Eight Sermons, Sermons · Sermon 2
AFFECTIONS Rightly Placed.
Colloſ. 3.2.
Set your Affections on things above.
IN this verſe the Apoſtle Paul doth exhort the Col…ſſians and us by them, to ſeek and ſavour ſpiritual things. The Exhortation is expreſſed and anſwered; expreſſed in the firſt verſe, ſeek thoſe things which are above; and in the ſecond, Set your affections on things above. It is enforced by divers arguments, the firſt is drawn from our Communion with Chriſt in his Reſurrection and Aſcenſion, If ye then, as I have told you in the former Chapter, be r ſen with Chriſt Seek theſe things that are above, for Chriſt ſitteth on the right hand of God. 2. Argument is drawn from our Communion with Chriſt in his death, Ye are dead and your Life is hid with God in Chriſt? Therefore ſet your affections on things above and not on the earth. 3. Argument is drawn from the danger of inordinate affection, for which things ſake, The wrath of God cometh on the children of diſobedience, verſe 6. Therefore mortifie your Members which are on the earth, Fornication, Ʋncleanneſs, Inordinate affection, verſe 5. 4. Argument is drawn from our preſent relation, ſtate, and condition, in the which ye alſo walked ſometimes when ye lived in them. But you alſo put off all theſe, &c. verſe 7, 8. So that the words of the Text are part of the Exhortation it ſelf. Set your affections on things above, foreign. By things that are above, we muſt not only underſtand Heaven, the joyes and the glories of it, but all ſpiritual and heavenly things alſo, which are to be enjoyed and obtained here, which are from above; becauſe every good and perfect gift is from above, from the father of lights; and whatever grace or ſpiritual enjoyment we have on this ſide Heaven, is the ſeed of that heavenly glory. N…w theſe heavenly things we are to mind eſpecially, foreign, mind ye, but becauſe the Apoſtle had called upon us, to ſeek theſe things in the former verſe, and there is ſomewhat more in this then in the former,Vocabulum foreign duos actus complectitur, actum mentis ſive intellectus de re aliqua cognantis: atque actum voluntatis, ſive affectus rem aliquam approbantis & amantis. Davenantius in Colloſ. 31. and the word doth not barely ſignifie to mind a thing; but to mind it with ſavour; therefore we tranſlate it thus, Set your affections on things above, according therefore to our Tranſlation of the words, the Doctrine is, That it is the Duty of all the Saints,The Doctrine. To ſet their affections on things above; they are in a ſpecial manner for to mind the ſame, and to ſavour them, and they are to have their converſation in heaven, their Treaſure is there, and therefore there is their he…rt to be, and where our heart is, there our affections will be; for affections are the iſſues of the heart, as a mans heart is, ſo he affects, and as he affects ſo his heart is. I know it is uſual with Philoſophers and Divines,Explication to place their affections in parte ſenſitiva; but if we look into them, we ſhall find that Affections in the general are theſe moving of the rational ſoul, whereby the heart is …enſibly carried out upon good or evil; ſo as to embrace the one, or refuſe the other. I ſ…y, they are,
1. The movings or motions of the reaſonable ſoul, ye ſhall obſerve therefore, that when Jeruſalem was much affected with the tidings of Chriſts birth, it is ſaid all Jeruſalem was moved? And when the Jews were affected with envy againſt Paul and the brethren, it is ſaid they were moved with envy, why? but becauſe affection is the motion or moving of the ſoul of man.
2. As it is the moving of the ſoul, ſo it is that motion of the ſoul whereby the heart is ſenſibly carried out upon what is good or evil, for every act or moving of the ſoul is not an affection, the ſoul moves towards a thing when it enquires into it, or doth will the ſame, but every act of the Underſtanding and Will is not an affection; but when the ſoul of man doth ſenſibly move, or is ſenſibly carried out unto good or evil, then it's ſaid to be affected; and therefore ſaith the Church in the Lamentations, Mine eye affecteth mine heart.
