Seven Treatises, Treatise 5 · Chapter 9
CHAP. 9. Of other vnruly affections; tetchineſſe, peeuiſhneſſe, frowardneſſe, &c.
AMONG the inward lets of godlineſſe, (I meane the vnſtayed affections of the heart) though the particulars are infinite, this is not the leaſt, when it waxeth tetchie, peeuiſh and froward either againſt perſons or things being croſſed by them, that we cannot hauehave our will, yea though it be but in trifles. For ſuch is the nature of ſinne (to the end it may ſhew it ſelfe to be out of meaſure ſinfull) that we may be taken in ſuch a time with the deceiptfulneſſe of it, and found ſo naked and vnarmed, that the ſmalleſt matter may be an occaſion fit enough to make vsus trefe and fretting, as if one ſhold ſtumble at a ſtraw, wheras at another time great prouocations could not moue vsus; and all for that the deſire of the heart is not ſatisfied as it wiſheth:1. Sam. 24.7.8. & 25.13. (as Dauid could not be angry with Saul for all the iniuries with which he purſued him, and yet was caried headlong by his paſſions againſt Nabal for one diſcourteſie offered him.) Which is neuer done, but a ſenſible diſquietneſſe of mind and vnſetledneſſe of heart doth ariſe therewith, which ouerthroweth the wel-ordered courſe: ſeeing he that is led and caried of his luſts as the cart drawne by wild horſe, is made vtterly vnfit for the time, to pray or walke before God in peace, or to do any other dutie acceptable to him. And therefore who can deny but that ſuch are caught with the deceitfulneſſe of ſin, as well as he who is ouercome of anger, wrath, or any fleſhly luſt another way?
And if in this tetchineſſe, we hauehave to do and deale with men, our peruerſeneſſe, ſullein and diſguiſed ſtomacke cannot be hidden: no, although we would hide and conceale it from the ſight of men, yet ſuch is the nature of it, that it ouerwhelmeth and couereth grace from ſhewing it ſelfe or exerciſing any power in vsus, as the cloude couereth the ſight of the Sunne, and as though we had alwaies bene impotent, and had neuer enioyed any other eſtate: and it blindeth the iudgement from ſeeing the fouleneſſe of ſuch diſguiſing: and hardeneth the heart, that for a time it cannot relent for it, nor be humbled vnderunder it, vntill the burden grow ſo great to the ſoule, that it can no longer beare it; and the partie come to himſelfe, and can no longer ſuffer or abide it. It may be perceiued how this cankred corruption taking hold of a man, (not otherwiſe deſtitute of grace) ſo carieth him to be incenſed againſt ſome perſon or thing, that it can no way be ſtayed or contained. A ſhadow of this appeared too euidently in two rare ſeruants of God, Paul and Barnabas:Act. 15.39. when they diſſenting betwixt themſelues about taking Marke into their companie, were ſo ſnared, that they departed one from the other; and with no leſſe offence to others then checke to themſelues, brake off their fellowſhip for a time.
In ſuch a caſe therefore, this is to be done for the redreſſe of it: that ſeeing it is an high offence to God,Remedie. a needleſſe and fond troubling of our ſelues, and a bereauing vsus of godly wiſedome, yea and of common reaſon, (that I ſay no more) this (I ſay) is to be done: that we make diligent ſearch & inquirie, whither we be prone and diſpoſed to ſuch ſeruile and baſe maiſters, and ſo ſhake off that yoke of bondage: and if we hauehave fallen into it, and hauehave bene deceiued and diſguiſed with it, that as ſoone as we can, we do in trembling and deteſtation of our ſinne, ſeparate our ſelues from all other affaires and dealings, and fall into the conſideration of the vnſeemelineſſe and abſurditie of it with all ſpeed poſſible, till we feele & perceiue our ſtomack to fall and relent; which will be by litle and litle, if we harden not our harts, but go aſide of purpoſe, that we may faithfully debate the caſe betwixt God and our ſelues. The Lord hath promiſed, that ſuch going apart one frō another, yea (if need ſo require) euen the husband apart, and the wife apart: that ſuch ſeeking of him ſhall find him,Zac. 12.12. Mat. 7.7. and ſuch diſlike of our corruption (and namely, of ſuch impotencie for want of grace) ſhall be the next way to recouer it againe: and when we hauehave ſeene what we hauehave gained thereby, or rather how much we hauehave loſt; that (as our Sauior admoniſhed in the like caſe) we go our way and ſinne no more in that manner, leſt a worſe thing befall vsus. And this for a taſt of the corruption.
