A Treatise of the Affections, Treatise · Sermon 5
The V. Sermon.
Coloſ. 3. 2.
Set your affections on things that are above, &c.
THe Chriſtians of the Primitive Church had learnt this leſſon very well, to ſet their affections on Gods Kingdom, they were often thinking of it, often ſpeaking of it in the companies they came in, they would be diſcourſing of it, inſomuch that the fooliſh Heathen, hearing them talking ſo often of a Kingdom, took them for affecters of Kingdoms, and accuſed them of aſpiring to be Kings,Iuſt. Mar. Apol. 8. pro Chriſt. ad Ant…. foreign, foreign, ſaies Iuſtin Martyr. Ye hear, ſaies he, that we expect for a Kingdom, Ye imagine we look after humane Kingdoms. No, No, ſaies he, we mean the Kingdom with God and with Chriſt in Heaven above. Their affectious were much there; Ye have heard beloved, the neceſſity of this duty, that we muſt ſet our affections upon God and his Kingdom and grace. Ye have heard the reaſons why we muſt do ſo; for the uſe of the point, ye have heard a confutation of the Stoicks, that teach a vacuity of affections, and ſay the affections are all evil in themſelves. They cannot be evil in themſelves, becauſe we muſt ſet them upon God; were they evil in themſelves, it were unlawful to ſet them upon God. But it is not only not unlawful, but alſo it is very neceſſary to ſet our affections upon God. O this is a hard duty to our corrupt fleſh, and ſo ye ſhall finde it, to ſet your affections on God. There be many lets that hinder us from ſo doing.
Firſt,The firſt impediment that hinders the ſetting the affections on God, becauſe it is an hard thing to turn an antipathy or ſympathy. Becauſe it is a very hard thing to turn an antipathy or a ſympathy; our hearts are ſo deeply affected with the things of the world, as that they have a ſympathy with them, and an antipathy againſt a removal therefrom. When the affections are deep ſet with or againſt, they prove to be ſympathies and antipathies, which are infinitely hard to be changed. The Philoſophers call them occultae qualitates, hidden qualities, no reaſon can be given of them. No man can give a reaſon why the load-ſtone ſhould be ſo deeply affected with iron, as to draw it unto it. It hath a ſympathy with it; the wilde Bull hath a ſympathy with a figgetree; nothing can tame him but it; the Elm hath a ſympathy with the Vine: the Vine hath a ſympathy with the Olive. No man can give a reaſon why it ſhould be ſo. So beloved, our deep affections are the ſympathies of our hearts, and therefore ſeeing they are ſet to the things of the world, they are hardly removed. No reaſon, ſcarce any reaſon can ſever them. Demas when he ſet his love upon the world, the text ſaies he forſook Paul, and he embraced this preſent word, Demas hath forſaken me, and embraced this preſent world. 2 Tim. 4. 10. We tranſlate it, he loved this preſent world, but the word ſignifies, and ſo other tranſlations render it, he embraced this preſent world; that is, the affections of his heart had a ſympathy with it, as the Ivie with the Elm, he embraced it. S. Paul could not hold him, no reaſon could withhold him, he had a ſympathy with it. Now when the heart hath a ſympathy with the things of the world, it muſt needs have an antipathy at grace; the proud man hath an antipathy at the parting with that which he prides in; the revengeful man hath an antipathy at the putting up of an injury. The ſtubborn man hath an antipathy at a ſound reproof, he cannot endure to be ſharply rebuk't for his ſinnes. As ſome men (ſuffer a homely ſimilitude) I ſay, have an antipathy with Cheeſe, they will goe out of the room where it is. As the mullet hath an antipathy with the Pike; the Coleworts have an antipathy with the Vine; they will die rather then grow together. So men are vext to be curbed of their luſts. The affections are the ſympathies and the antipathies of the heart, and therefore it's very hard to remove them, it will coſt thee a mighty deal of labour to pull off thine affections from all the things in the world, and to ſet them upon God.2. The 2. impediment. Becauſe affections are the bewitchings of the heart. Secondly, it is a hard thing to work on the heart, when the heart is bewitcht. The affections are the bewitchings of the heart, when the heart hath once ſet its affections on the things of the World, it is even quite bewitched therewith. Fooliſh people talk much of bewitchings; Brethren let me tell you, here's a bewitching ye little conſider. Your affections bewitch you. O fooliſh Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye ſhould not obey the truth? Gal. 3. 