in the sense there 's grief for torment and fear to touch a serpent or a toad delight in meats that are pleasant and hatred of them that are noysome But the Lord doth not call for these sensitive passions to be seated upon him and on heaven they are seated aright as they stand so a moderation be kept they have no need to change objects The affections of the heart these are the affections the Lord doth call for the out-goings of the heart as the sense is afraid of a Lyon so is a godly heart afraid to sin against God as the sense is joyful to have ease after trouble so a godly heart is joyful with a good conscience in Christ as the sense loves that which doth feed it so a godly heart loves God that doth nourish it and therefore Austin and Galen and Scotus and why say I them the Scriptures say the affections are motions in the heart Mine Eye affecteth my heart saith the poor Church Lam. 3. 51. that is when she beheld the lamentable distresses of the daughters of Sion this stirred up the affection of pity in her heart Thirdly As the affections are the motions of the heart so they are the forcible motions of the heart every little motion in the heart is not an affection but only the forcible motions of the heart a man is then said to set his affections upon God when his heart goes with force unto God for as God appoints every creature his task and to seek out its own good so he gives it a force for to do it the stone its nature is to fall downwards and God gives it a weightinesse that it may fall downwards with force the stomack its nature is to take food when it is empty and God gives it a hunger that it may take it with force every creature hath not only its motion to move it to its own good but it goes to it with force so God hath given affections to the heart as weight to the stone and hunger to the stomack so God I say hath given affections to the heart that it may seek out its good with a force so that then does a man set his affections upon God when he sets all his forces to God-ward When David had given 847 millions 382 thousand 500 pound in silver and gold of his own charges to the building of Gods house for so the learned may gather out of two Chapters in the Chronicles you may well think he employed all his forces thereto but what saies the Text I have set mine affection to the house of God 1 Chron. 29. 3. Thus ye see when â—ht sets his affections to Gods house he put to his forces the affections are the forcible motions of the heart when a childe of God praies with affection he prayeth with force when he stands for God with affection he stands for him with force Fourthly As the affections are the motions and the forcible motions of the will so they are the sensible motions too For the will stirs up the inferiour faculties of the Soul and they stirre up the humours and parts of the body to make the greater resistance to that which it disaffects or the greater embracement of that which it affects This is one reason why the affections are called passions for they make the soul to suffer and the body to suffer The affection of Joy makes the spleen for to suffer and anger makes the gall for to suffer and fear makes the heart for to suffer yea the affections make humours bloud spirits members even bones and all the body for to suffer Hence it is when a man sets his affections upon God his fear the fear of God makes him tremble his Love the love of God makes him to weep for his sins the shame of it that he should dishonour his God makes him to blush before Christ Grief for his sins many times dries up his moisture and Zeal for his glory consumeth his flesh so was it with the Psalmist when he was full of affections towards God and saw how men did disobey his Commandments see what sensible motions were in him Mine eyes gush out with rivers of waters because men keep not thy Law Psalm 119. 139. Ezra was so affectionate for God that knowing how the people transgressed it made the colour to come in his face and to blush before heaven Ezr. 9. 6. as Demetrius blusht for his father Philips offences the Orator that pleaded King Philips defence did not doe him so much service as the blushing of Demetrius his sonne This was the effect of his affection to his Father it shewed it self in his blushing for the offences of his Father Thus the affections are the sensible motions of the Will Fifthly and lastly They are such sensible motions as are according to the apprehension of good or evil For when there is but small apprehension of good or evil the affections are weak and may hardly work on the body at all but when there is a great apprehension of either not only the soul is deeply affected but also the body is mightily compatible Nay if the apprehension be deep indeed the affections break out into raptures as dancings and leapings of the heart which are the raptures of joy ravishments and enamorings which are the raptures of love meltings and bleedings and breakings of spirit which are the raptures of grief astonishments amazements which are the raptures of fear confusion and the like which are the raptures of shame the affections burst forth into such raptures as these when the apprehension is deep Olofernes his eyes were ravisht with the slippers of Judith because he was deeply in love with her Iacob shooken almost dead at the sight of his sons bloudy coat because he was deeply affected thereat The Roman Senate were affrighted with the sight of the Carthaginian green figges that Cato did shew them such raptures have the Saints very often in their prayers to God being helpt with sighs and groans that cannot be uttered Rom. 8. 26. because they have a deep apprehension of the corruption that is in them Thus ye see what the affections be they are forcible and sensible motions of the will to a thing or from a thing according as it is apprehended to be evil or to be good In the next place let me shew that a carnal man cannot set these his affections upon God or upon Grace which may appear by Reasons First Affectus sunt alae animae as the Proverb goes The Affections are the wings of the soul If the birds wings be lime-twig'd and glued to the ground she cannot fly up now a carnal man his affections are glued and lime-twig'd to the things of the world or the things of this life and therefore it is impossible he should flie up unto God I reade in the life of good Anselm walking in the fields he saw a shepherds boy that had taken a bird and tyed a
stone to her legge and as the bird would be offering to mount the stone pulled her down she had such a weight on her leg she could not fly up this good father fell a weeping to consider that so it was with men carnal men though perhaps they think to flie up to God by many good purposes they are still born down with their sinnes their affections are clog'd security deadnesse of heart self-love and love of the things here below like milstones made fast to their heels their affections cannot mount up to God Hast thou more affection to a game then a Sermon more affection to sit drinking in Ale-houses then to be reproved for thy sins more affection to a good booty then a good duty alas how canst thou set thine affections upon God thine affections are earthly affections and therefore they cannot be placed upon God Rom 1. 26. there reade of vile affections God gave up the Heathen to base and vile affections so these are base and vile and carnal affections that thou art given unto thine affections are malice and envy and revenge which cannot be set upon God they are worldly fears and worldly sorrows and worldly joys and worldly pleasures and worldly delights these are thine affections these can never be placed upon God They are vile affections too base and dishonourable to God Thine affections are lime-twig'd by Satan they cannot sore up unto God This is the first reason why a carnal man cannot set his affections upon God because his affections which are the wings of his soul are glued to the earth Secondly Affectus sunt inclinationes animae The affections are the inclinations of the Soul as a man is affected so he is inclined and therefore the affections in Scripture are called the bent of the soul My people are bent to backsliding from me Hos 11. 7. that is their affections to me are unstable unconstant and fickle How stands such a one bent as we say that is how stands he affected A man is bent to that which his affections are on now then is it possible that a carnal man should set his affections on God when his heart does not stand bent unto God the muck-worm his heart stands bent to the world the voluptuous his heart stands bent to his pleasures the proud man his heart stands bent to get credit and be well thought on the natural man stands bent to be carnal and earthy and how can such men set their affections on God when their hearts stand that way bent are thy affections bent that way that thy bent goes that way do thine affections go Thou art merry and jocond and joyful to day tell me what is it for is it because God is glorified by thee No No thy mirth and thy joy stand otherwise bent Thou hast been angry and revengeful what was it for was it because God is dishonoured and thy lusts have been violent Alas no thy anger and thy wrath stand otherwise bent thine affections are the bent and inclinations of thy heart and therefore if thou be inclined to things that are earthy thou canst not place thine affections upon God nothing can go against its own bent and inclination unlesse by the omnipotent power of the Spirit of Christ David knew this well enough that his affections could never be to God and his righteousnesse if his heart did not that way stand bent and therefore he praies God Incline not my heart to any evil thing Psal 141. 4. Let not mine affections be on any evil thing for then I should be that way inclined This is the second reason why a carnal men cannot set his affections upon God because the affections of the heart are the bent of the heart Thirdly Affectus sunt passiones animae saies Damascen The affections are the passions of the Soul When the heart is affected with a thing it lets in that thing and it suffers a change by that thing when a man is affected with anger at a wrong or an injury we say he is in a passion that is he lets in the wrong and there does his heart bite upon the wrong and chafe at it thus he is passionate When a man is affected with love to a pleasure he lets in the pleasure and suffers it to prevail on the heart now then a carnal man cannot set his affections upon God nor his Grace because he cannot let it in to prevail over his Soul he will not suffer it to enter can he be in a good passion for God can he be angry and cholerick to see how Gods Spirit is grieved can he be grieved at the lusts of his heart which he joyes in can he be zealous for Gods truth and for the beauty of holinesse Alas alas no He cannot let in these things into his heart nor Christ nor grace nor holinesse nor humility nor self-denyal nor any saving grace that is Christs can get entrance into his heart and therefore he cannot set his affections upon God When the Apostle had exhorted the Hebrews and now was concluding that he could exhort them no further he concludes on this manner And I beseech you brethren suffer the word of exhort ation Heb. 13. 22. He labours to work on their affections that they would let in his exhortations into their hearts he does not say Suffer me to exhort you for he had exhorted them already and had taken their leave but suffer it to enter into your hearts now if you be carnal thou wilt never suffer Gods counsels to enter you will never suffer the word of reproof neither will ye suffer a resignation Suppose we should pull down all the unnessary Ale-houses in the Parish would ye suffer it Suppose we should root out all your game-houses and the like would ye suffer it Suppose we should make every man pay his 12. pence a day for every time he is absent from Church and have all disorders punisht in the Town would ye suffer it Suppose we should come to your houses and exhort you and reprove you and tell you of your sins and labour to reform you and your families alas would ye suffer it No your passions will rise ye would be so farre from affecting these things as that your affections would be against them nay ye would be in passion against me carnal hearts cannot set their affections upon God why because the affections are passions as I have proved already and the soul doth suffer its affections The affections do alter the heart but a carnal heart will not be altered by the word nor by Christ nor suffer his graces to enter Fourthly Put the case a man set himself wrong Affectus sunt perturbationes animae The affections are the perturbations of the Soul if once they go wrong and the reins be laid on their necks they are like wilde horses to the soul to carry her whether she would not they are the disturbers of judgement and violent tyrants over the
the contrary as wicked Ioabs affections were so bowed to God-wards and for the good of his Church that he was willing to die in his defence Be of good courage saies he let us play the men for our people and the cities of our God and the Lord doe what seemeth him good 2 Sam. 10. 12. See how he rowzes up his valour and his generous affections to fight for his God his affections were somewhat bowed unto God and yet he was a wicked man The fourth is The affections may be wrought on so far that the heart may be stolen away with them this you may finde in the story of Absolom who with his beauty and the propernesse of his person and the flattery of his lips and his courteous complement with the people of the land he did so winne their affections that the Text saies He stole the hearts of the men of Israel 2 Sam. 15. 6. So grace is so beautiful and the Word of God hath such kinde promises and kinde speeches with it not complemental as Absalâ—ms but real and truly amiable that it may steal the affections of a carnal man as the Israelites stole from the Aegyptians and they knew not how so grace may steal thine affections and take them with its beauty and yet thou be a wicked man for all that As Paul with his preaching did so steal away the affections and the hearts of the Galathians that for a need they would have pluckt out their eyes and given them to Paul they were so strongly affected with him and the Gospel he taught them Gal. 4 15. Neverthelesse Saint Paul sayes they were foolish and carnal The fifth is The affections may be wrought on so farre that the heart may be hot and inflamed by them That this is another degree of the affections you may gather from the avenger of bloud when any had unwittingly and unwillingly killed his brother the Lord commands him to fly quickly to a City of refuge lest the avenger of bloud should kill him in fury and anger The words go thus lest the avenger of bloud pursue the slayer while his heart is hot Deu. 16 6. While his heart is hot that is while he is in the heat of his passion while his anger and the affections of revenge are hot the affections may be raised so high that they may set the heart in a heat upon a thing which it affects So a carnal man may have his affections heated and inflamed towards God and towards grace Saul had a great zeal to Gods Church 2 Sam. 21. 2. Iehu was zealous for God Come with me saies he and see my zeal for the Lord 2 Kin 10. 16. Zeal is the heat of all the affections and therefore Iehu was heated in all his affections for God his affections were hot to root out Idolaters his affections were hot to cut off Gods enemies and to reform abundance of sinful abuses in the Kingdom he was zealous his affections were heated towards God and yet Iehu was no better then a carnal man for all that Thus farre may a carnal mans affections be wrought on for grace and this is no argument that he hath set his affections upon God as shall afterwards appear Therefore there be four further degrees which are only to be found in the godly The sixth then is The affections may be wrought on so far that the heart is quite overturned from that it was before I say the affections may be wrought on so far that the heart may be turned upside down by them So it was with the godly they were even overwhelmed in affections for God with the fear of the Lord and their hearts turned upside down with grief for their sinnes Behold O Lord for I am in distresse my bowels are troubled my heart is turned within me for I have grievously rebelled Lam. 1. 20. Her soul was even battered with affections of repentance and humiliation her soul was distressed with terrours her bowels were troubled and contracted with fears and her heart was turned upside down with sorrows and all for her sins for I have grievously rebelled saies she No wicked man under Heaven had his affections ever so wrought on that was not converted upon it As Iob saies of his birth He was curdled like Cheese so here in the second birth her heart was curdled like Cheese c. My heart is turned in me saies she This is a higher working on the affections then any carnal man hath The seventh is The affections may be wrought on so far that the heart be engaged for God As a womans affections towards a man may be so deep as that she engageth her heart unto that man and resolves to have none other husband but him So when the affections are so deep in love with grace and with Christ that the heart is once engaged for Christ to be a widow for ever unlesse he will be pleased to count her his Spouse the world shall never have her heart more the flesh shall never have her heart more nor devil nor lust nor any other sin shall ever have her heart more she is so farre in love and affection with Christ as her heart is engaged for Christ this is a godly soul Who is this that engageth his heart to approach unto me saith the Lord Jer. 30. 21. If pleasure come saying set thine affections on me no saies the heart mine affections are engaged already if her old lusts and her old lovers and her old acquaintance come saying set your affections on us no saies the heart I am engaged for another even for Christ and his graces this is a deep working on the affections indeed when they are engaged for Christ The eighth is The affections may be wrought on so far that the heart may be glued to a thing by them Iamblychus the heathen hath a pretty phrase to this purpose a wicked man he cals him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bound in and nayled in his affections he is even nayled and glued to the things of the world his heart does even stick to them like pitch and Tarr to the Ship So it is with a godly soul his heart sticks fast unto Christ and the commandments of Christ I have stuck unto thy Testimonies saies David to Christ Psa 119. 31. How came his heart to stick to Christs testimonies His holy affections were the glue his affections clave to Gods Law The ninth is The affections may be wrought on so far that the heart may be quite given up to the thing which it affects Solomon had such affections to wisedom that he gave his heart to seek it Eccl. 1. 13. As we use to say he hath my heart what can he have more all mine affections are set on him if he have my heart and all So a godly heart is so deeply affected with Christ and his righteousnesse as that Christ hath his very heart and all He gives up all