3ly. As the Soul muſt be ſenſibly carried out unto what is good or evil, ſo it muſt embrace or refuſe the ſame; for affections are of two ſorts, Concupiſcible and Iraſcible: by one we follow what is good, and by the other we do ſhun what is evil; the Lo…d hath placed ſeveral affections in the Soul; but all are the Servants and Miniſters of Love. I Love a thing, and therefore if it be abſent I deſire it, if it be preſent I rejoyce and delight in it. If any thing do oppoſe the thing that … love, then I am angry with it, or do hate the ſame. So that Love is the great wheel, and as that moves all love, ſome in a way of embracing, ſome in a way of refuſing. And ſo you now ſee what theſe affections are which we are to ſet upon things above; They are theſe motions of the Soul whereby a man is ſenſibly carried out unto good or evil, ſo as to embrace or refuſe the ſame.
Queſt. But how and in what reſpect are we to ſet our affections on things above, and not on things here below? What may we not at all affect the things of this life?
Anſw. Yes, Ye may deſire the things of this life, and deſire is an affection; and ye may grieve at the loſs of them, and grief is an affection. But,
1. Though in a good ſenſe ye may affect them, yet ye may not affect them for themſelves, in reference to Chriſt, in ſubordination to God, ye may affect them; but for themſelves ye may not affect them: for where do you find in all the Scripture, that you are commanded to love the World, and the things of the World. Husbands love your Wives, Wives your Husbands. Parents love your Children, and Children your Parents. One man may, and muſt love another. But where are you commanded to love your ſelf? Implicitely; indeed this is commanded, Thou ſhalt love thy Neighbour as thy ſelf. But where have ye an expreſs Commandment for to love your ſelf, or where do you find in all the Word, that you are adviſed to love your Money,Non dixit nolite habere ſed nolite diligere. Auguſt. your Gold, Silver, Houſe, or Land, and Eſtate? No where; Surely therefore you may not affect theſe things for themſelves.
2. Though ye may affect the things that are here below; yet in compariſon with Spiritual, and heavenly things, your affections to theſe things, is to be as no affection, but a tanquam onelyonly; as the enjoyments of this World is but a tanquam unto heavenly enjoyments; and outward afflictions is but a tanquam to afflictions of the Soul. So the affection that is laid out upon theſe things, in compariſon is to be but a tanquam. Let him that rejoyceth, be as though he rejoyced not, and him that grieveth, as though he grieved not (ſaith the Apoſtle) you may afford theſe outward things ſome relicks of your Love; and ſo much onelyonly as better things leave, for what is too cool for God, is hot enough for them. Toleramus potius praeſentia, quam diligamus: ſays Auſtin My Son (ſaith God) give me thine Heart. Thou ſhalt love the Lord thy God, with all thy ſoul, with all thy heart, with all thy might, and with all thy ſtrength. Surely therefore our affection to theſe outward things, is in compariſon to be as no affection. But our affections are to be ſet and placed on things that are above, not on things that are below, but on things above.
Queſt. But why are we thus to ſet and place our affections on things that are above?
Anſ. There are many great and important reaſons, all which are as ſo many proofs of the Doctrine.
Demonſtration, 1. If you do not ſet your affections on Chriſt, and the things of Chriſt, you are no fit match for him; you will not be found marriageable unto the Lord Chriſt; that woman is not fit to be married to a man, whoſe affections are not drawn out, and knit to him; and if your affections be not drawn out to Chriſt, and the things of Chriſt, you are no fit match for Chriſt. Now we muſt all be eſpouſed to Chriſt, and married to him, as the Church, ſo every believer is the true Spouſe of Chriſt; but the Spouſe of Chriſt ye cannot be, unleſs your affections be drawn out to him.
2ly. As you cannot be married to Chriſt unleſs your affections be ſet on him, and the things above; ſo you will never own him, unleſs your affections be ſet on him. 'Tis the duty of all the Saints, to own Chriſt, his ways, his truths, his ordinances; He that is aſhamed of me before Men, him will I be aſhamed off, before my Father which is in Heaven, ſaith Chriſt, Now look what that is which a man doth much affect, that he will own and not be aſhamed of; but if a man doth not affect a thing, he will not own it, but will be aſhamed of it; but we muſt own Chriſt here, or he will not own us hereafter. Surely therefore it is very fit and neceſſ…ry, that our affections be ſet on Chriſt, and the things above.
