A Treatise of the Affections, Treatise · Sermon 7
The VII. Sermon.
Coloſ. 3. 2.
Set your affections on things that are above, &c.
ARe the affections the motions of the heart,Miniſters muſt labour to ſtir up the affections of their hearers. L. 1. de invent. c. 1. and muſt we ſet them on God? this may teach us one leſſon by the way; we that are Gods Miniſters muſt take notice from hence how to qualifie our preaching, namely, to ſtir up the affections of mens hearts. Every man ſayes Rodolphus Agricola, that hath any learning at all, is able to teach; but concutere affectibus audientem, to ſhake mens affections, and turn mens hearts; he is an extraordinary man that can doe this: after this manner was the preaching of our Saviour, he did ſo move the affections of his hearers, that the Text ſayes, they were aſtoniſhed at his doctrine, Mat. 7. 28. Why ſo? the Exangeliſt makes anſwer in the next verſe, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the Scribes: that is,Keck. Ecc. Rhet. l. 1. c. 3. non ita frigidus ut Phariſaei, he was not ſuch a frigid and cold Teacher as the Phariſees and Scribes were; the people ſate like immoveable ſtocks in their ſeats, when the Scribes were a teaching, they were not moved a jot; but our Saviour was a powerful Teacher, he taught them as one having authority, and not as the Scribes: his Sermons were moving and forceable. Iohn the Baptiſt wrought ſtrongly on the affections of his Auditors, they could not poſſibly hold, but cryed outr…ght, as they heard him. The people askt him, What ſhall we do? the Publicans cryed out, Maſter what ſhall we do? the Souldiers alſo, whoſe affections are as hard to be moved as any, yet they cried out too, and what ſhall we do? Luk. 3. 14. This uſe is plainly grounded on my Text. Gods Miniſters ye know are Gods Inſtruments to bring men to faith and repentance, and reconcile them to God: and therefore if this be your duty, to ſet your affections on God, we muſt labour to work on your affections to provoke you to doe it. The reaſons of it are theſe.
Firſt,Reaſons. Becauſe the Word is full of affections; full of affections of love to wooe a man to God,1. Becauſe the Word is full of affections. full of affections of pity to yern upon men in their miſery, full of affections of terrour to terrifie the wicked; and therefore that Miniſter that preaches not affectionately, preaches but one half of the Word, he preaches but the dead corps of the Truth, as I may call it: he does not preach the life and the ſoul of the truth. The affections of a ſpeech are the ſoul of a ſpeech, both make up the whole of the Word. Is not my Word like unto fire, and like a hammer that breaketh the rocks in peeces? Ier. 23. 29. If the Word be a fire, he that delivers it coldly, delivers the Word otherwiſe then it is. Would you not ſay that a man were ridiculous, who when his neighbours houſe is on fire, ſhould go and coldly adviſe the Pariſh in this manner; O my dear neighbours, you ſhould do well to look to your houſes, leſt fire fall upon them, as now of late I underſtood it hath done; I pray let me perſwade you to provide water, otherwiſe all your goods and mine too will be conſumed to aſhes: it is true that this man ſayes; but would not men deem him a fool? the truth, is the truth of affection, and he leaves out the affection of the truth. Nature hath taught us another courſe in ſuch a caſe, He would run crying into the ſtreet, fire, fire, help, help, for the Lords ſake; water, water, in all haſte, alas! alas! we are undone, quickly, ſpeedily, run for ladders; pull down this rafter here, cut down that beam there, untile the houſe, what mean you? ſtir hands, arms, legs, hie thee for water, run thee for iron crooks, crows, hooks, buckets, haſte, haſte; we are all undone. Here now is the affection of the truth: the like muſt a Miniſter do, who knowing his people wallow in ſin, in the ſtate of hell and damnation, as many as go on in their courſes, he ought not with filed phraſes and mellow-mouthed words, nor with cold exhortations admoniſh his hearers, but he muſt put in the affection of the Word in his Sermons: he muſt cry fire, fire, the fire of hell is among you, the fire is kindled, ſin is entred into the ſoul: O the water of tears, tears, repentance, repentance, help your ſelves for Gods ſake: the devil ſtands ready to devour you, death watches unawares to ſtrike you, hell-mouth gapeth to ſwallow you; look about you, ſtirre your ſelves and conſider, or ye periſh in a moment. Leave off your ryots, down with your pleaſures, away with your vanities, put on Chriſt quickly, work out your ſalvation with fear and trembling. See ye not men die daily before you on a ſudden, falling to hell, haſte, haſte, flatter not your ſouls, time is uncertain, the danger is too certain, the puniſhment eternal, damnation is intolerable. Thus muſt a Miniſter preach this truth, It is a truth full of affection, the affection muſt be delivered as well as the body of the truth. All the imaginations of the thoughts of mans heart are only evil, &c. Gen 6. 