carnal mans affections be so wrought on as ye have heard that they are not rightly wrought on First Because they are not kindely wrought on They are chafed and heated very much but they are not kindely wrought on The affections must be kindely wrought on otherwise they are not wrought on aright they may be violently and passionately wrought on there may be a great deal of pudder wrought in the affections but never are they rightly wrought on unlesse they be wrought upon kindely Be kindely affectioned one to another with brotherly love saies St Paul Rom. 12. 10. The Galatians that would have pluckt out their eyes for Saint Paul they were strongly affected with Saint Paul but they were not kindely affected If they had been kindely affected with him or his Doctrine they would not have hearkned to false Apostles as they did A carnal man natural reason and knowledge out of the Word may work on his affections his conscience and self-love whereby he is loth to be damned and glad to be saved when he dies these may work on his affections and cause him to weep for his sins and give over many corruptions and to be strongly affected but alas he is not kindely affected It 's only the love of God shed abroad in the heart that kindely affects one But it 's self-love and not love of the Lord Jesus that affects him he is not kindely affected Secondly A carnal mans affections are not judiciously wrought on They are wrought on in a fit at it but they are not wrought on with judgement they have not the true beginning of working which is sound judgement S. Hierom saies of the affections of Christ respectu Christi semper sequuntur rationem Christs affections had alwaies the right beginning which was true reason and judgement And therefore S. Matthew notes especially the beginning of his sorrow He began to be sorrowful and very heavy Mat. 26. 37. He had a right beginning of it The natural beginning of the affections is this when the judgement is first poysed and the heart is first fired this is the natural beginning of the affections So that the heart must first be wrought on and the spirit moved before the affections can be judiciously wronght on And therefore saies S. Iohn Christ troubled himself He groaned in spirit and he troubled himself Joh. 11. 33. He was exceedingly affected with sorrow for Lazarus his death and his kinsfolks sorrows and distrusts they were in and he troubled himself we translate it he was troubled but in the original it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he troubled himself his own judgement and his spirit and his heart stirred up his affections to be troubled His affections were wrought on judiciously A carnal mans affections though they be much wrought on yet they are not wrought on judiciously Now he is in the minde to be strict and to be godly now he weeps and takes on can ye wonder his conscience now jerks him and is quick but when a few tears and a few labours and endeavours that way have contented his conscience as his conscience is apt to be satisfied the man is of another judgement then quickly He is of the judgement then tush what need I be so strict and precise Thus he is affected not upon sound judgement Affected he is and strongly affected too for the while but he is not affected judiciously Thirdly A carnal mans affections are not wrought upon regularly His affections may be are wrought upon by Gods justice and judgements because God is a consuming fire against sin because God is severe against the works of iniquity because he hath made heaven-gate to be straight These are the grounds of his work His affections are wrought upon this way therefore he weeps and therefore he praies and therefore he reforms and therefore he is affected But this is not regular affection he is affected with fear but it is not the fear of Gods goodnesse not Gods mercy and goodnesse were there no other attribute in God he might look long enough before he would fear his mercy that 's a ground of presumption to him but he fears Gods judgements and his justice he doth not tremble and quake to consider that God is a merciful God and a good God whom he hath sinned against The true Israel of God They fear the Lord and his goodnesse Hos 3. 5. their affections are regular they are affected with fear of Gods goodnesse But a carnall man is not affected with the fear of Gods goodnesse He is affected with the fear of Gods justice his affections are wrought on irregularly Fourthly A carnal mans affections are not wrought upon universally Some affections are wrought on and others are not No he hath a contradiction of affections He hath some good affections to God and to grace and he hath some affections that are contradictory to these Some sinnes he grieves under some he is glad under some commandments he delights to be doing and some he delights to be breaking I do not mean part flesh and part spirit for so the best godly souls under Heaven have a contradiction of affections they have some affections of the spirit and some affections of the flesh contradicting and opposing one another I do not mean this But a carnal man hath such a contradiction of affections as that his carnal affections give the other the lye He is affected with sorrow for his sinnes but he is not troubled for his usury He is affected with desires to leave his sins but not to leave his sinful dependances As Esau he was affected with weeping for his missing of grace and the blessing but not for his pleasures and sensual delight Is not this a contradiction of affections He found no place of repentance though he sought it carefully with tears Heb. 12. 17. He was affected with weeping after repentance but he could finde no place to bestow it in There was not elbow-room enough for repentance in his heart He made some room in some part of his heart for repentance but not in all He found place for it in some of his affections but not in all He is affected but he is not affected universally He hath a contradiction of affections in his soul so that a carnal mans affections though they be wrought on they are not wrought upon universally It is true a carnal mans affections may be exceedingly wrought on then I pray examine your selves Two persons I would have to examine themselves First Them that think their affections are set upon God For as for them that are absolutely carnal whose affections are buried in the things of the World and have no affection at all unto grace or unto holinesse speak not to them their own consciences condemn them to be rotten and are as good as a thousand examiners I doe not speak to them If they will not hear their own conscienceâ—s much lesse will they hear me I speak
to them that think tâ—eir affections are set upon God Secondly Them that though their affections be set upon Christ yet they think they are not affectâ—d aright for many Christian souls are rightly affected and doe not think so Examine your selves whethe◠〈◊〉 be râ—htly affected or no. First He that is truly affected with grace and with Christ and his Word He affects nothing so much as he doth grace A carnal man may be greatly affected with grace bâ—t there is something he affects more He affects his vanities â—ore and his profits more and his pleasures more Herod it is â—rue he affected John Baptist he knew he was a just man and â—e feared him he affected his preaching for he heard him â—â—ladly he affected the practise of his doctrine for he did many â—â—ings he was affected greatly with these good things but there was some things he was affected with more The daugâ—ter of Herodias affected him more She pleased Herod saies â—e Text Mar. 6. 22. he was not only affected with her dancing but affected to content She pleased Herod Iohn Baptist did not please him he had not content in his Ministry Nay her dancing affected him so much that he was willing to part with half of his Kingdom to gratifie her Whatsoever theu shal t ask of me saies he I will give it thee to the one half of my Kingdom This was more affection then ever he shewed to Iohn's Doctrine He never said to Iohn or his Doctrine I 'le part with a quarter of my Kingdom nay he would not part with his whore noâ— his lusts for that Nay he would rather see Iohn dead aâ— well as he affected him then misse of his pleasures or not gratifie his Lords I 'le give thee saies he to his damosel I l'e give thee one half of my Kingdom Give me then saies she Iohn Baptists head in a Charger The foolish King had noâ— wit enough to say Iohn is dearer then all my Kingdom No he affected his teaching well but his pastime better Examine thy soul by this mark thou art affected with gâ—ace but is there nothing thou art affected with more thou art glad to hear a Sermon but may we not see thee gâ—adder at thy sports thou art glad to part with an hour a Gods worship but art thou not gladder to part with two at thy profits a childe of God is affected with grace most let credit flie let profit flie let carnal relations flie let life let living let all that he hath flie rather then leâ— a good duty of grace flie away he is most affected witâ— grace there is nothing he affects more or so much Secondly He that is affected with grace and godlinesse aright mâ—st needs have expressions of grace he cannot but shew it â—e can as easily carry fire in his bosome and hide it as coâ—â—eal grace Can a man be deeply affected with sorrows aâ—d not shew it in his face can a man be deeply affected with passions of anger and of wrath and not shew it in his â—ountenance hands feet lips nostrils eyes forehead â— yea and all a mans gesture and carriage will shew whaâ— affections are in him Affectio taciturna nulla est affectio Every passion hath its proper dialect Concealed affection is no affection at all or but small and as good as nothing So if thou beest affected with grace 't will shew it self in thy speeches in thine actions in thy waies 't will shew it self in thy calling 't will shew it self in thy company 't will shew it self at the table 't will shew it self in the market thou canst not be affected with grace but thou wilt be an open professour of grace Can a man take fire in his bosome and his clothes not be burnt Prov. 6. 27. If fire be in thy bosome all that come near thee will feel the very smell of it in thy clothes The affections 〈◊〉 a fire The fire kindled saies David Psal 〈◊〉 that is 〈◊〉 affections did kindle he strove for to hide them but he could not can you not be religious but you must shew it saies the mocker of all goodnesse No it is a sign thou hast no affection to holinesse because thou wilt not 〈◊〉 Thou canst hear God dishonoured with Oaths and noâ— shew thine affection against them thou canst come in company and suffer unprofitable language and not shew thine affections to holy discourse a sign thou hast no affections that way thou mayst say thou art affected with grace but â—ow doth it appear It appears not 〈◊〉 thy praiers little or no affecâ—â—on in them it appears 〈◊〉 the Sabbath little or 〈◊〉 to the sanctifying of it Like the stupid fool in the Comedy who being willing to be thought to be angry he knew not how to shew it but only by saying Irascor I am angry saies he one would think if he were angry he needed not to say he was angry the affection of anger would have expressed it self but he had no other reasons to be thought to be angry but only his saying I am angry So thou hast no other expressions of affection at the word or at grace but only thou sayest I am affected therewith Concealed affection is no affection De non apparentibus de non existentibus eadem est ratio it s a good rule in Law There is the same reason for things which appear not that is for things which exist not Certainly here it is most true I may be confident to say if thine affections appear not thine affections are not Thirdly He that is affected with grace or with holinesse if he be never so little interrupted he is troubled it 's like the stopping of a water-course the water swels and is troubled exceedingly that it cannot passe like the Woman in the Gospel whose affections were to Christ to anoint his head when his Disciples had cast in a rub in her way that it had been better bestowed on the poor why trouble ye the woman saies Christ Mat. 26. 10. Christ knew it troubled her affections to be hindred from their course he that is truly affected with Christ or his Spirit if he light not on Christ the sooner he is even sick of love I charge ye O ye daughters of Ierusalem if ye finde my beloved that ye tell him I am sick of love Cant. 5. 8. her poor soul was even sick at heart for her Love because she could not come at him examine thy self in this point I am sure thou hast been long enough without Christ thou art 20. or 30. years old and all this while thou hast been without Christ thou saist thou art affected with a Christ O thou wouldest fain have Christ thou wouldest fain have him live in thee ever answer me now art thou sick of love for a Christ Hope deferred makes the heart sick Pro. 13. 12. Thou saist thou art affected with hopes after grace thou hopest for grace and for strength
against sin and thy hope is deferred thy hope comes not yet thou art not able to withstand thy corruptions not able to subdue such a lust no if thou beest affected at all with any hope thy hope is deferred as yet but hath it made thy heart sick wert thou ever sick at heart for this grace if it have not made thy heart sick it is a sign thou wert never rightly affected with hope for if thou wert it would make thy heart sick to be so long without it as thou hast been May be thine affections are so strong set on the world that thou hast been world-sick and crosse-sick and trouble-sick and anger-sick and revenge-sick and coveteousness-sick as Ahab was sick because he knew not how to get Naboths vineyard 1 King 21. 4. May be thou art crost and sick of vexation may be thou art incensed and sick of revenge or impatiency but art thou sick after grace Aristotle cals the affections Aegritudines animi they are the sicknesses of the soul if the soul be affected indeed she is sick if she speed not Fourthly He that is truly affected with grace hath his conversation in heaven whence all grace does descend Animus est non ubi animat sed ubi amat the soul is not where it animates not where it sojourns but where it affects and therefore thou livest in heaven if thou beest truly affected with heavenly things he that is truly affected with grace is most affected with the fountain of grace which is God God is the fountain of all grace and if thou beest affected with it thou art chiefly affected with God Alas thou mayst have a good memory a good wit and good parts and be affected with them and rejoyce that thou hast them But all the question is this art thou affected with God the fountain of grace a wicked man may be affected with grace in the bucket and yet have no love to grace in the fountain it affects him well enough to have some but he does not so like it to have much Omne nimium vertitur in nigrum monachum thinks he It 's the property of the godly to be affected with God Rejoyce in the Lord O ye righeeous Psal 33. 1. Be ye affected with God himself saies the Psalmist One he is affected with pleasures another he is affected with honour and respect another he is affected with profit another he may be affected with grace too but it is the godly man only that is affected with God himself Examine your affections are ye affected with God himself are ye affected with his glory It does infinitely stand us in hand to have our affections set right which I will prove by these 8. arguments First Hereby only are we marriageable to Christ When a man goes a woing for a wife all his care is to get her affections he will never marry her if he be wise if he may not have her affection 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saies Philo The affections are the womanhood of the soul he will never marry her if she be nor a woman for him much lesse will he marry her if she be not a woman at all he will not have a man for his wife she shall be a woman certainly if he ever mean for to marry her she is not marriageable but only for her affection what a miserable soul then is thy soul if thy affections be not right thou art not marriageable to Christ This is the rule of all wives and of all Spouses thy desire shall be to thy husband Gen. 3. 16. Thine affections shall be to him or thou caust not be his wife He is a monster in nature that will have a wife whose affection is set on another What dost thou take Christ for a monster that thy soul should be married to him when thine affection is forestalled If thine affections be to the world and to the strumpet-like things of the world Christ cannot abide thee Knowest thou not that the love of the world is enmity with God Out thou filthy strumpet-like soul betrothest thou thine affections to the world and yet hopest to be married to Christ thou art not marriageable to him if gains and pleasures and vanities and such like base paramours be welcomed to thy heart thou canst not be married unto Christ thou art the worlds Spouse and the devils Spouse when thine affections be inordinate Uncleannesse and inordinate affection the Apostle puts them together Mortifie your members which are on the earth fornication uncleannesse inordinate affection Col. 3. 5. So that thy soul is a filthy and an unclean soul that hast these inordinate affections unmortified in thee thy soul is a fit Spouse for the unclean spirit and not for Christ and therefore it deeply concerns you to have your affections set right because thereby only are ye marriageable to Christ Secondly Hereby only doth the soul set up favourites in her heart those are the hearts favourites whom the heart most affects Now if Christ be not thy hearts favourite what a woful condition art thou in It hath been the undoing of many a Prince the having of ill favourites and that soul must needs be for ever undone that hath ill favorites in her heart As soon as Joseph was in favour with the Keeper of the prison Ioseph presently had all at command nothing was done but Ioseph was the doer of it Gen. 39. 21. He was no sooner in favour but he was Dominus fac totum as we say he ruled all then Look what thy heart does affect that is in favour with thy heart that is dominus fac totum If thy pleasures and thy vanities be once in favour with thy heart Christ can have no command of thy heart no further then thy lusts will give leave thou canst not reform any thing that is amiss no further then thy lusts will give leave wouldst thou repent or stand for Gods glory thou canst not unless thy lusts do give leave wouldst thou be reproved or well counselled thou canst not unless thy lusts will give leave as long as thy lusts are in favour with thy heart they govern all they command all thy minde goes as they tend thy thoughts come as they call thy courses are as they will I will give this people favour in the sight of the Egyptians and they shall spoil the Egyptians Exo. 3. 21 22. When they were once in favour with them they might spoil them and rob them and borrow Jewels of them and never pay them again they might do any thing when they were in favour with them O the misery of the soul when the world or pleasure or sinne or the like are in favour with it they spoil it and rob it and bereave it of all the jewels it hath Christ can doe nothing to any purpose with that soul that favours other things besides Christ Now if thine affections be not set right thy favour is not right set this is the reason
