A Treatise of the Affections, Treatise · Sermon 10
The X. Sermon.
Coloſ. 3. 2.
Set your affections on things that are above, &c.
THE Uſes of this are theſe.
Firſt,Vſe 1. God demands the zeal of our affections. Hence we may learn, that God demandeth the zeal of our affections: If the zeal of our affections be due unto God, I beſeech you take notice that God demandeth his due. Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his Name: and ſo God demandeth his due in our affections. If I be a Father, where is my honour? if a Maſter, where is my fear? Mal. 1. 6. he does not only call for ſome honour, and ſome love, and ſome fear, but he cals for his part, where is my part? ſayes he. Where is my fear? Gods part of thy fear, as I have ſhewed, is the zeal of thy fear, Gods part of thy love, and thy joy, and thy hope, and the reſt, is the zeal of the ſame. This now God demands of thy ſoul; Where is my fear? may be thou loveſt him a little, and his Commandments a little, may be thou feareſt him a little, to offend him and diſobey him thou feareſt a little; this is not Gods part, the zeal of thine affection is Gods part, and he cals for his part, Where is my fear?
Secondly,2. We are bound to give God … affections. Hence we may learn, that we muſt upon pain of Gods infinite diſpleaſure, give him the zeal of our affections: whenſoever we pray, to pray to him zealouſly, bleeding for our ſinnes, and melting under our wants, and yearning for his graces. Whenſoever we praiſe him, to praiſe him thus zealouſly, rejoycing in his mercies, and admiring his goodneſſe. Whenſoever we enter his Courts, to enter with zeal, reverencing his footſtool, trembling at his Word; in all our waies ſeeking how we may be moſt zealous of his glory: for if God demand the zeal of our affections, there is no keeping back.Jer 48. 10. Ananias was ſmitten dead for keeping back a little piece of money, when God did demand it. Curſed is he that keeps back a blow, when God doth call for it: God demandeth our zeal, and wo is us if we keep back.
Thirdly,3. On pain of damnation. Hence we may gather that we are in the ſtate of damnation, if we do not give God the zeal of our affections: if God require it upon pain of damnation, and we are bid to give it him upon pain of his everlasting diſpleaſure, then certainly we muſt needs be in a ſtate of damnation if we do not give it. Now this is proved by four Arguments.
Firſt,1. That man is in the state of damnation that never repents. I need not prove that, ye know it well enough; he is ſure to periſh that never repents. Though thou haſt taken up all the outward duties of religion, thou never repenteſt unleſſe thou be zealous; if thou be zealous, then thou haſt drawn out of Chriſt wine-ſeller, as Bernard obſerves on the Canticles, In Cant. Serm. 49.Introduxit me rex in cellam vinariam, the King hath brought me into his wine-ſeller, he expounds it of the ſouls drawing of zeal from Chriſt; but if thou beeſt not zealous in repentance, thou never repenteſt. Be zealous and repent, Rev. 3. 19. Firſt, he ſayes, be zealous, and then he ſayes repent. Firſt, thou muſt reſolve to be zealous, or elſe thou doſt not repent: If a man have wronged a neighbour though never ſo mean, he muſt be ſorry for it, or elſe he doth not repent of it: if a man have wronged a Noble-man, he muſt be more ſorry: for as the wrong is the greater, the greater the party wronged is, ſo the greater is the ſorrow that is required to repentance. If a man have wronged the King, it muſt be greater ſorrow yet, till the ſorrow be ſomewhat anſwerable to the greatneſs of the King who is wronged. But if a man have wronged a God, this muſt be the greateſt ſorrow of all ſorrows, otherwiſe thou doſt not repent. Repentance is the rending or breaking of the heart, ſo ſayes the Prophet Ioel, it is not a lukewarm, or a little grief that will break the heart. Repentance is the humbling of the ſoul, ſayes David, it is not a little bowing and a little bending will humble it before God. Repentance is the mortifying or the killing of ſin, as Paul cals it: alas! ſinne is like the heart of Oke that will be a hundred years a dying, ſo ſin will be long a dying, it is not a little pricking and a little compunction will kill it Repentance is called repentance unto life, in the Scripture; it is not a little chafing, and a little rubbing, and a little Aqua-vitae will fetch a man from death unt… life: No, no, beloved: thou never repenteſt unleſſe thou be zealous. And therefore the Apoſtle makes zeal a part of repentance, 2 Cor. 7. 11. No zeal, no repentance: no repentance, no ſalvation.