5. As this is a truth, ſo there is a great deal of affection in this truth, the affection of loathing. Do we think when the Lord ſaid it, he ſaid it coldly and nakedly; all the imaginations, &c. No, he ſaid it with a great deal of affection, of loathing, &c. O Jeruſalem, Jeruſalem, &c. O that thou hadſt known, &c. As this is a truth, ſo there is a great deal of affection in this truth, affection of pity. There is a great deal of affection in every threatning, a great deal of affection in every command, a great deal of affection in every promiſe, in every truth. Chriſt does not bid us preach the letters, and ſyllables, and propoſitions of his Word, but his Word. Now my Word is like fire, ſayes God▪ fire is the ſtirringeſt element of all elements, and therefore if there be any feeling at all in you, the Word is able to ſtir you, even as if ye had a fire in your bowels. Beloved, either we that are Gods Miniſters are unskilful to handle the Word, or elſe ye are ſenſeleſſe and ſtupid, if ye do not ſit upon hot coals for to hear it: it will make the drunkards heart ake to hear what this Word ſayes to him: it will make the worldlings heart ake, and the ſecure Chriſtians heart ake. The Word is fire, Did not our hearts burn within us, while he opened to us the Scriptures? Luk. 24. 32. The Word did ſo inflame their affections, that their hearts burned to hear it. Does not the godly heart burn to hear the ſweetneſſe of Gods promiſes? and burn when the Scriptures are opened to direct thee? And ſo on the other ſide, does not the Uſurers heart burn, when the Scriptures are opened that rip up his ſins? Does not the carnal profeſſors heart burn now and then as he ſits, when the Scriptures are opened to ſhew him his rottenneſſe? there be ſuch ſcorching texts in the Word; texts of death, texts of judgement, texts of hell and damnation, they may well make a wicked heart burn for to hear them; and therefore the Word being ſo full of affection, a Miniſter that preaches it, muſt needs be an affectionate preacher, if he be a true preacher, otherwiſe he doth not preach the whole Word.
Secondly,3. The word looks to be obeyed with affections. As the Word is full of affection it ſelf, ſo it looks that a man ſhould be full of affection that obeys it. God loves no other obedience, but obedience with affection; he loves a cheerful giver. 2 Cor. 9. 7. So God loves a cheerful obeyer, a cheerful repenter, a cheerful beleever; whatever we do in his ſervice, he loves we ſhould do it with affection▪ Should a Miniſter preach without any affection, happily he may reaſon men out of many of their ſins, and prevail with them to take up the duties of religion, but all would be formality, without any affection. It is a good ſaying of Auſtin, the godly muſt have affections in obedience, otherwiſe they are not obedient.
There be two things in every Commandment of God.
Firſt, The duty commanded to be done, Fear God and keep his Commandments. This is the whole duty, Eccleſ. 12. 13. That is, there is never a duty that a man hath commanded him, but it is within the compaſs of the Commandments of God. So that in every Commandment there is a duty.
Secondly, The ſtrength of affection wherein the Commander commands it, and therefore the Commander commands it, and therefore the Commandment is called Gods will. Teach me to do thy will, O God, Pſa. 143. 10. It is called Gods pleaſure, Bleſſe the Lord ye Miniſters of his that do his pleaſure, Pſa. 103. 21. It is called Gods deſire, Thou deſiredſt truth in the inward parts, Pſ. 51. 6. Becauſe the ſtrength of Gods will and deſire, and pleaſure, and affection lies in it. Theſe two things being in every Commandment of God, it follows of neceſſity, that a man muſt have his affections in obedience, otherwiſe he is not obedient. As God doth not only command me, but alſo with affection he commands me: ſo I muſt not only do the thing he commands, but with all affection I muſt do it, or elſe I never obey him. Virtuti immitte furorem, ſayes Homer, Adde affections to thy vertue, Vertue is no vertue without the affections, prayer is no prayer without thine affections be in it, repentance is no repentance without thine affections be in it. Whatſoever duty thou doſt, if thou doſt it not with all thine affections, it is abomination to God: and therefore the Miniſter that preaches muſt ſtir up affections: if he do not ſtir up affections, the religion he begets in the hearts of his hearers, is likely to be little better then wretched formality.
