A Treatise of the Affections, Treatise · Sermon 3
The III. Sermon.
Coloſ. 3. 2.
Set your affections on things that are above, &c.
THe laſt thing that I told you was, what a great way a carnal man may goe in this point. His affections may be wrought on exceedingly. I promiſed to ſhew you that this was no argument that his affections are ſet upon God. The Apoſtle does not ſay, let the things that are above work on your affections, for ſo they may do, and ye be carnal for all that; but he ſaies, Set your affections on things which are above.
There be four reaſons to prove,Reaſons 4. though a carnal mans affections be ſo wrought on as ye have heard, that they are not rightly wrought on.
Firſt,1. The carnal mans affections are not kindely wrought on. Becauſe they are not kindely wrought on. They are chafed and heated very much, but they are not kindely wrought on. The affections muſt be kindely wrought on, otherwiſe they are not wrought on aright; they may be violently and paſſionately wrought on, there may be a great deal of pudder wrought in the affections, but never are they rightly wrought on, unleſſe they be wrought upon kindely. Be kindely affectioned one to another with brotherly love, ſaies St Paul, Rom. 12. 10. The Galatians that would have pluckt out their eyes for Saint Paul, they were ſtrongly affected with Saint Paul, but they were not kindely affected. If they had been kindely affected with him or his Doctrine, they would not have hearkned to falſe Apoſtles, as they did. A carnal man, natural reaſon, and knowledge out of the Word may work on his affections, his conſcience, and ſelf-love, whereby he is loth to be damned, and glad to be ſaved when he dies, theſe may work on his affections, and cauſe him to weep for his ſins, and give over many corruptions, and to be ſtrongly affected, but alas he is not kindely affected. It's only the love of God ſhed abroad in the heart that kindely affects one. But it's ſelf-love, and not love of the Lord Jeſus that affects him: he is not kindely affected.
Secondly,2. They are not judiciouſly wrought on. A carnal mans affections are not judiciouſly wrought on. They are wrought on in a fit at it, but they are not wrought on with judgement, they have not the true beginning of working, which is ſound judgement. S. Hierom ſaies of the affections of Chriſt, reſpectu Chriſti ſemper ſequuntur rationem, Chriſts affections had alwaies the right beginning, which was true reaſon and judgement. And therefore S. Matthew notes eſpecially the beginning of his ſorrow, He began to be ſorrowful and very heavy, Mat. 26. 37. He had a right beginning of it. The natural beginning of the affections is this, when the judgement is firſt poyſed, and the heart is firſt fired, this is the natural beginning of the affections. So that the heart muſt firſt be wrought on, and the ſpirit moved, before the affections can be judiciouſly wronght on. And therefore ſaies S. Iohn, Chriſt troubled himſelf. He groaned in ſpirit, and he troubled himſelf, Joh. 11. 33. He was exceedingly affected with ſorrow for Lazarus his death, and his kinsfolks ſorrows and diſtruſts they were in, and he troubled himſelf: we tranſlate it, he was troubled, but in the original it is, foreign, he troubled himſelf, his own judgement, and his ſpirit, and his heart ſtirred up his affections to be troubled. His affections were wrought on judiciouſly. A carnal mans affections though they be much wrought on, yet they are not wrought on judiciouſly. Now he is in the minde to be ſtrict and to be godly, now he weeps and takes on, can ye wonder? his conſcience now jerks him, and is quick: but when a few tears and a few labours and endeavours that way have contented his conſcience, as his conſcience is apt to be ſatisfied, the man is of another judgement then quickly. He is of the judgement then, tuſh, what need I be ſo ſtrict and preciſe? Thus he is affected, not upon ſound judgement. Affected he is, and ſtrongly affected too for the while, but he is not affected judiciouſly.