3ly. If your affections be not ſet upon things above, they will never be drawn off from things here beneath; 'tis the gracious affection that doth mortifie carnal affection. Sin is ever truly mortified by the contrary good; the joy of the World, by the joy of Heaven; worldly grief, by Spiritual grief; the Snow is not melted, but by the warm Beams of the Sun; and the more your hearts are warmed and drawn out with love to Chriſt, the more your love and affections to the World will be mortified. Now is it not neceſſary that our affections ſhould be drawn off from things here below. Surely therefore it is fit and neceſſary for us to ſet and place our affections upon Chriſt, and the things above.
4ly. If your affections be not ſet upon things above, ſpiritual and heavenly things, you will never preſs much after the knowledge and obtainment of them. Ye ſee how it is with a Child, if he have no affections to his book, he will never make a Schollar; and ſo if you have no affections to the things of Chriſt, you will never make a Schollar in the School of Chriſt. Great is the power of affections, as it's ſaid of Conſcience, Magna eſt vis conſcientiae in utramque partem, Great is the force of Conſcience either way, for truth or errour; ſo I may ſay of affections, Magna eſt vis affectionum in utramque partem, great is the force of affections either way, to put us on to evil or good. Look what a man hath an affection too that he preſſeth after. Now is it not our duty to preſs after the knowledge of Chriſt. Surely therefore it is very fit and requiſite that we ſhould place our affections on things above.
5ly. If your affections be not thus ſet, you will never be zealous for God: for what is zeal but angred Love; it is ſaith one, Divinae Charitatis fervor, the heat of divine Love. Surely it is the top and extremity of affection. Now is it not our duty to be zealous for Chriſt. The zeal of thine houſe, ſaith he, hath eaten me up, and ſhall the zeal of our own houſes eat us up? Zeal is commanded in oppoſition to Lukewarmneſs; Be zealous therefore, and repent, ſaith Chriſt to lukewarm Laodicea, but zealous we cannot be for God and the things of God, unleſs our affections be ſet on things that are above.
6ly. If our affections be not thus ſet on things above, you will never do any great thing for God. We read of David, that he gave 347. Millions, 382. thouſand, 50…. pound in Silver and Gold of his own cha…ges, to the building of Gods houſe; for ſo the learned do compute the matter, a mighty great and a vaſt ſum; but if you look into the 1ſt. of Chron. 29. ye ſhall ſee how this came to paſs, that he gave ſuch a gift. v 3. it's ſaid, I have ſet mine affections to the houſe of God; and becauſe I have ſet mine affections to the houſe of God, I have of mine own proper goods given, &c. And what is the reaſon that men give and do no more now for God; but becauſe their affections are not ſet on the things of God, but if God have done great things for us; and Chriſt have ſuffered great things for us, ſhall not we do ſome great things for him; this ye cannot do unleſs your affections be thus ſet. Surely therefore it is our duty to ſet our affections on things that are above.
7ly. If your affections be not thus ſet, you can never pleaſe God in any thing that you do for God: for as he requireth truth in the inward parts,Affectum non vocem audit Deus. Auguſt. ſo he requireth that we ſhould ſerve him with fervency of Spirit;Affectibus appropinquamus Deum. Toſtat. in Math. Tom. 4. fol. 97. Be fervent in Spirit, ſerving the Lord. Rom 12.11. As if no ſervice could be acceptable without the fervency of affection. Curſed is every one that hath in his flock a Male, ſaith Malachi, and offereth a Female to God. Go and offer it to thy Prince ſaith God. Do you think that I will accept your Female affections? No ſaith the Lord, if you would have acceptance with me, I muſt have the beſt, and the Maſculine affections from you. Surely therefore it is very fit and neceſſary that our affections be ſet and placed on things that are above.