2. That man is in the ſtate of damnation that is not a beleever in Chriſt: If a man be not in Chriſt by a lively faith, he cannot be ſaved. The Prophet propheſying of Chriſt, ſaith thus: VntoUnto us a childe is born, and he ſhall be called wonderful, the Prince of peace: and the zeal of the Lord of hoſts ſhall perform this, Iſa. 9▪ 6, 7. Never is Chriſt conceived in any man under heaven, but the zeal of the Lord of Hoſts doth perform it: Doth he enlighten the minde, or purge the heart, or cleanſe the conſcience? zeal does perform it. Can I be ſo in love with Chriſt, as to deny my ſelf for him, and not be zealous to him? Can I count all my parts, and, all my gifts, and all that I have, as Paul did, to be droſſe …nd dung for the worth I finde in Chriſt, and not be zealous of him? Can I hunger after him, and pant for him, and be ſick of love till I have him, and not be zealous towards him? Thus we muſt doe, otherwiſe we are not in Chriſt. And therefore Moſes confounds faith and zeal, as if they were all one, and both in one. Phinehas was zealous for Gods ſake, Numb. 25. 11. That is, he was zealous and faithful both, for ſo the Pſalmiſt expounds it, that was counted to him for righteouſneſſe, ſayes he, that was, ſpeaking of his zeal in executing of judgement, that was counted to him for righteouſneſſe. Now ye know nothing can be counted to a man for righteouſneſſe, but only faith, and therefore by zeal there is meant faith. This is an undeniable argument, If a man have faith, he is zealous, otherwiſe he hath no faith. If he have no faith, he cannot be ſaved.
3. That man is in the ſtate of damnation that loves not God. He that loves not the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, let him be Anathema Maranatha, that is, let him be accurſed and accurſed, for it is the greateſt curſe in the world, it is the curſe of the Goſpel, Let him be accurſed, and double accurſed, that loves not Chriſt. Now a man never loves God, if he be not zealous: qui non zelat, non amat: He that is not zealous in love does not love, love is termed zeal in the Scripture. Iehu, indeed the truth was, he had no love to God, he thought he had though; and therefore when he would tell Iehonadab he had love to God, he tels it in theſe words, Come and ſee my zeal I have to the Lord of Hoſts, 2 King. 10 16. That is, ſee the love that I bear to the Lord of Hoſts, Zelus debet eſſe non modò in affectu, Auguſt.verumetiam in intellectu, is a ſaying: zeal muſt be in the minde, and zeal muſt be in the affections, both are required to this zeal that I ſpeak of. If thou beeſt not zealous, it is moſt certain, thou haſt not a jot of true love Zeal is more ſeen in that affection then any, if there be any; and therefore if there be no zeal in thee to God and his wayes, there is no love, thou art yet under wrath.
4. That man is in the ſtate of damation, that was never taught of God: Chriſt promiſes that all that are his ſhall be taught of God; taught of God to be holy as he is holy; taught of God to love one another; taught of God to walk in all newneſſe of life. Every man look what he is taught in,Sa…it unuſ. quiſ que quod didiclt. therein he is zealous. Paul before he was converted, he was taught in the ceremonies and his Fathers, and therefore therein was he zealous. I was traditions of taught, ſayes he, according to the perfect manner of the Law of the Fathers, and was zealous, Act. 22. 3. Alas! poor ſoul, had he been better taught, he had been better zealous. I doe not ſpeak of the outward teaching of the ear only, but alſo of the inward teaching of the heart; his very heart, ſuch was the policy of Satan, his very heart was taught in thoſe things, and therefore he was zealous of them. The covetous mans heart is taught to be earthly, therefore he is zealous for the world. The proud mans heart is taught to be proud, therefore he is zealous for his credit and eſteem. The voluptuous mans heart is taught to be vain, therefore he is zealous of his pleaſures Alas! ſuch were never taught of God. The devil teaches them, and their luſts teach them, and the examples of others teach them. Alas! if thou beeſt not taught of God, how to walk in newneſſe of life, thou canſt not be ſaved; it is better to be unborn then untaught;Proverb. and this as you ſee, cannot be without zeal unto God.