Thirdly,3. They are not regularly wrought on. A carnal mans affections are not wrought upon regularly. His affections may be are wrought upon by Gods juſtice and judgements, becauſe God is a conſuming fire againſt ſin, becauſe God is ſevere againſt the works of iniquity, becauſe he hath made heaven-gate to be ſtraight. Theſe are the grounds of his work. His affections are wrought upon this way; therefore he weeps, and therefore he praies, and therefore he reforms, and therefore he is affected. But this is not regular affection: he is affected with fear, but it is not the fear of Gods goodneſſe, not Gods mercy and goodneſſe, were there no other attribute in God, he might look long enough, before he would fear his mercy: that's a ground of preſumption to him, but he fears Gods judgements and his juſtice; he doth not tremble and quake to conſider that God is a merciful God, and a good God whom he hath ſinned againſt. The true Iſrael of God, They fear the Lord and his goodneſſe, Hoſ. 3. 5. their affections are regular, they are affected with fear of Gods goodneſſe. But a carnall man is not affected with the fear of Gods goodneſſe. He is affected with the fear of Gods juſtice, his affections are wrought on irregularly.
Fourthly,4. They are not wrought on univerſally. A carnal mans affections are not wrought upon univerſally. Some affections are wrought on, and others are not. No, he hath a contradiction of affections. He hath ſome good affections to God and to grace, and he hath ſome affections that are contradictory to theſe. Some ſinnes he grieves under, ſome he is glad under; ſome commandments he delights to be doing, and ſome he delights to be breaking. I do not mean part fleſh, and part ſpirit, for ſo the beſt godly ſouls under Heaven have a contradiction of affections: they have ſome affections of the ſpirit, and ſome affections of the fleſh, contradicting and oppoſing one another. I do not mean this. But a carnal man hath ſuch a contradiction of affections, as that his carnal affections give the other the lye. He is affected with ſorrow for his ſinnes, but he is not troubled for his uſury. He is affected with deſires to leave his ſins, but not to leave his ſinful dependances. As Eſau, he was affected with weeping for his miſſing of grace and the bleſſing, but not for his pleaſures and ſenſual delight. Is not this a contradiction of affections! He found no place of repentance, though he ſought it carefully with tears, Heb. 12. 17. He was affected with weeping after repentance,foreign ſaies the Text. but he could finde no place to beſtow it in. There was not elbow-room enough for repentance in his heart. He made ſome room in ſome part of his heart for repentance, but not in all. He found place for it in ſome of his affections, but not in all. He is affected, but he is not affected univerſally. He hath a contradiction of affections in his ſoul; ſo that a carnal mans affections, though they be wrought on, they are not wrought upon univerſally.
It is true, a carnal mans affections may be exceedingly wrought on, then I pray examine your ſelves; Two perſons I would have to examine themſelves
Firſt,We muſt therefore examine our ſelves, eſpecially thoſe. Them that think their affections are ſet upon God. For as for them that are abſolutely carnal, whoſe affections are buried in the things of the World, and have no affection at all unto grace or unto holineſſe, ſpeak not to them, their own conſciences condemn them to be rotten, and are as good as a thouſand examiners. I doe not ſpeak to them. If they will not hear their own conſcience…s, much leſſe will they hear me. I ſpeak to them that think t…eir affections are ſet upon God.
Secondly,That think their affections are ſet on God. Them that though their affections be set upon Chriſt, yet they think they are not affect…d aright: for many Chriſtian ſouls are rightly affected, and doe not think ſo. Examine your ſelves whethe… … be r…htly affected or no.