Thirdly,3. Men are very dull in affections to embrace the Word. As the Word is full of affection it ſelf, and requires affection in them that obey it, ſo men are very dull in affection to embrace it; they are dull of hearing, Heb. 5. 11. They have dull ears, and dull hearts, and dull affections: tell them they ſhall periſh becauſe they doe not repent; they will be damned becauſe they will not obey: they ſhall be ſaved that will; they are like Gallio, they care for none of theſe things; and therefore now we that are Miniſters, muſt ſtrive to make them …are whether they will or no. Cry aloud, ſayes God, ſpare not, lift up thy voice like a Trumpet, ſhew my people their tranſgreſſions, Iſa. 58. 1. Do not only ſay a Sermon to them, but cry it: nor only ſo, but cry aloud, they are deaf: ſpare not, thou wilt never ſtir them if thou ſpareſt. Spare not, ſpare neither rich nor poor, neither great nor ſmall, lift up thy voice like a Trumpet, that is, preach ſo, that if it be poſſible, thou mayſt move their affections. It is a ſimilitude taken from the Trumpet in battel, though the Souldier be faint-hearted, it will ſtir him up with affection to fight. Great Alexander was ſo ſtirred up at the trumpetting of one Antigenida an admirable trumpetter, that all his couragious affections were up, and his fingers did itch to be fighting. So lift up thy voice like a Trumpet, ſtirre them up, if by any means thou canſt. O they are very dull and ſenſeleſſe, and hard to be affected, and therefore we muſt ſtudy how to work on their affections.
If ye ask me how muſt the Miniſter ſtir up affections? I anſwer.
Firſt,A Miniſter muſt not ſtir up affections by the enticing words of mans wiſdome. Negatively, not with the enticing words of mans wiſedom, 1 Cor. 2. 4. Some men indeed out of theſe words do gather, that S. Paul condemned all eloquence and affectionate preaching. But this cannot be, that he ſhould condemn that which he moſt ſhewed himſelf, moſt of all the Apoſtles of Chriſt. He was ſuch an eloquent golden mouthed man, that the Lycaonians thought he had been another Mercury, he was ſuch a ſweet ſpeaker, Act. 14. 12. He was ſuch an affectionate Orator, that he made Agrippa's bowels even earn to be a Chriſtian, and Felix to tremble. S. Auſtin conceived him to be gifted with ſuch an admirable power this way of Almighty God, that it was one of his three wiſhes, if he might have it for wiſhing; namely, to hear S. Paul to preach in a Pulpit; and therefore he does not condemn all affectionate and eloquent preaching; but he condemns that flattering kinde of affected Rhetorick, whereby men that preached themſelves, tickled mens ears, and delighted them with luſcious phraſes of Oratory; handling ſuch points as might pleaſe the phantaſies of their hearts, rather then to convince them of their ſins: thinking it too preciſe, too baſe to preach of mens damnable eſtate and condition in ſin, the curſe of the Law that all men are under till they be new creatures in Chriſt; the taking up of Chriſts Croſſe: to be hated, and mocked, and perſecuted of all men, for Chriſts ſake and his Goſpel. Theſe points, they either thought to be too ruſtick, and burly, and auſtere, or they ſugred them over with their comments, and tickled the people with more velvet-like paſſages of mercy. I ſay, this kinde of eloquence, and this kinde of preaching, with the enticing words of mans wiſedom, does the Apoſtle condemn, and therefore I doe not mean this. How then muſt a Miniſter ſtirre up affections? I anſwer, he muſt ſtir up affections five waies.
