O7F SPIRYTIIAL MINDtDNP;SS. 276 being admitted and prevalent in the mind, will univer- sally influence the affections to a delight in those du- ties, whereby that end may beattained, until the person with whom it is so be habituated to them with great satisfaction. Fifthly. I should, in the last place, insist on super- stition. As this is an undue fear of the divine nature, will, and operations, built on false notions and appre- hensions of them, it may befall the minds of men in all religions, true and false. It is an internal vice of the mind. As it respects the outward way and means of religious service, and consists in the devout perform= ance of such duties as God indeed accepts not, but for- bids ; so it belongs only to religion as it is false and corrupt. How in both respects it will engage the minds of men into the performance of religious duties, and for the most part with the most scrupulous dili- gence, and sometimes with prodigious attempts to ex- ceed the measures of human nature in what they de- sign, is too long a work here to be declared. It may suffice to have mentioned it among the causes and reasons why men, whose affections are not spiritually renewed, may yet greatly delight in the diligent per- formance of the outward duties of religion. Our de- sign in these things is the discovery of the true nature of this grace and duty of being spiritually minded. Hereto we have declared that it is necessary that our affections be spiritually and supernaturally renewed. And because there may be a great change wrought on the affections of men, with respect to spiritual things, where there is nothing of this supernatural renovation; our present inquiry is, what are the differences that are between the actings of the affections of the one sort and of the. other ; whetherspiritually Kenewed, or
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