Firſt,1. He that truly affects grace affects nothing ſo much as grace. He that is truly affected with grace and with Chriſt and his Word, He affects nothing ſo much as he doth grace. A carnal man may be greatly affected with grace, b…t there is ſomething he affects more. He affects his vanities …ore, and his profits more, and his pleaſures more. Herod it is …rue, he affected John Baptiſt, he knew he was a juſt man, and …e feared him: he affected his preaching, for he heard him …ladly, he affected the practiſe of his doctrine, for he did many …ings, he was affected greatly with theſe good things, but there was ſome things he was affected with more. The daug…ter of Herodias affected him more. She pleaſed Herod, ſaies …e Text, Mar. 6. 22. he was not only affected with her dancing, but affected to content. She pleaſed Herod. Iohn Baptiſt did not pleaſe him, he had not content in his Miniſtry. Nay, her dancing affected him ſo much, that he was willing to part with half of his Kingdom to gratifie her.Verſ. 23. Whatſoever theu ſhalt ask of me, ſaies he, I will give it thee, to the one half of my Kingdom. This was more affection then ever he ſhewed to Iohn's Doctrine. He never ſaid to Iohn or his Doctrine, I'le part with a quarter of my Kingdom, nay, he would not part with his whore no… his luſts for that. Nay, he would rather ſee Iohn dead, a… well as he affected him, then miſſe of his pleaſures, or not gratifie his Lords. I'le give thee, ſaies he to his damoſel, Il'e give thee one half of my Kingdom. Give me then, ſaies ſhe, Iohn Baptiſts head in a Charger. The fooliſh King had no… wit enough to ſay, Iohn is dearer then all my Kingdom. No, he affected his teaching well, but his paſtime better. Examine thy ſoul by this mark: thou art affected with g…ace, but is there nothing thou art affected with more? thou art glad to hear a Sermon, but may we not ſee thee g…adder at thy ſports? thou art glad to part with an hour a Gods worſhip, but art thou not gladder to part with two at thy profits? a childe of God is affected with grace moſt▪ let credit flie, let profit flie, let carnal relations flie, let life, let living, let all that he hath flie, rather then le… a good duty of grace flie away: he is moſt affected wit… grace, there is nothing he affects more or ſo much.
Secondly,2. He muſt needs have expreſſions of grace. He that is affected with grace and godlineſſe aright, m…ſt needs have expreſſions of grace; he cannot but ſhew it; …e can as eaſily carry fire in his boſome and hide it, as co…eal grace. Can a man be deeply affected with ſorrows, a…d not ſhew it in his face; can a man be deeply affected with paſſions of anger and of wrath, and not ſhew it in his …ountenance? hands, feet, lips, noſtrils, eyes, forehead … yea, and all a mans geſture and carriage will ſhew wha… affections are in him,Proverb. Affectio taciturna nulla eſt affectio. Every paſſion hath its proper dialect. Concealed affection is no affection at all, or but ſmall and as good as nothing. So if thou beeſt affected with grace, 'twill ſhew it ſelf in thy ſpeeches, in thine actions, in thy waies, 'twill ſhew it ſelf in thy calling, 'twill ſhew it ſelf in thy company, 'twill ſhew it ſelf at the table, 'twill ſhew it ſelf in the market; thou canſt not be affected with grace, but thou wilt be an open profeſſour of grace. Can a man take fire in his boſome, and his clothes not be burnt? Prov. 6. 27. If fire be in thy boſome, all that come near thee will feel the very ſmell of it in thy clothes. The affections … a fire, The fire kindled, ſaies David, Pſal. … that is, … affections did kindle, he ſtrove for to hide them, but he could not; can you not be religious but you muſt ſhew it? ſaies the mocker of all goodneſſe. No, it is a ſign thou haſt no affection to holineſſe, becauſe thou wilt not …: Thou canſt hear God diſhonoured with Oaths, and no… ſhew thine affection againſt them: thou canſt come in company and ſuffer unprofitable language▪ and not ſhew thine affections to holy diſcourſe, a ſign thou haſt no affections that way; thou mayſt ſay thou art affected with grace, but …ow doth it appear? It appears not … thy praiers, little or no affec… on in them; it appears … the Sabbath, little or … to the ſanctifying of it: Like the ſtupid fool in the Comedy, who being willing to be thought to be angry, he knew not how to ſhew it, but only by ſaying, Iraſcor, I am angry, ſaies he; one would think if he were angry, he needed not to ſay he was angry; the affection of anger would have expreſſed it ſelf, but he had no other reaſons to be thought to be angry, but only his ſaying, I am angry. So thou haſt no other expreſſions of affection at the word, or at grace, but only thou ſayeſt, I am affected therewith. Concealed affection is no affection, De non apparentibus & de non exiſtentibus eadem eſt ratio, its a good rule in Law. There is the ſame reaſon for things which appear not, that is for things which exiſt not. Certainly here it is moſt true, I may be confident to ſay, if thine affections appear not, thine affections are not.