1. foreign, ſaies S. Chryſoſtome. this is the bewitching of the devil; the falſe Apoſtles had wrought upon the Galatians affections, and drawn them from the truth, and now when their affections were ſet on it, the Apoſtle ſaies they were bewitcht. The affections when once they are up about a thing that is earthly or carnal, they are like a company of devils in hell to bewitch one: there be abundance of bewitchings in nature. The bird Galgalus, Plutarch, ſympoſ. l. 5 c. 7. Heliodor. lib. 3. Hiſt. 2. Del-Rio Diſq. mag. lib. 2. c 3.if ſhe ſee a man that is ſick of the Jaundies, the man recovers, and ſhe is ſo bewitched therewith that ſhe dieth. If a Toad be ſeen by the Weſil to gape, the Weſil is ſo bewitched, that ſhe gives up her ſelf to be devoured: but of all the bewitchings in the world, the bewitching of the affections are the moſt dangerous. Eucilides was in ſo deep an affection to his own beauty, that he was bewitcht with it: were not Sampſons affections bewitched with Delilah? were not Herods affections bewitcht with Herodias? were not Judas his affections bewitcht with the gain of thirty pence, that for it he ſhould deny his own Maſter? S. Paul tels the Galatians their affections were bewitcht. S. Hierom thinks verily the devil was in them. The Drunkard is bewitcht with his cups: the Adulterer with his whore, the angry man with his choler, the vain man with his vanities, the carnal man with his fleſh; that they will damn their own ſouls, rather then be new creatures. Beloved, are not ye bewitched in your ſins, when all the preaching and teaching and warning ye have had, cannot yet turn you from your ſins unto God, to ſet your affections above? this is a grievous let that ſends millions to hell, their affections bewitch them. Ye need no Devils to tempt you to ſinne: if your affections be once ſet on it, they will bewitch you as bad as any devil can bewitch you. Nay, the devil cannot bewitch you to ſin, but only by your affections. If ever thou ſave thy ſoul, thou ſhalt finde it a great task to unbewitch thine affections, to ſet them upon grace.
Thirdly,3. The 3. impediment. Becauſe affections are the eſtimations of the heart. Another let is, that as the affections are the bewitchings of the heart, ſo they are the eſtimations of the heart, If the thing be not good enough to be affected, which the affections are ſet on, they eſteem it worthy to be affected. Quiſquis amat ranam, ranam putat eſſe Dianam. Many of you know the old Proverb, If a man ſhould ſet his affections on a frog, there's little goodneſſe in a Frog, why it ſhould be affected; but if a man ſhould ſet his affections on a Frog, he would eſteem it as comely, as another would Diana. The affections if they be ſet upon vanity, they do utterly besot one. Look upon the Drunkard, he thinks it's a fine life to be potting and piping in the Ale-houſe: which a man in his wits knows to be baſe and brutiſh, and helliſh. Look upon the vain Gentleman, he thinks it a fine life to be hunting and gamballing and bragging and flanting, and challenging, and to be ſird and to be worſhipt at every word. Which a wiſe man knows to be foppiſh, and fooliſh, and devilliſh. The affections blinde the judgement, and befool the underſtanding, and make a man to defend himſelf in a courſe which in very deed will leade him to hell. When the children of Iſrael had ſet their affections on their luſts; Moſes thus ſpeaks to them. Do ye thus requite the Lord, ye fooliſh people and unwiſe? Is