why thou art wedded to the world and wedded to thy lusts that thine affections cannot be unto Christ When Hadad had great favour with Pharoah Pharaoh even married his own wives sister unto Hadad 1 Kin. 11. 19. He made him his brother he brought him into the nearest relation he could whenas his favour was set towards him So if thou favourest the things of this life thou weddest thy soul to them What an infinite indignity is this unto Christ that such base and sordid things should be in favour and Christ not be thy souls favourite Thirdly Hereby the soul is convertible and reconcilable to God Be a man never so crosse and crooked never so cruelly and implacably bent to transgresse yet as long as there be affections in him to be wrought his heart may be won Though a Kings wrath be as the roaring of a Lyon though he be never so fallen out with a man yet as long as there be affections in the King patience wisedom and humbling ones self and the like these things may perswade him by long forbearing is a Prince perswaded Pro. 15. 15. Without a man have any affections in him he is not capable of perswasion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saies Aristotle The affections are they whereby a man is mutable For though it be a weaknesse to be mutable yet when a man is evil and wicked it 's a blessed weakness that he is mutable from that wickednesse Now if a man be grievously set upon mischief though he be an enemy of all grace and of goodnesse yet as long as there be any affections left in him he is not an implacable enemy no his affections are a possible subject to be wrought on the Word and the Spirit may perswade him and therefore what a care should we have of our affections because thereby we are placable and reconcilable to God The Apostle yokes these two together without natural affection implacable Rom. 1. 31. for a man as long as he hath any natural affection left he is never implacable still he may be perswaded unlesse he degenerate in his affections and prove to be unnatural if the affections depend on this fashion he is not only wicked and an enemy to grace but he is an implacable enemy think then what wrong ye do to your own souls so unnaturally to set your affections to let them degenerate as you do and wander after vanity Beware how ye doe so ye goe about to divert all possibility of conversion and provoke the Lord to count you implacable enemies to grace and to the scepter of his dear Sonne Fourthly It may appear how infinitely it stands you in hand to set your affections aright because the affections are the hands of your souls Ye cannot take hold of any thing in the world to doe you any good but by your affections For as hands are to the body so the affections are to the soul Will a man be so mad as to put his hand and his fingers out of joynt alas he cannot take hold of so much as his meat for to eat it So the affections are the hands of the soul He that hath clean hands a pure heart Ps 24. 4 that is he whose affections are clean and heart pure I will wash my hands in innocency and so will I compasse thine Altar Psal 26. 6. that is I will purge mine affections and so I will pray I will that men pray every where lifting up holy hands without wrath 1 Tim. 2. 8. that is lifting up holy affections without the distempered affections of wrath or anger or the like the affections are the hands of the heart whereby it takes the word or the Commandment or any thing to it Now what a horrible thing is it that these hands of thine should be put out of joynt as long as thine affections are to the things here on earth they are all out of joynt thou canst never take grace Ye cannot take hold of a promise nor of the word unlesse your affections be right I know that Faith is the right hand of the soul whereby it takes hold of that which is good But alas the hand of Faith is clumbsie without the affections Such a one had a crosse how did he take it say we that is how is he affected under it ye take it ill to be reproved of your sins ye take it ill to be warned and admonished either in publike or private Ye take it ill to be told of the judgements of God against your lusts Alas how can ye do otherwise ye cannot take it well when your affections that should take it well are set upon vanity wilt thou binde up and hamper thine affections in the things of the Earth alas thy hands are quite bound thou canst not take hold of Christ or of Heaven Thou dost even pinion thine own soul and shackle it for Hell What does the Devil when he shackles a man like a prisoner for hell and damnation he bindes him hand and foot and so casts him into utter darknesse he bindes up his heart and affections that he cannot weep nor he cannot repent of his sins he cannot rejoyce in grace nor in goodnesse he cannot delight in the word he bindes up his affections which are the hands and feet of the soul and so fits him for hell and destruction above all things then be sure that thy hands be loose and thine affections at liberty to set them upon Heaven Fifthly It may appear how infinitely it stands you in hand to set your affections aright because they are not only the hands but the handles of your hearts as your hearts can catch hold of nothing that is good unlesse your affections take hold so nothing can take hold of your hearts but by your affections If ever the word do convert you it must catch hold of you Jesus said unto Simon henceforth thou shalt catch men Luk. 5. 10. that is the preaching of the Word it shall catch men when thou preachest Now one of the first holds that it catcheth is by the affections Men are affected with the Word and so it comes to convert men now beloved had you not need to have a care of affections seeing they are the handles of your hearts were it not for them the word could never catch hold on you There is no hold to be had of such a man as we say that is his affections are slippery Beloved here you come to Gods house miserable wretched souls in your sinnes alas how is it possible that ever Gods Ministers should catch hold of your hearts your affections are the main hold that we can catch of you If your affections be not here but run after the things of this life we can have no hold of you you have nothing that we should take hold by Indeed we may catch hold of your understandings that 's nothing unlesse we take hold of your affections they are as slippery Eels we can scarce
ever hold them O could we take hold of them it were well they are fair handles for us to take hold by O if we could but truly affect your hearts with the truth then we might have some hope to convert you As Epictetus saies of wrongs and of injuries and all things in the world every thing hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Every thing hath two handles O saies he if a man could take hold of every wrong at the right handle then he would bear it patiently so I may say of your haarts Your hearts have two handles I pray God the Word may take hold at the right handle of your hearts The true affections of the heart if ever the Word take hold of them it hath taken hold of the right handle Is it not then a lamentable thing that mens affections are misplaced alas they are the hold of the heart and the heart can never be taken unlesse they be set right Sirthly It may appear how infinitely it stands you in hand to set your affections aright because they are the souls stomack that which the soul doth affect that reedeth and filleth the soul as meat doth the stomack Is it not necessary to be careful what meat we doe eat if we eat trash it will kill us if we feed upon poyson it will poyson and infect us Now that is the food of thy soul which thy soul does affect and thine affection is thy souls stomack to hunger after it thine affections are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saies Aspasius they are the appetite of the soul Such then as your affections are such is your food Should you see a man feed upon dirt and upon Bricks and upon carrion certainly you would say unlesse he be broken therefrom it will kill him No remedy but it will kill him without doubt And wilt thou feed thy soul with vanities and with trash and with poyson Every thing is trash besides Christ every thing is poyson besides Christ and his graces if thou feedest upon any thing besides Christ and his spirit thou feedest upon trash and upon poyson Now if thou set thine affections here below thou feedest upon trash Thou murderest thy soul with such food its rank poyson and yet thou feedest upon it That which thou affectest that 's thy souls food As new born babes desire the sincere milk of the Word that ye may grow thereby 1 Pet. 2. 2. milk you know is the babes food if it have not its food it cannot possible live But the word is the milk and the food of the soul and that the Apostle would have you to set your affections upon Desire it or affect it saies he where note your affections are the stomack of your soul The Word is your food All other food is but trash and it feeds you accordingly O ye poor souls that feed upon poyson all the day long that diet your souls with nothing but trash and filth and froth how long will you do thus O set your affections on things that are above these are the wholsome food of your souls c. Seventhly it may appear how infinitely it stands you in hand to set your affections aright because they are the main matter of grace They are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They are the materials of grace as Aristotle saies of the vertues they are nothing but the right ruling of the affections so may I say of grace with a little alteration the main work of grace is the ruling of the affections aright it takes them off from the things here on earth and lifts them up to the things that are in Heaven When grace dâ—th convert a man it doth not take away the affections but it ruleth them Thou wert angry before grace doth not take away thine anger No oportet virum bonum esse iracundum saies Cicero A good man must be angry I say grace does not take away thine anger but it ruleth thine anger and teacheth thee to turn it against sinne and against the dishonour of God Thou wert merrily disposed before of a cheerful constitution grace doth not come to take away thy mirth but to rule it Whereas thou wert merry with vanity and ever laughing at jests and at fooleries now grace makes thee merry in Gods service and to rejoyce in the Lord. Thou wert of a sad spirit before but perhaps it was for crosses and losses and discontents and the like grace comes not to take away thy sorrows but to rule them to make thee weep and mourn at thy deadnesse and unthankfulness toward the Lord Jesus Christ Gratia non tollit sed attollit naturam Grace does not take away nature but it taketh it up The affections are natural grace turns them into spiritual this I say brethren that ye may see how that grace runs along in the affections as water in the pipe The affections are the matter of grace As the soul is in the body the body is the matter and the soul is in it and so makes up a living creature A man had need look to his body for it is the due matter of his soul so it is with the affections thou hast need to be careful of them for they are the matter of grace and therefore the Apostle cals the affections the members yeeld your members servants unto righteousnesse Rom. 6. 19. that is as expositors expound it yeeld your affections thereto For they are your souls members and the materials of grace is not fear the matter of the fear of the Lord and love the matter of the love of the Lord and sorrow the matter of repentance from sin now if the affections be the materials of grace what a desperate condition are ye in that set your affections upon the things here below you throw down all the matter of grace How can ye have any grace when ye cast away in the kennel all the matter for grace Grace requires the affections for its matter and thou hast no matter for this grace Thou hurlest away all thine affections upon thy pleasures and thy profits and thy vanities thou art so far from all grace as that thou hast no matter for grace Eighthly It may appear how infinitely it stands you in hand to set your affections aright because they are arguments what ye be According as your affections are so are your souls if I could see what your affections run on I could see what ye all be whether Saints or wicked whether of God or the Devil The affections are the arguments that a man is a man When the people of Lystra took Paul and Barnabas for gods and would have sacrificed to them Sirs saies Paul Why do ye thus whereas we are men of like passions with you Act. 14. 15. that is affections we have fear and joy and grief and love and the like passions with you Now if the bare having of affections be the arguments that a man is a man then surely the goodnesse or
vainesse of these affections are the arguments that a man is a Christian man or an ungodly man I beseech you consider what a woful distressed condition ye are in if your affections be vain and earthly ye carry a brand in your hearts that ye are not of God that ye are yet the slaves of Satan and the servants of unrighteousness and your end is no better then eternal death and destruction Affectus virum indicat Your affections shew you what men and women ye be c. The IV. Sermon Colos 3. 2. Set your affections on things that are above c. HItherto it sufficeth to have spoken of the coherence of the words wherein ye â—ave heard First What these affections be Secondly That a wicked man cannot set his affectious on God Thirdly How far forth a wicked man may have good affections and how they differ from the godlies Fourthly How they may examine themselves and finde that their affections are not set right Fifthly Eight several arguments to convince them what a woful condition they are in till their affections are set upon God Now for the words they contain a special duty that a Christian is bound to namely to set his affections upon God The Apostle presses it strongly First Because it is an infallible mark of our being or not being in Christ If ye be risen with Christ c. set your affections on things above As if he should say Ye say ye are risen with Christ come then and demonstrate it now that ye are risen with Christ If ye be risen with Christ this will infallibly follow Ye will set your affections above it cannot be otherwise If your affections be not set above doubtlesse you are not risen with Christ Those that are Christs saies St Paul have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts Galat. 5. 24. He takes it for granted that if they be Christs they have crucified the flesh and the affections to the World-ward and set them upon God Secondly He presseth it as a matter of reasonable equity the competition stands but between two Either things in heaven or things on earth One of them ye must set your affections upon ye cannot set your affections upon both if ye set your affections any where ye must needs set them upon one of these two Mark the competition Set your affections on things that are above not on the things on the Earth now there is a necessity of reason that election should be made of the best that we should set our affections on the better of the twain to wit the things that are in Heaven which are infinitely better then the things here on Earth Set your affections on things that are above and not on the things on Earth So that hence ye may see the necessity of this duty We must set our affections above or which is all one upon God The strength of this necessity will the better appear if we consider these four things First That God is the principal object of our affections as the eye is made to be set upon colours and the ear is made to be set upon sounds and the smell is made to be set upon odours so the affections are made to be principally set upon God The affections are so naturally due unto God that if it be not God the souls affections are set on it makes it a God or an Idol And therefore the Apostle bids us mortifie our inordinate affections evil concupiscence and coveteousness which is Idolatry Col. 3. 5. when our affections are set upon gains and upon profits and the things of this life the Apostle cals this coveteousnesse and this coveteousnesse he saies it is Idolatry because the soul makes Gold a god and silver a god and profit a god by setting its affections thereupon As the eye doth either see colours or else it sees a thing under the likenesse of a colour colour is the principal object of the sight and therefore if it be not a colour which it sees as the eye may see light as the light of the fire the light of the Sun but it sees it under the likenesse of rednesse or whitenesse or some other colour It appears by a colour or else it cannot see it So beloved it is either God our affections are on or we idolize it as a God Indeed we may affect other things as mediums and in reference to God but look where we set our affections that is our God Only fear the Lord and serve him with all your heart 1 Sam. 12. 24. We must set our affection of fear only upon God The affections are the souls attendants Doth not a servant wait only upon his own Master whom he gives his attendance unto him he maketh his Master and whom should the soul wait on but only upon God the affections are the souls attendances upon whomsoever she bestows them she waits upon it as true God My soul saies David my soul wait thou only upon God Psa 62. 5. Give thine attendance to none but to him Thine affections of love and of joy and of hope and desire these must wait upon God for to worship him Thine affections of fear and of care these must wait upon God to provide what ever may please him Thine affections of hatred and of grief and sorrow and the like these must wait as a guard to keep off what ever may offend him thine affections are principally for God this is the first ground the affections were made for God Secondly As the affections were principally made for this purpose to be set upon God so nothing but God hath that which the affections look for It is God which the affections look for and where can the affections finde it but only in God there is none good but one that is God Mat. 19. 17. The young man would have thought he sought for good in a right place when he sought for it in Christ But as Chrysostome observes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when he lookt upon Christ as a meer man Christ tels him he was mistaken in calling him good there is none good but one that is God Christ himself as near as he was unto good as he came nearer to it then any creature in heaven or in earth yet if he had been a creature and men had set their affections on him as their good being a creature they had set their affections amisse why callest thou me good saies he so much more doth every creature answer Thou thinkest riches honors and pleasures are good Why call ye me good may they all say there 's none good but one that is God Will a man seek for the Sun in a pale of water Indeed if the Sunne shine on the water there may you see it But if the Sun do not look on it you may look over all the waters in the world and never finde the Sunne in them all So will you set your affections on