Thirdly,3. He is troubled with any interruption. He that is affected with grace or with holineſſe, if he be never ſo little interrupted, he is troubled, it's like the ſtopping of a water-courſe, the water ſwels and is troubled exceedingly that it cannot paſſe; like the Woman in the Goſpel, whoſe affections were to Chriſt to anoint his head, when his Diſciples had caſt in a rub in her way, that it had been better beſtowed on the poor, why trouble ye the woman? ſaies Chriſt, Mat. 26. 10. Chriſt knew it troubled her affections to be hindred from their courſe; he that is truly affected with Chriſt or his Spirit, if he light not on Chriſt the ſooner, he is even ſick of love. I charge ye, O ye daughters of Ieruſalem, if ye finde my beloved, that ye tell him I am ſick of love, Cant. 5. 8. her poor ſoul was even ſick at heart for her Love, becauſe ſhe could not come at him: examine thy ſelf in this point. I am ſure thou haſt been long enough without Chriſt, thou art 20. or 30. years old, and all this while thou haſt been without Chriſt: thou ſaiſt thou art affected with a Chriſt, O thou wouldeſt fain have Chriſt, thou wouldeſt fain have him live in thee ever; anſwer me now, art thou ſick of love for a Chriſt? Hope deferred makes the heart ſick. Pro. 13. 12. Thou ſaiſt thou art affected with hopes after grace, thou hopeſt for grace, and for ſtrength againſt ſin, and thy hope is deferred, thy hope comes not yet, thou art not able to withſtand thy corruptions, not able to ſubdue ſuch a luſt; no, if thou beeſt affected at all with any hope, thy hope is deferred as yet: but hath it made thy heart ſick? wert thou ever ſick at heart for this grace? if it have not made thy heart ſick, it is a ſign thou wert never rightly affected with hope, for if thou wert, it would make thy heart ſick to be ſo long without it, as thou haſt been. May be thine affections are ſo ſtrong ſet on the world, that thou haſt been world-ſick, and croſſe-ſick, and trouble-ſick, and anger-ſick, and revenge-ſick, and coveteouſneſs-ſick; as Ahab was ſick, becauſe he knew not how to get Naboths vineyard, 1 King. 21. 4. May be thou art croſt and ſick of vexation; may be thou art incenſed, and ſick of revenge or impatiency: but art thou ſick after grace?Ariſtot. Ariſtotle cals the affections Aegritudines animi, they are the ſickneſſes of the ſoul; if the ſoul be affected indeed, ſhe is ſick if ſhe ſpeed not.
Fourthly,4. He hath his converſation in heaven whence grace deſcends. Hereby only are we marriageable to Chriſt▪ l. de ſacrif, Abel & Cain. He that is truly affected with grace hath his converſation in heaven, whence all grace does deſcend. Animus eſt non ubi animat, ſed ubi amat, the ſoul is, not where it animates, not where it ſojourns, but where it affects; and therefore thou liveſt in heaven, if thou beeſt truly affected with heavenly things: he that is truly affected with grace, is moſt affected with the fountain of grace, which is God. God is the fountain of all grace, and if thou beeſt affected with it, thou art chiefly affected with God. Alas! thou mayſt have a good memory, a good wit, and good parts, and be affected with them, and rejoyce that thou haſt them. But all the queſtion is this, art thou affected with God the fountain of grace? a wicked man may be affected with grace in the bucket, and yet have no love to grace in the fountain: it affects him well enough to have ſome, but he does not ſo like it to have much, Omne nimium vertitur in nigrum monachum, thinks he. It's the property of the godly to be affected with God, Rejoyce in the Lord O ye righeeous, Pſal. 33. 1. Be ye affected with God himſelf, ſaies the Pſalmiſt. One, he is affected with pleaſures, another, he is affected with honour and reſpect, another, he is affected with profit, another, he may be affected with grace too, but it is the godly man only that is affected with God himſelf. Examine your affections, are ye affected with God himſelf? are ye affected with his glory?
It does infinitely ſtand us in hand, to have our affections ſet right; which I will prove by theſe 8. arguments.