8ly If your affe…tions be not ſet on things that are above, how ſhall your heart be knit, engaged, and united unto God, in oppoſition to all Apoſtacy. If you look into Scripture, you ſhall find there are three degrees of Apoſtacy. Firſt, The Judgment watches. Secondly, The Affections cool. Thirdly, The Converſation grows worſe. Accordingly men ar… ſaid to Apoſtatize. Sometimes they are ſaid to depart from the faith. 1 Tim 4.1. There is the warping of the Judgment. Some…imes they are ſaid to looſe their firſt love. Mat. 24. Iniquity ſhall abound, and the love of many ſ…all grow cold; there is the cooling of their affections. Sometimes they are ſ…id to make ſhipwrack of a good Conſcience, to forſake the aſſemblies of the Saints; there is the declining in the Converſation. But now if a mans affections be right ſet, they will keep both the Judgment and the Converſation: ye ſee t…t if a thing be intangled, it is more hard to looſen it, then otherwiſe. Now what is it that doth intangle the Soul and Heart of Man, but his affections; no man, ſaith the Apoſtle, that goeth to war, intangleth himſelf; that is, by Purchaſe or Marriage. So that 'tis affection that intangles, and the more we are affected with any thing, the more we are intangled with it; and the more our hearts are intangled with any thing, the harder it is to part, and to be looſned from it. Would you not therefore part or be looſned from Chriſt, and the things of Chriſt: then ſurely you muſt ſet your affections on him, and on things above. Thus upon all theſe conſiderations and reaſons, ye ſee it is the duty of all the Saints to ſet their affections on things that are above.
Application.
Now if it be our duty to ſet our affections on things above, and not on things here below; then what an evil thing is it to ſet our affections on things below, and not on things above. Shall the Apoſtle in the name of the Lord, command us to ſet our affections on things above, and not on things below: and ſhall we ſet our affections on things below, and not on things above. What is this, but to walk contrary unto God? And hath not he ſaid, That if we walk contrary to him, that he will walk contrary to us. Oh what an evil thing is it then, to ſet our affections on things below, and not on things above.
Object. But we do ſet our affections o… things that are above; for we do truly affect the beſt things, and therefore we do ſet our affections on things above.
An w. That is well! But are you ſure that you do ſo?
1; It is an hard and difficult thing thus to ſet our affections on things above: For he that doth truly ſet his affections on things above, hath his Sympathy and Antipathy changed; look what that is which before he had an Antipathy againſt, that he now hath a Sympathy with; and that which he had a Sympathy with, that he now hath an Antipathy againſt. Now is it not an hard thing to change our Antipathies into Sympathies, and our Sympathies into Antipathies? Suppoſe a man hath an Antipathy unto ſome Meats, as Cheeſe or the like; is it not an hard thing to love that moſt, which he had in Antipathy or natural hatred unto? Thus it is when the affections are taken off from things below, and placed on things above. Surely therefore it is a very hard thing to have our affections to be thus tranſplanted and altered.
2. It is one thing to affect the beſt things, and to have ſome affections to the better things; another thing to ſet our affections on things that are above: its ſaid of Herod, that he heard John Baptiſt gladly: there he had ſome affections to the better things, yet his …ffections were not ſet on things above. The Stony ground in the Parable, receives the word with joy; there is ſome affections to the better things yet this is the not ſetting of the affections on things above plainly; yet its one thing to affect the beſt things, and another thing to ſet our affections on things that are above. Yet,
3. Many there are who are deceived herein; for as ſome have gifts, part, and knowledge; and thereby think they are in the ſtate of grace, when there is no ſuch matter; ſo ſome having affections to the beſt thing…, think that they are godly, when there is no ſuch matter.
But by way of convincement in the 4th. place. 1. If men did truly ſet their affections on things that are above, then they would not be ſo indifferent in the things of God as they are: they would not ſo eaſily be put by in their endeavours after them. Th…s ſetting our affections on things above, is ordinarily deſcribed in Scripture, by our hungring and thirſting after them. As the Hart panteth after the Water-brooks, ſo doth my Soul thirſt after thee O God, ſaith the Pſalmiſt. Bleſſed are they that hunger and thirſt after Righteouſneſs. Now when a man is hungry or thirſty, he is not eaſily put by; but there is an inward neceſſity unto the thing deſired; I muſt have drink or I dye; I muſt have meat or I dye, there is a neceſſity, and it cannot be anſwered without the thing. But now though men ſay they do affe…t the beſt things, yet they are eaſily put by in their endeavours after them. Why! But becauſe their affections are not ſet on things that are above.
2. If mens affections were thus ſet on things above, then they always carry theſe things about with them in their minds and thoughts; look what a man hath ſet his affections upon, that he carries up and down with him, whereever he goes ſtill he is thinking of it, and he cannot rid his heart of it; for his affections are ſet thereupon; but now men do not carry ſpiritual things about with them, they are not always thinking and minding of them wherever they come. Why! But becauſe their affections are not truly ſet on them.