Firſt,1. A Miniſter muſt ſtirre up affections by preaching to the life. By preaching to the life, As a Painter then paints a man well, when he paints him to the life; he paints it ſo to the life, as if it were a living man indeed So then does a Preacher preach affectionately, when he preaches to the life; when he preaches of hell, he preaches to the life, as if hell were before mens eyes; when he preaches of heaven, as if the people did ſee it with their eyes as it were. As King Iames ſaid of a good preacher in this Kingdom;A ſaying of K. Iames this Preacher, ſaies he, preaches as if death were at my back: ſo a good Preacher preaches to the wicked, as if vengeance were at their backs, as if hell were at their backs; he preaches to the godly as if Chriſt were at their backs, and heaven at their backs. If this kinde of preaching will not work on mens affections, their affections are bewitcht, O fooliſh Galatians, who hath bewitcht you, that ye ſhould not obey the truth, before whoſe eyes Ieſus Chriſt hath been evidently ſet forth, crucified among you? Gal. 3. 1. Paul among them had preached Chriſt to the life; ſo evidently, and ſo plainly, had he preached Chriſt crucified, as if they had ſeen him crucified before their eyes. Certainly thought he, theſe peoples affections are bewitched, that are no better wrought on. When Galba would perſwade the Spaniards againſt Nero for his cruelty, he ſet out ſo viſibly his cruelty, that they might even ſee it with their eyes. Lycurgus ſo expreſſed the difference of good education and of bad, that the people might even ſee it with their eyes. Not as though preachers ſhould do as they did, or as ſome that I have read of, have done; who brought a dead skull into the pulpit, that the people might ſee death even with their eyes. We have no ſuch warrant in Scripture; but they muſt do it with the lively teaching of the truth. And therefore the Apoſtle ſayes, that true preaching is in the demonſtration of the ſpirit, 1 Cor. 2. 4. When the truth is demonſtrated with evidence.
Secondly,2. By being full of affections himſelf. By being full of affections himſelf: Affection in the ſpeaker is likely to beget affection in the hearer. It cannot be otherwiſe, ſaies Cicero. Cicero being an excellent ſpokeſman, whenever he pleaded before the people of Rome, to beget any affections in them, he would be ſure to put on thoſe affections himſelf. If he would move them to grief, he would be full of affection of grief. When to pity he would be full of affections of pity,Summa movendorum affectuum in eo eſt, ut prius ipſe ſis molus. Quin Hor. de art. Poet when to anger, his countenance would be ful of anger. The higheſt point of moving the affections in another, is to be endued with thoſe affections thy ſelf, ſayes Quintilian. It is an old maxime in Oratory, and in all moving of the affections of others, Pectus eſt quod facit diſertos. It is a mans own breaſt that makes him to be affectionate and eloquent. If a mans own breaſt be piteous, and full of compaſſion and bowels, that man is an e…oquent perſwader to pity. If a mans own breaſt be loving, and kinde, and full of affections, that man is an eloquent ſpeaker to move love: Si vis me flere, dolendum primum ipſe tibi, If thou wouldeſt have me weep, weep thy ſelf firſt. What mean you to weep and break my heart,Com. in 1 Cor. 2. 4 Cal. Mult… ſunt clamoſi reprehenſores, qui in vitia deciamitando vel potius fulminando mirum zeli ar…orem prae ſe ferunt, interea ipſi ſecuri ut videantur per luſum latera & guttera …xercere veſle: at Chriſtiani …aſtorus eſt flere ſecum priuſquam alios ad fletum provocet, & plus apud ſe retinere doioris quam aliis faciat. Dabis voci tuae vo cem virtutis, ſi quod ſuades, prius ipſe tibi perſuaſiſſe cognoſcaris Bern. ſayes the Apoſtle, Act. 21. 13. it burſt his very heart to ſee others ſtand weeping about him. There be many clamorous Preachers, ſayes Calvin, who declaim againſt the ſins of the people, and thunder againſt the iniquities of their Pariſh, and make as though they had a great deal of zeal, that never move a jot; the affections of the people are not ſtirred up a whit; becauſe the people ſee plainly, through all their actings and vehement enforcements, that ſuch Miniſters are not affected themſelves, but only exerciſe their ſides and their throat, as if they would act it on a ſtage. But O, ſayes he, labour to mourn for their ſins in thine heart, before thou labour to move them. Be thou more affected thy ſelf, then thou undertakeſt to affect them. S. Paul did ſo move the affections of Dionyſius and Damaris, and others at Athens, that the Text ſayes, they clave to S, Paul. Certain men clave to him, and beleeved, Act. 17. 