not he thy Father? &c. Deut. 32 6. Natural affection would leade a childe to be obedient to his father, and ſeeing their affections were croſſe ſet, the Lord cals them a fooliſh people. Their ſinful affections did beſot them and befool them.Chryſ. hom. 7. in Iob. Samoſatenus was ſo beſotted with the love of a certain woman, that he forſook his faith and religion for her. I reade of a pretty parable to this purpoſe. When Ʋlyſſes had left his men with Circe the witch, ſhe changed them all into diverſe ſorts of beaſts, Dogs, Swine, Lyons, Tygers, Ʋlyſſes complained ſhe had done him great wrong for changing his men into beaſts on that faſhion: wrong? ſaies ſhe: I have not done thee nor them any wrong. Doe but ask them now whether they doe not like the condition they are in. So Ʋlyſſes demanded firſt of the Hogge, whether he would be a man again or not. He anſwered no, by no means; For now he could fill his belly, and lie down on the dunghil and ſleep. And ſo he demanded of the reſt, and they all ſave only the Elephant, they all replyed they had rather be beaſts as now they were. This parable is made to ſhew how the carnal affections beſot one, to eſteem the pleaſures of ſin, the gains and profits and beggerly things of the World, and prefer them before holineſſe, and righteouſneſſe, and pureneſſe, and ſtrictneſſe of living. One, his affections beſot him in a love-lock▪ or long hair, that he cannot be perſwaded to ſhave it off: another, his affections beſot him in a Tobacco-pipe, another in a filthy gotten cuſtome, another in ſome other baſe haunt of the heart, all the preaching under Heaven cannot diſſwade them, therefore they do ſo eſteem them and prize them, and think they are ſo pleaſing: a noble minded Chriſtian would wonder how it is poſſible they can ſo.
Fourthly,4. The affections are the moſt natural temperaments of the heart. Another let is, that as the affections are the eſtimations of the heart, ſo they are the moſt natural temperaments of the heart. Spiritual and heavenly affections are the good temper of the heart, and carnal or earthly affections are the evil temper of the heart, and therefore it's hard to change ones affections, becauſe the heart it ſelf muſt be taken a peeces as it were, if one would alter his affections. An earthly heart is not a right ſoyl for the ſpiritual plants to grow in. Gardners have daily experience what a coil they have to keep an herb from dying in their gardens, when the garden is not a right ſoyl for it: they are fain for to dig it, and dreſſe it, and water it, and tend it, yet ſcarce will it grow there when it is not a right ſoyl for it. Men muſt get themſelves new hearts and new mindes, if ever they would have their affections renewed. Faſhion not your ſelves to the world, ſaies the Apoſtle, but be ye tranſformed by the renewing of your minde, Rom. 12. 2. Unleſſe your minde be renewed, ye can never ſpy a pleaſing faſhion of the world, but O your affections will be to it. When David had miſplaced his affections on Bathſheba another mans wife, and his affections had been mad upon adultery, and on murther, what does he doe? He goes to God in praier for a new heart, he could never have new affections elſe; Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right ſpirit within me, Pſa. 51. 10. He could not get new affections, till he had gotten a new heart. This is a miſerable impediment that lets multitudes of men and women from ſetting their affections upon God; becauſe their hearts are not a right for ſuch affections as theſe. May be they trim their affections, as the very heathens have done, with morality; as a Barbor trims and ſhaves a mans head, but the hair grows again, becauſe the head is the hairs ſoyl. So the carnal affections will grow again: ſpiritual and heavenly affections will not grow there, for the heart is not a right ſoyl: and this is a ſhrewdlet, and you muſt labour continually to remove it.
And therefore, before I help you with means how to ſet your affections on God, let me give you theſe two grounds.
