OF SPIRITUAL MINDEDNESS. the manifestation of himself in Christ, and the exer- cise of his grace therein. But whatever be pretend- ed, there is no love to God, whereof these things are not the formal reason, that proceed not from these springs. And because that all men pretend that they love God, and defy them that think them so vile as not so to do, though they lire in open enmity against him, and hatred of him; it becomes us strictly to ex- amine ourselves on what grounds we pretend so to do. It is because, indeed, we see an excellency, a beauty, a desirableness, in the glorious próperties of his na- ture, such as our souls are refreshed and satisfied with the thoughts of by faith, and in whose enjoyment our blessedness will consist, so that we always rejoice at the remembrance of his holiness : It is our great joy and satisfaction that God is what he is; is it from the glorious manifestation that he bath made of himself and all his,holy excellencies in Christ, with the com- munication of himself to us in him and by him 2 If it be so indeed, then is our Lord generous, and gracious, from the renovation of our affections. But if we say we love God, yet truly know not why, or upon princi- ples of education, because it is esteemed the height of wickedness to do, otherwise we shall be at a loss when we are called to our trial. This is the first object of our affections. Secondly. In other spiritual things, renewed affec- tions cleave to them, according as God is in them. God alone is loved for himself, all other things for him, in the measure and degree of his presence in them. This alone gives them pre - eminence in renewed affec- tions; for instance, God is in Christ, in the human nature of the man Christ Jesus, in a way and manner singular, in concern alike incomprehensible, so as he
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