40 I A Treatife of the Afetñion c. Mir.sa,;.; like a prifonerfor hell and damnation ? he bindes him hand 14nd féor,and fo calls him into utter darknelfe ; he bindes up his heart and affeftions, that he cannot weep, nor he can - not repent of his fins, he cannot rejoyce in grace, nor in goodneffe, he cannot delight in the word, he bindes uphis affeftions which are the hands and feet of the foul, and fo fits him for hell and deflruFlion : above all things then be fure that thy hands be loofe, and thine affec`lions at liberty to fet them upon Heaven. q, Fifthly, It may appear how infinitely it bands you in The afk. hand to Pet your affeftions aright, betauf they are not on- dions are ly the hands, but the handles ofyour hearts, as your hearts th of oar can catch hold of nothing that is good, unleffe your affe- hearts. dons take hold, fo nothing can take hold of your hearts, but by your affeftions. If ever the word do convert you, it mull catch hold of you. Jefusfaid unto Simon, henceforth thouJhalt catch men, Luk..to. that is, the preaching of the Word, it fhall catch men, when thou preachefl Now one of the firfl holds that it catcheth, is by the affeftions. Men are affefled with the Word, and fo it comes to convert men ; now beloved, had you not need tò have a care of af- feftions, feeing they are the handles of your hearts ? were it not for them, the word could never catch hold on you. There is no hold to be had of fuch a man, as we fay; that is, his affeftions are flippery. Beloved, here you come to Gods houfe, miferable wretched fouls, in your finnes, alas ! how is it poffible that ever Gods Minifters fhould catch hold of your hearts ? your affeftions are the main hold that we can catch of you. If your affeftions be not here, but run after the things of this life, we can have no hold' ofyou, you have nothing that we fhould take hold by. Indeed we may catch hold ofyour underftandings : that's nothing un- lefTe we take hold of your affe Lions,. they are as flippery Eels, we can fcarce ever hold them. O could we take hold of them, it were well : they are fair handles for us to take hold by. O if we could but truly affeft your hearts with the truth,
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