Firſt,1. Ground We cannot ſet our affections on God, unleſſe we have a new heart. You muſt have this ſame new heart, otherwiſe ye cannot ſet your affections on God. For there is a heart that will ſet its affections on God, and there is a heart that will not. The Lord wiſhes his people to have the former kinde of heart, the heart that will ſet its affections on God. O that there were ſuch a heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep my Commandments alwaies, Deut. 5. 29. There is ſuch a heart beloved, O that we had it; I ſay, there is ſuch a heart that will fear God, and ſet all its affections on God; and ſuch a heart ye muſt get, or elſe it is in vain to command you this duty: all the Sermons (ye ſee) are in vain that ye have heard to this day; all the exhortations and admonitions ye have had ſince ye were, ye ſee plainly they are in vain to many of you: as your affections were earthly twenty years ago, ſo they are ſtill; as they were carnal and worldly heretofore, ſo they are ſtill; your hearts are the ſame hearts, your hearts are ſtark naught, and therefore your affections cannot ſore up unto God. Ye can have no quick affections in praier, no melting affections at the word: The Sabbath comes, but your affections are not on it: a Sacrament comes, but what poor affections you have to it, your conſciences may witneſſe. Ye ſit in your ſhops, or ye follow your callings, or ye go about your earthly employments, and your affections are below; foreign, ſaies Maximus, the Sparrows foot is bound with a cord, ſhe cannot fly up unto God. Your hearts are not ſpiritual, and this is the cauſe your affections are ſo carnal. Peradventure ye lop off now and then ſome part of your carnal affections, as Tarquinius lopt off the heads of his poppies, but ye do not cut up the roots. Eſtſimill tudo Angeli Poli…ia…, de irâ, ſed paulo ſecus applisat.It may be ye go about to heave up your affections in good duties ſometimes, as the key lifts up the ſpring in the lock, but the key is no ſooner turned but down goes the ſpring, ſo down go your affections preſently again. And therefore I premiſe this as a firſt ground, ye can never ſet your affections on God, till ye have gotten new hearts.
The ſecond ground is this,2. Ground Nor unleſſe we feed on Chriſt. Ye can never ſet your affections upon God, unleſſe you feed upon Chriſt by faith. If ever the ſoul feed upon Chriſt by faith, it cannot but ſet its affections upon God. I remember an invention of Queen Artemeſia, who when her husband Mauſolus was dead, not knowing how to keep him freſh in her affections as long as ſhe lived, ſhe cauſed her husband Mauſolus his body to be turned into aſhes, and mingled them in her drink; ſo ſhe buried her husband in her bowels, and this way ſhe took to keep her affections freſh unto him. This indeed was unnatural in her, to eat and drink her own husband; but faith teacheth us to feed upon the Lord Ieſus Chriſt: this will take off our affections from the world, we ſhall never hunger after the world more, nor thirſt after the things of this life more, if ever we feed upon him I am the bread of life, ſaies Chriſt, he that cometh to me ſhall never hunger, and he that beleeveth on me ſhall never thirſt, Joh. 6. 35. If ever we beleeve the ſweetneſſe of the promiſes of Chriſt, the pleaſantneſſe of the commandments of Chriſt, the preciouſneſſe of the graces of Chriſt, and the love of Chriſt, and the benefit of Chriſt, our affections will be to him. Nothing can take off thy affections from the world but faith in Chriſt. He that beleeveth in Chriſt cannot ſet his affections upon the world. Can a man ſet his affections upon the world, when he verily beleeves it to be droſſe and dung in compariſon of Chriſt? Can he ſet his affections upon earthly pleaſure, that beleeves it is madneſſe? It is certain, men never beleeved in Chriſt ſince they were born, that ſet their affections upon the things of the world; they have not one dram of Chriſt. Chriſt is altogether lovely, Cant. 5. 16. He is all love, one that commands the affections. Thou beleeveſt in the world and not in Chriſt, if thou ſet thine affections upon any other but Chriſt. Thou beleeveſt thou canſt have pleaſure and delight in ſomething beſide Chriſt, profits and gains in ſomething beſide Chriſt; eaſe, and content, and comfort in ſomething beſide Chriſt; if thou ſet thine affections upon any thing beſide Chriſt. Alas! thou canſt never ſet thine affections upon Chriſt, as long as thou beleeveſt not only in Chriſt. If thine earthly affections tranſport thee to be earthly, fly under the wing of Chriſt, as Chickens under the wing of the Hen, leſt the Kite devour them. Theſe are the two Grounds that I give you. Firſt, ye muſt have new hearts: and ſecondly, ye muſt be beleevers in Chriſt, or elſe ye cannot ſet your affections upon God.