34. He preached ſo movingly, that their affections did even cleave to him as he preached. How came it about that he ſtirred up affections in them? look into the 16. verſe, and there you ſhall ſee he was greatly affected himſelf. His ſpirit was ſtirred in him, ſayes S. Luke, when he ſaw the city wholly given to idolatry. He could not have ſtirred up affections in them, if he had not been filled with affections himſelf. O beloved, our hearts are grievouſly ſtraightned, and our ſouls are wofully ſtopt, that we are not more affected our ſelves at your miſeries then we be: would it not fetch tears from our eyes, and groans from our bowels, to ſee how deſperately ye are hardned, but that we are too little affected our ſelves? you know the damned abuſes in your Pariſh, the curſed ſins that reign in your houſes, and the ſtupid ſecurity ye are in, yet nothing can move you. Your conſciences cannot be ignorant ye are carnal, and are not yet Saints, nor born again many of you; your conſciences can tell you ye are Saints, or elſe ye are hell-hounds, and if ye die as ye are, ye have no evidence for heaven, but ye may be damned ere long for all that ye know. Ye can hear this every time ye to Church, and yet no reformation, no ſhew of humiliation, no ſhew of grace nor repentance nor any thing,Simonides apud Ariſt. Epiced foreign; what weeping Simonides can weep ſufficiently for theſe things? Paul knowing ſome abuſes among the Corinthians, that many of them were like to be damned for ever, out of much affliction and anguiſh of heart, ſayes he, I wrote unto you with many tears, 2 Cor. 3. 4. penè quot ſyllabas, Haymo.tot lacrymas, as Haymo ſpeaks, that is, he ſhed as many tears as he wrote ſyllables, he could hardly write for wetting the paper with tears which he wrote on. O that we who are Gods Miniſters could be ſo affected! the Lord lay it not to our charge that we are not:Jer. 9. 1. but O that our heads were water, and our eyes were a fonntain of tears, that we might weep day and night for theſe things. Ye think your ſouls are ſafe, alas! we know they are deſperate. We know that your drunkenneſſe will damn you, and your ſwearing and lying and company-keeping will undoe you. We know your pride and your hardneſſe of heart are ſymptomes and infallible marks of ſuch as are yet no better then reprobates. Ye hope your crying God mercies will help you, we know they cannot. Ye hope that Gods mercies will relieve, we know they will not, unleſſe ye be new creatures. Ye truſt God will not be ſo ſtrict as we ſay, we know he will. Ye imagine ye are not led by the devil, though ye ſin thus and thus, we know ye be, and the devil the God of this world rules in your mindes and your conſciences. Neither are ye able, unleſs ye be Atheiſts and devils incarnate, to deny God to be God, and his Scripture to be Scripture, ye are not able to deny it. O that we would ſigh, and ſob, and groan in our pulpits. O that we could even wet our cuſhions with tears, and yearn over your ſouls as we preach; I beſeech you conſider, will you never beleeve nor be affected till ye feel it? Lord, when thy hand is lifted up they will not ſee, but they ſhall ſee and be aſhamed, and the fire ſhall devour them, Iſa. 26. 11, I proteſt unto you, I could finde in my heart to fall down on my knees to every one of you all, were it profitable to beſeech, you to conſider this, now Gods hand is lifted up, and he cals to you and ye will not hear, he ſhews you your ſins, and ye will not ſee, you ſhall ſee, ſayes he, and be aſhamed, and the fire of hell ſhall devour you. Take heed ye ſee not too late. O that ye had known at leaſt in this thy day, before they be hid from thine eyes. God will hide his grace from thine eyes, and his ſpirit from thy heart, if nothing can move thee. I pray God affect our hearts with theſe things, that we who are your Miniſters may be more touched our ſelves. This is the ſecond means whereby we might move you, if we were affected our ſelves.