whether Brutus were not a block or a brute because he had no affection at all to his own children whom he could see murthered before him with dry eyes The Lord himself counts that man a very block that hath no affection in his heart Have ye no regard all ye that passe by behold and see if there were any sorrow like my sorrow Lam. 1. 12. q. d. What are ye such blocks and stupid stocks that ye can shew no affections at my sorrow And therefore it 's reckoned among the symptomes of a heart that is desperately hardned not to be affected with any thing to hear the Word and not to be affected therewith to pray unto God and not to be affected with Gods presence to be in affliction and not to be affected with remorse I say this is a symptome of a hard heart And therefore it is a blessing of God that a man hath affections within him Secondly because as Plutarch the very Heathen observes were it not for our affections our nature would be lazy and idle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Like a Pilot at sea without winde alas the ship would goe slowly were there no windes stirring to drive it So the affections saies he are to the soul as the winde to the sails of the ship as the ship could not sail apace without windes so the soul would go slowly about any thing if the affections did not carry it When Davids affections were hampered about with worldly fears fears of his enemies and griefs at his persecutions which he suffered he went slowly on in obedience but as soon as his sails were up then he ran like a ship in the sea with a great winde I will run the way of thy Commandments when thou shalt inlarge my heart Psa 119. 32. As soon as God would help him to spread the sails of his heart and enlarge his affections then he would run like a Fleet pinnace in the Seas I will then run the way of thy Commandments saies he this is an infinite mercy of God who seeing how dull we are unto good how slack to good duties how slow to holy performances vouchsafes us these windes and these sails for to carry us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saies the same Philosopher The affections are like wheels and like Chariots unto reason If a mans reason be never so good he knows he is bound to repent and be godly and obey yet if he have no affections thereto he goes like a chariot without wheels he goes without force he cannot go at all but if he have affections thereto the affections are like wheels and like horses to carry him amain Draw me saies the Christian soul unto Christ draw me and I will run after thee Can. 1. 4. She praies that Christ would draw her by the affections of love for she speaks of love the virgins love thee saies she ver 3. Draw me with thy love too and then I shall run after thee like the Chariots of Aminadab that is drawn by quick Horses she would run as with wheels unto Christ if her affections did once carry her As Cicero saies of the affections of anger it is cos fortitudinis it is the whetstone to valour so I may say of all the affections they are all whetstones to good if a man have any grace Hast thou love It is a whetstone to obedience hast thou grief It is a whetstone to repentance hast thou anger it is a whetstone to zeal c. What is the reason men come so slowly on unto good the reason is this because their affections stand another way Men repent but slowly and amend their lives but slowly encrease in grace but slowly why this is the cause their affections are to the world they run on in their pleasures and their vanities they run on in their earthly employments and businesses why their affections are thereto O beloved it is an infinite mercy of God that we have affections given us of God for these may quicken our dulnesse unto grace Thirdly Because the affections are good channels for grace to run downin Be there never so full a fountain of good water yet if it have not a channel to run all along in the fountain may be ever a bubling but it choaketh it self for want of a channel So though God should put never so much grace into thy heart yet if it should have no channel to run down in it would smother it self Now God hath given thee affections like channels for grace to run down in Art thou covetous and full of desires what a fine channel is that for grace to run down in it is the easier for thee to covet the best things art thou of a cholerick and angry constitution what a fine channel is that for zeal to Gods glory to run down in it is the easier for thee to be zealous in Gods worship art thou melancholy and of a sad disposition what a fine channel is that for repentance to run down in it is the easier for thee to despise the vain pleasures of the world and to sorrow for sin art thou merry and of a cheerful nature what a fine channel is this for delight in the Lord to runne down in it is the easier for thee to joy in the holy Ghost art thou fearful and of a timorous spirit what a fine channel is that for fear of Gods judgements and truth to runne down in it is the easier for thee to tremble before God and fear to offend him Solomon was full of the affections of love it is true he let lust after women and uncleannesse a while run down in that channel but when grace and repentance recovered his soul what an excellent channel was it for love unto Christ to run down in Never was there such a lovesong to Christ as the Canticles since the creation of the world to this day and therefore it is called Canticum Canticorum The Song of Songs Cant. 1. 1. Certainly Ieremy was a man of a sad constitution but see what an advantage this bent of affection was to him it was a channel for spiritual sadnesse to run down in Oh that my head were waters and mine eyes a fountain of tears to weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people Jer. 9. 1. The woman in the Gospel which was a sinner a whore in plain terms one bewitched with the affections of love to her lovers as soon as ever any grace did look into her heart see how these affections of love did advantage her She loved our Saviour more affectionately then Saint Peter himself She loved much saies the Text Luk. 7. 47. Before no question but she was full of her whorish and strumpet-like tears now the channel was turned she washt Christs feet with her tears and wipt them with the hair of her head and she loved much saies the Text. It is such an admirable advantage to be full of affections that the
of knowledge is not in him And if thou dost not know God no marvel though thine affections be not set on him Incognitum non amatur Unknown unkist as we say This is the second help to set our affections on God to know God The third is this Occasion thine affections this way Be it never so hard to 〈◊〉 corrupt nature to set thine affections upon God it is easier a great deal to give them frequent occasions to be set upon God A theevish companion may be is afraid for to steal lest he should be taken yet if a booty do ever and anon offer it self pretty handsomely and fairly and covertly unto him then he will steal it Occasio facit furem Occasion makes a filcher the postern door maketh a thief as the Proverb is That gives him an occasion for his villany as it is in evil so also in good Occasion thine affections alwaies to good at last they may take hold of it Be often thinking and meditating and remembring of God let thy thoughts and meditations give occasion to thy heart in the end it may take it The Apostle gives this as a reason why Titus was so well affected with the good people in Corinth namely because he thought of and remembred their obedience to God His inward affection is the more abundant toward you whilest he remembreth the obedience of you all 2 Cor. 7. 15. if we would often busie our thoughts and remembrances of God this might winne our affections to God Thou givest thine affections so many thousand occasions to be set upon the things of this life thy tongue is accustomed to speak of little else thine ear accustomed to hear little else thy minde and thy memory accustomed to think of little else thou givest thy heart so many occasions to set its affections on the things of this life that I wonder not thine affections are not set upon God This is the reason why men are so touchy and so cholerick and revengeful and envious and malicious this is the reason why they are so apt to be overtaken with inordinate pleasure or covetous desires or carnal sorrows and griefs and the like they give their hearts occasions to be so they are not choice of their company they are not wary of the beginnings of sin they entertain too many thoughts of injuries and crosses and afflictions and profits and vanity in the world many occasions they give to their hearts to set their affections thereon The heart when it haâ—â— an occasion to sin is like the wilde asse in the Prophet in her occasion who can turn her away Ier. 2. 24. The wilde asse if she have an occasion of lust no body can turn her away from her lust as Tremellius observes occasion is a main thing in matters either of sin or of grace If Peter had not given his heart an occasion to be tempted by being in the Hall doubtless he would have been better occupied then in denying his Master if David had not give occasion to his lusts by looking carelesly from his roof for all that I know he had been at his prayers when he was a whoring with Vriah his wife If Lot had not given occasion to his flesh by drinking of Wine he had been a blessing of God for his mercy the while he was committing of incest Capillataest occasio Occasion hath a foretop how easy is it to be taken hold of The Galatians are commanded that their liberty be not used as an occasion to the flesh Gal. 5. 13. for as soon as the flesh hath an occasion offered presently it 's likely to take it Women must not give an occasion to the Adversary to speak reproachfully 1 Tim. 5. 14. Let no man put a stumbling block or an occasion to fall in his brothers way Rom. 14. 13. Occasions to evil are all dangerous as the flesh is ready to take all occasion to sinne so the spirit to take an occasion to good And therefore if thou wouldest set thine affections on God give thy heart as many occasions that way as thou canst keep such company as may occasion thy heart to be affected with Christ Compose thy self to be often thinking and meditating of the Word and of such things as may occasion thy heart to set its affections above And when thy heart hath such occasions as these offered unto it presse it and urge it to take hold of the occasion Premenda occasio saies Horace good occasions are to be prest upon If thou wouldest make conscience of this duty to occasion thine affections aright they would be set quickly upon God This is the third help to set thine affections on God give thine affections often occasion that way The fourth is this Let thine affections be often woed to God never misse if thou canst choose the preaching of Gods word there is never a godly Minister but is Christs paranymph he is a friend of the Bridegroom Joh. 3. 29. Whensoever he preaches he comes on Christs errand to wooe thine affections to Christ Christ does as a great Prince that minding to marry a wife out of a far Countrey sends over his paranymphs to wooe for him to get her affections if it be possible So beloved we that are Gods Ministers we are Christs paranymphs we preach to wooe your affections to Christ And therefore never misse the preaching of the Word it 's the wooing of your affections to Christ they say women love to be much wooed Love then the preaching of the Word that wooes thee and wooes thee again and again O what infinite need hast thou of coming continually to the Word thine affections are infinitely coy this they must have and that they must have Like a vain Damosel she must have her geegaws and her fashions she must have her pleasure and her will and her ease and thus it must be and so it shall be if she marry him she will not have the man else He hath such adoe to get her affections either he is too homely or too base or too strict or too ill-favoured or too poor or somewhat Now may be he hath her and then her thoughts change then again she is inclined and then her affections are off My brethren so it is with our souls our affections are to this and that and I know not what If Christ will not let them have their pleasures and their ease and their profits and their vanities Christ is not for them They must have the credit in the world they 'l not be mockt at for puritans and for hypocrites they 'l not deny father nor mother nor self nor any of these things they are loth to be held in so strictly as Christ doth indent But Christ will not marry us unlesse our affections be wholly upon him Blessed is he that is not offended in me Many are offended at the precisenesse of his word many at the bitternesse of the Crosse many at the shame of the world they
preaching will not work on mens affections their affections are bewitcht O foolish Galatians who hath bewitcht you that ye should not obey the truth before whose eyes Iesus Christ hath been evidently set forth crucified among you Gal. 3. 1. Paul among them had preached Christ to the life so evidently and so plainly had he preached Christ crucified as if they had seen him crucified before their eyes Certainly thought he these peoples affections are bewitched that are no better wrought on When Galba would perswade the Spaniards against Nero for his cruelty he set out so visibly his cruelty that they might even see it with their eyes Lycurgus so expressed the difference of good education and of bad that the people might even see it with their eyes Not as though preachers should do as they did or as some that I have read of have done who brought a dead skull into the pulpit that the people might see death even with their eyes We have no such warrant in Scripture but they must do it with the lively teaching of the truth And therefore the Apostle sayes that true preaching is in the demonstration of the spirit 1 Cor. 2. 4. When the truth is demonstrated with evidence Secondly By being full of affections himself Affection in the speaker is likely to beget affection in the hearer It cannot be otherwise saies Cicero Cicero being an excellent spokesman whenever he pleaded before the people of Rome to beget any affections in them he would be sure to put on those affections himself If he would move them to grief he would be full of affection of grief When to pity he would be full of affections of pity when to anger his countenance would be ful of anger The highest point of moving the affections in another is to be endued with those affections thy self sayes Quintilian It is an old maxime in Oratory and in all moving of the affections of others Pectus est quod facit disertos It is a mans own breast that makes him to be affectionate and eloquent If a mans own breast be piteous and full of compassion and bowels that man is an eâ—oquent perswader to pity If a mans own breast be loving and kinde and full of affections that man is an eloquent speaker to move love Si vis me flere dolendum primum ipse tibi If thou wouldest have me weep weep thy self first What mean you to weep and break my heart sayes the Apostle Act. 21. 13. it burst his very heart to see others stand weeping about him There be many clamorous Preachers sayes Calvin who declaim against the sins of the people and thunder against the iniquities of their Parish and make as though they had a great deal of zeal that never move a jot the affections of the people are not stirred up a whit because the people see plainly through all their actings and vehement enforcements that such Ministers are not affected themselves but only exercise their sides and their throat as if they would act it on a stage But O sayes he labour to mourn for their sins in thine heart before thou labour to move them Be thou more affected thy self then thou undertakest to affect them S. Paul did so move the affections of Dionysius and Damaris and others at Athens that the Text sayes they clave to S Paul Certain men clave to him and beleeved Act. 17. 34. He preached so movingly that their affections did even cleave to him as he preached How came it about that he stirred up affections in them look into the 16. verse and there you shall see he was greatly affected himself His spirit was stirred in him sayes S. Luke when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry He could not have stirred up affections in them if he had not been filled with affections himself O beloved our hearts are grievously straightned and our souls are wofully stopt that we are not more affected our selves at your miseries then we be would it not fetch tears from our eyes and groans from our bowels to see how desperately ye are hardned but that we are too little affected our selves you know the damned abuses in your Parish the cursed sins that reign in your houses and the stupid security ye are in yet nothing can move you Your consciences cannot be ignorant ye are carnal and are not yet Saints nor born again many of you your consciences can tell you ye are Saints or else ye are hell-hounds and if ye die as ye are ye have no evidence for heaven but ye may be damned ere long for all that ye know Ye can hear this every time ye to Church and yet no reformation no shew of humiliation no shew of grace nor repentance nor any thing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what weeping Simonides can weep sufficiently for these things Paul knowing some abuses among the Corinthians that many of them were like to be damned for ever out of much affliction and anguish of heart sayes he I wrote unto you with many tears 2 Cor. 3. 4. penè quot syllabas tot lacrymas as Haymo speaks that is he shed as many tears as he wrote syllables he could hardly write for wetting the paper with tears which he wrote on O that we who are Gods Ministers could be so affected the Lord lay it not to our charge that we are not but O that our heads were water and our eyes were a fonntain of tears that we might weep day and night for these things Ye think your souls are safe alas we know they are desperate We know that your drunkennesse will damn you and your swearing and lying and company-keeping will undoe you We know your pride and your hardnesse of heart are symptomes and infallible marks of such as are yet no better then reprobates Ye hope your crying God mercies will help you we know they cannot Ye hope that Gods mercies will relieve we know they will not unlesse ye be new creatures Ye trust God will not be so strict as we say we know he will Ye imagine ye are not led by the devil though ye sin thus and thus we know ye be and the devil the God of this world rules in your mindes and your consciences Neither are ye able unless ye be Atheists and devils incarnate to deny God to be God and his Scripture to be Scripture ye are not able to deny it O that we would sigh and sob and groan in our pulpits O that we could even wet our cushions with tears and yearn over your souls as we preach I beseech you consider will you never beleeve nor be affected till ye feel it Lord when thy hand is lifted up they will not see but they shall see and be ashamed and the fire shall devour them Isa 26. 11 I protest unto you I could finde in my heart to fall down on my knees to every one of you all were it profitable to beseech you to consider