The foundation being layd,Means to ſet our affections on God. let me now help you with ſome means to ſet your affections on God. I could help you to abundance of means, but I deſire to help you to ſuch means as are eaſier to uſe, then to ſet your affections on God. For if they be not eaſier then this duty, they cannot properly be ſaid to be helps to this duty.
The firſt then is this,1. Pray to God to gether up your affections from the things of the world. Often pray to God that he would gather up our affections from the things of the world, and unite them unto him. Our hearts are divided and ſcattered up and down among the things of the world. Carnal friends have ſome of your affections; our gains, and our livings, and our maintenance, have other-ſome: our pleaſures and delights, and fleſhly refreſhments, have other-ſome: our earthly buſineſſes, and cares, and employments, our credit, and the like: theſe have abundance of our affections. Thus our hearts and affections are ſcattered up and down among the things of the world; if ever we would have them ſet upon God, we muſt be frequent in praier; that God would unite together our ſcattered hearts, to ſet our affections upon God. This was the practice of David, O Lord, ſaies he, unite my heart to fear thy name, Pſa. 86. 11. His heart was ſcattered up and down in a thouſand peeces. Some peeces of his affections run after one thing, ſome after another. And therefore he praies God to unite his heart together, to fear his Name. If God would once gather up his heart from all its vain haunts, and unite it together; then he could ſet his affections, his fear, and his love, and his delight, and the reſt, upon Gods Name: Iejunio paſſiones corporis, oratione peſtes ſanandae ſunt mentis, ſaies Hierom; Hierom in Marcum.as the affections of the body are to be healed by faſting, ſo the affections of the ſoul are to be healed by praier: as long as they are carnal, they are the plague and peſtilence of the ſoul, and praier muſt heal them. As Father Latimer ſaid to good Ridley, pray, pray, O pray, pray; ſo may I ſay, Pray, pray, I beſeech you, pray unto God evermore, again, I ſay, pray. I have not time to pray ſo often, I do pray in the morning and evening, but my buſineſſes are ſo many, &c. This may be thou objecteſt. Not time enough, ſayſt thou? Finde out ſome odde times beſides morning and evening: ſteal into ſome corner or other, belabour thy heart before God. O ſayſt thou, I finde it a hard thing to ſtir up mine affections, I am a very Stoick, foreign, I have no affection, I cannot compel mine affections to God. Canſt thou not? but thou canſt compel thy heart for to pray; thou canſt tug and pull at thy heart in thy praiers, and this will fetch up thine affections. Praier is not only a mouth to beg Phyſick, but alſo it is Phyſick it ſelf, whereby Chriſt cures the affections of the heart. The poor beggar, the more he is driven to beg, the more affectionate he is in deſcribing his miſeries: you ſhall ſee ſome beggars to ſet forth their miſery, and cry ſo lamentably, as it would burſt a mans heart with pity and compaſſion, ones bowels would even yearn but to hear them. I doe not mean your lazie canting beggars, but diſtreſſed Lazars indeed. So beloved, pray; if ever thou be uſed to it, it will ſcrue up thy heart, and raiſe up thine affections exceedingly. I doe not mean that lazie-hearted and canting kinde of praying of moſt wretches, that hath no more affection in it, then there is ſavour in the white of an Egge. But ſet thy ſelf to prayer indeed, and by it Chriſt will quicken thine affections. Alas! thy heart is divided and ſcattered up and down among the things of the world, and therefore ſtrive with God that he would gather up all the peeces into one; thou muſt have all thine affections and all the peeces of thy heart gathered up into one, if thou wouldſt ſet them upon God. I will give them one heart that they may fear me for ever, ſaies God, Ier. 32. 39 your heart and the affections of your heart are divided and ſcattered up and down into a thouſand peeces, one upon one thing, another upon another; and God hath promiſed that he will gather up your hearts into one, and give you this ſame one heart, that ye may fear him and ſet all your affections upon him; will ye miſſe ſuch a gracious promiſe as this for want of asking it, and begging it, and praying for it? this is the reaſon why men have ſuch earthly affections as they have, becauſe they are not frequent in praier to God to be helped! Prayer is an excellent help to winde up your affections to God. This is the firſt, Often prayer to God.