Thirdly,3. A Miniſter may ſtirre up the affections of others by being godly himſelf. L. 1. Rhet. cap. 2. Quis tulerit Gra… chos, &c. Iuvenal. By being godly our ſelves. As we muſt be affected our ſelves, ſo if ever we mean to ſtir up affections in the heart, we muſt be godly our ſelves. Ariſtotle requires this in an Orator, that he be a good man, foreign, the good manners and the life of the ſpeaker have the greateſt power to perſwade the affections. Hence is that uſual ſaying of the vulgar. He that preaches well, and lives ill, puls that down with one hand which he built with the other: Nay commonly a man loaths a good ſaying out of a foul mouth. Let a drunken Miniſter exhort to ſobriety, for the moſt part the people do loath it. Let an adulterous or covetous Miniſter exhort to be godly and religious, for the moſt part they abhorre it. Let a looſe Miniſter preach of ſtrictneſſe of life and converſation, and zeal and purity, Solomon ſayes it is like a lame mans legs, when one is ſhorter then the other, Prov. 26. 7. that is an ill ſight: A wicked Miniſter can never ſtir up the affections of the people aright. Gregory Nazianzen would have a Miniſter foreign Either not preach at all,L. 1. Sent. Spiritual. Tetraſt. 4. or preach by a good and godly life. Otherwiſe the people will have little affection to hear him: nay, which is lamentable, it is uſual in the world, not only to ſet their affections againſt a wicked Miniſters preaching, but alſo to loath the very ordinance it ſelf: when Eli his ſons were wicked, and ſons of Belial, the Text ſayes, the people loathed Gods offerings. The ſinne of the young men was very great before the Lord, for men abhorred the offering of the Lord, 1 Sam. 2. 17. At the beſt, the people, though never ſo greedy otherwiſe for to hear, yet if the Miniſter do not as he ſaies, they have ſmal affection to hear him: Chriſt knew this by his Diſciples, who were willing to hear him whenſoever he preached, but he knew they had little affection to hear a Sermon of the Phariſees, who ſaid and did not, And therefore he was fain to command them not to be offended at that, but to hear them. It was not then in vain, that the Apoſtle exhorts Titus to look to his own life.Tit. 2. 7. In all things ſhew thy ſelf a pattern, ſayes he, a patern of good works. For if the Miniſter that preaches be not a good pattern to his people, his Sermons will not be ſo able to ſtir up affections in their hearts. Paſce verbo, paſce exemplo, Gregory.ſayes Gregory: we muſt feed them by doctrine, and feed by our example: this is the way to ſtir up affections in our hearers. It is true, the people ought to be ſtirred up by the Word, in whoſe mouth ſoever it be, and it is their fault that they be not, but yet it will never be ſo: the Miniſters contrary life in any particular, as it is curſed of God, ſo likewiſe it is a ſcandalous thing unto others, and an infinite occaſion of offence, and takes off the edge of the Word. Yea, commonly it does more hurt then all the preaching can do good. For thus men will argue, If it be neceſſary to live as he ſayes, then why does not he live ſo himſelf? He hath more learning then I, and the like: nay, they call the Word into queſtion, and hoodwink their ſouls with preſumptuous pretences. Thus millions of ſouls are gone to hell with their Miniſter for company: Malus Miniſter eſt niſus Diaboli, It is a true ſaying of a Father, An evil Miniſter is the devils Goſ-Hawk or Sparrow-Hawk. He goes a birding for hell. But why ſpeak I of theſe things among you whom it concerneth not? Yea, it concerns you much every way. For as it is a curſe to a Pariſh that a Miniſter is wicked, ſo is the Pariſh tied as ever they love their own ſouls, to pray unto God that he would ſanctifie their Miniſter more and more, that the Word may runne and be glorified, for the life of the Miniſter hath a great hand in moving the affections. The holieſt Miniſters move moſt.