5. That man is in the ſtate of damnation, that cannot yet be pitied. If thou beeſt zealous for the things of this life, and not zealous for heaven: zealous for thy pleaſure, and not for Gods glory, thou art not to be pitied; and thou wilt have pleaſures, take them, and thou wilt to hell, goe, who will pity thee? Deformitas ſceleris aufert miſericordiam: It is true, it would pity a mans heart to ſee a poor ſoul weeping and howling for his ſinnes, and yet go to hell. It would pity a man to ſee a blinde Papiſt whipping himſelf, praying on his Beads, giving all his goods to the poor, confeſſing his ſins to his Confeſſor, faſting and afflicting his body, zealous in his blinde ſuperſtition, and all to ſave his poor ſoul, and yet go to hell; it would pity a mans heart I ſay, to ſee ſuch a man goe to hell, as how can he otherwiſe? yet it would pity a man, becauſe he is zealous for God, in the blindeneſſe of his zeal: As it pitied the Apoſtle to ſee his brethren go to hell, that were blindely zealous for God. Brethren, my hearts deſire, and prayer to God for Iſrael is, that they may be ſaved; for I bear them record, they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge, Rom. 10. 1, 2. It pitied him that ſuch as were blindely zealous for God ſhould periſh. But whom will it pity to ſee thee go to hell? thou haſt no zeal at all that way, No, no, thou art zealous after the things of this life, and after thy luſts, as God told Ieruſalem, Who ſhall have pity upon thee, O Ieruſalem? Thou haſt forſaken me, ſayes he, Ier. 15, 5. Who will pity our drunkards and our whoremongers? who will pity you that are zealous in your ſins and abominations? ye are not ſo much as the objects of pity.
Is it ſo, that the zeal of our affections is due only to God? Is it ſo, that God does demand it? and that we are bound upon pain of death and damnation to give it to God? Is it ſo, that we never repented, we never beleeved, never were in Chriſt, never loved God, never were taught of God, never can be pitied, unleſſe we give the zeal of our affections unto God? Then, O then, let us conſider the lamentable condition we are in, as long as the zeal of our affection runs otherwiſe. I beſeech you conſider theſe eight things, which may convince you what a woful condition ye are in.
Firſt,1. Zeal is the fir… of the ſoul. Zeal is the fire of the ſoul. Look what thou art moſt zealous upon, that ſets thy ſoul in a fire. Every man and woman in the world is ſet on fire of hell or of heaven. Now if heaven have not ſet thee on fire, hell hath ſet thee on fire, thou art ſet on fire of one of theſe two. As it is the bleſſedeſt thing that can be to be ſet on fire of heaven, to be zealous for the glory of God, and the ſaving ones ſoul; zealous for the getting of grace, and zealous in the duties of religion: ſo on the contrary, it is the curſedſt thing that can poſſibly be, to be ſet on fire of hell. Thou which art a ſwearer, a lyar, a filthy ſpeaker, whoſe mouth talketh of vanity, thy tongue is ſet on fire of hell; the tongue is ſet on fire of h…ll, ſayes the Apoſtle, Iam. 3. 6. Thou which art a voluptuous man, that loveſt thy pleaſures, and delighteſt in vanity more then in better things, thy heart is ſet on fire of hell: thou which yeeldeſt to the temptations of Satan, the devil tempts thee to go proudly in thine apparrel, and thou yeeldeſt: the devil tempts thee to ſmother thy conſcience, and thou conſenteſt. The devil tempts thee to put off thy better obedience till another time, and the temptation takes hold; there is never a temptation of Satan, but it is a fiery dart, the fiery darts of the devil, Eph. 6. 16. Well does the Apoſtle call them fiery darts of the devil, ſayes Saint Chryſoſtome, Chryſoſt.foreign; for ſuch, ſayes he, are the ſinfull luſts and affections; they are all fiery, ſet on fire of hell; this is one miſery, and this not a ſmall one; zeal is the fire of the ſoul, and if it be not ſet upon God, it is ſet on fire of hell.