this now Gods hand is lifted up and he cals to you and ye will not hear he shews you your sins and ye will not see you shall see sayes he and be ashamed and the fire of hell shall devour you Take heed ye see not too late O that ye had known at least in this thy day before they be hid from thine eyes God will hide his grace from thine eyes and his spirit from thy heart if nothing can move thee I pray God affect our hearts with these things that we who are your Ministers may be more touched our selves This is the second means whereby we might move you if we were affected our selves Thirdly By being godly our selves As we must be affected our selves so if ever we mean to stir up affections in the heart we must be godly our selves Aristotle requires this in an Orator that he be a good man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the good manners and the life of the speaker have the greatest power to perswade the affections Hence is that usual saying of the vulgar He that preaches well and lives ill puls that down with one hand which he built with the other Nay commonly a man loaths a good saying out of a foul mouth Let a drunken Minister exhort to sobriety for the most part the people do loath it Let an adulterous or covetous Minister exhort to be godly and religious for the most part they abhorre it Let a loose Minister preach of strictnesse of life and conversation and zeal and purity Solomon sayes it is like a lame mans legs when one is shorter then the other Prov. 26. 7. that is an ill sight A wicked Minister can never stir up the affections of the people aright Gregory Nazianzen would have a Minister 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Either not preach at all or preach by a good and godly life Otherwise the people will have little affection to hear him nay which is lamentable it is usual in the world not only to set their affections against a wicked Ministers preaching but also to loath the very ordinance it self when Eli his sons were wicked and sons of Belial the Text sayes the people loathed Gods offerings The sinne of the young men was very great before the Lord for men abhorred the offering of the Lord 1 Sam. 2. 17. At the best the people though never so greedy otherwise for to hear yet if the Minister do not as he saies they have smal affection to hear him Christ knew this by his Disciples who were willing to hear him whensoever he preached but he knew they had little affection to hear a Sermon of the Pharisees who said and did not And therefore he was fain to command them not to be offended at that but to hear them It was not then in vain that the Apostle exhorts Titus to look to his own life In all things shew thy self a pattern sayes he a patern of good works For if the Minister that preaches be not a good pattern to his people his Sermons will not be so able to stir up affections in their hearts Pasce verbo pasce exemplo sayes Gregory we must feed them by doctrine and feed by our example this is the way to stir up affections in our hearers It is true the people ought to be stirred up by the Word in whose mouth soever it be and it is their fault that they be not but yet it will never be so the Ministers contrary life in any particular as it is cursed of God so likewise it is a scandalous thing unto others and an infinite occasion of offence and takes off the edge of the Word Yea commonly it does more hurt then all the preaching can do good For thus men will argue If it be necessary to live as he sayes then why does not he live so himself He hath more learning then I and the like nay they call the Word into question and hoodwink their souls with presumptuous pretences Thus millions of souls are gone to hell with their Minister for company Malus Minister est nisus Diaboli It is a true saying of a Father An evil Minister is the devils Gos-Hawk or Sparrow-Hawk He goes a birding for hell But why speak I of these things among you whom it concerneth not Yea it concerns you much every way For as it is a curse to a Parish that a Minister is wicked so is the Parish tied as ever they love their own souls to pray unto God that he would sanctifie their Minister more and more that the Word may runne and be glorified for the life of the Minister hath a great hand in moving the affections The holiest Ministers move most Fourthly By the due carriage of their voices when the Minister is affected himself I do not say it is alwaies so for some have not the same command of themselves through accidental reasons but commonly when the Minister is affected himself the inward affections of his own breast dispose the voice into some gracious manner of expressing the same As Paul that was full of grief and sorrow for the peoples sinnes he for the most part preached with a weeping voice Many walk sayes he of whom I have told you often and now again tell I you even weeping they are enemies of the Crosse of Christ whose end is destruction c. Phil. 3. 18 19. and truly if we consider the iniquities of the times and the sinnes of most men how lamentable their conditions be no other affection better suits then this Loquere flebiliter sayes Bucolcerus to a preather speak mournfully and sorrowfully the very voice it self will somewhat mollifie the affections of the people Certainly it is an ordinance of God and very moving to speak according to the point in hand To speak compassionately in points of pity to speak rejoycingly in points of comfort to speak most terribly in points of terror As Cato advised that souldiers should terrifie their enemies with terrible voices Neither is it amiss that when the Minister threatens the judgements of God against rebellious sinners he should compose his voice accordingly I know not what hidden occult influence the voice hath into the affections saith S. Augustine but a great influence it hath When a Minister goes dreamingly on the people sit carelesly and regard it not and let him say never so good matter they heed it not let him threaten or comfort or command or reprove they respect all alike for they see no difference in the Minister I know the people should not do thus but such is the corruption of men thus they will doe now God hath given many of his messengers more wakening voices as petty instruments to provoke mens affections somewhat the more And truly we are bound to make conscience thereof that our very voice may be a comment upon our matter 't was a pretty story of Demosthenes when one told him that he was beaten and misused exceedingly by such
evil affection was his devil and therefore the whole legion of affections are a legion of devils Do ye not see how ye are tost up and down all the day long tanquam pila diaboli as the devils tennis-bals as Odo speaks from worldly delights unto wordly desires from desires unto fears from fears unto melancholies from melancholies to angers and vexations from them again unto carnal comforts these are all like a legion of devils that hurry thee up and down till thou art hurried to hell c. If thine affections be carnal they are a legion of devils to drive thee It is a merry devil that makes thee so greedy of pleasure and of mirth a surly devil that makes thee so cholerick and touchy a giddy devil that makes thee so fearful and timorous an unclean devil that makes thee so desirous of drinking and company-keeping Anger and wrath is a devil Let not the soul go down upon thy wrath neither give place to the devil Eph. 4. 26 27. That is do not give way to thy wrath when thou givest way to thy earthly desires thou givest way to the devil When thou givest way to thine earthly delights and thy sorrow and thy melancholy thou givest way to the devil Look how many earthly affections thou hast that thou givest the way to so many devils are in thee Dost thou think thou art a childe of God when thy conscience tels thee that such and such earthly affections have way in thy heart alas thou hast a devil Be sober for your adversary the devil 1 Pet. 5. 8. mark every giddy affection is a devil our adversary the devil comes with it Yea so many earthly affections so many devils and wilt thou set thine affections upon things that are earthly if thou dost thou hast a legion of devils within This is the first head the multitude and the multiplicity of the affections the affections are many The second head is taken from the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the checkerwise order of the affections As the affections are many so look where they are set there they are platted and woven and hampered together God that first created man upright and good he gave him affections so to twist and hamper his heart upon good that it might be the harder to loosen it He gave him the affection of love to embrace good If the good were wanting he gave him the affection of desire to hunger after it If the good were possible to get he gave him the affection of hope to expect it if the good were once gotten he gave him the affection of joy to delight in it If there were any danger to lose it he gave him the affection of fear to be afraid of it If the good were once lost indeed he gave him the affection of grief and of sorrow to lament it If he should meet with any thing that would hinder him in the prosecution of good he gave him the affection of hatred to oppose it c. Thus God embroydered the affections and wove them together that still mans heart might be knit by the affections to good and to God And wilt thou now set thine affections on the things of this life thou little thinkest how thou twistest and hamperest thy soul about these things thine affections will make thee live and die a carnal wretch Had not Erasistratus cured Antiochus of his carnal affection it had cost him his life for he was sick of it unto death Galen sayes he met with many sick patients if he had not cured their affections he had never recovered them The affections hamper the soul unto death So if thou set thine affections on the things here on earth they will so hamper thy heart that unlesse thine affections be cured thy soul is desperately incurable they entangle thy soul thou canst not get free And therefore S. Peter cals falling into earthly affections he cals it entangling If after they have escaped the pollutions of the flesh they are again entangled 2 Pet. 2. 20. That is if after they have once gotten out they fall in again because they cannot fall in again but their lusts and affections will not entangle them again Be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage Gal. 5. 1. Paul knew if the Galatians were addicted to the Ceremonies of the Law they would affect them more then the Commandments of Christ And therefore he gives them advice no further to use them because their hearts would be intangled if they did No man that warreth intangleth himself with the affairs of this life 2 Tim. 2. 4. A souldier had not need to have a new married wife or a new-born childe or a new-purchased ground a new-planted vineyard a new suit at Law in the Chancery Alas then his affections would be a gadding when he should be fighting O my wife at home and O my childe at home and I would I might taste of my vineyard at home and O that I could follow my cause in the Court this were to intangle him in war he could not fight valiantly Thus the affections do intangle a man So if thine affections be earthy they will entangle thee thou canst not be free for the seeking of heaven or of Christ thine affections are so complicated and hampered thou canst be in no place in no estate nor condition but some affections or other will entangle thee Thou lovest thy land and thy living and thy things in the world O how are thine affections intangled what case soever thou art in thine affections lie checker-wise and will have thee If thou beest rich the affections of pleasure or delight or security there they will have thee If thou beest poor the affections of desire and discontent this thou desirest and that thou wouldest fain have there thy wishings and wouldings and carkings will have thee If thou beest crossed or troubled or afflicted the affections of grief and of sorrow and of melancholy these there will have thee If thou beest injured abused or provoked which fals out very often the affections of anger and revenge these then will have thee If thou beest in danger of sicknesse or distresse or losse of this or that the affections of fear and the like they lie in ambush to catch thee If thou comest to the Word and there thou art told thou art a damned man as long as thou livest as thou dost the affections of vain hopings and trustings they lie in scout for to take thee thus thou art intangled when thine affections are earthy in what case soever thou art in they intangle thee Sometimes thou art merry and jocond for a pang anon thou art melancholy and sad for a fit Sometimes thou art angry with a servant or a childe or a wife or a neighbour anon thou art pleased Sometime a danger comes and fears thee anon it is gone and thou art secure Sometimes one affection sometimes another Sometimes a hating and sometimes a loving sometimes
desiring and sometimes hoping Thus thou livest and thus thou diest and perishest for ever through the intanglements The third head is taken from the degrees the affections are in in regard of other acts of the soul And here is a subdivision of heads 1. The affections provoke thoughts and therefore if the affections be earthy the thoughts are all earthy 2. The affections encrease lusts and therefore if the affections be carnal the lusts are all carnal 3. The affections inferre purposes and resolutions and therefore if the affections be to the things of this life the purposes and resolutions of the heart are so too 4. The affections inferre devisings and contrivings and therefore if the affections be vain so are the devices From all which thou mayst see the infinite misery thou art in if the affections be set here below First Because if thine affections be set here below so are thy thoughts When Saul had a treacherous affection unto David he made as though he did affect him so well as to make him his sonne in law it was a treacherous affection but the Text sayes so were his thoughts Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of the Philistims 1 Sam. 18. 25. As his affections were treacherous so his thoughts were in like manner treacherous The affections are the feet of the soul as I told you now when these feet run to evil so do the thoughts Their feet run to evil their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity Isa 59. 7. So that look what thine affections are to to that are thy thoughts You may remember what was proved to you of the thoughts if thou dost habitually set thy thoughts upon the things in this world to be thinking of thy sports and thy pleasures thine apparrel and thy fashions thy meat and thy drink thy means and thy living if thy thoughts be set hereupon thou art a man that never hast repented since thou wert born thou hast yet no part nor interest in Christ thou art yet no better then a damned wretch heir apparent of hell and everlasting destruction Thus it is with thee if thy thoughts be habitually thus set but if thine affections be set here below so without question are thy thoughts 1. Because if thine affections be earthy so are thy thoughts the affections provoke thee to be thinking of such things as thou hast most minde to Haman did mightily affect honour and therefore his thoughts ran upon his honor and promotion The King had no sooner said what shall be done to the man whom the King delighteth to honour but presently his thoughts were agog Haman thought in his heart whom would the King honour but me Esth 66. When Haman was affected with wrath against Mordecai instantly such were his thoughts He thought scorn sayes the Text Est 3. 6. David speaking of his enemies that were ill-affected against him he sayes that their thoughts were against him all their thoughts are against me for evil Psal 56. 5. So that if thine affections be carnal thy thoughts are carnal and thou canst not think seriously of the good of thy soul Come and let me think seriously how do I think to be saved may not a reprobate pray as well as I pray hear the Word as well as I hear it beleeve as well as I beleeve Did not wicked Esau that sought a place for repentance carefully with tears repent as well as I Had not cursed Balaam as good meanings as I he would not for a houseful of silver and gold go beyond the commandment of God Alas alas your carnal affections will not suffer you to think seriously of your souls Hast thou ever thought seriously whether thou beest a new creature or no whether Christ be in thee yea or no what if I should die now have I evidences for Heaven yea or no The Scripture saies thus and thus so and so they must live that look to be saved do I live so God sayes such and such shall be damned namely all that live in any known sin God cannot lie Is there never a sin I know I live in poor woful soul thy carnal affections have not suffered thee to think seriously of these things since thou wert born May be now and then thou hast some loose thoughts of some such matters stragling thoughts glancing running thoughts of thy soul and of heaven and of death but thou never dost seriously think of them No thine earthly affections doe provoke thy thoughts otherwise thy affections have such influence into thy thoughts that Macarius cals them affections Is not this then a pitiful condition to set our affections here below to be drawn away from thinking seriously of our souls they drive thee to hell and will not permit thee to think seriously whither thou goest till thou art there O grievous condition will a prisoner that is condemned to be hanged to morrow be thinking how he may get him new clothes and a new suit will he be thinking how he may purchase how he may have a good supper If he be thinking on such things when he shall be hanged to morrow for all that he knows he is sure he is condemned and the gallows is built and the halter is provided and if he get not a pardon it is certain he shall be executed and he knows not yet whether ever he shall get it may be he may if he seek hard if he now be thinking of pleasures and profits and the like when his life lies at the stake you will say he is wofully affected with these things and wilt thou be so affected with the things of this life when thou mayst be in hell to morrow thou art sure the sentence of damnation is upon thee yet and thou shalt surely be damned being as thou art wilt thou I say be thinking of eating and drinking and playing and buying and selling and trading and the like alas thou art yet but a damned man Take no thought sayes Christ what ye shall eat and what ye shall drink but seek ye first the kingdom of God Matth. 6. 33. Let not the condemned prisoner take thought for a supper but take thought how he may save his neck from the rope This is the first if thine affections be carnal so are thy thoughts Secondly Because if thine affections be carnal so are thy lusts It 's true a godly man hath carnal lustings for he is partly flesh but then he hath good lustings too for he is partly spirit the flesh lusts against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh and these two are contrary the one to the other so that he cannot do so well as he would Gal. 5. 17. he hath sinful lustings but he hath spiritual lustings to crucifie them but if thine affections be earthy thy lusts be all earthy nay thy lusts they are ripened and strengthened The carnal lusts properly and especially are the first offer of the heart unto carnal affections So that when they
