rreat f of `thi 35 The fecond ground is this, Tecan never fet your affeEtions upon God,unlefjez.Group d. youfeeduponChrifI, byfaith. Ifever the foul feed upon Chrif} by faith, it can- nor unief: we not but fet its affections uponGod. I remember an inventionof ueenArte feedonCbri j}. naifa,whowhen her husbandMaufolus was dead, not knowing how tokeep him tre:h in her affe&ions as long as the lived, the carded her husband Mau- folus hisbody to beturned into allies, and mingled theni in her drinke ; fo the buriedher husband in her bowels, and thisway the took to keepher affe&i- ons Ireth untohim. This indeed unnaturall in her,to eat and drinke herown husband;but faith teacheth us tofeed upon the Lord3efies Chrift;thiswil takebff our affe&ions from theworld, we{hall never hunger after the world more, nor thirfkafter the thingsofthis life more, if ever we feedupon hindam the breadof life, layesChrit. He that cometh tomefhall never hunger, andhe that beleeveth on meJima never thirft, John. 6.3 S. If ever We believe the fweetriefe of the promifcs ofChrift,thepleafantneffeofthe commandements ofChrift; the precioufneffeofthe gracesofChrift, and the lové of Chrif}, and the be- nefitof Chrift, our affections will herohim. Nothing can take off thy affe- ctions from the world but faith inChrift. He that beleeveth in Chrift can- not fee his affe`i ions on the world. Can a, man fet his affe&ions upon the world, when heverily beleeves it to be droíle and dung in comparifon of Chrift ? Can he fet hisaffe&ions upon earthly pleafure, that beleeves it is madneffe ? It is certain, mennever beleeved inChrift fence they were_horn, that fet their affections upon the thingsof theworld ;they havenotone dram ofGuilt, Chrift is altogether lovely, Cant, 5.16He isall love, one that com- mands theaffe&ions. Thoubeleeveft in theworld andnot inehrift, ifthou fet thineaffections upon anyother but Chrift. Thou beleeveft thou cana have pleafureanddelight in fomething betideChrift, profits and gaines in fomething betide Chrift; cafe, and content, and comfort in fomething betide Chrift ; if thou let thine affections upon any thing betide Chrift, Alas ! thou canít never fee thine affections upon Chrift : as long as thou beleeveft not onely iu Chrift, If thine earthly affections tranfport thee to be earthly, fly under the wingof Chrift, as Chickens under the wing of the Hen , left the Kite devour them. Thefe are the two Ground, that I give you. Firft yee mutt have new hearts ; and fecondly , yee mutt be beleevers in Chrift, or elfe yee cannot fet your affections upon God. Means tojet The foundation being layd,let me now help you with foine meanes our offalions on to fet your affectonson God. I couldhelp you to abundance ofmeans,but God I defire tohelp you to fuch meanes as areeafier to ufe, then to fet your af- fections on God. For ifthey be not eaficr than this duty, they cannot pro- Pub, be Paid tobe helpsto thisdude. The first then is this, oftenpray to God that he wouldgather up osir offeîtíonr FirJf, pray to; from the things of the world, and unite them unto him. Our hearts are God togather divided and fcatteredupand downeamong the thingsof the world. Car- upyour 4rgi nail friends have tomeof youraffe&ions our gaines, and our livings, and rh i+s f rh j Our maintenance, haveother-fomeour pleafures and delights; and flethly refrethments,haveother-fome;our earthlybufinefles,and cares,andimploy- ;rnents, our credit,and the like, thefe have abundanceofouraffe&ions,Thus our heartsandaffe&ions are fcattered up and downe among the things of theworlds if ever we would have them fet upon God, we mutt be fre- quent inprayer; that Godwould unitetogether our fcatteredhearts; to' fet ouraffectionsupon God. This was thepra&ifeof David, O Lord,fayeshe, Unite mine heart tofear thy name, Pfal, 86,1 i. His heart was fcattered up and down in a thoufand pieces. Somepieces ofhis affe&ions din afterone thing, tome afteranother.And therefore he prayes God to unite his heart toge- thher, to featehisName, IfGod would oncegather uphis heart fromAll F z its
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=