Secondly,2. Zeal is the running of the ſoul Zeal is the running of the ſoul. If thou beeſt not zealous for God, thou runneſt away after the things of this world; thou doſt not only go after vanities, but thou runneſt; not only go after thy pleaſures and thy profits, but thou runneſt. As the affections are the feet of the ſoul, ſo zeal is the ſwift running pace of theſe feet. I will run the way of thy Commandments, ſayes David, that is, I will be zealous in it. It is a long way to heaven, eſpecially now ſince the fall, it is a very long way to heaven, and death will overtake us before ever we can get there, unleſſe we run; and therefore Saint Paul commands us to run faſt enough, leſt we never get there. So run that ye may obtain, 1 Cor 9. 24. Now had we not need to ſet our zeal right? for that way we run, that way our zeal ſtands. If the zeal of our affection ſtand to Godwards, we run onwards to heaven; but if it ſtand to the things here below, we run onwards to hell. I reade of Tiberius Nero, Tiberius Nero.who when his brother Druſus lay ſick in Germany, he ran two hundred miles in twenty four hours to viſit him. But we may finde tanker runners then ſo in ſinne; ſome in drunkenneſſe and good fellowſhip, as they call it; others in ſecurity and hardneſſe of heart; others in one ſin, and others in another; and as they run themſelves, ſo if there be any that are ſtricter then themſelves, they wonder that they run not with them to the ſame exceſſe of ryot, 1 Pet. 4. 4. Mark, run not with them, where note, themſelves run into ryot. May be ſometimes they have ſudden and violent affections to good, as if they were all on a fire for the preſent, like the young man in the Goſpel, he came running to Chriſt, and kneeled down to him, ſayes the Text, Mar. 10 17. O he was all upon the haſte, he does not goe to him, but he runs; as many men and women have very good moods and violent pangs of goodneſſe now and then, but alas! it was nothing but a flaſh, for by and by he was as ready to be gone, as ever he was haſty to come; and then he ran on in his ſecurity and coveteouſneſſe of minde. Do ye not ſee how faſt many of you run on in arerages with God? If we could ſee Gods debt-book, might we not there reade. Item, ten thouſand oaths thou haſt ſworn. Item, millions of millions of filthy words thou haſt ſpoken▪ Item, a hundred millions of millions of wicked thoughts thou haſt thought. Item, a thouſand lazie prayers thou haſt made. Item, 20. hundred Sabbaths thou haſt prophaned. Item, fourty Sacraments thou haſt unworthily received: Thus ye have run on, as if ye thought every day ſeven years till ye are in hell Thus it is with you,3. Zeal is the predominant element in the ſoul. when your zeal is ſet any where elſe then on God.
Thirdly, Zeal is the predominant element in the ſoul. Look what the ſoul is zealous unto, that is the predominant temper of the ſoul: if thou beeſt zealous for God, Chriſt is predominant in thee: if thou beeſt zealous for the things of this world, the world is predominant in thee, Non datur temperamentum ad pondus, ſayes the Philoſopher, there is no temper but ſomething is predominant. You never heard of a ſoul that had as much of the world in him as of Chriſt, and of Chriſt as of the world: No, as he is zealous to one thing, ſo one thing or other is predominant in him. Menpleaſing is predominant in one, pride predominant in another, and pleaſure predominant in a third. Whatſoever a man is zealous unto, that is his predominant element: Now if thine affections, if the zeal of them be not ſet upon God, then ſomething or other in the world is predominant in thee O what a miſery then is it to be leſſe zealous for God then for the world! the world is predominant in thee, this is the character of one that yet is no better then a reprobate; Lovers of pleaſure more then lovers of God, 2 Tim. 3. 4. when pleaſure is predominant and not God. He that loveth father or mother more then me, is not worthy of me, &c. ſayes Chriſt, Mat. 10. 37. when carnal relations are predominant, and not ſpiritual, this I ſay is an evident character of a wicked man: for what difference is there between a godly man and wicked man? both have ſinne in them; this is the difference: a godly man hath ſin in him, but grace is predominant, and therefore he is called a godly man: A wicked man hath many good graces in him, but ſinne and wickedneſſe is predominant, and therefore he is called a wicked man; the denomination is from the part that is predominant. The beaſts of the earth, becauſe the earth is predominant: the fiſhes of the Sea, becauſe the water is predominant; a brick-houſe, not as though there were no wood in it, but becauſe brick is predominant Mark all thy thoughts which is predominant in thee, the world or Chriſt: mark all thy ſpeeches, which is predominant, earth or heaven; mark all thy cares, which is predominant to buſie thee moſt: O what a wofull eſtate art thou in, when ſin and corruption is predominant in thee: If thou be more zealous after the things of this life, then after grace and holineſs, without which no man ſhall ſee the Lord: Thou canſt never enter into Gods kingdom, becauſe ſin is predominant in thee.