are come to be carnal affections they are ripened And therefore the Apostle does usually call the carnal affections by the name of lusts The Gentiles walked in lusts excesse of wine revellings c. 1 Pet. 4. 3. that is they walked in their carnal affections because the lusts are then strengthned when they come to be affections Now beloved consider what a hideous condition it is to set our affections on the earth it strengthens our lusts We give a knife to a cut-throat to stab us cherish a company of vipers in our bosome to poyson us We encourage fierce enemies to battel against our souls So S. Peter can tell us Dearly beloved I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims abstain from filthy lusts which warre against the soul 1 Pet. 2. 11. they warre against the soul they are the devils Infantry yea Chivalry too they are his Souldiers to murder the soul with spiritual death and eternal damnation If ever thou lovedst thine own soul thou wouldest kill sinne in the cradle supplant it and take it by the heel as Iacob did Esau in the womb thou wilt never overcome it else Deny it the first entrance as the Angel shut the door upon the Sodomites cast out the bond-woman with her brat too as Sarah did Hagar and her little one as Gregory speaks Thou wilt never be able to subdue it otherwise Thou wouldest crucifie thy lusts and mark the first risings thereof thus thou wouldst do if thou hadst a care of thy soul But wilt thou let thy lusts grow and get armour to kill thee wilt thou let them gather strength and ripenesse to damn thee there is not a lust of them but it comes like an armed man to fight against thy soul now if thou set thine affections too on the things of this life thou dost strengthen it and weapon it yet more What a wretched misery is this thy lusts war against thy soul to undo it and yet thou dost strengthen them yea thou dost encrease them helpest their forces O fools when will ye understand do we not see how we are overpowred by our lusts do they not every day conquer us in the open field There is not a prayer we make but deadnesse of heart gets the day like a Conquerour Not a duty we perform but lukewarmnesse proves victor Nay our lusts do not only overcome us but they leade us in triumph Some of our lusts carry us up and down from gaming to fretting from fretting to revenging from revenging to swearing from swearing to lying from one sinne to another as they list And our lusts are so strong that war against our souls that we are not ashamed to lay down our bucklers and say we cannot resist I was angry alas it is my nature and I cannot master it I rap out an oath now and then alas I was provoked and I cannot help it I must say and doe as such an one would have me he is my friend I cannot deny him Thus our lusts have given us mortal wounds and have murdered our souls and all this is because our affections are earthly for they encrease all our lusts and make them more able to vanquish us Thirdly If thine affections be carnal so be thy purposes Men purpose according as they affect He that affects such a good bargain will purpose to make it He that affects pleasure will purpose to take it He that affects any thing will purpose to have it First men conceive a thing to be good then they affect it and then they spend thoughts of it and then they purpose to have it if they can Barnabas exhorted them all that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord Act. 11. 23. He joyns these two together their purpose and their affection to God because they could never cleave unto the Lord but it must needs be with the purposes of the heart Well now consider what enemies we are unto God what enemies too to our own souls that set our affections here below we can never have reall purposes to amend or turn unto God We may purpose and purpose a thousand times over but still we are broken off from our purposes they all come to nothing as long as we affect the things of this life Can the fire have a purpose to freeze can the stinking dunghil have a purpose to smell well can a Swine have a purpose not to wallow in the mire No how can this be when they are affected with contrary qualities there is no counsel in such purposes as these Without counsel purposes are disappointed Pro. 15. 22. If thou dost purpose to do this or that and not consult whether thou be able to doe it yea or no no wonder though thou beest disappointed of thy purpose Thou art carnal and hast a purpose to be spiritual thou art full of earthly desires and hast a purpose to hunger after Christ Thou art a company-keeper a worldly and a proud fool thou hast a purpose to be otherwise Alas such purposes as these will surely be disappointed because they are purposes without counsel thou shouldst first take counsel how to crucifie thy affections if thus thou wouldst do thy purposes would stand What an egregious sin is this then to set thine affections on things that are carnal thou art vain and hast no purpose to be otherwise thou secure and hast no purpose to shake off securiry no purpose to give over thy carnal appetites and thy customes and the lusts that thy conscience does know of thy own conscience can point thee out many lusts that thou livest in and thou hast no purpose to leave them O how does this provoke the Lord Jesus to wrath Which of us does thus purpose in his heart I absosutely purpose henceforth to use all the means under Heaven for the saving my soul I have gull'd it to this day now I purpose to do so no more now I will every day examine my conscience every day keep company with the godly I will never sort with my old company more I have used my body like an Idol now I purpose to mortifie it c. Alas our affections will not let us It is certain thou never hast a good purpose to God for thy soul as long as thine affections are earthly All thy purposes are instar paleae sayes a Divine they last for an hour or a day or a health like the chaffe which the winde drives away Fourthly Because if thine affections be carnal so are thy devices and contrivings When a man sets his affections on any thing as he spends many thoughts thereupon and purposes to have it if he can so he deviseth with himself whereby to attain it Davids enemies whose affections were set against him they devised how they might crosse him All that hate me against me do they devise my hurt Ps 41. 7. What a company of devices hath the glutton to satisfie his palate the revengeful person to satisfie his
wrath the covetous person to scrape himself maintenance it's endlesse to recount what innumerable devices men have to compasse what their heart does affect Phalaris deviseth new torments Nero deviseth new cruelties Sardanapalus propounds a reward by a cryer to him that could devise out new pleasure the wicked Lawyer and troublesome Parishioner deviseth new quillets and put-cases to fetch over his poor neighbour the proud minion deviseth new paintings of the face new washings of the body new curlings of the hair new deckings of their neck new-fangled attires and the like the covetous deceiver deviseth new cousenages new conny-catchings pollings rackings gullings c. The Usurer new usuries new covenants and reaches It were long to rehearse what devices are in men to fulfill their unruly affections These wretches are abhorred of the Lord. Solomon sayes there be six yea seven things which the Lord hates and abhors Pro. 6. 16. And in the next verse save one he sayes that a heart that deviseth wicked imaginations is one of them The Lord numbers these men among the damned crew of the Heathen inventers of evil things Rom. 1. 30. Wo unto them that devise iniquity sayes the Prophet Mic. 2. 1. Now see thy wofull condition whoever thou art whose affections are carnal thy devices are all carnal thou dost not devise how thou mayst best serve Almighty God how thou mayst best overcome sinne how thou mayst best glorifie Christ Which of us does set his head a work every day how he may best pray and best repent and best hear and best do every good duty alas there is little such devising among us because our affections stand not this way If our affections were set upon God we would be studying and contriving how to purge all our families how to propagate the glory of God in the Parish how to exhort and reprove and provoke one another to godlinesse A liberall man deviseth liberall things Isa 32. 8. he devises how he may releeve Gods poor Saints how he may set the poor on work how he may help forward the Gospel with his purse if he can finde how An humble man deviseth humble things a peaceable man deviseth peaceable things a holy man deviseth holy things if our affections were set right we would all lay our heads together how the Parish may best be reformed how our scandalous houses may best be removed how the Word that we hear from Sabbath to Sabbath may best be put in practise among us thus it would be if our affections were set upon God but because our affections are not set so hence it comes to passe our devices are carnal The IX Sermon â—ol 3. 2. Set your affections on things that are above c. THere remains the fourth head which is the extremity of the affections and that is zeal Zeal is due only to God and the things of his worship and therefore hence we may see how infinitely they sin that set their affections on things here on earth because they rob God of his due zeal which is the extremity of the affections is due only to God and the things of his worship Phinehas was zealous for his God Num. 25. 13. he gave the zeal of his affections to no other but God Now what is zeal Zeal is a high strain of all the affections whereby the heart puts forth all its affections with might upon that which it absolutely affects five things therefore there are which concurre to the making up of zeal First A high measure of the affections Every measure of the affections is not zeal a man may affect a thing coldly and lukewarmly that is not zeal As a covetous man may have lukewarm good affections to the word But this is not zeal I say zeal is a high measure of the affections Zeal is a metaphoricall word in the Original it 's taken from the seething of water over the fire Every measure of heat in the water is not seething No seething hot is a high measure of heating The Apostle confesses how the false Apostles affected the Galatians They zealously affect you sayes he Gal. 4. 17. he confesses they did affect the Galatians and he confesses they did highly affect them in a very high measure if it had been as well as it was high they zealously affect you that is they highly affect you Clavasius a Casuist for the Pope having run through all the Alphabet of questions in the end of his Book concludeth with zeal Zeal sayes he is a high measure of heat of affection such an one sayes he as I have shewn unto Christ in writing this Book It 's a most devillish saying for his Book is little else then a hellish rhapsody of blasphemies to Christ and magnifyings of his holy father the Pope But therein he sayes right that zeal is a high measure of the affection Secondly As zeal is a high measure of the affections so it is of all the affections I do not say any one of the affections alone or of sundry together But it is a high measure of all the affections Bonaventura and other of the School make it only of love Ludovicus Vives makes it to be compounded of two affections indignation and pity Others to be mixed of anger and love this is not so for zeal is a high strain of all the affections And therefore the Apostle sets it as a generall height of the affections in generall It 's good sayes he to be zealously affected in a good thing Gal. 4. 18. he does not only say it 's good to be zealous in love or zealously angry but generally it 's good to be zealously affected in a good thing Sorrow for sin is good and therefore it 's good to be zealously affected with it Desire of grace is good and therefore it 's good to be zealously affected with it So that then we may be said to be zealous for God when our love to him is earnest our desire of him is earnest our joy in him is earnest our indignation against whatever may dishonour him or dislike him is earnest when we think nothing too good nothing too dear nothing too much to bestow upon him A man may love God in a lukewarm measure hate sin in a lukewarm measure grieve for his corruptions desire faith and repentance delight in good duties pity the miseries of others fear to transgresse Gods Commandment a man may have all these affections thus in a lukewarm measure as this is displeasing to God so it is not zeal Zeal is a high measure the highest strain of all the affections Thirdly As zeal is the highest measure of all the affections so it is with all the might of the soul For when a man does zealously affect any thing his affection is mighty upon it Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with â—ll thy soul and with all thy might Deut. 6. 5. that is thou shalt love him zealously
Nimrod was a mighty hunter Gen. 10 9. that is he was zealous at his hunting Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine Isa 5. 22. that is that are greedy and zealous in the pursuit of their appetite in that kinde David danced before the Lord with all his might 2 Sam. 6. 14. that is he did it zealously Zeal is when the heart raiseth up its affections with all its might on a thing And therefore lukewarmnesse is called negligence in the Scripture Cursed is he that doth the work of the Lord negligently As he that fights negligently shews not all his might in his fighting so he that goes about any duty of the Lords service negligently his heart does not shew all his might in it It puts not forth all the might of its affections upon it Lukewarmnesse then is the negligence of the affection and cursed is the man that does the work of the Lord negligently sayes the Text. But zeal is the might of the affection Fourthly As zeal is with all the might so it is the putting forth of all the affections When the heart affects a thing and puts forth all its affections upon it reserving no part of its affections for any thing else this we call zeal Herod affected the preaching of Iohn but he did not affect it zealously he did not put forth all his affection upon it he reserved a main part of his affection for his pleasure And therefore he was not zealous in hearing Hence it is that the Scripture cals lukewarmnesse deceit fulnesse as Divines do observe Cursed is the deceiver Mal. 1. 14. that is cursed is the lukewarm person that offers God lesse then he hath offers somewhat and reserves back somewhat that puts not forth all his affection upon God and his Service Zeal is the putting forth of all the affection As when the heart affects God and affects nothing in competition with him this is to be zealously affected towards God When the Jews had crucified Christ and persecuted Paul and forbidden him to preach the Text sayes the wrath of God was come upon them to the utmost 1 Thes 2. 16. That is the zeal of Gods fury and anger and vengeance was on them He kept nothing back he was not angry a little nor wroth a little but he put forth the affection of his wrath to the utmost upon them So when the heart puts forth the utmost of its love upon God and the utmost of its delights upon his Word and the utmost of its fear on his Name and the utmost of its affection on his Commandments then it is zealous But if he keeps back ought to bestow it elsewhere it 's a deceiver and a lukewarm heart Fifthly As zeal is the putting forth of all the affection so it is upon a thing which the heart does absolutely affect A man may affect a thing when he does not affect it absolutely He affects such or such a thing but he affects it not absolutely He affects it perhaps with a degree of affection as far as twelvepence will go he places may be a groats worth of affection upon a quire of paper If he be askt five pounds of silver for a quire of paper he does not affect it at that rate and therefore he does not affect it absolutely But if a man have a true zeal of affection to a thing he affecteth that thing with absolute affection let it cost what it can he affects it let it cost him all charges and all pains and all difficulties yea though it cost him his life he will have it then he does absolutely affect it So that then is a man zealous for God and for grace when his affections stand absolutely that way May be he will be glad so he may get it at an easie rate but if he cannot alas he must have it he concludes upon that though it cost him sighs groans every daies strivings every daies labour praying meditating repenting parting with all his lusts although never so dear O his soul does affect it on that manner he must and he will have it rather then life This man is zealously affected towards grace and towards God because he affects it absolutely Thus Iob was zealous in affecting Gods Word he esteemed it above his necessary food Iob. 23. 