The Mystery of Self-Deceiving, Chapter 23
CHAP. XXIII.
Of the deceit of our affections in generall.
HEtherto▪ we hauehave spoken of that deceitfulnesse of heart, which is ioyntly in the mind, and affections: Deceit of affections alone.it remaineth now, that we speake of that deceitfulnesse of the affections, by themselues. Where first, wee will speake of their deceit in generall, and then secondly in speciall of the deceit of some speciall affections.
The deceit of the affections in generall, shewes it Generall, in theirselfe in two things.
1. In that they are of so variable & mutable a disposition 1. Variablenesthat the face of the heuens is not so diuers, nor the sea or wether so inconstant, nor the Chameleon so changeable, as they. Nothing is there so vnstaied, nothing so vncertaine; not only changed this day from yesterday; but this houre, yea this moment from the former. Hence that of Salomon, No man knoweth louelove or hatred, that is, as Iunius expounds Eccl. 9. 1. interpreted.it, the thing either he loues, or hates, by reason of this sicklenesse of our, so easily alterable, affections. Who wold hauehave thought, that Ammons so hot affections to his sister, could euer hauehave beene cooled. Yet, for all that, presently after his lust was satisfied, his hatred of her exceeded his former louelove. Who would hauehave thought that the Iewes, that cryed Hosanna to Christ, would after hauehave cried so soon, crucifie, crucifie? Who would hauehave thought the Aegyptians so desirous of the Israelites departure, that they euen woed them to be gonne, by giuing them their pretious iewels, should yet, within so few houres, on the suddaine runne after them, to recouer them againe into their handes, as before. So for ioy, and sorrow we may see the like varieties, and changes. Ionas, that to day is the only merry man, while the gourd flourisheth, to morrowe, when it perisheth, none so pensiue, or perplexed as he.
This deceit of our affections is most dangerous in the matters of religion; when we begin to wax cold, hauing been once zealous, and to eate vp that zeale of gods house, which was wont to eate vp vsus. Thus was it with Ephesus, charged by Christ with Reuel. 2. 4.the losse of her first louelove; and with the Galathians, that at the first were so feruent in their affections, that they could hauehave found in their hearts to hauehave plucked out their eyes for him; yet afterward were Gal. 4. 15.more ready to plucke out his eyes. Thus also fared it with the Iewes, who at the first followed, and flocked after the Baptist, and reioyced in his light, but yet for a season only. Iohn quickly grew stale to them, and, as our Sauiour insinuates, no more accounted Iohn. 5. 35.of then a reede shaken with the winde. And Math. 11. 7.would to God the case were not alike with too many in these our dayes.
The second thing wherein our affections shew 2. Corrupting of the iudgement.themselues deceitfull, is in the blinding, and corrupting of our iudgement. These are our Eues, that do deceiue vsus. Adam, saith the Apostle, was 1. Tim. 2. 14.not deceiued, that is, so much by his judgement, (though also by that too) as by his affections to his wife, which at length blinded his judgement. True it is, our judgements should gouerne our affections, as Adam should hauehave donne Eue, yet thus it falleth out, that affection ouerrules, and ouer-persuades judgement. We see how our affections to our children, kinred, and speciall friends, do oftens dazle our eyes, that we maintaine errour, & wrong. As Barnabas may seeme to hauehave donne against Paul in his so stiffe standing out against him in the case of Marke, who was his kinsman, as appeares Coloss. 4. 10. How often hauehave errours been entertained, because of our affections to those that bring, and broach them? Hence that fetch of heretiques, obserued by Tertullian, first to perswade, then to teach, Prius suader… quam docere.first to worke vponupon mens affections, and to gaine some interest in their hearts, then afterward to labour the vnderstanding thus prepared, to woe the mistresse by the maide. Whereas the truth, contrarily, Veritas docendo suadet, non suadendo docet.doth perswade by teaching, not teach by persuading. Contrarily many wholesome trueths hauehave beene distasted, only by reason of the preiudice, which our naughty affections hauehave conceiued against the teachers; As in the example of Ahab, refusing Micaiahs prophesie. Againe, whats the reason, that so many wise, and learned men in the Church of Rome hauehave been, and still are so grosly seduced with such foppish, and senselesse errours? Euen this, their owne affection to gaine, and glory, and those other alluring giftes, which that strumpet hath in her hand, which they cannot receiue, vnlesse they first take her poysoned cup, and drinke thereof. Reward blindeth the eies of the wise; that is Deut. 16. 19.our corrupt affection towards reward. When once the affection is set vponupon gaine, then presently gaine is godlinesse, and if a thing be gainfull, then though neuer so vile, it shall be coloured ouer as good, and lawfull. Our affections, when they would hauehave a thing, sharpen our wittes, and set them on worke, to deuise argumentes to serue their turne. But suspect we alwaies our iudgements (though they may seeme neuer so well fortified with reasons) in those cases wherein our affections are interessed. Surely our affections wil plead mightily, and deale craftily, raising vp fogges, and mistes before our eyes, and setting false colours vponupon things to deceiue vsus. Looke how in a greene glasse all thinges seeme greene, and as to an aguish tast all thinges bitter; so when the judgement is distempered by affection, all things shalbe judged of according to the pleasure of affection. Therefore Peter wel saies. Of these corrupt lustes, that they fight against the soule, yea euen the principall part thereof, the vnderstanding, 1. Pet. 2. 11.by making it seruilely to frame it judgement to their desire. We ordinarily see the deceit of our affections in naturall thinges▪ Fathers thinke their owne children the wisest, and the fayrest. So louers their loues. The ape thinketh his owne brats though ougly, and mishapen, to bee faire, and beautifull. Assuredly these affections of ours are no lesse deceitfull in things spirituall. The vilest deformities, if once they bee affections darlings, shalbe accounted comely ornaments. Let others say what they will. The affections hauehave taken captiue the vnderstanding, and Delilah hath lulled Samson a sleepe. The bellie hath no eares, nor yet noe eyes. So much for the deceit of affections in generall.