The ſecond is this,2. Light up 2 Candle in thy heart. Light up a candle in thy heart, that it may ſee what to ſet thine affections on in God. Get knowledge of God: Ignoti nulla cupido, unknown unaffected; thine affections are unruly, and thou canſt not rule them to Godward, yea, but thou canſt get knowledge. Knowledge will help thee exceedingly. The affections we ſee plainly that come neareſt to reaſon, are ſooneſt of all ruled. And the affections that are remoteſt from reaſon, are more hard to be ruled. A man commonly will ſooner rule his affections aright, then a woman or a childe, becauſe a man hath more reaſon. The Philoſophers ſhew this by the example of a Horſe or a Bul. A Horſe is ſooner tamed then a Fiſh, becauſe a Horſe is more capable of knowledge and of reaſon; as natural reaſon and knowledge can naturally rule the affections, ſo ſpiritual reaſon and knowledge can ſpiritually rule the affections. And therefore if thou wouldeſt rule thine affections aright to ſet them on God, labour to know God, every one that loveth God knoweth God, 1 Joh. 47. He muſt muſt needs know God that loveth God, for how can he ſet his affections of love upon God, if he doe not know God? knowing therefore the terrour of the Lord, we perſwade men, 2 Cor. 5. 11. S. Paul perſwades the affections of the people, why? becauſe he knew the terrour of the Lord, and he was able to make them to know it too; and therefore hereby he endeavoured to perſwade their affections to fear God and to ſerve him. They that know thy Name, will put their truſt in thee, for thou never forſakeſt them that ſeek thee, Pſal 9. 10. David ſpeaks peremptorily, they that know thy Name, they will place their hope, and their truſt, and their confidence and all their affections on thee. They will ſo certainly, if they know thee, if once they know what a good God thou art, how true of thy promiſe, how gracious to thy children, how ſure a friend thou art, never forſaking them that ſeek thee. He concludes it poſitively, they that know God will ſet their affections on God. Can a coverous man know a rich purchaſe, and not have an affection to it? can a beggar know his alms is a hundred pounds, and have no affection to take it? as long as the woman of Samaria did not know Chriſt, ſhe ſtood pratling and wrangling and jeering at Chriſt, ſhe had no affection neither to him nor the water of life that he could give her, ſhe had more minde of her well, and her water-pot: though ſhe were in Chriſts company, yet becauſe ſhe did not know, ſhe never askt him a drop of grace, nor would ſhe give ſo much as a draught of her water to Chriſt. But what anſwer did he make to her? If thoukneweſt, ſaies he, who it is that ſaith to thee, give me to drink, thou wouldeſt have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water, Joh. 4. 10. If thou hadſt known who I am, thine affections would have been eagerer then they be. Beloved, ye hear the word, and have no affection to tremble at it. Ye hear Gods Commandments, and have no affection to do them, ye live in your ſins, many of you poor damned ſouls to this day, and ye have no affection to be humbled. Alas! alas! ye are blinde, and ye know not. But if ye had known what a damnable caſe ye are in, what a word it is ye reject, whoſe Commandments they are which ye break, whoſe bloud it is ye contemn; if ye had known God and the truth that is of God, ye would have been otherwiſe affected then ye are.Suetonius. Occultae muſices nullus reſpectus, ſaies Suetonius. Be the muſick never ſo pleaſing, yet if it be not known, none is affected therewith. You'l ſay ye do know God; what doe? and have no more affections to obey the Commandments of God? ye lie in fiat terms, ſaies S. Iohn. He that ſaith I know him, and keeps not his Commandments, is a lyar, and there is no truth in him, 1 Joh. 2. 4. I confeſſe thou mayſt know many things about God, and never have thine affections ſet upon God to obey him; but this knowledge is in a reprobate, there's no truth in this knowledge. The truth is not in him, ſaies the Text. Knowledge may be in him, but the truth of knowledge is not in him. And if thou doſt not know God, no marvel though thine affections be not ſet on him. Incognitum non amatur, Unknown unkiſt, as we ſay. This is the ſecond help to ſet our affections on God, to know God.