12. He does not say above his daily food for so he might do and not be zealously affected therewith but he affected Gods Word above his necessary food above all food absolutely without which his life could not confist without which a man dies such food as this comes nearest of all outward things to be absolutely affected A man affects it above lands and above livings above his silver and his gold above all his pleasures and his gaming 's a man will part with them all rather then part with his necessary food Yet Iob affected Gods Word above it And therefore he affected it zealously This is the last thing in zeal It is upon that which does absolutely affect Albeit now it may partly appear by the very definition of zeal that it is due only to God a man must not be zealous about any thing nor zealously affected with any thing but only with God and his worship Neverthelesse we may yet further prove it First Because Zeal is the religious part of the affections of the soul Now the religious part of them are due only to God I profited in the Jews Religion being zealous of the traditions of my Fathers sayes Paul Gal. 1. 14. he makes zeal the character of his Religion Seest thou a man zealous then after profits and most earnest to get means and maintenance and the things of this life that man makes gain his Religion Seest thou a man zealous after any thing that 's his Religion Zeal is the religious part of the affections and therefore it 's due only unto God Secondly As zeal is the religious part of our affections so also it is the most of every affection and therefore only due unto God Zeal is the most of every act that a man does That which the minde mindes most and studies most that it mindes zealously that which the memory remembers most which the heart wils most it wils zealously That which a man fears most and loves most and desires most that it does zealously Now if zeal be the most of every act of the soul it must needs be idolatry to place it any where else but in the service of God Dost thou meditate most and think most of the world thy thoughts are idolatrous Dost thou talk most and confer most of the things of the world thy words are idolatrous Dost thou cark most and care most dost thou love most and rejoyce most in any thing of this life thine affections are idolatrous Dost thou sorrow most for crosses and losses and disgraces and the like more then thou grievest for thy sins thy grief is idolatry That 's the hearts Idol which it
that he was glad for to hear it would God that all the Lords people were Prophets Num. 11. 29. I confesse a good man may be discontented hereby at the first flesh and blood was stirring in good Ioshua himself at that time Moses forbid them sayes he But a godly soul will check himself and pull down his spirit and force his heart to be glad and rejoyce in the goodnesse of others though it be a seeming disparagement to him A good Minister rejoyceth to hear of another Ministers gifts that out-strips him A good man rejoyces to see others that are better and better beloved then himself though younger and inferiour and meaner otherwise But if thou dost not joy to see men zealous for God it is certain thou art a wretch may be thou thinkest much thine eye is evil because they are so good and so godly and the like this is an argument of a gracelesse heart may be thou art apt to judge hardly of such and such because they are holier and preciser then thy self O but if thou wert zealous thou wouldest rejoyce for to see it Hast thou a better gift then another thou art bound to help him hath he a better gift then thou he is bound to be helpfull to thee It is a good saying of Austin Tolle invidiam tuum est quod habeo tollam invidiam meum est quod habes Take away envy and look wherein I excell thee is thine I will take away envy and then look wherein thou excellest me is mine If thou be zealous thou wilt rejoyce howsoever Be he a childe thou wilt rejoyce that he is better gifted then thy self nay for that may a carnal heart do and be proud he may rejoyce that his childe is better-memoried better-witted better-gifted then himself O thinks he this is my childe this is my sonne this is my daughter never a father or mother hereabouts can say they have such a childe This is nothing but pride But be it a servant yea be it a stranger be it one whom thou countest thine enemy thou wilt rejoyce in his gifts so God may be glorified no matter though I be disgraced yea I count it my honour that my shame in the world may be the stirrup for Gods honour to get up thus thou wilt reason if thou hast a spirit of true zeal It is greatly to be bewailed how many symptomes of Atheism are amongst us in this regard For men are so far from rejoycing in the forwardnesse of others that they grumble and they thunder at nothing so much as that any should be forward and zealous for God they had rather have an hundred boon-companions then one zealous man rather be acquainted with twenty that are carnal then one that is holy in his wayes I thank God sayes one we have never a Puritan in our Parish I am glad we can say we have none of these singular fellows in our town sayes another I speak not of such as the Law doth count Puritans enemies to the State and the Church it is a blessing indeed there be none such but of the godly that are called Puritans by the impure tongues of the wicked the State hath no better friends under heaven the Kingdom no better Subjects in the world then are they for these are they that pray away Gods judgements from the Land that are earnest with the Lord in prayer for the King and Councell and the Church while the men of the world by their drunkennesse and whoredomes and coveteousnes and security and contempt of Gods Word are pulling down vengeance on the Nation and provoke God for to plague us But these are they that most people have little joy in O my brethren where we have ten or twenty such Puritans in our Parish I would to God we had an hundred I tell you the day will come that the worst drunkard in the Town would give a world if he had it he were such a Puritan In this sense the very Heathen man sayes that every good man is a Puritan Integer vitae scelerisque purus An entire man of life and a pure man pure from the sins that others do live in Had ye any zeal towards God ye would be glad that all the Countrey were such Puritans The sixth sign of zeal towards God is zeal to Gods Church and his people Paul before his conversion you may know his zeal was not right because his zeal was against the Church Concerning zeal sayes he I persecuted the Church Phil. 3. 6. His zeal was against the Church and therefore not right but after his conversion he had a zealous care of all the Church his zeal was then to the Church If the Church were not well O how it troubled him If the Church were well O how it comforted him If the Church were any where persecuted or infected with errour and doctrine of devils then he was frequent in prayer for it often would he labour and sigh and mourn for it and be writing for the good of it Now the Saints and the people of God these are the Church Unto the Churches of Galatia Gal. 1. 2. that is unto Gods people in Galatia To feed the Church of God Act. 20. 28. that is the people of God Greet the Church that is in their house Rom. 16. 5. that is the Saints that are in their house In all Churches of the Saints 1 Cor. 14. 33. these are the Church of God Now if thou be zealous for God thou wilt be zealous for Gods Church Examine thy self Dost thou mourn for the troubles and disquietments of Gods Church that the Church is so afflicted in all parts of the world Does it prick thee to the soul Dost thou go to God and put him in remembrance Remember the Children of Edom O Lord how they said down with it down with it even to the ground remember Lord the Tobiahs and Sanballats of these times remember Lord how they cry down with thy people down with them root them out c. This is an infallible sign to try thy heart by If thou be zealous for God thou wilt zealously affect the Church of God Nehemiah cannot smother his grief but it would shew it self in his face even at the Kings elbow when Ierusalem lay waste Vriah cannot finde in his heart to eat and drink freely or take the pleasure of his own house as long as the Ark of God and Israel and Iudah abode in tents Thou must needs be affected with the Church if thou beest zealous for God If thou beest zealous for God thou must needs love there where God loves God loves the very gates of Sion he loves his Church better then he loves all the world besides And so wilt thou if thou beest zealous for him The Church is the whole company of his Saints upon earth One Saint is dearer then a million of other men It is a good saying of Syracides 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eccl. 16.
look to that pillar Thus it is with thee Thou shalt have little else besides prayer thou must get it out of thy fingers ends Now we that are Gods Ministers study all the week long to quicken you here when ye come to Gods House while ye are thinking of other matters but if God should once take away us from you all the work lies upon your backs and ye have little else besides Prayer and Gods Word for to help you O therefore be not slothfull in this businesse get a sure hold in Christ that ye may be able to hold in the evil day No matter though the world do deride you for if ye have true zeal sayes Chrysostome ye will fear praise or disprase no more then if you were all alone in the world and no man besides you If no perswasions can prevail with thee to the trading for this zeal that I speak of hear what the Lord Jesus doth peremptorily threaten It shall come to passe that I will spue thee out of my mouth The XIII Sermon Col. 3. 2. Set your affections on things that are above c. HItherto I have shewn how the affections must be set upon God and especially the zeal of them I have shewn the wofull estate of that soul that doth not set its affections this way together with sundry uses of the point Now let me perswade you with motives to this duty namely to set your affections on God The Apostle in this place useth five strong perswasions hereto as the words may also be construed First by a strong obtestation as a mother perswades her childe as ever thou art my childe do this for me If ye then be risen with Christ seek those things that are above If ye be risen with Christ set your affection on things above 〈◊〉 as ever ye be risen with Christ do it as he beseeches the Philipians If there be therefore any consolation in Christ if any comfort of love if any fellowship of the Spirit if any bowels and mercies fulfill ye my joy Phil. 2. 1 2. q. d. as ever ye acknowledge any comfort in Christ as ever ye beleeve any communion of the holy Ghost any mercies and bowels in God fulfill this exhortation this is a strong perswasion indeed for if this cannot prevail with you ye deny all the comforts of Christ ye deny all communion of the Spirit ye deny all the mercies of God and therefore it is strong as a mother counts it a strong entreaty to her childe as ever thou art my childe as ever thou takest me to be thy mother obey me in this for if her childe will not yeeld he must needs deny the womb that bare him and the paps that gave him suck Wilt thou deny the Lord Jesus wilt thou deny his resurrection and all interest in it if thou wilt not deny it set thine affections on God as ever thou art risen with Christ be sure for to do it Wilt thou set thine affections upon the things of this world when Christ entreats thee as ever thou art his to set thine affections on him Secondly The Apostle here perswades by a strong argumentation for ye are dead sayes he vers 3. Set your affections on things above not on things on the earth for ye are dead ye are dead to the things of this life will ye set your affections to those things ye are dead to ye are dead to the things of this life if ye be Christs and therefore set not your affections on them mortui non mordent as we say dead men bite not one another with slanders and reproaches did ye ever see a dead man go up and down drinking and bowzing whoring and gaming and carking and caring I 'le assoon beleeve that a dead man can do this as a true Christian I confesse that corruption may carry a good Christian into sin but he is dead to these courses he cannot set his affections hereon he is dead and will ye set your affections on the things of this world now ye are dead Bring a childe of God to your drinkings and your whiffings his affections are dead he hath no heart to them bring him to your sportings and your vain merriments and your fooleries you shall see him so dead to them that ye shall have no delight in his company S. Paul makes this an argument ab absurdo How shall we that are dead to sinne live any longer therein Rom. 6. 2. How is this possible I shall as soon beleeve it as that a dead man should walk along your streets in a winding-sheet What know you not this sayes he what a Christian and yet his affections on such courses as these this is impossible how shall ye So that this is another strong perswasion because ye are dead therefore set not your affections below Thirdly The Apostle here perswades by a strong reason Christ is your life ver 4. Life is sweet it is true and a mans affections are strong to his life vestes ac omnia vendes thou wilt part with cloaths and part with moneys and part with lands and part with all for thy life thine affections are strong set to life Now Christ is thy life or else thou art but a damned wretch if thou beest a true Christian Christ is thy life and wilt not thou set thine affections on thy life his Commandments are thy life his Word is thy life his ordinances are thy life his promises his favours his bloud are thy life and wilt thou not set thine affections on thy life If thou beest a true Christian thou wilt pray for life and repent for life and sanctifie the Sabbath for life and put up an injury and be obedient to God for life all thine affections conspire together for life thou lovest thy life and thou desirest thy life and thou rejoycest in thy life and thou fearest that which is hurtfull to life and hatest that which is contrary to life all thine affections will be to thy life and therefore set thine affections on Christ for he is thy life Fourthly The Apostle here perswades by a strong deduction When Christ shall appear then ye also shall appear with him in glory ver 4. this is an excellent motive to set thine affections on God because he will bring thee to glory every man affects glory Now all the glory of this world is a blaze as our Proverb is a good Proverb it is it is but a blaze and not worthy thine affections none but base hearts will affect this thou art the childe of wrath and damnation from the cradle to the coffin thou art going to hell and confusion if thou beest not a new creature in Christ and wilt thou affect to be a Gentleman affect to be a Knight or a Lord wilt thou affect to get credit and honour and repute among men to be praised by mens mouths this is even as if a thief should affect credit as he is going to
hankring Who would be thus troubled with his affections he cannot go by an Alehouse but his affections water to go in he cannot see a pair of Tables but his affections hanker after a game he cannot meet with an injury but his affections itch to revenge he cannot speak well nor do any thing which is commendable but his affections must be swelling with pride Who I say would be thus troubled with his affections Though God had forbid Lots wife to look back upon pain of his heavy displeasure neverthelesse her affections did so hanker after her house and her countrey and her ancient acquaintance that she looked behinde her Gen. 19. 26. Her carnall affections did so haunt her every step she took that they never lind till that she lookt back They are greedy dogs they look to their own way Isa 56. 11. Thine affections if they be not set right they are like greedy dogs in the Kitchin that are ever looking to the platters be the Mistresse eye never so little off they are licking instantly So thine affections are ever hankering after that which thou affectest and therefore thou art best to set thine affections on God for look where they are set there they will be hankering If ever thy heart be turned to God and thine affections converted to him they will ever be hankring and looking after God At that day shall a man look to his maker and his eyes shall have respect to the holy one of Israel Isa 17. 7. At that day that is when God shall convert them then their hearts shall ever be hankring and looking after God O then set thine affections on God if thou desirest thy heart should hanker after God Thou art yet no better then a wretch till thus it be with thee If thine affections be ever hankering after thy pleasures and thy copesmates and thy vanities thou art never well but when thou art at them The Sermon is quickly tedious and prayer tedious and godly discourses are tedious unto thee why because thy minde hankers about othergates matters as long as it is thus thou canst not be saved Look unto me sayes Christ and be ye saved all the ends of the earth Isa 45. 22. Ye can never be saved unlesse ye hanker and look after me sayes the Lord as the Heliotrope or the turn-sol that ever looks towards the Sun so a gracious heart does after the Lord. God counts it an honour unto him that the soul should be ever a hankering and ever a looking after him Aestimari nos put amus toties quoties aspici sayes Seneca it is a true saying we think we are esteemed when men do look after us So God counts it an honour to his Majesty when our souls do hanker and look after him It is true the things of this life may chance to draw away our mindes now and then and make us look after them but if we have any grace so much as a grain of mustard-seed our souls will ever be hankering and looking after God So it was with Ionas though his corruptions had made him to look off from God neverthelesse he could not abide to be in that case his heart is again looking and hankering after God oh for the light of his countenance oh for his grace and his Spirit oh for power and strength yet to be resolute for God Yet will I look again towards thy holy Temple Ionah 2. 