4 Tre4ti% of the A, feCtioits. Gratia non tollit, fed attollit naturam. Grace does not tal« away nature, but it taeth it up. The affedions are natu- ral,grace turns them into fpiritual ; this I fay brethren, that ye may fee how that grace runs along in the affections, as water in the pipe. The affeftions are the matter of grace. As the foul is in the body; the body is the matter; and the foul is in it, and fo makes up a living creature. A man had need lookto his body, for it is the due matter of his foul ; fo it is with the affeftions, thou haft need to be careful of them, for they are the matter of grace : and therefore the Apoftle cals the affedions the members; yeeldy our members fervants unto righteoufnefe, Rom.6.19. that is,as expofitors expound it,yeeld your affections thereto. For they are your fouls members, and the materials of grace : is not fear the matter of the fear of the Lord ? and love the matter of the love of the Lord ? and forrow the matter of repentance from fin ? now, if the affeftions be the materials of grace, what a defperate condition are ye in, that fet your affeftions upon the things here below ? you throw down all the matter of grace. How can ye have any grace, when ye tail away in the kennel all the matter for' grace. Grace requires the affeftionsfor its matter, and thou haft no matter for this grace. Thou hurleft away all thine affeftions upon thy pleafures, and thy profits, and thy vani- ties,thou art fo far from all grace, as that thou haft no mat- ter for grace. Eighthly, It may appear how infinitely it ftands you in Aeons hand to fet your affeftions aright,becaufe they are arguments: are argo_ What ye be. According as your affections are, fo are your, tnents fouls : if I could fee what your affeéions run on, I could what we feewhat ye all be; whether Saints or wicked, whether of be. God or the Devil. The affections are the arguments that a man is a man. When thepeople of Lyftra took Paul and Barnabae for gods, and would have facrificed toh em Sirs, faies Paul,'Why doye thee, whereas we are men of like a t- onfW ith you ? A. a 4.15 . that is, affections : we have fear, G 2 and 43
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