Fenner - Houston-Packer Collection BX5037 .F46 1651

ATreatifè of the AffeCtions: convert him ; they do fo occupie and task him, and buhe him, that he can finde no while to fave his own foul, or be- think himfelf of efcaping of hell and damnation, he is in hell before ever he thinks on it ferioufly; they plague him like ?antalra, fayes he, and leave his foul in the lurch after aphis vain hopes,he can never be free for God.TheApoftle fpeaking of the lull ant1 afeelions of the world, how they but they are the fervants and haves ofrccorruption,2 Pet. 2.19. A man would wonder how one fhould be in bondage with a pot or a pipe, with a bowl or a game, with a carnali friend, or an ufe he bath gotten; but fo iris, that nor Mini - fier, nor Sermon, nor warnings from God, nor any thing can free him : fill he is enthralled. Now confider, are our I affeftions fuch tyrants, when they be fet upon the things of this life ? 0 let us fet them vate us to God, and bring us upon to golden bondagecwith grace and with goodneffe, we are happy. Seeft thou how the wicked are tyed to their fins, and their tufts ? fo if thine ¡ affections were fet upon God, thou wouldefl be tyed unto God. O it's an admirable rye, this, to be tyed unto God. This is it that the wifely man in the earth advifeth us to My fon, fayes he, keep thy fathers commandments, binde them continually upon thy heart, and tye them about thy neck, Pro.6.21. Thine affections are thefe flay- bands, and thefe tyers : if thine affections be fet upon the Word, they will tye it to thy foul ; if they be fet upon grace, and love to Gods Ordinances, his Sabbaths and his waies, they will rye them to thy heart art a very wilt a very have thine affedtions upon God, thou u t Satan and to finde ; thou art not only in a wofull condition, as thou art, but they tye thee fall to it ; and if God may not be fo much beholden to thee for thine affections to him - ward, he will intrap thee, and take thee by them, as a Bare is taken by a Collar, and hale thee to judgement. Thou halt little affection or none at all to the Word ; may be thou 199

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