3ly. If your affe…ion were thus ſet upon heavenly and and ſpiritual things, then they would ſeek them in the firſt place: In the firſt of their age and time, in the firſt of their day and morning, in the firſt of their competition. If a man have a mind to a Journey, and his heart and affections be ſet upon it, he will be early up in the morning to go that Journey, or if he have any buſineſs to do that he hath ſet …is heart upon, he will do it before any other: and …o, if our affections be ſet on heavenly things, then we will mind them in the firſt place; but now men do not ſeek the Kingdom of God, and his Righteouſneſs in the firſt place, but in the laſt place. Why! Becauſe their affections are not truly ſet on things that are above.
4. If mens affections were thus truly ſet on things above, then they would be ſpeaking of them, and love to hear others ſpeaking of them. I will ſpeak of things concerning the King, ſaith David in the 45th. Pſalm; for my heart is inditing, boiling, bubling up a good matter. And ye ſee this by experience, that a man or woman loves to ſpeak of what they affect. If a mans heart be ſet on the World, and the things thereof, he loves to be ſpeaking of them; if a womans affections be ſet on fine …loths and faſhions, ſhe loves to be ſpeaking of them, and to hear others ſpeaking of them; for if ones affections be truly ſet on things above, he loves to be ſpeaking of them; but now though men ſay they affect the beſt things, yet they are not uſually ſpeaking of them Why! But becauſe their affections are not in truth ſet on them.
5. …ook what a man is deeply affected with, that that he is moſt indulgent to and tender of, he could not have a cold wind for to breath upon it. Affections blind the judgment. Perit judicium cum res tranſit in affectum. Great affections take away the very judgment, infirmities are no infirmities to affection, love will kiſs the warts of the thing affected; oh its exceeding tender of the thing affected. But now men are not ſo tender of the name of God, and ſpiritual things. Why! But becauſe their affections are not ſet in truth upon things above.
6. If a mans affections were thus ſet on things that are above, then he would not be put off with any ſlight evidence of his intereſt in them. Look what a man doth much affect, that he will have a clear evidence of his intereſt therein, and will never be ſatisfied till he have a ſubſtantial and a clear evidence of it; but now though men, ſay that they do affect the beſt things, yet they will be ſatisfied with ſlight evidences of their intereſt in them. Why! Becauſe their affections are not truly ſet on things that are above. Indeed men think they are, becauſe they have ſome affections to the better things; but if all theſe things be true, as they are moſt certain, then ſurely many are Hinc colligere poſſumus, illos omnes qui pollicentur ſibi gaudia ſuperna, cum interim non omnino ſapiunt ſuperna, quaſi jucundo quodam ſomnio delectari, neque unquam illis rebus ſaturandos, qui nunquam ſitire & eſurire, ex animo ſolebant. Dav. in Colloſ. 3.1:2. deceived in the great matter of the right placing of their affections.
Queſt. But ſuppoſe our affections be ſet on things above, or ſuppoſe they be not? What then!
