88 I A Tfeatife of the gallons. they are nothing but flafhes, like *fins of water a ter a fhowr, that are dried up quickly. This is the eIghtfi means to let our affections on God, to get up the but- ,tom of our affections, and fet them on God. Beloved, thefe are the means whereby ye may let your affeftions on God : now fee how nearly it concerns you to ufe all thefe means, and to make confcience of this duty : and this will appear, if ye confider thefe two things. Fiat, The of eflions are the bonds of the foul, that is, wic- ked, whereby it is fail bound unto fin : thon canft never repent nor be faved, as long ás thine affections are not turn- ed. Can a prifoner go tlat is fail bound in the flocks ?I Thine earthly and carnal affections fall binde thee in finne, I if thefe bonds be not broken, thou canal never go to God. When Peter law a carnal alfe lion in Simon Magus the Sor- cerer, prefently he tels him, I perceive thou art in the gall of bitterneffe, and in the bond of iniquity, Ac`t.8.23. He does not fay only, in iniquity, but alfo in the bond of iniquity : for his carnal affe lion was a bond, and he was fall bound in . his fins. The Prophet preaches hell and damnation againfl fuch men, and fuck women : for alas 1 how can they get out, when they are bound and corded to their pleafures, and the things of the world ? Wo unto them that draw ini- quity. With cords of vanity, andfin as it Were with a cart -rope, Ifa.2.7 8. Great carts are drawn by the cart - ropes; fo all a mans fins are drawn to him by thefe cords. Chryfoflome expounds thefe words, both of their finnes and their woes ; , they draw both them. The cords of our affections are the hearts tyers to fin, they do even tye the foul unto fin, that it cannot get loofe. Wo is to them, (ayes the Lord. Be the affections all like wnto bonds, and cords, and c :, r- ropes, to tye the heart to fin? What a wofulcafe are ye in, till your affedlionsare let right ! look what ye tie them unto, that do ye draw after you ; if you fallen them on the things ofthis life,them ye draw afteryou; if ye fallen them onGrace,and on Chrilt and his Word, them ye pull after you. Never was Sampfon It con cerns us to ore all there weans. s. Because the affe. ¿ions are the hones of the foul.
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