Fourthly,4. A Miniſter may ſtirre up affections by his voice. By the due carriage of their voices, when the Miniſter is affected himſelf: I do not ſay it is alwaies ſo, for ſome have not the ſame command of themſelves through accidental reaſons: but commonly when the Miniſter is affected himſelf, the inward affections of his own breaſt diſpoſe the voice into ſome gracious manner of expreſſing the ſame. As Paul that was full of grief and ſorrow for the peoples ſinnes, he for the moſt part preached with a weeping voice, Many walk, ſayes he, of whom I have told you often, and now again tell I you even weeping, they are enemies of the Croſſe of Chriſt, whoſe end is deſtruction, &c. Phil. 3. 18, 19. and truly if we conſider the iniquities of the times, and the ſinnes of moſt men, how lamentable their conditions be, no other affection better ſuits then this. Loquere flebiliter, ſayes Bucolcerus to a preather, ſpeak mournfully, and ſorrowfully, the very voice it ſelf will ſomewhat mollifie the affections of the people. Certainly it is an ordinance of God, and very moving, to ſpeak according to the point in hand. To ſpeak compaſſionately in points of pity, to ſpeak rejoycingly in points of comfort, to ſpeak moſt terribly in points of terror. As Cato adviſed that ſouldiers ſhould terrifie their enemies with terrible voices. Neither is it amiſs, that when the Miniſter threatens the judgements of God againſt rebellious ſinners, he ſhould compoſe his voice accordingly. I know not what hidden occult influence the voice hath into the affections, ſaith S. Auguſtine, but a great influence it hath. When a Miniſter goes dreamingly on, the people ſit careleſly and regard it not, and let him ſay never ſo good matter, they heed it not; let him threaten, or comfort, or command, or reprove, they reſpect all alike, for they ſee no difference in the Miniſter, I know the people ſhould not do thus, but ſuch is the corruption of men, thus they will doe; now God hath given many of his meſſengers more wakening voices, as petty inſtruments to provoke mens affections ſomewhat the more. And truly we are bound to make conſcience thereof, that our very voice may be a comment upon our matter; 'twas a pretty ſtory of Demoſthenes, Plutarch. in Demoſt.when one told him that he was beaten and miſuſed exceedingly by ſuch a companion. It ſeems he told it ſo by rote as we ſay, ſhewing no affection at all in his telling: Why? ſayes Demoſthenes: hath he beaten thee? I do not beleeve he hath beaten hee. No? ſayes the man: he was much troubled to hear him deny it, and ſo he ſpake eagerly and in a chafe, I am ſure he beat me, thus he did, and thus he did, and do you not call this beating? now I beleeve, ſayes Demosthenes, I beleeve now he hath beaten thee indeed, now I hear the voice of a man that was beaten. So if we ſhould dreamingly utter our voice, and reprove our hearers, they ſcarce beleeve they are reproved, becauſe they do not hear the voice of a reprover. Let us deliver uſes of terror to them, they hardly beleeve any terrour in it, becauſe they do not hear the voice of terrour. But when the Miniſter is affected aright, and his affections direct the carriage of the voice along, the voice it ſelf does more ſignificantly expreſſe the matter; and this no queſtion is very moving.
But then let me tell you, if this be it ye look for, and if ye can be carping at a Miniſter for the want of this, what the Lord accounts of you. He ſets it as a brand upon the wicked Jews that they were affected with the Prophet Ezekiels pleaſant voice, when they were affected with little elſe, Ez. 33 32. even a rare and a worthy Moſes may be defective in this caſe, and wo is the people that findeth fault. But however, be the voice of a godly Miniſter never ſo mean, yet there will be ever ſome hidden grace in it, whereby more or leſſe, it appears unto the conſciences of them that have ears to hear. This is the fourth thing whereby a Miniſter may ſtir up affections, by the due carriage of his voice.
Fifthly,5. By a decent action. I might adde by a decent action. For my part, I have little reaſon to name it, but verily, it is a bleſſing of Chriſt to them that have it, for they have a great advantage over the affections of their hearers. Cicero ſayes, ſome were eſteemed viri diſerti, eloquent and moving men, but for want of action they could not put their gifts in practiſe, habiti ſunt infantes, they were eſteemed infants in this profeſſion, ſayes he. Action we ſee is much employed in the preaching of the Prophets and the holy men of God. Ezechiel was commanded to ſtamp with the feet, Iſaiah commanded to go naked, Ieremy commanded to put a yoke on his neck. Iohn Baptiſt was tota vox, he was all-voice; the voice of a cryer in the wilderneſſe, Mat. 3. 3. his eyes ſpake, and his face ſpake, his hands ſpake, and his body ſpake, yea, his life, and dyet, and all ſpake, he was all-voice. The Prophets ſtreched forth their hands to the people in fulneſſe of affection. I have ſpread forth my hands all the day unto a rebellious people, Iſa. 65. 2. S. Paul ſet his eyes upon Elymas the ſorcerer, Act. 13. 9. O full of ſubtlety, and all miſchief, thou childe of the devil, thou enemy of all righteouſneſſe, wilt thou not ceaſe to pervert the right waies of the Lord? the Lords hand is upon thee, and thou ſhalt be blinde, &c. It is counted a grand ſin in old Eli, that he did not frown on his ſonnes, 1 Sam. 3. 13. why does the Text expreſs Elies not ſeverely threatning his ſons, by this action of frowning? but only becauſe they that do ſeverely threaten, do uſe to frown, Thus ye ſee how that Gods Miniſters have uſed action to move affections.