The third is this,3. Occaſion thine affections this way. Occaſion thine affections this way, Be it never ſo hard to … corrupt nature to ſet thine affections upon God, it is eaſier a great deal to give them frequent occaſions to be ſet upon God. A theeviſh companion, may be, is afraid for to ſteal, leſt he ſhould be taken, yet if a booty do ever and anon offer it ſelf pretty handſomely and fairly and covertly unto him, then he will ſteal it.
Occaſio facit furem, O…caſiones faciunt latrones.Occaſion makes a filcher; the poſtern door maketh a thief, as the Proverb is. That gives him an occaſion for his villany; as it is in evil, ſo alſo in good. Occaſion thine affections alwaies to good, at laſt they may take hold of it. Be often thinking, and meditating, and remembring of God, let thy thoughts and meditations give occaſion to thy heart, in the end it may take it. The Apoſtle gives this as a reaſon why Titus was ſo well affected with the good people in Corinth, namely, becauſe he thought of and remembred their obedience to God. His inward affection is the more abundant toward you, whileſt he remembreth the obedience of you all, 2 Cor. 7. 15. if we would often buſie our thoughts and remembrances of God, this might winne our affections to God. Thou giveſt thine affections ſo many thouſand occaſions to be ſet upon the things of this life, thy tongue is accuſtomed to ſpeak of little elſe, thine ear accuſtomed to hear little elſe, thy minde and thy memory accuſtomed to think of little elſe, thou giveſt thy heart ſo many occaſions to ſet its affections on the things of this life, that I wonder not thine affections are not ſet upon God. This is the reaſon why men are ſo touchy and ſo cholerick, and revengeful and envious and malicious; this is the reaſon why they are ſo apt to be overtaken with inordinate pleaſure, or covetous deſires, or carnal ſorrows and griefs and the like, they give their hearts occaſions to be ſo; they are not choice of their company, they are not wary of the beginnings of ſin, they entertain too many thoughts of injuries and croſſes, and afflictions, and profits, and vanity in the world, many occaſions they give to their hearts to ſet their affections thereon. The heart when it ha… an occaſion to ſin, is like the wilde aſſe in the Prophet: in her occaſion who can turn her away? Ier. 2. 24. The wilde aſſe if ſhe have an occaſion of luſt, no body can turn her away from her luſt, as Tremellius obſerves: occaſion is a main thing in matters either of ſin or of grace. If Peter had not given his heart an occaſion to be tempted by being in the Hall, doubtleſs he would have been better occupied then in denying his Maſter; if David had not give occaſion to his luſts by looking careleſly from his roof, for all that I know, he had been at his prayers, when he was a whoring with Vriah his wife. If Lot had not given occaſion to his fleſh by drinking of Wine, he had been a bleſſing of God for his mercy the while he was committing of inceſt. Capillataeſt occaſio, Occaſion hath a foretop, how eaſy is it to be taken hold of? The Galatians are commanded, that their liberty be not uſed as an occaſion to the fleſh, Gal. 5. 13. for as ſoon as the fleſh hath an occaſion offered, preſently it's likely to take it. Women muſt not give an occaſion to the Adverſary to ſpeak reproachfully, 1 Tim. 5. 14. Let no man put a ſtumbling block or an occaſion to fall in his brothers way. Rom. 14. 13. Occaſions to evil are all dangerous, as the fleſh is ready to take all occaſion to ſinne, ſo the ſpirit to take an occaſion to good. And therefore if thou wouldeſt ſet thine affections on God, give thy heart as many occaſions that way as thou canſt; keep ſuch company as may occaſion thy heart to be affected with Chriſt. Compoſe thy ſelf to be often thinking and meditating of the Word, and of ſuch things as may occaſion thy heart to ſet its affections above. And when thy heart hath ſuch occaſions as theſe offered unto it, preſſe it and urge it to take hold of the occaſion. Horat.Premenda occaſio, ſaies Horace; good occaſions are to be preſt upon. If thou wouldeſt make conſcience of this duty, to occaſion thine affections aright, they would be ſet quickly upon God. This is the third help, to ſet thine affections on God, give thine affections often occaſion that way.
