OF SPIRITUAL MINDEDNESS, 261 is, their relation to God in Christ. Wherefore, when our affections are renewed, we make no choice in spiritual things, cleaving to some, and refusing oth. ers, making use óf Naaman's restraint; but our ad- herence is the same to them all, in their proper places and degrees. And if, by reason of darkness and ig- norance, we know not any of them to be fromGod, as for instance, the observation of the Lord's day, it is of unspeakable disadvantage to us. An equal respect is required inus to all God's commands: yet there are various distinctions in spiritual things: and thereon a man may and ought to value one above another, as to the degrees ofhis love and esteem, although he is to be sincere, with respect to them all. First. God himself, that is, as revealed in and by Christ, is in the first and chiefest place, the proper and adequate object of our affections, as they are renewed. He is so for himself, or his own sake alone. This is the spring, the centre, and chief object, of our love. He that loves not God for himself; that is, for what he is in himself; and, what from himself alone he is, and will be to us in Christ, which considerations are insep- arable, hath no true affection for any spiritual thing whatever. And not a few here deceive themselves, or are deceived, which should make us the more strict and diligent in the examination of ourselves. They suppose that they love heaven and heavenly things, and the duties of divine worship, which persuasion may befall them on many grounds and occasions, which will not endure the trial. But as to God him- self; they can give no evidence that they have any love to him, either on the account of the glorious excel- lencies of his nature, with their natural relation to him, and dependence on him, nor on the account of
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