we may be spiritually minded, as unto the interest of our affections therein, is, the object of them about which they are conversant and whereunto they do adhere. What this is materially, or what are the spiritual things which our affec- tions are to be set upon, hath been declared already, under the con- sideration of the objects of our thoughts and meditations, for they are the same; yea, as hath been intimated, the fixing of our affec- tions upon them is the spring and cause of our thoughts about
CHAP, XIX.] THE TRUE NOTION OF SPIRITUAL OBJECTS AT75
them. But that which we shall now inquire into is, the true notion and consideration of spiritual and heavenly things, that which renders them the formal, proper object of spiritual affections, and is the rea- son of their adherence unto them; for, as was intimated before, men may have false notions of spiritual things, under which they may like them and embrace them with unrenewed affections. Where- fore we shall inquire into some of those considerations of heavenly things under which affections spiritually renewed do satisfactorily cleave unto them with delight and complacency.
1, And the first is, that as they comprehend God in Christ, and all other things as deriving from him and tending unto him, they have an infinite beauty, goodness, and amiableness in them, which are powerfully attractive of spiritual affections, and which alone are able to fill them, to satisfy them, to give them rest and acquies- cency. Love is the most ruling and prevalent affection in the whole soul; but it cannot be fixed on any object without an apprehen- sion, true or false, of an amiableness and desirableness in it, from a goodness suitable unto all its desires.
And our fear, so far as it is spiritual, hath divine goodness for its object, Hosea i. 5. Unless this be that which draws our hearts unto God and the things of God, in all pretence of love unto him, men do but frame idols to themselves “ according to their own understand- ing,” as the prophet speaks, Hosea xiii. 2. Wherefore, that our affec- tions may cleave unto spiritual things in a due manner, three things are required :—
(1.) That we apprehend and do find a goodness, a beauty, and thence an amiableness and desirableness, in them, Zech. ix. 17. Many pretend to love God and spiritual things, but they know not why. Why they love other things they know well enough, but why they love God they cannot tell. Many are afraid of him, and sup- pose they ought to love him, and therefore pretend so to do, though indeed they know they do not; they do but flatter him with their lips, when their hearts are far from him. Some are much affected with the benefits and mercies they receive from him, and suppose that they love him on that account; but this love is no other but what the devil falsely charged Job withal, chap. i.8-11. Some have delight in the outward modes and rites of divine worship, wherewith they satisfy themselves that they love God and spiritual things, when they only please their own imaginations and carnal minds. Many have a traditional apprehension that they ought to love God, they know no reason why they should not, they know it will be ill for them if they do not; and these take it for granted that they do, How few are there who have that spiritual discerning and apprehen- sion of the divine excellencies, that view of the excellency of the