Firſt, Hereby only are we marriageable to Chriſt, When a man goes a woing for a wife, all his care is to get her affections, he will never marry her if he be wiſe, if he may not have her affection, foreign, ſaies Philo, The affections are the womanhood of the ſoul, he will never marry her, if ſhe be nor a woman for him, much leſſe will he marry her, if ſhe be not a woman at all, he will not have a man for his wife, ſhe ſhall be a woman certainly, if he ever mean for to marry her; ſhe is not marriageable, but only for her affection; what a miſerable ſoul then is thy ſoul, if thy affections be not right? thou art not marriageable to Chriſt. This is the rule of all wives and of all Spouſes, thy deſire ſhall be to thy huſband, Gen. 3. 16. Thine affections ſhall be to him, or thou cauſt not be his wife. He is a monſter in nature that will have a wife, whoſe affection is ſet on another. What, doſt thou take Chriſt for a monſter, that thy ſoul ſhould be married to him, when thine affection is foreſtalled? If thine affections be to the world, and to the ſtrumpet-like things of the world, Chriſt cannot abide thee. Knoweſt thou not that the love of the world is enmity with God? Out thou filthy ſtrumpet-like ſoul, betrotheſt thou thine affections to the world, and yet hopeſt to be married to Chriſt? thou art not marriageable to him: if gains and pleaſures and vanities, and ſuch like baſe paramours be welcomed to thy heart, thou canſt not be married unto Chriſt, thou art the worlds Spouſe and the devils Spouſe, when thine affections be inordinate. Uncleanneſſe and inordinate affection, the Apoſtle puts them together, Mortifie your members which are on the earth, fornication, uncleanneſſe, inordinate affection, Col. 3. 5. So that thy ſoul is a filthy and an unclean ſoul, that haſt theſe inordinate affections unmortified in thee, thy ſoul is a fit Spouſe for the unclean ſpirit, and not for Chriſt, and therefore it deeply concerns you to have your affections ſet right,2. Hereby only doth the ſoul ſet favourites in the heart. becauſe thereby only are ye marriageable to Chriſt.
Secondly, Hereby only doth the ſoul ſet up favourites in her heart: thoſe are the hearts favourites whom the heart moſt affects. Now if Chriſt be not thy hearts favourite, what a woful condition art thou in? It hath been the undoing of many a Prince, the having of ill favourites; and that ſoul muſt needs be for ever undone, that hath ill favorites in her heart. As ſoon as Joſeph was in favour with the Keeper of the priſon, Ioſeph preſently had all at command, nothing was done but Ioſeph was the doer of it, Gen. 39. 21. He was no ſooner in favour but he was Dominus fac totum, as we ſay; he ruled all then. Look what thy heart does affect, that is in favour with thy heart; that is dominus fac totum. If thy pleaſures and thy vanities be once in favour with thy heart, Chriſt can have no command of thy heart, no further then thy luſts will give leave: thou canſt not reform any thing that is amiſs, no further then thy luſts will give leave: wouldſt thou repent, or ſtand for Gods glory? thou canſt not unleſs thy luſts do give leave: wouldſt thou be reproved, or well counſelled? thou canſt not unleſs thy luſts will give leave: as long as thy luſts are in favour with thy heart, they govern all, they command all, thy minde goes as they tend, thy thoughts come as they call, thy courſes are as they will. I will give this people favour in the ſight of the Egyptians, and they ſhall ſpoil the Egyptians, Exo. 3. 21, 22. When they were once in favour with them, they might ſpoil them, and rob them, and borrow Jewels of them, and never pay them again; they might do any thing, when they were in favour with them. O the miſery of the ſoul, when the world, or pleaſure, or ſinne, or the like are in favour with it, they ſpoil it, and rob it, and bereave it of all the jewels it hath; Chriſt can doe nothing to any purpoſe with that ſoul, that favours other things beſides Chriſt. Now if thine affections be not ſet right, thy favour is not right ſet: this is the reaſon why thou art wedded to the world, and wedded to thy luſts, that thine affections cannot be unto Chriſt. When Hadad had great favour with Pharoah, Pharaoh even married his own wives ſiſter unto Hadad, 1 Kin. 11. 19. He made him his brother, he brought him into the neareſt relation he could, whenas his favour was ſet towards him. So if thou favoureſt the things of this life, thou weddeſt thy ſoul to them. What an infinite indignity is this unto Chriſt, that ſuch baſe and ſordid things ſhould be in favour, and Chriſt not be thy ſouls favourite!
