Bridge's remains, being VIII sermons

5. •ook what a man is deeply affected with, that that he is most indulgent to and tender of, he could not have a cold wind for to breath upon it. Affections blind the judgment. Perit judicium cum res transit in affectum. Great affections take away the very judgment, infirmities are no infirmities to affection, love will kiss the warts of the thing affected; oh its exceeding tender of the thing affected. But now men are not so tender of the name of God, and spiritual things. Why! But because their affections are not set in truth upon things above.

6. If a mans affections were thus set on things that are above, then he would not be put off with any slight evidence of his interest in them. Look what a man doth much affect, that he will have a clear evidence of his interest therein, and will never be satisfied till he have a substantial and a clear evidence of it; but now though men, say that they do affect the best things, yet they will be satisfied with slight evidences of their interest in them. Why! Because their affections are not truly set on things that are above. Indeed men think they are, because they have some affections to the better things; but if all these things be true, as they are most certain, then surely many are Hinc colligere possumus, illos omnes qui pollicentur sibi gaudia superna, cum interim non omnino sapiunt superna, quasi jucundo quodam somnio delectari, neque unquam illis rebus saturandos, qui nunquam sitire & esurire, ex animo solebant. Dav. in Collos. 3.1:2. ⟨p. 38⟩deceived in the great matter of the right placing of their affections.

Quest. But suppose our affections be set on things above, or suppose they be not? What then!