The guard of the tree of life, or, A sacramental discourse showing a Christians…The guard of the tree of life, or, A sacramental discourse shewing a Christians…

First, that he bring holy affections to it; every ordinance of God ⟨p. 37⟩requires the affections to be employed about it, and not only affections, but holy affections, such affections as do arise from a holy heart; there is the spring. Unsound professors may sometime have some flashings in their devotions, as you see Herod, who heard John Baptist joyfully; they may have some affections, but: 1. They are not holy affections: 2. Not such as arise from a principle, a spring within, there's no root: 3. They are not orderly affections, they break out before knowledge, before faith: 4. They are not constant affections, but land-floods, for a time: 5. They are not transforming affections, such as change the heart; and therefore such affections may be exercised, yet they leave a man as they found him, and such a man cannot sanctify God in an Ordinance.

First, that hee bring holy affections to it; every ordinance of God ⟨p. 37⟩requires the affections to be imployed about it, and not only affections, but holy affections, such affections as do arise from a holy heart; there is the spring. Unsound professours may sometime have some flashings in their devotions, as you see Herod, who heard John Baptist joyfully; they may have some affections, but: 1. They are not holy affections: 2. Not such as arise from a principle, a spring within, there's no root: 3. They are not orderly affections, they break out before knowledge, before faith: 4. They are not constant affections, but land-flouds, for a time: 5. They are not transforming affections, such as change the heart; and therefore such affections may be exercised, yet they leave a man as they found him, and such a man cannot sanctifie God in an Ordinance.

Secondly, there must not only ⟨p. 38⟩be holy affections, but such as are suitable to the Ordinance & Work in hand. It is possible to have holy affections, them stirred up in an ordinance, and yet not sanctify God in it, because these are not suitable to the Ordinance, Nihil ad rem, nothing to the work in hand; they suit not with the present ordinance that God hath called the soul out upon, as I could show you at large.