Now when we ſhall conſider, how many of theſe ſores there are to blemiſh,An other: is wearineſſe of well doing. wound and feeble the ſoule, that it may be (as it were) in the ſeuerall powers thereof made vnfit to eueryevery good worke by one or other of them; and how the diuell waiteth as a fowler, hauing ſet his net to catch vsus with one or other of his ginnes & ſnares: what conſtancie and care (thinke we) had there need to be kept in a Chriſtian mans life, to the end he may be rid of them, or that he may not lye long in them, or not fall from one to another: which is the cauſe,Phil. 2.12. 2. Pet. 1.5. why we call vponupon men, as the Apoſtle teacheth vsus, that they ſhould worke on, that is, hold faſt and maintaine the aſſurance of their ſaluation with feare and trembling, giuing all diligence to ioyne with their faith; vertue, knowledge, &c.
But if we eſcape this ſnare, are we out of daunger? Nay,An other vnruly aff…ction that much troubleth vsus: wearineſſe in going forward. he hath many more to catch vsus in. For through our ignorance or vnbeliefe, he maketh the Chriſtian life ſeeme ſo difficult and tedious to vsus, that we ſhall waxe faint and be wearie of proceeding therein, or at leaſt in ſpeciall duties thereof: who knoweth not how fickle and inconſtant we are in all good things, and how ſoone vnſetled? Inſomuch that oftentimes, euen when we hauehave renewed our couenants after ſome fall, or daungerous coldneſſe eſpyed and repented of; yet ſhall we by litle and litle, fall to our old bias againe. Now if herewith good means faile, we are ſet ſo much the more forward herein: as we reade of the people of Iſraell, euen in the ſhort abſence of Moſes from them,Exod. 24.18. & 34.28. Exod 32.1. being but fortie dayes.
I do not ſpeake of the vnfitneſſe and naturall vntowardneſſe of the mind, or vnaptneſſe of the bodie to Gods worſhip, or to the duties of our particular callings, which being ſometime in the beſt of Gods people, are by moderate and honeſt recreating of them (if they cannot otherwiſe) expelled and ſhaken off:Rom. 7.19.21. but I ſpeake of the vnwillingneſſe that the fleſh feeleth to hold on conſtantly in dutie, further then it liketh; and that is, not vtterly to caſt off the yoke of Chriſt, but to ſerue God and it ſelf too. For there is nothing more deſired of it, then when ſome duties hauehave bene perfourmed to God, that it may hauehave libertie, as it liketh, to occupie and ſet on worke both heart and hand in ſome manner to the diſpleaſing of God. For euen as the hypocrites and vnreformed perſons do neuer ſerue God heartily, but from teeth outward; and ſeeing Gods ſeruice is holy and pure, but they carnall and earthly minded, cannot at all delight therein: euen ſo Gods children being ſanctified but in part, hauehave many prouokings of them, by that wiſedome of the fleſh that remaineth in them, to be wearie of liuing godly, and are troubled with ſtrong reaſons to induce and draw them thereunto.
And this is ſo true, that euen the beſt after they hauehave renewed their couenant with the Lord to be more fruitfull and conſtant, & alſo do purpoſe the ſame with full reſolution: yet by litle and litle, they ſhall feele that feruencie of theirs weakened and cooled, and ſenſibly declining, euen as the Sunne toward his going downe. For which cauſe, the Apoſtle doth oftentimes ſtrongly fence the Chriſtians againſt it: ſaying, Be not wearie of well doing.Gal. 6.9. 1. Cor. 16.13. And againe: Stand faſt in the faith: quite you like men, be ſtrong. And thus if we curbe not in the vnruly affections and luſts, which would ſoone faſten vponupon vsus, and do not oft record our many ſweet liberties which we find in ſeruing God, (which ſhall alſo be greateſt, when we hauehave continued longeſt:) we ſhall find this too true by our owne experience, namely, what wearines groweth vponupon vsus now and then eſpecially, of holding on chearefully and dutifully in our Chriſtian courſe.