Thirdly,3. Hereby the ſoul is conver…ible and reconcileable to God. Hereby the ſoul is convertible and reconcilable to God. Be a man never ſo croſſe and crooked, never ſo cruelly and implacably bent to tranſgreſſe, yet as long as there be affections in him to be wrought, his heart may be won. Though a Kings wrath be as the roaring of a Lyon, though he be never ſo fallen out with a man, yet as long as there be affections in the King, patience, wiſedom, and humbling ones ſelf, and the like, theſe things may perſwade him: by long forbearing is a Prince perſwaded, Pro. 15. 15. Without a man have any affections in him, he is not capable of perſwaſion,R…et. c. 1. foreign, ſaies Ariſtotle. The affections are they whereby a man is mutable. For though it be a weakneſſe to be mutable, yet when a man is evil and wicked, it's a bleſſed weakneſs that he is mutable from that wickedneſſe. Now if a man be grievouſly ſet upon miſchief, though he be an enemy of all grace and of goodneſſe, yet as long as there be any affections left in him, he is not an implacable enemy: no, his affections are a poſſible ſubject to be wrought on, the Word and the Spirit may perſwade him; and therefore what a care ſhould we have of our affections, becauſe thereby we are placable and reconcilable to God? The Apoſtle yokes theſe two together, without natural affection, implacable, Rom. 1. 31. for a man as long as he hath any natural affection left, he is never implacable: ſtill he may be perſwaded, unleſſe he degenerate in his affections, and prove to be unnatural: if the affections depend on this faſhion, he is not only wicked and an enemy to grace, but he is an implacable enemy: think then what wrong ye do to your own ſouls, ſo unnaturally to ſet your affections, to let them degenerate as you do, and wander after vanity. Beware how ye doe ſo, ye goe about to divert all poſſibility of converſion, and provoke the Lord to count you implacable enemies to grace and to the ſcepter of his dear Sonne.
Fourthly,4. The affections are the hands of the ſoul. It may appear how infinitely it ſtands you in hand to ſet your affections aright, becauſe the affections are the hands of your ſouls. Ye cannot take hold of any thing in the world to doe you any good, but by your affections. For as hands are to the body, ſo the affections are to the ſoul. Will a man be ſo mad as to put his hand and his fingers out of joynt? alas! he cannot take hold of ſo much as his meat for to eat it. So the affections are the hands of the ſoul. He that hath clean hands & a pure heart, Pſ. 24. 4 that is, he whoſe affections are clean, and heart pure. I will waſh my hands in innocency, and ſo will I compaſſe thine Altar, Pſal. 26. 6. that is, I will purge mine affections, and ſo I will pray. I will that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands without wrath, 1 Tim. 2. 8. that is, lifting up holy affections, without the diſtempered affections of wrath or anger or the like: the affections are the hands of the heart, whereby it takes the word or the Commandment, or any thing to it, Now what a horrible thing is it that theſe hands of thine ſhould be put out of joynt? as long as thine affections are to the things here on earth, they are all out of joynt; thou canſt never take grace. Ye cannot take hold of a promiſe, nor of the word, unleſſe your affections be right. I know that Faith is the right hand of the ſoul, whereby it takes hold of that which is good. But alas! the hand of Faith is clumbſie without the affections. Such a one had a croſſe, how did he take it? ſay we: that is, how is he affected under it? ye take it ill to be reproved of your ſins: ye take it ill to be warned and admoniſhed either in publike or private. Ye take it ill to be told of the judgements of God againſt your luſts. Alas! how can ye do otherwiſe? ye cannot take it well, when your affections that ſhould take it well are ſet upon vanity? wilt thou binde up and hamper thine affections in the things of the Earth? alas! thy hands are quite bound, thou canſt not take hold of Chriſt or of Heaven. Thou doſt even pinion thine own ſoul and ſhackle it for Hell. What does the Devil when he ſhackles a man like a priſoner for hell and damnation?Mat. 22 1…. he bindes him hand and foot, and ſo caſts him into utter darkneſſe; he bindes up his heart and affections, that he cannot weep, nor he cannot repent of his ſins, he cannot rejoyce in grace, nor in goodneſſe, he cannot delight in the word, he bindes up his affections which are the hands and feet of the ſoul, and ſo fits him for hell and deſtruction: above all things then be ſure that thy hands be looſe, and thine affections at liberty to ſet them upon Heaven.
