A Childs Patrimony, Part 2 · Chapter 4 · Section 6
§ 6. Affections.
So much to the maſter paſſion, and the ſubduing thereof; and to order the tongue too, that diſordered member. Affections are the next, which may be called paſſions alſo, when they come like ſudden guſts, for then they are the ſtormes of the ſoul, and will overturn all if they be not ſuppreſſed, and the heart ſteer'd aright, by the interpoſing of judgement and right reaſon. Our Affections ſet at libertie, are like aMultos dominos habet qui unum non habet. childe ſet looſe, and left to himſelf, which will cauſe our ſhame and our ſorrow both. To inſtance; our affection of feare, not ordered and pointed right, will make us like a Roe before the hunter, or like a leafe ſhaken with the winde: The Apoſtle ſpeaks much in one word; where feare is, there is torment, &c. a1 John 4. 18.It ſlayeth without a ſword; Thy bEſay 22. 2. reade Edmunds upon C…ſars Comment. p. 17. & p. 38. 39.ſlain men are not ſlain with the ſword, nor dead in battell; How then were they ſlain? (for it is not proper to ſay, ſlain with famine) with cExanimantur metu. Tr…m. A man that had his eyes covered to receive his death, and uncovered again that he might reade his pardon, was found ſtark dead upon the ſcaffold. Char. chap. 16. p. 69.feare; that ſurpriſed them before the battell, and did the part of an executioner before the ſword came: Such an aſtoniſhing affection feare is if not fixt upon Him, whom onelyonly we ſhould feare. The like we may ſay of Love dFurori proximus …or. Tacit. Annal. lib. 11., Ioy , Sorrow; if not plac'd aright, but immoderately ſet upon the Creature, they will ſwallow us up, as a ſhip in the quickſands. In a word; The exceſſe of our affections do cauſe the greatneſſe of our afflictions.
But contrary; when our affections are well ordered, they are the winde of the ſoul, carrying it ſo, as it is neither becalmed, that it moves not when it ſhould; nor yet toſſed, that it moves diſorderly: They are the very wings of the ſoul; A prayer without them (ſo we may ſay of any other performance) is like a bird without wings; If I cared for nothing (ſaid Melancton) I ſhould pray for nothing; They are the*Fear is worſe then the thing feared, as is prooved by the communication of Cyrus and Tygranes. Xenop Cyri. paed. l. 3. p. 192. ſprings of all our ſervices to God; we are dry, cold and dead without them; They ſet the ſoule and heart on worke, and then we ſeeke the Lord. David had prepared much for the houſe of his God, and the reaſon was, which himſelf gives; Becauſe I have ſet my affection to the houſe of my God. We are as a dead Sea, without our affections, and as a raging Sea, if they exceed the bounds; And exceed they will, if they are not held in order, by His voyce, who ſaid to the Sea, Be ſtill. cJoy and ſorrow have a contrary working. but being immoderate they drink and quaſſe up the ſpirits quickly and ſometimes ſuddenly. f Oratio ſine malis, avis ſine alis g Si nihil curarem nihil oratem. h 1. Chron. 22. 29. i 1. Chron. 28. 3. p…s meus affectus meus, eò …eror quocunque …eror.They are, as it is ſaid of the body, like a curious inſtrument, quickly out of tune, and then we, as quickly, have loſt the mean, between too much and too little. They are juſt like moyſt elements, as Aire and Water, which have no bounds of their own to contain them in, but thoſe of the veſſell, that keeps them: water is ſpilt and loſt without ſomething to hold it; ſo it is with our affections, if they be not bounded by the Spirit of wiſdome and power. And if ſo, they will anſwer all Gods dealing to His children; As He enlargeth, ſo they are enlarged; as He opens, ſo they open; if evills threaten, the more feare fixeth where it ſhould, and then feareth no evill tidings hFeare hath torment when it is out of place, but if placed right upon God, it quieteth and calmeth the heart, it makes a mane feareleſſe; his heart is fixed truſting in the Lord, Pſal. 112.; The more tokens of diſpleaſure, the more ſorrow; yet ordered not without hope, not a ſorrow ſwallowing up the heart in deſpaire, but a godly ſorrow putting on to obedience. Theſe well ordered affections put the ſoul into a ſutable plyableneſſe, that they anſwer the Lord in all His calls; to joy when He calls for it; to mourn, when He calls for that.
But this ſweet harmony and temper in the affections is never, but when the Lord ſets them in tune, and keeps them ſo; when His ſpirit watcheth over ours (which ſhould be our prayer) for then, look how many affections, ſo many graces. Love is turned to a love of God; Ioy to a delight in the beſt things; feare, to a feare of offending Him more then any creature; ſorrow to a ſorrow for ſinne. And this is the main and chiefe help to bound and order our affections, even to look up to the Lord, that as He hath planted them in the ſoul, He would order them ſo there, that they may tend to Him and for Him. Other rules and conſiderations there are, which may help ſome thing to calme our affections as followeth.
1. Let this be a ſtanding rule; Nothing deſerves our ſorrow but ſinne, and the loſſe of Gods favour by ſinne. It is ſeaſonable at no time (I ſpeake of ſome exceeding that way, for man muſt not have (if it might be) an Apathie, he muſt not be without naturall affection, like a ſtock moved at nothing; no, This is the commendation of a true Chriſtian, That he hath ſtrong affections, but through God, he is mightie to command them) It is (I was ſaying) ſeaſonable at no time, but at our prayers and with our inſtructions, ſaith iforeign, Ad Coloſ. Hom. 12.Chryſoſtome. It is pitie, that ſuch a ſweet and fruitfull affection, ſhould, like water, run-out to waſte, ſhould be ſpilt upon that, which cannot profit.
