PART I. the Afféc1ions. 7 There are other mixt Affections that might be allo mention'd, but I haffen to the lId. Thing propofed, Which was to obferve fome Things that render it evident, that true Religion, in great Part, confifts in the Af- fedions. And here, 1. What has been laid of the Nature of the Affed}ions, makes this evident, and may be fufficient, without adding any thing further, to put this Matter out of Doubt : For who will deny that true Reli- gion confif}s, in a great IVleafure, in vigorous and lively Acr}ings of the Inclination and Dill of the Soul, or the fervent Exercifes of the Heart. That Religion which God requires, and will accept, don't confift in weak, dull and lifelefs Wouldings, railing us but a little above a State of Indifference: God, in his Word, greatly infifts upon it, that we be in good Earneft, fervent in Spirit, and our Hearts vigoroufly engaged in Religion : Rom. 12. i I. Be yefervent in Spirit, ferving the Lord. Deur. 1o. 12. And now Ifrael, ghat cloth the Lord thy God require of thee, but tofear the Lord thy God, to walk in all his f írys, and to love him, and to ferve the Lord thy God, with all thy Heart, and withall thy Soul 2 And Chap. 6. 4, 5. Hear, O Ifrael ; the Lord our God is one Lord ; and thou fhalt love the Lord thy God, with all thy Heart, andwith all thy Soul, andwith all thy Might. 'Tis fuch a fer- vent, vigorous Engagednefs of the Heart in Religion, that is the Fruit of a real Circumcifion of the Heart, or true Regeneration, and that has the Promifes of Life ; Deut. 3o. 6. And the Lord thy God will circumcife thine Heart, and the Heart of thy Seed, to love the Lord thy God, with all thy Heart, and with all thy Soul, that thou may If we ben't in good earneft in Religion, and our Wills and Incli- nations ben't ftrongly exercifed, we are nothing. The Things of Religion are fo great, that there can be no Suitablenefs in the Exer- cifes of our Hearts, to their Nature and Importance, unlefs they be lively and powerful. In nothing, is Vigour in the Aaings of our Inclinations fo requifite, as in Religion and in nothing is Lukewarm- nefs fo odious. True Religion is evermore a powerful Thing ; and the Power of it appears, in the firf} Place, in the inward Exercifes of it in the Heart, where is the principal and original Seat of it. Hence true Religion is called the Power of Godlinefs, in Dif}indtion from the external Appearances of it, that are the Form of it, 2 Tim. 3. 5. Having a Form of Godlinefs, but denying the Power of it. The Spirit of God, in thofe that have found and folid Religion, is a Spirit of powerful holy Affeaion ; and therefore, God is faid to have given them the Spirit of Power, andof Love, and ofa found Mind, 2 Tim. r. 7. And fuch, when they receive the Spirit of God, in his fano`}ifying B4 and
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