Fifthly,5. The affections are the handles of our hearts. It may appear how infinitely it ſtands you in hand to ſet your affections aright, becauſe they are not only the hands, but the handles of your hearts, as your hearts can catch hold of nothing that is good, unleſſe your affections take hold, ſo nothing can take hold of your hearts, but by your affections. If ever the word do convert you, it muſt catch hold of you. Jeſus ſaid unto Simon, henceforth thou ſhalt catch men, Luk. 5. 10. that is, the preaching of the Word, it ſhall catch men, when thou preacheſt. Now one of the firſt holds that it catcheth, is by the affections. Men are affected with the Word, and ſo it comes to convert men; now beloved, had you not need to have a care of affections, ſeeing they are the handles of your hearts? were it not for them, the word could never catch hold on you. There is no hold to be had of ſuch a man, as we ſay; that is, his affections are ſlippery. Beloved, here you come to Gods houſe, miſerable wretched ſouls, in your ſinnes, alas! how is it poſſible that ever Gods Miniſters ſhould catch hold of your hearts? your affections are the main hold that we can catch of you. If your affections be not here, but run after the things of this life, we can have no hold of you, you have nothing that we ſhould take hold by. Indeed we may catch hold of your underſtandings: that's nothing unleſſe we take hold of your affections, they are as ſlippery Eels, we can ſcarce ever hold them. O could we take hold of them, it were well: they are fair handles for us to take hold by. O if we could but truly affect your hearts with the truth, then we might have ſome hope to convert you. As Epictetus ſaies of wrongs, and of injuries, and all things in the world,Epiſt. every thing hath foreign, Every thing hath two handles, O ſaies he, if a man could take hold of every wrong at the right handle, then he would bear it patiently: ſo I may ſay of your haarts. Your hearts have two handles. I pray God the Word may take hold at the right handle of your hearts. The true affections of the heart, if ever the Word take hold of them, it hath taken hold of the right handle; Is it not then a lamentable thing that mens affections are miſplaced? alas! they are the hold of the heart, and the heart can never be taken, unleſſe they be ſet right.
Sirthly,6. Affections are the ſouls ſtomack. It may appear how infinitely it ſtands you in hand to ſet your affections aright, becauſe they are the ſouls ſtomack: that which the ſoul doth affect, that reedeth and filleth the ſoul, as meat doth the ſtomack. Is it not neceſſary to be careful what meat we doe eat? if we eat traſh it will kill us, if we feed upon poyſon, it will poyſon and infect us. Now that is the food of thy ſoul, which thy ſoul does affect, and thine affection is thy ſouls ſtomack to hunger after it, thine affections are foreign, ſaies Aſpaſius, L. 3. ad Nico. c. 3.they are the appetite of the ſoul. Such then as your affections are, ſuch is your food. Should you ſee a man feed upon dirt, and upon Bricks, and upon carrion, certainly you would ſay, unleſſe he be broken therefrom, it will kill him. No remedy but it will kill him without doubt. And wilt thou feed thy ſoul with vanities, and with traſh, and with poyſon? Every thing is traſh beſides Chriſt, every thing is poyſon beſides Chriſt and his graces; if thou feedeſt upon any thing beſides Chriſt and his ſpirit, thou feedeſt upon traſh and upon poyſon. Now, if thou ſet thine affections here below, thou feedeſt upon traſh. Thou murdereſt thy ſoul with ſuch food, its rank poyſon, and yet thou feedeſt upon it. That which thou affecteſt, that's thy ſouls food. As new born babes deſire the ſincere milk of the Word, that ye may grow thereby, 1 Pet. 2. 2. milk, you know, is the babes food: if it have not its food, it cannot poſſible live. But the word is the milk and the food of the ſoul, and that the Apoſtle would have you to ſet your affections upon. Deſire it, or affect it, ſaies he: where note your affections are the ſtomack of your ſoul. The Word is your food. All other food is but traſh, and it feeds you accordingly. O ye poor ſouls that feed upon poyſon all the day long, that diet your ſouls with nothing but traſh and filth, and froth, how long will you do thus? O ſet your affections on things that are above, theſe are the wholſome food of your ſouls, &c.