For as the diſeaſes in the nether parts of the bodie do make the heart heauie and the head to be diſtempered, and they being healed do eaſe and quicken both: euen ſo, theſe vnmortified affections of ours being out of order, do trouble the ſoule and diſquiet it; & therfore the well ordering of them, is a ſingular chearing and comforting of the ſoule and mind. Herein therefore we muſt know and be perſwaded that Gods grace ſhall be ſufficient for vsus, who by the diſgracing of them by his word,Remedies againſt theſe corruptions. will weaken them in vsus, and will make the way eaſie vntounto vsus eueryevery day more and more vntounto the godly life, and take away the difficulties which ſtand vp to hinder vsus: euen as we ſee how he encourageth vsus thereto,Mat. 11.31. ſaying: My yoke is eaſie and my burden is light. Moreouer, though the diuell cannot breake vsus off vtterly from a daily care of pleaſing God,Sathan laboureth to vnſettle and diſcourage vsus with reproches. yet he will ſo labour to vnſettle vsus with reproches, ill opinions vniuſtly conceiued of vsus, falſe reports and diſgrace with our betters, which ſhall meete with vsus in eueryevery place; that we ſhall be much diſquieted, if not vnſetled for the time, or ſtirred vp to bitterneſſe, & take counſell how we may be reuenged, with ſundrie other diſcouragements: euen vntill we enter into the ſanctuarie of the Lord, and come to due conſideration of our eſtate againe;Mat. 5.12. namely, that the Lord is not chaunged toward vsus for all that, but willeth vsus to reioyce, ſaying: If you be ill ſpoken of for my ſake and the Goſpels, reioyce and be glad; for great is your reward in heauen. But whatſoeuer may ſtand vp in our way to prouoke fainting and wearineſſe in our chriſtian courſe, we hauehave ſtrong and many perſwaſions againſt them: as, that we ſhall reape our reward without wearineſſe, Gal. 6.9: euen a crowne of righteouſneſſe, 2. Tim. 4.8. But becauſe the matter ariſeth more large then I looked for, (although I ſtudie with all breuitie to ſet downe the diuerſe kinds of vntamed affections, barely with their remedies) I will therefore ſhut vp this ſecond ſort of lets with naming the particulars onelyonly, which are not alreadie mentioned: that the reader may know, and ſo be able to diſcerne them, and ſo beware of them as of the reſt.
So he ſometime prouoketh vsus to vniuſt anger, (which is no better then a ſhort madneſſe) eſpecially when we can ſay,The laſt of this kind of ill affections here mentioned, conſisting of many. we had cauſe offered vsus: ſo eaſily doth he turne our affections againſt vsus, which God teacheth vsus to vſe to good ends and purpoſes. At ſome other time, he poiſoneth vsus with deadly conceipts and heartburnings againſt ſuch as we diſlike; alſo with looſeneſſe and lightneſſe of heart; alſo with raſhneſſe and haſtines, wherein we do nothing well; with lumpiſhnes and melancholie, and with diuerſe ſuch like: the beginnings and firſt riſinges of the which, although our owne hearts do breed, yet the ſtrength of them is of Sathan. By all which, as he ſeeth his beſt opportunitie, he ſo poſſeſſeth our hearts, that they are no more fit (in that ſort, being vnſetled) to be employed in any part of Gods ſeruice; then the running water when it is ſtirred and troubled in the bottome, is for our neceſſarie vſe. And thus it may appeare, how many of Gods deare ſeruants are holden backe by occaſions of their owne corruptions (the diuell adding ſtrength thereto) from ſhining as lights in a chriſtian courſe: and when God hath mercifully begun in them the life of godlineſſe, how they do afterwards (though it be litle to their commendation or reioycing) breake off or hinder their growing forward in the ſame, through ſome great fault of their owne; not ſubduing their rebellious hearts, as God teacheth them, neither ſtirring vp and cheriſhing the good gifts of God which were giuen them before, as they might with eaſe hauehave done, being taught and ſhewed how: eſpecially, their fault is this, that they hauehave giuen themſelues to many fond and vaine liberties, both in ſpeaking, thinking and liuing; which to be pulled from, it would ſeeme to them (when they ſhould but euen heare of it) to be as the cutting off a peece of their fleſh. I ſpeake not now of the vnreformed, for their vſuall courſe is ordinarily thus, neither are they in any order before men except they hauehave their owne mind ſatisfied.
For the remedying of theſe and ſuch like, this is no ſmall helpe, that they ſet themſelues to marke their diſpoſition and inclination better, to what ſinne they are moſt prone: and beſides, except they hauehave a wiſe care to keepe themſelues beſeeming the Goſpell, eſpecially in thoſe parts of their liues which lye open to greateſt daungers, that therein they be beſt furniſhed: and if they take a foile and ſuſtaine a checke to their conſcience, yet to ſeeke the curing and eaſe of it by due humiliation ſpeedily. But this will not much preuaile, except their owne hearts hauehave bene brought to take ſound delight in the chriſtian courſe, and waine themſelues from that which they ſhall know to be againſt it, and to be glad to be aduiſed and directed how to recouer. But of this ſecond kind of lets thus much.