4. Let God afflict me I cannot but look to him let God fling me into the Whales belly I cannot but hanker after him let him cast me into the belly of hell yet will I look again sayes he his affections were set upon God and therefore did his heart ever hanker and look after God This is a sweet motive to perswade us if we would once set our affections on God our souls would ever hanker and look after God The fourth motive is taken from the spurrings of the affections they spur a man to that he affects they are animi calcaria as Melancthon does call them they are as it were the spurs of the soul What is the reason that men go on in any businesse like lazie jaded Asses sayes Vives because they have no affection to it What is the reason they go so sluggishly on to good duties they sit so senselesly still in seats at a Sermon they kneel so lumpishly and dead-heartedly in prayer to God because they have no spurs in their sides they have no affection to these things Now if we would set our affections on God we would feel in our bosomes a certain spur that spurs us to every good word and work a gracious heart is said to stir up it self Exod. 36. 2. God counts those prayers no prayers that are not full of these spurrings and stirrings there is none that calleth upon thy name that stirreth up himself to take hold on thee Isa 64. 7. Dost thou call upon God and hast thou no spurrings nor stirrings in the duty dost thou not spur up thy self to pray with good life the Lord sayes thou dost not call upon his name at all As ever thou desirest to be stirred up and spurred on to good exercises set thine affections on God they are the spurs of the soul the soul goes cheerfully on when it goes with affection The fifth motive is taken from the heartinesse of the affections and therefore the heart is many times and often in Scripture put for the affections My heart sayes Deborah is towards the Governours of Israel Iud. 5 9 that is mine affection is towards them O ye Corinthians our mouth is open unto you our heart is enlarged 2 Cor. 6. 11. that is our affections are enlarged Look whatever thou affectest thy heart is set upon it this motive is strong to perswade for if the affections be in a manner the very heart of the soul this may well move us to set our affections upon God wilt thou settle thy heart any where else but only upon God O how hainously does the Lord take it at thy hands that thou hast no more heart unto him He gives thee his Word and thou hast no heart to it he gives thee his Sabbath and thou hast no heart to it he gives thee his Sacrament and his Ordinances and his Sanctuary and his Commandments and thou hast no heart to them O the Lord is so angry with thy soul that he cals thee a fool and a sot and he repents that ever he hath vouchsafed these things to such wretches as thou art Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a fool to get wisedom seeing he hath no heart to it Prov. 17. 16. Wherefore sayes God and to what end is a price put into your hand to get wisedom Ye might have gotten wisedom a long time or ere now how to be new creatures and in Christ how to get grace and peace and mercy with God ye have had abundance of prices put into your hands a price
ephippia Bos piger optat arare caballus the lazie Oxe that is toyling at the Plough he is weary with it he could wish he were used like a Horse to the saddle that would be lesse wearisome he thinks then the Plough the Horse that is toyled with its riding O he is weary with it he could wish he were used to the yoke that would be a far easier life Thus mens waies do weary and cloy their affections the proud Minion is wearied and cloyed with such an odde fashion O she must have another the gamester is wearied with such a kinde of sport he must have another the delicate palate is cloyed with such tasted meats it must have others Certainly thine affections are wrong set when they are apt to be cloyed on this manner O therefore set thine affections on God there thou shalt never be cloyed I know a man may set his affections to Godward and be weary but then they are not right set when he is weary They served God amisse when they said behold what a wearinesse is it Mal. 1. 13. If they had gone a right way to work they had never been weary nor cloyed with serving of God But ye brethren be not weary with well-doing 2 Thes 3. 13. that is set your affections aright upon and so be never weary with it the affections will never be cloyed when they are truly set upon God the flesh will be weary but the spirit cannot be weary God gives the soul full absolute content the soul is at rest when it is set upon God As the stone is never cloyed with lying on the ground because there is its rest so God is the rest of the soul The greatest glutton in the world will come at last to say I have eaten too much the greatest drunkard I have drunken too much the greatest spend-thrift I have spent away too much his affections are cloyed but set thine affections upon God thou canst never come to too much never be godly too much never be heavenly too much never be in Gods favour too much never in Christ too much thy spirit can never be cloyed too much of one thing is good for nothing say people it is not needfull to be too much pure and too much precise lesse would serve the turn whosoever thou art that canst say or think so it is sure thou never knewest the meaning of grace O say they does not Solomon say a man may be too much iust Be not righteous overmuch neither make thy self overwise for why shouldest thou destroy thy self Ecc. 7. 16. Is it not enough to be weary of goodnesse but ye must misconstrue and blaspheme the Word of God too This is the meaning of Solomon Solomon never said so himself but he brings in thy filthy blasphemous mouth thus saying Tush be not thou righteous overmuch why shouldst thou destroy thy self why shouldst thou be so precise to be called a Puritan to be hated and reviled to destroy thine own credit and thy pleasure and thy liberty Indeed as it follows we would not have thee overmuch wicked c. ver 17. A little pleasure will do well a little vanity a little liberty a little revenge a little gainesse of apparrell a little mirth at the pot will doe well but be not wicked overmuch I say these are thy hellish speeches and none of Solomons Solomon does but bring thee in speaking as the Prophet Isay does such as thou Let us eat and drink for to morrow we shall die O beloved if ye would set your affections on God your affections could never be cloyed The fourth motive is taken from the preciousnesse of the affections the affections are the precious motions of the heart the heart counts that precious which most it affects Now what a shame is this to set thine affections then upon the things of this life thou hast a base heart to do so Hast thou a Kingdom to set thine affections upon Hast thou a God and a Christ and a Crown for ever and ever all glory and honour to set thine affections upon and wilt thou set thine affections upon drosse and dung and such base things as these dost thou not know that all thy vanities and thy pleasures are base in comparison of Christ all thy silks and thy sattins all thy gentility and thy pomp in the world are vile in comparison of grace and of glory Dost thou not know how God scorns all these things in comparison of the excellency of his grace and favour thou hast a very base and a vile heart if thou wilt set thine affections upon these things So every wicked man is called a vile person Psal 15. 4. The vile person will speak villany Isa 32. 6. Great Nineveh the Prophet cals it vile Nah. 1. 14. The vilest men are exalted Psa 12. 8. If we should see a Lords son keep company with them that are meaner then is fitting will ye not say he is base If we should see how Sadernapalus a King would sit spinning and wheeling with the Maids and Domitian the Emperour sit catching of flies and hanging them up would ye not say they are base they do things unworthy themselves themselves should be Noble and Honourable and Royall and yet should so vilifie and debase their own selves on this fashion What a Christian be gaming and hoyting that might have joys unspeakable and glorious a Christian going to Alehouses or oother base places that might go into the Courts of the Almighty a Christian complain of the frown of a man whose breath is in his nostrils that might have the favour of Heaven a Christian angry at a trifle a Christian not able to endure the losse of a little earthly silver that might have all the riches of glory what a base man is he what basenesse is this in thee Ah thou thinkest basely of God and basely of Christ and basely of grace and basely of the Kingdom of Heaven that settest thine affections more on the dirty and beggerly things of this life then on him The Proverb of a fool is He is penny-wise and pound-foolish So thou art penny-wise and pound-foolish wise for the things of this world and foolish to the things of God The best things of the earth compare them to grace are no better then a penny to a pound what a strange thing is this that we should be thus basely foolish not affect a Sermon more then a Play not affect the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ more then an earthly bargain There is a homely saying but it is a most true one A Fool will not give his bawble for the Tower of London his affections are more on his Hat and his Feather then on any thing else 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He is very serious about ridiculous things Fie for shame brethren let us not be so prophanely conceited of grace so basely minded as to set our affections here below when we are called to set them on God
Reason Because it is an infallible argument of our being or not being in Christ 1 Reason Because it is a matter of reasonable equity Yea of necessity 1. Because God is the principal object of our affections 2. Nothing but God hath that which the affections look for Because nothing is good but God Chrysoft 3. Because nothing is my good but only God 1. The good of the creature not thy good because but the good of the body 2. Because not so long as thou art 3. Because they will not take thy part Iuv. Sat. 13. 4. Nothing can rest the soul but only God 1. Because nothing but God is all good 2. Nothing but God is the ultimate good 3. Nothing is it self without God Vse It is a blessing of God that we have affections Apud Cic Tuscul 4. The affections are not in themselvs sinful 1. Because Adam and Eve had affections in innocency 2. Because Christ took our affections upon him 3. Because God doth command the use of the affections 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vol. Arâ—â—â— Eth. l. 2. c. 6. Reasons why affections are necessary 1. Because without affections we should be like stocks 2. Because without affections we should be lazie and idle l de virtute morum in fine Plutarch ubi supra 3. Because affections are the channels of grace Iust Mar. Apol. 8. pro Christ ad Antâ—â— The first impediment that hinders the setting the affections on God because it is an hard thing to turn an antipathy or sympathy 2. The 2. impediment Because affections are the bewitchings of the heart Plutarch sympos l. 5 c. 7. Heliodor lib. 3. Hist 2. Del-Rio Disq mag lib. 2. c 3. 3. The 3. impediment Because affections are the estimations of the heart Chrys hom 7. in Iob. 4. The affections are the most natural temperaments of the heart 1. Ground We cannot set our affections on God unlesse we have a new heart Estsimill tudo Angeli Poliâ—iaâ—â— de irâ sed paulo secus applisat 2. Ground Nor unlesse we feed on Christ Means to set our affections on God 1. Pray to God to gether up your affections from the things of the world Hierom in Marcum 2. Light up 2 Candle in thy heart Suetonius 3. Occasion thine affections this way Oâ—casiones faciunt latrones Horat. 4. Let thine affections be often wooed to God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 5. To be sober and temperate in all things A man may be drunk with any passion Hier. Com. in Ezek. cap. 34. 6. To clip the wings of our affections by abstaining from much of our lawful liberty Vid banc regulam apud Greg l. 5. moral hom 3. super Evang. Pet. Mart. Chrysost in 1 Cor. 6. 1. 7. To be abundant in the exercise of godliness 8. Dive down to the bottom of thine affections Means to get up the bottom of the affections 1. Be humbled after thy turning unto God 2. Keep no close lust unmortified Vid. v. 21 22. 3. Consider God will shame thee one day if the bottom be not sound Regula moralis It concerns us to use all these means 1. Because the affections are the bonds of the soul Chrysost 2. Because earthly affections are the fore-stallers of the heart Ministers must labour to stir up the affections of their hearers L. 1. de invent c. 1. Keck Ecc. Rhet. l. 1. c. 3. Reasons 1. Because the Word is full of affections 3. The word looks to be obeyed with affections 3. Men are very dull in affections to embrace the Word A Minister must not stir up affections by the enticing words of mans wisdome 1. A Minister must stirre up affections by preaching to the life A saying of K. Iames 2. By being full of affections himself Summa movendorum affectuum in eo est ut prius ipse sis molus Quin Hor. de art Poet Com. in 1 Cor. 2. 4 Cal. Multâ— sunt clamosi reprehensores qui in vitia deciamitando vel potius fulminando mirum zeli arâ—orem prae se ferunt interea ipsi securi ut videantur per lusum latera guttera â—xercere vesle at Christiani â—astorus est flere secum priusquam alios ad fletum provocet plus apud se retinere doioris quam aliis faciat Dabis voci tuae vo cem virtutis si quod suades prius ipse tibi persuasisse cognoscaris Bern. Simonides apud Arist Epiced Haymo Jer. 9. 1. 3. A Minister may stirre up the affections of others by being godly himself L. 1. Rhet. cap. 2. Quis tulerit Graâ—chos c. Iuvenal L. 1. Sent. Spiritual Tetrast 4. Tit. 2. 7. Gregory 4. A Minister may stirre up affections by his voice Plutarch in Demost 5. By a decent action It is a great sin to set our affections on the earth Four Arguments to convince this truth 1. If a man sets his affections on the earth he sets all his affections on it Gal. 3. 1. 2. Affections hâ—mper and intangle the soul He was in love with his Noverca L. de ludo parvae sphaerae 3. The affections are in a high degree in regard 〈◊〉 the acts of the soul 1. As the affections are so are the thoughts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Macâ—r hom 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Macar hom 16. Thinking is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pla. Sophist 2. If thy affections be carnal so are thy lusts They are like stirpiâ— fibrae as Chrysostom compares them like the strings at the roots of the Tree Apud Damascen â— par c. 7. Gregory 3. If thine affections be carnal so are thy purposes Car. in Pro. 15. 22. 4. If thy affections be carnal so are thy devices Qui praeter usâ—â—ata mala alia excogitant â—asil Theodoret alij in loc The extremity of the affections is zeal and it is due only to God Zelus quid 5. Things in zeal 1. A high measure of affections 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clavasius saith it 's fervor Divinae charitatis 2. Zeal a high measure of all the affections In prol sâ—n dub 3. 3. With all the might of the soul 4. The putting forth of all the affections 5. Upon a thing that the heart doth absolutely affect Zeal is due only to God 1. Because it is the religious part of the affections 2. Because zeal is the most of every affection 3. Zeal is the peculiar pitch of every affection 4. Zeal is the most spending part of the affections 5. Zeal is the impatient part of the affections Vse 1. God demands the zeal of our affections 2. We are bound to give God 〈◊〉 affections Jer 48. 10. 3. On pain of damnation 1. In Cant. Serm. 49. August Saâ—it unus quisque quod didiclt Proverb 1. Zeal is the firâ—â— of the soul Chrysost 2. Zeal is the running of the soul Tiberius Nero. 3. Zeal is the predominant element in the soul 4. Zeal is the self-cruelty of the soul 5. Zeal is the brand of the soul Ambros Act. 1. 23. 6. Zeal is the transporting of the soul out of it self 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—ayes Aristotle servants have no leisure 7. Zeal is the strength of the soul 8. Zeal is the confidence of the soul Sperant omnes quae cupiunt nimis sayes Lucian Rev. 21. 8. Signs whether the zeal of thine â—ffections be set on God 1. Sign If thine affections be notable to God-ward 2. If thou beest impatient of sinne 1. Zeal cannot abide any sinne 2. In any person 1. In friend 2. In childe 3. In wife or husband 4. In a rich man 5. In ones self 3. It cannot be quiet without assurance of Gods favour 4. Glaadness to further and be furthered in the waies of God 5. Rejoycing to see the â—orwardnesse of others Camment in Iob. 6. Zeal to Gods Church and people The 7 sign shewing most zeal when the Lord threatneth to be going away Ferrum quando calet cudere quisque valet Means to make us zealous 1. Frequent Meditation Hier. Ep. ad Deme triadem 2. A constant practise of godliness Philos Seneca Psal 119. Ver. 154. Ver. 156. Ver. 149. Ver. 159. Ver. 88. Ver. 107. 4. Shunning the occasions of sin Gen. 14 23 Nemo diu tuâ—us periculo proximus Terent. 5. Means to eschew the beginnings of sinne VigilanduÌ„ est maximè tentationis initio Greg. Exhortation to be zealous 1. Else you can never be revenged on your worst enemies Iuvenal Sat. 13. 2. Zeal enables us to doe good unto others Theodoret in locum 3. Peoples zeal encourageth Ministers Mic. 7. 1. Ambros Chrysost 4. Zeal makes a man excell Proverb 5. Zeal makes men like Angels Gregor Ambros 6. We have greatneed of zeal In the context are these motives to set our affections on God 1. Because else we deny our interest in Christs resurrection 2. Because we are dead to the things of this world 3. Because Christ is our life Vt vitam redimas Horat. 4. Because Christ will bring us to glory 5. If our affâ—ctions be not let on Christ they are out of order Other motives to set our affections on God 1. Because it is easie to prosecute that we affect L. 4. c. 12. de doctr Christ 1. A man is not ashamed of what he affects Agesilaus Philopaem 3. What the â—ffections be upon they will hanker after that Seneca de tranq 4. Our affections spur uâ—on to what we affect Melan. in Ethic. Lud Viv. l 3 de animâ 5. 6. Affections are the softnesse of the heâ—rt Phi. Iud. l. de sacrif Ab. Cain Quint. Other motives to move the affections 1. From the everlastingnesse of the affections Stilpon Plat. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sen in Epist 2. From the infinâ—tâ—nesse of the affections Ca. 7. l. 10 Ethn. ad Nicon Horat. Boeth Luk. 2. 28. 3. From the cloyedness of the affections Hor. Ep. 14 In omnibus rebuâ— magis offendâ—â—nimium quam parum Cic. 4. From the preciousnesse of the affections 5. From the instability of the affections 6. From the jealousie of the affections 7. From the tyranny 〈…〉 affection◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vid. Ezek. 14. 3 4 5. c.