Seventhly,7. Affectio…s are the main m…tter of …race. Ariſt. it may appear how infinitely it ſtands you in hand to ſet your affections aright, becauſe they are the main matter of grace. They are foreign, They are the materials of grace: as Ariſtotle ſaies of the vertues, they are nothing but the right ruling of the affections, ſo may I ſay of grace with a little alteration, the main work of grace is the ruling of the affections aright, it takes them off from the things here on earth, and lifts them up to the things that are in Heaven. When grace d…th convert a man, it doth not take away the affections, but it ruleth them. Thou wert angry before, grace doth not take away thine anger. No, oportet virum bonum eſſe iracundum, ſaies Cicero. A good man muſt be angry, I ſay grace does not take away thine anger, but it ruleth thine anger, and teacheth thee to turn it againſt ſinne, and againſt the diſhonour of God. Thou wert merrily diſpoſed before, of a cheerful conſtitution, grace doth not come to take away thy mirth, but to rule it. Whereas thou wert merry with vanity, and ever laughing at jeſts and at fooleries, now grace makes thee merry in Gods ſervice, and to rejoyce in the Lord. Thou wert of a ſad ſpirit before, but perhaps it was for croſſes and loſſes, and diſcontents and the like: grace comes not to take away thy ſorrows, but to rule them, to make thee weep and mourn at thy deadneſſe and unthankfulneſs toward the Lord Jeſus Chriſt.
Gratia non tollit, ſed attollit naturam. Grace does not take away nature, but it taketh it up. The affections are natural, grace turns them into ſpiritual; this I ſay brethren, that ye may ſee how that grace runs along in the affections, as water in the pipe. The affections are the matter of grace. As the ſoul is in the body; the body is the matter; and the ſoul is in it, and ſo makes up a living creature. A man had need look to his body, for it is the due matter of his ſoul; ſo it is with the affections, thou haſt need to be careful of them, for they are the matter of grace: and therefore the Apoſtle cals the affections the members; yeeld your members ſervants unto righteouſneſſe, Rom. 6. 19. that is, as expoſitors expound it, yeeld your affections thereto.
For they are your ſouls members, and the materials of grace: is not fear the matter of the fear of the Lord? and love the matter of the love of the Lord? and ſorrow the matter of repentance from ſin? now, if the affections be the materials of grace, what a deſperate condition are ye in, that ſet your affections upon the things here below? you throw down all the matter of grace. How can ye have any grace, when ye caſt away in the kennel all the matter for grace. Grace requires the affections for its matter, and thou haſt no matter for this grace. Thou hurleſt away all thine affections upon thy pleaſures, and thy profits, and thy vanities, thou art ſo far from all grace, as that thou haſt no matter for grace.
Eighthly,8. Affections are arguments what we be. It may appear how infinitely it ſtands you in hand to ſet your affections aright, becauſe they are arguments what ye be. According as your affections are, ſo are your ſouls: if I could ſee what your affections run on, I could ſee what ye all be; whether Saints or wicked, whether of God or the Devil. The affections are the arguments that a man is a man. When the people of Lyſtra took Paul and Barnabas for gods, and would have ſacrificed to them, Sirs, ſaies Paul, Why do ye thus, whereas we are men of like paſſions with you? Act. 14. 15. that is, affections: we have fear, and joy, and grief, and love, and the like paſſions with you. Now if the bare having of affections be the arguments that a man is a man, then ſurely the goodneſſe or vaineſſe of theſe affections are the arguments that a man is a Chriſtian man, or an ungodly man. I beſeech you conſider what a woful diſtreſſed condition ye are in, if your affections be vain and earthly, ye carry a brand in your hearts that ye are not of God, that ye are yet the ſlaves of Satan and the ſervants of unrighteouſneſs, and your end is no better then eternal death and deſtruction. Affectus virum indicat. Your affections ſhew you what men and women ye be, &c.