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2. In other spiritual things, renewed affections da 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, incomprehensible ; 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 affections in such away and degree, as no other thing, spiritual or eternal, 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 exer- cise. Evidence of the presence of God in things and per- sons are the only attractives of renewed affections.
3. In those things which seem to stand in an equa- lity as unto what is of God in them, yet on some espe- cial occasions and reasons, our love may go forth emi- nently 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 in 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 communication with God in some of them, as may give us a peculiar delight in them.
But notwithstanding these differences, affections spiritu- ally renewed do cleave unto all spiritual things as such. For the true formal reason of their so doing, is the same in them all, namely, God in them ; only they have several ways of acting themselves towards them, whereof I shall give one instance.
Our Saviour distributes spiritual things into those that are heavenly, and those that are earthly, that is compara- tively so; .Tohn iii. 12. ' If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe if I tell you of heavenly things V . ,
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The heavenly things are the deep and mysterious coun- sels of the will of God. These renewed affections cleave unto with holy admiration and satisfactory submission, cap- tivating the understanding unto what it cannot comprehend. So the apostle declares it, Rom. xi. 33 — 36. ' O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God ! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out ! for who hath known the mind of the Lord, or who hath been his counsellor ? Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed to him again ? For of him. and through him, and to him, are all things ; to whom be glory for ever. Amen.' What the mind cannot comprehend, the heart doth admire and adore, delighting in God, and giving glory unto him in all.
The earthly things intended by our Saviour in that place, is the work of God upon the souls of men in their regene- ration, wrought here in the earth. Toward these the affec- tions act themselves with delight, and with great thanks- giving. The experience of the grace of God in and upon believers is sweet unto their souls. But one way or other they cleave unto them all ; they have not a prevailing aver- sation unto any of them. They have a regard unto all God's precepts, a delight in all his counsels, a love to himself and all his ways.
Whatever other change is wrought on the affections, if they be not spiritually renewed, it is not so with them. For as they do not cleave unto any spiritual things, in their own true proper nature, in a due manner because of the evidences of the presence of God in them, so there are always some of them, whereunto those whose affections are not renewed, do maintain an aversation and an enmity. And although this frame doth not instantly discover itself, yet it will do so upon any especial trial. So was it with the hearers of our Saviour ; John vi. There was a great impression made on their affections, by what he taught them concerning ' the bread of God,' that came down from heaven, and gave life unto the world. For they cried thereon, ' Lord, evermore give us of this bread;' ver. 34. But when the mystery of it was farther explained unto them, they liked it not, but cried, 'This is a hard saying, who can bear it?' ver. 60. and thereon fell off both from him and his doctnne, although
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they had followed him so long as to be esteemed his dis- ciples ; ver. 66.
I say, therefore, whensoever men's affections are not re- newed, whatever other change may have been wrought upon them, as they have no true delight in any spiritual things^ or truths, for themselves and in their own nature, so there are some instances wherein they will maintain their natural enmity and aversation unto them. This is the first difference between affections spiritually renewed, and those which from any other causes may have some kind of change wrought ia them. - ' -' ^