The fourth is this.4. Let thine affections be often wooed to God▪ Let thine affections be often woed to God, never miſſe, if thou canſt chooſe, the preaching of Gods word: there is never a godly Miniſter but is Chriſts paranymph, he is a friend of the Bridegroom, Joh. 3. 29. Whenſoever he preaches, he comes on Chriſts errand to wooe thine affections to Chriſt. Chriſt does as a great Prince, that minding to marry a wife out of a far Countrey, ſends over his paranymphs to wooe for him, to get her affections, if it be poſſible. So beloved, we that are Gods Miniſters, we are Chriſts paranymphs, we preach to wooe your affections to Chriſt. And therefore never miſſe the preaching of the Word, it's the wooing of your affections to Chriſt; they ſay, women love to be much wooed. Love then the preaching of the Word, that wooes thee and wooes thee again and again. O what infinite need haſt thou of coming continually to the Word; thine affections are infinitely coy; this they muſt have, and that they muſt have. Like a vain Damoſel, ſhe muſt have her geegaws, and her faſhions, ſhe muſt have her pleaſure and her will, and her eaſe, and thus it muſt be, and ſo it ſhall be, if ſhe marry him, ſhe will not have the man elſe, He hath ſuch adoe to get her affections, either he is too homely, or too baſe, or too ſtrict, or too ill-favoured, or too poor, or ſomewhat. Now may be he hath her, and then her thoughts change, then again ſhe is inclined, and then her affections are off. My brethren, ſo it is with our ſouls; our affections are to this and that and I know not what. If Chriſt will not let them have their pleaſures, and their eaſe, and their profits, and their vanities, Chriſt is not for them. They muſt have the credit in the world, they'l not be mockt at for puritans and for hypocrites, they'l not deny father nor mother, nor ſelf, nor any of theſe things, they are loth to be held in ſo ſtrictly, as Chriſt doth indent. But Chriſt will not marry us, unleſſe our affections be wholly upon him. Bleſſed is he that is not offended in me. Many are offended at the preciſeneſſe of his word, many at the bitterneſſe of the Croſſe, many at the ſhame of the world, they are offended in Chriſt, their affections are quite againſt theſe things. They are unwilling to be alwaies a talking of Sermons and of Heaven, to be alwaies a wracking their thoughts about their ſins, and about repentance and faith, to be hated of all men, to goe through tribulations and perſecutions for the Goſpels ſake, to part with their cuſtomes, and their own natural inclinations and their luſts, their affections are againſt theſe conditions. O it's wondrous hard to wooe the affections of the heart unto Chriſt. And doſt thou think that Chriſt will marry thee till thine affections come down to his conditions?foreign. will a man marry a woman whom he ſees is contrary-hearted unto him? Mulier inquieta tempeſtas in domo, A croſſe wife is a tempeſt and a ſtorm in a houſe. Come then continual to the preaching of the word, if ever thou deſire to have thine affections wrought on. Gods Miniſters are Chriſts paranymphs, they preach for this purpoſe to wooe thine affections to Chriſt. If there be any one Sermon that thou refuſeſt to be at when thou mayſt, thy conſcience tels thee thou mayſt be at it, and wilt not, if there be any one Sermon, I ſay, that thou wilt not be at, thou rejecteſt Chriſts paranymphs. Like a croſſe mayd, that when her ſuiter comes to her, he ſhall have no ſpeech with her, She will not be ſpoken with. O what a provoking is this unto Chriſt? if thou wilt not be ſpoken with, take heed leaſt the Lord Jeſus abhorre for to own thee. Nay, if ſhe be ſo ſtrange forſooth, let her keep her affections for who's will, I ſcorn to wooe her any more. How long hath Chriſt wooed your affections! beloved, and yet he's pleaſed to wooe you. Bring hither your affections, that here they may be wrought. Frequent the Lords houſe, for here be Chriſts paranymphs: if ever your affections can be gotten, here they may be won ſome time or other. Many other means may be uſed to help you in this task, namely, to ſet your affections on God. But theſe may ſuffice for the preſent. Set your affections on things that are above, and not on things that are on the earth.