2. Nothing commands our feare but God: and if we keep to Him, He will be our Sanctuary; if it be removed from Him, we ſhall feare every thing.
3. We muſt uſe this world, but as if we did not uſe it; uſe it, but enjoy God. In the one is changeableneſſe and vexation, in God is no variouſneſſe, nor ſhadow of changing. The world and things of it, are but the ciſternes of comfort; they quickly emptie and dry up; God is an ever ſpringing fountain.
4. Many things will command our love, and muſt have it, but we muſt hold it under command, and to its rule; In God, and for God: we muſt equall nothing unto Him, much leſſe account of any thing above Him. He will have no corrivall: that which we equall with Him, will prove our ſnare; that which we honour above Him, will be our ſhame and ſorrow.
5. There are ſome times, when there will be ſome fluſhes of joy, ſome exceeding that way; as it is hard in any paſſion of the minde to keep juſt meaſure: But there is never more need of watchfulneſſe then at ſuch times. It was a fit ſeaſon for the Father to be at his Sacrifice, when his Children were at the Feaſt. I have obſerved times of feaſting and merriment ſtrangely croſſed; to call back the heart, which would ſoone forget, if not looſe it ſelfe: and to teach man to feare at all times.
In ſuch caſes as theſe, ſuch thoughts as theſe may help to allay the over ſweetneſſe of our contents, as thus to think; Now I could ſing for joy (for we give no time for Calviſh mirth) others there are, who at this very time do ſigh for heavineſſe of ſpirit; and groane under heavy preſſures kHic nuptias, ibi planctum, &c. Hier. 21. 22. lib. 2. …. pag. 247.. As a member of the body, my paſſion of joy muſt be moderated with my compaſſion lRemember my bonds. Coloſ. 4. 18. Lege Chryſoſt. Calamitas illius fores pulſa… qui aliorum calamitatibus non movetur.. I will ſpeake in Hirons words, they are to this purpoſe. There is a wedding in that houſe to day, and there they are merry; with them I ſhould rejoyce: In the other houſe there is a funerall, a beloved yoke-fellow, or a deare childe is carrying forth to buriall, there are ſad hearts we are ſure, I ſhould weep with them: for this is to be like minded, to be companions with others, as members of the ſame body. I muſt think again; I know not how ſoone their caſe may be mine: Mirth and ſorrow have their turns, and I know not how ſoone, they may exchange with me. As I ſhall let my heart looſe in the one, the leſſe command I ſhall have over it in the other: As my ſenſuall contentment ſhall dilate and expand my heart; ſo will ſorrow compreſſe and ſhrink it up: If my heart be as light as a feather in the one, it may be as heavy as a ſtone in the other; it was Nabals m1 Sam. 25.caſe. Let me ever finde out ſomething even in the midſt of my mirth, Chriſtian-like to leaven it; ſo I may more likely finde ſomething in my ſorrow to ſweeten that alſo.
The maine and principall leſſon is, That we ſawce our earthly joyes with godly ſorrow; ſo ſhould all our worldly ſorrow be mixed with ſpirituall joy. We muſt not let earthly contentments take up all the roome in the heart; for then ſorrow, when it comes, will look for the like freedome, commanding there, and ſtopping up the leaſt cranny for comfort to enter in at.
So much to temper and moderate our mindes in the ſudden fluſhes of joy.
There is a more conſtant running out of our affections, in a more conſtant tenour of earthly things, which ſome at ſometimes may finde; if ſo, and our affections are enlarged beyond their bounds, ſuch like ſad and ſober thoughts as theſe may call them in, if they take place.
Is my eſtate proſperous? And do I over greedily ſeeke, or highly eſteeme, or intemperately joy in the comforts, which proſperitie affords? Let me think now, that the wicked have theſe things too, and more abundantly, and Gods deareſt children often want them. And what are they, that my heart would cloſe withall? Nothing, for nothing they avayle in the day of wrath nProv. 23. and Prov. 10. 10. Trem:; when we moſt need them, they ſtand farre from our help.
Are they pleaſures my heart would reliſh? let me conſider, they are but for a moment, but the torment of ſinne is everlaſting oBreve & menlaneum, qu…d delectat, aetemum; quod cruciat.. Have I contentments on every ſide? peace round about? all things as my heart can wiſh? Then I muſt ſtirre up, and quicken my ſelf the more; ſtanding waters gather mud and dirt; wines not racked gather Lees. I muſt ſuſpect my way, that it is not right; for in the world ye ſhall have afflictions; we have our Maſters word for it, and that is as much as the earth and heavens have for their continuance. Can I expect two heavens? all contentments here; and pleaſures for ever more hereafter? can I expect to triumph in heaven, and yet not to performe any worthy ſervice in the Lords Battell upon earth againſt His and our enemies? Can I expect a weight pforeign. Tom. 5. Ser. 33.of glory, when I go hence, and no weight from the croſſe here? Can I think it reaſonable, that the Captain ſhould beare all the brunt, and endure all the hardneſſe, and the Common ſouldier endure nothing? Theſe conſiderations and ſuch like, may give ſome ſharp taſte to allay the luſhiouſneſſe of our contentments, that we may not over joy our comforts.