Anſw. Then is your Portion accordingly; Look where your Treaſure …s, there is your Portion: if your Treaſure be in Heaven, then is your Portion there, if your Treaſure be in the Earth, then is your Portion there. And look where your heart and affections are, there is your Treaſure. And therefore if your affections be ſet on things above, then is your Portion there; if on things below, then is your Portion there. Yea,
2. If your affections be ſet on things that are above, then may you know that you have an Intereſt in Chriſt, and in thoſe things above. Affections are the Pulſe of the Soul, if a man be alive, then his Pulſe beats, but if his Pulſe beats not, then is he Dead. For if your affections beat after things that are above, then are you alive to God; but if this Pulſe beats not, then are you dead to God. Every man is as this Pulſe is, alive or dead: every man is as his affections are, animus cujuſque eſt quisque, would ye ſo know whether ye be ſpiritually alive or dead. How doth this Pulſe of your affections beat? I confeſs indeed, that affectio eſt meretrix, a man ſhould not meaſure himſelf by any preſent affection, nor by the degrees of his affe…ions, but by the bent of his affections he ſhould, and by the ſavour of them; though I cannot know Strong water by the colour of it, yet by the taſt and ſavour of it I may; and though I cannot know my Spiritual Eſtate by the degree of an affection, yet by the ſavour and bent of it I may. Therefore ſaith the Pſalmiſt. Thoſe that love the Lord hate Evil. By this, ſaith the Apoſtle, ſhall ye know that ye are tranſlated from Death to Life; becauſe ye love the Brethren And if ye look into Scripture, how doth the Lord diſtinguiſh the Godly from the Ungodly, but by the kind and bent of their affections? Pſal. 5 11. Let them that love thy Name rejoyce in thee. Pſal. 1. His delight is in the law of the Lord. Pſal. 112 1. Bleſſed is the man that feareth the Lord, and delighteth greatly in his Commandments. If therefore your affections be not drawn out, and ſet upon things above, how will ye know that ye have any Intereſt in them? Yea,
3. And if your affections be not ſet on things above, what ſhall relieve you in the day of your diſtreſs? Look what you moſt affect while you are well,Terrena nec plen…tudinem fe…re p…ſſunt cont…nen…i, nec fulcimentum in…itenti, nec fructum laboranti. Pariſiens. that muſt be your relief when you are ſick; can you relieve your ſelves with the things here below, when you are ſick or count to dye? But if you now ſet your affe…ions on things above, then they will relieve you in the day of your diſtreſs.
4. Then alſo you ſhall neither loſe your affection nor the thing affected: if you ſet your affections on things that are below, you ſhall both looſe the thing affected, and your affections too. Witneſs the caſe of Jonah's Gourd. Now our affections are precious things, too good to be ſpilt and loſt; loſt they will be,foreign. and ſpilt they will be, if ſet on any thing on this ſide Chriſt; but if they be ſet on things above, you ſhall neither loſe them nor the thing affected.
5. And for the preſent theſe affections will make the ways of God eaſie to you. Hard things are eaſie to great affections, eaſie things are hard to him that hath no affection to them. You ſee how it is with the Hunter that runs up and down all day long over Hedges, through Buſhes, ſweating and tearing himſelf, yet with much eaſe and ſweetneſs, becauſe he affects the game; but if a man be put upon a work which he hath no affection to, then it is hard to him though never ſo eaſie in it ſelf. So ſpiritually, though the work of Mortification and Repentance be an hard work, yet it is eaſie to ſome, prayer eaſie, reading eaſie, meditating eaſie. why? becauſe they have affection to theſe things: but if your affections be not ſet on things that are above, how ſhall the wayes of God be made eaſie and ſweet unto you? But beſides all theſe things, ye know that
6. God is a jealous God; and though Chriſt be a loving Husband unto every ſoul that is eſpouſed to him, yet he is very jealous of mens affections. What man is not jealous of his Wife when he ſees that her affections are placed upon another? And are our affections placed upon things below, what doth that do but raiſe the jealouſie of Chriſt againſt us? Jealouſie is the rage of man, what is it then in Chriſt? Now therefore as you deſire, that the jealouſie of the Lord Jeſus may not be raiſed againſt you, that the ways of God may be made ſweet and eaſie to you, that you may never loſe your affections, or the things affected, that you may have a ſtanding relief in the day of your diſtreſs, that you may have full evidence of the intereſt in thoſe things that are above, and that your portion may lye there; Oh, Set your affections on things that are above, and not on things on the earth.
Queſt. What ſhall we do that we may raiſe and draw up our affections unto theſe things above? for our affections are indeed too much on things here below. How ſhall we draw them off from them, and draw them up to theſe better things that are above?
Anſ. You muſt be ſure to get a new heart, affections are the movings of the heart; an old heart cannot move unto things that are above; Firſt therefore you muſt get a new heart.
Affestiones bonas vel malas cauſat voluntas bona vel mala… Auguſt. tom. 5. fol. 169.
2. Then you muſt get knowledge of theſe things that are above, for ignoti nullam cupido, there is no deſire of unknown things, nor affections to them; ſome deſire knowledge and not affections, ſome deſire affections and do not labour after knowledge. Give me knowledge hearted with affections, and affections headed with knowledge; for as knowledge without affections make wicked men ſecure, ſo affections without knowledge make Godly men ſcrupulous. Study therefore to know more, and that knowledge ſhall be a light and lanthorn to the feet of your affectionr.
