OP SPIRITUAL MINDEDNESS. 341 so far, until men think wickedly, that God is altogeth- er like to them. But I shall not insist on these things any further. Lastly. Where affections are spiritually renewed; the person of Christ is the centre of them.; but where they are changed only, they tend to an end in self. Where the newman, is put on, Christ is all in all, Col. iii. 10, 11. He is the spring, by his Spirit, that gives them life, light, and being; and he is the ocean that receives all their streams. God, even the Father, presents not himself in his beauty and amiableness as the object of our affections, but as he is in Christ, act ing his love in him, 1 John iv. S, 9. And as to all other spiritual things, renewed affections cleave to them, according as they derive from Christ and lead to him ; for he is to them all and in all. It is he whom the souls of his saints love for himself, for his own sake, and all other things of religion in and for him. The air is pleasant and useful, that without whichwe cannot live or breathe; but if the sun did not enlighten it, and warm it with its beams ; if it were always one perpetual night, and cold, what re- freshment could be received by it l Christ is the sun of righteousness, and if his beams did not quicken, animate, and enlighten the best, the most necessary duties of religion, nothing desirable would remain in them. This is the most certain character of affec- tions spiritually renewed. They can rest in nothing but in Christ; they fix on nothing but what is amiable by a participation of hisbeauty; and in whatever he is, therein they find complacency. It is otherwise with themwhose affections may be changed, but are not renewed. The truth is, and it may he made good by all sorts of instances, that Christ in the mystery
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