Fourthly,4. Zeal is the ſelf-cruelty of the ſoul. Zeal is the ſelf-cruelty of the ſoul: If thou beeſt moſt zealous to God, thy zeal is a holy cruelty to thy ſelf. Maſter, ſpare thy ſelf, ſayes Peter to Chriſt, Get thee behinde me Saran, ſayes Chriſt; he was zealous for the redemption of the world, and he would not ſpare his own life. Zeal is a holy cruelty of the ſoul, it will ſpare nothing, nor life, nor credit, nor living, nor any thing. M. Fox that was zealous in his love to the poor, he was in a holy manner cruell to himſelf, to give the very clothes off his back, rather then the naked ſhould not be covered. Love is as ſtrong as death, and as cruell as the grave, Cant. 8. 6. Durus ſicut inferi zelus, as Ambroſe expounds it: zeal is as hard as the grave. A man that is zealous is a hard man to himſelf, that he may be free unto God; not as though true zeal were hard and cruell indeed unto his own ſoul, but I mean, to his own fleſhly deſires and reſpects, he is the mercifulleſt man to his own ſoul under heaven. Now then ſee what a woful eſtate thou art in, if thou beeſt not zealous for God: for if the zeal of thine affections gad any where elſe, thou art the cruelleſt man to thine own ſoul in very deed, and in truth, as poſſibly can be: Thou ſquandreſt away Gods mercies, thou treaſureſt up Gods wrath, thou liveſt in thoſe ſins which thine own conſcience can tell thee are ſins, thou beſtoweſt thine affections upon the things of this life, which ſhould be given to God, thou damneſt thine own ſoul. That time which God vouchſafes thee to get grace in, thou waſteſt it away upon vanity; thou art more earneſt for the good of thy carkaſſe then for the everlaſting weal or thy ſoul; thou parteſt with Chriſt, rather then with thy luſts▪ O thou art durus ut inferi, thou art as cruell as, hell to thine own ſoul. Thou knoweſt that whoſoever comes to the Sacrament unworthily, or unpreparedly, or not a new creature, he eats and drinks his own damnation: thou knoweſt this well enough, thou knoweſt that the Lord ſayes ſo in his Word. Yet thou art ſo cruell to thy own ſoul, that for all this thou wilt venture: thou knoweſt, that he that comes to this ſupper without a wedding-garment ſhall be caſt into utter darkneſſe, where is weeping and gnaſhing of teeth; thou knoweſt this full well, and thou canſt not deny it. Yet thou art ſo cruell to thy own ſoul, as to come hither without it: thine affections are ſo eager after the things of this life, the very zeal of them all, that thou art even cruell to thine own ſoul, Durus ut inferi, as cruell as hell it ſelf to thy ſelf. O the cruelty of thine earthly zeal; it makes thee fearleſſe and witleſſe to ſinne againſt God, which the Angels of heaven durſt not doe for a thouſand worlds. It makes thee ſinne againſt Chriſt, and caſt off his yoke, without which thou canſt be never ſaved; it makes thee choak the motions of Gods Spirit, and ſtrangle thine own conſcience, Durus ut inferi zelus, may we well ſay; this zeal is as cruell as hell, and yet it is in every one of us all, that is not zealous for God.
Fifthly,5. Zeal is the brand of the ſoul. Ambroſ. Zeal is the brand of the ſoul: When a man is zealous in any paſſion, whatever it be, we ſee it ſets a brand upon a man; we call him a cholerick man, that is zealous with anger; he is very touchy, ſay we. We call him a fretful, envious man, that is zealouſly given thereunto. We call him a melancholy man that is much in his ſadneſſe. Zeal which is the Much of every affection, it ſets a brand upon a man. So when a man is zealous for good, it ſets a good brand upon a man, as Aemilius for his goodneſſe, was called Aemilius the good. Antoninus for his piety was called Antoninus the pious:Act. 1. 23. ſo in Scripture one Barſabas was called Iuſtus the juſt. So it ſhould ſeem too, that Simon was a noted man for ſome paſſionate and affectionate forwardneſſe, and therefore he was called Simon Zelotes, that is, Simon the zealous, Luk 6. 15. And ſo we ſee though it be counted a mockage by the ignorant world, it is obſerved by them which are without, that Gods people are zealous. Look whatever a man is zealous in, that is able to brand him. Now if thou beeſt zealous for the world, or zealous after thy pleaſures or any thing elſe in the world, it brands thee in the forehead for a carnal wretch: as Elymas the ſorcerer, Iudas the traytor: It ſtigmatizes thee for a worldling, or a drunkard, or a company-keeper, or voluptuous, or whatever it be thy zeal is moſt in. Every man is more zealous for one thing then he is for another, either for God, or ſomething elſe in the world; the. Queſtion is, whether art thou moſt zealous for? if thou beeſt more zealous for any thing elſe then thou art for God, it brands thee for a wretch. Such an one a very worldling; ſuch an one a very muck-worm; ſuch an one a very ſpendthrift; ſuch an one a very gameſter and a royſter; ſuch an one a very tatler; ſuch an one an Orlando Furioſo: ſuch an one a hard man; Look where thy moſt is, that does truly brand thee before God and good men that are able to diſcern thee.