3. If you would draw up your affections unto things above, then put your ſelf under the moſt wooing diſcoveries of Goſpel love. Wooings towle out affections, Chriſt wooes in the Goſpel, there doth the ſpirit alſo breath: and theſe motions of the ſoul can never be ſtirred up but by the moveing of the ſpirit on the heart, Ezek. 1.12. The living creatures went every one ſtraight forward, whether the ſpirit was to go. Now the ſpirit moves in the wooing diſpenſations of the Goſpel, there then place your ſelves and give up your hearts unto theſe wooings.
4. And in caſe that any ſenſible diſpenſation fall upon you, either by affliction or enjoyment, let your eye affect your heart; affections are ſenſible movings of the ſo I, doth the Lord therefore ſpeak unto your ſoul by afflictions or Sacraments, he ſure that you improve theſe ſenſible diſpenſations to the working up of your affections unto things above.
5. And be much in meditation, for as reading and hearing doe beget knowledge, ſo meditation doth beget affections; either therefore you are in company, or you are alone; if you be in company mutual Exhortation will quicken your affections unto what is good; if ye be alone, then ſit and meditate on the things that you have heard, or read, or ſeen, or done, and thus your affections will, and ſhall be raiſed unto things above.
Queſt. But my affections are moſt unſteady, though they be raiſed to day, yet they are down to morrow; what ſhall I do that I may ſo ſet my affections on things above, that they may be ſettled on them.
Anſw. In caſe your affections have been raiſed, Then, 1. take as much pains to keep your affections up, as you did to raiſe them up And
2. In caſe you feel your affections begin to ool and decline then ſtir up your ſelf, and the grace of God that is in you. The Prophet Iſaiah complains that none ſtirred up themſelves to take hold on God. The like complaint may we take up now; for what is the reaſon that our affections dye, and cool away after raiſings of heart, but becauſe we doe not ſtir up our ſelves and hearts to take hold on God; in caſe therefore that your affe…ions doe begin to abate and cool blow them up afreſh, and ſtir up your ſelves thereunto.
3 Be ſure that you make uſe of the varietie in the ways of God, which he hath given you, varietas refocillat; variety is refreſhing and affecting, God hath given us divers ordinances to be exerciſed in, that if we be dull and weary in one, we may go to another, if you be weary in prayer, you may go to reading; if weary in reading, then go to meditating; if weary in meditation, you may go to conference; if you will ſpend your ſelf only in one duty, there will grow a dulneſs and deadneſs upon you; but if you exerciſe your ſelf according to that variety which God hath given you, your heart will be kept up with an holy freſhneſs unto things above. But,
4. Becauſe that we are much affected with new things, therefore ſtudy the words and works of God much, and be always digging in them, then ſome new truth, or new diſcovery will ariſe upon you, which will affect your heart, and ever heap up your affections unto things above. And
5. In caſe that you have any great affections unto what is good, be ſure that you labour more and more to refine that affection; things refined keep longeſt, Diſtilled Waters keep longer then the leaves out of which the waters are diſtilled; if ye have Roſe leaves they will not keep freſh ſo long as the water that you diſtill from them; thoſe affections that you now have, it may be, are ſweet unto you, but they are as the Roſe leaves, ſomewhat of a droſſier matter, which doth adhere to them, if you would now take thoſe very good affections and Refine or Diſtil the ſame, then would they keep the longer. Go then and carry in your Roſe leaves unto Gods-Still, and labour more and more to refine your beſt affections. Thus your affections ſhall not only be ſet on things above, but be ſetled on them.
And my Beloved, is it not a good and bleſſed thing to have ſweet and large affections for good? Surely it is a great mercy to have large affections in good and for good; ſome of us have had large affections to the things of the world, and ſhall we not have as large affections unto things that are above. Old men generally want affections, and young people doe abound therein; but what will all our affections doe us good, if they be ſet on things here below? Alas we ſhall but loſe them, and the things affected too. But if you ſet your affections on things above, you ſhall neither loſe your affections, nor the things affected. Wherefore let us all receive this Exhortation, Set your affections on things above, and not on things on the Earth.